Better than a thousand words!

Rocks!

2009-09-14T12:52:00.000-07:00

Courgette flower!

2009-08-16T13:53:00.000-07:00

Castle in Scotland

2009-07-30T13:59:00.000-07:00

Spider at Work!

2009-07-18T10:22:00.000-07:00

Balloons

2009-07-17T12:00:00.000-07:00

Shadows!

2009-07-08T09:55:00.001-07:00

Bronze Fennel

2009-07-07T14:23:00.000-07:00

The lovely shape of a Bronze Fennel flower head.

Stirling Castle

2009-07-05T12:07:00.000-07:00

A wooden roof in the castle at Stirling, Scotland.

Rain

2009-07-03T14:20:00.000-07:00

At last some rain for the garden!

Garden Gate!

2009-07-01T13:13:00.000-07:00

Painted silk embroidered with hand-dyed silk ribbon!

Pendennis Castle

2009-06-28T12:29:00.001-07:00

Pendennis Castle viewed from Gyllyngvase Beach, Falmouth.

Clouds touched by the setting sun!

2009-06-27T11:15:00.001-07:00

Clouds coloured pink by the setting sun looking across the Firth of Forth, Scotland.

A church in Falmouth

2009-06-25T10:53:00.000-07:00

Lovely tracery on the window and some wrought iron work!

Godrevy Lighthouse

2009-06-24T13:24:00.000-07:00

This is the north coast of Cornwall above Camborne.

Harbour, Falmouth

2009-06-23T13:16:00.000-07:00

A very busy port with one of the deepest natural harbours in the world. I think it's the third deepest!

Swanpool

2009-06-21T13:23:00.000-07:00

This is the pool which gives Swanpool it's name. It is a protected nature reserve and has swans and several species of ducks.

Birds Nest

2009-06-20T10:23:00.000-07:00

This is a little wren's nest made in the ivy on the garage wall! So small! It is no bigger than my hand!

Raindrops!

2009-06-19T11:49:00.001-07:00

A spider's web on the hanging basket sparkling in the morning sun!

Inside Pendennis Castle

2009-06-18T12:01:00.000-07:00

Henry VIII built Pendennis and it's sister castle at St Mawes to protect the Falmouth Estuary from the marauding Spanish! Today it's a great tourist attraction and various parts of the castle, like this room, have been made up as they would have been in the 16th century.

Railway Station in France

2009-06-16T12:42:00.000-07:00

Railway Stations tend to look the same the world over!

Old Printing Press

2009-06-15T12:21:00.000-07:00

This is an old Victorian printing press which I find useful for pressing flowers!

Ships on the Horizon!

2009-06-14T10:34:00.000-07:00

This is the North Sea and this picture was taken from the Harwich to the Hook ferry.

Going back in time!

2009-06-13T08:54:00.000-07:00

This is the scullery at Lanhydrock House near Bodmin. I'm so glad I've got a modern kitchen!

Patterned Glass

2009-06-12T11:30:00.000-07:00

I don't know what I will do with this but I thought it had possibilities!

Ships at Charleston, Cornwall

2009-06-11T10:27:00.000-07:00

These old sailing boats are a popular sight here.

Roman amphitheatre Lyons, France

2009-06-10T11:42:00.001-07:00

This was an amazing site. When I visit sites like this I'm impressed at how advanced the Romans were!

The Arcade Falmouth

2009-06-09T15:04:00.001-07:00

St George's Arcade Falmouth with it's lovely flowery swags in true Art Deco fashion!

2009-06-09T15:04:00.000-07:00

Rocks

2009-06-08T11:46:00.001-07:00

When I took this picture I thought to myself I wonder who lives in this hole?

Wall

2009-06-07T11:55:00.000-07:00

I love the shapes in this wall. Lots of inspiration for quilting designs!

Daisy

2009-06-06T09:58:00.000-07:00

A common sight especially at this time of year!

Redruth Cornwall

2009-06-05T10:50:00.001-07:00

Redruth is a mining town and the town council are obviously making the most of old stuff to create these metal dogs! I thought they were hilarious!

Lilies

2009-06-04T12:37:00.000-07:00

Lovely flowers and wonderful inspiration for textile work, especially appliqué!

More of Truro Cathedral

2009-06-03T11:59:00.000-07:00

This is the front aspect of Truro Cathedral and I love the various shapes of the arches and windows, especially the lovely rose window.

Snow!

2009-06-02T14:02:00.000-07:00

On a really hot summer's day I thought this picture of snow would be just the thing!

