Needle and hook

Sweet dreams is coming along well, just need to add leaves and then stitch the rest of the last section. But for now is packed away until next Wednesday.

 I am crocheting granny blankets in miniature, just seeing if the yarn I have works with this pattern. I have a few colours in this yarn. The hardest part is keeping the stitches small and neat. I am also sorting a small stitching project.

 Josh was watching the birds in our garden, this one came to our feeder, it's a blue tit, Josh is showing signs of liking bird watching, he loves my book on British birds. He also loves helping Kev make the bird cakes for the garden.

We have had two very wet days, good for my garden, but not so good for us, but every where is looking so very good, which brings a huge smile to my face.
We finished making the book for Logan our grandson, it's a photo book of his first stay with us, without mummy and daddy, just waiting for it to come.
Today I am packing we are away for 5 days, popping to North Wales for two days, have a hotel along the beach in Llandudno, Friday and Saturday nights, then on to Leicestershire for a spa hotel for Sunday and Monday nights, so a mixture for a few days, the weather fore caste is good, so fingers crossed for a sunny time, I will take my iPad, to keep up with every thing.

Sunny Monday off

Yesterday we had the day together at home, our visitor did not arrive, so we relaxed in the garden, mid afternoon we were bored, so we popped to a garden centre. I have been wanting  a Jasmin for the corner where we sit, this has a pale yellow scented  flower called Clotted Cream, I have also a Lotus, berthelotii, with a flame red flower which will tumble down the front of the pot. 

I also got some lemon grass. 

 Kev has been making seed cakes for the birds and refilled the worms, so the thugs (Starlings) arrived in numbers, they are not scared of us, two fight over the worms hanging in the tree and throw loads on the lawn, which the masses eat. Later the squirrels were out.

 This morning we went for a cycle ride, not to long, I am still a beginner, we cycled the scenic route to the castle, then walked shore line around the castle and then through the castle grounds, which was full of families. Then we cycled to our local shops for a ice cream, and then cycled home, we were out for a couple of hours, so good excise.

 Dream sample as of last night, can you notice the yellow flower is gone, I broke my rule not to stitch when a good programme is on TV, just one stitch out. So now I will do the 4 blue flower sections and the yellow flower last.

Another nice sunny day here, I have to plant my Jasmine this afternoon, and then some stitching, another perfect bank holiday weekend, the breeze is cool, but in the sun shine we are warm. Both May long weekends have been good, does that mean we are going to have a summer at long last.

Happy little skip

Sweet Dreams arrived yesterday, and I am lucky it's the centre panel

 So I put it into the frame and got going, this is last night's stitching, The flowers should be blue, but I am doing my own thing with shades of blue, and I have added the light green in the middle of the leaf.

 Today I got rid of the wire frame for my herb garden, I got these cheap tunnels. They will help with the cooler weather and keep the cats away.

 I have planted salad leaves, spring onions and radishes, so with the herbs, in a few weeks a nice fresh salad. My fruit area is doing well, the marigolds are also doing well, hubby was happy to see them in the garden.

 This flower I planted last year in a pot and it's back, again I don't know what it is, but the photo is more interesting when looking up.

Had a very good morning with a dear friend, Angela, afternoon with Kev in the garden, and soon we are creating a small photo book for our grand son Logan, from his 1st holiday with us, hope he likes it.

Friday

I have been stitching, some thing to do with the rain outside, I have done another 4 squares, with just the last two on this sheet, then just 2 pages left. I have not changed any thing, but I do hope to add the date some where. 

 Once I stitched this, I fell in love all over again, this is stitched on a bigger canvas for me and I am using 2 strands of silk. Grand Marquoir will be in my frame until tomorrow when the next stage of Dream Sampler arrives, fingers crossed it's the centre panel.

 I have had Sam for a couple of days to help mummy, we get on so well, when I go to collect him, the moment I walk in, he gets his coat and "bye mum", poor mummy brushed aside, he loves Nana's baby blue car.

 Loads of cars and football, as soon as the rain stops we are in the garden. Yesterday we picked up Josh from school, went to the McDonald's drive in and had a treat of burger for tea. Josh did ask why Nana did not get a burger, sticky moment, I had KFC later for my treat.

