Sorting

I spent a surprisingly pleasant hour or two putting back our food into the new kitchen cupboards. My Dad has spent the last week or so installing the kitchen and has done a lovely job. As I was putting the food away I was amazed at how many diferent types of rice Andy has stock piled-risotto, paella, sushi, long grain, pudding and a few more I can't remember. Andy obviously treats food supplies like I do art supplies-covering any eventuality.

Then I came to the tinned fish. The tins are so pretty. The ones you can buy in France are even prettier.

I liked this noodle packet. It looks very cartoony. We have about eight of these.

Then I came across some of the things I wish he would throw away-I honestly think we are never going to eat this little jar of cockles. Or this-it is a tin of razor shells that Andy bought in Madrid seven years ago. Seven years! I can't imagine what the contents are like. He is watching me type-Andy-throw them away!

I have put the spices in alphabetical order. I even wrote their names on top with permanent marker. Now they need never be messy again. Next I must deal with the huge pile of other kitchen stuff in the back room. We have managed without it for ages so what is it for? I am going to be ruthless and give lots to the charity shop.

If you ever come round I promise I won't offer you Navajas or cockles. Maybe rice though...

Remembering

This has been a sad week. On Sunday 15th February Andy's Dad, Ian, died. We went up to Edinburgh for his funeral which took place yesterday in St Giles' Cathedral. It is hard to know what to write apart from that I loved him, as I love all of Andy's family, and I feel lucky to have known him. There are many things I have been remembering about Ian this week but I am not going to make a big list. Just a few things. He was an amazing gardener and always inspired me to have a go myself. In the garden in Edinburgh there are lots of snowdrops and aconites appearing. This little group are in our garden in London.

Andy's parents have always had cats and all of the cats absolutely worship Ian. Here is George being transported around one Christmas some years ago.

Ever since I have known them I have always been really touched and impressed by the strength of Jean and Ian's marriage.

Ian and Andy on a Scottish country walk. Ian always looked smart and stylish whatever the occasion.

This is Ian and Dougal, his nephew, who spoke yesterday at the funeral.

Another plant in my garden-a hellebore-I discovered these in Ian's garden.

As I said it has been a very sad week. I feel very sad for Andy and his family and for myself too. I will miss you Ian.

Sarah xxxx

Mix and Match

This is the doll I am making at the moment-a green lady from the ancient forests that used to cover this country. She is staring at the future where there may not be enough trees for her to hide amongst. On Wednesday it was my brother Antony's birthday. I sent him a birthday email as he is travelling somewhere-possibly Kuala Lumpur. He has an amazing little sketch book that he has taken on his travels with him, and this is one of the pictures he did when in India. Uploaded on its side! Happy Birthday Antony! This is a recent doll who took a long time to emerge. I found some lovely seaside fabric which spurred me on to finish her. I made a sculpey life ring for her in case she falls into the briney. Her hat is supposed to be like one of those great flowery swimming hats from the 70s. I actually wanted one of those!

This next picture, a knitting pattern picked up for 20p in the Cats' Protection League shop was bought specifically as a cheering up aid. Designed to work a bit like the picture of Philip the Kitten in 'The Mighty Boosh' except for sadness not anger. Please feel free to copy it and use as necessary.

Last of all in this mix and match post is the next installment from my Forest School training. On Friday morning I went to observe a session run by our trainer Lucy. It was great-I loved the way the children are able to explore and choose what to do without too much adult intervention. We are there to ensure safety but other than that it is up to them to lead.

In this picture a group of boys make the most of a muddy puddle.These two are making it rain by shaking the fir trees.

Happy Valentines day too.

One World One Heart Winners!

One World One Heart has come to an end. Lots of people have met lots of other people and some people have won a little something too! I am still visiting blogs-there are so many, and am looking forward to revisiting lots too. Thanks Lisa for hosting such a fun event. I look forward to next year! I decided to write my commenters on a list and cut it up to draw my winners.

I then folded the little pieces of paper and placed them into a fishy dishy.

It was too small however, so I placed them into a larger receptacle...

Here are the names I pulled out. I had so many lovely comments that I decided to send two more tiny dolls out into the big, wide world.

Feyi will go to live with Latharia in Illinois.

This slightly sad tiny doll will be cheered by going to live with Sandra in America.

Little red head girl is off to visit Vickie in Montana.

Illonka from Cologne, of Kreativgeschwafel will adopt Little Miss Pouty.

Finally this tiny doll with a big heart will go to live with Angie in Port Neches, Texas.

They are all so excited to be flying off around the world!

I hope everyone enjoys meeting their paper dolls and that the tiny doll owners find suitable names for them.

Before I go I also wanted to show you this lovely card that I received today from Nancy, one of the OWOH participants-as a thank you for taking part. It's a lovely card, thanks Nancy!

Collate Journal from Sweet Jessie

Today I was cheered by finding a little package in the hallway when I got home. Jessie finished collating and binding all of the papers sent to her from around the world and I received my lovely collated journal today! Thanks Jessie-it's lovely-far too lovely to use I fear-but you never know! It was fun looking through to see the variety of papers used. I like the way that Jessie has put them together-there are some lovely contrasts and links. I also love the professional way the journal is bound and the printed covers, the back one listing all of the participants in the project.

Free pencil included!

The paper on the right is beautiful-stencilled and sparkly.

And meshy spotty on the back.

Love this page! It gets better and better.

No, run little boy, run!

Such a good pairing of pages.

Blogger is doing the sideways picture thing again-it leads to variety I suppose.

A see through page!

I would love to see the rest of this book.

A little man and his great big glove.

Thanks again Jessie, I will treasure it!

Colourful Rearranging

I have put lots of things away into boxes until after the kitchen is done to save them from dust. This left me with some actual space-a luxury! I had these three lamps spread around the sitting room. I really like them all together.

Greenwich market had some lovely things today that I could not resist. I was looking for pink and I found yellow. The green rose is wax and is from Belgium.

The china spiral is more than just beautiful-it is a milk bottle cover. I bought this from the bottle shop in the market. I found out today that part of the market is going to be permanently closed in March to make room for student accomodation. This is the best part of the market-the part where you can rummage around and find little pieces of history, beautiful art and all sorts of lovely things. It is one of the reasons people come to Greenwich. It's such a shame.

My Fairy Feller doll is sad at the prospect.

Last of all-some pink I found. I have stuck some in my colour book and will do something on it-not sure what yet-am waiting for inspiration to strike.

Working, sorting, tidying, shopping, sleeping and A Year of Colour

The title is a minimalist description of my day. The work was school related, the sorting and tidying are new kitchen soon to be done and need space to do it in related, the shopping was just for necessities and the sleeping was headache related. I felt the need to do a bit of relaxing blogging before bed!

I have signed up for A Year of Colour with ArtsyMama

Each month she has invited a guest artist to show a project using a different colour. There are lots of other blogs to look at and I have enjoyed looking around. I decided to have a separate art journal for it and this is it. I have since finished the cover with some more colour. I have done a couple of pages for blue (January) and a couple for pink (February) I am not really a pink person so have found it a hard colour to be inspired by. Elizabeth at About New York had a pink day the other day which I liked.

I love white gesso-the rough texture it gives a surface is so lovely to work on. I used dip pen and ink and watercolour pencil.

This is the back cover. The rainbow windmill at the top of the post is at school and, the other day, when out on a colour walk with the children, I realised I work in a pink school (you can just see the roof in the background) The nursery is a separate building and is blue.

These ribbons are for swirling around to develop arm muscles for writing (in case you were wondering!)