Still Sunday to go

 We went out on Friday night, to a awards dinner for my husbands company, it was a fun evening, good food and laughter. Above Titan, he was very amusing robotics at their best. Below at the start of the night, we said we would be home early and left at 1.30am at the end.

 We stayed in Bournemouth you can see our last visit here, we stayed in the same hotel. Yesterday we travelled to Portland Bill, next to Weymouth, we have not been here for years, This photo is from the top of the hill looking down on Chesil Beach and to the right the sailing area's which were used in the Olympics last year. It was a sunny day, but the wind was strong and made it cold.

 The light house, no we did not walk to the top, after Friday night not sure if we could have made it, but we did have a short walk and then tea, nothing much else to do here.

 The rugged shore line, every where rocks, but I do love it, it's best when the waves hit them,

but today it was calm.

 The locals kept an eye on the visitors

 When we got back Grace was enjoying the sun shine 

and showing us she did not miss us at all. 

Thursday I picked Josh up from school, we went out for cake, Josh had a huge piece of chocolate cake, and a milk shake, we then went to Stokes bay to run along the beach, have an ice cream before going home, we both had loads of fun and neither ate our tea.

Today after collecting our new reading glasses we are staying at home, do a bit in the garden and then resting. I hope to do some stitching tonight, but nothing much planned.

Sunshine and stitches

 It was a perfect sunny day, yesterday, Fliss and Sammy came to my house, on the way we stopped at Portchester Castle, we were there less than an hour, we walked around the castle walls and then through the castle grounds, it is only a small castle. Sammy loved being able to run around and loved the gravel along the waters edge.

Fliss and I did craft whilst Sammy played at home, Fliss is hand sewing a quilt, making it up as she goes along, the designs on the material is very her, it's her first attempt, and she is keeping it very neat. If it goes well she will make the design large, if not it will be a cushion cover.

 Above is the three released stages of Sweet Dreams, below I have pushed on with  the repeat patterns, I am well ahead on this, hubby has been away for a few days, so I have stitched for the past couple of nights, I don't sleep well when he is away so I stayed up later stitching. I am able to do another 3 panels and two more yellow flowers with out the instructions.

Today I have ordered my 3rd book Poppy Patchwork 2012, it should be here soon, I have also created a book on Somerset House, which will come at the same time. Later I am going to pick up Josh from school, I do enjoy are time together and we have great conversations on the drive home.

Nothing to do in the garden, except water seedlings and pick up the tree petals from the lawn. The Magnolia is now in full bloom, but it is too early to plant flowers for the summer. My solar lights brighten the garden each evening, so we are having the benefits of our hard work.

Sunny weekend at home

 I am still stitching Dream sampler and getting ahead of myself, I enjoy this stitching and after two days in the garden, is a treat to sit and stitch in the evenings.

 Our garden is open for spring and summer, providing we get the nice weather this year. I have loads of plants in my small green house, my fruit plants are doing well. Kev gave the lawn it's 1st cut yesterday, below the sun shine through our tree, now bursting with flowers, yes after two warm sunny days, it does feel good.

Weekend at home was great, we saw Josh and Sammy, Sammy wanted to be out side all the time, he does love the garden, Su and David popped in, they are busy getting the ground ready for a back lawn, which they are laying with seed.

Hubby is playing golf this morning, he will be enjoying the beautiful start to the day, his golf club is on the edge of town surrounded by our beautiful country side, so he gets the added bonus of the wild life including deer.

Nothing much planed for this week, just looking for my next job, hoping to get another interview this week.
Friday we are off to Bournemouth, for an awards dinner, it's with Kev's company, they normally have a very good show theme, fingers crossed for a nice evening and Saturday we spend wondering around resort.

ORT's and all

 I am not part of Daffycat's TUSAL this year, I have followed for two years, but I do keep my ort's, "old raggy threads" which make perfect stuffing for small projects, this is my pot for this year, full of colour.

