New start

 I have finished sections 1 & 2, of Dream sampler,

The colours so far are my choice, and I love them, the next level are blues and I am not changing them, I do not use blue's much. This just feels so pretty. I have not been stitching much I have had a nasty tummy bug, and most of this week has been in bed, very unlike me.

 Yesterday afternoon I did start another large project, Grand Marquoir, you can view it here it's a free pattern I found the link on Annelein's blog, almost every one I have seen stitched in red and white, well you know me I am always different, I was going to use a natural linen, but I had this green in my stash, I was shopping for silks (floss) and saw DMC mouline 4150, which is soft randoms with cream, yellow and peach. They go so well together. Check out Julie's colour scheme, full of colour, great work

 I have been watching the 1st and 2nd series  of Miranda, she is so funny, and just what is needed when feeling ill, I really recommend giving her a viewing, she makes me chuckle all the way through.

Nothing much has happened here, loads of rain and very windy, but we are warm and snug inside, I am hoping to be able to eat something today, not had a meal since Sunday, Oh well next week I will be using this as a kick start to my losing weight.

Have a good weekend.

Day date

 Today has been different, as part of our new year we decided to have more fun, we met when we both had a young family, as friends and later as partners. In the beginning we had no money, could not afford to do anything other than feed the kids and get by. Then the kids all grew up and have their own lives. So today we had our 1st date, doing things which are fun and different for us, we will do this once a month.

We went for a drive in our local countryside, to see how every thing has weathered the snow and ice, the day was sunny and bright but cold and as you can see we found some nice spots, maybe for picnics in the summer.

 There is still a lot of standing water, Kev dropped me off and went back to allow this photo, it was fun driving through the first time. We are lucky in our part of the south, the water always has some where to drain.

 We then went to a village called Stubbington, and to Donny's  a perfect place to stop.

 Afternoon tea, or high tea together with salmon, ham and cucumber sandwiches, cakes and scones, jam and cream, we cheated this was also our lunch, far to much food for in between meals, the slices of cake was stated as being just small slices, they fibbed. The walls inside are full of interesting items, which adds to the joy, every thing is for sale, so each time we visit it has slightly changed.

 After lunch/tea we walked at Lee on the Solent, I love this place summer or winter, very typically English and always full of people, I love the beach huts. Tonight we are in, with a home cooked steak and chips, so we have had loads of fun, just as we planned, this was Kev's choice, next time it's mine, so I have planning to do.

 My stitching is coming along well, after the disaster at the start, I am glad I restarted this, just the top half of the panel to do. I am already thinking of my next start, another big project, but very different from this one.

Tomorrow more rain is fore caste so a day in, I have some curtains to take up for a friend,  and nothing else planned, hope to see Joshy and Sammy at some point. Hope your weekend is going well.

Just stitching

 The weather is terrible, so we stay in and I stitch, 

what bliss, 

the snow has gone, washed away by rain, but it is so cold.

I am getting along well with Dreams sampler, it is quick to stitch, 

I'm loving the way I have mixed these colours, the flowers look stunning. 

It's going to be a big project.

 Just a bit each night and it grows

loving the clean lines, and can't wait for the next sections

with more colours.

 Just started the flowers which sit in the corners, they are placed through out the design, 12 in all. I changed my mind at the last moment and have gone with this yellow, the brow was a bit dull. It all adds to the spring feel of this. I will soon be finished this 1st section, and like last year I will be waiting for the 2nd section, I love Angie's stitch along, they always leave me wanting the next stage.

 Josh and Sammy came to play on Sunday, both were such good boys. I had fun in the snow with Josh as I was clearing the snow off my car, he was throwing snow balls at me, loads of laughter. I was a perfect Nanna, most of my snow balls missed Josh. 

 Sammy with Josh's sun glasses on, 

Sammy would make a great hippy, must be in the blood,  

taking after his Nanna.

Nothing much happening here, just rain, and more rain, at least it washed away all the snow, we do have to watch later this week, might get a bit more, but we are lucky along the South coast, we miss most of the worst weather.

Stay warm and dry, I'm off to stitch, pop over to my new blog and check my today's photo.

At it again

 Sammy's 1st time in snow

 Josh having great fun

 Not so pretty now, still very cold but it's going fast, more fore caste on Sunday, 

Paula here in UK any small amount of snow stops us, we are not used to it. 

I did loads of stitching yesterday, it's coming along well, 

but I have not decided what colours to use in the flowers,

I felt they looked a bit dull. Watch this space.

I have stared another blog site called one day in the lens each day I plan to post one photo taken by me, sometimes to show how my day has gone or just something amusing I have seen, please pop over there and see what you think, I am hoping to have some fun!

It's arrived

 We woke up to snow this morning, it's about 3" at the moment, and it is still snowing but only lightly

 Don't you just love the photo's, our back garden.

