Lesley McLean
@lmclea2.bsky.social
Writer & editor of greeting cards and jokes; artsy-crafty; reader, especially of crime thrillers - like to post reviews too!
Thought an allsorts cushion (still to be backed) needs some liquorice allsorts rug mugs. Punch needle coasters (backed with felt) & cushion cover, my designs, acrylic wool on monks cloth.
#punchneedle #needlepunch #handmade #allsorts #crafting
#punchneedle #needlepunch #handmade #allsorts #crafting
February 7, 2026 at 9:28 PM
Thought an allsorts cushion (still to be backed) needs some liquorice allsorts rug mugs. Punch needle coasters (backed with felt) & cushion cover, my designs, acrylic wool on monks cloth.
#punchneedle #needlepunch #handmade #allsorts #crafting
#punchneedle #needlepunch #handmade #allsorts #crafting
I’ve kicked off the year with extra-variety, purposefully. I read a lot of crime, which is in no way a bad thing, but December was top-heavy with it, so here we are… and it resulted in some excellent reads!
The Midwinter Martyr - SJ Parris ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Buffalo Hunter Hunter- Stephen Graham Jones ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
…
The Midwinter Martyr - SJ Parris ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Buffalo Hunter Hunter- Stephen Graham Jones ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
…
January 30, 2026 at 5:55 PM
I’ve kicked off the year with extra-variety, purposefully. I read a lot of crime, which is in no way a bad thing, but December was top-heavy with it, so here we are… and it resulted in some excellent reads!
The Midwinter Martyr - SJ Parris ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Buffalo Hunter Hunter- Stephen Graham Jones ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
…
The Midwinter Martyr - SJ Parris ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Buffalo Hunter Hunter- Stephen Graham Jones ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
…
Tariq Ashkanani’s Callie Munro series is addictive from the get go. The Night Watcher introduces us to a gutsy Edinburgh PI who ends up unexpectedly hunting a serial killer.
Ashkanani is brilliant at setting us up with credible suspects, then switching us down a different alley…
Ashkanani is brilliant at setting us up with credible suspects, then switching us down a different alley…
January 11, 2026 at 10:07 AM
Tariq Ashkanani’s Callie Munro series is addictive from the get go. The Night Watcher introduces us to a gutsy Edinburgh PI who ends up unexpectedly hunting a serial killer.
Ashkanani is brilliant at setting us up with credible suspects, then switching us down a different alley…
Ashkanani is brilliant at setting us up with credible suspects, then switching us down a different alley…
January 1, 2026 at 4:48 PM
Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice - When a small Anishinaabe community loses all power and communication with the wider world, they band together to survive the winter. Then an unexpected visitor arrives. Should he be allowed to join them? The death toll rises…
December 27, 2025 at 9:37 AM
Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice - When a small Anishinaabe community loses all power and communication with the wider world, they band together to survive the winter. Then an unexpected visitor arrives. Should he be allowed to join them? The death toll rises…
Today I am channeling two festivals. No way I’m waiting until Halloween to wear my new Shining cardigan 🤷🏻♀️🙈😂 @stephenking.bsky.social #christmas #halloween #horror #Shining #stephenking
December 26, 2025 at 11:21 AM
Today I am channeling two festivals. No way I’m waiting until Halloween to wear my new Shining cardigan 🤷🏻♀️🙈😂 @stephenking.bsky.social #christmas #halloween #horror #Shining #stephenking
My Editorial team built a little book Xmas tree 🤩 Sophie was chief book collector, I made the decorations, Seherish did lighting & Pete took the photo.
So many colleagues have stopped to talk about reading. It’s small but mighty and I’ve got a funny feeling it might turn into a tradition! #christmas
So many colleagues have stopped to talk about reading. It’s small but mighty and I’ve got a funny feeling it might turn into a tradition! #christmas
December 6, 2025 at 8:53 AM
My Editorial team built a little book Xmas tree 🤩 Sophie was chief book collector, I made the decorations, Seherish did lighting & Pete took the photo.
So many colleagues have stopped to talk about reading. It’s small but mighty and I’ve got a funny feeling it might turn into a tradition! #christmas
So many colleagues have stopped to talk about reading. It’s small but mighty and I’ve got a funny feeling it might turn into a tradition! #christmas
Last Friday in the month, must be Talk and Draw with the NationalGallery. Our painting was the pointillist masterpiece Coastal Scene by Théo van Rysselberghe. We rubbed out to show light areas, made a palette, and focused on some speedy mark-making! #nationalgallery #pointillism #art #landscape
November 28, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Last Friday in the month, must be Talk and Draw with the NationalGallery. Our painting was the pointillist masterpiece Coastal Scene by Théo van Rysselberghe. We rubbed out to show light areas, made a palette, and focused on some speedy mark-making! #nationalgallery #pointillism #art #landscape
(Radio) ga ga over my latest Christmas tree topper! Meet Freddie - he’s a legend and a gingerbread man made from punch needle, then he’s stuffed, and backed with felt. He has a handy loop to hang over the top of the tree.
