My Heart Wreath - I am so pleased with it - it looks lovely hanging on my cupboard

I love Christmas - and am looking forward to having all my family around sometime over the festive season.

So just a quick post to say Happy Christmas to anyone who reads my blog and Happy New Year see you all in 2011 (as I doubt I shall get time to post between now and then)

I decided to play around with some left over strips and started making a bag so our fashion model is displaying the part finished article!!!!! Poor Barbara she always gets landed with these photos!

Walking to our garage this morning, I just felt the trees looked so beautiful so my phone had to come out and take a few pictures.

Not many sleeps to Christmas - have got most of the parcels packed the tree is up and the rest of the decorations in place and so far Poppy has left well alone yeh!!

Well Christmas is creeping steadily closer and all of a sudden the last couple of days I have started to feel like I should get myself into the Christmas spirit.



So here is the first batch of mince pies, we had a Christmas Bauble workshop and I made them for that to go with Angela's mulled fruit juice - really nice.








Today I thought I would do something different so I have made Mary Berry's mincemeat buns, just to see what they are like!!!












The Christmas cakes are made and have been regularly fed with brandy and now they are dressed and ready - yum I hope they taste okay!!











My youngest son Mark has been going through a bit of a tough time, so he and I went to Milton Keynes to do his Christmas shopping - and I couldn't resist this photo of the cows! Mark thought I was madder than usual - as he is too young to know anything about their origins!








Caroline has bought this dress for her work's Christmas party and for Liz's wedding - but it needed some minor adjustment so Mum's sewing machine was required! I didn't get her feet in the photo but the height of the heels - she adores bright colours.

We are off wedding dress hunting this coming weekend and she is fizzing literally!!




Well I have a quilt to finish for a christmas pressie and some odds and ends to tidy up so must dash.

Well it is absolutely ages since I sat down to blog - several excuses - waffle waffle waffle - but I am back at last!!

Suffice to say the shingles has all gone, the post herpetic neuralga is well and truly on the wane I do not have to take the dog tablets anymore - the tablets I had were the same as Angela's dog was on!!! You can imagine the mirth that has caused us all.

Anyway I am now back with a vengence and have just returned from a wonderful weekend at Debden House with Anne Stacey. We arrived on friday to a beautiful vista of the lovely old house in snowy surroundings. The workshop was waiting for us and we all started with a vengence!

The view of the side of the house

Ane the photo below is from Dawn and my Bedroom window

Here is Dawn modelling the overdoor hanging that she made!!!

I couldn't resist this photo as the snow melted on the block paved path - it is lovely

Anne had bought loads and loads of ideas for us all to make and here is my Christmas tree as work in progress and then as finished.

Now on Thursday before I went I decided I wanted to use the batiks we had and make a pattern in a magazine I had. Anyway this is how it is turning out - looking good - just got to sort borders now.

Right well I will endeavour to keep my blog up to date more regularly and as I am on 84 posts now have to think about a giveaway for the 100th which will be in the New Year now. Yeh Christmas is looming very soon - I love Christmas and love having all my family around.

Right last night I started making my Christmas Cards - Angela still says I am mad - but I think they look pretty okay - just have to do inserts and write them now!!!

So now I have to do some christmas presents and get organised - well try to!!!

Christmas fun - for some unknown reason I always make my own Christmas cards - they have been cross stitched, stamped and numerous other ways over the years I have been doing them and this year Ithought it would be a good way to use up some of those scraps of material that I have in my boxes - now I just have to make them into cards - also if I am to make all my cards as usual (which Angela feels I am absolutely loopy for so doing!) I need to pull my finger out and do some more and quickly!!

But I have enjoyed sitting playing with these and the suffolk puffs are lovely - actually I may just go to M & S and buy cards and keep all of these!!!
















Aston Quilters are in month two of their Mystery Quilt and these are two of the components of the first block - there was quite alot of moaning at the size of the pieces but they are all secretly enjoying the challenge and I am sure that once the quilt is finished they will be well pleased with it.














