Hawkes' Hounds

Vintage Postcard: Seaside Fun

noreply@blogger.com (Cath Stratford Hawkes) — Wed, 16 Apr 2014 11:19:00 +0000

Seaside Fun circa 1920. Having fun in Hythe, Kent

Arthur Gill - Vintage Bathing Beauties

I just love this, and as it is Easter this week, it is bound to start raining, so the postcard seems very apt. The artist is Arthur Gill, a popular Edwardian graphic artist with a gentle humour. You can find more at the site of Raphael Tuck here.

Raphael Tuck & Sons Humorous Series 6077 circa 1904

Vintage Postcard: The Cricket Boy

noreply@blogger.com (Cath Stratford Hawkes) — Thu, 10 Apr 2014 10:51:00 +0000

Lovely postcard of a little chap getting ready for the Cricket season.

Vintage Postcard 1906

Vintage Postcard: Horse and Hounds

noreply@blogger.com (Cath Stratford Hawkes) — Thu, 03 Apr 2014 10:47:00 +0000

Vintage Poscard 1906

Vintage Postcard: His Master's Voice

noreply@blogger.com (Cath Stratford Hawkes) — Thu, 27 Mar 2014 11:45:00 +0000

Vintage Intermission

I am too young to actually remember "the Potter's Wheel" interlude on BBC TV in the 1950's, but I do remember people tell of it. It was quite common apparently when broadcasting systems were a bit fragile and things used to go down, or "crash" as we would say now. Well dear visitors, over the next few weeks you will be treated to some vintage postcards that I unearthed while packing up the house. This is my Potter's Wheel for you. A new one every week, until normal service. Thank you to Great Great Aunt Ada for saving these little gems, where would I be without you ( and some might ask "why oh why have you hauled your box of postcards around Europe with you?".... and the answer is... "for times like this!")

Vintage Christmas Postcard December 1903

Taking Stock of Old Stock and what to do about it.

noreply@blogger.com (Cath Stratford Hawkes) — Wed, 19 Mar 2014 12:48:00 +0000

A time for contemplation....

Little Mole: I made this little chap a while ago, and while he has been featured in Etsy treasuries, and "liked", but no one likes him enough to place an order. I have added clothing, pipe cleaners to the inside and still there he sits, while newer designs have come and gone..

I can see him looking nervously, wondering if he is going to be recycled into something new.

"Fear Not!" I tell him, and having re-read helpful tips from Abby Glassenberg at While She Naps and with the help of Mr C who is a keen photographer we got the shot above that I am happy with. You can't beat having the right equipment and knowing where to put it, as the results show.

I will check the stats in my Etsy shop and think about the advice given in the Seller Handbook to refresh my product line if the photos don't do the trick.

Moving On

One step closer to moving on last week, I just picked up the keys to our old house and took one step closer to moving back home after 14 years away. Needless to say, I hardly recognised the place. While the move will involve a lot of upheaval it does present the opportunity for me finally to develop my business, and to engage with other makers for real.

This change of focus has made me think more about the title of this blog and the content. Somehow "Crazyhoundstore" ( A name that I thought up on the spur of the moment when I first opened my Etsy store in 2009) doesn't seem to hit the spot. I spend a lot of time telling people what I make, and what I do, and feel embarrassed about the name. The last person who asked, who bought three of my dogs did ask if I had thought of changing the name of my shop. I checked it out on Etsy and found out that I can change the name once, and that finally set me thinking.

So, between now and next week I will be working on a new name and possibly a new blog. I have read that putting your name at the centre of the business is vital and am playing around with:

"Hawkes and Hawkes" that includes my husbands creative photography input "Hawkes Hounds" that keeps the focus narrow on what I make, but it may constrain me in the future.

"Hawkes at Home" reflecting the journey I am on and enabling me to broaden out in the future and include homeware and vintage home design that I want to broaden out into.

If anyone out there has experience of name changing and keeping people with you I would love to hear about your experience.

