Quiet weekend

Monday morning came round slowly after a nice weekend.

We had a lovely relaxed and quite one, late starts, plenty of tea and cake and lots of gardening for DH and crafting time for me.

My sewing machine was out and finishing off recent stitched projects ...

A little ornament for LHN Pears

and a pinkeep for LHN Peace

The meet up exchange was also finished but I can't share that with you till opening day next Monday 31st August.  It's gone off in the post today, so fingers crossed Royal Mail deliver it safely.

Knitting needles were out and a new knitting start sitting in the garden soaking up some summer sunshine.  Crazy zauberball wool in the colourway 1564 for a pair of Christmas gift socks.

A nice book got some attention and whiled away some time too.

Don't you just love weekends where you can do absolutely nothing and yet accomplish quite a bit for yourself.

Today I turned the page on my perpetual desk calendar that I had for my birthday from DH.  365 Happy Days ~ A Happy Thought for Every Day.  It's by Helen Exley.

Today's page was a quote from William Shakespeare. They do make me smile each day.

Frame your mind to mirth and merriment,

which bars a thousand harms and lengthens life

 

A stitching new start and a little finish last week... 

A finish was handed over on Friday as we had a birthday at the knitting group.  I made a covered tape measure for the birthday girl.  Happy Birthday Patricia. 

New start for the LHN/CCN/Sampler Girl Wednesday evening SAL.  This time I chose Happy Skater from the 2010 JCS Ornament Edition.

A gift arrived in the post for me.  Vicki over at 2 Bags Full had a giveaway for one of 7 wonderful journals.  She asked what you would write in it if you won one. 118 people commented on that post and I was so very lucky to have one arrive through my letterbox. Thank you so much Vicki, its is so beautiful.

the inside pages are so lovely....

Monday morning, the start of the last week of August, I wonder what this week will bring for us all?

School uniforms and supplies are being purchased as the new school year begins soon.  My granddaughter will be starting school full time so a first for her.  She is so excited and has really missed her nursery school friends over the long holiday.  Many children will be moving up to new schools and facing new challenges. 

Wishing you a week full of happy times and I hope you all enjoy the extra day off work for the final bank holiday weekend here in the UK next Monday.  Will it be a sunny one?

My thoughts over the weekend have been with all those who have been affected by the crash of the Hawker Hunter jet at the Shoreham Air Show this weekend.  Be they rescue workers who have to deal with the aftermath or families who have lost loved ones.  Such a tragedy for everyone at what should have been a fun family day out.

Love and blessings to you all.




**Edited ........ Dani has asked if the covered tape measures are hard to do, there's a tutorial I did for them here.

Sunday - the day of rest

Better still have a restful day out -

Sywell Country Park was the place we visited yesterday.  Only small but it filled our requirements for a few hours.

 

A walk round the perimeter of the reservoir is approx 3 miles

Great flora, fauna and wildlife to see.

Swans with their cygnets swimming happily

Teazel heads really caught my eye

Cows munching in the field

 An hours rest along the way for a picnic lunch of chicken salad

and who doesn't enjoy some strawberries on a lovely sunny day

We sat and enjoyed the peace and tranquillity.  DH snoozed on the blanket and I read some of my latest book.

A tiger moth flew overhead from a nearby aerodrome and the clouds started to darken, but they soon passed 

A crane came very close to us as we ate

then opened his wings and flew to the other side of the water to his mate

there were feathers all over the grass

and lovely thistles along the pathways

 

and lots of wildflowers

 

someone got a bit excited near the end of the walk and strolled off...

 

 

I think it was more the thought of an ice-cream from the café that quickened his step as I told him he could have a treat if he had been good!

 

 

We sat eating it and could hear the sound of children playing in the older children's play area.  It's a disused old water tank that is filled with sand and other exciting toys etc.  Such whoops of joy and the chatter of little voices having fun.

and in the small sandpit area for the little ones close to the café.

A lovely way to spend a Sunday, we should have a day of rest a bit more often i think.

My birthday still goes on, late last week I had a parcel in the post from Tina (no blog).  She kindly sent me some lovely threads, fabric and a needlebook blackwork kit.  Thank you Tina.

Peace by LHN got the final few flowers added so I need to choose another design for Wednesday and this weeks SAL.

Another little cardigan was finished for the charity box.

Friday, if you remember, I was going off to a painting workshop.  The tutor does some on her larger canvas and then you try to replicate something similar to get the feel of the Bob Ross method of painting.  Here's how mine turned out at the end of the class.   I was quite pleased with it for a first attempt.  We've named it Sunset Beach.

I hope you are all finding time for crafting as well as spending time in your gardens.  Summer is not really happening here in the UK, some days are nice and warm and then you get quite a dull and chilly day and the cardigans are back out again.  I don't like it too hot but it would be nice to see a little more sunshine this summer.  Perhaps we will have an indian summer and September will be a scorcher.  

I was in a well known card shop earlier today and they were putting the Christmas cards out!  As I stood in the queue to pay everyone was commenting on why as we are still in the throws of summer.  Have you got Christmas in your neck of the woods yet?  It's far too early for that, I know us crafters like to be organised when making things but really ....... 

Wishing you all well, love and blessings

Trying something new this week

Gorgeous sunsets we've been having this past week.  The sky is so glorious.  Isn't mother nature wonderful sometimes?