Sailing on the River Fal

2009-06-01T11:03:00.000-07:00

It has been just the day for a sail on the River Fal. Peaceful and relaxing!

Old Tomb at Mawnan Church

2009-05-31T11:39:00.000-07:00

I love old graves and graveyards. This one at Mawnan Church is superb and there is bags of inspiration there for some textile work!

Looking up river to Truro Cathedral

2009-05-30T09:49:00.000-07:00

This is a view up the River Fal to the Cathedral in Truro with the railway viaduct on the right.

Maenporth

2009-05-29T13:25:00.000-07:00

This is the next beach round from Swanpool. Both beaches are tucked into inlets from the sea and so are fairly sheltered.

Garlic for Inspiration!

2009-05-28T12:01:00.000-07:00

I thought this base of a finished garlic clove was fantastic for inspiration for a textile piece. Click on the picture to enlarge and you'll see what I mean!

Jersey Cow!

2009-05-27T12:06:00.000-07:00

I have a soft spot for Jersey cows as we used to have Jersey's when we were farming. They have such gentle faces and the milk and cream they produce is terrific!

Anenome in rock pool!

2009-05-26T13:06:00.000-07:00

I love this picture of the various stones in a rock pool. The shapes and colours are fascinating plus there is a small green anenome in the bottom left hand corner. Click to see enlarged picture.

The Lizard

2009-05-25T12:01:00.000-07:00

The Lizard! The most southerly point in the British Isles. It is definitely warmer!

Truro

2009-05-24T08:38:00.000-07:00

This is a view of Truro Cathedral from one of the small back lanes which leads up to it.

Truro Cathedral

2009-05-23T11:11:00.000-07:00

Although the Cathedral in Truro was only built in the 1800's it has a very medieval feel about it. Definitely Victorian gothic! This is the front aspect of it.

Bank Holiday Weekend!

2009-05-22T11:14:00.000-07:00

It's a Bank Holiday weekend and all the visitors to Cornwall will be heading down the M4 to the West of England! I'm not sorry to be staying at home and avoiding the chaos on the roads!

Lanhydrock

2009-05-21T12:47:00.000-07:00

I love this door at Lanhydrock. And the tree is pretty amazing too. It is not very high and is completely dwarfed by the windows.

Ducks!

2009-05-20T12:01:00.000-07:00

A small backwater with ducks at Swanpool. The pool and surrounding area is a site of scientific interest and is full of interesting plants and creatures.I love the pattern the roots of the trees make in the earth.

Rocks and Sea

2009-05-19T13:16:00.001-07:00

This is the kind of picture that I find full of inspiration for my textile work. Lovely textures!

Godolphin House

2009-05-18T12:32:00.000-07:00

Godolphin House is near Helston, Cornwall and was used in the filming of the Poldark Series on BBC Television. It is a superb house and fascinating to look around.

Aliens!

2009-05-17T11:41:00.000-07:00

I don't like the modern day windmills. I find they don't have any artistic appeal and yet this picture of one of them through the grasses has charm of it's own. The are like aliens marching across the countryside. It could be a scene from War of the Worlds!

Stonehenge

2009-05-16T11:32:00.000-07:00

When I was a child driving down to Cornwall with my parents, we used to stop and picnic at Stonehenge. One could wander around with no restrictions unlike to day where it is almost impossible to get a close look! A wonderful sight!

Boats on the River Fal

2009-05-15T12:32:00.000-07:00

These boats are on the River Fal at Truro. The river becomes quite muddy here and at low tide there isn't a lot of draught.

The Firth of Forth

2009-05-14T12:24:00.000-07:00

The estuary of the Firth of Forth in Scotland. A very windswept aspect.

The Tolbooth Edinburgh

2009-05-13T11:49:00.000-07:00

This is the Tolbooth in Edinburgh. It was once a prison but is now a museum and a very spooky museum at that. There is a guided tour complete with sounds and smells of a past age when it was a prison! And at the back is a graveyard of previous inhabitants.

There is even a grave complete with resident ghost. Unfortunately I have never seen it but several say they have! Spooky! Lovely mausoleum though!

Ferns

2009-05-12T13:09:00.000-07:00

I love the way ferns grow out of Cornish walls. I've been lucky enough this year to have some growing in the back wall of my garden between the lumps of granite in the wall.

Rocks with water.

2009-05-11T12:56:00.000-07:00

I love the way the water tumbles over the rocks.Lots of inspiration for quilting!

