Primrose Day

Did you know that in the UK, this date, 19th April, is known as Primrose Day? My Grandma told me about it when I was a little girl because this date was also her birthday. The day was instigated by Queen Victoria to commemorate the death of former Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. Grandma would have been 100 today. I always think of her when the primroses come out in the spring; they're such a beautiful flower.

Grandma knew how much I liked embroidery and she always used to remark on how neat my stitching was. I felt I had to make something special to commemorate this day so I have stitched a primrose that fits perfectly into a 5.5cm mini hoop by Dandelyne. I have decided to share this chart as a free pattern.

I spent many happy days with Grandma and I think about her every day. She and my Grandad were married in 1948. Pictured below is his diary from 1947 and as you can see, he has marked the day with 4 crosses, lest he forget!

The primrose is worked in whole cross stitches and a small amount of back stitch highlights the edges of each petal. 

Get the pattern.

I would love to see a picture of your creations. You can share your photos with me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. Happy stitching!

More info on Dandelyne hoops.

Mini Hoop Robin

A little while ago I was asked to make a special present for my neighbour Becki. Becki had seen my collection of bird designs and told me she wanted a version of the robin for her grandma.

 

 

I suggested a mini version that could be framed in one of the perfectly made tiny hoops from Dandelyne. These hoops are all hand-finished by Sonia Lyne at her home in Melbourne, Australia. Although this is on the other side of the world to me, it's well worth ordering these beautiful accessories and playing with ideas for them.

 

I'm challenging myself to do more freehand embroidery and this was the perfect opportunity to do something outside of my comfort zone. After all, this is the only way you can grow, isn't it?

 

I'm happy with how this one turned out but I need to keep to practising the technique until I'm more confident with it.

 

One of my plans for next year is to create more mini hoop pieces of various kinds so I'll be working on design ideas over winter. Some of them will be inspired by ancient Celtic art and others by nature. I'm really excited about this new endeavour and about being part of the awesome mini hoop community.

 

My bird designs are all available on Etsy and in my Payhip shop.

 

Click here to find out more about Dandelyne.

Robins are for lfe, not just for Christmas!

Here we are in September again. It's almost a whole year since I rescued that poorly hedgehog* (wonder what it's up to now?)

I've been very busy for the last couple of weeks re-formatting all of my patterns and updating my shops with new versions. I've also built a brand new website. You can find links to both my shops and this blog as well as the two free patterns in my Payhip shop.

hawthorntreedesigns.com

So, you're wondering what this all has to do with robins? Well, I've just added a brand new pattern to my collection...

This sweet little robin redbreast compliments my bullfinches. I have several more which will be available in the near future and others in the planning. (Did I mention I love birds?)These bird designs are really easy to stitch and I would have finished the robin in one afternoon had I not decided to change the shade of orange I was using. I was also distracted by Frodo and Sam making their way through the Dead Marshes in The Two Towers so you may well finish it sooner than I did!

Like the bullfinches, this robin has been designed to fit into a 4-inch hoop but he also makes a great motif for Christmas cards, should you want to get a head-start on making some of your own before things start to get really busy.

However, as the title  of this post implies, robins can be seen all year round so he is definitely not just for Christmas! To stitch him for yourself click here.

*To read about my hedgehog rescue, click here.

Making Plans

My floss box

It's that time of year - the Summer Slump, but that doesn't mean I'm not capable of creating heaps of work for myself. I've been really busy making plans for what I want to do over the coming months.

 

You may have seen my Leopold B design. Since I first stitched it, I've been planning to create a whole alphabet but until now I haven't got around to it. I've decided to shrink the letters so they each fit into a 6-inch hoop. It's going to take a while before they're ready to go on sale but I'm very excited about how they're going to look.

 

 

I'm also creating a series of bird designs to go with the bullfinches which are already on sale. Here's a sneak-peek at some of them. There's also a robin which will be ready later this year.

