Home Again ...

... and wishing this rain would stop!

This posy from my garden has been brightening up the kitchen window sill,

while I baked Apple & Cinnamon Muffins

and Peanut Butter & Chocolate Cookies.

We had one day of sunshine earlier this week and my husband and I went blackberry picking.

We also picked some of these plums

and I discovered the tallest pear tree that I have ever seen; it was as big as an oak tree. I could only manage to reach 3 pears!

I have frozen the blackberries for a winter treat

and I turned the plums into jam.

Knowing that we were expecting heavy rain I rescued some roses from the garden and placed them in our living-room. The wooden cat in the photo is a recent project. I painted him white and then F&B Pavilion Grey, distressed him to reveal some of the white and highlighted some areas by gilding with silver leaf.

All this rain has encouraged Maurice and Ella to stay indoors.

It also encouraged me to spent a morning on the 'net and I discovered Pixlr-o-matic.

Pixlr is a simple, free, on-line photo editor and I have played with a few effects.

The cats have been given a vintage look by using Sophia

and this photo has been altered using the following effects :-

Melissa

Worn

Flowery

Melissa & Flowery

Melissa & Worn

Melissa, Stop & Trashy

Peter

Peter & Old

Peter, Old & Twinkle

Pixlr is so quick and easy to use and I love the combinations of the effects.

Best wishes, Pj x