Wednesday 17 July 2013

We all live in a yellow submarine

It is scarecrow festival time for many villages in England, a rather lovely tradition even though they don't actually scare any birds away, apart from this one offcourse! This is our very first time participating in our annual scarecrow festival as we just haven't managed in previous years. The theme this year is music, a theme wide open to endless possibilities.
 
 


I personally couldn't face the idea of making a person or a band for that matter, and although we toyed with playing on words with ideas such as The Rolling Stones, The Stone Roses and The Red Hot Chili Peppers, we opted for a song that most people would know and one people would instantly recognise, well that was the rational behind it anyway. The family all set out on Sunday afternoon to start building and as usual after the first 10 minutes, I was left to my own devices to do and complete the project. Don't you just love it when this happens?! At first I didn't really mind, but by yesterday afternoon I felt ready for it to be finished. Apart from making three massive paper mache dinosaur eggs for little E's 3rd birthday pass the parcel, I can't honestly remember when last I did this, but it always amazes me just how long the process takes. Unfortunately I couldn't find any long balloons, so I had to improvise a little.



The improvisation, as little J referred to it, ended up looking very much like a peanut, not quite what I had in mind. It called for a tea break (my solution to most things) and a serious rethink to see if I could come up with something in the shape of a peanut. To be honest there was the slight temptation to veer in the direction of Despicable Me, or Sting's I am an alien in New York, but instead I have stuck to my plan and the next course of action involved digging out some egg cartons (fortunately we seem to have no shortage of these, possibly because I am still hopeful that one day soon we will get some chickens). So a little building and reshaping took place and then a little painting, which again due to being ill prepared, or possibly just a little tight, I mixed some PVA with the kids paint to make it a little more waterproof (time will tell) and this is what we ended up with. It is times like this when I want to say the kids made it, but oh no, and yes you are all allowed to laugh, I did it. So yes for a couple of weeks we are living in a yellow submarine, or close to it anyway.




 
 
Last night when I went off to bed this was the beautiful sight that greeted me from our bedroom window.


 

Today was one of those lovely days where I got quite excited to hear the postman's van, don't you just love days like this?! I was expecting some lovelies and yes here they are. Some new Paris Cotton purchased in the sale at the Wool Warehouse and also a lovely book, which I could no longer resist, thanks to excellent review done by the very lovely Chrissie. If you haven't already read it, do pop over to read about this great book here.
 


 
 
Lastly joining in with Lou's Nature in the Home series and this week's theme is ROUND. I was going to do something from the veg patch, but a lovely lady dropped these off for me early this evening and and with its perfectly round seed head, I simply couldn't resist. 
 
 
 
On that note off to watch the final of the Apprentice, or well some of it anyway.
 
 
Warm Wishes
Hannapat
xoxo

18 comments:

  1. Oh I think your yellow submarine is just great Hannapat - and you deserve accolades for seeing the whole process through to the end!
    And I love the view from your bedroom window - how beautiful!
    I too know the excitement of expecting new yarn to arrive and the actual knock on the door from the lovely parcel postie - so exhilarating! You got some lovely lovely colours there - and THE BOOK! I bought the paper back version, which has the same content but different front, and have been busily trying out a couple of projects. You will SO love that book! Enjoy!
    Joy xo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Joy, I'm certainly glad it's done even though I got into a groove foing the paper mâché, which was quite therapeutic at times. Yes we are so blessed to have such beautuful views. I'm very excited about this book started reading it last night and I can wait to get started. Pleased to hear that you are working on some if these projects too, looking forward to seeing more. Xoxo

      Delete
  2. The submarine is lovely! great that you stuck with it. We used to play that song on our record player when I was little! love the sunflower too, Heather x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Heather, so did we, my dad was a big Beatles fan so there was no getting away from it. Thanks for your lovely comments xo

      Delete
  3. Hi Hannapat what a lovely submarine - well done, so innovative and cheerful. Love the book and am certainly going to have a look at it. A wonderful post Hannapat you bring some sunshine into my life, thank you
    Lots of love
    Dorothy
    :-)xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

    ReplyDelete
  4. Love the submarine - you should be proud but I also can't get the song out of my head now.
    Thanks for your lovely comments and would be happy to teach you to knit over a coffee anytime x

    ReplyDelete
  5. The submarine looks fantastic! You have done a super job with it! Your new yarn looks yummy as does your pretty new book. Wishing you a very happy week!
    Marianne x

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ah, Mum the Chief Artist! I've been in the same boat (or should I say submarine?) with being left with art projects - typically Halloween or school play costumes. You have done a magnificent job! And how excited am I that you have your new book!? I see a few stitch-alongs in our future...cx

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love it! It looks very definitely like a yellow submarine, there will be no confusion about what it is. A delivery of yarn and a book - two of my favourite things. x

    ReplyDelete
  8. What a fine example of a yellow submarine! You most certainly were born with creative genes! And a HUGE thank you for the little package that arrived in the mail, the mittens are just gorgeous & SO useful. And it's my first ever bit of Kath Kidston too. Thank you so much for thinking of me. You are a treasure! Much love. Xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry gathered from the last couple of posts that i most probably should have sent you a fan rather than something to make you even warmer. Pleased you like them xoxo

      Delete
  9. Hi Hannapat,

    I didn't realize England had scarecrow festivals. It sounds like something we would do here for Halloween! Your yellow submarine is very creative and the basket of yarn looks dreamy in that pretty crochet basket.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Love your submarine! So clever!
    And that drops Paris looks heavenly- I must invest in some, methinks!
    Have a wonderful weekend,
    Sarah x

    ReplyDelete
  11. Meadow is terrified of scarecrows, so a scarecrow festival might be best avoided by us :)
    Love the peanut submarine!
    Share your birthday ideas please as M is 3 in sept and I can copy you! She wants a pirate theme :)
    Xxx

    ReplyDelete
  12. love the yellow submarine!!! any reference to the Beatles and im happy!!! could you email me your postal address? I have a few cute magnets waiting to post to you!!!!! mezz xx

    mezzcoleman@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  13. What a huge paper mache project.. its turned out fabulous as well xx
    Quick tutorial ha ha xx
    Prep
    Logwood chips soak in water for two days, this will turn your water deep reddy purple. If you use this to dye on its own it will be a purple pinky red shade.Strain liquid into a plastic bucket so bits of wood do not get stuck to fabric.
    Iron Mordant (highly toxic)wash your implements, only work with gloves, work outside so drips do not contaminate the kitchen, use 3 litres to heaped teaspoon mordant.

    First you wash your cloth. Soak for 30mins in iron mordant swish about, squeeze out and drop into logwood juice/water swish about for 30min, your first dye will give you blue black, each piece of fabric you dye after becomes progressively lighter shades of blue grey.
    If you like the logwood rosy colour don't use Iron to mordant use alum instead.

    Hope that helps xx
    Hugs Lynn xxxx

    ReplyDelete
  14. Sorry must make it clear that you will have TWO buckets one with Logwood juice and one with iron mordant xxx

    ReplyDelete