13 years

It's our 13th wedding anniversary today. J took a day off work, and we went into town for lunch, a lovely plan which was rather changed by school ringing to say Miss K was sick and would we go get her please................. at least we'd had time for a browse in a bookshop, and to purchase something lacy (well it's what you're supposed to buy for the 13th, and who am I to argue). Miss K turned out not to be that ill after all, so at least I don't have an ill child to attend to.....

I'm not known for showing photos of myself here, but as it's a special occasion....



we had great weather for wearing a knee length off the shoulder dress! but the snowflakes saved us from needing confetti!



I made sure I chose flowers big enough to hide behind when I didn't want my picture taken...

this is my mum and dad, we don't have any group photos of all the guests, for some reason they didn't want to leave the nice warm house, and go and play in the garden, although some of the smaller guests did build a fantastic snowman.



this was outside the hotel where we spent one night, the gardens just by the house were pristine snow, so the next morning we went further from the house, and had a massive snowball fight. I can't believe how short my skirt is, not exactly suitable for the activity, certainly wouldn't wear one like that now..........

I love the way the dark reds are so striking against the snow - of course I planned it that way.........

sorry the picture quality isn't great, I just took photos of the original photos as I couldn't get to a scanner, and the originals weren't that great because it kept snowing on the lens.......

a new way to 5 a day

at this time of year we are all being bombarded with detoxing, and dieting, and fresh starts, and giving things up.
well I've given up lemons........

and turned to cucumber, tonic and Hendricks gin



that way you can eat the cucumber, and count it as part of your five a day!

what are your tips for a new healthy lifestyle?

can there be too much fabric?

because I've run out of fabric for the quilt a long quilt I've been having some fun with making tote bags

this bird is the latest one.



I needed more fabric



ok so you know you got a bit carried away when fabric shopping, when you come home with ROLLS...................



and for quilting some cottons - ok so they don't go together, but they'll mix with what I have and for £2m I couldn't leave them in the shop.



couldn't resist this either, for it's sheer madness, the photo doesn't show it - the drawings are actually pink! didn't find what I wanted for the quilt though - have to go shopping again..............

several people have commented on the tidyness of the bedside table - I was very careful with that photo not to include the overflow onto the floor............................. I thought perhaps the horror of that might frighten you all away...................

whats beside?

Ali started a what's on your bedside table? she had intellectual sudoko, and the list writer followed with glamourous jewellry. I was astonished by the amount of stuff crammed onto my little space (and actually this is quite tidy - often there's more.............)



books - cookbooks - of course! and quilting books and Robert the Rose horse, and Lollipop shoes
magazines - sew hip, and Quilting Arts, and Stitch
catalogues - quilt direct, cotton patch, and Williams Sonoma
a magic housework fairy coaster - she's lazy and doesn't do ANY housework.........
a pencil
a rock with a moon on to help me get to sleep - found on the beach last summer by E
perfume - nearly all gone, must drop hints to hubby!
glasses - for when I've taken out my contact lenses
lamp
inhalers, vicks vapour rub and lip salve - leftover from the Christmas ills...
some jewellry - in a tray so the cats don't steal it and flick it down the side of the bed - like they did with a favourite earring.....

oh my what a lot...... at least there's no cold cups of tea - J seems to have given up on bringing me any when he goes to work.....

in contrast J has an ipod - that's it!

blocks and bunnies

thanks for all the help deciding what to do with the quilt blocks, everyone seemed to think bigger is better, so I set off making extra blocks.
I had some extra help from a certain little Fred, he usually waits till the things have been ironed, and are lovely and warm before he sleeps on them, but he was obviously feeling impatient.....




these are the extra blocks, mostly repeats and a couple that I made up,




and here they are all together.

sashing next......

I had to break off from the blocks to do some emergency repairs to Miss K's bunny, he is one of those microwave wheat bag softies, and this is already the 3rd generation bunny.

bunny 1 was purchased for me when I was pregnant with Miss K and had backache, and when he got tatty he turned into a white bunny, with the old ears and tail.

when bunny 2 had to retire (I think he went in for too long and got a bit burnt........) bunny 3 was born, still with the old ears and tail, but he's been leaking his contents, and is VERY threadbare,

so let me introduce bunny 4.



how long will it be before E asks "can I have a new bunny"?

remember this? the result of years of nail biting for Miss K, for which we had tried many methods to break the habit, to no avail. funny how a serious nail bed infection, disgusting antibiotics and quite a sore finger managed to do the trick. and after weeks and weeks of persistence, Miss K has discovered that nails are quite nice after all, and need not be destroyed at the first hint of anything growing. We have discovered that you can file them smooth with a pretty flowery nail file, and use a cute hippo shaped brush to clean them, such novelties! and tonight after a week back at school with no recurrence of the biting I have promised nail polish, which is a big treat!

so explain to me how when I was out at lunchtime somehow I decided that just polish wasn't enough of a statement of my joy at the new nails, and so this glittery, sparkly, glitzy, and outlandish kit of nail art goodies just had to be purchased. oh I can't wait to see her face.



