TIS THE SEASON

...the breeze at dawn has secrets to tell, don't go back to sleep...

Rumi

hello and how are you?

the festive season is now in full swing and its seems to have quietly crept up on me!

the tree has only gone up in the past few days and my beloved door wreath needed some TLC, thank goodness for the glue gun and floristry wire!

I first created this door wreath from scratch way back in 2007 with bits and pieces from my crafty stash and it had adorned the front door every year since...I replace the eucalyptus every year with fresh stems and it gives the wreath the most dreamy festive scent 

I love the magic of Christmas and I love these perfectly imperfect little wooden stars

the giving and receiving, the feeling of hope, it's the most wonderful feeling

this beautiful wreath with its doves of peace has become a vintage item i cherish and once it is adorning the door I feel the magic begins

I hope your heart is filled with joy and hope this season

and I wish you all you wish for

till next time

MelXO

SELFCARE DAILY

          you can’t use up creativity, the more you use, the more you have
                                             - Maya Angelou - 

practicing mindfulness is a key component to our health and wellbeing and creating is one of my favourites ways in which to get this meditative practice into my day

I love doodling, it draws out the stresses within and forces you to be mindfully present in the moment

taking time out for ourselves these days can sometimes feel like a guilty pleasure, especially when we seem to have to much to do...

that said, it is important, especially as our lives seem to run on over-drive to take time for us, me time, whatever that may be, to be present in the moment, not thinking of the past or the future but the here and right now

these are hydrangea leaves and they have such beautiful colouring, also a nice level of thickness to hold the ink

open yourself up to the art of slow living, the rewards are boundless

i hope you will be visually inspired to get your pens out

till next time

MelXO

FRIENDSHIP

...tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?

~ Mary Oliver ~

it's been awhile i know, where does the time go?

that said, so much has been happening around here, but, creativity is never far from my mind...i'm changing jobs within the NHS and as part of my leaving do, I thought it would be nice to give my colleagues a little memento to remember me by 😊

those of you who know me well, know i have a mild obsession with hearts 😉

so i thought, homemade, hand-drawn key rings and heartstone paperweights would be a perfect reflection of me  

the paper I used is handmade organic Khadi Paper it's beautifully tactile and comes in many sizes and my favourite go to pen is a fine nib Pit Pen (0.1) as you can get fine detail without compromise

once my image was drawn it was put within the casement and snapped shut 

I also made the keyring double sided (drawing the same image on both sides of the paper)

aren't they just the cutest (ideal for any celebration, birthdays, party bags, baby showers, weddings and table decorations etc, the list is endless)

now the heart stones, they were easy, just a question of several beach trips with an eagle eye at the ready to seek out the heart shaped ones amongst the million others 😂

i'm also obsessed with these cute gnarly limpet shells, once a home to little sea creatures who have outgrown them, who's tops have been battered by the ebb and flow of the tide and make perfect accessories to gift tags etc

some heart stones are just simply breathtaking like this one with the quartz running through it

as anyone knows working in a hospital environment the words 'keep calm and carry on' can pop in your head hourly 😂

lovely simple gifts, that are organic and tactile...repurposinging sea treasures left behind by the tide is a lovely way to carry on their journey

❤

simple little gifts, that hold heartfelt meaning

thank you for dropping by today

until next time

MelXO

❤

ZENTANGLES

LISTEN TO SILENCE  - IT HAS SO MUCH TO SAY

~ RUMI ~

taking time out for ourselves these days can sometimes feel like a guilty pleasure, especially when we seem to have to much to do...

that said, it is important, especially as our lives seem to run on over-drive to take time for us, me time, whatever that may be, to be present in the moment, not thinking of the past or the future but the here and right now

relax, breathe deeply and focus

it's all about the journey, not the finished piece 😊

I love doodling and adding in zentangles

they are great for eye-hand coordination and are particularly effective for re-building motor skills

drawing these mosaic like tiles within your design draws out the stress within, with the calming intricate strokes

practicing mindfulness is a key component to our health and creating is one of my favourites ways in which to get this meditative practice into my day

the finished piece framed and ready for shipping off to baby Hattie

colouring and doodling is not just for kids, why should they have all they fun, that's my excuse  anyway 

see how you get on, its ultimately relaxing

MelXO

Re-Purpose

...this is a subtle truth, whatever you love, you are...

...Rumi...

...hello my lovely crafting buddies...

...a super quick post today involving Ghost Netting...

...living by the coast there is always something to pick up on our beach walks and this super bright discarded fishing line was perfect to be upcycled into this gorgeous heart...

...so from this...

...to this in less than half an hour...

...a very therapeutic way to spend your time...

...next time your at the beach see what you can pick up to repurpose, you'll be amazed and you'll be saving our oceans, marine life and planet at the same time...

...MelXO...

TRASH TO TREASURE

...the beauty you see in me is a reflection of you - Rumi...

...hello me lovelies...

...a little post today to show you what can happen when you pick up flotsam from the beach and take it home...

...I confess that I have never made a bowl or a little trinket bowl or any bowl of sorts for that matter with plastic waste picked up from the sea...now, it may look like a six year old made it but i'm rather chuffed at my first effort (which can only get better the more practice I get right!)...

...so this little bowl started life like this...

...so all these items were first washed and dried, then yellow gnarly rope got unravelled...

...then I took a strand of the yellow rope and started coiling it nice and tight, then with the blue unravelled rope I took a strand and threaded it through a darning needle and secured the end...then just kept on coiling and securing with the needle and thread...

   

...wonky but adorable right...

...super bright colours certainly add cheer...

...to think this plastic is finding its way into our marine life and slowly killing them is horrific, we've all seen programmes like the blue planet and the rising tide of plastics that litter the world's oceans and beaches...

...this little bowl was the result of a two minute beach clean, crap washed in on the tide that is now a cute bright and cheerful ring bowl..win win...

...thank you for stopping by, till next time...

Mel XO

GHOST NET HEART

“Don't try to rush things: for the cup to run over, it must first be filled.” 
- Antonio Machado -

...hello lovely peeps...

...I've done a bit of knitting these past few days as was given the contents of a 2 minute beach clean, lots of flotsam and interesting bits and bobs...

...I have always been an upcycler, reuser and avid maker and what better way to reuse trash from the sea, (especially single use plastics that ends up killing our marine life)...I love hearts, seeing them, finding them and making them, this was a no brainer...

...such a gorgeous colour...

...that discarded rubbish washed up from the sea can be someone else's treasure...look how lovely waste can be...next time your at the beach, don't miss the good stuff, pick it up and take it home...

...time next time...

Mel XO