If you fancy Fred or one of my other legends for the top of your tree…
If you fancy Fred or one of my other legends for the top of your tree…
November 23, 2025 at 8:14 AM
(Radio) ga ga over my latest Christmas tree topper! Meet Freddie - he’s a legend and a gingerbread man made from punch needle, then he’s stuffed, and backed with felt. He has a handy loop to hang over the top of the tree.
If you fancy Fred or one of my other legends for the top of your tree…
If you fancy Fred or one of my other legends for the top of your tree…
We hope you have a fab-BOO-lous Halloween! Don’t forget to share your themed ideas with us @TheColourCoop on Insta #fabboolous👻 #halloween #halloweenvibes #halloweenart #design #illustration #fun #funny #pun #wordplay #ghoul #ghost #spell #eye #pumpkin #writer #halloweenfun
October 31, 2025 at 7:37 AM
We hope you have a fab-BOO-lous Halloween! Don’t forget to share your themed ideas with us @TheColourCoop on Insta #fabboolous👻 #halloween #halloweenvibes #halloweenart #design #illustration #fun #funny #pun #wordplay #ghoul #ghost #spell #eye #pumpkin #writer #halloweenfun
Have a holly Jolene Christmas! Here’s my latest punch needle, a gingerbread Dolly for the top of the tree. A Xmas tree-topper, punched with embroidery thread, finished with sparkly (fake) gems and stuffed with love. The back is felt with a loop to go over the top of that lonesome pine #punchneedle
October 2, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Have a holly Jolene Christmas! Here’s my latest punch needle, a gingerbread Dolly for the top of the tree. A Xmas tree-topper, punched with embroidery thread, finished with sparkly (fake) gems and stuffed with love. The back is felt with a loop to go over the top of that lonesome pine #punchneedle
Wee tea time walk since I’ve been in all day doing ‘stuff’. Could hardly see for the lowering sun but there were some pretty fluffy clouds #littlefluffyclouds #autumnsky #methley #eveningwalks
September 28, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Wee tea time walk since I’ve been in all day doing ‘stuff’. Could hardly see for the lowering sun but there were some pretty fluffy clouds #littlefluffyclouds #autumnsky #methley #eveningwalks
Love being back doing National Gallery Talk and Draw sessions. This month we concentrated on Millet’s The Winnower. Quick shape sketch, drawing the figure out with a rubber, & finally using colour to add life. #nationalgallery #nationalgallerylondon #sketch #draw #art #pencilsketches #mentalhealth
September 26, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Love being back doing National Gallery Talk and Draw sessions. This month we concentrated on Millet’s The Winnower. Quick shape sketch, drawing the figure out with a rubber, & finally using colour to add life. #nationalgallery #nationalgallerylondon #sketch #draw #art #pencilsketches #mentalhealth
Our prompt is toadstools - it won’t be long until a forest of fungus pushes up through the ground to say hello. Check out more @thecolourcoop on Insta. Share yours and tag us 🍄 #toadstool #mushrooms #mushroom #fungi #fungus #toadstools #chanterelles #foraging #autumn #september #penart #illustration
September 6, 2025 at 7:48 AM
Our prompt is toadstools - it won’t be long until a forest of fungus pushes up through the ground to say hello. Check out more @thecolourcoop on Insta. Share yours and tag us 🍄 #toadstool #mushrooms #mushroom #fungi #fungus #toadstools #chanterelles #foraging #autumn #september #penart #illustration
Little bit of Sunday sketching - Edinburgh’s old buildings stepped up the hill. Not sure if I’m done - need to live with it a little bit 🤔 #edinburgh #scotland #sketching #drawing #blackpen #buildings #architecture #historicbuildings
August 31, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Little bit of Sunday sketching - Edinburgh’s old buildings stepped up the hill. Not sure if I’m done - need to live with it a little bit 🤔 #edinburgh #scotland #sketching #drawing #blackpen #buildings #architecture #historicbuildings
Thanks @goodhousekeeping.bsky.social for using my teeny tiny book review in your October issue!
August 30, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Thanks @goodhousekeeping.bsky.social for using my teeny tiny book review in your October issue!
Guess that’s why they call it the blues… inadvertently only read books with blue covers this month. So many 4-star reads - I must be feeling the book love!
