Sunshine all the way

It's Friday night again, how quick the week goes, I have a busy but uneventful time, work is hectic, Su popped in for a drink this afternoon, and for once I did not require any work on the computer, It's very handy having an IT daughter.
My sister is coming from Somerset for the weekend, we are planning a BBQ for Saturday night, the weather forecast is good.
Kev is playing golf most of tomorrow, so we can wander through the shops, maybe do a couple of craft ones. I know I don't need anything, but you just have to look.


Joshy has been busy and made us cakes, these he can do all on his own, no oven required, mine is the pink one and the yellow one is for Grancha ( it's from the welsh language for Grandad) They look good enough to eat.

Most of this week I have spent my time sewing, I am very pleased with the results, its not the best photo, but it grows each day.
I have to say, I watched the last ER last night, I know it will run and run on the TV, but it's such a good series, I will miss the anticipation of a new episode. It was a great ending and I am going to miss all the staff, each and every one of them

Thought for the day

We have been caught out

Kev has been playing golf this morning,
so I ending up here in my craft room, with no particular thing to do.
Grace wanted some attention,
and it was warm enough for a rest and snuggle time.

But Kev grabbed the camera and now has evidence
that time in my craft room is not always spent doing craft.

But sometimes it just great to sit and do nothing.

Now I'm off to stitch my Spanish sampler
I have almost finished the third section,
I can't put it down
Enjoy the rest of your day.

Sunday Morning

The garden is looking good, full of colour,
but the snail's got into my little green house and had a feast!
We had a BBQ yesterday evening , first of the year
it was nice enough to sit there until 10.30pm
Joshy was there early on and had great fun in the garden,
he did not want to go home,
but mummy and daddy walked a very tired little boy home.

I wanted to show you my Spanish sampler, I stared last week, I have just started the third section, I love to stitch with lots of colours and not much canvas showing. This is on 32hpi with one strand of DMC thread. I saw this on Millys site, and knew I had to make it, I have a carpet I want to make for my dolls house but that will have to wait. kev is enjoying the quiet.

I spent time in the garden yesterday, and everywhere I go Thomas will follow.
He loves to have his picture taken and is a poser.

Grace is a little more reserved, she spend most of the time in her basket,
there is room for both cats, but Grace always has the best spot.

Sunny Friday Evening

On a sunny Friday of another Bank Holiday weekend I am looking out my window at the yellow roses below, if you have not already guessed I love yellow flowers, this was planted after my mum passed away, and each year just as every thing is bursting into life, I have time to reflect, on happy childhood, the best nan to my daughters and just a great lady.

I have had another busy week, lost in Chelsea Flower Show, can't compare my garden to anything I have seen on TV, and the Spanish sampler in cross stitch I started last weekend. I will post photo's later in the weekend.
Thought I would show you my gallery, just a few things I have done and love to see on my walls. Some I have taken photo's of and alot just for me.
Joshy is the cute baby, goodness he is grown now, getting ready for school in September. The cute girls are Fliss and Su, all grown up now.


I love my messy notice board, things Joshy has made me, a couple of mad cows!! they get every where.
Have a good weekend, and if like us you have 3 days make the most of it, our weather forecast is good, BBQ tomorrow.

Busy Days

I have had a busy week, I am pleased to say Friday was a near normal day, though I don't normally do normal, a bit too bland.
Yesterday I spent all morning cleaning the house, it was clean to start with, but we had a second viewing in the afternoon, the couple liked the house and have said they are going to up their first offer to a cost closer to our bottom figure. So now we are playing games with the most expensive item we own.

In the two pictures I have rugs I have sewn for my house, the top rug pattern was an oblong, but I wanted a square carpet, so I changed the pattern, In this case it worked it doesn't always. Below I saw this on a web site it was made 30 years prior by the lady's mother, we could not find a pattern and the lady kindly allowed me to copy her pattern. I loved this style so much I made two, and after I finished Fliss asked for one, so I stitched another.
My own cross stitch is almost finished, I should have it ready for Fliss this week, we have decided to make it into a double bed quilt for her war time house. I glad she likes it so much.
Below is my attempt of mini crochet, it's a bit loose but I'm pleased, I can only do granny squares, and unlike Fliss I have not taught myself any more, so I smile sweetly at Fliss if I require any other items.

I do like the American cross stitch below, I love work that is full of colour, this is in my file of things to make.
I have to thank Milly from http://stitchingobsessionii.blogspot.com/, through her site I have found the most wonderful Spanish Sampler, I have sorted the pattern ready to start, I am off to buy the silks today, I'm happy to keep the same colours. It's going to be a long job, and I will make other smaller projects along the way, but I just want to get going.

Another mad cow

Sorry I could not resist, hope you are all well

Monday night thinking

This is my space and I love it, I can add what ever I like, pin as much cross stitch as I like on my walls, I have my miniature projects around me and through my window I can see my garden. I know I'm lucky, I have enough drawer space for most of my craft things, and I don't have to pack away a project when it's half finished just because I have run out of time.