 My Allium has burst into flower, I have 2 in my garden, must get more they are beautiful, to wet to do any gardening, but I do love to pop out and check every thing. Each day I have to pick up petals from our Magnolia, they are so large, and I don't want them to spoil the lawn. Just need the sun shine to make things grow. I have been watching the Chelsea Flower show, mixed feeling this year with some of the gardens, but the plants are stunning.

This afternoon I am planning time with Su, youngest daughter, who has today off. 

Tomorrow morning going to Estee Lauder staff shop with a friend

Tomorrow afternoon another friend is staying for a couple of days.

Monday just Kev and I, no plans except to enjoy our selves.

I like loads of people have been sicken by the murder of Lee Rigby, 

so voilent, 

I can not put into words how I feel. 

Our world is so mixed up, such a waste of a young life. 

Instructions from pintrest

This is what I should be stitching, but my garden is still calling me, so far this week I have done about an hours stitching. Chelsea Flower show is on the TV, I am addicted to watching so much perfection.

 A close up, using the new camera, I am like a child in a sweet shop with it, my smile is a big grin, I am so lucky, we have just purchased Adobe Photoshop Elements 11, to give us extra benefits for each photo.

 I have to show my Peony again, sorry if you are fed up with it, but in 10 years this is the best show of flowers 14 buds in all, so  for a plant over 50 years old its doing great.

 I have been on Pintrest, and like most of us I am addicted, below is rose cuttings, I have put each one into a potato which should help them root, they do not look to good at the moment so fingers crossed.

 I wanted lemon Grass for my herb garden and can not get any for any garden centre, so from Pintrest, I have purchased them from a supermarket, they are in  water waiting for the roots to grow and then I have to plant them in shallow pots. Fingers crossed I will have plants soon.

I am going back out in the garden soon, just an hours work to do, I might make it last the whole afternoon. My garden has helped me get rid of all the stress, plus hubby is doing loads of nice things to keep me happy. I am still looking for a job, I was over qualified for my last interview, oh well, at least I am getting interviews.

All things green

I have spent the whole day in my garden, planting pots with bedding plants, adding colour every where, I love daisy's. I have planted two pots for Su's back decking, one herb and one with left over bedding plants.

 Outside our back door, I love the blue pots, 

the sun hits here for most of the day. 

 Our fruit garden, I have added loads of  french marigolds, 

it's hubbies favourite plant. 

I think it is warm enough for my strawberry tower to be out. 

I will add a net to this area to keep the birds and squirrels away. 

 We moved the old sink to the bottom of the garden, and I have planted with mixed bedding plants, it sits behind our Acer, adding a splash of colour. The garden is looking good from every angle. For once Paula you are seeing it all.

 Every thing is now ready for summer, I love the shades of green. The herbs are doing well, I should soon have salad seedlings to go in the front of our garden. We sat here with a glass of wine, a perfect end to the day in the garden. Fingers crossed we can spend tomorrow out side, resting and chatting with family and a good friend.

 I am loving my camera, here are a few close ups

I'm going off for a nice bath, to get rid of all the aches, evening in with hubby, the rest of the bottle of wine a good film, bliss, happiness is not big and expensive, it's about the simple things.

On a sunny day

What do you do on a sunny day, 

me I do laundry, change the bed,  washed my large throw, and I had a 3rd load on the go as well, but look at the sky, always a black cloud. I do love to see all the whites on the line, crisp linens, and as with my towels, always white.

 I have purchased some more herbs, which will be planted at the weekend, I can't find lemon grass anywhere, but I read in a book you can grow it from the cutting you get from the supermarket, so I will give it a go.

 My Olive looks like a twig, 

so for this summer I have planted 3 begonias in the pot, 

so at least I will have colour, fingers crossed the twig will grow. 

 My peony is doing very well, the winds have dropped, so the flowers as still here. 

 Angela, a good friend visited and brought me flowers, which are now opening, nice and bright on our dining room table. Kev does not like lilies so they are a nice change.

 Sammy has been with me all afternoon, he has hoola hoops, which he loves, and loads of little cars, we have had laughter, and played football in the garden

 My best news  is our latest purchased , it's a baby sister to Kev's camera, so I can use all his lens and have fun, I really am getting into photography, and it's a hobby we both can share. All I have to do is learn how to use it and do a couple of on line courses to get the best out of it. I will still keep my snappy, it's so quick to use.

