A fabulous holiday - Rob and I spent last week in Austria and Switzerland on an Alpine Winter Holiday - it was wonderful - words cannot describe the views and the places.

Just a few pictures - I took well over two hundred photos and so it is difficult to condense down to a few just to share with you.






We went on the Alpine Glacier Express in Switzerland and this is just one view from the panoramic train carriage - it was wonderful
















Trees just covered in snow as we travelled in a cable car


















Oh look at this lovely cup of tea in the most friendly of little restaurants in Innsbrook - we also had goulash soup and apple strudel yum yum!!!

















What a lovely view this was in Bregenz
















Another cable car this time descending

We were lucky to have super people on the coach journey with us and it made for a lovely holiday. Oh wow the wool shops in Austria and Switzerland are out of this world, we found a couple of dressmaking fabric shops and it was like going into a little piece of heaven. There was a lovely patchwork shop but they did not have anything specifically Swiss they were all Kona Bay, Stoffe & Moda - home from home!!!!!

Then we found an Aquatic shop with some wonderful fish and Marine fish layouts and as that is Rob's next project we are having a Marine Tank with live rock and corals and wonderful fish so we got some good ideas from this centre.

Oh also the train layout in the shed looks like it might be being changed to an Alpine scene - from our bedroom window in Switzerland there was the most beautiful scene with of course a railway coming out of a tunnel before our very eyes - so our 1940's layout looks to be beached and an Alpine one on the way!!!!!


The wood carvings were fabulous and I should have put a picture of them on, but will just save that for later.

So now I am back - the house move is happening on Friday and we are all packed in boxes - have to keep moving or I might get put in one!!!! Poppy did not enjoy her stay at the cattery this time and has lost some weight but we can sort that out for her quite quickly I am sure!!!

Well Caroline's wedding invitations are out she has made them all and they look lovely - more about this on a later blog.

Must dash as I am trying to finish quilting a quilt and am nearly there - so once that is done I shall take some photos to share.

Well I have been so remiss in blogging recently and do apologise to anyone who looks at my blog and there is nothing new being shown.

Well we have exchanged contracts on our house and actually move on 4th February - which is very exciting - we have started packing and Poppy is busy supervising to make sure we are doing it all as it should be - also she is very pleased to have the shelf unit all to herself to sleep in!!!!


I have been playing with little bags and sewing cases, it started with making a bag to put the controls for my sewing machine in - and I made one for everyone - but I have not taken a photo of them - silly me!

I have made this sewing case which is really useful for putting all sorts of bits and pieces in.

I made these three bags for Angela as part of her Birthday present - a scissor case, a rotary cutter holder and a miscellaneous bag for putting Angela's glasses in so she does not loose them

I also made Angela a sewing case as well - which she is finding very useful.

Art & Stitch has been incredibably busy and today we have a full workshop doing Anne Stacey's Sampler Quilt Course. We are updating the workshop programme and will be putting lots of extra workshops in.

Well Happy New Year (okay somewhat belatedly) to everyone who reads my blog.

Gosh I cannot believe we are at the 7th of the month already - it seems to have flown by - soon be Christmas!!!!!

I do hope everyone had good holidays and New Year breaks - our family get togethers all went very well and it was lovely to have them all around.
Today is my eldest son's 30th Birthday - wow - he was most miffed as he has an important meeting at work today and when he jokingly said oh nice Birthday present - the Big Big Boss said oh that will be good you can bring the cakes!!!!! So he was up at 6 15 am to cycle to the station get his train to Kings Cross cycle to Kennington and purchase cakes on the way!!!

I meant to bring in an uptodate photo but forgot - here he is with his sister and baby brother many years ago he would have been six at the time but I love this photo of the three of them.
















Well Art & Stitch has been mega busy since Christmas - so not much time for creativity at present. Though I wanted to share these - we have a group once a month and we are making a Mystery Quilt - they had to choose their colours and I have been feeding them the parts of the blocks (well Block one at present) and here are their first blocks all put together - they have to make thirteen of these and then we have to start Block Two and I shall drip feed them the parts of this as well. Then they have got a pieced border to make - yeh I am soo pleased with all their first Blocks and it is amazing how the colours have all come together. I managed to sigh with relief when they were all happy with the results!!

So as this project progresses I shall show you more of their efforts.

I have got several quilts to layer and finish - but hey ho they will get done at some stage.

Life seems hectic we are still awaiting a date for the house move though it is moving slowly slowly forwards.

Right well today I intend to make a scissor case for my new shears that I got for Christmas so must go and see if I can make head nor tail of the pattern I have.

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.