Update

Well I thought I would update my blog - I know I am terribly erratic in keeping my blog up to date, I read others who are so regular that it makes me feel very quilty.  Anyway here I am - last weekend whilst watching the Chinese Grand prix I decided to teach myself to crochet - I had previously attempted it but with no success so above is my very first granny square - it was great fun - I have made another five since - which Angela tells me is nowhere near enough and that I should be doing two a night!!  I will do some more when I find time but for the time being I am so pleased that I managed  these, even though they are very basic but it is a start.

I made these lovely table mats for our  three little girls - they are such fun and lovely girls - I thought they would like their own placemats. 

Leo came to stay last weekend as Caroline was having a 30th birthday party - he is such a gem and he likes to pose for the camera.

Well I have been making yet another bag - they call me the bag lady so I guess I have to live up to my reputation.!!

 This is such a great holdall - will be lovely for taking on holiday later this year - or an overnight bag

 Oh just look at these yummy buttons - they have just come into Art and Stitch and I had to have five - Caroline was in the shop  at the time and was horrified at my extravagence  - but they were absolutely perfect .

I do love this bag this is the side view .

I am busy making a quilt at home for a young Lass that Rob works with - it is Cake Swap and the layer cake is Dogwood Trail - it is so pretty - just need a few more hours in a day at the moment. She is really looking forward to me getting it finished.

We have just had our frontage block paved and it is gorgeous - the young gentleman is my youngest son on the phone as always!!!!

Garden fun - when Leo and Caroline came to visit on Monday he was taken out into the garden and we were showing him the fish in the pond - well splashing in the water was much more fun - he absolutley had a whale of a time - he was soaked to the skin and the fish retreated to the bottom of the pond with haste.  Caroline took a video and he is squealing his head off.

Well I have been busy - whilst trawling around the internet last week I came across a picture of a bag and it was gorgeous - so I decided to see if I could make something similiar to it- this is my attempt.

Mine is taller and narrower with larger prairie points - and multi coloured handles - obviously I do not know what the other one was like inside but they had a loop and button on the outside, but I have fitted pockets, one large enough for my kindle - need that on holiday!!  Two smaller pockets so one for the phone and have put in a zip to keep everything safe inside.  I have made the multi coloured sections on the outside into pockets as well - so it is going to be a fabulous holiday bag and I am very very pleased with it.  Barbara has already tried to take it home!!

Now I have started another large holdall - so hopefully that will go well.  I also have started a quilt at home for one of Rob's work colleaques so keeping busy  yeh!!

For some unknown reason Facebook is not allowing me to upload any photos today and I had promised some of our ladies a picture of the bag they will be able to make next Wednesday at my bag Course  at Art and Stitch.   So here it is - it is lovely a great size, nice pocket inside and really easy to do.

So come along the more the merrier!!

Just had to show you these - we have these strips of fabric in the shop and so I had to play - aren't they gorgeous such fun - Guess these just may have to go to young Leo!!!

A nice way to spend a Monday

Well Monday was a different day, my Sister Maggie is a lace maker and has a lace pillow, one of several, but this is a favorit with a roller  cushion in the centre.  Now this is apparently being worked on with some blackwork and she has another piece of lace to make with a deadline for August for a wedding.  So the conundrum was what to do then ping she asked Rob to make the wooden section of the roller so we could then endeavour to make a new cushion around this.  Well Rob rose to the occasion and after several phone calls to ensure precise measurements - bearing in mind she lives in London and this was being made in our shed in Peterborough!  The bones of the cushion were made.

Well my next task was to get the fabric, so obviously this came from Art and Stitch, good old moda bella classics!  I cut this to size and hemmed all the way round and went and bought the pet bedding ready for stuffing.  maggie arrived early monday and we glued the fabric to the wooden roller then used the staple gun to ensure it will never shift!  Stuffed frantically and hey presto below is the finished roller.  Not bad eh.  The lovely trimming she purchased in Peru on her last trip there.