 

 

I'm also giving my Festive Bauble design a makeover: I'm changing the colours and resizing it as I wasn't completely happy with the original. That will also be available later this year.

 

I've been commissioned to make a wedding sampler which I have to keep secret for now but I'll show you how it turns out once it's been delivered to the happy couple. The wedding is in October so you'll have to wait a bit longer to see it!

 

I also have plans to give my online shops a new look. It all needs freshening up a little bit so this is another ongoing project for the next few weeks. I can't wait to put all the pieces together and when it's ready I'll tell you all about it here on Beneath the Hawthorn Tree.

 

As far as the blog itself is concerned, I want to add more tutorials and hints and tips etc so I'll be making a list of ideas for that. I'm also planning on launching a new personal blog for nature notes and musings as I want this blog to be focused on embroidery and crafts.

 

This is only part of my to-do list so as you can see I have plenty to keep myself occupied! I'll keep you posted on everything. In the meantime, you can follow me on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook as well as popping into my Etsy and Payhip shops.

 

Make the most of the long days while they last!

 

Happy crafting! 

Wise Little Owl - A Free Pattern

I have just reached a little milestone on Instagram by gaining my 100th follower. I am very grateful to everyone who has supported me and my work so far and I now have a little treat for you all.

 

Last year, I bought some cute little owl buttons from Pocket and Pin, an online haberdashery full of exciting things. As soon as saw the little owls I knew I wanted to use them - but how?

 

Looking through a magazine, I found an article on antique samplers and one of them, made by Sarah Doggett in 1815, featured many motifs of plants and birds. One of them was of a bird perched in the branches of a tree. I knew then how to use the owl buttons!

 

 

I have adapted the motif so that it fits neatly into a 4-inch (10cm) hoop and there is a little space for the owl to perch.

 

As a thank you for all the support I've had so far, you can download this pattern for free from my Payhip Shop.

 

If you'd like to follow me on Instagram, you can find me as @HawthornTree_xs

 

Thank you and happy stitching!

And after April when May follows...

I returned from a lovely holiday in Mallorca a couple of days ago and so my Etsy shop has reopened. It was really hot and sunny all week, just like the height of summer back home (well, in theory!). It was quite surreal to see fields full of bales and dried grass when at home spring has only just blossomed. Here are a couple of photos. I did take quite a few but the sun was too bright to see the screen properly and so some of them didn't come out very well.

 

If you look closely at this first one, taken in the Albufera nature reserve, you can see a marsh harrier in the background.

 

This second one shows a field full of bales at the foot of Puig St. Marti, a small mountain overlooking Alcudia.

 

It's amazing how lush and green England looks from a plane window at this time of year and I feel very proud to call it my home. As much as I like to travel, I'm always glad to be home again, back to my little part of England's green and pleasant land.

Joys of April

"Oh, to be in England

Now that April's there..."

 

April is my favourite month of the year and I love walking in the countryside to see how green everything is becoming. The birds are really busy at the moment building nests and the summer migrants are starting to return. I saw my first swallow on Friday as I was walking down Ogston New Road, alongside the reservoir. On the opposite side of the road to the reservoir, there is a colony of herons and for the first time I got the chance to see some of the chicks in their nests. This was a real thrill and the colony seems to be thriving. Chiffchaffs were singing from all directions. If you look on Google Earth, you can see this road in its summer glory.

 

Having come home in a really good mood, I was greeted by the sight of a large parcel waiting for me. If like me you used to buy New Stitches magazine, produced by Mary Hickmott's company, you will know that late last year the publication came to a sudden and premature end due to unforeseen circumstances. Subscribers were given two options: either have the subscription transferred to a different magazine or have a 'lucky dip' of fabric and threads. I chose the lucky dip and so when I saw the parcel, I knew it must be full of stitching goodies!

