Our local flower shop is truly inspirational - the displays are stunning and scent of flowers when you walk in is wonderful. Every week I treat myself to a small bunch - I think flowers make a home. The lady in the shop always says to me - are they a gift - and I always say, "for myself". Spring is once again in the air today - the light is reflecting off the sea and the birds are singing happily. Walking, swimming, creating and chatting tofriends are the order of the day -so I'd better get going!

I'm just playing around with my design......

I managed to get a couple of hours painting last night, I am so enjoying it and continue to experiment. TodayI'm off to Brighton, so will hopefully get the chance to go to the art shop...they sell good inks there, so I shall probably indulge myself. It's quite foggy at the moment - so I hope I don't lose the dogs in the woods!! A strange day - 29 February. I was telling Jack (who will be 9 in 2 days time) about only getting 29 February once every four years. I said that people born on 29th Feb only have their birthdate once every 4 years. A long silence....and then he said...."that's not good" !!

Last week I had a session with my embellisher. It works really well on felt so I just did lots of pieces. I need to do more dyeing and feltmaking as I am low on stock. Yesterday I sorted out my 'art' room in readiness for summer activities (i.e dyeing, painting...) I always like to sort out winter stuff and start afresh in the spring...I do the same with my clothes twice a year I sort them out and take things to the charity shop. Somehow it clears my head and energises me! If I get a chance today - between various appointments - I plan to prepare materials for next month's workshop and do some painting...I can feel some more experiments coming my way....

Me, my girls and the world!! Sorry there are yet more pictures of my dog walks, but yesterday was like heaven...a beautifully, warm, sunny day - too hot to wear my coat! Can't believe it, as two weeks ago we were shivering with snow. I think the whole of Sussex came out for walks...everybody smiling and happy (including me) . My favourite place to walk on the downs has a span of 70 miles view...from the Isle of Wight across to Beachy Head . What more could you ask. After walking, we did some mother/daughter bonding in a very nice pub. I then came home and....guess what....did some knitting!

Here are some more of my painted pages...I am beginning to get quite a good collection so I shall probably start thinking about how to pull them all together. Wouldn't it be a good idea to do the same thing on fabric...I suppose my silk scarves are similar to this, but I should like to experiment with muslin. I tried painting on canvas, but the results were disappointing. It's going to be another glorious day, so I have packed my thermos flask and am heading west for a hike across the Downs. Enjoy your day!

I can feel another project coming on....I like to collect the yarns first and just look at them!! I find it wets my appetite! Last night I managed to disable various things on the computer and so this morning I am going very carefully - hence only one photo. I think I need to go for another lesson!! With luck there will be more stuff tomorrow......

It's great fun being a dog on a gorgeous spring afternoon.....especially when you get to roll over and over in a nice muddy puddle!!! I couldn't resist the sunshine, so my girls had an extra outing yesterday - it was fantastic! I had also spent a very happy morning chatting and playing once again the the embellisher. Lots of ideas flying around - now need to focus!

Three more bags waiting patiently to be lined. I shall try and do that today. I'm also going to get out my embellisher (which now has new needles!!) and plan to some more playing around with felt. Because the weather is warming up, I was inspired to a bit of dyeing yesterday. I do so love the feeling of being immersed (not literally) in colour and fibre...and the general chaos of the whole operation...I can't work out why, but my computer insists on putting the wrong date...it is definitely Thursday 23 Feb! I can hear birds singing, so I'm now off for dog walk and swim before I get going...also being taken out out good Italian restaurant tonight...yum......

Here is the jumper that morphed into a cushion! Oh well, I was full of good intentions when I started knitting!! I thought that the other two images complimented the blues in the knitting. The Van Gogh type picture was a night time photo I took in Barcelona last summer. I then added an art app from my i-pod. Amazing what technology can do. The other picture was taken outside my beloved Buttercup Cafe in Lewes.

Happy Birthday to Jeeves and Wooster, my gorgeous ginger boys who are 5 today!! As you can see, they have a very hard life and are seriously undernourished!! I can't believe it's 5 years since we brought two beautiful little kittens home. They were so pretty and playful. When we got into the house I was very careful to shut all windows and doors to stop them escaping.......later on I was down the garden - looked back at the house -and lo and behold - two little kittens on top of the roof!! I had left the bathroom skylight window ajar and they had got through! Mild panic on my part - I can't remember how we got them back, but clearly we did and they have lived to tell the tale!!

I'm still on a roll with spraying and splashing....every time I come in I paint labels, paper bags, envelopes. folders...anything that is around! Some work better than others..so a lot of trial and error. Also, I am wondering what I can do with the muslin mopping up rag...any ideas?

The cake was to die for. Apple and cinnamon, covered with creme fraiche and a couple of chocolate drops! We managed to get a seat in our favourite corner...so a very good time. I managed to do some quick painting and splashing when I got home, so here is a small selection of the results (not yet finished). Late last night we had a call from the police to ask us to be very vigilant because there is a suspected murderer of vicars in this area. We rang our policeman son to ask for advice, so we are now safely locked in....as luck would have it, foxes were fighting in our garden in the middle of the night...our dogs were going berserk and barking like mad....all a bit spooky!!! Hot news...police officer daughter in law just rung to say suspect has been arrested!!! Yipee...I can open the doors......

Brilliant ideas for a jumper have begun to morph into a cushion!! Various reasons...mainly I think I shall find it too tedious to knit the same thing for hours. Secondly, I found a cardigan in my wardrobe that I had knitted a few years ago, that is very similar: thirdly, I don't think it suits me anyway!! So......a cushion (or bag) it will be...and it should be finished next week. I have made a couple of other bags in the meantime....I do like variety!! Off to Lewes today to meet a good friend in my favourite tea shop!