I have actually put the first block together but I am not going to show that just yet - but it looks lovely!!!

Now I am about to start thinking about Christmas presents - it is getting far too close and I have not made any yet!!! oh well I guess a last minute rush is good for me!!!!!

Well it has been ages since I last sat down and updated my blog - lots of things have been happening - Art & Stitch is now two years old - where has the time gone to.

We had lost the buyer on our house and now resold again so the move is back on at some stage once the Solicitors have done their bit.

We have now got the new Go fabric cutter in the shop and this week I have cut out the pieces on it to put a top together - but in my normal fashion no photo, will do so next week once together.
Angela has done the same quilt in different fabrics so be interesting to see how they look once finished.

















We had a brilliant workshop yesterday at Art & Stitch - and Angela will kill me for taking her photo as she doesn't like to be caught on camera! Angela was not doing the workshop she is quilting her quilt top so I had to snap her in action!!!!

Here are all the other ladies and their blocks they all look so lovely and we had a super day - I couldn't have coped without Barbara's help she was great helping everyone for me.

Don't they all look lovely - it is a time consuming quilt but so well worth while made with two jelly rolls. I am looking forward to seeing them all put together and ready for quilting.

We had a lovely family weekend - out with Rob's daughter Liz and her fiancee on Saturday and Mum for her 82nd birthday treat.

We went to Belton House nr Grantham which was lovely - Alistair has taken lots of photos but I have not got them yet. The weather was awful but the food was good there!!

Then Sunday we set off for London






Cannon Hill Common, Morden Surrey on 24th October 2010. It was my sister's 64th birthday so as a family we trooped down to have lunch with her - the sensible folks drove down the M25, I took us via the North Circular and guess what the police had closed the whole road, we were diverted into the depths of who knows where - so we were last to arrive!!
















Anyway we all went for a walk in inappropriate footwear across the common - and it was a lovely sunny day so all good. I grew up here and spent many happy hours on the common and then subjected the kids to the same as they grew up.




















Well this is my daughter and her fiancee Nic - they are so happy and now we have a lovely wedding to plan.

Well another momentous week in our household - my daughter has become engaged and plans to marry next summer - it is wonderful she is soo over the moon and happy - we are going to see her and her fiancee tonight so shall take some photos - I am obviously a very proud Mum!!!

Well I have been struggling to get any sewing done - we have been so busy in the shop but at last I have got this scrappy quilt top put together - It is the leftovers from my quilt along quilt and so I put it together like this - now wadded and basted just need to find time to quilt it!!














Anyway Caroline (my lovely daughter) is having a Halloween party at her flat - then she will be moving in with Nic the new fiancee - yeh. Anyway today with Angela and Barbara's help I have made her some bunting. Barbara has kindly modelled for me!!!

I think Barbara has done a sterling job - think if she plans to wear them as a bikini I should have enlarged them!!!!!!

So I am pleased with these and think that Caroline will be as well.

I am the luckiest Mum in the world with the best family ever!!!

Well it is ages since I last sat down to update my blog - no excuses - I do not seem to have had time to turn around. I love reading other blogs and everyone else seems to have much more time in their days and so much more creativity than I do.

Hey Ho as usual life has been hectic, we have offered on a house and been accepted and instructed Solicitors and started paying out for fees etc. etc. etc. - but oh we are soo happy it is a lovely house.

Art & Stitch has been lovely and busy and yesterday Rob and I went to the Cambridge Quilters with the shop - they were making heart shaped cushions for the breastcare unit at Addenbrookes and it was lovely to see all the ladies working away. Rob and I had a lovely day and it was nice he came with me for company.















I have been doing lots of little bits and pieces and have incidentally started my Christmas Card making - but I am not going to show them on the blog as they will not be a surprise to anyone who I send cards to! Although my family normally end up routing through the boxes trying to choose which card they want!!!

