Monday 30 August 2010

Getting the hang of it

That is the problem !!! I ,M NOT getting the hang of it . I,m referring to my last post . I keep trying to flex the muscles in my posterior , but my knees twitch instead .

Sunday 29 August 2010

Fascination

I spend a lot of time alone at weekends but quite happily I hasten to add .
Yesterday I decided to go to the town . While waiting at the bus stop, there was just a girl and myself , the girl was in front of me wearing gladiator shoes,black tight leggings , and a tight jumper that came just below her bottom .
Now here comes the answer to those unwanted inches !!
She was vigoriously flexing the muscles in her bum !! talk about rabbits in a sack !!! I tried it , I couldn,t even get going

Thursday 26 August 2010

Correction for link

The correct link for bluebell is http://bluebell-leicesterengland.blogspot.com/

Take a look


Bluebell has just been for coffee with me , BUT she also bought her latest cottage quilt that she completed yesterday . It is absolutelybeautiful , go to her site to have a looksee, you will find her on my side bar as bluebell .

Wednesday 25 August 2010

I WILL SIT and ADMIRE the VIEW


My shabby roses quilt is now completed . I have put the binding on .
I am also showing the machine quilting round the edges . I use my Brother ordinary domestic sewing machine .
It will be nice to browse and see what other quilters are doing .
Tonight, no sewing . I,m going to look at blogs and be lazy
Bluebell is now winding down after Kate and Steve's wedding . She visited me today so off we went for lunch . It was lovely to see her coming down to earth again although she will still have her head in the clouds until they return from their honeymoon













Sunday 22 August 2010

Shabby Roses and Lavender


This is the 4th lot of lavender that I have cut , This box is deep ,there is a lot of lavender here . I would say I have about another 3 or possibly 4 boxes to cut

This is the shabby roses quilt I have been working on
The pattern was on the blog of
Jenny of Elefantz , you will find her on my sidebar . Jenny puts out free patterns, this is one of her free gifts .
I,m showing it as whole and also in two seperate halves . It is quilted but it doesn,t have the binding on yet


I have put the two title blocks in the centre .
It was an absolute joy to do , it involved applique and embroidery , patchwork and quilting . I shall bind it later in the week (hopefully)








Monday 16 August 2010

Bit Scary!!!


Five magpies strolling on the lawn across the road to me , must be a family. Know the saying? one for sorrow ,two for joy , what is it for 5 .
I had a lovely day yesterday, I did a bit of everything but the most productive ? this border is now clean and ready to be planted with just tulips , yes , I know , not till November but the soil will have settled nicely . I dug it over it, was just like flour in a mixing bowl , easy and a joy to turn over
Bluebell gave me some Verbena boneriensis, they went in , self seeders , good . Another hydrangea in there too . Yhe yellow Kerria is out , been looking at it for 5 years , bored with it and the Ribes , thats out, a lot of root there , that will take an age to remove . I like my garden to change and evolve , there are a lot of new plants out there to enjoy
I visited my neighbour yesterday to take her some lavender , she has a gardener . I,m not being spiteful but , I could do better for her . To pay someone I would expect something more .
I cleared up the scrabby fallen apples and the cerastium you might know it as Snow on the mountain , I love the colour of the leaves and the smell of it in flower but it has to be pulled out to ground level in the Autumn .
Now for coffee and scrambled egg and the room ready for Alison . Must remember a pressy on her pillow .
I feel quite uplifted after a few days of feeling oppressed by the wet and cold weather . My daughter -in-law Alison is coming today to spend a few days with me , I,m looking forward to that . Lots of good gossiping .

Saturday 14 August 2010

Bamboozled???

I live in the midlands , is global warming only round the edges ?. This week I have put the central heating on several times , it,s still August . Today my newspaper reported summer is over , rain through till December!!!

I have started knitting but methinks a quilt over my knees sewing might be the thing .

Friday 13 August 2010

Dull days and doldrums


It,s hard today to be cheerful , In England or at least in my neck of the woods it,s heavy showers . It has been like this on and off all week .
Bluebell called with scones filled with jam and cream , we had tea and a gossip
I have put the sewing aside for a few days and brought out the knitting pins and wool .I,m knitting winter cardi,s for Ellie .
I also bought a pattern for knitted toys and wool . They will be stocking fillers for christmas.
Bluebell left a bag of apples behind so I nipped to her house with them and had a sneak peek at a cottage quilt she has almost finished . I tell you this quilt is a stunner , it relly is very nice . It made me want to rummage in my fabric but I must finish what I,m doing . I ,m not one for having several things on the go at once but !!!!!! I might weaken and start cutting sqares .

Wednesday 11 August 2010

Another use for fallen Apples

I,ve used fallen apples cooked ,just apple . I have fallen apples with strawberries . Tonight I made fallen apples with grated root ginger and lemon juice and finely shredded peel ,and sugar

I cooked it to a jam consistancy , It has turned out delicious . This was a dummy run. Over the weekend I shall make more .

