Matchstick Crafting

Hello everyone.

Welcome to our last post of January 2024. Where did that first month go?

This week, D and I are sharing the crafting of another family member, my wonderful husband and D's dad. His particular interest lies in working with matchsticks to create 3D models. 

Some years ago, he started making trinket boxes from matchsticks using thin card as the backing to form the shapes. This hobby later developed into some of the models in the photos.

Each model took an awful lot of matches and glue and even more patience.

The vessel is a replica of the Mary Rose ship, which was commissioned as a naval flagship by Henry VIII between 1509 and 1511.

Mississippi River Boat

Medical helicopter

BAE 146

Airbus 340

Steam train and tender

And finally, a traction engine and mini fire engine.

Have a great week, everyone, and we hope the sun shines wherever you are. 

Take care.

B and D

Anyone For Tea?

Hello to all our friends.

As you have probably realised by now, D and I enjoy doing many things together, and we wanted to make 2024 a year when we returned to spending more time reading. We discussed some of the books we had read at school, and of course, Shakespeare came up in the conversation. 

Although we read several of Shakespeare's plays in school, it was never for pleasure. We wondered if we would feel differently now, so we have made a start on our first play, Henry VI Part 1. 

To help us with this, D found 'The Hollow Crown' film series based on some of Shakespeare's historical plays. While it is not the same as seeing a live performance, it gives us a better understanding of these plays.

How many plays can we read this year? I enjoyed this first play and look forward to the next one. 

And on starting other new tasks, I finished another project I hinted at last week.

A kernel of an idea had been swirling around in my brain for nearly two years: a coaster bought on one of our short breaks, and I wanted to do something special with it.

During the past few weeks, D and I have been reorganizing things in the kitchen, including the location of the kettle and hot drinks, which led to starting this project.

I needed a frame with some depth to hold the items, and this box frame was perfect. After giving it a quick coat of medium oak varnish, I used background papers from my card stash and a few teabags from the tea caddy. D wrote the message to add a little humour to the piece before we added the final touch: the teaspoon!

Here is the display in its new home next to the kettle.

We also have more good news about the kittens and cats my son and his fiancée foster.

Dolly and Quincey were the first two cats my son and his fiancée fostered. They have been with them for about a year and are now three years old. This week, the cats have found a new forever home together.

On the same day, a new tiny kitten joined the fostering family. 

Meet Eddie. He is a tiny ginger ball of fluffy mischief, much like Toby.

Three weeks into 2024 and both D and I are looking forward to the rest of the year. We hope that you will have a great week and stay safe whatever your plans are.

                                     B and D x

Can You Do That In A Minute?

Hello and welcome to our blog. Thank you for visiting.

January can sometimes be a quiet time of the year as we reset our lives after the celebrations of December. In this small corner, we are trying a few new ideas to help us start and finish some projects: no real resolutions, but a few things to make our lives flow better.

*****

While we have never really been ones for New Year's Resolutions, we have started something called: "Do It In A Minute". Mum saw it on someone else's blog a few weeks ago - unfortunately, she can't remember which blog, so thank you, whoever you are. The general principle is that if you can complete a task in a minute, you should do that straight away, and I have taken to this idea like a duck to water. 

I can't believe how effective it is as I am constantly doing those small tasks that I often keep putting off. Sometimes, I even do multiple tasks in a row.

My bedroom has never looked so tidy: the tea mug graveyard and floor-drobe have gone. Hopefully, it will stay that way!

D x

*****

I have also found a way to encourage the completion of some of my creative tasks. D had a large wooden box that she wasn't using, and I adopted it to put a few projects I am currently working on inside. The box is in our living room, so I can see it whenever I sit down in there. I plan to finish those projects and tasks before moving on to anything new. When the box is empty, I can start a new project. Anything too large for the box will have a reminder note instead. 

This week, I made another felt owl in different colours, similar to the one I made at Christmas. I shall keep him out for a while, as it is still officially Winter, and he looks cosy in his red scarf. As you can see, there are a few projects in the box for me to get on with. Have you started anything new yet this year?

Whatever your plans are this week, D and I both wish you a great week. 

January Begins

Hello, and welcome to 'our small corner'. Beverley and D hope you have had an excellent first week of 2024, and we look forward to sharing our blog with all of you. Thank you for visiting.

*********************************************************

The page has turned, and a new year has begun. What will 2024 hold for us in this small corner? We will let January start to unfold and see where it takes us.

There are no specific resolutions here, but D and I will try to read more this year. I finished reading Chaucer's 'Canterbury Tales' at the end of December for the first time. My younger self would have dismissed this book from any reading list, but now I find it enjoyable following the tales of a mixed group of individuals on their way to Canterbury. It painted a colourful picture of Medieval England.

A new year has also seen us in this small corner having major clear-outs in the house. Hubby is working on clearing the garage of years of collected bits and pieces that might be useful- no, they won't! At the same time, D and I have been attacking the bedrooms and bathroom. We are feeling very pleased, and the house is starting to breathe again.

Garage before clear-out

Garage after clear-out

The first non-Christmas project of the year has been to revamp a picture frame with a bit of decoupage.

The crochet yacht was one of the first things I made when I first learned to crochet; however, the frame was a quick fix that never quite seemed to work. Now, it feels complete.

The happiest news we have to share with you all this week is that this sweet little rogue, Toby, will leave his foster kitten parents to begin a new life in his forever home today. He is such a character and will quickly settle into his new place. Good luck, Toby. 

However, your year has started, D and I wish you a happy week ahead. 

Happy New Year 2024

 

To all our friends,

We wish you a very happy and peaceful New Year.

May your hopes and dreams come true in 2024.

💖xx

Beverley and D