Caricaturing at Costa

Attendees today were Sam and Dickie at Costa.

For some reason sometimes I can't draw, it's like my brain hand co-ordination can't be bothered. Then sometimes I can crack out finely detailed illustrations, usually buildings because I can stare at them without blushing. Today something completely new happened, I caricatured. I remeber thinking, how does David do it. David is another drawer who often accompanies us and he does fantastic caricatures and cartoons of fellow customers. So I remember that flashing through my head in thought, then I just started having fun with my lines, I think it helped that I had my decent pens/pencils but I am  quite pleased with the results.

Canary Wharf Drawing Group

Usually at work on a Friday lunch a handful of us from the office go to Costa to draw. This week has been production week off so I thought it be nice to continue with a Friday drawing session and put the word out on facebook.
I'd been planning to go to Canary Wharf to see the Docklands Museum and the new sculpture Aeolus by Luke Jerram.
Joining me on the drawing visit came Sam, Soph and Chan, later joined by Claire at The Grapes in Narrow Street, a pub owned by Sir Ian McKellan, which got us super geeks clucking giddily.
It was a fantastic day with great company and some good work created.
I'll defo see if some more can be arranged more drawing outings for the Summer.

Accidental Handbag

I've working on my skills in reading crochet patterns. The snood in my previous post was my first attempt.

I am relieved I finally understand what DC and HDC and SS mean after years of being baffled and flinging the pattern across the room and running away screaming.

It has literally taken me years to take my basic knowledge and teach myself all the different stitches, yes I am all grown up *gfaw*

I am quite pleased with this cute little bag...except it looks nothing like the picture on the pattern. 

I was trying to make a string bag for my shopping, but I ended up with a cute holey purse. 

It could be that I completely ignored the yarn advice and used the wrong thread? maybe. I am not too fussed.

In honesty I do like a creative surprise. SURPRISE you've made something completely different, lol.

The bear head was an addition I created a while back and now has a new home on the bag (also crochet or amigurumi to be exact)

Room with a View

Morning all, tis my week off work on day 4 I have finally wound down.
Before Grizzle awakes I had a little creative burst in my new office corner.
This is my first free hand proper sketch using my wacom and photoshop.
I am quite liking the result, I think I shall do more.
This is the view from my bedroom window.

Snoody Goodness

Really into the snood/cowl thing going on at the mo.

I'm not much of a knitter so was looking for a workable crochet pattern.

Had a crack at one in Mollie Makes (which I subscribe to and love) but it was more of a collar and didn't suit me. So I reconstituted the wool into a long cowl, which is a bit scruffily done but is my new everywhere neck-a-chief.

Found a fantastic snood pattern on Ravelry and some pink/orange wool at John Lewis and decided to make my sis one for her birthday. Here's the snood I made Roo, it looks fantastic on her:

I also got her some Hummingbird Bakery Cupcakes which are amazing, nom nom nom.

She just gave birth to my new gorgeous niece Chloe.

Been enjoying hanging out with my sis and  baby Chloe and singing at her. She smiles and farts at me (Chloe not Roo), I think we shall get along just fine. Here's me and my sis with brand new baby.

The Sandwich of Disappointment

what is in my sandwich

my sandwich contains:

a portion of ham, a slice of cheese, a smidgen of mayo and

a thick layer of disappointment

It was a risk, a calculated risk, how well a sandwich, not bought but made, would be.

I took a gamble at 7am, staring at the last slices in the open bag of bread.

I took a gamble at the mayo left out all night, warm to the touch, slightly sweating round the edges

think of the money you'll save, I thought,

how positive, how frugal, how healthy.

I took the ham out the fridge, intentionally ignoring the thick lumps of potential gristle.

I cut the cheap economy extra mature cheddar thinking, it'll be alright.

I made that sandwich, cling filmed it up, popped it in my bag and,

forgot about it.

Till lunch.

I ate half the sandwich.

Betrayed, by all the good a homemade sandwich could be and do and represent, that sandwich was a great disappointment.

Worse still it was all the things I had a feared a homemade sandwich could be.

Today I am having a day off from sandwich making, today I am recovering from the trauma.

Today I am buying a sandwich.

And let that be the last we ever say about it.

Mushroom Paperweight

You may have seen I created some crochet mushrooms a while back.
I felt at the time that they would work nicely mounted on a mossy bank as a paperweight.
So I got myself a smooth flat rounded stone and covered in two layers of wadding, stitching it together.
Then I knitted a square of plain green wool and sewed that round then got some gorgeous lumpy fluffy green wool and loosely knitted that in a square and sewed a couple of layers around the layered stone.
Then finally stitched the 3 mushrooms into place. I like it.
I have 3 blue mushrooms to do the same with, but I shall make that one more urban.