Bloggers' Crafting Weekend - You Are Invited...

 

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Dear Blog Friends,  

You are invited to the new, re-organised Bloggers' Crafting Weekend!

 

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The Basic Information

When? Friday 1st March 2013 (4:30pm onwards) to Sunday 3rd March (1:30pm)

 

Where? YHA Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire (close to M1, rail links and coach station).

 

Details?

• We will have the Whole House to ourselves.
• It's a small hostel, with 5 bedrooms. There are also a kitchen, dining room and sitting room. We'd have it to ourselves from Friday to Sunday, meaning we could arrange our weekend (and the furniture!) pretty much as we chose.

 

How Much?

• Assuming a minimum of 10 people came along, the basic cost will be £65 per person, for two nights, hostel hire / bed only. 
• If more than 10 come along (sleeping in), then this would lower the cost and a proportion of your payment will be refunded to anyone who pays up-front to secure their place. 
   
• If we choose to, we can have our breakfasts and/or dinners provided for us by hostel staff. This would cost about £15-£40, depending on what options we choose.  

• Day-only visitors will be asked for a contribution towards the hire of the hostel, since we are renting the whole building for the weekend.  Obviously, you wouldn't be using all facilities, so a small charge to chip in seems fair.  I think £5 per day is ok, unless anyone objects?

Transport?

• The Hostel is at Bradwell Village, on the outskirts of Milton Keynes, just on the edge of the city and countryside (see the website for a link to a downloadable local map).
• It is very near to the main A5 road and not far from M1 Junction 14.
• It is close to MK Central Rail Station (about 1 & 1/2 miles).
• There is a Coach station in the city centre also, which is served by many national coach routes.
• The city also has good bus services that pass through Bradwell Village and stop just round the corner from the hostel.

 

We may be able to organise some activities, like we did at last year's Weekend. If you would like to volunteer to demonstrate/teach some craft or technique that you enjoy doing, then do shout (I have had a volunteer already!)

Catering

• Last year we brought along food to have at lunchtimes, plus tea, coffee, snacks, cake (!) etc. This will also be the plan for this time, as it worked very well and was much more sociable and nice than having YHA sandwich boxes!
• I would like someone else to organise that part for me, as I will not have time (list of Jobs below!) 

We need to decide whether to arrange our own breakfasts and/or dinners, or to book these from the YHA staff.

• I recommend that we organise breakfasts amongst ourselves (volunteer needed - list of Jobs below!)  Cereal, toast and/or muffins, crumpets, croissants are not hard to sort out... We'd almost certainly have lots of snacks and plenty of lunch and dinner, so a huge breakfast wouldn't be needed!
• Dinners could also be done by ourselves. We could have a "Dinner Co-ordinator" and some people could be "assigned" as Dinner Providers, then discuss and agree the menu with the Co-ordinator. 
• The alternative is to ask YHA staff to cook for us - this would cost around £10 per dinner and would be 3 courses, with soup, a choice of main course, salad bar and choice of desserts.  I would still want a person to co-ordinate this with everyone, collecting the menu choices and letting me know (or the hostel maybe) a few days beforehand.  I would collect the money for dinners, via Paypal, as for the booking (and would confirm the cost!)

We need your opinions about meals.  Please would you tell me what you think - either via comments, or on the e-mail you write me, when booking your place!  We'll go with the majority, to be democratic (though if you decide to opt out and go for a burger, we won't stop you!)

 

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If you want to come along:

• There are 15 "sleeping over" places. 
•  
• I am assuming we'll have 10 people for now, but if more of you do book, then I will refund your overpayment (however, I will probably wait until we have a firm, confirmed number of people, before refunding anyone, so I only have to do it once).   I won't be making a profit from you, I promise.
• Therefore, I'm asking you to pay me £65 to secure your place. It would be best if you could send me the money via Paypal (easier to keep track of the money, quicker etc). If this is a big problem, let me know! 

 

How to Book:

Please E-Mail Me, to confirm you want to come.  Also:  

  

• In your e-mail, would you also tell me if you prefer to order your dinner from the Hostel Staff, or for us to organise all meals ourselves?
• Important - If you have a food allergy or do not eat a particular food, for whatever reason - especially if it makes you ill - please let me know, so I can pass it on to anyone who will be responsible for organising meals.  We don't want anyone to be poorly!
•  
• And, if you can volunteer for a job (only one job!), do say... I will try and take preferences into account!
• Would you also tell me where you will be travelling from, what transport you think you will use and if you'd like a lift (if possible), or can offer one to someone else (not obligatory!)
• I will e-mail you back (first come, first served, ladies!), with my Paypal address and a confirmation of the payment amount. I would be glad if you can confirm that you'll pay within a short timescale. If there's a problem with the payment, do let me know - I wouldn't like you to lose out because of technology etc!

