WOYWW 894 Embroidery and the Wife of Bath

Hi all, is it time again for our Wednesday blog circle? The week passes so quickly. I’m joining in via Sarah’s Craftshed.  I was inspired this week by our BJ to start a living line embroidery. 

You may have seen on Facebook that I felt a pressure straight away to make something useful - to use it to illustrate one of my Freddy the Dolphin stories, where a crab steals a bracelet and Freddy gets an octopus to tickle the crab to recover it. This embroidery’s supposed to be a zen activity, not purposeful, and I realised my mistake the following day when I was too tired to do such a task.

I might embroider an octopus at some point but I’ll keep it light. I’ve bought a pair of tapestry sticks to roll it on to, once it’s long enough. 

Since the weather is cooler, I’ve done a bit more knitting of a cannula sleeve. Bella likes me doing this as her ‘cushion’ doesn’t move much. She sends you all purrs. 

We had a good evening on Sunday, as the Rude Mechanicals came to do their latest play, The Wife, on the field at the centre of our village. It was cooler so by the late evening we were in coats and blankets, but it was great fun. It’s based on Chaucer’s the Wife of Bath but is full of jokes and songs. 

At school I wish we’d done the Canterbury tales but we did his Troilus and Cressida instead and spent the whole time translating it line by line. It killed Chaucer for me, whereas it could have been so much fun. We could’ve debated what women want, as the Wife of Bath asks, although sovereignty might have been too revolutionary for early 1970s at my girls’ grammar school. We did human biology until it came to reproduction, when we switched to rabbits. In our 6th form the headmistress was still refusing to have sex education taught, despite the fact that one of my class had left, pregnant. I hope they’ve improved now!

And finally…

Happy WOYWW

hugs

Lynnecrafts xx

WOYWW 893 Home again

Hi all, We’re home again, glad to say, so this week I’ll be joining our blog circle care of Sarah’s craftshed from home with good WiFi! 

I’ve some ideas for projects, painting a couple of images made of composite bits, in the style of some I saw in France. 

This one is by Karine Girault. We went to buy wine from Domaine Jean David and he was hosting an exhibition of her work in his winery.  His wine is organic and without added sulfates, and I discovered I can drink a glass or two without triggering a migraine. 

It’s a lovely idea, buying wine and admiring art at the same time. 

I’ve been impressed by BJ’s living line embroidery as well, and have bought a pack of bits and pieces off Etsy to get started. 

We ventured to the market in Nyons and to a museum and mill La Scourtinerie, where they make filters for olive oil presses, (Nyons being the centre for Provençal olive oil), mats, curtains and all sorts of things from coconut fibre. 

This last week was very hot so we went up Mont Ventoux. Those 1,920m drop 10 deg off the heat of the day so it was a lovely 24deg C. 

 

Bella was happy to see us home and I even thought she was going to get in the bath with me last night  😹

She’s been staying close and sends you all purrs. 

And finally…

Happy WOYWW 

Hugs

Lynnecrafts xx

 

WOYWW 892 Landed

Hi all,

I’ve found some slow but working WiFi at last. So sorry I haven’t visited. I also haven’t done any crafting apart from turning up the hem of my dress. 

Three of my owls landed in their new homes, the Hedwig one for our goddaughter, Alexia,

the blue keepsake owl for my French sister, Evelyne, Alexia’s Mum;

 

and a third one, a sewing kit owl was exchanged for 20 centimes to Alexia’s cousin, Ornella, who works in the vineyard. 

It’s been pleasantly warm since we got here, not too hot, but if the forecasts are right (35deg) then Mont Ventoux is nearby and we can drive up there where it’s only forecast to be 24 deg, at 6270ft. 

I have my watercolours with me and I can try to paint the views here again. 

Sunset is lovely:

As I missed the Conscrits festival in Létra in May, I arranged to meet up with some of them at the local bar. They turned it into a ceremonial presentation of my hat and cockade, and Marie-Claire made me a card cactus, in line with the class theme of cowboy country and Lucky Luke. 

I was so touched. 

These are some of the members of our class (xxx6), who are 70 or 80. 

Robert, in the 1956 t shirt, had his grandson born in 2026 in the parade with him, wearing a tiny version of my hat.

He was the friend who originally invited me to join the Conscrits. 

In my first year, 2006, Monique and I celebrated by drawing huge 6s on the road between her farm and our family’s farm, laughing like loons. It’s a special memory 

That was the Friday night. On Saturday, officially the first day of Alexia’s birthday weekend, they celebrated our 43rd wedding anniversary and the 50th anniversary of Brian coming to the farm as a grape-picker. 

And Alexia and Pierre shared their news, Alexia’s expecting a baby next January. I’ll have to get knitting again 😀

And finally…

The WiFi’s gone v slow so I’ll wish you happy WOYWW

Hugs

Lynnecrafts xx

WOYWW 891 And we fly away

A very quick post as we fly away, to our goddaughter’s birthday party. 

The latest owl, a sewing kit for a friend, is complete and going with us. 

Bella sends purrs, but doesn’t like packing happening around her. Still, she likes cars (horrid tin boxes) even less, so will be spoiled by her aunty Liz. 

And finally…,

Happy WOYWW to you all,

Hugs

Lynnecrafts xxx

WOYWW 890 Increasing my parliament

Hi all, it doesn’t seem a week since our last blog circle care of Sarah’s Craftshed!

Mt parliament of owls is increasing (while it’s been an eventful week in the other parliament, I’ll steer clear of it here. 

My latest owlet is another sewing version, for a friend I met many years ago on the grape harvest in Beaujolais, where we should see her next week. 

Bella has been helping me with a bit of general sewing and she sends you all purrs. 

The bamboo fabric, there, is a pair of trousers that was too long. They were actually sold as pyjamas

but the top has become a favourite light jacket and the trousers are fine for summer. 

With Kent on a red warning this week, I’m cancelling plans. We were supposed to go to the Frida Khalo exhibition at the Rate on Friday but I’m a member and can go another time, as it’s on till next Jan. 

We are going to our goddaughter’s birthday party, but will take it easy. It looks a bit cooler next week

And finally ….

Happy WOYWW 

hugs

Lynnecrafts xx

WOYWW 889 Fledgling owl

Hi all, 

I’m back for our blog circle care of Sarah’s craftshed. Thanks for all your birthday wishes last week. 

My blue owl is almost ready to fly away. 

I’ve re-done the waterlilies and am happier with them. The first ones are now a sort of needlecase, below. 

They hide the charm keeper chains, looked after by Freddy the dolphin. (I’ve been telling tales about him for about 35 years.)

We met him when Alexia’s Dad came to see us to ask about being godparent to Alexia. We’d gone on a boat excursion with him round the Farne islands and Freddy, a wild dolphin, would swim around the boat. I bought Alexia a dolphin mobile and made up stories for her and other godkids. I think about publishing them sometimes but haven’t got far. Bella has been supervising me from above and sends you all purrs. 

And finally…

L

I’ll be round to visit so put tge kettle on😀. 

Hugs

Lynnecrafts xx