An original by Kate Selene

Life is everywhere!

Isn't this weather glorious?! After work Jon and I did some gardening, sorting out the chickens and I took some pictures! 







Theres something new everyday, plants are exploding from the ground and spreading themselves far and wide.







Theres already fruit in the bushes and strawberries on the plants.







My little gem lettuce's are coming along well and we have made a good start in the veg patch. Malcolm is going to take the tractor and rot-ovate our largest patch, which is a good job, were already late with our planting!







Just some lovely details from around the veg patch.







I even gave my workshop a really good clean too, it needed it after Jon taking over part of it, there bike parts and pieces all over the place!! 

Well at least they are no longer all over my bench!!

Crafting on the brain

Aaaahh, well its Sunday, the weather is glorious ad my weekend has been filled with lots of talking, drinking wine and crochet.

Friday was a good day also, everyone in the workshop is getting very close to the end, so I grabbed a small space to pierce some work out, being in the middle of the room so everyone could access me.

The workshop was boiling, I was sitting with my back to the open door, feeling the breeze cool my skin!

I always think its important to work alongside students, everyone gets to pick up so many new skills, makes the workshop feel more communal and relaxed.

I have had a very mixed crafting week, a bit of everything. I even made a new bag last night but I'm not sure about it, it doesn't quite feel finished! You know?!

I have been feeling very inspired of late,so I ordered a few new books to feed my mind!

I wanted to share with you my favourite book............ Its making me distracted from the crochet........

Made at Home is a beautiful and inspiring book for those who enjoy crafting their home. I have been pouring over the beautiful images, finding my self drawn to make a number of these projects. Here are a few.........

I have some silk screens in the attic, this book makes me want to go and get it and make some stencil prints from my doodles. I love that everything is in my colour pallet, lots of inspiring reds, blues, greys and mustard!

Even the pages are beautiful!

No doubt I will be trying some of the projects soon, I'm already thinking of which table we can do without so that I may have a sewing table!!!

........maybe the dining room table?!

Soaking in spring!

What a day!! Its has been mad busy in work, I have been in the workshops and studios all day, dishing out advice, tutorials and the occasional ass kicking but everyone has had a really productive and busy day!!

On the drive hone from Hereford its like driving into the wilderness, I was met by huge tractors with huge trailers on the way up the hill, which given my past experience with tractors ( for those of you that don't know, I managed to drive under one last year!! 206 vs tractor....... I didn't win!!) went really well!!

The hedgerows were bursting with new flowers and plants.

When I got home Jon had already settled our new chickens in. We lost two more chickens this week, the damp cold weather really hammered their house and both fell ill. So, we bought a brand new coop and 6 more chickens!! We have been making lots of pickled eggs of late so we predict we will need lots more eggs!

So when I got home, I checked out the new chickens and decided to take a walk to capture some of our surroundings.

The rain has really Invigorated the soil, everything from blue bells, wild strawberries, rhodedendrums and drifts of while flowers.

And just a little further down the path i paid a visit to the new foal!

He was very beautiful and very shy!! I stayed here for a while, watching them quietly, thinking of nothing, soaking in the warm fragrant air feeling the sun warm my skin.

It was good to get home, its my escape, helps me soak in the day, put some space between me and all the stuff that goes on around me everyday.

I hope the weather stays with us for a while, makes being outside a lot more fun!!

Have a good evening!

Busy busy busy

Well its full on at work at the moment, all the students are really busily getting work finished for assessments and final degree show!!! Final degree show! I cant believe I have been at Hereford for two years already, its gone by so fast!!

This year I will have my first graduating year of jewellers, I'm so excited! I have spent so much time with these guys that I know I will really really miss them! We have all been through a lot together!

Have a look at the crafts cluster blog to see what I do in the day!

So, having said how busy my day job is, it sort of makes me want to make more!! I finished Avril's shirt stiffeners on Friday, these were supposed to be done ages ago as the first pair went in the wash, but I finally sanded them down and gave them to Avril first thing Monday!!

So with these finally finished, I decided to play with an idea I have had for a while. I really would like to bring crochet into my jewellery work. This will definitely be a personal project for a while as ilI don't know what I'm looking for. Maybe taking bits of my home comforts with me?

Something doesn't sit right with the way the crochet has been applied. Next time i will drill holes and do a blanket stitch to begin with and then build the stitches onto that. It should retain the stitched feeling!

Right, in going to eat, read, crochet, rest and sleep!! Catch you soon!!

Mountains have moved

It has been some week!it feels like mountains have moved and all is finally going in a good direction. Lots of things have changed at work, I have spent all week in the workshops helping all the students as we approach the last assessment of the year, and for some it will be their final one!
So, many of you are actually coming up to me in the corridor and asking me how I find the energy to do all my crafting and making? To be honest, I never really gave it too much thought, but when I think of what I have got through this week, I think it doesn't feel like work! You know? Crocheting in the evening, thinking up new ideas, jewellery on the weekend and a social life, it's all about keeping the balance. I think if I stopped making and fitting it in, then what kind of example would I be? And this week, I really fitted it in!!





Today I needed a bit of time in the workshop. I am getting stock together for a new venture. I will be selling my new collection through a gorgeous website called 'and vintage'. My flower work has really got under my skin and it's something I can see myself being able to make over and over, whilst listening to some turned on the iPhone.
Only one of these pairs if for the collection, the others were for me. I am forever loosing my studs, I have non left therefore needed a few new ones.











I have also photographed some of the blankets I have made over the last fortnight, as these will be going into an online shop! Yippee! Il update you with the website shortly. It feels really good to know that I will be able to make with a purpose. I never wanted to sell anything other than my jewellery, I didn't really have the hunger for knitting and crochet that I had for jewellery, and for me to be able to have time to learn and feel confident, I decided not to sell anything, It allowed me the time to be creative and push little personal boundaries, without having the deadline of a sale looming.
So, as you may have picked up over the last few months, for those of you who stop by often, I have really developed in my confidence. It's now part of my daily routine. If I'm not making then I'm thinking about making.
So in one week I haven't done too bad, two new online stockists, wedding orders coming in, made myself some earrings, finished Avrils shirt stiffeners ( long over due!), started crocheting a new bag, crochet a hem on my cardi and now I'm sitting down, radio on, warming by the log burner. 



So have a good Sunday, I hope you all get some well deserved rest.