• Also, anyone who has a skill, interest or speciality, which you would love to share with us - either by doing a short demonstration, a mini-workshop (hour, 2 hours, 3 hours...), then I would very much like to hear your ideas! 
• We had some fun last time - Clair showed us how to do some great giftwrapping and ribbon-rose-making; Julie also demonstrated a different ribbon rose; I did a bookbinding tutorial; Ruth posed us a Challenge for the weekend, which was good fun. 

• Some people brought along a few extra craft items, which they didn't want/need, and we had a "swap shop".  I think it would be nice to do this again, unless anyone has a huge objection (?). So, bring stuff along - but please don't bring anything unusable and please retain responsibility for anything of yours, which is not re-homed!  Perhaps we'll ask someone to co-ordinate this a little bit...

 

 The Job List (to date)

• Breakfast Organiser (sort out what's for breakfasts and who will bring it)
• Lunch Co-Ordinator (organise two days' lunches)
• Dinner Organiser (sort out a menu and contributions, for both days' dinners)
• Snacks Co-ordinator (very important job - crafters need tea, coffee, squash, biscuits, and cake!)

 

(We'll split the whole bloggers' group up, into "meals groups", so we have enough food for each meal. If you prefer to contribute to a particular meal, do say and I will do my best!)

 

• Lift from the Rail / Coach Station - Friday pm
• Lift to the Rail / Coach Station - Sunday pm

If you think of anything else that needs organising at this stage, do shout!

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Okay, that's it for now.  I do hope those who were so keen yesterday, are still keen today! I will await your e-mails!

And, any questions, do shout - I am very friendly, house-trained and don't bite (much)!

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02/10/12 - please note, this post is now closed to new comments.  If you want to comment on the Bloggers' Weekend, there is a new post, published today.  We also have a Facebook Group up and running, or you can e-mail me direct (lizziemade -at- aol -dot- com)
X

 

Bloggers' Crafting Weekend Update - New Dates Information

Hello All,

Have been trying to organise a Crafting Weekend for 7th-9th December (see previous post for info). However, there are not enough of us, who are available to go on that weekend.

 

Sorry, but I have told the Milton Keynes Hostel we don't want to book that weekend.

It seems more sensible to try for a weekend in the first quarter of 2013, once Christmas etc are out of the way.

Sooooo....

If you want to join us, would you please let me know, if you are free to come on one or more of these weekends (obviously, if you are willing to consider any of them, then it's easier to work out who is free each time and try to fit round as many folks as possible!).

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Friday - Sunday

8th -10th February

1st - 3rd March

8th - 10th March

 

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Hopefully we'll have one weekend where lots of us are free! I have avoided January, because it's still close to Christmas, we all tend to be a bit broke, rather busy etc; also the weather can be pretty horrible in January - don't want to cancel, due to snow!

Do let me know your availability. At this point, the Milton Keynes hostel is free on all those weekends, but obviously that could change at any point. I'd like to book this soon, so we all know where we are!

 

Please E-Mail me your information, as then I can add you to my E-Mail List for the Weekend, so you will receive any mail I send out to the Group! 

 

To remind you, my e-mail address: Lizziemade (at) aol (dot) com.

XX

Lizzie

STOP PRESS! Bloggers' Crafting Weekend Opportunity - Read and Reply ASAP!

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Note: there is now an Update Post, with New Dates, though the hostel information below is still relevant.

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Hello all Blog Friends!

Last year, a group of us had a very enjoyable and successful weekend away, at Coalport YHA. Ten of us met up and spent our weekend scrapping, bookbinding, gift-wrapping, making pretty stuff, walking along the canal, eating cake (of course!), chatting, chatting, drinking tea, more chatting....

See here for some of the story... and others also published their tales of adventure - Jemma,  Kirsty (there were 3 posts!), Mel, Lesley, JoJo, Julie...  We had a great weekend and want to do it again!

SO!

We have an Opportunity for another Bloggers' Weekend.  This is something I need to sort out very quickly, if we are going to do it, since the YHA hostel I've found has only this particular weekend free before Christmas - and the admin. department has had another query about it today... So I have to confirm tomorrow (Thursday)!!