 I am getting ahead on this design, I have done the second pink panel and I am not ready to pack this away, it will be great once finished, I think I could do the balancing left side without the pattern, I would just need to reverse some of the panels, I already have. But soon it will be back to Grand Marquoir

We had fish and chips for tea last night, our local shop is one of the best in the area, the food is so fresh and well cooked, this is only part of a portion of chips, I can't eat a whole portion to myself, so hubby and I share. Just add salt to the chips, heaven.

 I had a day with Sammy and mummy yesterday, and of course Woody, Sammy is a big fan, these photo's were taken on my phone, I love the hats, he is a Nana's boy, and loves my blue car, he came with me to take and pick up Josh from school, I am enjoying having time to help with the school run.

We went to Hobbycraft to add to our stash, not to much, Fliss was looking for patchwork material, she is hand sewing a quilt, not sure what size, I think that depends on how well she get on. I did not purchase much, I have been sorting at home, and did not need much. After a good tidy up, I have found things I did not remember I had, the feeling is as good as a trip to the shops.

Today is a day at home, hubby has a brand new BBQ, and the weather forecast is good for the weekend, I can see him wanting to use it this weekend, so plans for time in the garden, I want to plant my tomatoes in their growing spot. Every thing I have planted this year is looking good.

Have a good weekend, hope you are dry and warm and with loved ones.

Stitching in colour

 More stitching, this section was a bit harder, I had to unpick twice, the pattern is a repeat, but I have to keep the chart close the whole time. I am stitching on a big frame 17", which is not great to hold, but I hate having  to clip any frame over my stitched area.

Above was the end of Monday night, yesterday I started the final bit in this section, same design but going up, the colour choice is mine and I do love the green and purple together.

 A close up of my work, the colours are very true, this is going to go in our bedroom, at first I though as a cushion, but I think I might frame it and have it hanging, it will show better on the wall, rather than another cushion on our bed, look here what do you think.

Not done much this week, except clean the house, I have a bit of ironing to do later. but that leaves me free for the rest of the week.
Later I will pick Josh up from school and sit with him and Sammy until daddy gets home from work, tomorrow I am having a day with Fliss and Sammy.
I had a job interview yesterday which went well, fingers crossed, and I am hoping for another interview next week.

The events in Boston are terrible, whoever could attack an event which raises so much money for charity, our world in which we live have some nasty people. Here we have the funeral of Margret Thatcher today, I do hope there are no problems, She was the type of lady you loved or hated, in my case she enriched my life, but there are thousands of people whose lives were changed and made much harder.

Well the ironing is calling................

Perfection

 It is a perfect weekend here, 

1st photo is end of Friday I stitched the second border, the pattern was not the same, so I decided to use the pink, again it is looking good. This was the evenings sewing.

2nd photo as end of Saturday, not so much stitching done, we were out alot and we had a nice meal and a glass of wine, and my good rule, not stitching after a drink, works for me.
Saturday we went to town and then on to a garden center, I was good as just brought a few plants for in my green house.

This morning I spent in my garden, I have planted my birthday present from Su, I love this strawberry pot, there are 9 strawberry plants, each cup has a area in the bottom for water storage, I have high hopes for these plants. I have also planted the red gooseberry bush in my fruit garden. The olive tree is in a large pot, our winters are to cold, so it will have to be inside my green house.

 My small plot I am now turning into a herb and salad garden, and I am using my favourite gardener for inspiration, this book I gave to my son-in-law a couple of years ago, he has lent it to me. I have cleaned down the decking, and have removed loads of pots, I normally grow the herbs in those pots.

 This afternoon Josh and Sam came to play, we had a game of foot ball in the garden, 1st time this year, then Sam sat at my desk and used the crayons to create this picture, he is now into colour.

I have had the most perfect bath, using my oils, and feel very relaxed, and all the gardening aches have gone, looking forward to a nice light meal and an evening with hubby, might even paint my nails. 

hope your day has been as good.

Stitching pleasure

 Sweet dreams is in my frame, and I love it, I'm on the third release, I had already chosen the colours I would stitch with, no new colours, just mixing the ones I have already used.