Falmouth Harbour

2009-05-10T11:07:00.000-07:00

This photo was taken today. It was lovely and sunny and there was a sparkle on the water. We have a small rowing boat and we row down the river to this beach on the other side of Falmouth. It is lovely for swimming and just lazing about. This headland has some lovely walks and it is possible to walk right round to Mylor.

Gargoyles at Stirling Castle, Scotland

2009-05-09T10:56:00.000-07:00

I love these ugly little carvings. I often wonder what the person who carved them was thinking at the time!

Arundel Castle

2009-05-08T11:20:00.000-07:00

A rather fuzzy photo of Arundel Castle in Sussex taken from the car. I rather like the fuzziness as it gives it an ethereal quality in my opinion.

Middle England!

2009-05-07T12:37:00.000-07:00

I love this tranquil scene. I'd love to live on a barge or houseboat. Such fun!

Stormy Sea

2009-05-06T12:24:00.000-07:00

This is our local beach on a windy day last summer. I love the different ways the sea can look and use it a lot for inspiration for my work.

Mylor Church

2009-05-05T12:44:00.000-07:00

I love churchyards and this one is especially interesting having some very old graves. It is a lovely little church on the edge of the water at Mylor.

More Textures

2009-05-04T08:26:00.000-07:00

I love the contrast in textures in this picture.

Cornish Countryside

2009-05-03T10:58:00.000-07:00

This is a view of the countryside where I live. On the one side we have the sea and on the other green fields and trees! A perfect mix!

Falmouth Maritime Museum

2009-05-02T11:28:00.000-07:00

This is very popular with visitors to Falmouth and is situated in the inner harbour. There are some wonderful views from the top of the tower on a clear day.

Textures

2009-05-01T11:21:00.001-07:00

I love all the different textures in this photo and the thin branch snaking round the trunk on the left that looks like an arm and hand!

Edinburgh

2009-04-30T11:48:00.000-07:00

If I didn't live in Cornwall then I would like to live in Scotland. This castle overlooks the railway station in Edinburgh.

Fire

2009-04-29T10:55:00.000-07:00

On a wet cold miserable day a fire is a wonderful thing!

Charlestown

2009-04-28T13:01:00.000-07:00

I love this little Cornish fishing port on the south coast above St Austell.

Night time visitor!

2009-04-27T11:33:00.000-07:00

It is amazing what one can find in the garden at night! This badger came to eat up the dropped seeds from the bird feeder in the tree. And probably to find insects which were also feeding on the scattered seeds. It wasn't at all worried about me taking pictures!

Fields of Home!

2009-04-26T10:17:00.000-07:00

Looking down from the airoplane bringing us back from France onto the Kentish landscape as we approached City of London airport. The cars on the roads looked like fast moving ants!

Bringing Home the Catch!

2009-04-25T08:46:00.000-07:00

Seagulls hovering around a fishing boat bringing home the catch at Porthlevan Cornwall. At one time there would have been several fishing boats coming home in the evening after a day's fishing!

View of Eden!

2009-04-24T12:05:00.001-07:00

The Eden Project! Fantastic!

More wrought iron!

2009-04-23T12:12:00.000-07:00

This is the gateway into a graveyard on St Michael's Mount. I liked the various shapes and the way the light made a shadow on the wall.

My Gardening Companion

2009-04-22T10:31:00.000-07:00

This stock dove is a constant visitor to our garden along with it's mate. So far they have so many seeds and sultanas in the bird house plus seeds that the smaller birds throw onto the ground that they have left my seeds alone. I have spoken severely to them and they appeared to be listening! At least they didn't fly away! Anyway I shall be most annoyed if they start digging in my seed bed!

Seaweed!

2009-04-21T14:26:00.000-07:00

I love rockpools and this one was superb! The green seaweed was amazing with water bubbles on the fronds. It was the colour of cooked cabbage!

Patchwork fields!

2009-04-20T12:29:00.000-07:00

I love the patchwork look of these fields. This is a typical view over the Cornish landscape around the Falmouth/Camborne area.

Goonhilly

2009-04-19T10:41:00.000-07:00

Goonhilly satellite receiving station on the Lizard, Cornwall. A fascinating place to visit with such alot of interesting history with regard to communication!

Roof tops in Edinburgh

2009-04-18T11:41:00.000-07:00

I took this picture while visiting my son in Edinburgh. I love the shapes.

Summer is Coming!

2009-04-17T11:48:00.000-07:00

The Carrick Roads, Falmouth. Lovely sailing waters on the estuary of the River Fal.

The Taste of Cornwall!

