I have started gardening!

We had a few nice days when the sun was shining, so out came my secateurs and I started to prune my roses.  I've got most of them done just got a couple of climbers to have a go at.  The ground is still very wet (paddy field wet) that I can't do much more than that.  Thought you may like a couple of photos of flowers to remind us that spring is coming.

 

 

This is a window box that I planted up with cyclamens, sorry the photo is not that good, you can see the reflection of the house opposite.

This coming Tuesday is Shrove Tuesday, so don't forget to make your pancakes.  I usually just have sugar and lemon juice with mine, but I have bought some maple syrup for something different. 
 I am still stitching my Christmas table centre for my DD, I have appliqued and stitched around each applique with blanket stitches.  Just starting on the embroidery really enjoying doing it.  My theory is that if I start stitching it now it should be ready for Christmas this year.

The other night whilst I was lying in bed trying to sleep I started to think about some of the toys I had as a child (don't ask why)  a kaleidoscope, jigsaw puzzles, snap card game, a John Bull printing set, loads of books, a teddy bear and a g------- (can't say the name), all came to my mind.  I always wanted a doll that cried but never had one and a bike but my parents wouldn't let me have one they said it was too dangerous, as there were too many hills!!  Just think what the children get today. 

I have to go off shopping, when I get chance, to buy some Appletons crewel wool, I have seen a pattern of a cauliflower which is a pin cushion, in the Australian magazine Inspirations. I love this magazine it has some beautiful stitching in it, it lives up to its name as it is inspirational. 

I have to catch up with reading your blogs.  Do you know where the time goes?  You think you are all organised and before you know it that's another week gone, or is that an age thing.  Thankyou for visiting my blog and get your pancake pan out ready, and don't forget to toss them.

The weather is so awful, no excuse needed to sit and sew!

It's true, the weather is so dreadful that after all necessary housework and cooking is done, all that you can do is sew, now that is being positive!

  I have finished my picture of anemones, just have to get it framed and that will cost me an arm and a leg.  I hope you like it, and I hope my friend likes it when I give it to her.  She lives in Spain and we are going over to stay in June, but we are only taking hand luggage so I won't be able to have glass in the frame, I know all these rules can be a nuisance (I can't even take a sewing needle on board) but they are for our benefit.

 

 

 

I have even started knitting again, this is a pair of wrist warmers I am making, I am using wool that looks like a fair isle pattern when knitted. 

 

I have also started sewing a Christmas mat for the table for my DD.  The photo doesn't show clearly the pattern that I have copied on the material, but the following photo shows you a little clearer what it is.  I have appliqued the pieces on then I shall blanket stitch around each piece, there is also lots of embroidery to be done.  I am enjoying it so far!

June and I went to a craft show last Saturday, we were disappointed that there wasn't more sewing supplies, there was lots and lots of card making stuff.  We did manage to find some goodies, photos next time. 

These are the 3 friends that I have been going to craft shows with for years, Pauline and Margaret enjoy card making ,whilst June and I are into our sewing.  We were just having a brief respite before we went back on the hunt.

This is June and I, we are just starting to wilt, but we still had enough energy to make sure we hadn't missed anything.

June kept saying ' I hate having my photo taken,' so a good excuse then for the 3 of us to try and make her laugh by saying things to her!  (We kept it clean - no naughty words) 
We were all absolutely shattered, when we arrived home but great fun.  Our next outing is at the end of April to the Craft Show at Shepton Mallett, I must start saving again.

Thankyou for visiting me blog, in particular any new visitors, it's great fun here in blog land.  Keep warm/cool/dry which ever applies to you.

I think I may have solved it, keep your fingers crossed.

 

I dug this picture out just to show you, my friends, that Spring is coming.  I did a series of pictures showing the 4 seasons, and I always meant to hang them together as a group, but they are still waiting in the box for DH to get his hammer and nails out.  I think I am going to save up for a new camera, as I can't get really good closeups with this camera. 

 

 

 

A group of women in my village are sewing a large wall hanging, we are planning to include as many of the more significant buildings in the village as we can.  This is my contribution it has been done with applique, unfortunately the colour looks a bit washed out.  The building used to be the village Primary School until they built a new one.  My father went there back at the beginning of the last century, I did back in the 40s and 50s and my children did until the new school was built.  The original building was first used back in the 19th century, with bits added on as the village grew.  It is now used as the village community centre, with lots of different activities for young and old. 