I love my yellow flowers, they should have been brown, but I wanted colour in this work. Can you feel my excitement on this project. The centre will be blues and pink. The opposite boarders are the same, so I can get ahead of my self with this one, if I want to. This was last night's stitching

 We have tulips in the back garden, very short, but they are there, they have come up very quick, at one point I did think they would not shoot.

 Our poor Magnolia tree is very indecisive alot of the buds are damaged by the cold weather, but newer ones are forming. It is already feeling much warmer, maybe, just maybe spring is arriving.

My job interview was cancelled this morning, we have booked a few days away at the end of May, and the company was not happy for me to have holiday in the 1st three months, which is the start of our summer, bit strange. But I now have another interview booked for Tuesday for a very local company.

The house smells wonderful, I have the slow cooker on with lambs liver, sausage and bacon, I will add potatoes and veg later. Su and David are coming over for tea, comfort food.

Yesterday I spent time with a very good friend, she knows how to make me smile, I do enjoy her company, she with her hubby is always first on our guest list when we have BBQ's.

Nothing much booked this weekend, I do want to go to a garden centre for a few plants, most of the time home with hubby and playing with grand sons.

Warning cute photo included

 I have completed another 3 designs on Grand Marquoir, 29 completed out of 54, so over half way. It's a very restful stitching design, the designs are simple to follow and I do very little unpicking.

But the next stage of Sweet Dreams was released yesterday, so today it is back in my frame and this is on hold for a week or two. I am really looking forward to stitching with colour, I do enjoy having two projects at once, but two at once time I find enough, with maybe a quickie now and then.

Yesterday was a dull day, we had rain in the morning, but at lunch time we popped to our local beach at Lee on the Solent, Josh, Sammy and mummy came with me, we had a walk along the shingles, then into the play area, Sammy loved the slide, just over an hour was enough.  Josh had an ice cream for a treat.

 On the way home we went to a McDonald's drive through, Josh had never been to one, so they had a treat for their lunch. Sammy looking so very cute and tired, I love his curls. It is such fun to be so close the the shore and  be able to pop there for quick visits, this time of year is great, not to many holiday makers.

 I am out this afternoon, spending time with a good friend, time to catch up and so loads of laughter.

Our daffodils are still looking good in the front garden, as I sit here I can see them swaying in the gentle breeze. Our Magnolia is still in bud, I really do not know if the buds will produce flowers, they are now late, but so many things are this cold spring. Both cats are in their baskets, resting, they have the perfect life.

Job hunt is going well, I have another interview tomorrow, and I have loads of calls to make this morning, chasing agencies, some thing will come along soon.

We have added dates to our weekend away in late May, we had already booked two night in North Wales, and we have now tagged on another two nights in Lincolnshire, Wales is a beach location, the second location is a spar hotel, so what ever the weather we will have plenty to do.

So plenty to look forward to.

All kinds of every thing

 I have been stitching, I have completed another 3 designs, these are from page 4, it is so much quicker to stitch just using one colour. I am stitching designs I would not normally stitch, and in the beginning I did think I would change some of these, but now I am  doing just as it was designed.

This is very different to my normal stitching, the fabric I purchased as a deal and would normally not go for this shade. My stitching is evolving which is good, I am not a fan of stitching cottages, flowers, you know the stuff my mum did.

 Yesterday was warm and sunny, so we went to Emsworth, about 30 mins drive from the house along the coast, we had lunch in a pub,  and a walk around the harbour. The best bit, we only had on our jumpers and a body warmer, not gloves or hats, we just about kept warm. This photo is from the harbour wall looking back towards the small town. It was a nice afternoon.

 Today it's warm and sunny, well not that warm but with the weather we have had this spring, it's enough to get us out int the garden. No planting yet, but a good tidy up all round.  Below the pot is looking good next to our front door and the clematis is in bud.

 Our front corner garden is doing well, I love the spiky bush, it's hardy so it grows well in this spot, right next to where I park my car. The other corner garden in the front has loads of spring flowers, so I am pleased every thing looks tidy.