2009-04-16T12:30:00.000-07:00

There is nothing like a Cornish Pasty made in Cornwall. Along with Clotted Cream and Stargazy Pie they are as Cornish as the Cornish! A holiday isn't one without a pasty! The best ones are made by Rowe's a local bakers. Yummy!

Architecture in France

2009-04-15T10:35:00.000-07:00

I took this photo when I was in La Bourboule France. I loved all the different patterns.

Strange creature!

2009-04-14T10:55:00.000-07:00

This photo reminds me of the phrase at the end of one of the Jalna books by Mazo de la Roche which was 'prettier than a spider, sweeter than a rose.' I might have got it not quite right but it was one of the young children pronouncing on the new baby! I've never seen a spider like this again. Was it an alien?

Settling Pits at St Day, Cornwall

2009-04-13T10:04:00.000-07:00

Cornwall is, or was, a tin mining county. There are lots of relicts left to remind one of this fact. The pictures above are of settling pits at St Day, a mining village near to Falmouth. I was quite inspired by this view and the colours and worked the embroidery below. Click on the pictures to enlarge them!

Cliffs nr St Agnes, Cornwall

2009-04-12T11:31:00.000-07:00

St Agnes is on the north coast of Cornwall and is a really pretty village. This picture was taken looking down from the headland and the mine workings can be seen in the cliffs.

Sample book!

2009-04-11T08:53:00.000-07:00

This is a sample book from the silk museum in Lyons, France. This was a fascinating place with old looms and samples of fabric. They even had some weaving in process.

The North Sea

2009-04-10T12:04:00.000-07:00

The cold brooding sky over the North Sea on a crossing from Harwich to the Hook of Holland. I love the dourness of this photo and the angry swirl of the waves. Not like our sea down in Cornwall!

Caves at Portreath

2009-04-09T12:13:00.000-07:00

This picture was taken of caves at Portreath. The tunnel runs through the cliffs to come out onto the sea. A favourite spot for children. Caves have such a fascination!

London Bus!

2009-04-08T02:52:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time all buses were red! And usually double deckers too! But now, especially here in Cornwall they are an unusual sight.

Waves

2009-04-07T14:12:00.000-07:00

Living by the sea I take lots of pictures of waves. And a lot of my textile work is inspired by the sea and coast line. I have found that free machining on scrim produces very life like waves!

Holidays are coming!

2009-04-06T11:49:00.000-07:00

It's coming into the holiday season again and this is what we have to look forward to! When I took this photo we were fortunately in the moving lane on the left hand side of the picture! The lane in the right hand side of the picture stretched back over ten miles!

Lovely wrought iron!

2009-04-05T12:03:00.000-07:00

I love wrought iron and use it a lot for inspiration. This lovely gate at Stirling Castle in Scotland really captured my imagination and was very inspirational for quilting designs. I would like to translate it into machine embroidery when I get a minute!

Boats on the River Fal

2009-04-04T09:59:00.000-07:00

A very tranquil scene of boats moored on the River Fal.

Frieze

2009-04-03T11:08:00.000-07:00

I love this piece and could see it done as Trapunto work. It was taken in Scotland but as I'm really bad about labelling my pictures that is as much as I can remember. I'm always hoping someone will recognise something and say 'oh that is so and so!' I live in hope!

Ruins

2009-04-02T02:12:00.000-07:00

This ruined wing of a castle in Scotland again has some lovely shapes for inspiration. I love the starkness of this picture! It needs to be enlarged to really be appreciated. (Click on the picture to enlarge)

Continuing with the graveyard theme!

2009-04-01T11:40:00.000-07:00

I think these Victorian mausoleums are fantastic. Lots of inspiration here for me with all those shapes!

Spooky Conversation!

2009-03-31T10:15:00.000-07:00

I have always felt that these three gravestones which lean towards each other, are having a conversation. Totally spooky!

Inspiration can be found anywhere!

2009-03-30T11:57:00.000-07:00

These bubbles are a sign of pollution in this rock pool but they actually have provided me with a lot of inspiration for machine embroidery. To really see them the picture needs to be clicked on to view enlarged. The different shapes and colours of the stones and seaweeds are also inspirational.There is a silver lining in every cloud though it is distressing that so much junk gets put into the sea to produce this toxic effect!

Reminders of a By Gone Age!

2009-03-29T02:10:00.000-07:00

This is an engine house for a tin mine near where I live. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of these ruined engine houses in Cornwall. One can only think when they were working how polluted the atmosphere was!