TIF and a natural helper

OK so I am still very full of this viral cold thingy - I have had enough now, especially as I have started to cough too and intend going to the doctors tomorrow - I really want my ears to clear.

I have been trying the 'natural helper' handed down the generations - of drinking Chicken Broth. I looked around the Internet on the subject (as you do) and found there is now scientific proof that drinking Chicken Broth can help !! Yeah Right ! What planet are they on. Apparently there are some enzymes in the chicken that help release mucus clearing the sinuses! When my mum used to make me drink Chicken Broth as a sick child I thought it was because it was a) based on water and you need to drink lots, b) tasted quite good, c) was warming and d) was something you could drink when not up to eating.

So this morning I made Chicken Broth (again) only I think chucking out all the veggies is extremely wasteful. I used sweet potato, carrot, onion, celery and parsnip so I left some of the carrot and celery together with some of the chicken meat in the Broth but I blended the rest into the most delicious creamy chicken and veg soup. I feel like eating both for the rest of the day!!

My January TIF - well I've finished my piece, however I must say with my head so full of fungus (still) it is not up to my usual inventive standard. It has turned out much simpler than either my notes in my sketchbook or the designs in my head. I will leave it like it is and hope that when the head clears I will be more inspired as the months go on. Here are the fabrics I used. My inspiration was my grandmother and I had thought and been encouraged to make another vessel, but an A5 piece with a photo was all that actually happened. It is very simple but I also think that is what I thought of Babcia - NO NO not that she was 'simple' but that she lived her life in the most simple of ways. Having been a refugee during the war - shipped from their part of Poland (now Belarus) to Africa and then to UK. She looked after 4 girls whilst my Grandfather fought, had to scrimp and save etc. Babcia always made me feel special - she was the person who introduced me to the wonder of fabric when she worked as a seamstress for BIBA. There were always fabrics around her house and she would let me have the offcuts for my dolls. Nothing seemed to faze her - she was always calm, generous, loving and showing that the simplest of things could be a real pleasure! You can tell I miss her dearly.The piece is A5 in size and has her photo which I printed onto cotton and then hearts around the edge. For the other side of the piece I layered all the chopped off pieces from cutting out the hearts - I hate waste (another thing Babcia taught me - not to waste anything, be it food, fabric or our lives in general). Anyway I covered the chopped bits with a piece of very fine fibre (looks like lutrador but is purple!) stitched it in simple rows of curves and then attacked it with the heat gun. Then to top it off I stitched the four remaining hearts on to it. Sandwiched the two pieces with a layer of felt and there you have it. It did turn out quite fat, here it is side on.

Having done that I have been sitting here thinking of other people who I admire and wondering if I may do another 'page' inspired by another person. Maybe..