Wednesday, 24 November 2010
Wednesday, 17 November 2010
Monday, 15 November 2010
Autumn Colours
I finally downloaded some of my Autumn photos...
I heard an 'urban legend' the other day, that if there are lots of berries around it will be a cold winter. There are lots of berries around!!!!
This picture was taken shortly before we needed a change of clothes as he got soaked!:
But he had a great time and we all enjoyed the walk from our favourite cafe to the playground where the other photos were taken...
I heard an 'urban legend' the other day, that if there are lots of berries around it will be a cold winter. There are lots of berries around!!!!
This picture was taken shortly before we needed a change of clothes as he got soaked!:
But he had a great time and we all enjoyed the walk from our favourite cafe to the playground where the other photos were taken...
Tuesday, 9 November 2010
Thursday, 28 October 2010
Before & After: Living Room Chair
Upholstery has always been something I wished I could do. A few years back I enquired at an upholstery shop if I could be apprenticed, but I was firmly talked out of it.
DS1 sits on this chair in the living room which badly needed a facelift!:
The sides unscrewed nicely so I was able to cover all the visible parts of it as well as making new cushion covers in one of my favourite Sanderson prints.
DS1 likes it very much so job done then :-)
DS1 sits on this chair in the living room which badly needed a facelift!:
The sides unscrewed nicely so I was able to cover all the visible parts of it as well as making new cushion covers in one of my favourite Sanderson prints.
DS1 likes it very much so job done then :-)
Wednesday, 27 October 2010
Tuesday, 26 October 2010
Night Class
I have been taking a night class for the last few weeks in 'Screenprinted Textiles'. When I was at school I did 'Graphics' which included screenprinting on paper and I have dabbled with a few screenprints on fabrics at home thanks to my kind brother who provided me with screens, squeegees, inks and exposures!
In this class we have been experimenting with designs and techniques using several small images.
I have learnt to try and focus. I say try and focus as I am still struggling to focus LOL.
It has been a lot of fun and I have learnt a lot from our very cool teacher. (Mixing paint is not one of them though - I am useless LOL)
Our tutor brings along inspiration:
Just like the schools we are on half term break for a week. I have homework to do for the next time we are back at class: one big design that I need to have focused on :-)
Here is a start I have made:
In this class we have been experimenting with designs and techniques using several small images.
I have learnt to try and focus. I say try and focus as I am still struggling to focus LOL.
It has been a lot of fun and I have learnt a lot from our very cool teacher. (Mixing paint is not one of them though - I am useless LOL)
Our tutor brings along inspiration:
Just like the schools we are on half term break for a week. I have homework to do for the next time we are back at class: one big design that I need to have focused on :-)
Here is a start I have made:
Thursday, 21 October 2010
I do so love red
Photos taken in a nearby town of one of our favourite restaurants...
And a beautiful bath shop...
(The dressing gown is drool-worthy, but too rich for my blood at a mere £65.00)
And a beautiful bath shop...
(The dressing gown is drool-worthy, but too rich for my blood at a mere £65.00)Wednesday, 20 October 2010
Tuesday, 19 October 2010
Toothless Tuesday
The day after he turned six, he lost his first tooth.
I was going to keep the tooth, but the tooth fairy (a.k.a. DH)
threw it, umm..., I mean took it away ;-)
I was going to keep the tooth, but the tooth fairy (a.k.a. DH)
threw it, umm..., I mean took it away ;-)
Sunday, 17 October 2010
Excuses Excuses!
There are many reasons why I am not blogging at the moment, nor reading blogs, nor keeping in touch with dear blog friends....
My apologies!
My excuses:
1) The computer is still dead.
It did look very pretty on it's way out :-)
2) My mother arrived from SA for a 7 week stay.
3) I started a night course in Textile Screenprinting :-))))
4) I am still on one crutch and going for physio and water physio twice a week.
5) Now that I am driving, I am doing ALL the fetching and carrying of kids :-(
6) I have been sewing for the occassional market...
7) I have been cleaning the sewing room and house which are in constant need of attention:
8) I have been neglecting the garden :-(
9) I have been knitting - I know, I should be quilting, but it's easier to knit and watch telly while keeping my Mother company in the evenings...
I am sure I can come up with a few more excuses, but I'll try not to!!
My apologies!
My excuses:
1) The computer is still dead.
It did look very pretty on it's way out :-)
2) My mother arrived from SA for a 7 week stay.
3) I started a night course in Textile Screenprinting :-))))
4) I am still on one crutch and going for physio and water physio twice a week.
5) Now that I am driving, I am doing ALL the fetching and carrying of kids :-(
6) I have been sewing for the occassional market...
7) I have been cleaning the sewing room and house which are in constant need of attention:
8) I have been neglecting the garden :-(
9) I have been knitting - I know, I should be quilting, but it's easier to knit and watch telly while keeping my Mother company in the evenings...
I am sure I can come up with a few more excuses, but I'll try not to!!
Wednesday, 6 October 2010
Speechless (er, I mean Wordless) Wednesday
"Don't worry" he said, "I'm just going to drill a hole" he said!
Thursday, 16 September 2010
OOPS!
Can you spot the mistake? I got 'sew' excited sewing the berries on...
...I didn't realise I'd sewn them in the wrong place until they were all sewn down!
