A bit more B.S!

Things are looking up.    My mojo is holding and I'm having fun working on Boys Story.    Sunday I got to work piecing the Alien block.

 Take a look at that shiny new window pane in my craft room.   You can actually see what's outside now.  The Double Glazing man came out last week and replaced all the 'blown' units including this one.  It's much brighter in here now. 

Sunday wasn't all about playing with fabric.   My Mum came over for a painting lesson.   Boy... you know how folks warn you about teaching relatives to drive.... well the same should apply to painting.   Wasn't as bad as it could have been though we both lived to tell the tale......

Once Picasso had settled in  I carried on stitching......

and finished the block.    Here's how the whole quilt is looking now....

Just the Dog block to fit in the bottom corner and I'm working on that one.   So near eh!

It's a sunny day in Scotland.... for a change!    Work on the front of the house is under way.....

Can't tell you how good it feels to have help with the maintenence.  I can't wipe the grin off my face... feels like all my Christmas's have come at once.  Yeh... that good!!

One of my favourite flowers is beginning to bloom....

it's an Astrantia... also know as Hattie's Pincushion.   An appropriate flower for a stitcher eh.

Lastly...... Mac hasn't been well enough to do a second rotavation on his veggie bed......

but there is a nice crop of  'green manure' there now ready to be plowed in.   I offered to rotavate for him but he won't let me.  He's convinced I'll be minus my toes if he lets me loose with the machine.

That's about it for today.   Hope you all feel as happy and content as I do right now..... amazing how watching men at work can perk a gal up isn't it!

See ya soon.... have fun

Hugs

Josie 

Time to find out who won.........

so here goes......

This is the scene in Macs workshop just after he'd dipped into the tin of folded blog comments to pick a winner....

Now for the big reveal.  Wait for it.........

Congratulations......  SHARON FROM LILABELLE LANE   it's you!!!    Your new book and charm packs will be winging their way down under very soon.   I for one can't wait to see what you'll create with them.

I've been feeling like I won a prize too this last couple of days too..... my mojo is slowly coming back!  OK.. I didn't tell you all I'd lost it in case you got to thinking that all I do is whinge but the truth is I've been finding it hard to pick up any sort of stitching/sewing this past few weeks.

Until now that is....

I'm finally getting to grips with finishing off  the Boy's Story quilt for Mac.   The fish block is now pieced only the Alien and Dog to go.    The Alien is appliqued ready to piece (I aim to do that tomorrow) and I intend to finish up the applique on the Dog block tonight while I'm watching more Greys Anatomy.   Fingers crossed the old mojo has some staying power this time.

I've been having some fun with more cross stitch too.    How about this for a cute pattern.....

  

The colours are gorgeous and the Humming Birds are so pretty.   The pattern says it's a scissor fob... you can see on the photo it's a two part one connected with a bead.  I think it's going to be a bit on the big side though...  like twice the size of my scissors big!   Well... I suppose that's the whole point isn't it.  Having something big enough tied onto them so you don't loose them... duh!

I was forced to put down my hoop on Wednesday evening to go to the rescue of this not so little baby.....

Can you see his predicament?     He's got his head stuck in the stock fence and I bet his mum already warned him of the perils of thinking the grass is greener on the other side.   Now I've learned not to panic when you see a sheep stuck somewhere like this..... they usually figure out how to get free themselves after a while.   I kept well away from this one till the constant bleating of his whole extended family almost drove me to distraction.  Then I took action.....

I grabbed a pair of heavy duty bolt cutters.... pulled on my Wellies (because the pesky lamb was on the other side of the gill (stream) that runs through the garden) and went to the rescue....

Don't let this photo fool you.... the gill is wider than the photo shows plus it's slippy and deep in places.   The bank on the far side is very steep too.... a good 7 feet to the top where the poor wee lamb is.  It's a 3 foot drop into the water on our side too.   But I'm not stupid.... not me.... I got into the water down by the gate where the bank is much shallower and walked back up the stream.  I'm still amazed I didn't fall in.

I scrambled up the bank brandishing my bolt cutters and came nose to nose with the little critter who took one look at me..... screatched.... dislodged his/her head and scarpered up the field followed by his mum and sibling.   You wouldn't believe the dirty looks they gave me!  Ungrateful lot.   I only went to the rescue because there's a big (nay huge) dog fox hanging around the area which has all of the farmers spooked and I didn't want the little lamb to be fox fast food! 

Apologies for the 'premature launch' of this blog post!   I know a few of you will realise I've been writing virtually 'live -on air'.   I'm trying to get to grips with my first ever laptop computer and so far tonight it's almost driven me to drink!!  It prematurely published my post without my permission..... at least I don't think I gave it my permission but that bit where you tap your fingers has a mind of it's own.    I gave up in the end and am now writing on my good old faithful PC.... this I can cope with.