Old Photos and a Clever Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Cath Stratford Hawkes) — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 17:11:00 +0000

Chicken on the mat

Something good from all this packing and sorting..... Going through the old photos last week I came across this gem. My Grandmother's kitchen, circa 1940 and I understand that this is "Cocky Locky" my Dad's favourite chicken who got to come in for strokes long after the eggs stopped coming. Pretty smart chicken, sat right by the stove.

Moving On

noreply@blogger.com (Cath Stratford Hawkes) — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 16:36:00 +0000

Longer days set me looking to the future

Wishful thinking that Spring may be just around the corner.

Moving interrupts service

After much planning and a good deal of dreaming the time has come to start dismantling the home, for another move that I hope will be the last for a good while. This time going back to where we started, back in the last century.

I have an idea that although I have been back much, there is a lot that I have no idea how to do (topping up an Oyster Card for one!) - it will feel a bit wierd not being the indulged foreigner, and I will have no excuse not to understand aparently simple and obvious things.

But that is all in the future, and now, yes now, all I have to do is take things of the shelves, wrap them and box them, reflecting on how we gathered just so much stuff. So many souvenirs and memory triggers that make the packing so slow.

All this means that posts may become a bit more intermittent than I had hoped for 2014. If you have the patience keep with it - I have great plans for the autumn.

Frank finds his love

Great news on the canine love front - out walking last weekend we bumped into Frank's mystery girlfriend, and after a wonderful walk (OK, so he introduced her to the joy of jumping into sulphurous smelling river mud, resulting in sticky black paws and legs, but no one's perfect). In any event, they did get to share a sunbeam in the garden together afterwards. I think that they make a splendid couple. It's a good job you can't smell the mud from the photo.

Retro Stencilled Tea Tray

All this packing has created a general mess everywhere, but the is a corner of this house that I have preserved for the all important therapy of making stuff. Quite pleased with how this one turned out.

The tray came from the Danish flea market on Refshalevej 166 ( See my post on it here). The lovely graphic was from Graphique's Etsy shop and I made the stencil using sticky vinyl and the Cameo Silhouette. Especially pleased with how the tea pot turned out.

New Hounds on the block

noreply@blogger.com (Cath Stratford Hawkes) — Sun, 16 Feb 2014 17:10:00 +0000

All New Hawkes Hounds

Finally, my latest designs are finished, and I am very pleased with them.

For those of you offended by craft completed in a non pet-free environment, look away please...

The chap on the left is finished in soft chenile and the other in boiled wool and tweed, and they are so snuggly that while my back was turned Maggie snuck up and nestled in amongst them. You can see where I get the inspiration from these days.

I had great fun making these chaps, the ears and the eyes are the most fun part and I am glad that I switched to hand making the felt eyes, they are more expressive. By mixing different materials you can get all kinds of effects for the ears, and then they can be bent as you wish. No names for these guys yet, but I have a waiting list for them already. Thanks Mr C for the super cool photos.

New Hawkes Hounds tags and doing battle with the Cameo Silhouette and winning...

To go with the new designs I have worked on new label tags and packaging this week. Learning new skills is time consuming and I often resent the time spent, but yes I do know it is good to persevere.

This week I was especially bold and decided to take on Photoshop and the cameo silhouette cutting programme to produce more professional tags.

I started with this image from you guessed it - the graphic fairy:

They kindly remove any text so that you can do your own thing with it. Opening it in photoshop always make a duplicate background layer by clicking on layers and then follow these instructions You play around with the size of font and font until you have something you like. I ended up with something like this...

I saved it as a jpeg and then took it into the Cameo Silhouette programme. I should say that I have a love hate relationship with this programme. It reminds me of early PC days, when you spend ages looking at the screen while the cursor decides what to do before a message pops up to say "programme not responding - shut down PC" . I have learnt my lesson and save the file after every click.

