Lately

I have been hanging out in St. Leonards-on-Sea and Hastings Old Town looking at the architecture, soaking up the atmosphere of the Coastal Currents visual arts festival artists open houses and marvelling at the creative coast we live on.

Artists are happy to chat while tea flows and purchases are made.

It's a lovely event that I look forward to each year. This year I got to pootle around on my own which gave me even more delight, sad, but I like my own company when it comes to events like this. I like to take my time, be absorbed into the moment and enjoy the sensory delights an art festival can bring.

One of my favourite things is to snoop look around the Artists studio's. I feel content in these curious spaces and could stare forever. The smell of turpentine and oil paints brings back such memories of my special friend Bronwen and her fine art studio's over the years. It's a happy memory for me.

Lately, I have found some beautiful charity shop finds for next to nothing. This hand sewn patchwork cushion cover and cushion had to be bought to make it's way to comforting my girly's bottom when she sits at her desk to do her rather large amount of high school homework :o) Alice likes it a lot and that pleases me no end. Plan B would have been a new cushion for my sewing space chair.

Lately, I've found myself snuggling up on the couch as the evenings get cooler and darker earlier and working on my long suffering granny stripe leftover yarn blanket. I worked out that if I try and do at least 4 rows a night it should be ready for when the real winter chills set in. Lets hope so anyway.

I was truly delighted when I found these mid-winter plates, 6 side plates and one serving plate in a charity shop for £2.50! Bargain I thought and also a perfect gift for a fellow South African blogger and thrifty vintage lover living right here in my English sea side town...have you ever visited the fabulous Wendy at her blog 15 Coast Road ? You simply must, she is a marvel at sewing handmade textile accessories and has an etsy shop here, oh and her sense of humour is fabulous.

We eventually met up for a coffee/cup of tea last Saturday and spent a good couple of hours nattering away (maybe me more than Wendy? I tend to talk at a rate of knots, so my husband tells me!). It was great to eventually meet after much conversation on each other's blogs over the past year or so. I was very excited to give Wendy the mid-winter plates because after seeing all her pretty crockery loving and purchases on her blog I knew these would be loved by her. Indeed she was pleased and it was a perfect reason to meet up.

Wendy was very naughty and out of her bag popped three of her stunning makes, two for me and one for Alice. How divine was that? Want to see?

Oh me oh my, I love love the vintage tea towel zippy pouch with those fabulously happy orange flowers. Alice was very pleased with her common blue butterfly pouch and promptly attached it to her school bag to house her coins she takes to school. The sweetest robin pouch for a digital camera is so beautiful Wendy, thank you so much for your immense generosity. We love your makes and celebrate your creative talent indeed.

So, you can see that lately, my life has been a spoilt one for which I am eternally grateful. 

What have you been up to lately?
Found any great charity shop bargains?
Met any fellow like minded bloggers?
Smelt some turpentine Been to any open artists studio's?
Spent an afternoon all to yourself?
Started any winter crochet?

Do tell xox