All that's left to say is.... have a great weekend.... enjoy yourself and have fun.

See ya soon

Hugs

Josie

Happy 100 Give-a-Way!

No... it's not my birthday and I haven't been lying about my age (much) this post you're reading is my one hundredth!!

To celebrate I'm having a  'Happy 100th' Give-a-way and this is what I'm going to be sending to one of you very soon......

 

  
I'm giving away a copy of the new... hot off the press.... book from Fat Quarterly (click here to see inside) .  Not only that... I'm throwing in a couple of charm packs of  Curio by Basic Grey.  I love this fabric.  Fortunately I have plenty of it left for myself.... not that I'm greedy you understand.   How about that for a nice little bundle of quilting fun!

What could you make with the charm packs.  Well there is always one of my favourite patterns.... remember this....

its the Nanny Sharon's Picnic quilt that I pieced last year.  I still haven't got around to quilting it.... shame on me!    This quilt uses 2 charm packs and just a little yardage for the borders.  I think it would look stunning in Curio.  Of course you'll have ideas of your own.  That's the magic of quilting.

OK.... here's what you need to do to be in with a chance of winning.    It's no secret that I'm 'process' person.   I love the whole process of making things and can flit from one thing to another stitching away for all I'm worth with no concerns over when anything is going to get done.  My mum is very much a 'project' person.  She beavers diligently away on one project at a time and won't move on to another until it's finished.   Chalk and Cheese eh!

Now.... I'm curious to know who's with me and who's with my mum.   Are you a  Process or a Project person?

For one entry into the draw just leave a comment on this post telling me which you are.

If you are a follower you can have a second entry by leaving another comment telling me so.

Entries close at Midnight GMT on Thursday 17 May 2012.

So what are you waiting for......

++++++++++++++++++++++

Have to tell you it's been a bit of a lean time for sewing around here.   Every time I find a little time to stitch I'm too darned tired and cross eyed to do anything.   Last Friday I thought I'd give myself a little break and do a bit of cross stitch.

This is it......

don't get the idea that I did all this on Friday.  Oh no!   It took me 4 whole days to stitch one hare and a pair of scissors!!  Tilly was with us for the weekend  and she didn't fare much better.  Must be something in the air over here.  Maybe Mac is right and the government are drugging everyone so that they don't revolt over the financial mess they inflicted on us.  He might have a point.  I don't suppose they want a hoard of revolting peasants messing up their nice lives do they! 

I haven't decided what the hare is going to be yet.   I like the look of that French General fabric with it.  Maybe it'll be a pin cushion.  Perhaps a needle case.  Who knows... I don't.  I did enjoy the bit of cross stitching though.   I'll be doing a bit more in future I think.

Things are looking up .... I'm having a lot of men next week!   Men to fix the conservatory roof.... a man to replace some 'blown' double glazing and a lovely man from the village who is going to put up a whole new stock fence.    I finally caved in and admitted that all these jobs are beyond the capabilities of one short.. round.. middle aged woman working mostly alone.  But I have to say it took two trips to a stress councellor to clue me in to the fact that I'm not Superwoman.   Drat.... I'll have to throw the costume away!

Maybe I'll sit with a cup of Earl Grey and a shortbread biscuit stitching while I watch them work.  Hummmm....  

Now... spare a thought for Licky Lou.  She's having a terrible week.....

  Last Friday when I went to bed I had a happy bouncy little cat.  Saturday morning she couldn't walk!  Tilly and I rushed her to the Vet who diagnosed Chronic Progressive Arthritis.  What?  Could that happen overnight?   She was given a shot of steroids and sent home with orders that I take her back if she didn't improve in a few days.   Tuesday I took her back and it was decided X.rays were needed.  Wednesday she went into 'hospital' for the day.   X rays were taken and her joints were pronounced clear of any sign of arthritis.  In fact we were told they are  'remarkable' for a cat her age.   So what was wrong.

Cystitis!!!!!

Honest... I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.   I'd spent days hovering over my precious pussy who seemed to be going downhill on roller skates.  Obviously I was thinking the very worst... that I might loose her.  Heck the vet had even hinted at it.  You can imagine my relief to get the real diagnosis.   She's still not walking properly.   It appears that her paralysis is caused by a very swollen bladder and her determination not to pee because it hurts!  Bless her.    She's on antibiotics and pain meds now and I'm on covert 'potty' duty.    Spying on a cat.... what's next I wonder!!

Heck I'd better go and give you all a break.  It's time for me to retire to my chair with a glass of wine and and an old episode of Greys Anatomy.   Peace perfect peace!

So...don't forget to enter the give-a-way and have a great week enjoying everything you do to the max..


See ya soon
Josie
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