Strong coffee in hand, and after watching too many you tube tutorials I finally managed to trace and mark the image for cutting, and after a mini break down when the printer chose to rescale the image and so the cutter cut a perfect shape about 2cm away from the printed one. Pause for a day for recovery, more reading and a supportive chat with Jo at Briar Patch Designs who is a whizz with the cameo and success! So now I just have to do a back to compliment the front, and I will be done.

Winter Draws On (Again)

noreply@blogger.com (Cath Stratford Hawkes) — Fri, 31 Jan 2014 15:28:00 +0000

Swedish Trolls and Springerle Biscuit molds

When you hear the word Troll these days it is usually in connection with malicious web attacks in unexpected places, but this little Bergdala Troll is much more charming.

I found this little Troll at a local flea market, and he sums up how I feel at present. Even the super new fleecy boots aren't keeping the cold or snow out, but while the extremities may be cold, the heart is warm. The wee troll is on my desk trying to be a paperweight, but really too small to cope with my in-tray, maybe more are needed!

Fantastic Cookie Molds

I made a great discovery last week - German Springerle Molds. One of these truly lovely things arrived in the post last week, another belated Birthday present. Thanks to the sender for introducing me to these beautifully made cookie moulds. Here is just one example...

The moulds are traditionally used to make really hard biscuits that are quite hard and none too tasty, but I think there is scope to use them with other doughs or even dare I think of it chocolate. Ken Hamilton has some great recipes and history of the things, really quite inspiring. So, tea, cookies and sketching it is then until the snow goes away...

The Hounds of Falsterbo - a Great Discovery

noreply@blogger.com (Cath Stratford Hawkes) — Fri, 24 Jan 2014 13:24:00 +0000

Inspiration on the beach

It has been an interesting week, finally catching up with people after the break, and taking delivery of a couple of belated Birthday presents. And oh joy! What a lovely "booky" surprise from my friend Val and Lassa, and how apt. The book feels like a coffee table book, but can be enjoyed by young and old just by the way it is written with short witty poems.

The Hounds of Falsterbo

The work by local artist, Jules Nilsson was inspired by the curious antics of her dog and those of a friend who owns the local cafe Kust....

They are lucky enough to get their kicks on the local beach near me and these are some of the images...

You can see more about the hounds here. I love the way she has captured the characters of her dogs, and the atmosphere around the beach huts and heather. If you get a chance take a look. I am also pleased to find someone else who describes such fine canine characters as "the fluffy gentleman".

I think that I will be making some Crazyhound characters inspired by these fellows, and I am going to get to meet them in the fur next week.... so watch this space. Thanks Jules and thanks to those dogs.

Happy weekend and keep warm out the wind.

Warmest Winter Boots!

noreply@blogger.com (Cath Stratford Hawkes) — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 19:22:00 +0000

Swedish Curling Boots

I just wanted to say how much I love my new winter boots. I have wanted a pair ever since the first chilling winter here four years ago, and this year I got a pair, and I am so pleased! As far as I know they are special to Sweden, you don't see them anywhere else, people say because they are thought a bit ugly, made of raw rubber sole and lined with soft fleecy fur. Great for cold and damp studio floors, walking, everything really this time of year. They are sort of like Scandinavian Uggs for up here. If you are curious to see a more informative photo and maybe dip your toe in, take a look at Put Feet First. What I really like is the fact that every year the shoe shops just start selling them, without a nod to the fashion world, they just keep on selling them, because they do the job. They are unisex too, so warm toes for all!

New Year Cheers and Dog Treats

noreply@blogger.com (Cath Stratford Hawkes) — Tue, 31 Dec 2013 11:55:00 +0000

Oops I missed the Christmas deadline for the blog, no excuse really except it is the time of year that we are all running around like made things. I have enjoyed gazing at other crafting blogs like Ted and Bunny or Woolly Dog that have such timeless vintage greetings and so finally here is my New Year wish to you all with a fuzzy dog and Mr C's camera.