My Desk runs along one wall and I can clutter it, I don't like alot of clutter in the main rooms of the house, and Joshy love to come here and print our sketches of Fireman Sam, Bob the Builder and others, he knows where his felt pens and crayons are stashed. I'm in a reflective mood, we have a second viewing on our house this Saturday, and they have already put in a cheeky offer, which we rejected. So I sit here thinking I might have to pack all this away!
My beautiful flowers Kev brought me for our 25th anniversary are still looking good. I will keep you posted ref the house sale.

Saturday afternoon

I wanted to show you the cross stitch Fliss has made me, for my dolls house, it is perfect, I have a Chinese themed room and it takes pride of place.
Today has been busy, Su has visited and had her final fitting on her purple dress, I have sewn in the zip, on the outside, I will take a photo, that's fashion for you, this evening I will finish all the hand sewing and hem it.
It's sunny outside but a bit breezy so I have taken a walk around my garden, the peony is in full flower, with three more buds to follow, my seeds are growing well. But it's a day for being inside.
Below is Heffy, one of my mad cow collection, her body is attached to her legs by a spring and she gently wobbles, I love the expression on her face, she normally lives on my shelf on a patch of dolls house grass with some tree's, she is very happy there, but sometime I take her next to my beach house, but the sand is a bit soft for her hoofs.
The latest copy of my favourite stitching magazine from America was in the shops today, I have had a glance at it but I will check it out later with a mug of coffee.
Have a good weekend.

Freaky friday

It has been another strange Friday at work today, I was sat at my desk and the guy from the unit next door looked as if he was dancing around the car park, so I looked out the window (as you would) and our car park was full of water and the level was rising fast. He was going to his car to move it before it got stuck there. We had a broken water main and the water was heading our way. First thought move my car and then phone the water board. As the water was lapping our doors they were able to turn the water off. It takes 4 vans and 7 men all day to mend a broken pipe. When I left tonight we still had a small lake for car parks, but the road was being put back.
It has been another sunny day, hence the photo of my sun catcher, I made this last year with the help of my sister, who did a two day course, I really had fun, but I think if I had another hobby Kev would move out. I can't just tinker with something I get so obsessive and head to the craft shops to buy everything I might need. I do love my wonky star.
I love Cati's and have them every where Joshy is not able to reach, Kev brought me a lovely Mothering Sunday present, the plants have been move to bigger pots and I have used the large white dish for a group of my spiky ones, this sits on my table. I love this photo, look at the beautiful grain on the wood on my dining room table.The cup plant below was a present and yet again it's spiky, the mug it sits in came from a trip to Germany, this one lives on my kitchen window sill.
The last photo is on a mini tea set, I brought from a maker in the USA, on e-bay, I fell in love with it and wanted it for my dolls house, when it arrived it was bigger than I expected but not full size so it sits in my cabinet, I love the colours and the shape. It looks old fashioned.
I have gardening planned for this weekend and cross stitch, and time with Fliss and Joshy, they came into my office for a visit this week, Joshy loved the vans and every one loved Joshy, oh to be so cute.

25 Years

Today is very special, Kev and I have been a couple for 25 years.


Along with my roses, I had a perfect meal tonight, he is a very special person, and my life is just so good with him.
I am a very luck person, both my daughter's are a joy to me, their partners are great guy's.
And then there is "perfect little Joshy"

5 minute muse

Another free orchid,
this is the second one I have in flower,
I have three more but they
are gather their their strength.

I am getting on with my cross stitch packwork,
I have decided not to fill the whole square with colour and each corner I am stitching with Ecru a natural colour.

Fliss has taken a shine to this design and would like it for a bedspread for her 1930/40 doll's house. Still a bit to do, and it's getting hard work, I so want to start another rug, but if I do this will never be finished!

Another Bank Holiday Weekend

After a very busy week at work, and a nightmare Friday never to be repeated,
we have had a lovely slow couple of days.


Joshy and Fliss are staying the weekend with Grandma and Grandad, so no smiles and little voice telling us of wonderful things seen and done, whilst playing in our garden.
The image below is a cow Joshy made for me using pipe cleaners, I think mummy gave him some help, I'm glad to say the love of craft run's through us all,
this has front spot in my collection of silly cow's.

Kev worked all day Saturday, I had the most wonderful day doing nothing, it took all day and was the perfect thing to do on a sunny day. After a very restful day we went out for a meal.
My batteries are now recharged.

Today we have been working outside, Kev has cut the hedge and lawn, both now looks great.
My seed's are becoming plants, just popping out from the soil and stretching
towards the light, with the promise of colour and smells of the summer.
I hope they will be ready for planting out in three weeks at the end of May,
any earlier and there is still a chance of frost.I have a peony which came from my mum's garden, when we dug it up, we split it three ways and both my sisters have a plant each, mine is in a tub, our house is for sale and I don't want to leave it behind. I love the large red flowers, so huge and bright, I can remember it always in the corner of our front garden, when the summer days were always hot and sunny, with lot's of laughter and fun.

Today for the first time I washed my car by hand, I've had it 4 years and always have taken it to the car wash, so if it rains or even thunders tonight it's my fault and I'm sorry, but the water will do good for the gardens.
I'm off time to do some more to my cross stitch, it's looking good and now I'm in a hurry because I have found another carpet to stitch for my doll's house.