Provence...

Now...I did have a post all typed out and prepared last night, but it decided to disappear into the wide blue yonder..taking with it my philosophical dreamy observations about pairings, images, thoughts..music {my ipod}..vignettes, diptychs.....as a result of this disappointment, I am not feeling nearly airy-fairy enough today to try and re-summon the magic *wink wink*

But anyhoo...this holiday was just about relaxing, taking it easy...cooking, going to the markets for produce and a browse at all the stalls of paisley shawls, olive wood kitchen implements, baskets of all colours, shapes and sizes, food gallore.....spending some time wandering around the amazing French supermarkets {all I would change would be the ubiquitous smell of sausage..}...reading, embroidering, swimming, sketching.....lovely. It was nice not to be dashing around trying to 'do' things, and see places madly....the local town {Nyons} was delightful, and had the best regional markets in the area so we stayed quite local most of the time. The vines were full with grapes ready for picking in a few weeks, the olives just beginning to flourish {usually harvested in December/January}..and the lavender fields had already been shorn short. It had been a good long, hot summer and Provence looked almost Italian with hints of scorched colour among the green.

I can understand a lot of French but can't speak it very well as I don't know any of the 'joining up' words and phrases {I did German and Italian at school}..but sometimes it is just nice to sit back and listen..so I don't really mind a bit in this kind of situation. I can order food, say hello..thank you, and have a lovely day/goodbye. All you need really for a beautiful break....

Happy mid-week!! xox

Head in the sky, feet on the ground...

Hello Friends!!.....well, my two weeks in Provence are up - I am back home {late Saturday night}, and today back to work....

How fast a holiday seems to fly...in a blur of markets, full of sights, smells and sounds so uniquely French..big blue skies so vast they go on forever....shimmering olive tree groves twinkling sage and silver with the breeze that sweeps though the mountains and valleys. Sounds like heaven, yes??

But this bright sky and the green of Scotland welcomed me home and pulled me back to earth...so I am happy to be here too. I am just touching base today as I sort though my photo's, emails and upload all the music I can lay my hands on to my new iPod that I got yesterday for my belated birthday present {a really good one, I know!!}..I have finally joined the 21st Century :).....so I will be divulging all Provence had to offer me over the next few days!

Until then...Hugs to all!! xox

100!...

I had some big thread colour decisions to make last night!!...and luckily I had plenty to choose from {my Mums wooden embroidery box has a removable panel with elastic on both sides to store threads..it is so beautiful..my grandpa made it!}. Alas, the best made plans....to dye the aida with tea, turned my fabric an unusual perma-tan colour, so I am sticking with white until I have time to get some dylon..I am thinking chartreuse green on charcoal. It may become a series! But for the holidays, I am gravitating towards a strong rose pink on white.....

However, with all this to see, I may not have the time!!...hehe :) I was browsing the Moleskine website last night to decide which style I should get..as I fancy doing some sketching/designing when I am away. I am very tempted to the story-board style as I think I would respond well to compartmentalising things??

I am very happy to be heading off tomorrow for a break...I feel I need one, but as always I know I will miss catching up with all my blog chums! I am so lucky to be spending my birthday {23!! for god's sake} amongst the sunflowers and lavender fields, high up in the mountains.... *smile*

:: I was working today, even though I haven't even really started to attempt to pack properly, or do things like paint my toenails or place all my 'hand-luggage' in a stylish clear plastic bag. {Ugh, can't even carry on lip-balm!!!}....but, I digress...below is what I did today, ready for getting plated and away as soon as I return! This lot {maybe about 10 pieces} will be going to Oriel Davies Gallery.....and then I start work on my biggest show of the year {secured at New Designers} Dazzle, Manchester..and they need LOTS of pieces!! {no rest for the wicked egh ;)}::

Now...if you want to hear the sexiest sounds of summer, listen to this from Ray Lamontagne...*wow*

Now...I am not camping in France, but if I was, I would want to be in one of these Cath Kidston tents , and hey..they are on sale..so I am sorely tempted to one anyway!!! I would need a pair of snazzy Wellington boots to live up to the tents fabulousness..These William Morris print ones would do the trick!

