making presents..

There really is nothing as special as home-made presents – made with love, thoughtfulness and those little details that make the difference….

My little niece made this bag last weekend for her best friend’s birthday – wonderful fabric and trim from The Makery, a zip recycled from one of my old dresses, some Japanese Worry Dolls wearing  vintage kimono fabric dresses from a Japanese friend,  and some badges made with scraps of carefully chosen magazine images – and a few hidden surprises inside ….. a happy afternoon making together and a happy birthday to come!

and in the nest…

nest, nesting…

My cousin gave me this little bird’s nest before going travelling. It is one of my greatest treasures ….. I hold it so carefully

.. twigs, grasses, feathers, wool, moss, seed-heads, leaves – so light, so beautifully made and pressed into shape – enveloping, protecting, warm

A small drawing – made whilst only looking at the nest itself and deepening my observation and understanding of it – I mostly draw this way so as to be mindful of what I am experiencing or drawing not judging the drawing itself and so I look for longer though I often draw quite fast!

And then I decided to draw big – taping a sheet to the wall, moving with the drawing, watching the drawing emerge this time… thinking about nesting and what that means!