 

 

I wasn't expecting to receive as much as I did and so I was really excited to discover what was in the parcel. There were five pieces of various fabrics, six skeins of DMC stranded cotton, a kit of a classic Mary Hickmott floral design, a booklet about Lagartera embroidery, a John James pebble containing an assortment of needles and a reel of gold thread (which I forgot to include in the picture).

 

 

This was such a treat and I have already sent a thank you message to Mary and her team. You may be interested to know that Mary now has her own blog which you can find here. I am so glad that she will still be sharing her knowledge and beautiful designs with us. I have learned so much from her over the years, particularly from her Masterclass articles, and I can honestly say she has been a huge inspiration to me.

 

As if all of that excitement wasn't enough, a male reed bunting landed on one of our feeders and had quite a good feed. Reed buntings look very handsome in their spring plumage and it was such a delight to see one through the kitchen window.

 

 

I can assure you that in spite all of this, I am still working! Two of my current designs are having a spring makeover. The new version of Dale Abbey Alphabet Tile will be available very soon and the second pattern will be available in time for summer. This is on top of several new patterns which I have already scheduled for this year so keep checking my shops for updates.

 

Reed bunting photo (c)Roy Eley 2015

Spring is here - and so are the bumblebees!

 

As I write this, it is Good Friday. Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day but today is quite cold and damp but at least we seem to have left the strong winds and heavy rain showers behind - so much for March going out like a lamb! Nevertheless, it is officially spring and we are now on British Summertime - more hours of daylight for us stitchers!

 

As you know, I love nature and the natural world is one of the biggest influences in my designs and spring is my favourite time of the year. It's so exciting to see the countryside and the garden coming back to life. There's frog spawn in the pond, the birds are all pairing up and preparing their nests and the first bumblebees are out and about. You know that spring is truly here when the bees venture out of their winter burrows and begin their search for pollen.

 

This sampler depicts three queens of the most common species of bumblebees found in the UK. I am lucky that my garden is full of life throughout the seasons and there are numerous types of bees buzzing here and there in the summer. You can recognise queen bumblebees because they are quite a big bigger than the workers.

 

On the top left we have the white-tailed bumblebee. Along with white-tailed bumblebees, these are the first to emerge from their winter slumbers.

 

 

On the top right is the red-tailed bumblebee. The workers have the same markings but are much smaller. This is my personal favourite bumblebee and it's always a delight to find them in the garden.

 

 

At the bottom is the tree bumblebee. This is a continental species that was first recorded in Britain in 2001. Since then it has made a steady progression northwards. Twice they have nested in my garden, once in a wall cavity and once in an old bird box. Unusually for bumblebees they can become aggressive if you get too close to the nest so it's best to be cautious when observing them but they are fascinating to watch. They particularly liked our plume thistles.

 

 

When worked on 16/32 count fabric, the design fits perfectly into a 5-inch hoop. You could also stitch and frame them separately in three 3-inch hoops. They are also perfect for other small projects such as greetings cards, coasters, pin cushions and much more.

 

If you would like to buy the pattern, you can either click on the Etsy mini listing at the top of the page or click here to go to my Payhip shop. Happy Easter and happy stitching!

Tips on turning a photo into a pattern: the Ladybird Poppy

 

Cross stitch software is hugely popular now with hobby stitcher as well as professionals and this is a great way of exploring your interest in embroidery and making your own designs. You don't have to be a professional to benefit from design software and it can be really fun to play around with. If you're thinking about buying a package, start with something basic and don't spend too much. I only progressed from my first basic package when I became serious about publishing my own designs. Before you buy anything, look for free trial versions to download. That way you can decide if you like them first.

 

Even basic software will offer you plenty of features to allow you to create good quality patterns, whether you're starting from scratch or working from a photo. Scanning in a photo and converting it to a cross stitch pattern is really easy and all you have to do is follow the onscreen instructions. However, if you want to end up with a workable pattern, you will need to make some changes before you print it. Here is a little insight into how I work with photos and some tips on how you can make great patterns from your own pictures.

