As two participants have had to drop out of Julie Arkell's workshop, Bring a Story, Tell a Story, Make a Story at the beginning of June here at Les Soeurs Anglaises, we are offering the places in our newsletter going out tomorrow at a 5% discount.  However, we thought we would offer them first to the Pantry Violets in case any of you would like to jump in.

How could you resist?    Katie x
  

painting....

I was painting some things yesterday.......

 and noticed a tiny heart in the pink paint.....

...they show up everywhere...

....and they make me smile!

Hope your day is lovely and you find

a little something to smile about...

my giddy aunt

In a week's time we are all off to Ladakh for 5 months to live with Nomads.  The boys are really looking forward to it.  I made myself a "my giddy aunt" bag to take with me along with my walking boots and a down jacket, not sure the look is vogue, but style is clearly not a big deal I hope at 4500 metres.  We are intending to try to blog so if you are interested check out larkhall2ladakh on blogger.  Have a good summer.  Joanna

Balls of wool

I have been learning to paint and have become focused on balls of wool.  Thinking of spring lambs and how they clearly need the wool this spring.

Hi, Ladies

Just in case you missed our newsletter, take a moment to check out LSA's blog for our Hare competition!  There's a first prize for the best submission, and no exclusion of past participants - so go for it.

hare by hannah haworth

You know we'd love to have you back here, if not this year, then 2014.

Watching it grow....

The Mercerie Video

My friend Sue has been super busy continuing to grow her online business The Mercerie - including showing new designs from her Festival Collection at the Norwich Fashion Week.

Thought you might like to view her new video which is 'hot off the press' this week.  And if you can believe it, it was filmed very recently amongst the snow falls!

Hello dear Pantry Violets, Happy Mothers day to you all even if you don't have any sproglets of your own! xx

"inching" along.......

okay Violets......

I am working away on these and have a WONderful time (!!!)

Hope everyone is well.....

It it snowing like CRAZY here today - so beautiful!

Sue has the "inchies" then on to Margo and Taylor 

and then to Cynthia in England.

I'll finish 'em up this summer and we can 

ALL celebrate the distribution after that.

Missing all of you... thinking about you...

xo

Corkin's Lodge - Chama, NM

It was a month ago we were there....heaven!

 Sarah, Trudy, Barb and Kathie

On the way out, we had visitors:

 kinda takes your breath away....

and then, in the rear window,

they surrounded Kathie's car!

It was fabulous....

the perfect weekend with pals...

thanks always, dear Sarah.

Thoughtyou might like to know that Julie Arkell has a lovely little exhibition showing at Wilton's Music Hall in London - with some new and wonderful 'crow' pieces, and some pictures. It opened last night and will be on display for a few months

If you're in the area- do drop in and have a look, and have a drink at the wonderful Mahogany Bar

Wilton's was the setting for the recent Stephen Poliakoff series on the BBC, and is well worth a visit anyway if you are in London

https://wiltons.org.uk/

inchie initials

I have been working on a few things....

just thought I'd share a couple:

Seems the "inchies" are back on track

YIPPEE!

Hope all is well with each of you.

Sending LOVE and HUGS!

xo

Children make beautiful things

Jodie thank you for your blog.  We are clearly all doing things.  I have been working with a group of kids after school and they are making fantastic things, I am just so thrilled with their imaginations. Look at this horse!

It's got to be good for you!!!

Thought this might be interesting - it was the frontispiece from an old Glove Making Book I found in the British Library.

Even though there's not been many posts for 2013, I'm sure you're all sneaking a peek at this blog now and then...


XXXX

Red knitted scarf

It

It was my youngest boy's birthday (7) and I asked the oldest one (9) if he had an idea for a present he wanted to give him.  He delighted in pulling out of his pocket a red woollen scarf that he had knitted at school for his brother's toy  "moufflon".  How cool is that!

More Christmas

Since I was not posting for so long, I have many photos of little things I made 

up to and during the Christmas holidays:

 I found some plain cut-out angels like these when I unpacked the ornaments

I thought I was pretty clever having cut them out last year...

...but thought myself even more clever to carve stamps this year

and stamp wings and faces on new cut-out angels.

With those stamps, I stamped a bunch of cards and sold them at a Holiday Faire.

I also sent some out, but, though I had intended to send them ALL out,

that did NOT happen..... sigh.......

Still, I hope all holidays were good and that you are ALL

as excited about the New Year as I am.

BTW, I am teaching at Briancon (!) this summer

and we will be carving some of our own rubber stamps

along with LOTS of other things.

August 13 thru 19

click HERE for more info

xo

home for the holidays

Here is our kitchen mantel during

the holidays:

I guess this photo doesn't really show all the details,

but it does make me smile.

(you can click on it to make it bigger)

Hope everyone's holidays were great...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

xo

Pearl's Birthday

Back in October, my friend, Pearl turned 18

I made her a little bag with

THIS embroidered on it.

It is SO nice to be back to blogging.

I think the break has given me some perspective.

Happy New Year!

xo

Do you feel lucky????

The lovely Sue at The Mercerie has asked if anyone at Pantry Violets may like to enter her competition to win one of her gorgeous felted bags.

She has just started her business, and is selling the kits to make them - they are really beautifully presented and the perfect present.  I got one for my stepdaughter now the nights are drawing in, and she was thrilled.  Hope you are all well - it's been a bit quiet here at Pantry Violets - presume you're all being very industrious!

You can find out how to enter at http://themercerie.net/competition/

.. move along little inchies.....

Just finished my contribution to the "inchies" (a lot more work than I had imagined) and have passed them along to Carol - so no blaming me for the delay now.

Carol, Susie and I will be taking a stall at the Selvedge Fair in November at the Chelsea Town Hall, London to promote Les Soeurs.  More about that later, but we have started making little promotional items for the stall - nice stocking fillers we think - as well as some of our aprons.  What do you think?.....

julie arkell workshop and exhibition :: a little preview

Just a little look at the window at Petite Violette right now - not long to go till our Julie Arkell workshop (Sept 23) and exhibition (Sept 29 - Oct 26). Wish you all could be here!