 

Busy times here with family birthdays and the horticultural show coming up but there have been some quiet stitching, knitting and reading times enjoyed in the warmth of the sun in the garden enjoying the flowers and watching the birdlife come and go on the feeders.

 

 

The little pink cardigan in my last post was sewed together and finished.  I'll add it to our box on Friday.

 

and the lovely Sublime Merino Silk that Ann sent in her delightful parcel (you can see that in the post below if you haven't already) has hopped onto my new knit pro needles to start another cardigan the same.

Friday we had a visitor to the charity knitting group who came along to collect some of the items we have been making.  She was delighted with what the group has been doing and very impressed.  We have ladies who cannot make the group but knit and drop off things for our box each week.  Knitters are so generous with their time and efforts. 

Here's some of what we had collected together -

 

 

Just a few little x's into Peace last week. I was late sitting down, so not quite a finish.  Still need to add the flowers inside the other 3 border sides tomorrow evening in the SAL.

I've also been working on an ornament exchange from the meet up we had at the end of May.  Opening day for that is 31st August.  It's almost finished and will be ready to send off on time, but no pics to share of it till after then when I can also share what was made for me as well.

No knitting group this Friday, I'm taking part in a painting workshop using the Bob Ross method.  A sea scene is the theme. 

Remember this that the teacher came to give us a demonstration of a few weeks back? 



I'm really looking forward to having a go.  Next time I might share my efforts if it turns out ok.  It'll be a bit of fun and trying something new if nothing else!

I hope all is well with you and yours and send blessings to you all.

Have a lovely week

Ornament challenge, birthday and kind friends

A new month upon us, in fact we are almost at the end of the first week of it... time is certainly not slowing down this month and we have three birthdays in the family in the next week.

I heard someone say this morning that if you are paid monthly there are only 4 pay days before Christmas.... now that does make you stop and think! 

It does mean that the monthly Christmas ornament SAL will get me 4 more stitched and finished this year.  July's free Christmas online design chosen by Christine came from Balades et Broderie, a lovely tree.

We've had the reveal so I can share my version.  Unfortunately, the silver sparkly backstitch doesn't show up too well.  The little gifts under the tree are buttons that my DH kindly snipped off the protruding bit and filed flat so I could glue them on as it looked a little bare underneath and of course Santa always leaves a nice parcel under the tree doesn't he?  Three were stitched this month, you can see others in the album here.

I had a birthday last week, not a big one but another one that came round far too quickly.  I received wonderful gifts from online friends and thank you very much to all who sent cards, I was very spoiled.

Barb stitched me the most beautiful lavender filled pillow and included a chart that I could stitch on parlour evenings in her parcel.

The words are so lovely -

May you always walk in sunshine
May you never want for more
May the angels rest their wings
right beside your door ....

Here's a close up of it, aren't the little angel buttons so cute....

 
the back is so pretty using the broderie anglaise to hold the tissues.

From Maggie the sweet button trinket jar and drawer scented sachets - I've put those in my fabric drawers so it smells nice when i stitch on it.  

I was invited over to have lunch with Clare last Monday which was lovely and she gave me a parcel to take home.  Inside was the lovely sign, threads and one of her beautiful handmade scissor fobs (you can see a better pic on Clare's blog of the beaded fobs she makes).

 

Clare also gave me a recent chart she has stitched which I had won in a draw she had.  Her version of this was so lovely and her daughter loved it.  Hop over to Clare's and read about it. 

 

Kathy (no blog) made me a lavender hanging heart and Sally kindly stitched a beautiful pillow of The Sewing Bird by With Thy Needle and Thread (I have quite a collection of Sally's lovely work in my handstitched basket of goodies she was one of the first people I met when I was introduced to the world of internet stitching forums). 

 

The crochet basket is from Tricia, the lady who runs the charity knitting group, a lovely and special gift.   

 

Postie arrived on my actual birthday with a large cardboard box parcel.  My family were wondering what I had ordered, nothing I'd ordered I told them.  But, I was expecting a parcel to arrive.  An email came to say a parcel would be on the way soon.  There was no name on the back of it so until I opened it I wasn't sure if it was that or something else.

 

Ann's blog Beadlework i have read for some time and she had emailed to say she had some wool that she didn't want and would like to pass on if could I use it for family or charity knitting.

 

Here's what was in the box.... I was so shocked and amazed at the wonderful generosity from Ann.  15 balls of Stylecraft Special DK and a ball of lovely silk 4 ply.  These will most certainly be used.  Thank you again Ann for your kindness. xx

 

 

DH bought me a couple of sets of Knit Pro needles for my birthday so I've been trying them out and  did a little charity knitting this past week.  They say "Symfonie wood provides that much needed warmth to hands and the wool glides off the needles"  They certainly are nice to knit with.... forgot to take a pic of them!

 

A small secret stitchy project in the making ...

 

and of course there is last weeks Parlour stitching.  Just the border to add in tonight's virtual parlour evening stitching with the ladies at Needlecraft Haven.  There are lots of lovely designs being stitched each Wednesday evening with Barb and the ladies.

 

 

I've finished another instalment of the Outlander series of books by Diana Gabaldon.  Eagle eyed readers will have seen A Breath of Snow and Ashes on my knee in my last post whilst sitting on the beach.  I was very lucky as my DS bought me the first series on DVD for my birthday so I'm looking forward to watching and seeing if the actors live up to my expectations.  I still have two more books to read to catch up in the series. 

 

Thanks for stopping by to visit.

 

I hope you are having a lovely week and send blessings to you all.