 

The first thing to say is that your computer may be awesome at many things but it doesn't have the eyes or the brain of a cross stitcher. It doesn't understand how to select the right colours or create a pattern that works well from a practical point of view. All those annoying little things you don't like about cross stitch patterns - your computer doesn't understand that you don't want them.

 

Here is a pattern I have just recently finished called Ladybird Poppy. I adapted it from a picture my Dad took in our garden a few years ago. As soon as I saw the photo on the screen, I knew it had the potential to be turned into a pattern; the colours and the shape made a really striking image. Flowers make an excellent subject for cross stitch and are great starting point for making your own patterns.

 

I began adapting the picture by removing all of the background. You want the focus to be on the main subject of the piece so by removing all of the unnecessary parts of the picture, you're not only cutting down on the amount of work needed to complete the pattern, you're creating a much cleaner image and a better composition. When I was left with just the flower head, it gave me the perfect sized pattern to fit into an 8-inch hoop.

 

Next, you need to check the colours. The computer will automatically match colours it picks out from the photo with the colours in the cross stitch software's database. This is where you need to be careful. The colours that you see on the screen are likely to look very different to the actual threads. It might be worth investing in a colour card to help you decide if the colours are correct or you might have colours in your stash to compare with the image.

 

The Ladybird Poppy pattern I have now is significantly different to the original and the picture below compares the two stitched versions. You can see that my first attempt (on the right) has brighter tones and even quite a bit of orange in it. I realised as I was stitching it that it looked completely wrong. Ladybird poppies have beautiful rich, red petals with black spots - hence the name. The computer had interpreted patches of sunlight on the petals as an orangey-red colour. This is where you can make a decision that the computer can't and it's also where a colour card really comes in handy. I had to do a bit of 'shuffling' of the colours to get a more realistic palette.

 

I also had to look carefully at the light and shade in the petals. The bottom petals are curled up and this is what gives the image the interesting shape. The computer doesn't understand what a flower looks like and so you have to make sure the colours reflect the light and shade and form of the petals. This was not clear in the original pattern and so I corrected it in the new version.

 

Another very common problem with using software is the 'speckling' that often occurs. This is when you get odd stitches here and there of a different colour to the surrounding stitches. Here, you have to make a judgement about how much detail you want in each area of the picture. For the poppy, I wanted more detail on the green seed-head in the centre in order to give texture but I wanted the petals to look smooth and shiny. The petals of ladybird poppies are not as delicate as those on other types of poppy and are not as transparent. They do reflect a lot of sunlight and so there are quite a few different shades of red in the petals of this pattern. I wanted these different shades to be blended properly in order to get a naturalistic effect but too much speckling can make the pattern more complicated than it needs to be. As much as I love cross stitch I have a relatively short attention span so I like to feel that I'm making progress! Therefore, I keep speckling to a minimum in my designs.

 

While you've checked the speckling, have a look at the colours in your palette. Are there enough? Are there too many? Sometimes you'll find that some colours are only used for a tiny number of stitches. When I checked the shades of green used in the centre of poppy, I found that two shades were very similar and were used for a fairly small number of stitches each. I decided to use just one of the shades for all of those particular stitches. If you're devising your own pattern and the same thing happens, check if you already have those colours in your stash. If you do, then it doesn't matter and you don't necessarily have to leave one of them out. I made the change because I wouldn't want to buy a whole new skein for just a few stitches and I wouldn't expect somebody buying my pattern to do that either.

 

So, you've got a good composition, you've checked the colours and you've decided how much detail you want on the picture. Now all you have to do is check the overall shape of each part. Does anything look a bit weird? If so, simply add or take away stitches until you're happy. Don't forget to save the pattern when you've made changes you're happy with. That way, if you go on to make a mistake you can go back to an earlier point in the design and try again.

 

I hope you find this helpful. If you have any questions or comments, leave a comment below or contact me on Twitter or Facebook. If you'd like to buy this Ladybird Poppy pattern, you can either click on the Etsy Mini listing at the top of this page or click here to go to my Payhip shop.