In photo, book covers for:
The Rush - Beth Lewis ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Cover Her Face - PD James ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Dead of Winter - Stuart MacBride ⭐️⭐️⭐️
In photo, book covers for:
The Rush - Beth Lewis ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Cover Her Face - PD James ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Dead of Winter - Stuart MacBride ⭐️⭐️⭐️
August 30, 2025 at 10:21 AM
Guess that’s why they call it the blues… inadvertently only read books with blue covers this month. So many 4-star reads - I must be feeling the book love!
In photo, book covers for:
The Rush - Beth Lewis ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Cover Her Face - PD James ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Dead of Winter - Stuart MacBride ⭐️⭐️⭐️
In photo, book covers for:
The Rush - Beth Lewis ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Cover Her Face - PD James ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Dead of Winter - Stuart MacBride ⭐️⭐️⭐️
What says Christmas more than a Tina Turner tree topper?! 😂 My punch needle music legends all start off with a gingerbread template. So, who’s next? I’m thinking maybe Freddie Mercury, or Amy Winehouse? 🤔 #punchneedle #needlepunch #handcrafted #christmas #treetopper #decoration #legend #tinaturner
August 24, 2025 at 10:57 AM
What says Christmas more than a Tina Turner tree topper?! 😂 My punch needle music legends all start off with a gingerbread template. So, who’s next? I’m thinking maybe Freddie Mercury, or Amy Winehouse? 🤔 #punchneedle #needlepunch #handcrafted #christmas #treetopper #decoration #legend #tinaturner
Saturday morning was brought to you by the letter P for Pilates, plus Pirates in a chapter or two of @dougskelton.bsky.social Ship of Thieves, and Pastel de Nata at De Oliveira’s - aaaaargh! #pilates #pirates #piecesofeight #jonasflynt #historicfiction #pasteldenata #potuguesepastry
August 16, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Saturday morning was brought to you by the letter P for Pilates, plus Pirates in a chapter or two of @dougskelton.bsky.social Ship of Thieves, and Pastel de Nata at De Oliveira’s - aaaaargh! #pilates #pirates #piecesofeight #jonasflynt #historicfiction #pasteldenata #potuguesepastry
It’s 1898 in the frozen Canadian wilderness, when 100,000 prospectors looking for gold migrated to the Yukon over just 3 years.
The Rush by Beth Lewis is the story of 4 women who, through choice or circumstance, end up in lawless Dawson City.
It’s the story of a murder…
The Rush by Beth Lewis is the story of 4 women who, through choice or circumstance, end up in lawless Dawson City.
It’s the story of a murder…
August 10, 2025 at 9:27 AM
It’s 1898 in the frozen Canadian wilderness, when 100,000 prospectors looking for gold migrated to the Yukon over just 3 years.
The Rush by Beth Lewis is the story of 4 women who, through choice or circumstance, end up in lawless Dawson City.
It’s the story of a murder…
The Rush by Beth Lewis is the story of 4 women who, through choice or circumstance, end up in lawless Dawson City.
It’s the story of a murder…
Yes, it’s Ozzy, the bat-biting Prince of Darkness immortalised in punch needle! Because why wouldn’t you want the heavy metal legend as a gingerbread man treetopper?! #punchneedle #needlepunch #treetopper #gingerbreadman #christmas #ozzy #ozzyosbourne #blacksabbath #legend #heavymetal #rock
August 8, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Yes, it’s Ozzy, the bat-biting Prince of Darkness immortalised in punch needle! Because why wouldn’t you want the heavy metal legend as a gingerbread man treetopper?! #punchneedle #needlepunch #treetopper #gingerbreadman #christmas #ozzy #ozzyosbourne #blacksabbath #legend #heavymetal #rock
And breathe… little stretch of the legs to kick off the weekend #methley #yorkshire #august #summer #clouds
August 8, 2025 at 5:29 PM
And breathe… little stretch of the legs to kick off the weekend #methley #yorkshire #august #summer #clouds
The purple people pleaser himself takes his place in my legends line-up! Prince is my latest gingerbread man Christmas treetopper. Made using punch needle, fabric and felting #punchneedle #needlepunch #embroiderythread #prince #gingerbreadmen #christmas #treetopper #legend #purple #bowie #eltonjohn
August 2, 2025 at 8:50 PM
The purple people pleaser himself takes his place in my legends line-up! Prince is my latest gingerbread man Christmas treetopper. Made using punch needle, fabric and felting #punchneedle #needlepunch #embroiderythread #prince #gingerbreadmen #christmas #treetopper #legend #purple #bowie #eltonjohn
August 1, 2025 at 7:14 PM