me and a pencil or two ...

I haven't drawn in a long time. When I was at school, I drew a lot, for pleasure as well as for lessons. I loved it. But somewhere along the way in life, I stopped drawing, always meaning to start again but never quite getting around to it. And then when I did get around to it, I'd reached the stage where it felt like I just couldn't do it anymore.

I took a few classes, drew a little, painted a little less. But I've still not found my groove again. I've still not got the love and ease of drawing back yet, despite a set of pencils, some cheap paints, and a couple of notebooks. I've yet to lose myself in it the way I used to.

Having said that, I found this sweet tutorial and took the advice of the creator of it - do it!

And I did it.

My drawing, without duck

Thank you, Isabelle, for inspiring me to do it!

fab freebies - ii

 Another little round up of some sweet and nice goodies I've found around the web these last few weeks. A few printables for Valentine's day, some wonderful sets of free fonts, a brilliant free ebook about body image, a calendar, a desktop for February, and a video which will hopefully raise a smile.

Very sweet (and unhealthy!) clip art.

I love puns but my other half really doesn't, so I will, with regret, not be using these free printables for Valentine's day from Jenn & Tonic, via My Owl Barn. (Do explore this site further and you'll also find free printables here, here, here and here. If you like owls and printables, you'll love this site.)

Free romantic fonts here and here. Better than a bunch of flowers. And no obligation to use them in any romantic way at all - they're just great fonts.

Check out the free download of The Body Stories on this page. Wonderful reading from inspiring women. The Bear Manifesto is very good too.

Still not sorted a calendar for the year out?  Ahem ... Then take a look at this template. All you need are your photos of choice.

Ladies - we all forgot to check. Check out this video and consider downloading the free reminder app. (Don't forget to watch the credits at the end!)

Casting around for an inspiring desktop for February? Check this one out. I adore it, and found it via this great site.

Quirky, even geeky Valentine's printables.

Some free romantic printables to say you love someone ...

Fed up with traditional Valentine's cards? Or just fed up with Valentine's day? Take a look at this selection of cards and feelings from the heart ...

Hope you find something that makes you smile this weekend - have a good one :)

scarves to keep warm by

The snow may have receded, for now, but it's still cold out. Even on sunny days, the wind is vicious and mean, creeping into your skin and chilling you. Plus, I have a bad neck, so scarves, more than ever, are important when I head out.

I saw one in a boutique the other day. I didn't buy it, but I wish I had done ...

Here are a couple I would also like to buy and a couple I would like to make. Unless I go back and get the one I saw in the shop ...

Savanna Scenery scarf by Ruche

Constellations Scarf created by A Beautiful Mess

Carmen Wong scarf by Plumo - on sale!

Buttoned up Infinity Scarf created by ps:heart

And here's a link with a great tutorial for making a handy scarf storage device - because, let's face it, they take up a lot of room if you just bunch them up. And then you can never find the one you wanted anyway ...

Spare clothes hanger? Left over shower curtain hoops? Here's what to do with them ...

If you're looking for more making inspiration, here's another great pattern here, and a few here too.

Hope you're keeping warm, super new scarf or just plain old one from the back of the cupboard ...

make my own ... diary

This is something I would love to do - make my own book. I have a book about bookbinding but it's pretty intense so I think I need to start more simply.

If you fancy creating your own diary for 2013, or a journal or notebook, then do have a look at some of these tutorials.


If you've already got a diary, or a book that's just a little bit boring, then have a look at this tutorial that shows you how to create a fabric cover for any book, with handy inner pockets too!

Not an easy project, but a stunning result with a leather-covered book. I guess you could substitute faux leather, or even fabric.

If you really want to get back to basics, then follow this tutorial to create the actual pages. Total crafting DIY and wonderfully satisfying. It's very high on my to-do list...

Create mini diaries - this tutorial is so simple, and since the books are so tiny you can use odds and ends of favourite materials you have lying around! The tutorial gives you three ways to make a journal - advanced, intermediate and easy breezy ... Take your pick or start at the beginning ...

And finally, if you know a little about Photoshop and fancy creating a travel journal, then take a look at this tutorial. I know my limits but this inspires me to stretch them ... beautiful.

Have you ever made your own diary? And did it encourage you to journal more? I hope you find something here to inspire you.

fab freebies

I've been a little quiet this last week or so. Perhaps this wasn't the best time of year to start a new blog, but it felt the right thing to do, before Christmas and New Year. Sometimes it's the starting that's the important thing, and figuring out how it all goes together and actually works come later...

Anyway, back to the post. It is a new year, and, despite Christmas being past, this turn of time seems to still inspire generosity in those wonderful people who live on the web.

Here's some of my favourite freebies, to download, to enter, to fill in and be inspired by...

Treat yourself and download this beautiful calendar for 2013, from The Ink Nest.


Figure out just what you're going to do in those next twelve (well, eleven and a bit...) months with this free workbook from Susannah Conway.

Win a Fuji camera on Give a Girl a Blog - this one runs til the end of the month so you've still time...

If you fancy updating the social media icons on your blog then this selection should give you plenty to get started with.

Be quick! This desktop is just for January!



I hope you see something you like here.