Dog Treats for the Christmas Tree

We decked the tree with the most treats ever, and Mr C insisted that we included treats for the dogs... ( using dog friendly ingredients of course !) Mr C even piped their names on, so I knew there would be trouble.....

Just look at the concentration, and honestly there was no coersion...

Really, need I say more. Thanks Frank.

And little Miss M wasn't to be outdone either. The only down side was that Frank couldn't get any sleep the first night after he discovered the treats, he just gaze at the tree but thankfully didn't pounce on.

Have a good New Year Eve where ever you are and what ever you are doing. Looking forward to an interesting 2014 ahead.

Canine Brief Encounter a Woolly Cocker and Door Signs for Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Cath Stratford Hawkes) — Fri, 13 Dec 2013 15:58:00 +0000

Have been travelling quite a bit of late, and so alas the blog has suffered. But no I have a few moments to catch up with bits and pieces...

Poor Frank is Broken Hearted...

A couple of weeks ago now, walking through a meadow near the house early one morning I spied a black dog in the distance. Dog owners don't often stop to chat in these parts and this time was no different. The owner was intent on walking away from us, and tugged hard on the lead, but the black dog kept on turning back to look at Frank the dog. No matter how hard they tugged, that dog was not going to move, and my pair were all wags and barks, so there was nothing for it. Breaking all rules of Swedish reserve and dog walking ettiquette we approached on another, like an old western movie. Frank and the black dog who looked like his dopple ganger, but all in black, whooped and played like old friends. Maggie looked on baffled. It turned out that the black dog was a rescue dog from Romania, just like Frank. We wondered if they recognised it in each other, they were really smitten.

Time ticked by, and we had to move on, and so we each pulled our dogs away and went on our way, without an exchange of address or mail. And here's the thing, every morning since Frank drags me to the meadow, sniffs at every corner, and looks in forlornly at every nearby driveway, looking for her, the one... I am minded on the Madness track "I never knew your name" and wonder if Frank hums it to himself as he plays sentinel looking out of our kitchen window..

Woolly Friends for Christmas

Standing around a fire at Guy Fawkes Night in November I met someone who was really missing her old dog, a black Cocker Spaniel and I mentioned that have been known to make the odd dog, and I tried to make her a likeness. So, that is where it began....

I really enjoyed making this one, "mini-Maggie" I have called her and she is on her way to Malmo to her new home. She was modelled on my Maggie, and I think that you will be able to see the Cocker likeness.

I don't know if you have tried it, but doing curly haired dogs is always a challenge, and yet the curls are the thing that makes the animal look just right. I tried needle felting wool onto the boiled wool body but no joy...

So.... to get the ears and lovely Cocker chest right I used lamb's fur from an old hat, and the new hand made hand felted eyes. The weight of the ears and the hang is just what I wanted.

Her sitting pose is a new one, and I designed the pattern using inspiration from Abby Glassenberg and her ideas on how to make sitting, (or in this case slouching) animals.

Good luck Mini Maggie, and I look forward to doing this combination again.

Stenciled Door Sign

Finally, here is the latest effort from me using the Cameo Silhouette. I ummed and arred for ages about how to do the hand, before opting simply to cut and stick it onto the matt black background and stencil the letters. As ever the vintage hand image came from the graphic fairy and I used standard Cameo fonts for the letters.

Winter Harbour and a great Recycled Hound

noreply@blogger.com (Cath Stratford Hawkes) — Wed, 20 Nov 2013 12:03:00 +0000

Who would be a fisherman in these months....... The winter chill is coming no doubt about it....

A Hound with a (re)purpose !

I just found this repurposed hound, and many others in the Etsy Shop of Willy Wagenaar, a professional artist based in Florida. I found it hard to choose just one one forthis page, but finally setlled on Marsha. Love it.

