Minerals - grey, gold, black, silver

Galena with Chalcopyrite, Sphalerite and Quartz
See many more photo's and details here on Mineral Classics


Metastibnite via Mineral Classics


Pyrrhotite on Galena from Russia via Mineral Classics


Sphalerite on Chalcopyrite via Surrey Minerals


Pyrite in Slate via The San Francisco Gem & Mineral Society

Pyrite via Mindat


Stibnitewith Barite via irocks


Skutterudite via irocks

Etsy finds in Greys Blues Yellows

Okapi - Silvergrey Neckpeice


idea2lifestyle - Moon Water Skirt Pants (very very tempted to buy these)


Lacasadecoto - Pouf Crochet Aqua


MaLieb - Leap of the Heart


CoMod - Herman Miller Eames Fiberglass Side Chair Rocker


Uzura - Hemp Bag with Organic Cotton Lining



Kelansartcouture - top piece, bottom piece.


MadebyCassandraSmith - Yellow, Blue and Seafoam Painted Antler


Adatine - Rabbit Diet Brooch


SuiteOneStudio - Porcelain Bowls

I've been really wiped out recently, partly the M.E. but also a bit of a cold that doesn't escalate, but refuses to leave. So what's a girl to do but immerse herself in Etsy. I looked at lots of things but these ones reflect today's colours, greys and pale blues with moments of brighter blue and yellow when the sun peaked through the cold February sky.


Thaitee - Lady Jane Dress


UpInTheAirSomewhere - Aqua Paper Bowl


Nellianna - Chestnut Origami Paper Lampshades

Myung Urso

Myung Urso - Brooch: Dialogue - 2011 (via Klimt02)
Natural dyed silk, thread, sterling silver, lacquer


Myung Urso - Neckpiece: Gray Scape 2011 (via Klimt02)
Natural dyed silk, thread, sterling silver


Myung Urso - Brooch: Hometown 2011 (via Klimt02)
Natural dyed silk, thread, sterling silver, lacquer

Great pieces, I always like when you can see the hand of the maker in the construction, and white/grey/red is always a colour combo I love.

More Winter Colours

Indoor Hyacinth is more vivid than than outdoor plants in January

This was about 2 weeks ago, still in flower but determined to fall over at every opportunity. I usually grow them in soil and can pop a skewer in as support, not very attractive with a hyacinth vase. Out in the garden the pinks are paler, which fits well with the grey greens and frosted leaves.


Clematis stems with their own brand of winter beauty

Hydrangea Petiolaris (Climbing Hydrangea) has straddled the shed roof.

Clematis 'Markham's Pink' seed head

Osteospermum (perennial)

Frosty Hebe, the one I posted the frosty close-up of the other day.

I intended to do a big post of art that looked liked winter gardens but I need to sleep, here are two, hopefully I'll have time for more later in the week but family are in town so I may not blog much.

The work of paper artist Peter Gentenaar looking like a winter flower.

Paperstring chandelier by Nithikul Nimkulrat.

Brooches that look like rocks and minerals

David Choi - Brooch via Crafthaus


Isabel Dammermann - Perpetua Brooches

I've been dipping into some of my old posts to enlarge the photo's in them and came across the original Brooches that look like rocks and minerals post in 2008 and decided it was time for another set.


Anna Wallis - 'Silver Crystal' Brooch via Velvet da Vinci Gallery


Amy Tavern - Fabricated Memory: Jewelry Box 1980 via Velvet da Vinci Gallery


Hanna Liljenberg: Brooch via Klimt02
Looks like a piece of Hubnerite


Sofia Björkman - Blackened Brilliance series 2010-'11 via Klimt02


Sofia Björkman - Blackened Brilliance series 2010-'11 via Klimt02
Has echoes of this Goethite over Quartz on this page.


Anna Wallis - 'Drip' Brooch via Velvet da Vinci Gallery

Silvery foliage

At this time of year the Silver grey/green foliage of Saxifrage, Sesliria nitida and Scenecio Cineraria in the garden fit well with the cold temperatures. Gales and winds have been almost non-stop this winter so I've not been out much at all for fear of being blow all the way to Edinburgh. There have been several expected casualties but I've been really surprised by just how many plants have held on tight. Many look a bit bedraggled but I'm confident there will be a happy resurgence of life in Spring. As always you can see all my plants and gardening goings on over on Folia.

Silke Trekel - Spatial Structures

Silke Trekel - Spatial Structures via Fingers
Photography by Christoph Sandig, all images copyright Fingers

These appeal to the part of me that likes to play with slotted card shapes. Silke has made that type of delicate and vulnerable creation into something much more durable, permanent and best of all, wearable with her enamelled iron constructions.

Cally Creates - Cushion/Pillow covers

Cushion/Pillow covers available in 3 sizes from €19.99 with free worldwide shipping

I couldn't sleep one night last week so I finally followed through on some projects that have been hanging in the air for years. Like getting my college textiles properly scanned and adapted for digital printing. It's one of those things I keep starting but then abandon because I don't really like editing them on the computer, it seems to take too long so I always abandon the process halfway when the house, garden, family or my stomach make more pressing demands. But a sleepless night and howling winds helped me get back on track and finish preparing some for upload.

The first items available for purchase are these 100% cotton cushion/pillow covers and a 4 napkins (not shown). Since the designs are from my college days in the early 90's I'm calling this collection 'Revived'. The name seems a little ironic given that this is me accepting that I am just not well enough to hand print my own work any more. It's taken a good long while to come to terms with that but now that I have I feel like a weight has been lifted off my chest and I can start getting work out there again, albeit old work - but I think a lot of my old designs are very suited to modern tastes, which was not the case at the time I designed them. Maybe my habit of keeping every-little-thing isn't all bad after all.

Of course, nothing beats the feeling of making something from scratch - it's what I truly love to do, but since that isn't an option I feel OK about going digital for a while. And it's giving me an excuse to unearth old designs again, which is always immensely good fun. It feels like Christmas every time I open a folder or folio.

Other designs, colours and items are awaiting approval (there seem to be technical glitches) so watch this space to find out when more are added, it most definitely won't be all black and white - You know how much I love colour. I'll try and rework a few designs each month if I can.

You can also buy some of my repeat patterns as fabric from Spoonflower. This one is Collioure fabric in Black and white (colours available too) which you can purchase as swatches, fat quarters and by the yard in several colourways and fabrics including Organic Cotton Knit. $5 a swatch $11 per Fat Quarter.


Collioure fabric in Black and white