Anyway, this is what I'm suggesting.  If I get enough interest, to be pretty sure of having at least 10 of us, I will make the booking.  If you want to come, please register your interest today or tomorrow morning (sorry!).  I may be able to come up with something else, but I'm a bit up against it on time just now (my mum is still not well and I'm spending a lot of time helping her). 

The Proposal for Bloggers' Crafting Weekend 2012

When?  Friday 7th December (afternoon/evening) to Sunday 9th December (afternoon)

Where? YHA Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire (close to M1, rail links and coach station).

Details? We would have the Whole House to ourselves. 
It's a small hostel, with 30 beds, in 5 bedrooms.  There are also a kitchen, dining room and sitting room. We'd have it to ourselves from Friday to Sunday, meaning we could arrange our weekend (and the furniture!) pretty much as we chose.

How Much?  Assuming the minimum of 10 people came along, the basic cost would be £65 per person, for two nights, hostel hire / bed only. 
If we chose to, we could have our breakfasts and/or dinners provided for us by hostel staff.  This would cost about £15-£40, depending on what options we chose. 
If more than 10 came along, then this would lower the cost and money could be refunded to anyone who had paid up-front to secure their place (before we knew there would be more people!).

Transport?  The Hostel is at Bradwell Village, on the outskirts of Milton Keynes, just on the edge of the city and countryside (see the website for a link to a downloadable local map). 
It is very near to the main A5 road and not far from M1 Junction 14.
It is close to MK Central Rail Station (about 1 & 1/2 miles). 
There is a Coach station in the city centre also, which is served by many national coach routes. 
The city also has good bus services that pass through Bradwell Village and stop just round the corner from the hostel. 

This is the basic info.  I will be able to provide more information later on, once (if!) I have been able to secure the booking. 
We may be able to organise some activities, like we did at last year's Weekend. If you would like to volunteer to demonstrate/teach some craft or technique that you enjoy doing, then do shout.

Catering
Last year we brought along food to have at lunchtimes, plus tea, coffee, snacks, cake (!) etc.  This would also be the plan for this year (and I would like someone else to organise that part for me, as I will not have time!). 

We would need to decide whether to arrange our own breakfasts and/or dinners, or to book these from the YHA staff.  This can be decided a little bit later on.  The main thing just now is to secure the booking. 

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IF YOU are interested and WANT TO COME along, PLEASE contact me tonight or tomorrow morning (by 1pm BST please!).  I will need to call the YHA and make the booking. 

I would be asking you to pay me £65 within a few days.  It would be best if you could send me the money via Paypal (easier to keep track of the money, quicker etc).  If this is a big problem, let me know! 

If we end up with more than 10 of us, I will refund extra money - I won't be making a profit from you, I promise (however, I will probably wait until we have a firm, confirmed number of people, before refunding anyone, so I only have to do it once).

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I do hope we can work this out.  It would be great to see as many of my Blog friends - old or new - as possible!  This is a great chance for us, as we'd have the whole hostel to ourselves, giving us more freedom to enjoy our weekend.

Please Come!

XX

PS.  Duh... this is my e-mail address, just to make it easy for you! Lizziemade (at) aol (dot) com

The Great Bookbinding Adventure - Children's University Workshop, August 2012

I spent a week in August teaching a Bookbinding Workshop to a group of children.   This was for the "First University" - our local Children's summer University. 

The children were aged from almost-nine, to almost-thirteen years old and I ended up with a group of sixteen (all girls ... was a bit sad there were no boys, but they were all nice kids).

This is what we did:

Day One - Simple One-Sheet Books

Our classroom (during break time).  The courses were held at a local Upper School - this was one of their art rooms, with walls covered in A-Level students' work (we had to be so careful not to damage it!)

Some of the students... there were 16 in all.

 

Some of the great one-sheet books (some with covers), made by the students on Day One  

 

Day Two - Simple Stitched Books

We started the day by making a pair of cute little notebooks. They had pages of coloured paper - 10 colours, for a 20-sheet book, like a rainbow - and brown paper covers.  See the little books at the bottom right of the photo? Those were my examples.  The girls made very similar books, but everyone's was decorated to her own taste (these are in the "end of the week" photos, but I didn't get any specific shots of the rainbow books!).

The other books in this photo, are my teaching examples for some of those we made on Day One.

