A Cornish Chill....

Hello my lovelies!

How are you all doing?

Today sees me back at the computer,
back in normal mode
back home here in the Fens...

For the past couple of weeks Mr T and myself have been investigating 

the gorgeous delights of southern Cornwall, right at the very end of 

civilization as we know it, here in the UK!

What do I mean by that?

Well, simply put, we have been holidaying amongst the

most rural part of our little island in amongst the

granite and moss, walking in amongst the wildflowers and

hedgerow lanes.

It doesn't sound alot really does it?

For us though, it was a holiday of a lifetime.

Following Mr T's diagnosis of cancer four years ago and then secondary cancer last year meant we haven't had a 'proper' switch off holiday in four years; and even more poignantly for us, we weren't really sure we ever really would have again...

Cornwall stole our hearts a few years ago and it was Cornwall that took us in her arms

to soothe our worried souls when we first received the diagnosis four years ago.

Naturally, it seemed the perfect place to return to in order to 

recover a little from last year's journey....

Our intention was to do nothing...

but for anyone who knows this part of our island, that's not easy when 

 there is simply too much

history and natural beauty for an old Fen bird like me to ignore!

We stayed as far south of Cornwall as you can get,

 amongst the ruggedness of an ancient moorland that holds 

some of the most beautiful tales and stories.

Sadly, it also holds tales of  the sad reality of an immense hardship 

from an industrial mining area many Cornish folks had to endure..
I think coming from the Fens, I could totally relate to the community comradeship
that many families took as normal life.

Everyone associates this area with the romantic view of Poldark now but visiting many of the small hamlets and villages and tuning in to the history of 'Kernow' (Cornwall)

you really couldn't be further from the truth if you tried.
The average life span for a miner back in the 19th century was only 39 years if he was lucky.
Most children worked in the mines from the age of 10 and then were sacked at 16 so owners didn't have to pay an adult wage.
Their stories write our history and like many tales from our past, sadly
it is not a way of life many of us these days are happy to hear about and yet
we all have a connection to these memories in some way or another.

Southern Cornwall makes no apology for their style of tourism.

What you see is what you get!

There are no fancy frills, no twee bunting like in many Cornish hotspots.

You are greeted with an attitude of 'this is us, take it or leave it' 

which as a Fen 'gal I quite like!

Of course there are some absolutely beautiful gems to be found if you only search for them...

These three-cornered leeks were everywhere and I fell in love with them!

Aren't they the most adorable little gems?

Their stems are what they say...three-cornered!

Little Cornish booties dancing in the breeze...

 

In amongst the down time of not walking, photographing or exploring,

I loved investigating the flora and fauna of the Cornish hedgerows around us.

Colour was simply everywhere.

May is definitely a beautiful time of year to see her sparkle.

And the added bonus of course to that is that there is so much inspiration 

for my little doodles and designs....

It was absolutely beautiful to sit in the Cornish sunshine watching the wildlife chatter about me

whilst I captured the sights around me...

I felt like Beatrix Potter with the bunnies skipping in the buttercup meadow!

I've always loved Beatrix but spending two weeks studying bunnies I have a new found admiration for her.

Why?

Well, she didn't rely on taking snaps with her camera or mobile as we do today.

She relied solely on her ability to observe, for what must've been absolutely hours, to then follow with sketches in order to draw her illustrations.

Amazing...

There is way too much to write about Cornwall in one post so I've leave that for another day.

In the meantime, here is a little snippet of few Cornish memories...

Wildflowers, granite tors, azure seas,

art & design, a new language, Living Stones,

ancient history, Cream Teas,ever-changing skies,

ferns, harbours, sunsets, meandering lanes leading nowhere,

Colour, vintage gems, an old way of life,

calmness...

If you've never explored this part of the British Isles, 

I thoroughly recommend you give it a go...

I will post more pics on my Facebook page so do pop by...

In the meantime

I'll say toodle-ooh for now!

A Year of Nature Walks....

Hello lovelies!

How are you all?

Deccies are packed safely away now until the next Yuletide,

our little home has finally been dusted again and January awaits with bitterly cold eagerness!

I suffer so bad with the cold as I have several ailments that abhor the cold but 

despite this I LOVE this time of year...

I love the winter sparkle

I love the winter crispness

I also love the winter hues at this time of year

New beginnings

Frosty mornings

time to stitch a new patch on your

life's quilt of memories...

So having gathered my thoughts after a very stressful end to 2106

I am now ready to face a new year ahead of beautiful smiles...

I very rarely make New Year's Resolutions as I often 

fall at the first hurdle of just the basics....consistency!

So instead, my philosophy in life has always been the same since a teenager....

slow and steady wins the race...

I write lists and have fun watching them slowly be ticked off, as and when.