I have sorted and cleaned my little green house, ready for plants, I am going to get plug plants later this week and grow them on to a size for planting out. I also have to sort my tomatoes and other plants for growing in the green house. I want to get a gooseberry bush and another raspberry cane, and I will sort the strawberry tower Su gave me for my birthday last year.  So a busy few days.

With the sunny days, I have been busy sorting inside, I have thinned out loads of craft items, I have loads of card for Josh to take to school. I am thinking if I have not used it in the last year, I'm going to get rid of it, it never surprises me how much stuff we have, I don't even think I am a hoarder.

Tonight we plan a night in together, Kev is then away for 3 days, so I plan to do loads of girly things, in real terms the time will go so quickly, but I do have a couple of meals which I love planned.

Hope you have the sunshine and can enjoy it.

Out and about

 Today it's still half term, so Joshy, Sam and mummy took nanna to Milestones an indoor museum about an hours drive away. The boys come here often, but it's the first time for me. I walked around with Sammy, who loved all the old trucks, cars and bikes. This reminds me of the flatbed lorry my dad drove when I was a child, he delivered sacks of flour to local bakeries every day.

Josh was more interested on the Lego on display here, and allowed a photo, but then it is a very cool Star Wars figure, sorry as a nanna I should know who this is. But we had fun for hours, a simple walk through our  past.

 The Lego Olympic stadium was very good, 

we saw three rabbits in the crowd, and loads of other silly things.

 The Lego church was wonderful, very real looking. 

 It was a very nice day out and being inside we were away from the cold, it was snowing when we came out. I really would like to go back again and have more time to look, I forgot my camera so I did not take as many photo's as I would have liked. But looking through children's eyes makes the visit very interesting.

 Above is my latest crochet circle, I have played a bit, but it is much neater, so I am pleased, I used a much thinner cotton this time.
Below I have stitched the last heart in black, and I am showing it last, because Paula, knows my posts but my photo's I am of course the queen of hearts. I have not done much else on the stitching front, I have been tired most days.

I do have a clean house and if the weather would get warmer I would have a nice garden, the cold weather has burnt the buds on our magnolia  tree, so I am not sure if they will flower. So most of my time is spent inside.

I got a nice message from an old work mate this morning, my replacement started yesterday, but resigned this morning via e-mail, says alot.

Tomorrow grace is off to the vets for her check up, and then I have a day at home, hope to catch up with a few friends, then another weekend at home.

Both my books are now ready for printing, but I am happy to wait to see if they e-mail another discount, their discounts enables me to get the best quality paper at a reasonable price.

All round post

 It's so very dull here weather wise, not raining but cold and grey, not at all like Easter should be. Yesterday was the first day of spring, our magnolia tree is full of buds, but they are not opening, I do hope the cold spell does not stop them from flowering.

I am doing a quickie, I love these colour's I have one heart to do at the bottom and I will use a different colour, not sure possible yellow. It's a bit small so I will have a go at adding more design. It looks good stitching shades of pink on a pink background.

 Fliss came over yesterday, she had the evening on her own and spent it with me, Fliss is very good at crochet and I had instruction all evening. Loads of tips and help, Fliss tried a new knitting pattern so we were both very creative. Sorry I forgot to take photo's of Fliss's work.

 This is my 1st pot, I have just two ends to sew in, showing me how to crochet in the ends of different colours, made doing stripes easier, it is very pleasing to make something other than granny squares. The colour's are not me, but I had them in my stash, free from a magazine.

 I have tried to do rounds before, but they are never flat and the joins were so very poor, I am pleased with my bottom, the side is not so great, but for me a vast improvement. I will do another pot to see if I can get things neater, improvements before our next session.

It's a bank holiday here, so another day together, we have nothing planned, it's to cold for gardening, and no jobs to do inside. Sam and Josh are still at Grandma's, so we hope to go for a walk later to our local castle.

I have been creating a new miniature house pop here to see my progress.