Monthly Mosaics :: 2014 :: Part 2

Hello Lovelies,

here are my mosaics for the second half of 2014...more sweet memories of simple joys........

In July I was picking Marigolds.....enjoying family meals in the garden..........drawing an engagement card for my lovely Niece and her new fiancé..... smiling at youngests flip flop feet.....my local walks were inspiring me to try painting........and the Tour Grand Depart inspired Mum an I to go on a flying visit "home" to Yorkshire, for the day.

In August I delighted in our pretty holiday destinations.....first Dorset with Mr BM's family....then Wales with Mum.....They were both wonderful, memorable weeks.

In September I marvelled at the glorious Autumn light and colour.....then marvelled at all the creativity Yarndale inspires....Yorkshire looked pretty good again too :0)

In October I enjoyed the misty mornings.....Pumpkin carving......Autumn yarn colours.......pretty leaves......sunsets visible from my bedroom window.....and a day trip to Derbyshire with Mum.

In November I joined the walking group and felt so welcome.....ate home made soup.....made crumbles with tasty Bramleys....enjoyed family days out to a castle and a canal.....and LOVED leaves.

In December I played with new yarn......kept cosy indoors.....walked in the snow....felt touched by the thoughtfulness of friends.........and enjoyed Christmas traditions.

2014 was a good year for me, with none of the uncertainty and anxiety that troubled me the previous year....and for that I'm very grateful.

I do hope you enjoyed this look back through the months as much as I enjoyed making these mosaics.

Jacquie x

Monthly Mosaics :: 2014 :: Part 1

Hello Lovelies 

Thank you so much for all your kind comments on my makes. I know I've said it before, but your encouragement does mean a lot to me.

Today I've been having fun creating some mosaics from my 2014 photos. They are images of simple, seasonal things that made me happy. Here are the months of January to June...

In January I was enjoying drawing hearts and snowy views.....the first of many cheerful indoor daffodils.....blossom and blue skies......easy baking of familiar treats.....the blooming of my slow growing Amaryllis....reading Susan's delightful holiday journal.... lighting candles on cold, dark evenings......and walking around here.

In February I was looking forward to spring....... drawing mud, it rained A LOT.....indoor blooms continued to cheer on grey days....I made something to keep my hands warm....we visited beautiful, historic Newstead Abbey... and signs of spring were a delight.

In March I was drawing a visit to Clumber park...continuing my love of Crocuses....sewing and crocheting spring bunting.....taking misty local walks....always enjoying flowers (and some of them were home grown).....visiting Nottingham's wonderful working windmill.

In April I enjoyed a lovely visit to Newark with Mum....spring flowers ....woodland walks.....Easter decorating.....Cycling in Derbyshire....planting seeds....and local walks.

In May I loved the long days and lush countryside views......bright, blousy flowers......lots of day trips with family and bloggy friends......Birthday baking for my boys.

In June I was enjoying the yarn bombing at Patching's art festival....peeking over the garden fence into a gorgeous local garden.....cycling and chatting and being gifted free fruit......making decorations for youngests primary school farewell party.....walking, and drawing the beautiful hare I was lucky to spot....an open air music concert in the park. And watching the sun set over the sea at Hunstanton on the longest day.

The thing that most surprised me when I went back through the pictures on my computer was how much the boys have changed since this time last year.....I know it's how things should be, but heck....time speeds past so quickly!

I hope you lovelies will join me soon for some July to December mosaics.

Jacquie x

A March Mosaic

Hello Lovelies, 

just a quick post today to share a March mosaic and a few other spring images from the past week that didn't make it into a blog post.

This is my fourth year of blogging, but it's the first year I've made a mosaic for each month.

And what a month March turned out to be...........It's great fun choosing images that sun up the highlights for me. This is what this past month looks like............. 

Also this week I've started buying seeds for a cut flower patch I want to grow this year. THIS post inspired me to buy these gorgeous Cornflowers...........

And I have some more ideas from THIS post....... Cosmos, Scabiosa and Nigella.

Do any of you Lovelies have any suggestions for easy to grow flowers that last well when picked...I'd love to hear your recommendations.

Outdoors the weather is definitely warming up and the hedgerows are looking greener by the day..........

Pretty blossom is everywhere...........

And we continue to have very hazy days, where the horizon is lost in mist and the sun struggles to shine brightly.............

I do love the layers this creates in the distant view.........

But I'm even happier to see our neighbours Magnolia beginning to bloom

Each year the sight of these beautiful flowers makes me very happy...........

Thank you for all your comments this month Lovelies.....they really are appreciated so much.
I'll be back tomorrow with the promised biscuit recipe.

Jacquie x

A January Mosaic and Other Photos

Hello Lovelies,

thank you for all your kind comments on my wrist warmers...they really made my day.

My computer tells me I took 568 photos in January! yikes...I guess I'm a little bit addicted to snapping away on a daily basis.

I thought I would make a mosaic out of my favourites from this month, like  a few other bloggers do.

I think you have seem all these images, except the centre heart...which is a painted version of my heart drawing.....I got brave and tried out the wet stuff....I think it turned out O.K.

I've also been uploading a photo a day to Flickr since the new year..... seen as I have so many to choose from. It's just a bit of fun.
Flickr was my first internet sharing experience and I loved it. Back then there was a low limit of the amount of photos your could upload for free....but now it's changed so I'm happily making a set of 365 images for this year....you can see how it looks so far  HERE 

This week I've been trying to keep up with my "Celebrating Home" goals. On Thursday I gave the boys room a thorough clean.....moving all the furniture and finding mountains of dust. While I was dusting a high shelf I found these old books from my own childhood..........

There are only two books in the series, this one and "More tales from the end cottage" which I also have.

I read them out loud to my boys a few years back and I was delighted that they loved these charming tales of gentle domesticity and animal adventures ..........

Written in 1970, they are about a lady called Mrs Apple and her pets. The stories are so descriptive of life in a cottage in the days before electricity and running water........

I love this drawing...and especially the patchwork curtains :0)

Sadly they are not in print any more, but you may be able to pick them up second-hand.

This week has been rainy and cold....perfect reading weather. But yesterday the sun came out so eldest and I braved the watery world . I love walking with all my boys, but the other two are a lot harder to talk into joining me.

 The puddles were even bigger than last week. I feel so sorry for people who have suffered flooding.............

In the sunshine it was good fun to explore the footpaths. The sledges may not have seen any use yet this year but wellies certainly have.

 I admired the sunshine on the fields............

It was certainly squelchy and slippery underfoot. My boy made me laugh by doing a sort of "mud skiing" through this lot......

This water was too deep for wellies and I didn't fancy slipping off the muddy bridge into it but I loved the blue sky reflections......

 We wandered along chatting happily and  ooohing at all the water everywhere



and when we got to this little bridge, we played Pooh sticks in the fast flowing stream.........

Then we turned around and squelched our way back home..........

It was such an enjoyable part of my day.
I hope you enjoy your Sunday Lovelies.
Jacquie x