Saturday 30 January 2010

Romance


One January night we finally spoke
after admiring from afar
such a romantic beginning
our hearts burned within us
love and commitment from the start
married a year later
now 33 years on
still our hearts burn
with love for each other
and I am so grateful
that you are the one
who loves me like no other
who is my best friend
who is the left hand to my right hand
who believes in me when I doubt myself.
Thank you for these years and for being you
I look forward to another 33, and then some!
I love you.

Friday 29 January 2010

Thoughtful Friday No. 78


"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters,
compared to what lies within us"
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thursday 28 January 2010

Decorating......



bags  - plain brown bags and making them special for a special person



an idea from here and scroll down to the Jan 5th entry.  I love Jenny's blog and her new ideas.  Jenny was Editor in Chief for Stampington until recently when she left to creat her own company - Cresendoh and there are lots of exciting things going to happen over there very soon.  She is one very talented and creative lady with lots of very special connections.  This week she has been at the CHA craft show in the  US where she lives and has given a daily report on who she has met with links to their websites or blogs.  I feel as if I have been on tour with her and have made some new acquaintances!

 Stampington has to be one of my very favourite magazine publishers and craft suppliers.  It seems to me that they produce everything to such a high standard.  Although they are rather hard to find here in the UK, I have found a localish supplier (not good for the bank balance as they are rather expensive).  I particularly love the title "Where women create" which features the studios and creative areas of lovely women who craft in all sorts of mediums.  I also love Artful Blogging, Art Journalling and Somerset Studio and Somerset Life - in fact, let's face it, I love all of the titles!!



Inside these wonderful titles are pages like these









I confess to getting very excited by looking at these wonderful creations and they never fail to inspire me to give things a try. Thank you Jenny and your team at Stampington and I look forward to all you will share with us through Cresendoh.

Tuesday 26 January 2010

Creative Every Day endeavours

I've found myself needing to 'spill' on to the page recently in a variety of ways


with a variety of media













It's been a lot of fun and has felt releasing in many ways....  there are a lot of ideas inside that are just

bursting to come out......
and I've had some expert help from here




which has pages like this



and Diana's blog can be found here and her artwork is featured on the latest edition of this



I absolutely love it!

Monday 25 January 2010

Artistic patience!

This is an amazing work of art and patience which I must share with you.  Why don't you just take a moment, get a cup of something nice to drink and be inspired.


Patience from Glowing Heads on Vimeo.

I hope you enjoy watching it as much as I did.

Friday 22 January 2010

Thoughtful Friday No. 77



"Our minds are like crows.  They pick up everything that glitters, 
no matter how uncomfortable our nests 
get with all that metal in them."
Thomas Merton

Monday 18 January 2010

Creative Every Day moments



A collage for my art journal (to be cut up into different shapes)



A journal of words and quotes I find inspiring









some of the inside pages



a walk in the sunshine yesterday in a local park, watching the birds on the lake



and this little fellow who just seemed to love to sing his heart out for us!

Thursday 14 January 2010

Tuesday 12 January 2010

Look who's hiding...



someone likes my quilt in progress as much as I do!



but maybe it is time to come out and see what is going on



oh my!




and what's this?  even more?



I think I'll just go back to the sofa and take a nap



meanwhile the smell of freshly baked bread wafts in from the kitchen.....

Friday 8 January 2010

Thoughtful Friday No. 75



"Good habits are not made on birthdays, nor character at the new year.
The workshop of character is daily life.  The uneventful and commonplace
hour is where the battle is lost or won."
Malbie d. Babcock

Thursday 7 January 2010

Amazing!

I've never seen someone draw in sand so beautifully! Have a creative 
Thursday!







Wednesday 6 January 2010

Creative Every Day (CED) Challenge



The CED challenge suggested theme this month is 'body' so here is a much overworked part of the body and one that doesn't get a great deal of blog time, except of course if you knit beautiful socks and like to show them!  As is happens these feet are sporting a delightful new pair of Cath K socks which I received as a Christmas present from daughters 3 and 4 together with some gorgeous new spotty wellies (waiting for their turn to be photographed on another occasion!).




And although this doesn't look as appetising as it was, broccoli and stilton soup was the order of the day yesterday to warm our bodies after an extremely cold day.  Recipe from here.  It was absolutely delicious I have to say.


Thank you cards made using distress inks, a mini brayer and some swirl stamps from here with one or two flowers and flower brads added for interest.

Sunday 3 January 2010

The Creative Every Day Challenge




Happy New Year!
As you can see Tea and Toast has had a makeover for 2010 and I hope you like it.  There are a number of new things I want to take up this year and one of them has been to sign up for the Creative Every Day challenge 
What I like about this is the following, taken straight from the website and gives inspiration, motivation and a little nudge to at least notice what we are creating as we go about our everyday tasks and roles.
If you'd like to join in, it's not too late as you can join at any time - there is real flexibility which I love.
I'll let you know how I get on and will post some of the creative things that happen around here as a result.

Here's to a creative 2010!!
And here is what Leah Piken Kolidas says:

"Creativity is meant in the broadest sense, so it doesn't have to be something art related. Your creative acts could be in cooking, taking pictures, knitting, doodling, writing, dancing, decorating, singing, playing with your kids, brainstorming ideas, gardening, or making art in the form of collage, paint, or clay...or whatever!
You do not have to post every day! I know for myself that having to post every day for a year would be too much. You can post about your creativity in whatever form you like, whether that be once a day, a few times a week, once a week, or once a month. Do what works for you!
This is a low pressure challenge, with the idea of bringing more creativity into our lives. I will not be the creativity police. I hope that we can all find ways, simple and grand to express our creative selves. Have fun with it!" from www.creativeeveryday.com
* * * * * * * * * * *
Ginger Spice Cookies featured above which are delicious.  I've made three batches over Christmas!  The recipe and lots of other fantastic ones can be found here at Our Best Bites



Saturday 2 January 2010

Thoughtful Friday No. 74



"And now let us welcome the New Year
Full of things that have never been."
Rainer Maria Rilke

Thoughtful Wednesday

"Our goal should be to live life in radical amazement – to get up in the morning and look at the world in a way that takes noth...