bit nervous now

Some of you may remember the terrible attack that my eldest suffered at school a couple of years ago which broke his leg and led to him having two operations - he has decided this year to run the London marathon for 2 cancer charities, motivated by the cancer diagnosis of our very lovely good friend.
I am so proud of him, and he is at this moment in the paddock area of the London marathon getting ready to run the 26.2 miles!!
His story is here - http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=Alexander.Palmer

in order to run, he has to raise £2000 and so far has done nearly half of it - if any of you lovely people felt able to donate even a £1 then it would make his day - the money goes straight to the charity if you click on the above link.
I'm so proud of him and yes, just a bit nervous now!!

Studio revamp

I've been having a bit of a Studio Spring clean! and very inspiring it is too, there's nothing like a little tidy to make things look fresh.  Of course, there is still quite a bit still to do, but my room is definitely looking a bit brighter and fresher.
Part of the revamp is due to this old cupboard -

I've had this cupboard for roughly eight years thinking I would paint it but never getting around to it - but my studio looking a tip and the need for more storage being pressing pushed me into action.  I had a little helper too, who did a brill job.  I didn't want to spend any money so I used a couple of old paint tins that we had sitting around and mixed them together.
I almost went for white, but there is already a lot of white in my room, and I felt like a change - so we painted it pink!

Now I'm really impatient, once I've thought of an idea, I really want to have it happen NOW! but I was really good, and gave it the two coats it needed and time to dry properly......
but I am really pleased with it. It adds some jaunty colour in a sea of white and cheers the room up so much! So, that's one corner sorted...

Bath-time for Ted

Well, little Ted, it's that time again.... bath-time! You need to get into that bowl,

When you were a little pup, this bowl was like a huge bath itself, but now you've grown a bit, you almost fill it!

you love the shower hose as long as the water is warm- then comes the puppy soap and a rinse

then at last the warm fluffy towel, all snuggled up for a cuddle

you allow a little bit of towel drying and wriggling until you finally escape to shake and twist and turn all over the place!

and there you are! all clean ready for more adventure and smelling sweet for five minutes! x

Rays of sunshine

It's a glorious day today in Yorkshire

and it marks a little turning point - today is the first day of the year that I ventured out into our garden to do one of my favourite things -  hang out the washing - I know, call me sad, but there is something about breathing in the fresh air and hearing the chirpy birdsong whilst shaking out clean wet washing and pegging it out that I really love.

Once the washing was blowing in the breeze, I had a look around our poor neglected garden - there are masses of snowdrops around the bottom of the apple trees this year - they are so clean and beautiful

it was lovely to feel the warmth of the sun on my face after so much damp, cold weather, and although parts of the garden are very sadly neglected,

and there is lots to do to make it look half decent, it was just so lovely to be out in the sunshine, I wonder how long it will be before we can be out here using my favourite seat again?

it's in a really good position, the view is lovely, all the sad and neglected parts are to the side, or behind you if you're sitting here!!
And you can see the wall - they like their stone walls in Yorkshire!

ours is at least fifteen feet high!
I had a little companion this morning too, who was happily trotting about exploring whilst I pottered about - until that is, he shot past me with our neighbour's large black and white fluffy cat at his heels!!!
Poor little thing was so scared!  I had to show that cat that wasn't on and chased him back through the hedge - not an easy thing to do with size 11 wellies on, I can tell you! (Not mine, but they tend to be the nearest ones to the back door so get used first!!)

this is Teddy before the fright!
Well, I think now I'll go and get a coffee before I start getting organised. It's yet another birthday in our house - son number 3 who turned 15 today!!! I can't believe it. He had requested a personalised cushion and I think I definitely need some of that to get working today.

Have a lovely day whatever you're up to. xxx

AND THE WINNER IS.....

Morning!! well since we passed the 300 mark on the Facebook page this week, it was time to draw a winner from the lovely people who've commented and liked my blog and FB page - first of all thank you SO much for taking the time!!

I put everyone's names on an excel spreadsheet and gave you all a number then used the marvellous Random number generator and ....ta-dah!!

the winner is number 291 -       KATE WEDLAKE!!!


so, Kate, if you want to email me your five choices of cards (you can see them all here ) and your address, then I will pop them in the post for you. (tanyapalmerdesigns@gmail.com)

Thanks once again to everyone who entered! xxx

getting warmer

Hello my lovelies!
Well, the sun made a very welcome appearance yesterday so we decided to go for a walk - it was very cold  - definitely gloves and hat weather but gloriously sunny with huge blue skies.

It all looked quite idyllic - and considering we walked around Hades (otherwise known as Hell) where the locals were supposed to be as wild as the landscape, it was pretty peaceful!!

we let Teddy of the lead for the first time and he was brilliant - in the field near our house he just ran off - thinking it was a game every time we went near him! so I had visions of us spending the whole day trying to catch him again but he was a little star!

we are very lucky to have this all on our doorstep and it's very easy to take it for granted but it was lovely to be so high up and get some sunny fresh air after being indoors for so long. It did feel as if Spring really is just around the corner...
and now I'm off to get a coffee and biscuit before I attempt another Textile Name picture - for a boy this time! My sister loved the ones I did for her baby twins.

can't believe they're one already!! Have a lovely day and stay warm! xx

welcome!

A very big welcome this Valentine's day to my blog - if you're finding me for the first time, or coming over from the old blog, then you are extremely welcome.
I'm hoping this will be a clear, fresh space to move forward with new work and some random thoughts as they occur no doubt!

I think it's important every now and then to re-evaluate, clear your head a little and the space around you, whether it's by de-cluttering a little, or simply moving things around - this has always made me feel better, kind of clears the creative flow I think, makes room for new ideas etc.  So, here's to a fresh start and a fresh new direction, more of the same but in a new better way.

This may not make much sense at the moment, but I think I know what I mean.  As someone doing creative stuff, with the amount of fantastic, and not so fantastic creating that goes on across the internet, it can get a little overwhelming.... sometimes I start to think what am I doing? Other times, I think maybe I should do that, try that, maybe crochet is my thing?? or watercolours? you know what i mean, there are so many areas one could try...that I need to rein myself in occasionally, to remind myself what it is that I do and to plan the future of that!
Well, enough rambling for now, but I am hoping I'm not alone in sometimes going off course and needing to focus a bit more!
Here's to focussing!!

I'll leave you with a picture I'm working on which just jumped out at me and needed to be sewn! Inspired by one of the fabulous Yvonne's photos (check out her lovely blog ).