Keepsake for a Friend and Playing Around with Old Photos

noreply@blogger.com (Cath Stratford Hawkes) — Fri, 15 Nov 2013 11:34:00 +0000

Keepsake for a Friend

A few weeks back now we all sat in a huddle and tried to think of the best sort of present for one of our number who was going to upsticks from Sweden and live in France for good. Agreeing that she probably has all she needed on the house ware department and was more focused on getting rid of stuff rather than accumilating we decided that a "Novelty Item" would do the trick. Chortles aside, we decided on the straighforward idea of a patchwork basket that displayed our lovely faces on, so our friend could never forget us (even if she wanted to) !!

Vintage Clip Art and Photoshop

I had the task of finding a suitable vintage image to stick our heads on, and went to my usual haunt, the Graphic Fairy for an image. This little number seemed to do the trick!

Mr C gave some of his photoshop secrets away about the eraser tool and most importantly the "undo" button when it all goes pear shaped!(and the following tutorial helped). I used the Quick Select Tool to cut the head off.... and the same technique to stick my head on top....

Just eight more heads to go then ! Keep you posted with the final results.

Windy Weather, Reupholstering an Occasional Armchair and the joy of making double piping

noreply@blogger.com (Cath Stratford Hawkes) — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 17:21:00 +0000

After the Storm

Yes, it was very windy here on Monday. The bridge between Copenhagen and us over here was closed, no trains, nothing, Mr C was stranded, the other side of the water for the night. Walking the dogs back home in the afternoon wasn't a picture either. They with their ears flapping in the air, eyes screwed shut against the wind, and me head down trying to make forward progress. It was great to get indoors. But.. we had nothing damaged by the storm and can be glad for that.

It did offer the perfect excuse to take myself to the workroom and catch up with a few projects....

From Swedish retro to

Shabby Chic !

It might be that every magazine I read these days has articles about "mid century modern" and the wonders of Scandinavian design, or more likely that living in Sweden, where every shop and home oozes with design uber cool stuff, but in the last few months I have been obsessed by Danish and Swedish furniture and ceramics. I can't go into a junk shop without bringing a piece home, and the workroom upstairs has become a meeting place for a motley collection of singular armchairs that sit, uneasily eyeing each other, wondering who will be next for my wondering attention.....

Surprising then that not one but TWO Victorian style nursing chairs made their appearance through a friend who wanted something done with them....

I said I was sure that I could do "something" to bring them up to date and to fit into a Scandi decor, and this is the result for number one...

You can see that the original version had a metal strip of faux studs that I thought could be reused, but when it came to it, the strip was so old and fragile that it broke into pieces as soon as I showed it the staple gun! Panic, and a quick rethink was needed. After much "umming" and "arhhing", I decided to make a decorative edge from double piping using the same fabric. The tutorial written by WhatsUrHomestory gives some great instructions if you need them, and shows that you don't need a special foot for your sewing machine to get the job done... Thank you Vidya ! I think they work better without the studs too.

The semi matt warm grey paint finish completed the job.

Just one to go then, and as the winds still howls around the house after the storm on Monday, what better occupation could there be ?

Seaside Art and Primitive Folk Art Dog

noreply@blogger.com (Cath Stratford Hawkes) — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 16:08:00 +0000

Seaside ARt

I do love to live beside the sea side... oh I do love to live beside the sea ! Making the most of this time here I am at the beach as much as I can and I love these pieces that have been inspired by the seaside too.

Sam Toft's seaside images are pure Brighton, with the old metal railings and peculiar mix of blue paint and rust. Walking on the promenade has to be one of the highlights, especially with your dogs.....

Sam Toft's dog characters reminded me of this Primitive Folk chap designed and made by Scaredycatprimitives on Etsy. I like the aged distressed effect of painting on calico, rusty bell and safety pin and bell, not forgetting the wee feet. Thank you Carrie.

Making Felted Eyes for Stuffed Animals

noreply@blogger.com (Cath Stratford Hawkes) — Wed, 16 Oct 2013 15:32:00 +0000

The Eyes have it...