The original doesn't call for quite so many berries!!Now I just need to decide whether I am going to take the extra berries off OR whether I am going to increase the number of berries and leaves (and vines) on my border..
Well it will be my quilt after all.
Any thoughts?
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
Wordless Wednesday
Perhaps a few words...
(Paper-pieced white borders on:)
(Painted for Linus:)
(Why I decided not to walk up the lane to meet the school bus:-D )
(Paper-pieced white borders on:)
(Painted for Linus:)
(Why I decided not to walk up the lane to meet the school bus:-D )
Thursday, 9 September 2010
Thoughts for Thursday
I am a bad blogger.
I still have no computer of my own after mine decided to die on me and I can't decide between getting my car fixed or a new computer, so at the moment I have done neither!!
I am also a bad quilter (it seems).
This past weekend was the Great North Quilt Show in Harrogate and I normally try to go most years if I can, but this year I just couldn't decide what to do. I was practically crippled by my chaos! My sewing room/space has been such a mess for so long that I decided no new fabric and no more inspiration until it gets sorted. So off to Ikea I went instead. I bought some groovy tressels for my sewing room and DH cut up a door and voila! I have a new smaller table. (We are working on the principle that if you have less horizontal space you have less mess LOL)
It is still in the process of being tidied, but it feels better already (probably just to me and not to anyone else's eye!!)
So in the interests of being a good quilter again, I picked up my Carolina Lily and have decided to crack on with the borders...
The photo below shows that I am indeed English-Paper-Piecing the entire quilt including borders:
Attaching borders has meant that I have had to cellotape large amounts of paper together...
Next I will need to cut the fabric and baste it on the papers. Then stitch the borders to the main body of quilt. Then applque the leaves and vines etc.... I may be a while :-)
The garden continues to feed us despite the most amazingly diverse weather which has included stormy nights and gusty days (where both portable greenhouses were sent flying. My poor cucumber plants needed repotting after their pots got smashed in a gale, but they are still bearing fruit regardless of the elements!)
DH has declared he is bored of the marrows/squashes so forgot to check them for a few days. I was delighted when I went to have a look myself:
A bumper crop of six!
I'm not sure they are the most interesting vegetables to eat, but they are prolific! LOL
I still have no computer of my own after mine decided to die on me and I can't decide between getting my car fixed or a new computer, so at the moment I have done neither!!
I am also a bad quilter (it seems).
This past weekend was the Great North Quilt Show in Harrogate and I normally try to go most years if I can, but this year I just couldn't decide what to do. I was practically crippled by my chaos! My sewing room/space has been such a mess for so long that I decided no new fabric and no more inspiration until it gets sorted. So off to Ikea I went instead. I bought some groovy tressels for my sewing room and DH cut up a door and voila! I have a new smaller table. (We are working on the principle that if you have less horizontal space you have less mess LOL)
It is still in the process of being tidied, but it feels better already (probably just to me and not to anyone else's eye!!)
So in the interests of being a good quilter again, I picked up my Carolina Lily and have decided to crack on with the borders...
The photo below shows that I am indeed English-Paper-Piecing the entire quilt including borders:
Attaching borders has meant that I have had to cellotape large amounts of paper together...
Next I will need to cut the fabric and baste it on the papers. Then stitch the borders to the main body of quilt. Then applque the leaves and vines etc.... I may be a while :-)
The garden continues to feed us despite the most amazingly diverse weather which has included stormy nights and gusty days (where both portable greenhouses were sent flying. My poor cucumber plants needed repotting after their pots got smashed in a gale, but they are still bearing fruit regardless of the elements!)
DH has declared he is bored of the marrows/squashes so forgot to check them for a few days. I was delighted when I went to have a look myself:
A bumper crop of six!
I'm not sure they are the most interesting vegetables to eat, but they are prolific! LOL
Tuesday, 24 August 2010
Out of England...
Last week we went to the South Lakes Wildlife Park. The weather was glorious and I almost felt like I was back in Africa (except for the motorway right next to the park LOL)
There were quite a lot of animals and the park is great with the cafe overlooking the giraffes...
There are many viewing decks for humans to observe animals (and vise versa)...
Lots of monkeys on both sides of the fences :-)
Only a week or so left of the 'summer' holidays now. I use the term summer very loosely: On Sunday we installed a water butt and 2 days later it is overflowing!
Still we have had a few train trips to the beach. The boys enjoy it no matter the weather!
There were quite a lot of animals and the park is great with the cafe overlooking the giraffes...
There are many viewing decks for humans to observe animals (and vise versa)...
Lots of monkeys on both sides of the fences :-)
Only a week or so left of the 'summer' holidays now. I use the term summer very loosely: On Sunday we installed a water butt and 2 days later it is overflowing!
Still we have had a few train trips to the beach. The boys enjoy it no matter the weather!
(Above they are standing in the rain waiting for the train!)
On another trip, we had sun, but lots of wind too. That's ok at least we're at the beach!! There are some amazing bird sculptures around and we enjoy looking out for them along with collecting stones, broken shells and driftwood that we later leave behind because Mummy and crutches and pockets full of stones don't go together at all well!
The vegetables love the rain and sun combo of the English summer :-)
Crutches and all, I decided to do a little painting...
It took 3 coats to get rid of my graffiti! In future I'll have to find another way to show my love LOL!
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