All photos (c) Karen Eley 2015

 

 

New Bullfinches Pattern and a Payhip Shop Sale

The days are getting longer and lighter, the snowdrops are opening and that means the birds are starting to think about nesting.

 

I've been fascinated by birds since I was a young child and I love all birds but most of all I love the birds of woodland habitat and those that come into my garden. My favourite bird of all is the bullfinch and I remember the first time I saw one in my garden. It perched briefly on top of the brick archway over the gate before flying away. On another occasion, during a snowy day one winter, a male landed on the fence and his pink breast looked like a rose that had suddenly blossomed in the white landscape.

 

 

Bullfinches are believed to pair for life as males and females are often seen together in winter. I have been lucky enough to see a pair in my garden a couple of times feeding on the berries of a Himalayan honeysuckle plant (also known as pheasant berry). This being so, you really shouldn't stitch one without the other, even if you choose to frame them separately.

 

 

 

This brand new pattern is one six that I have included in a 20% sale on my Payhip shop. The sale includes the following patterns:

 

Bullfinch Pair

Summer Solstice

Winter Solstice

Summer and Winter Solstice Pattern Pack

Art Nouveau Rose

Lindisfarne Celtic Geometry

Celtic Knotwork Bellpull

 

To get 20% off these patterns simply enter the code SNOWDROP at the checkout.

 

THIS OFFER ENDS ON SUNDAY 22nd FEBRUARY

New Patterns: Summer Solstice and Winter Solstice

 

How quickly January seemed to pass this year! It's now early February and the snowdrops are coming out all over the Amber Valley. The days are also growing noticeably longer. The cycle of the seasons and the changes in nature throughout the year are an endless source of inspiration to me and I look for these natural signposts whenever I am out and about.

 

This connection to nature was also very important to the ancient people who lived in these islands over a thousand years ago. In fact the sun has been observed and worshipped by cultures throughout the world for millennia. Different points in the sun's yearly cycle were marked with various festivals and the two most important times were the Summer and Winter Solstices.

 

For a long time I have been wanting to create designs which celebrate these two events. I came across illustrations of a highly decorated mirror that was found at Trelan Bahow in Cornwall. It dates back to the first century and is housed in the British Museum. The beautiful circles etched into the metal perfectly lend themselves to a design celebrating the sun.

 

 

Summer Solstice is worked in hot fiery shades of yellow and orange while Winter Solstice is worked in cool icy shades of pale blue.

 

 

They both fit perfectly into 8-inch hoops and would also look great on cushions. You can buy each design individually or together at a discount. They are available as instant downloads in my Etsy shop as well as my Payhip shop so be sure to take a look.

 

 

You can find more information about the Trelan Bahow mirror here.



Not all who wander are lost

You've probably guessed that someone who names their business The Hawthorn Tree likes trees quite a lot. When I'm not working, my favourite thing is to wander through the beautiful Derbyshire countryside that I love so much and although I love the whole landscape, my favourite places are woods. There is something about standing amongst trees that grew tall before your grandparents were born and which will continue to be around long after you're gone that I find fascinating. They also provide a fantastic habitat for wildlife and every minute I spend there is a pleasure.

 

This week I was in Shining Cliff Wood, Ambergate. This is an ancient wood that was once part of the royal hunting forest of Duffield Frith and it takes its name from the gritstone rocks that it stands upon. There are acres of tall pines and larches as well as oak, yew, alder and others. This place has added meaning for me as my Grandma moved  with her family to Ambergate in 1930 from Heage. Her father worked on the nearby railway for over forty years and they lived at Midland Terrace, near the station.

 

St. Anne's church, Ambergate

As I write this, it is the fifth anniversary of Grandma's death and she was very much in my thoughts as we passed St. Anne's church where she married Grandad in 1948. As you walk up the lane past the church you come to Ha'penny Bridge. This is where the Amber meets the Derwent and there used to be a little toll cottage here but unfortunately it was demolished in 1964.