A while ago I started experimenting with eyes for my Crazyhoundstore stuffed animals, I wanted something more expressive than plain simple buttons, even vintage ones! I mused with hand-painted eyeballs sitting neatly on cotton, side by side. I have to admit that I was not convinced by the overall effect. See?

Tom the Terrier started out as such a friendly chap, but the eyes just seemed to ooze meanness. If he were in a Dog Shelter he would struggle to find a home.... My own dogs even eyed him up warily, so it was no good, the eyes just had to go. These were prototypes that just didn't work. After reading Abbey Gassenberg's post about persistence I took Tom off the shelf - I was not going to be beaten!

I decided to try needle felted eyeballs instead. Felting the brown Merino wool was relatively easy (barring stabbing my fingers instead of the wool, which was very painful) . Use two foam blocks underneath the wool - The upper one with a neat circle cut out that the model eye can sit in an not move while you needle felt it. Once you are happy that the eyeball is firm enough take a small piece of black wool and form it into a flat circle that you can't see through. Needle felt it for a short time, and then position it over the brown eyeball and needle felt in position. Do the same with a smaller piece of white wool to give the eyes a catch light.

These are Tom's new eyes ...

I think it is better, and I got a bit carried away and needle felted his paws too, and replaced the eyes on the other fellow.....

That leaves just one left to do, as you can see in the background, but he looks OK don't you think ?

Updating your Expat CV and Autumn is upon us

noreply@blogger.com (Cath Stratford Hawkes) — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 16:10:00 +0000

Seeds of thought for the Future....

I love to grown and collect the seeds of this false Physalis which seems to love growing in the sandy soil here. They reflect my thoughts here at the moment, looking to the future...

Updating your CV

Never a job for the faint hearted, with plans afoot to return home after more years than I care to remember away from the UK, it was time to get out my CV and update it. I have seen a few jobs recently that were attractive, but when I looked at the person and job specification it was clear that times have changed since I last looked, and I had no idea how to put down what I had to offer.

It seemed all the more difficult when recent work experience has been "out of country" following career paths that I hadn't exactly planned on...

I trawled the internet, pestered friends for inspiration and examples and came up with the following tips that can help if you are faced with the same challenge:

Take your time, have a clear head ( usually after a good dog walk or similar!) and find some space and peace and quiet, or as close as you can get to it....

The first page of your CV is the most important. Most selection panels only take 30 seconds looking at your application before going onto the next, so you have to make an impact! Work out what are your strongest personal qualities and put them in a list. This will form the headline/ first part of your CV or Personal Qualities statement. Try to get as much information in as succinctly as possible
Using this list for inspiration, note your skills and achievements. Highlight specialist skills here too and sing them out loud! This will form your second section: Skills and Achievements. If you are an expat worker take the time to think about all the challenges you have handled, the networking, communication and negotiating that goes on every time you move, not to mention logistic skills! Group skills in the same activity area together, for example training achievements together even if they were at different times
Education and Training comes next
Work Experience in date order with most recent first. Use of bullet points and semi colons to list experience takes up less space
Check your grammar, keep the tenses the same, so work in the past is written in the past. Obvious I know, but it can get tangled up
Think about the language you use, keep it sharp an focused, every word has to earn its place in your CV. Always double check and proof read it
Send it out to those you trust for genuine feedback

I put off doing this little job for ages and finally completed it this week. It has been a really positive exercise, and I wish that I had done it ages ago! It has been a great way to boost confidence and look ahead with relish.

Autumn Gold

Autumn colours are taking off here just now, and last week we went out on the bikes and collected beautiful leaves on the turn. Mr C is part of an online photo club and he had the bit between the teeth to get some good shots. I was really pleased with what he came up with.

French Bric a Brac Finds

noreply@blogger.com (Cath Stratford Hawkes) — Thu, 03 Oct 2013 15:41:00 +0000

A Typical French Bric a Brac

Just back from warmer and sunnier France, where the melons were ripe...