 

Isn't it amazing you start the new year thinking I have only 1 project to do and finish (the one above) when all of a sudden you have 3 more projects to add to the list.  I have finished the wall hanging one, and I am busy doing a piece for the next exchange, plus the present for a friend and a table runner for Christmas for my DD.  I guess that is the same for all of us, but as women we can cope.  We are frequently doing 2 jobs at the same time NO PROBS!  Hopefully I can leave my thinking cap on the side as hopefully the uploading of photos has been solved (tounch wood).  I will be back with you soon.

Just the right weather for staying in by the fire and stitching

We have had a few flurries of snow this morning with heavy snow forecast for tomorrow, so where better to be than by a cosy fire and your favourite stitching all to hand.  I have started a new piece as a present for a friend .  It is from a book called 'Flower Portraits in Cross Stitch' by Thea Gouverneur, if you ever get the chance to look at this book, do, as it has some beautiful flowers in there.  I hope you can see that it is an Anemone, when I was a child I always pronounced it as amenome!  The book illustration is on the left, and it's still work in progress so I will let you know how I get on.



I have partially solved the problem of uploading photos on to my blog, still can't do it as normal, so I am using HTML -whatever that means.  I sometimes wonder how I ever manage to do a blog, I feel an absolute dunce at times, but without the help I have received from you, my friends, I think I would have a fit of the screaming hab dabs!!!!  But I am still here, enjoying doing the blog and reading all your blogs.

I shouldn't have just typed that, now my HTML is not playing ball, and won't let me upload any photos.  If you see blue smoke rising from my neck of the woods you will know it is me, I am not going to be beaten by a machine so I shall persevere.  I had some more photos I wanted to show you, but they will have to wait for another time.

GD2 is back to Uni on Saturday, so tomorrow I thought I would bake her some goodies, her favourite is Lemon Drizzle Cake.  Good 'old Nan'! 

I guess the next thing on the calendar is Valentines Day and then Easter.  Why do shops sell Hot Cross Buns all year round, as they are supposedly an Easter dish.  I always refuse to buy them in protest, though I don't think it makes any difference to the shops profit but I feel better.

I am now going to put on my thinking cap and see if I can solve this latest mystery with uploading photos.  It has been great being with you all again and I trust you will all keep safe and well.

Decorations down - back to normal (ish)

Hello everyone, yes the decorations have been taken down and put in their respective boxes.  I had to buy a new box this year just for the decorations that I've made and the table linen, so who is an organised girl, just so long as I don't forget where I have put them!

My computer seems to playing silly devils with me today, I can't put any photos on my blog, I will have to check with my DS.  It will be just words today.

This morning whilst lying in bed realised a luxury, now I am retired, and the weather is lousy I can lie in bed with a delicious cup of tea and listen to the wind howling and the rain pouring down and know I don't have to go out in it.  Lucky lucky me.  Apologies to all you working girls, your turn will come.

I have started sewing with a vengeance again, after the Christmas break.  I was intending to show you photos of what I am up to, next time - hopefully. 

All the bulbs in the garden are poking their heads above the soil, let's hope they don't change their minds and turn around and snuggle back into the soil.  I really want to get out into the garden and prune my roses and generally tidy up, but the ground is absolutely sodden.  I reckon if we get much more rain our island will just float away down the English Channel.  Just been watching about the awful fires in Australia, it must be terrifying for the people, they reckon it's the hottest weather they have had in living memory, and knowing how hot it was around the Med and US last year it makes you wonder about global warming.

Only 16 more days until June and I go off on our expedition to another craft show, I am really looking forward to it.  I will start writing my list of things to look out for.

I hope you like the new header photo, managed to get out in the garden and pick these flowers, there's Winter Flowering Jasmin, Primroses and Winter Sweet now that has quite an insignificant flower but the perfume is delicious, I even found my Honeysuckle in bud.

Bye for now girls, be back with you soon, hopefully with photos.  Take care.

Missed you all.