 

The River Amber (right) joins the River Derwent

A little further on, on the edge of the wood is what remains of Johnson's Wire Works. Now derelict and silent, it was once a big employer of local men and the sheds hummed with the sound of the machinery. Grandma's brother worked there before and after his time in the army during the war. I'd be very surprised if owls didn't roost in these empty buildings. A handsome grey wagtail was walking around there looking for insects.

 

The old wire works, R Johnson and Nephew

 

Grey Wagtail

A buzzard called overhead as we entered the wood and a male bullfinch perched on a tree at the edge of the path, like a little rosy beacon to welcome us. His mate was a little further along.

 

I love the earthy smell of a woodland; the damp leaf litter is the heart of this habitat, providing the perfect home for  many different insects. This in turn provides food for many different species of birds. Great tits, blue tits, long-tailed tits and coal tits could all be heard but high up in the tree tops there came the unmistakeable calls of goldcrests. These tiny birds are sometimes called kinglets, as they have little golden crowns. I quite like the idea of the smallest birds in the kingdom being royal as it's an honour usually reserved for much larger birds like eagles.

 

Squirrels bounded about in the fallen leaves and pine needles. As we climbed up to Betty Kenny's Tree, the ground was so thick with pine needles that in places it was like walking on a soft blanket. Betty Kenny's Tree is now in ruins but it was once a mighty yew tree that was reputedly up to 2000 years old. Betty and her husband Luke were charcoal burners who lived there in the late eighteenth century and they built their hut around the tree. There is an old legend that Betty used the old branches to rock her young children to sleep and this is said to be the origins of the nursery rhyme Rock-a-bye Baby. The family were definitely real but their story has been embellished over the centuries, which I think is no bad thing.

 

Betty Kenny's Tree

If a walk through the woods doesn't spark your imagination then what will? When there was an occasional gust of wind, the tall pines seemed to sigh and whisper as they swayed, making a sound like water rushing over a weir. It's no wonder that Tolkien imagined the tallest and wisest trees to be creatures with minds of their own, Shepherds of the Forest. It is certainly true that trees become more interesting as they age, and I like to think it's the same with people.

 

 

 

We collected some small larch branches with little cones to keep for midwinter decorations. When they're on display they will be a reminder of this beautiful and wonderous place.

 

Photos (c) Eley family 2015

 

You can find out more about Betty Kenny's tree and her family here.

More information about Johnson's Wire Works.

Time to Reflect

 

 

As I write this, we're just a couple of days away from the Winter Solstice, the shortest and darkest day of the year. This is always an important turning point for me as it means that the days will soon be growing longer and lighter again (very good for us stitchers!). It is always a time to reflect on the passing year and looking forward to the swiftly approaching new year. This time I have been reflecting on my first months of trading and making plans for my business in 2015.

 

I've already learned a lot about what has worked and what hasn't. I'll definitely be working to improve my photography and I will be opening a Flickr account to share more of my behind-the-scenes stuff, as well as my inspirations.

 

I'm very excited about the patterns that I'll be releasing next year. There are some Celtic designs inspired by ancient artwork; some designs inspired by the natural world, including my favourite bird, a colourful finch and his mate; there are some fun and quirky ones too. I haven't yet finalised the order in which I'll be releasing them but as soon as each one is ready, I'll be telling you about it here.

 

I'm also planning to create some one-off pieces. Not necessarily to sell but just to share my love of embroidery with like-minded people and to grow as an embroiderer. Although all of my patterns are either cross stitch or blackwork, I enjoy all kinds of embroidery and I want to make time to really enjoy the craft and learn new things. I'll be sharing my progress on Flickr when my account is set up.

 

The best thing about this year has been the contact I have had with other designer-makers on Twitter. It's lovely to know there are so many creative people out there who enjoy sharing ideas and giving each other encouragement. I am very happy to be part of this community. Working on your own at home can be difficult at times so it's good to know you're all out there.