And the bread was tasty and fresh... we always buy too much.

I got to experience a very local "Bric a Brac" that we had missed last year. I am not sure exactly where "Bric a Brac" falls between "Vide Grenier" sales (mostly old cast offs- don't say rubbush! from someones garage or more likely barn) and the Brocante (mostly almost or wannabee antique and vintage stuff alongside childrens toys and clothes).

I had heard friends speak of the event months before in excited tones: the village is full to the brim, stalls jostle alongside each other for space, so many interesting finds just waiting to be discovered. If I wanted a stall I would have to get up at 6.00am to stake my claim etc etc at which point I decided that this was probably not for me.

The evening before I witnessed the village official with measuring wheel and spray tool marking out stall places precisely and strictly allocating who should go where. It was clearly no laughing matter. Friends took what they were given and went about setting up their stalls, hoping for success...

And it was great, the sun shone, it was very warm, the streets filled with people and the PA system boomed out as the tombola draw was announced, and beer flowed from the impromptu bar set up on the square. Best of all, for me at least, the range of dogs who came to see and join in the fun..

Best of all, were these finds.....

Fifteen silver spoons and an original linen dish cloth.... And a fine wicker chair that is just so comfortable, but I think that it needs a good cushion or maybe one of those Swedish sheep skins.

Finally, before we left I picked the Mirabelles or wild plums from the garden, Mr C photographed them beautifully, and then went into the pot for jam. Oh happy days.

Dogs on the Beach

noreply@blogger.com (Cath Stratford Hawkes) — Thu, 22 Aug 2013 10:57:00 +0000

Dog Days of Summer...

I walk the dogs on the beach most days, come rain or shine, whatever. As summer arrives and it warms up in the sea, literally everyone and their dog is out in the sand....

The Yummy Mummies with their young, and perfectly behaved pedigree dogs surveying the chaos in front of their eyes...

The Keep Fit enthusiast, running, their eyes fixed in the middle distance, just like their big, lopping dogs, on a mission. Blissfully ignored by the Syd Svenskan" reader who is also unaware of the chaos just about to break out with their dog and the new arrival....

An not forgetting the Sun Adverse walker, kitted out in black cotton gear and adoring Westies. She keeps walking on collision course with the runner, but somehow they miss each other and sail by.

My Two believe that it is truly Doggy Paradise.

Stencil Wood Sign

noreply@blogger.com (Cath Stratford Hawkes) — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 12:22:00 +0000

I've still got the Cameo Silhouette cutting bug, and I picked up this scrappy piece of wood on the beach a while ago that I thought would be great for a stencil cut using the Silhouette. I wanted to use an extract from the poem written by Bessie Anderson Stanley in 1904 called "Success". I worried that it wouldn't quite fit, but it did in the end thankfully!

I used the tutorial on the Silhouette site to work out how to make stencil letters without the middles falling out of the "e" and "o" s etc. I know it isn't exactly perfect, but I think I like the look. I used Acrylic paint and finished it with lime wax for a soft shine.

I have lots of ideas to make some more, and sitting in the garden, stencil brush in hand, is the perfect place to be at the moment.

Swedish Summer Craft Fairs and Papier Mache Dogs

noreply@blogger.com (Cath Stratford Hawkes) — Mon, 22 Jul 2013 13:52:00 +0000

Papier Mache Dog

Dog Obsessed as I am, imagine my delight when a friend turned her eye from painting landscapes to making Papier Mache animals and posted them on her facebook page. You can see more at her facebook page. This chap is a Cocker Spaniel, and he is looking for a home. I can see him ending up in our house (no food needs, no vet bills, just a go over with the vacuum cleaner every now and then, sounds ideal!), I will keep him away from the real Cocker though.

It set me looking for ways to make my own hounds, and there are loads of tutorials on the web, but I could see me ending up in a glue-ey messy heap, so better to leave to those that can I think. I did come across this lovely Irish Wolf Hound by Lorraine Corrigan at Hounds of Bath . A different style, but still pleasing.