It is ages since I have written to you, and I have missed you all.  I haven't even checked all your blogs.  Christmas is a very busy time for all us ladies, but I am so glad to be back with you, whether you are an old friend or new to my blog.  I hope you all had a great time, and I send you my very best wishes for a happy and healthy 2013.  (note to self, remember to write 2013 and not 2012).


I thought I would show you a picture that I stitched a few years ago, I just loved the colours they were so vibrant, a pity they don't come across in the photo.  I haven't done any stitching for a couple of weeks, and I am suffering withdrawal symptons!!  I have seen a design by Lynette Anderson in her new book, 'Stitch it for Christmas', it's for a round table runner, not sure if that is the correct name.  I quite fancy doing that for next Christmas.  I also have it in my head to do a snowdrop in stump work.  But who knows, I just have to get myself organised.

These are the gingerbread men, two of my granddaughters made, we used the  ready made icing out of a tube, which didn't taste that brilliant, shan't use that next time. The biscuits themselves tasted great.

These are the marzipan sweets they made, the sweets are very moreish!!

 

 

How about my Chocolate Log, it is a fatless sponge, which I rolled up as soon as it came out of the oven, and that was fun. (I don't think) and when cooled iced with chocolate butter icing, and then into the freezer.  It froze beautifully so no worries there.

The last baking photo is of the Shortbread biscuits, which we loved, very crisp and buttery.  I just love butter, no low fat spreads for me!

 

 

This is a wall hanging which I appliqued a couple of years ago, had great fun doing it.  Can you spot Rudolph?

Had a New Year's day drink with a couple of friends yesterday, they asked if I was interested in going to a craft fair at the end of January. Now what a silly question, YES PLEASE!!!!!!!  My DH just can't understand why I should want to go to another craft show, he reckons I have enough supplies going to the day I die.  What does he know, they are always bringing out new stuff and I wouldn't want to miss anything.  What do you girls think?  I hope June can make it, as we have great fun comparing what we have bought. 

I just have to mention the rain and flooding we have had (the weather is a common complaint on my blog) but it has been dreadful, we have had non stop rain, and non stop snow in USA.  I am praying for a proper Spring and Summer this year.

I guess the decoration will have to come down soon, the holly is starting to dry up and drop leaves and berries.  I reckon once that is done it will be back to normal or whatever goes for being normal.  Keep well all of you, stay away from cold and cough bugs, I am now going to catch up with reading all your blogs.  It has been absolutely super dooper being with you all again.

Thinking of Christmas' past!

You know how it is you start thinking of friends and family that have left us.  I am a war baby (the second world war - just in case you had any doubt!) so things were in short supply, my Mum used to iron the christmas wrapping paper for use next year and roll up the string to re-use.  Our christmas dinner was a chicken, which was a real treat, we used to have a large tin of fancy biscuits, but we were never allowed to go onto the bottom layer until the top layer was finished, even if the biscuits left weren't very appealing.  Can you remember early in the morning feeling with your foot at the bottom of the bed to see if Father Christmas had left you something, and yes I did have an orange in the toe of my stocking, fruit was in very short supply, Mum told me that the first time I saw a banana I tried to eat the skin as well.  How Mum used to give us such great time I don't know, she must have saved and collected things for ages quite a challenge.  Surprising what you can do when you have to. Very different to now, we are so lucky and we mustn't forget it. 

Had a great day with the scouts in the village the other day, we planted over 100 trees (saplings) we are looking to the future.  My youngest granddaughter is in the front of this photo, she absolutely loves scouting and the things they get up to.

 

Here they all are after planting a Royal Oak!!  Just think they will be able to tell their grandchildren that they planted these trees!

 

 

Thought you may like to see a couple of pieces I did a couple of years ago, I love beading especially at christmas, it just gives that little bit extra.  How are you all getting on, finished your cards and present shopping?  I've decided to have a go at making Gingerbread Men this year, bought my cutter just have to find a recipe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I still have to get out my decorations, 2 of my granddaughters have volunteered.  (I haven't told them yet), but I'm sure they will jump at the chance.

 

It is getting colder here, been having frosty mornings but the weatherman tells us there is more rain to come, can you believe it.

 

Thankyou for visiting me, and a warm welcome to new visitors I hope you have enjoyed coming.  Take care everyone and don't get too panicky abouit christmas I am sure everything will work out just fine.