So....so-long friends, for a few weeks!! I am wishing you a good time....I can feel Autumn at my back...Mmmm :)..you heard it here first!! I have a had a wonderful time writing these last one hundred blog posts, and I SO, SO love hearing from you all, thank you for all your comments and support...I have made so many amazing and special friends through this venture in blog-land....it has been wonderful!

so, here is to a hundred more!! I will toast you from a wine vat in Provence :)

much love to all, Abigail xox

Light at the end of the tunnel...

Right....that's me almost there really. I got a lot of stringing done today..so tomorrow, just some setting of the ivories, pushing over of claws..parceling up, and posting off. {It is scary, however..just how long those little things take, so perhaps I will get up really early just to make sure it all goes okay??} This bevy of jewels is off to Red Barn Gallery in Cumbria tomorrow {they don't have a website..}...and it will show there for a month. Yay..one step closer to holiday time!

Linky goodness wise.. I love these prints {first 4 images} in Hygge. And I found out that the artist Sanna Annukka designed the cover of Keanes' latest album Under the Iron Sea too....read this great interview with Sanna where she talks about her inspirations behind her art. I REALLY love Scandi-folk style art/pattern etc..{Russian folk art too come to that..} so really love where her ideas are rooted.... I am also hoping that my cross-stitch sampler will have that kind of vibe??

Happy Wednesday!!....ps..this is post 99..you know what comes next!!!???

xox PS..I have just found that Sanna has got up a holding page {soon to be a full website!} - Check it out!

Flock it...

So I was up to all hours again last night..{finding it hard to sleep}..but used the time to make some progress on doing something for me! I am hoping to finish this cross-stitch pattern, so as I can do it when I am away..time to relax I am hoping?! I am wanting this to look like a flock wallpaper, so although the motif is large, I will repeat it, and just make it a big piece....we will see...

Hope everyone had a good weekend?? I was just working...which was fine, but it seems to have an impact on the 'readiness' stakes for the next week...I feel like I am stumbling about blindly, only just holding it all together.....I guess I am just tired. I have been listening to Keane {not their newest album}..but am enjoying the melancholy tones coming from my computer {no kidding..hehe}...

I found Takuji Hamanaka's contemporary woodblock prints this week-end and was blown away...the layering of colour is sublime! The more that time goes by, the more I want to learn to speak Japanese. I feel a real pull to that part of the world, and a real yearning to go there...so want to be able to make that experience as full as it could be {should it ever happen} and so..looking into learning a new language it is!!! Now, the idea of going to Japan was on my list a few weeks ago, and speaking of lists, Nesty has posted a great one!! which I so enjoyed reading :)
Happy Tuesday all....roll on the weekend {and France!}
xox

Update!...I have just found an Interview with Takuji Hamanaka which is well worth a read too :)

Friday..

Back at the bench today...finishing off some pieces, and making up some new designs. The two necklaces with the outlines looped directly on to the pearls are new {I will be plating them}...something simple and classic, and very easy to wear! I'm glad that it's Friday..only one week to go till I am off to France!...yipee :) It's been another super fast blurred week....when will they slow down and play in real time??

I have finally got a post up at Whip-Up about Jewellery tools...recommending some suppliers, and ideas for basic starter packs, so check it out!

I also found the most amazing link to a site for screen printed Gig Posters that I just LOVE, love... via Nicole aka craftapalooza...it is a real treasure trove!! I have my eye on a few if I get some birthday spends ;)

So...if I am not about over the weekend, I hope you all have a great one!!

sending hugs to all xox

Mid-week...

Today was all about getting orders out....wrapping, tagging, form filling..post-office.....but boy do I love getting out my ribbon stash - it's always such a riot of colour! I used the pink today....

The heat has finally broken here and the most delicious cool weather has descended on us....torrential rain and all {lucky for the plants and trees!}!! I just love waking up and actually shivering...not feeling too hot and sticky to work...bliss. Roll on Winter!!! :)

I have been listening to Cat Power today...and have also been trying to track down some Neko Case albums {OH! How I love the images on her site main page!!}...but am proving unsuccessful. I think I will ask for some music for my birthday as I have not bought any new tunes for the longest time, and am starting to feel the strain..especially when we have the most wonderful independent music shop just round the corner...I was so happy to see last time I was in London that Fopp are opening up there too!!

Images that moved me on Flickr today are feet and boom ....*wow*

I hope everyones week is off to a flying start so far....I fear this one is racing as fast as the last!!
xox