HAPPY NEW YEAR

Happy New Year and may 2014 be a year of many Blessings and Good Health to All.

 

 

 

So goodbye to 2013 and a new year dawns... will I start with new intensions?

I expect I will, ever the optimist, because God is good!

Blessings 

A super Christmas pressie

When I saw this book on someone's blog I wanted it.. DS#1 Asked what I'd like for  Christmas and I said this book, 'Quilty Fun,' by Lori Holt.

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Now that I have had time to really look through it,  it is even better than I had envisioned. Tons of great information, tips, patterns and loads of Lori’s fabulousness all wrapped up in a spiral bound  book. Every quilt in here is my favourite and the best part is , its written in a way that makes it easy for you to make your own layout  with all of the designs 

 I would like to make this quilt with the panels of tulips and this book has this quilt in it.

 

I can't wait to start looking for fabric, I love the bright colours and it would be our summer quilt.

All my own work!

This year DH has put up lights to show off my Christmas ornies that I made last year. I stitched one a month

They are hanging on the greenery on the stair hand rail.

It looks very Christmassy when you come into the hall.

 

 

Still busy and 4 days to go

I am still making things for Christmas..a cushion and scarf for my DD.

I made one like this for my friend, so I am getting quite good now at setting the blanket stitch on my machine.

 

The scarf is a simple 4 row pattern.

First and last three rows garter st.

Then the pattern is:-

Row1. k3,  (yon. k2tog)  repeat to last 3 st. k3

Row 2. K3 purl to last three k3

Row 3. k3 (k2tog yon) repeat to last 3 k3

Row 4. K3 purl to last three st. k3

Repeat to the length you want

Then the k 3 rows.

 

 

And this year I made all my friends a crochet snowflake

for their cards.

The snow flakes had glitter on them, (and so did  I have it on me and every where!!!)

But they can take the snowflake off the card and hang it on their trees.

And today is my birthday. I hate it so near Christmas it always I feel a nuisance for others!
But I always have lovely cards from everyone... so thank you to my all my friends and family.

Some sewing for Christmas.

My Christmas round table cloth has been more difficult that I anticipated but here it is finished..

Not on the little round table it is meant for as that only comes out at Christmas.

So here it is on the little hall table just to show it's finished.

 

 

And three  little fan purses for friends

These are so simple to do although quite a lot of work as they are quilted, lined and have a zip.

It is a great way to use up scraps of fabric.

I think I am having a rest from sewing for a while and shall be cross stitching. I have got quite a few WIPs.
1. Cut thro Beach Hut
2. Fairies at the bottom of our garden
3. Welcome design with a Cat
4. Number 5 of AOH
5. Convent Herbal Garden, Chatelaine

So I shall be rotating these, perhaps each one for a week, rather than for two evenings.
What do you do when you rotate projects? Any suggestions?

Happy days what ever you do.

Just £2 !!

 

Each week when we drive to do our weekly shop we drive along a road of very big posh houses!! The one has a sign outside.. Bag of apples £2.. this is the second lot we have bought.

A carrier bag with 11pounds of  bramley cooking apples and just £2  They are windfalls but have little damage. Today however there were some slugs on some ugh! But we are looking forward to a baked apple each for our pud this evening and then the rest will be made into delicious  apple jelly. We have a shelf unit with all our pickles, chutneys and jams under our stairs.. and in the garage??

Well that's DH winery! This year we have had a variety of wines plus for the first time Elder Flower Champagne, which was delicious. We have kept a couple of bottles for Christmas.

All made with care and love!

Happy days indeed!

 

Last Flowers

I had to take a photo of these before they succumb to the frosts that are surely on their way. I can't remember their name but they don't start to flower till Autumn and then stay till the first frosts.
I tried to straighten them up but couldn't without breaking their stems so I had to leave them bowing to the rest of the garden.
We are forecast some dry days this coming week, so we are hoping to get out and do some tidying up and plant some more spring bulbs.. but aren't these flowers are  a real treat?

More bunnies and carols

I couldn't let my little bunny be alone so I knitted a few more.

I have only sewn up the one but have the others ready to sew up and have dresses ready.

I have also sewn some Christmas things, a Christmas table cloth and three fan purses for presents.. it's all in 'the making.'

Lots of things to do all the time.

Christmas is only 4 weeks and five days away! I can't wait I love it all.

We joined our local community choir and will be performing on the 14th December, so we are practising all the time.

We are also singing with our other choir for the lighting up of Brentwood lights so we are 

tra.la la la-ing all the way to Christmas!

Happy days!

 

Gone But not Forgotten

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

We will remember them.

Robert Laurence Binyon 1869-1943

Practically a new kitchen!

 

 We have been tarting up our kitchen.. we had the tiles changed last autumn but then it was Christmas, then in the spring we went to Australia for 4 weeks, then it was summer gardening, so at last we have got round to doing a few things.

 

 DH has put up the new blinds, I have rubbed down the cupboard doors and painted them.

We have kept the handles, although at first we thought we'd get new, but these cost a fair bit and look fine, and there are 23 handles in all!

The spice rack is new and fits just right..

 I even took every thing off the dresser, washed and cleaned it all, polished the dresser and put it all back.

I want to paint the wooden chairs, an apple green colour, but will save that for another week, as I am not used to so much painting and need to rest my arms from all that rubbing down! I have slept really well while we have been doing this,  as I have dropped into bed each night exhausted!!LOL
The trouble with DIY work, you don't have someone else to make the cups of tea to keep you going, unlike workmen, nor were there any biscuits!!
But I am very pleased with it all and love our new colour scheme.