Oops, I started a post last Monday which never got finished, so this is a two week update, sorry it's long, and hope it's not too boring!

Well, it's kept on raining almost every day with only a couple of days respite, and the garden getting wilder and higher. I swear I saw a tiger peeping through the undergrowth......
We have now, though, proudly picked the first sweet peas from the garden, and my once tiny tomato plant (now a triffid) is bursting with fruit!

Last Saturday was one of the few sunny days, but we had to spend it taking apart a rockery (about one ton of stone!) which was going to be destroyed. We were offered the stones if we collected them. We had to get them all out and transport them home (and we only have a Fiat Punto). Some were huge! It took four trips and the car boot was an inch deep in mud, but our front garden has had a major renovation from it - and all for free! We were shattered....

Last Friday we had a lovely afternoon at our local Adult Learning Centre open day and exhibition of student's work. My beloved is now a published author! His writing group at the centre has created a book of illustrated short stories which has been produced to raise money for charity. I'm very proud of him.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find any courses I wanted to do next year, so I have come to a decision! (Ta ta da da da dah!)

I have decided to enrol with the Open College of the Arts,
I ummed and ahed about doing a textiles course first, maybe City and Guilds embroidery, but after lots of soul searching, and a couple of week's research I've decided to go down the fine arts route instead. I want to do something that's going to back up my art and craft work and help me to develop my creativity and perspective. At the moment I feel like I'm playing around and not achieving very much, and I think it's time to take the bull by the horns and go for it. It's not like I don't have the time!

I just feel that doing something more formal would make me feel differently about the things I create. I have a real problem with lack of confidence in my abilities, and it was very hard to start blogging and posting pictures of what I do. I have been asked about selling some of the things I make (such as the dolls and journals), which is very flattering, but I just don't feel confident about the standard of my work.

If it hadn't been for all the support and encouragement from the on-line friends I've made, through this blog and Stitchin' Fingers I wouldn't have continued, so thanks to all of you. I'll still be fiddling about with all my crafts, and hopefully seeing things in a new light. This week I haven't finished anything as I've been travelling for work again, so no crafty pics - but, my stumpwork UFO is coming along nicely at last (after 4 years!)

So instead here's few photos taken yesterday. First one is one of the many butterflies that have been attracted to our buddleia in the odd sunny spells we've had!

Blaise Hamlet is a delightful hamlet of nine very different picturesque cottages designed by the architect John Nash in 1809 to accommodate pensioners from the Blaise Estate, now in the ownership of the National Trust - it's literally a couple of minutes away from home. It was raining - but, because of that, there were no tourists, so it was beautifully quiet for taking photos.