This year my list consist of only one thing so far and that is to make myself get out more

to walk and photograph Mother Nature in all her finest splendour.

I know I do that already but this year I am on a mission to

make it a more determined effort.

All of my workshops and exhibits this year will have a theme running through them...

'Inspired By Nature'

Mother Nature is always waiting for a visit from us.

She offers us a free hug when we need one.

She listens to us when we need an ear.

And in return she offers silence for those who listen.

I have decided that photographs from my  #ayearofnaturewalks will be posted on my Instagram page

for anyone who wishes to have a nosey or join me.

You can find me here on the link Tilly Rose Instagram

I have been teaching a variety of crafts based around the ethos of well-being for so many years now

and I always use Mother Nature as an inspiration to encourage others to 'have-a-go' at something...

I shall be using my photographs on my workshops to continue this during the year.

I will be showcasing many techniques that some of you may not have encountered before or perhaps have not even considered having a go at doing.

I love to push boundaries...

I like to bridge the gap between a variety of crafts, combine them with my love of cloth and thread and add layers to my projects.

I always add in a flavour of nostalgia of course and 

mix in a blend of creativity to shout happiness from the roof tops.

* slow stitching * free motion embroidery * patchwork * mixed media * textile art * weaving * 

I will also be experimenting with new products and 

giving you tips on how to include them in your own designs.

If you are interested, I shall be posting details of my workshops onto my website and Facebook page next week once I have given them a little TLC and a fresh lick of paint for 

the New Year ahead so to speak!

I am only doing a few workshops so don't miss out on booking your place if

you are interested as I know they will go fast.

In the meantime I shall wander the paths and byways up and down the UK

to capture snippets of beauty that so often get overlooked by most.

You never know we may just bump into each other now and then!

Wishing you a beautiful weekend my lovelies...

toodle-ooh for now!

Keep Calm and Carry On....

Hello my lovelies!

I hope you don't mind but I'm offering something a little different today...

It's taken me a very long time to consider whether to write this post but hopefully you'll understand the reasons to why I have?
Earlier this week I received the best news ever..

Two little words....

"all clear"

*****

A year ago my world turned upside down, inside out and completely off balance when my hubby was diagnosed with bowel cancer.

For a year since, our lives have been on autopilot, both for different reasons... hubby to face all the treatment thrown at him and me because I was the stable one in the equation as often us ladies are...

Every one has their own set of troubles lurking behind the smiles we all offer to each and every one we meet each day...

Some people are very vocal and will tell all and others like myself are very quiet and just get on with things in a stoic true British spirit.

So why am I telling all now?

I want to let everyone know how crafting is so very good for keeping you grounded when all is not stable at sea...

I have crafted since a young child.

It is part of me.

I learnt a long time ago that

I need to dabble each and every day to keep my soul singing...

Up until the diagnosis I had been running my own workshops, craft sessions, offering 1:1 lessons and supporting local schools.

Eventually I have had to put all of that on hold.

My priorities lay elsewhere. 

The same week we found out about my hubby I was contacted by Create & Craft TV to attend a screen test with the view to becoming a Guest Presenter.

Complete pants for timing!

Despite the many pleas from family and friends especially hubby, I put it on hold until eventually I caved in and agreed to give it a go... 

I continued to sit for hours and hours looking at sterile hospital clinic decor whilst accompanying hubby during his chemo sessions and re-designed in my mind each and every corridor Tilly Rose style!

After I had read every crumpled old magazine provided and tackled many books on my Kindle, I decided I needed to take action.

I started to fill my little wicker basket with a riot of colour threads, needles, various fabrics and loads of embellishments. 

I soon began to get a reputation as 'the lady with the basket'!

For every hour spent sitting in hospital armchairs I stitched my little heart away!

I needed to stay in a happy place for part of my day despite the surroundings.

I'm a firm believer in creativity being so good for the soul...

Nurses began to show an interest in my projects, other patients asked questions on how to do something and I even managed to show a young girl how to start embroidering whilst waiting for her Nan!

After hubby's chemo, we faced major surgery, followed by many sudden dashes in ambulances to our local casualty unit never knowing the outcome

Each and every time my little basket accompanied me with some crafty delight nestling inside to keep me busy.

Whilst all of this was carrying on I had started guest presenting..... to say I was a bag of nerves the first time doesn't even hit the mark!

But I persevered, trying to inspire others to 'give it a go' hoping I would eventually work out what to say at the right time and look in the right direction at the right time!

(not sure I'll ever look the professional!!)

Roll on a year...

With the wonderful news that hubby is now 'all clear' we can now look forward....

The reason for this post?

It is simply to say...

"Walk Your Life Towards Well-Being"

Allow creativity in your heart and you will always have a smile

Tilly

xxx