I might just have to do mine too, just to keep her company you understand...............



I got the last 4 blocks done on the quilt along, goodness know how I got so far behind, still I'm less than a year behind now..... this is the layout as they stand, I never intended to do all the small squares around the edge, and go for a much simpler layout with just sashing, but now I've got all the blocks made I'm not sure. Should I make some more blocks (and if so stick to the blue, or mix it up and add another colour) and make a 5 x 4 layout, which is more bed sized, or make it as it is, as a lap quilt. oh decisions decisions.......



tell me what you think?

catching up

I managed 4 blocks today from the quilt along, so that's a month caught up. still a way to go.....



and a bit more practising free motion quilting, I'm going to try and practise every day, ok, so it won't really happen every day, but I can hope...... still can't decide if I prefer the non stick mat instead of gloves, don't forget if you want some mat just let me know.



think I have all the Christmas decorations down now, there's a huge pile of stuff waiting for J to get home so it can make it into the attic........

but these halloween decorations somehow still seem to be up.........



and some things are too pretty to be just for Christmas, and so this star has moved next to my sewing machine, so the colours can cast rainbows.




in other news our estate agents just rang and I had one of those moments when I thought
"who" "oh yes, we do have an estate agent don't we" - it's just been so long since we heard from them. anyway someone wants to come on Thursday, so I suppose I'd better get the hoover out, not holding my breath, they'll probably only offer about half the asking price even if they like it.......

school has started, what's a girl to do....

so school has started, and the house is strangely empty.

since the decorations have come down it's also strangely dishevelled and in need of a really good clean, and there's a small mountain of washing/ironing, but not today, no today is a day for me, a long hot soak in the bath tub once the children have been taken to school, a lovely pot of tea and the last of the new years chocolate cake (what, don't you have new years cake in your house - well start a new tradition!), a quick read of blog lines to catch up with everyone, and then the mission to remember where my sewing machine is....... last seen Christmas Eve, finally finishing a present.... no last minute sewing today, no just playing, and practising, and planning.

first I wonder what to do with this - gorgeous ribbon from Zia Koko, anyone wanting ribbon head over there quick, she has the most divine collection. (edited to add, Zia is away for a week on family emergency, so go look at the ribbons and just wait a little longer for them to arrive......)



I can't decide, so I play with this instead, non stick matting, as recommended by my new book, to use instead of quilting gloves, the idea being that you get the same friction, but with wearing the gloves, so it's easier to pick up scissors , move pins etc....




haven't decided yet if I prefer it to my gloves, will keep trying, but I've had fun with some free motion shapes, and I'll try some more later - I certainly need more practise!




the non stick matting came on a roll of a metre, and I've only used a tiny square, so anyone who wants to try some let me know and I'll post you a bit. leave me a comment (make sure I can reply - no-comment reply people) or email me if you want some.

happy new year

Happy New Year everyone, ok so it's a bit belated, it now being the 4th, but we seem to get stuck in a bit of a hole in the time space continuum, and slowed right down after New Years Eve, until we have almost come to a halt - could it be that the little people are delaying thinking about school tomorrow for as long as possible..........

can't say I blame them, the long quiet days, with no rushing about since Christmas have been blissful, children happily entertained by new books/games/lego....... an abundance of sweets and chocolate, and friends and family visiting, and one very bracing walk in the very chilly wintry weather - Miss K and E ran and ran and ran to keep warm, our guest's children are younger, and did not know of the delights the cafe would have in store when we finally got there, so they cried and cried instead...........

it's been fun reading everyone's New Year resolutions, and looking back at everyone's achievements and photos of 2008. I've made another mosiac (ok so I'm addicted) which will hopefully inspire me for more in 2009. First I really want to make this flower pillow tutorial, and I MUST finish this quilt........ after that - who knows...... perhaps this will be the year for crochet.....



happy 2009!