 

You may be aware that from 1st Jan 2015, the EU have decided that anybody selling digital products to EU countries will have to pay VAT to whichever country the sale was made in. This is mainly aimed at large companies who choose to funnel their taxes through the countries with the lower rates. I have no sympathy at all with such companies and it's about time they were made to pay tax in all of the countries that they trade in. The problem however is that there is no threshold being applied so no matter how small the business, VAT will have to be paid. Businesses will also be required to collect customer data and store it for 10 years. This is extremely difficult for small businesses and will add a huge administrative burden as well as a financial one. It won't affect me as I only sell through third parties but I was planning to eventually trade independently. That will not now be possible. If you'd like to show your support for small businesses you can do so by signing this petition:

 

https://www.change.org/p/pierre-moscovici-a-unilateral-suspension-of-the-introduction-of-the-new-eu-vat-laws-for-micro-businesses-and-sole-traders

 

To end on a more cheery note, tonight I'll be watching my favourite Christmas film It's A Wonderful Life. Last year it inspired me to make an embroidered piece to hang in my room. So all that remains is to wish you all a Merry Christmas and thank you to everyone who has supported me.

 

 

 

New Pattern - Postman Butterfly

I've just put a new pattern into the shop - a stunning postman butterfly which can be found in Central and South America. There are several different sub-species which can be found in different areas. The striking colours on their wings are a warning to would-be predators that they are poisonous. Their caterpillars feed on passion flowers, as do those of various other species of butterflies and moths. The adults feed on pollen and can live for up to three months.

 

 

I worked my original design onto 32-count ivory fabric and at that scale it fits neatly into a 5-inch hoop. In time, I plan to add more butterflies to this collection but for now this is the first of my designs inspired by Victorian butterfly collections.

 

This reminds me, I have a set of butterfly patterns by one of my favourite designers Mary Hickmott which I must get round to stitching. I'm afraid it will have to wait a while yet though as I'm very busy preparing new things for the shop.

 

I hope you like the latest addition. Until next time, happy stitching!

September - and a rescued hedgehog

Yesterday (23rd) was not only the 65th birthday of Bruce Springsteen but also the autumn equinox. We have now entered the last quarter of the year and we're going to see the nights getting gradually longer until December.

 

I used to dread September as a child because it always meant going back to school, although it did mean we would be singing one of my favourite hymns in morning assembly - Autumn Days. If you fancy reliving those days, you can do so with this video.  Now however, I have a whole new appreciation for this month. For me, it is the mirror image of April; the world is starting to liven up again but instead of getting warmer and brighter, the days become shorter and colder. I've seen lots of red admiral butterflies lately, stopping to feed on sedum, Michaelmas daisies and valerian as they head south. It's been a couple of weeks since I've seen swallows or martins but two days ago I saw my first wigeon of the autumn. A large starling flock has been spending a lot of time in the garden and chattering on the gutter above my window.

 

I had a very close encounter with a hedgehog a couple of weeks ago when it turned up in the front garden looking very poorly. I took it inside and put it in a box and then looked on the internet for advice. I found some excellent information from the British Hedgehog Preservation Society and followed the instructions. I warmed up the hog with a hot water bottle and fed it some cat food. I then contacted a local rehabilitator and the hog was handed over at Shipley Country Park Visitor Centre. Here are a couple of photos I took of it. The first is before it woke up and the second shows it enjoying a snack.

 

 

 

It was a privilege to help this beautiful little creature and now I know what to do if I ever find another one.

 

In the meantime, for us crafters this is the time of year when we spend more time on our hobbies and we start to think about our Christmas projects. Over the last three weeks, I have been stitching three new designs which will be on sale very soon. They are all festive-themed and are really easy to work and easily adaptable for your own colour schemes. I'll give you more details when I put them on sale but I'm sure you're going to love them. You can see previews of them on my twitter and Facebook pages.