rubykittyruby

  Hello again, and excuse me while I scratch my insect bites.  I don't know what it is, but at this time of year I'm invariably itching like crazy because I've been bitten by bugs.  It seems to coincide with blackberry-picking season, but whether that's purely coincidental I don't know.  Whatever's biting me, I'm obviously a tasty morsel in their world!  I might try using a highly scented oil like Tea Tree oil, see if that deters them.  Anyway, let's get on to more pleasant matters -  I'm having a go at making a zine style booklet.  Because I didn't have any paper large enough, I joined together two A3 sheets of sketchpad paper, using torn pieces of book pages for the joining.  I thought that'd look less noticeable than packing tape or similar.  Having chosen my colour scheme I used acrylic paint and an unwanted plastic bank card to apply the paint.  Plus a stencil, sponge and modelling paste.  Applying paint with a ATM card wa...

  This year continues to race along at breakneck speed.  Already I can see the evenings are getting shorter, and it's darkening by 9.30 when it used to be light until 10.00.  It's supposedly full summer, yet the hedgerows are full of ripened blackberries.  Way too early, and the apples on my allotment trees look as if they're almost ready too.  The seasons are out of whack, aren't they?  Climate change is scary, and we've not even begun to experience the worst of it yet.  Maybe I'm burying my head in the sand by retreating into crafting?  But what can any of us do on an individual level, besides buying less, recycling more, trying to vote for politicians who'll respect the environment. I'll continue making things, meanwhile trying to do my bit to lessen my personal carbon footprint.  These little patches are just calico with lettering inked on them and watercolour paint around the edges.  I've slow-stitched this one to make a fabric tag,...