The beautiful tree below was taken from the passengers seat on the way home this lunch time, our boss has sent all staff who live more than a couple miles from the office home. Driving was tricky, but done slowly we were OK. I am now snug at home for the afternoon, all plans for this evening postponed.

I am getting on well with my stitching, it's moving along well, with no plans this weekend I can see loads of stitching time.

 I love this pattern and it's quick to stitch.

I hope you all have a safe and warm weekend, and time for a bit of fun in the snow, it only last for a few days!!

coming along

 I love the colours, I have added the purples, and I like it

10 hours work over the weekend, a good start, 

half way through my 1st panel, 

with the upright panel to stitch in this session.

 Feeling pleased with myself,

but wait

do you see it,
 the brown design on the left will be the centre of the work, 

shame it's not in the centre of my fabric

Yep, I have not counted and whilst I can carry on with this, the left side is going to be far to close to the edge of the fabric. Drat, not so clever now,  I almost never count, mainly because I use a finer count fabric, which means my stitching is almost always smaller then stated on the design, and Angie has never made such a large design.

Oh well I'm off to start it all again, Still at least I know I like my colours, have fun, be back at the weekend.

PS no snow here, hope it stays that way!

New start

 Yes I have started a new project, below is how I left it on Thursday night

below, how it looked just after I picked it up on Friday evening, yep just one stitch out, 

 End of Friday evening the flowers should be green, 

but I have decided to change things, 

how very me, 

the green will be in this section as large leaves. Already this is fun.

 This is my third stitch along with this designer, Angie her blog is here. 

Dream Sampler is all I love balanced stitching, 

not quite patchwork

I do love her colours but I do not think they would fit any where, 

so I have added purples, thinking ahead of using it in our bedroom. 

Life is better at the moment, yesterday we had a sunny but very cold day, my walk at lunch time was great, today it's raining again, heavy rain, but I do not have to go out again, so it's warm and sung at home.

Thank you every one for you comments on my last post, I find it very hard to post when things make me so blue, do you really want to read the moans of a middle aged woman, I think not. My talking to myself in January has helped. I am sticking to my list, I have a copy next to my computer, a reminder to keep ones chin up!!

This morning I have had my hair cut, I am changing my style, so it is beginning to look different, later I had coffee with Su, just the two of us, nice long chat, mummy to daughter, a necessary catch up. Now lunch with hubby and then later some stitching, another night in. Tomorrow a day with hubby, we will go to town, I need a new mobile phone, have lunch out, we are also looking to book a holiday in June, France again, warm, sunny and cheap.

Shades of Grey

 I have been using loads of candles to shine a bright light in our home, England is such a grey place at this time, no sunshine just cloud and rain.......

I love the way a candle can brighten even the dullest of corners, and I keep them grouped on my glass cabinet in the dinning room, little flames of sun shine. I often have as many as 10/12 burning at the same time.

We had the best of times in Spain, imagine 6 warm sunny days, with the knowledge the sun will shine the next day, I loved being back in my sandals and not having to wear a coat. It was not hot, just warm and that was enough, with loads of coffee stops, late nights, late mornings, and laughter, boy did we need the break.
It's still Christmas in Spain until Jan 6th when the three kings come, so our friends children were still in full excitement mode, and unlike the UK, it felt fun and family and not all retail and expensive.
New years eve was so very different, we had a meal in a restaurant full of families babies to grand parents, with groups of youngsters and parties of all ages, in typical Spanish way it was very noisy, and after the meal, tables were removed and we had a disco. True family celebration, we each had 12 grapes to each at the bongs of midnight, and everybody wore a piece of red underwear, all very normal for Spain.

I have done no craft, but I did bring back some fantastic crochet cottons, so very cheap, most of these are the same size so I can use them together, just the natural ball is slightly thicker, at 2 euros each 100 grams, a bargain. Now I have no excuse not to get going with crochet.

Last December I was so very down, so many things happening around me, of which I had so little control.  Doing extra work for 6 weeks, with out much help, wore me down, my last week at work was so hard, I really did feel like leaving on a couple of days, but if I went it would have impacted on other people in a negative way, so I managed to get through it. But it left me drained and withdrawn and impacting on my family life.

So today in another new year, I am making plans to enhance this year.

Work, I am looking for a new job, I can not change the people around me, so change my job.
Children, they have problems, I can be there for them, but I can not take on their worries, they have to make their choices and I will support them.
Grandchildren, love them, they are my sunshine, will see much more of them all.
Home life, I am very happily married, but we need to inject fun back into our lives, I have a few plans to get us out and doing things, even on wet days (and we have enough of them here in UK)
Me, Lose more weight, get fit by using my bike and walking more. Find my positive side again, it's there just lost.
Stitching, plan projects, finish Winter Watergarden, Tree of Life and Sleeping Cats, but use stitching for pleasure and not hide behind it when things are tough.
Somerset House, plan to work more to finish this great house, I am so close but I ignore it.

If you are still here, thanks, let 2013 roll on.