 

We then moved on to a "Piano Hinge Binding".  A what? It's called Piano Hinge, because the structure of the binding is similar to the long hinge used for a piano lid:

We used four colours of paper, to show the interesting effect you get with this structure.  I think they looked very pretty!

 

After this, the children made a small photo album, with stiff paper pages and art paper covers.  I taught them a simple Japanese style stab binding.  The results were fab:

Two of my students - sisters - with their lovely photo albums...

Aren't these great?  The girls were 8 and 12 years old.

 

Day Three - Longstitch Binding

 

We spent the whole of the third day making a suede-covered longstitch bound journal.  I had planned this as a "simple" activity for the morning, with something else in the afternoon.  I soon found out that it wasn't as simple as I had believed. 

 

 

The students made books like this...

 

Some hard lessons for me on Wednesday! I let the children run the show, rather than taking control... they ran me & my assistant ragged, with questions and requests for help.  My mistake... I will be more prepared next time and also know how long to allow for this exercise!

 

Still, the results were great.  The children really amused me, because they spontaneously decorated Everything they made... drawing, writing, stamping, sticking... any way they could find to embellish their work. 

 

Aaaand... I have no photos of the individual books! I was so busy, that I had no time for picture-taking.  These are also in the photos for Day 5's End-of-Week Exhibition, so please bear with me? 

 

 Sooo...

 

Day Four - Decorative Papers

We spent Thursday morning making Decorative Papers, with paint and inks. 

 

The children had a go at marbling.  I found some marbling inks online, which only needed a tray of plain water.

Most marbling inks need some kind of medium added to the water, to make it stiff/ thicker and allow the inks to float, but these were prepared specially, so they'd float on just water - fab for children!

 

The children experimented with the inks, floating different colours, drawing sticks and combs through, to see what patterns they could make.  We ended up with two piles of great decorative papers.

 

The students also had a go at making various painted papers. We just used normal ready-mixed poster paints, but I encouraged them to try different techniques, including "butterfly prints", applying paint with various items other than brushes etc.

They also tried making mono-prints, by rolling out paint onto a smooth sheet of plastic, then making marks in the wet paint surface. A sheet of paper was laid on top and rubbed down, to lift the paint onto the paper surface.  They enjoyed this and made some good prints too.

Some of the painted/printed papers, hung out to dry!

(we had three "washing lines" strung round the edges of the room, where we pegged all the wet papers - it was great fun, but rather messy!)

 

In the afternoon, we started on a Project, to make an Artist's Book.  Some blog friends who read my blog regularly may remember that I went on a one-day workshop in June, with Mia Leijonstedt, to make an Artist's Book of my own.  I used the idea of a palm-leaf book structure for this project with the children. It is such a simple structure, so they could concentrate on the decorative aspects and the contents of the book. 

 

The project carried over to Friday morning, when they completed their books:

 

Day Five - The Project and an Exhibition of Work

Hard at work on their Artist's Book Project

The books all had covers of board.  These were black on one side, white on the other, so they had a choice of which they would like on the outside.  The pages were made from a selection of papers, including their hand-decorated paper from Thursday's painting and marbling sessions.

Choosing paper and materials

All ready for binding

 

 

sorting papers, putting them in the right order...

 

Assembling - using string for the binding

 

One of the finished Palm Leaf Artist Books.

 

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The Exhibition

 

The children's parents were invited to come early on Friday afternoon, to see the work they had been doing during the week.  We set up an exhibition for them, deciding that each student would present her own work, all together, rather than mixing everyone's work by book type/day. 

 

Gallery

They are Ready... Bring on the Mums & Dads!

 

 

 

 

 

 

There were some absolutely gorgeous pieces of work! Some students had made extra books, in between projects - one student made 42 books in all (including some tiny weeny mini-books). 

 

Looking at all their work spread out on the tables, I was really proud of them - everyone worked very hard and I had kept them very busy all week. 

 

And A Special Mention...

 

 

... to Alec, my amazing, wonderful Student Helper.  He was a real brick.  My original helper did not turn up on Monday morning (despite having signed a contract). 

 

Alec came at very short notice, to fill the breach.  He had already worked the previous week, helping another tutor in the Science strand of the University.  He had been looking forward to a well-earned rest, but instead he found himself plunged head-first into the world of book arts.  He coped amazingly well, was very professional and hard working - I was proud to have him as my helper! 