Well it wouldn't have been such a good day without a visit from Caroline and young Leo.  Caroline has now decided to become a stay at home Mum (which she is absolutely enjoying) and is with the help of Mum in law Pam teaching herself to crochet and here is the little bunny she made for Leo.

We all went out for lunch and had a great day.  So Rob and I are looking forward to seeing the lace roller in action and the lace she produces on it.

I honestly do not know where the time goes to and everytime I update my blog I really intend to do so more often then here I am again not having done so for ages.

We recently lost one of our cold water fish so we bought some new babies two little darlings - they were not daunted by the size of the other two enormous monsters and are holding their own at feeding time and I think are now putting on weight.

They are very cute and actually know it!!

Now I have been helping a young lady who has learning difficulties in the shop and she wanted to make an easy bag - this is mine that I put together to show her.  We will post hers next month when she gets the handles on - she has picked it up so quickly and is enjoying herself.  Next month we are going to start a scrap quilt with her.

  I made the bag from scraps so both sides are different - it is a lovely little bag and I enjoyed making it.

I have been very productive at home this last week embellishing this wall panel - I do enjoy sitting hand quilting and beading it is great fun - and I think the panel looks great.  We do have this panel for sale at Art and Stitch !!!

These fairies are such fun and this panel will look lovely on a youngsters wall.

Well on this horrid snowy Saturday I hope you are all wrapped up warm and have lots of sewing to keep you occupied.

Having Fun

 I have been having great fun with some little projects - a change from finishing UFO's we have got this great panel come into the shop and I have cut it up to make these little wall hangings, two cushions (yet to be finished) and enough panels for a third wall hanging.  I love sitting embellishing them whilst sitting in the evenings.

I have also been making some little bags - we had a great class here last week and the ladies got very enthusiastic and made several each - so I have been playing and made a few myself - just had to be done - think this red and black one needs some embellishments now - that is a thought!

 Yesterday Angela had cut up these strips for me to make this lovely little bag - it is such fun to make - I think I can feel a workshop coming on for this.

Oh then I find some scraps in the sewing room and these two little bags were the resulting fun - I do enjoy bags - odd really but they are quick and very rewarding.

End of February

 I cannot believe we are now at the end of February - where does the time just fly to - I have to confess I am having a good year to date - but then I must admit I like to look at my cup and see it full to the brim - so much nicer than it being empty.

We had a wonderful, but cold afternoon with excellent friends at Anglesey Abbey on Sunday, the snowdrops as ever were wonderful.  The scones and the tea brilliant.  It was just such a shame it was soo cold - but hey ho it is still winter!   We went in the mill for the first time and it is very impressive.
Anglesey Abbey is a National Trust property and well worth a visit any time of the year the house is lovely and the grounds superb.

Well Monday - after popping to see young grandson Leo, Rob and I headed up to Stamford Lincs. to his favorite place!   Not quite as neat and tidy as Art and Stitch but as this was my first visit I was transfixed.  The selection of different woods was fantastic - I think I probably drove the owner mad asking where they all came from!   The different grains and colours - and oh the smell when you walked through the door it was gorgeous.  Rob wondered around and chose his pieces of wood - some of which are now starting to be worked in the workshop for his next set of boxes he plans to make.

 The owner was getting ready for a show and this pile of Lime was ready to be put on a van.  He sells wood all ready for turning, and working on in any way you wish.

Look at the pattern on this - drat I have forgotten the name of this particular wood

 You can ferret through this pile and find some really interesting planks - all the different types and grain.

Unfortunately I have blurred  this slightly but the grain is fabulous and this piece of wood is in the process of being worked on now for a box - show you later!!!

Right well I have been finishing off my UFO's and plan to try and continue so doing - for a little longer until the pile decreases slightly.  Let us hope that March brings us some sunshine and spring will be just around the corner.