Well on my return from Debden last Thursday evening - Rob went all lovely and went down on his knees and proposed - oh wow!!! I managed to mumble a yes amongst the tears!! Well we went shopping for a ring yesterday and was lucky that the one I liked fitted perfectly so here it is.

We told the family last night and some of them had put two and two together and Ericha came armed with a congratultions card made for us - talk about being open books eh!!

We had a wonderful evening they were all so pleased for us and looking forward to helping to plan the wedding. We think that will be September 2012. So I am on cloud nine.

Oh Ericha suggested I should make a patchwork dress - not so sure about that though!!!

So I had to share this - promise not to be too boring about it - though I cannot actually promise to keep that one!!!

Debden

Wow well I have just spent a fabulous four days at Debden Houses in Epping Forest with some lovely ladies and Anne Stacey as our mentor - it was superb - the food was good - the company was great and Anne was soo so patient and helpful - well here are some of the things I tried:

I will apologise for the slight out of focus photos as I used my phone and obviously need to master keeping it steady!!

Well I took some projects one that I thought would take me alot longer than it did - so with Anne's guidance I went into really random with wacky stars - oh it was such such fun I loved it and somewhat out of my comfort zone but here is the piece I got done so now I have to put borders on and I cannot wait.

Well the project I had in mind to do was a Radient Star I have never been brave enough to do it and so I went armed with my fabrics my book and here is the finished results. I loved it it was such great fun

The first sections going together

Then the finished article just needs backing and turning into a fully fledged wall hanging.

It is better in the flesh.

Then Anne showed me how to put drunken path together and again I turned random and bright

this time.

Debden was wonderful it is soo lovely to be able to sit and sew and not have to worry about cooking or anything. The foods as always was out of this world and now I need to diet!!

Right some random items below - I bought Rob a trip to Vinopolis in London for his birthday so I was lucky enough to be able to go to!! We had a great day a fabulous sunday roast then we went around tasting lots and lots of different wines - some were absolutely gorgeous - then we had a Bombay Shapphire Cocktail - for which I was in my element as I adore those

Now I am soo pleased with our water lily - we had to move the fish pond when we moved house in February and they all five fish and the lily went into a holding tank and are still there until we plan exactly where we want to put it - but the fish are thriving and here is the first flower there is a second bud coming so I am very happy. I adore lilies they are such pretty flowers.

Now I am chuffed about this - I had sat and hand quilted and beaded this wallhanging ages ago and it was hanging in the shop - well a very discerning lady came in and bought it so that is my first thing I have sold yeh!!! It was lovely and I actually hesitated whether to let her have it - I felt very protective of it!!!

So now I have to do another one which will be fun.

Right well I have to go and do some more to my wacky stars and then when it is finished I will let you all see it.

Well I finished it yeh - all done and I am so pleased with it - I have entered this in the Festival of Quilts, so off it went by courier this week so I shall look forward to seeing it hung at the NEC.
















I decided to be adventureous with my quilting and this is a snippet of it.

I had this out in the living room on monday when Caroline came in for her lunch - and she has decided that she just has to have it!!! She doesn't know where she is putting it but she is adament that it is now hers!!.

Well here is the corner of my quilt that I am busy doing at the moment - this is a lovely colourful one and I am enjoying quilting it - will take some more pictures as it comes along.
So many ends to sew in though.















Well in case you all thought you had heard the last of the wedding - sorry you haven't!!
This is one of the cakes I made for them - they did not want one big wedding cake they wanted 'Mum's' Cakes made by Nic's Mum also a Pam and myself and they made cupcakes. It was a lovely selection and everyone enjoyed them.
















Caroline and Nic wanted their day to be unsusual and different and fun and they had all this wedding memorabilia made and put on a table as everyone went into the venue - what fun!!
















This is the bridal Suite at the Talbot Hotel in Oundle how lovely is that bed and the bath was an enormous roll top one.















I currently have the flowers that were on the mantle at the venue on my kitchen windowsill - they are soo lovely and colourful and keeping really well.
















Okay so lastly proud Mum again these are my two baby boys dancing away together - don't they look lovely I am the luckiest Mum ever I think.

The proudest moment ever - walking my darling daughter up the aisle for her wedding day. The rain had stopped the sun had come out - the venue was beautiful. We had spent hours on the friday evening tying the bows on the chairs and putting seat covers on. The florist had done a fabulous job with the flowers and the bouquets were beautiful.















They were both quite nervous but they had written their own vows and well I do not think there was a dry eye in the venue - my youngest son was very emotional.













The Talbot at Oundle was a perfect venue the setting for photographs could not have been better - they make a lovely couple although I have to admit to being biased!!!














Rob and I - so proud so lovely













The whole theme for the wedding was colourful and the bridesmaids were in teal and purple with bright bouquets

The whole event ran so smoothly the Registrar was a lovely lady and put everyone at ease so smoothly - what a wonderful job seeing folks so happy!

Now back down to earth with a bang - they are away on Honeymoon in Rome and Sorrento and I suspect having a wonderful time - I do hope so.

Well I had planned to post last week with photos of the cakes I had made for the wedding, but I could blame blogger put suspect that as I was on the laptop at home I probably did something wrong and it did not upload. Still the Mums Cakes were superb and worth the effort. The camera with pictures is at home - I am not very organised.

Well lunch calls and some quilting. Will be back soon.

Well here I am at last - it always seems to be that when I get time to blog it is a good couple of weeks between each time.

Well time has flown and been busy - I had a birthday at the weekend and my wonderful family spoilt me rotten - they all came over to see me and then Rob took me out for a surprise meal in the evening so all in all it was a lovely day. I had some lovely gifts from Barbara, Angela & Dawn - Barbara made me a beautiful pin cushion and I shall take a photo and put on the blog in a day or so - forgot to take a photo - big whoops!! Also Dawn made me a beautiful doll and she is at home so must take a photo of her too!

It was Barbaras birthday a couple of days before mine and I made her these two bags - the criteria was that her purse had to fit the bag the one I use is too small for her !!

On the subject of bags we have a lovely display in the front of the shop of all different bags so thought I would take a photo of them all.

Yeh I have finished a quilt - this one was a class we had a few weeks ago and I have finally got it all quilted and bound - it looks lovely I love the colours even if I do say so myself!!

Now look at this little fellow how gorgeous is he - we have got these panels in at work so I sat and handquilted him in the evenings and it is lovely - just need the grandchild!! No pressure eh!!

Well time is running away with us and only two weeks to the wedding now - big day !!! I am wearing my very high heeled shoes to get them broken in - and the dress is in my sewing room, the lads all have new suits - my dress is in the wardrobe - so fingers crossed for a sunny day.

Well it is ages since I last posted - I really do not know where the time goes. My lovely Rob bought me a helicopter experience for part of my Christmas pressie so last Sunday we went to Bicester in Oxfordshire and I had a fabulous time. Unfortunately it was a little wet - but still really really great.
















We have got these fabulous flower makers in the shop and I have been putting these together. Some of them need finishing but I will get them done - great for embellishing bags etc. etc.

I made this lovely bag with a Bali Pop - and Rpb's Mum liked it so much I have finished it off for her to have. And with the little bits left over I made a small purse to go inside.

I love Hand quilting and have been doing this at home so yesterday I finished it off with a lovely piece of Batik fabric for the piping and the back. I am really really pleased with it. It is nice to get some bits finished.

We had a bag course at the shop and one lady came who had not done any quilting before and here is her little bag. They are so versitile and useful these little bags and a good starter day as the ladies can go away with a finished item.