today i made...

the christmas spirit is slowly seeping in.  yesterday i strung some twinkly lights over the window and this morning i cut out this zombie snowflake and stuck it on the microwave...well...its a start...

 

also cooked up a batch of salted caramel brownies...they went all holey when i poured the hot caramel sauce on them and so ended up looking a bit prehistoric (but tasted delicious!). 

 

this was the recipe i was going to use but in the end i cheated with an easy brownie kit and just added sea salt and made up some of this salted caramel sauce.  yum.

back home

since returning...a few mattresses have been spotted!  i know i'm home!

and this weekend i took a lovely stroll through Hampstead Heath

the stunning Hampstead Heath

the wonderful views

and full of the most amazing old trees

woodyness

the mini house next to Kenwood - for a quick cuppa

mini ponies at Zippos on the Heath

and am getting ready for Halloween - my fave holiday!

i think i found a feathered friend for the crow in my painting

strange little bird (found in an antique shop in Littlehampton) and strange flower from a florist beside the Heath - spooky!

what to do with old loo rolls!

stencil stairs

beautiful stencilled staircase  (stencils from  royal designstudio, spotted via style files)

doily stars

aren't these DIY doily stars great - am def gonna have a go at these...find out how here

alternative christmas tree

from here via the style files

winter mattressland

Fitzrovia Square

 Merry Ratty Christmas

well, the snow is back again and London looks clean, white and gorgeous...even mattressland.  it started yesterday and i spent most of the day in the centre of town sludging about on icey pavements, and managed to go flying and land on my bum - but at least it was in slow motion so not too painful.  i spotted a little ratty down the bottom of a building in Fitzrovia Street, a possible Banksy, tho personally i think it could just be an "homage".  then i took a bus up past Marble Arch and saw the colourful new jellybean family by the briliant Mauro Perucchetti - a wonderful spectacle, almost exactly on the site of the infamous Tyburn Tree gallows - favoured execution spot which also created quite a spectacle in its day (11th-18th century).

 

the jellybean family at Marble Arch

 having woken up this morning to even more snow i decided to don my trusty yellow snow boots and trek outside to gather supplies (in case i run out of food and the shops shut) and ended up completey blinded by the falling snow - but mattressland does look especially beautiful - now that all the rubbish and crappy pavements are covered in powder whiteness.

 

 

 

 

sadly the folks were supposed to be driving to London for the weekend, so that we could all exchange presents as we aren't spending the holidays together, but they are also snow-bound in Hampshire.  instead i decided to send them photos of their pressies so they can stick them under the tree - at least we'll have something extra to look forward when we exchange gifts in the New Year...snow-willing!

 

 

peek-a-boo

 

following the birth (on my birthday no less!) of a beautiful baby girl named Cassiopee to the lovely Eve and Guilleme over the channel - i made this little card from the brilliant thumb print notecard set - lots of fun with stamps and stickers.  meanwhile i can't wait to meet the little sweetheart...like her beautiful Mama she is already a stunner - and of course being a fellow 14th November Scorpio i wish her a wonderful future!

silhouette

wow...i want one of these dot com...no more fiddly cutting out, this great machine does it all for you, helping you to create stencils and stuff.  i just spotted it via this post  post about a DIY cushion that Elsie, of A Beautiful Mess (she is such a doll - check out her super cute shop Red Velvet), made with her brother - how cool is that!

 

Made in Brighton

  

the fabulous Royal Pavillion

 

Brighton Pier

 

just back from a lovely sunny day at the seaside.  i received a free ticket to the Made craft fair in Brighton from artist gillian bates so popped down on the train for the afternoon.  the craft fair was great - i got to meet in person a few lovely ladies who's work i have bought, admired and wanted and i also managed to get hold of a few early christmas presents.

 gillian bates

esther coombs

kate jenkins

i then strolled down to the pebble beach, along the shore and then up the lanes to do a bit of shopping, spotted a few bits of street art (including my beloved Trellick Tower) and some rather disturbing teddy abuse....

  

a woman needs a man like a prawn needs a bicycle...but how else is he sposed to get to work?

 

  

  

  

teddy abuse...pure and simple...he doesn't look happy (he doesn't look sober!)

  

casette lord...he gets about a bit

 

never far from home...Trellick Tower!

then headed back down to the pier to watch the spectacular autumn display of roosting starlings...and a beautiful almost full moon ....awesome.

 

 then it was back on the train to London town....oh i do miss the seaside....*sigh*