Just a quickie to say I have made another hat while sitting in this beautiful Derbyshire sun.....

Feathers and snail shell from the garden.

Oooh loving this wonderful summer weather, nearly BBQ time.....


P.s. Have just set up Zaney Owl, an online store on Zazzle where I sell anything from mugs to iPad sleeves to tote bags all individually designed with my very own illustrations. Take a peek.....http://www.zazzle.com/zaneyowl

The sun has once again got it's hat on, so I ventured outside for a long sketch but had to retreat to the cool indoors after an embarrassingly short time - oh I am so British! But I felt inspired to get crafty, I started off by making these earrings, then started to get going on a new hat!! - however not owning a head block means I have to get quite imaginative, for my kidney sized hat I am using a mug. Not entirely sure how this is going to go down.....

Leaf earrings.

Too hot outside to finish!

As I am a pauper student, I am all about using free materials. After a wander around the garden I found these little gems for decoration. I love the colours of the inside of the shell with the deep purple of the leaves, added with the silk in the above picture (an old top) which I am going to use as lining, it should hopefully create a pretty classy hat.

 Now to get more glue. For my glue gun.

A few hours later, a voila!

What a day! I got to while away my Sunday eating and drinking basking in the Derbyshire sunshine, surrounded by friends and beautiful surroundings- on returning home I was then greeted with a sun drenched garden and a large glass of Pimms, and Murray won Wimbledon. Lovely stuff.

On another note my time at Buxton Festival has sadly come to an end. I did everything from sewing hems and buttons, writing fake Victorian bills, distressing wine bottles, framing paintings, putting chandeliers together,swapping paracetamol with tic-tacs and even designed a wedding seating plan, table numbers and wrapped fake wedding presents - I even made some props for Lez Brotherston's opera, my new claim to fame! Ha. On parting I received these lovely tokens of thanks.....

Plant from Liz aka prop lady.

Liz was amazing. Such a nice person to work with - She also gave me delicious treats: Strawberries and cream, chocolate croissants, carrot cake.....

After spending a fair few hours swapping paracetamol with tic-tacs, the designer decided he wanted paarcetamol after all. Apparently tic-tacs bounce more when dropped. Yep.

Wardrobe - which consists of the lovely Mark, Vicki and Sue - gave me this sewing themed bangle! (The feathers in the background will be making their way onto the next hat I make.....)

I am really going to miss helping out!

With my dodgy hip, there is one silver lining - plenty of time to draw.....

 Overall, July is proving to be pretty relaxed.