 

Alec was a great help and he made a point of trying as many of the book binding projects as he could - to make him more able to help the students.  This is a longstitch bound journal, that he made by himself on Thursday and Friday, while the students were absorbed in their Palm Leaf Artist Books (and therefore needing much less help!):

 

It's a "Seasons" book, with all four seasons represented in the trees inside the covers.  Considering that he is a science student and had never done anything like this before, I think he made a really great job of this - one that an art student would have been pleased with, I believe!

 

Well done Alec and Many, Many Thanks for Everything you did for us!

 

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That was my Adventure in Teaching.  It kept me very busy for at least three weeks of the holidays; I was worn out afterwards, but also glad I'd done it.  It was very rewarding to hear the girls say they had enjoyed their week (and to have confirmation from their parents too), also to see the great work they produced.  Overall, although it was a tough week and I was so tired, I did enjoy it.  I may even do it again... perhaps... when I've forgotten how much hassle it all was... 

 

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Further Viewing...

 

If you would like to see more books and bindings - mine and other people's, you can look at my Facebook photo albums - here

and/or my Pinterest Boards (and those of people I follow) - here

 

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and, if you've made it all the way to the end...

Thanks for Reading!

 



Thoughts from the Washing Line: Now it is September...

[Source] - Don't you wish this was your back garden?

 

 

Well, today is September 6th, but it kind of feels like the 1st - because it is today that James returned to school.

He is in Year 10 this year, starting his GCSE Courses (well, in fact he started many of them last year and has already done some of the assessments for Science). 

This morning he set off for his bus, looking very smart in his black trousers, blazer and new shoes (from the men's department!).  He had his schoolbag on his shoulder, sports kit on his back, sports shoes in a boot bag, sketch book under his arm.

I will admit to a few tearful moments, after he had kissed me goodbye and strolled off along the road, to meet his friends... Sniff... He is growing up so fast...

James, with his cousin...

So, where did the Summer go? 
As always, it seems to have whizzed by in a whirl - in fact, more so than ever before.  I am so conscious that my little boy is no longer little and will soon be busy with his own things - he won't want my company or attention any more - in fact, he often doesn't now. 

The summer was so busy, I feel I saw so little of him, which makes me a bit sad.  At least, this past couple of weeks, we have managed some enjoyable time together, going out and doing things that interest us both.  And there were a few nice days, dotted about, between the chaos that has been my life this summer.  I hope that James feels he had enough of my time, that I was there if he needed me; but I must admit that I feel I wasn't always...

I am sure that many (most?) mothers have the same problems, balancing "life" and "family".  In theory, I have plenty of spare time, to spend with James. 
In practice, it doesn't work out like that.  I have spent a great deal of time at my mum's, helping her with her own needs - sometimes with James, but often without.  There's also my business to run - I had a lot of commission orders this June and July, which spilled over a bit into August, plus a teaching commitment. And somewhere in between, there is a home to run...

She was not very well at the beginning of the school holidays - she picked up a cold (the one that James kindly shared, after picking up "foreign germs" on a weekend trip to Essex!) - which settled into a chest infection, needing antibiotics. 
We spent a fair bit of time traipsing back and forth to the doctors, getting a wound on her leg dressed, seeing about the chest infection etc.  And in between all that, I was busy writing the course notes for a one week bookbinding workshop in August...

Then we had a week at the seaside, with my niece, her husband and babies and my nephew.  It was a good week - very busy and lively, good fun. 

Poor James spent the last day in bed ill - we think he had food poisoning.  He was a lot better by the middle of the morning, so he and I had a nice, relaxed day at the cottage, chatting, playing computer games, reading etc.  Just as well, since it was chaos on our return home.

James, on his mattress in our bedroom. He's on the mend, but trying to "look ill" for the camera!

We got home at 5pm on the Saturday. At 5:15pm, the phone rang. It was my mum's friend, telling me that she had been taken to hospital that afternoon, with a suspected stroke.
The following week was another whirl.  Running back and forth between home, my mum's house, the hospital, making phone calls, running errands, doing laundry (being in hospital generates loads of washing!), organising things, looking after the cat... Preparing the materials for each day's tuition of the Workshop, in between all the chaos.

My mother was told she'd spend another week in hospital, as it had been a minor stroke, so we made plans accordingly.  Someone to feed the cat, friends to visit her in hospital, my sister to come on her day off, all laundry up to date and clean clothes ready for the week...  Then, quite unexpectedly, the consultant announced, on the Friday morning, that she could go home.  So I brought her home and spent the weekend looking after her, packing my course into boxes, running about...