Swedish Summer Craft Fairs

There is a saying here... " Ah yes, Swedish Summer, the best day of the year". Usually that is true, but this year we have basked in the clear blue skies of Sweden for, oh at least three weeks ! And that means it has been great to get out to the Handmade Craft Fairs without wellies or waterproofs. Last weekend it was the

Falsterbo Handmade Craft Fair and being local we could cycle there - Brilliant!

Here are a few of the gems I spied.

Beautifully made and crafted folk art dolls and marionettes by Christina Meisolle Hoi who is from Denmark, but who lives in Skane now.

Needle Felted animals, including, you guessed it, a dog.... by Annemarie Horve of Filterier who runs courses too.

Heavenly bodies, in female form, and ceramic birds were found at Maria Thorlund and you can see more at her facebook page

Finally, the trend of the moment, Text based work by Mellow Design this one is called "Friends are like stars.. you don't always seem them, but you know that they are always there..." aah.

So thank you makers who showed there, you made a great show !

Subway Art and Birthday Banners

noreply@blogger.com (Cath Stratford Hawkes) — Mon, 15 Jul 2013 16:36:00 +0000

Just back after a wonderful month away in South West France, where the roses were perhaps the best ever ( do I say that every year?) and we enjoyed sunshine and rain in equal measure. One nearby village was completely flooded out, thankfully it passed us by.

Shrub roses in their hundreds growing around the archway.

Beautiful shaded footpath, lined with roses.

Back home now, here are the projects that I took with me...

Making a point... SUBWAY ART.

Confession time... I treated my self to a Cameo Silhouette plotter last year, and I am ashamed to say that for the first 6 months it sat its box, reproaching me for not using it. This year, resolute to use it, I came across some great Subway Art tutorials by Debbie over at the Painted Therapy blog, and gave it a go. I followed her instructions, but I couldn't find printed contrast sheet here, so I used a highlighter pen to colour the clear plastic instead. The most difficult bit was getting the levels right, but I am quite happy with the result.

It was made for a friend, a memory board of all her favourite places.

The Cameo is so flexible it can cut paper and fabric as well, and I am thinking of many more ways to use it (they didn't pay me to say that!).

Birthday Banner

Next, my Friend Jo made this Birthday banner for me made from paper and cardboard using her machine.

Can't resist including a photo of Maggie the little Cocker and my stash of vintage French linen, oh yes, and more roses in the background.

Heading for the Hills

noreply@blogger.com (Cath Stratford Hawkes) — Fri, 31 May 2013 19:07:00 +0000

I found this lovely woodcut at the local charity flea market. I like the stark quality of woodcuts, just showing the shapes necessary. In this I know so well the simple bamboo chair that sits empty in the garden, the kind that you see in loads of vintage shops. I wonder who is going to join her? The artist? The artist is local, so I am guessing that the scene must be local as in Swedish, but the house looks very French I think, and that's why I just had to have it.
Also, I have to admit that this is how I would like to see myself over the next few weeks, sitting in a sunny flower filled garden, needle in hand working on something, and I can just make out her mouth asking for a glass of Pimms to someone in the house. Well we can all dream can't we? We plan to be digging terraces so that a fiercely steep garden can at last be tamed, so perhaps less Pimms and more spade work.

The lino-cut or wood cut put me in mind of the lovely lino-cut work by Mark Hearld that you can find at St Jude's print store.

All of this is a round about way to mention that as Summer gets underway posting here may be a less frequent until July. In the meantime, Frank will enjoy forays around the garden, chasing anything that moves before taking a rest in the shade of the garden bush .....

And the Little Cocker is prepared with the addition of an Amber necklace that people here believe keeps those horrible tics at bay... Let's hope that it doesn't get lost in the bushes.

Looking forward to enjoying this late and slow early summer....