Thursday 30 August 2012

There ain't no cure.....

for the Summertime Blues!

Tell me does this look like an idyllic summer day to you.....

I didn't think so!  

That abandoned wheelbarrow has been there for a month.  Ever since the day it started to rain while I was doing some garden clearance.   It hasn't stopped raining since!     You know that old adage about one Swallow not making a summer...... well....


it seems that four Swallows don't make a summer either.   They're camping out under the portico over the kitchen door waiting till it's time to head off to Africa.   At least they get to go to Africa.... where the sun actually shines.  

Enough whinging about the weather although I have to say it's a national pastime in the UK and we're internationally famous for it.  On with some sewing stuff then.......

I can't show you any actual sewing because the projects I've been working on are top secret and I'm not clever enough with my camera to take any of those blurry shots that keep you guessing.  So I'm going to show you some goodies I bought recently.

Chris, Sally, Kitty and little (!) me headed off for couple of days at the Quilt Festival in Birmingham.  It was touch and go whether I'd get to go this year but my luck held.    Can't show you any photo's of the fabulous quilts we saw there I'm afraid..... I was half way down the M6 Motorway when I realised I'd left my camera behind!   Idiot!!

OK.... here's the goodies I bought there......


I love Don't Look Now patterns.   Thank goodness I had the foresight to buy some great jelly strips of Rowan fabrics for the applique.   Sound like a good reason for buying more fabric to you?   I thought so!

Now for a pattern I've had my beady eye on for a while....


It's 'The English Basket Quilt' by Corliss Searcey.    I picked up my copy at Petra Prins booth at the show.  Got those great templates there too.  They have nothing at all to do with the basket quilt.... I just liked them.  Besides as I'm getting older and my eyesight fails the luminous yellow templates will be easy to see.  Makes them an essential buy don't ya think.

You know I love applique and doing it every which way don't you.  Well... now I'm all tooled up for yet another method.....


The very first demo we watched at the show was at the Girona Artquilt booth.... about 5 minutes after we rushed in the door on day one.   Check out that link..... there's a little video on the right hand side of the page showing the tools in action.     I saw in an instant how invaluable they'd be as I get older and my little (!) fingers are not quite so deft.   Whoever tells Mac that a couple of double point knitting needles would do the same job... cheaper... is a dead woman.  Capiche!! 

Now... a book that was actually top of my shopping list for the show.....


I know a lot of you already have a copy.  I was tempted to order online but held off in case I went to Birmingham and could pick up a copy  'postage free'.   How about that for frugal then.

Then came these...


Reiko Kato's cute book has lots of tiny applique that I can try out my new tools on.  As for Aunt Millie's Garden pattern... it was on sale and it would have been silly to miss out on a reduction ... wouldn't it?  Of course it would.  Another Brownie Point for frugality to me then.

That's about it.    I did pick up a few nice fat quarters for my little basket stash and a couple more for Dear Jane and that's about it.

It could have been worse but I'm not exactly firing on all cylinders at the moment.   However... I have a plan....


I'm going to be a Cavewoman!!   Just as long as I don't have to wear a fur frock with no knickers that is.    I'm on my third day without wheat or grains of any sort.  So far.. so good.  I haven't killed anyone or chewed off my own arm..... yet!    Strangely enough.... I think I'm feeling a bit better already.

I'm going to leave you with a dire warning....... Don't Play With Puppies.... they're Dangerous!!   Chris played with the new pup on her farm and look what happened to her....



she could barely see to trace her stitcheries!   Her poor husband is having an awful time trying to persuade people that.... the dog did it!!    Be warned.

That's all for now.   Keep up all your good work..... reading your blogs is keeping me this side of sane right now.  

I'm off to nibble a few nuts before bedtime.....

Have fun
See ya soon
Josie
  

Wednesday 8 August 2012

Blue......

definitely my favourite colour when it comes to skies!


I can't stop looking at it.  Can't get the stupid grin off my face either.  One sunny day and I'm euphoric!

Ok....  so the table cover in the photo still isn't finished.  I can't decide on the border although I am leaning towards a wavy one.  I've never scalloped and bound an edge before so it'll be a learning curve.    I need to buy fabric for it too.... once I decide on the colour of the binding.  This could take a while.

The conservatory still isn't decorated although I have made some progress in transforming the window sills from varnished mahogany to brilliant white gloss.  Wow... it makes the room look so much wider and lighter.

I'm painting Macs old standard lamp white too.  It was looking way more shabby than chic....definitely time for a change.

I've a few more baskets appliqued......


If calling 4 'a few' isn't too much of a stretch.   I've glued up another few....



all ready to stitch.    Then I got sidetracked... again!

Unfortunately I can't show you  the projects I'm working on as they've got something to do with my Christmas Angels Swap.  I'm sure you wouldn't want me to spoil any surprises. 

I didn't even let the arrival of these.......


tempt me to take off my Christmas Angel costume  (I'm a method stitcher) and dive right in to yet another diversionary project.  Though I was tempted to gather up all the zips in the house and insert them into.... anything and everything!  Lisa makes inserting zippers (in more ways than one) look ridiculously easy.  Heck she doesn't even swear.... not once!  I've got some purse frames and soopa doopa fabric glue in here somewhere.  I think I deserve a gold medal for resisting an urge.... don't you.

What else.....

I started another garden clearance chore....


 
The photo's don't come close to showing the sheer scale of the job in hand!    The great guy who did the stock fencing came back and felled five 20 foot fir trees that had outgrown their space.  I was jumping for joy.... until I realised who'd got the job of clearing away all the debris!    Honestly.... if I'd wanted to be a Lumberjack I'd have emigrated to Canada!! 

Now that I've mentioned the new stock fencing I can tell you.... it isn't working!    The fence is great... strong, upright and true.   It's the cows that are the problem... they're sneaky!  They've taken to just strolling up the drive and coming into the garden through the front gate!!!   I've only got one thing to say about that.....   Bullocks!!!!!

Well now..... I've got days more clearing to do in the garden and the conservatory waiting to be painted.   I must be really busy...right?    Wrong!!    I'm currently on 'staycation' and I'm loving every minute of it.   Last week I totally ran out of steam.  Hit a brick wall.  My get up and go..... got up and went!   You know you have a problem when you don't even notice your knickers are on back to front.  Apart from the fact that you're walking a bit funny that is.

So... I'm on holiday.... right here!    You should try it.... it's great.   Guilt free sitting.   Guilt free watching Olympics. Guilt free stitching (or not).   Guilt free snoozing in a comfy recliner.  Guilt free....... heck I could go on and on but I reckon you get the picture.    How long I can make it last I don't know....  watch this space.

OK.... I'd better get going.   I've got more lazing about to fit in before bed time!    I will catch up with life soon but for the moment I'm enjoying my 'go slow'.     Time to breathe.... bliss! 

See you soon.... calmer and more collected

In the meantime..... relax and have fun.... you deserve it!

Hugs
Josie