I wonder if apple with chopped mint would keep or go mouldy. I love experimenting . No measuring just play it by sight and taste.

I use root ginger for many things . I believe it is good for you.

Tuesday 10 August 2010

PRETTY IN PINK

S
Sometime in July I posted a picture of a quilt I was working on It is now finished so I,m posting three pictures .
One is the quilt on the bed
The second picture is a close up of the quilting . I used two plates to draw round for the quilting .
The third picture is of the backing
This quilt top was all scraps from my stash . The wadding and the backing I already had in my stock so all in all I did not have to go buying for this quilt
I,m quilting another quilt made previously . My my, its like struggling with a demon. I already had the wadding , it was the right size but it,s almost impossible to quilt . It,s excellent quality but so thick and dense it,s like quilting through 3 layers or felt
Perhaps two weeks time I will be able to show it . I can only work on it for short periods .




Sunday 8 August 2010

Just Dreaming

Today the weather is lovely . It quite set me dreaming of warmer climes
I love Cyprus . As I was bringing thoughts to mind I decided my lunch would reflect my mood .
So this is what I had
Black eye beans with spinach and
feta cheese , a piece of crusty bread
olive oil and lemon .
It was absolutely delicious .

For my sweet course .
yoghurt, with honey

This week in my shopping I bought
0 % per cent fat yoghurt, never again .
I like my yoghurt thick and silky.

The mood is set , I shall now go back to reading my Eva Makis book about
cypriot life . There are 3 books


I have read by Eva 'The land of the golden apple'
I am now reading 'Eat, drink and be married'
I,m awaiting at the library ' The Mother in law .

They really are authentic






Friday 6 August 2010

The night sky

Tonight 8.45 the sky is amazing the blue is just so blue and the clouds are pink!!, the flowers all look as if they have been washed , the geraniums are so red, really red . my peony and rose cushions look spanking brand new, it must be the setting sun causing this magical few moments . it is just magical .

I,ve had a good day . bluebell rang ,did I want to go to the fabric guild with her , yes please ,so off we went. I bought some very wide white on white fabric and some gingham to back my shabby roses quilt .

Then we called at Asda for me to return a garment.

We came back to my home for a snack lunch , another friend Elaine dropped in , she settled for peach tea and a buttered scone , we three caught up on gossip, Elaine showed us how to make a corsage flower , and brought us up to date on people we hadn,t seen for awhile , lovely afternoon.

When all had departed I decided to have a walk to pick up my prescription from the chemist , called in at the grocery shop and bought 4 melons, 20p each. !!!! , The jar of peaches from Asda 50p , really good buys , the apples from my garden , they are fallen ones but I still use them .

Like I said , a good day . I,m now going to have an early night , I have an interesting book . The nights are getting cold here in England so I,ll snuggle in with my hot water bottle .



Wednesday 4 August 2010

Lets start at the very beginning

I was reading the blog of Frugal Queen yesterday , she was asking could anyone put her right to make a quilt , she has cut a quantity of squares .
I left word where she could find two quilts made from sqs on my blog . for anyone else who wanted info ,. look at my old blogs. I had an enquiry from Jo , who left her plea on my previous blog . She had picked up on the blog of Frugal queen so perhaps we shall be seeing two new quilters

Old posts where you can find quilts from squares
13 th may 09-country quilt no,2

21st march 09-A cottage quilt in the making

On this blog, you can see the first step, Join your squares into blocks as shown below . I have here 36 blocks

Your squares can be any size, for example 4"x 4" or whatever
When you have cut enough sqs,. join them into blocks on your sewing machine or by hand

Here endeth the first lesson

when you have got this far and wish to continue get in touch with me again for the next stage






Tuesday 3 August 2010

Yesterday ,Today,Tomorrow who knows

Yesterday bluebell and I started out on our usual Monday shopping but we diverted to an area near where a friend of mine lives . I hadn,t seen her for a very long time although we speak on the phone regularly . She lives perhaps 10 miles away from me but not on a direct bus route . I don,t drive otherwise I would have visited before .

We both lived in Cyprus at the same time so we always have something to reminisce about . We had a good gossip then went for lunch at a garden centre just a few yards down the road . It was a very pleasant day .

When I awoke today which was quite early , I lay planning the day . I had previously said "no more gardening until it,s time to pull stuff out for autumn clearing " . Like all good plans things changed . By 7 o/clock I was out there with my spade and fork . Out came the Marguerites , out came the dried out foxgloves and the lemon balm , the lilies with the tattered leaves and petals full of holes , poppies that would be seeding all over the place , brambles and other detrius . it looks better already , I can see earth .

I did look a strange character , bugs and beetles bite me so it was trousers tucked into socks , wellington boots , a big cardigan and a baseball cap and garden gloves . I packed in just gone twelve and no bites . I did get zoomed a few times but not bit . 1 up to me .
I,ve been out to look at my handiwork a couple of times , I,m pleased with what I achieved . Autumn planting will be hydrangeas , lavender and tulips . I already have roses .

The label I,m showing on the photo is one I made and put in a parcel earlier in the week