Anyway the picture above is a wall hanging I have started to make which will hopefully look lovely when done - it is so easy to do and I am sitting doing them whilst watching the tele - so all good.
Now today, one of our ladies has come in to do a course with us and bought in two cushion covers that she had started with me on the crazy Cushion Workshop - aren't they lovely - it so nice to see the finished articles from people.

So now I think I shall try and finish my wallhanging - I have three quilts to finish - some Christmas presents to make - oh well I guess it will all get done one day.

Monday my daughter and I are off for some retail therapy together which will be good fun and next weekend is my sister's 64th birthday so a family outing is planned. It is also Rob's daughters Birthday same day - so next weekend is hectic which will be lovely - must take some photos.

Well not sure where to start as have had a really good few days! One of the best bits of news was I had my yearly check up yesterday and all clear - so now three years on and all clear - so although you tell yourself it is going to be good it is great to hear those words from the Consultant. Oh by the way he had warm hands!!!! Then Caroline and I went out to lunch and it is lovely to see my daughter so happy and relaxed - she has a very nice young man in her life and I am soo proud of her!!!

Then yesterday we had an offer on the house - so it looks like we are sold - we accepted and now tonight we are out viewing - how exciting is that. I shall be having a room purely for my sewing so that will be great.

I spent Sunday in the workroom as Rob was on nights and so sleeping at home and got my 'Chase the rectangle' quilt all wadded up and basted so it is ready for quilting now - I have put a really rich dark red on the back and it looks really warm and cosy.
















On Friday I got the borders on my Quilt Along quilt and I am very pleased with them and now with the leftovers am starting another quilt so we shall wait and see what that comes out like

I have to pinch myself sometimes as I am such a lucky lady - I have a great job - great family - great friends - and good health - what more could I want!!!!















Now I had to show you this - a week or so back my friend - who has been raising money for Chesterton Church - was organising a display of crafts in the Church - so she prevailed on me for some bits and pieces - it all went very well and they raised some funds for the Church so she was very happy. Anyway at Line Dancing last night she gave me back my carrier bag of goodies (I got the bag free when my sister was buying a kettle at the le Crueset shop).
Well look who could not resist the temptation to see what was inside - she is a little madam - nothing in the house is Poppy proof!!

Well I am finally getting some sewing done, I have been doing this advent calender at home watching the tele at night - I have to have something to do or I got to sleep and miss the most important part of whatever I am watching!

I also enjoy hand quilting and beading so it is quite theraputic really





Now for the Quilt Along that Angela and I started about four weeks ago - I am behind due to the hugely excessive amounts of holiday that I have taken - if you speak to Barbara she will tell you that I always on holiday!!!














Anyway here are all my blocks put together with a small border it is lovely and such an easy pattern to make just out of a jelly roll plus borders.

Now I have gone silly and decided to do fancy borders so have cut up a layer cake to make the borders

Here they are being chain stitched and hopefully by later today they might be ready to get put on the sides of the quilt - I think it is going to look lovely and I am pleased. So another quilt to back and quilt oh well what fun - I do love doing this!!

We have just had a lovely two night stay in Blackpool. We stayed at the Hilton Hotel which was really lovely - good food etc. etc.

We were soo lucky as the weather was more than kind to us - Sunday when we arrived wasreally sunny and we went to the top of Blackpool Tower and the view was magnificant.

Then we went on the Pier - I adore Pier's I think they are just so English!



This picture was at Lytham which was a lovely little town with some super shops and we had the most gorgeous fish and chips!!

We had a tour of the lights on a tram on Monday night which was fabulous and we were in the Tram which was decorated as a Train it was lovely.

A view along the prom towards the Tower - I have to say I enjoyed Blackpool it is like a different world but was great fun and we enjoyed our trip soo much.

We went to Fleetwood and it was a strange town but oh the Wool shops they were everywhere and the market was superb - I got some lovely ribbons and really wish I had bought more.