The summer solstice, longest day, that couldn't be right... where did the first 6 months of the year go to?
I was invited to attend a short painting workshop on the day. We tried out some mixing of acrylic paints and here's my finished version of "A Floral Summer Solstice"
I wasn't happy with the sky, it needed a bit more blending of the pastel chalks but overall I was pleased to have given something new a try - and it was a free class, so a bonus.
Lots of reading this month. 5 books read during June.....
I'm loving this series. The Seven Sisters is the first book in the series, which I read last month. This one is the second. I'm currently reading the third - The Shadow Sister. The ladies at my Book Borrowers group are equally thrilled with it and it does make for good discussions each week.
In the first book Pa Salt has passed away and left his 6 adopted daughters a written letter each with clues as to where they came from. He has also had an armiliary sphere made in the garden with the coordinates of their birthplaces on. Each book is based on one of the sisters and the story of her ancestors. If you enjoy a historical saga then this series is for you.
A little twee, but a nice quick feel good read. This one is also the third in a series. It's about a village called Tindledale and things that happen to residents of the quaint English village. The first one is The Great Christmas Knit Off and the second being The Great Village Show.
I'd heard a review of Dangerous Crossing on the radio. The author was interviewed and asked how she came up with the idea for this book. She had found some diary papers at her mothers about a friend/lady who had travelled across the ocean in 1939 from Tilbury Docks London with the £10 Assisted Passage to Australia for young ladies who wished to begin domestic service with English families out there. It reminded me of an Agatha Christie tale as Lily (the main character) mixes with the first class passengers and those on her own deck during the crossing and lots of passengers secrets are revealed along the way with one of them being arrested as the liner docks on the other side of the world..... what had they done? I really enjoyed this one.
Set in England 1645 and Alice Hopkins has to return home to live with her brother after her husbands death as she has nowhere else to go. Her brother is the local witchfinder and this book is inspired by the real-life story of notorious "Witchfinder General" Matthew Hopkins. A first novel by Beth Underdown.
This one was passed on to me by the book group ladies, most of them have read it and laughed along with it, a few naughty words in there though. One lady I know closes the book at the sight of a swear word and doesn't continue the book. Does it bother you to read bad language in a nice book? Connie has been married to Jim Diamond for 24 years, he owns a cleaning company and is a jack the lad adulterer and it tells the tale of how she reacts when she finally learns what he's been up to since they wed.
With the recent heatwave continuing still and temps at record levels, trying to do any craftwork has been hard. I'm still trying to finish off the red cardigan from last month, front bands still to add on to it - the bit I hate!
I have just the one finish to share this week. My first attempt at lacey socks are complete (free pattern from Christine @ Winwick Mum blog)
DD is organising a charity fund raising event at her place of work next month for relapsing polychondritis, the very rare cartilage eating disease that I have. She asked me this week if I could knit some socks for the raffle.
Ann was kind enough to gift me the lovely Madelinetosh wool for these beautiful socks and I have decided to give them as the prize (I hope that is ok with you Ann). The wool is so soft and they are a bit special and I am hoping they help her to raise lots of money to donate to the charity RPUK and raise awareness to the wider world of this very rare condition.
I've printed off a label to make my socks look a bit nicer.
The only other finish this month has been the summer SAL that the ladies at Needlecraft Haven are doing this year. The second season for me using one of the four free designs from Lynn at Happiness is Cross Stitching.
A poor month for crafting.
Will try harder next month......
Love and blessings
Julie x
