Zoos and Cameras

As it wasn't raining this morning we decided to go to Exmoor Zoo.
It is years since we went to a zoo, and this one is really a conservation centre. It is beautifully laid out on the side of a slope. All the pens are designed for the animals comfort and not necessarily for human viewing purposes.
There are educational talks that are really good and excellent fun every 30 minuets so children of any age couldn't possibly be board.
The animals are so relaxed, absolutely no signs of stress and many seemed just as interested in us as we were in them. Of course there were the show offs and the crowds they draw, so all in all every animal in the zoo was happy.

We loved the Meerkats. The look out watched down the main entry path to the zoo and kept the others informed of the new arrivals. Not that they seemed very interested!

The only sad thing of the day was that we had camera trouble. For photographers and scrapbookers this was a nightmare.
Roger's two cameras refused to focus and then my digital decided to erase all the photos I had taken.
This is particularly sad as I had a wonderful encounter with an Alpaca called Fuzz but the resulting photos are no longer with us. Never mind I have my mental picture and I am sure to visit Fuzz again soon.

Finished!

Well here is my finished bag. I am very pleased with it. Definitely a big headed moment!!

I beaded both sides of the fabric and made a charm to hang on the handle too.

Some of the beads I got from E-Bay and others from a lovely little bead shop in Black Torrington called The Bead Cellar
Great shop, fab beads, service with a smile and a cup of coffee. We are looking forward to our next trip there.

I have enjoyed this project and have another in mind.

Roger is on holiday this week so I can't make a start as we are visiting our beautiful county but I think I will be pushing him out the door on Tuesday. LOL.

Playing with fabric and paint.

This is some new fabric I have been playing with.

Although the design looks like tulips it actually is my representation of the tracks of a sand beetle.
The picture of it was a photograph in Bob Geldof's book on Africa that I borrowed from a friend.

Perhaps I should have painted in browns and golds but I just love these colours.

The machine embroidery is done with various shades of rayon thread and I wish you could see the subtle sheen it gives.

The fabric is for a hip bag - you know the sort with a strap that goes across your body and the bag hangs on your hip.

I have ordered some beads and I am going to bead the centers of the tulip shape and maybe have a bead tassle of sorts to dangle from the base of the bag.

I'm sure it will evolve on its own and the plan will change from day to day if not hour to hour.
Can't wait for the beads to arrive though!

Watch this space!!

Patchwork Backpack.

I joined a patchwork class with my Mum. Wasn't sure if I would like it but as the first thing was a bag - and I love bags - off I went.

This is the result.
I love it and really enjoyed making it too. It was easier than I realised. I always thought patchwork was tiny shapes all sewn together by hand and therefore I wouldn't be able to manage it. But no! This bag was all machine sewing - yey!!


Hmm, have joined up to make a table centre piece in the shape of a star for my Christmas table. I am assured there is very little hand sewing involved. Actually looking forward to that too.
I will show you the results but even though I am starting it in September I am sure it will be December before you will see it.

Overgrown!

Now that things have calmed down a bit, we decided to go for a walk on the other side of the hill on which we live.
We hadn't been this way for over a year and by the look of it neither had anyone else.

The path was very overgrown and as a result we were not able to finish our walk. Such a shame as the views of the village from the top of the hill are spectacular.


Never mind, what we did see was lovely. We did manage to find the old bench hidden under much foliage and sit for a while in the shade.

We will try again later in the year when hopefully the path may be a little clearer.