On the Saturday, we ended up back at the hospital, seeing the out-of-hours doctor service; mum had told the hospital staff that she had cystitis - they even agreed that she had an infection, yet she was discharged from hospital, with an infection and no treatment for it. She hardly slept on the Friday night and was in great pain! Not impressed with the hospital! Luckily, a nurse from her own doctors' surgery was on duty - someone who knows her well - so she was able to give her a prescription for appropriate tablets.

The workshop week was busy and fun, but exhausting.  The children were great, I had a really wonderful student to help me, everyone enjoyed themselves.  I had no time to do much else that week, other than urgent jobs. Luckily, Dave was off work for the week, so he and James did stuff together and looked after the housekeeping side of life too. 

Some of my students, with their work (I hope to post about the workshop week very soon)

I could not be a full time teacher - never in a million years.  The more teaching I do, the more I admire those who do this for a career. It truly is a vocation and teachers absolutely do not deserve the rude, unappreciative treatment they often get and the poor pay, relative to the hard work and necessary knowledge and skill of their job. By the end of that week, I was absolutely flat out exhausted.  Just a week...

The week after the workshop was a blur too... I had an urgent commission item, that had to be despatched by the end of that week.  Busy, busy... It went in the post on Friday morning!  And, of course, there was my mum to look after as well. 

Aaaaand breathe....  That was four weeks of total whirlwind...

The past two-and-a-half weeks have been slightly less busy.  James and I have been out a few times - we had a lovely day in Cambridge, visiting the Sedgewick Museum, to view their collection of minerology, having nice food, wandering about looking at things... 
We also went into Bedford on day, ate lunch at Nando's, then had a good long walk along the riverside, chatting and relaxing together. 

Yesterday I took James and a friend to Milton Keynes.  We ate breakfast at Frankie and Benny's (teenaged boys are always ready for breakfast!).  The intention was to go bowling. I did my research and located the bowling alley, at the "Xscape" centre.. which turned out to be closed (building work, maybe refurbishment... don't know...).  There is another bowling alley, near the rail station, so we went there.  It was closed...  So, we came home and the boys had fun setting up a new game on their computers and competing to see who did the best at it.  Not quite what was intended, but they had a good time! 

And today, they are back at school. The familiar morning routine... and I am sitting on my bed, with my laptop, writing a blog post, planning my day - which will be busy as always, taking stock...

During all the chaos, with Dave's encouragement, I found a nice lady to help with my cleaning jobs.  It was just one thing too much and I was getting so discouraged, to see our dirty and untidy house.  At least now, once a week, Jan comes in and gives some of it a good scrub and tidy up!  One less weight on my shoulders - well worth the extra expense, I think.  So, she will be here at 1pm today, to restore order in my kitchen and bathrooms...


It is now September. The summer is over, though the weather is still lovely and warm.  I have closed my custom order book, for the foreseeable future, with only a couple of items still to make.  I've been working on some things I wanted to make, experimenting with a new project, trying to relax and unwind a bit... 

So, I'll finish this rather waffly diary-post, with a little photo gallery, of my most recent work:

Golden yellow, "Emily Bowyer" Liberty Print Guest book, with silk edge trim.

Coptic style binding, in matching linen thread.

"Strawberry Thief" Liberty print Guest Book, with shot silk edge trim. 

Japanese style stab stitch binding in deep maroon linen thread.

The covers and pages for both these books, were all cut out and waiting to be assembled.  I just had no time, but last week, I got on with them and listed them for sale in my shop!

"The Lake" and "The Forest"

Two felt-covered journals. They are decorated with fabric and leather pieces, hand embroidery, buttons and semi-precious stones.

 

 
The books have hand-applied embellishments, button fastenings and embroidery. They are lined with suede leather, rather luxurious!
They have hand made paper inside, with natural deckle edges.

 

They have a Longstitch binding, with bead decorations.

 

Silver button, semi-precious stones, leather and silk, decorative embroidery...

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Meanwhile, it's time to log off my computer and go to see how my mum is. I made her some lamb stew yesterday, which we will freeze in single-meal batches, along with the beef and chicken that we did last week. She has less to do then, to make herself a nice lunch. Just heating it up in the microwave, then finding something nice for her dessert. One less weight on her shoulders too... Still, there is always plenty for me to do, so it's time I went to do it!