I have not made a stitch this week, it has been a busy week, 2 interviews, but I don't think I got either job, one did not go well and the second indicated I was over qualified for the role, so the search goes on. But I did have two fun days with friends.

No plans as yet for the weekend, time in the garden, and with family, sounds bliss. Hope your plans for the weekend come through.

Swapping Frames

I have done all I can on Sweet dreams

 I have two birds to stitch, but I have to swap the design so the birds face the opposite way, I will do this on paper before stitching, I have every thing crossed the middle design is the next section out on 25th, if not I'm in for a long wait. 

 Grand Marquoir is back in the frame, but it does not excite me in the same way, but I plan to finish this one, if it goes in my WIP pile it might never get done. I have just over two and a half pages to go. I plan to stitch later. I have seen a couple of designs I would like to stitch and I have one in my head to make using Florentine embroidery.

 This flower looks weird, it has a pompom head, all the petals are breaking out from the bud, I am not sure what they are called, but I have a couple in my garden.

 My english blue bells are out in both the front and back gardens, I love them, but the bulbs are hard to get, I love their colour. We have heavy rain and winds here again, and it's got cooler, it's more like March then May, oh when are we going to get a summer.

I have had a busy few days, today I had lunch with a friend, we went for afternoon tea, which was fun, yesterday I met with Fliss and Sam, we spent time in town, and then back the their little cottage.
Tomorrow I have another friend coming for lunch, so more chatter and laughter. I also have two job interviews, but for nice sounding jobs, so fingers crossed.

Kev is away again this week, back on Thursday, so I have time for myself, I have been painting for a new mini house using very bright colours, not sure how it will finish.

Before the rain

This morning I have been out in my back garden, I have planted the herbs I purchased from the market yesterday. Just in the back section of the plot. The front will have summer herbs and salad things, these are still in my green house.

 The bigger herbs I have planted in rings, which I made from lawn edging, this is to keep it looking tidy, I want to plant thyme's and other low herbs around the rings. I have 3 mint's which are in pots sunk to ground level and my Bay is the focus plant. It's a shame I have to use slug pellets but every thing would be gone quickly with no protection. I have chives for in front of the big pot.

 Kev cut the grass and added weed and feed, so the lawn should perk up, it does look as if we are going to get rain, which will help every thing we have done, if not I will water tonight. our tree is full of bird feeders of all types and the wind chimes. For now we have put the frame over the garden, once every thing is growing well I hope to remove the frame for good.

 I have been potting on seedlings in my green house, and should have a few more plants soon, for both flower and herb gardens. I am planning my pots and will buy bedding plants soon. I keep shrubs in the garden and add colour in my pots.

 We have an hedgehog in the area, so in the corner I have made a wood pile and fixed a plastic box above, it is next to my blackberry canes so the corner should soon be full of growth, and the tub hidden.

 The peony is ready to burst into flower, with the winds we have been having I do not think the flowers will last for long, I love the colour so bright and full of promise.

Now I am going to sit and stitch, my chair looks out onto our garden, so I can watch the birds feed.
We are having a great Sunday at home, I am pleased with our garden, each year my work load is less.

Flowers, fake and real

Don't you just love these buttons, both Fliss and I fell in love with them, most are for Fliss, I am keeping only the one I am holding, I can't wait to see what Fliss does with hers. 

 We popped into Portsmouth on Friday, and went to a really great fabric shop. Not all gimmicks and shiny things, just rolls of fabric, every thing you could need to stitch, and staff who know what they sell, I loved it. I am sewing, finishing a skirt I started ages ago and making a summer skirt using the fabric shown in my last post. 

 I have finished the second half of the side panel, with having Sammy at Nanna's house for a couple of days, not much stitching has been done, but had loads of fun with cars. Just half of the top panel and two birds to go. Then wait for the middle panel to be released.

In my garden 

 The weather has turned cold and windy, most of the blossom on the tree has gone, I picked up loads from the lawn yesterday. The Peony is late in flowering, but it has loads of buds ready to burst, My strawberry pot is still inside the green house, but the fruit is now forming, I hope to get it outside later this month.

 I have also loads of herbs to put into my plot, I have made plans on how it is going to look, the seedling are salad items and herbs.

 My back garden, but a different view, now the BBQ has been moved away from here, I have my two old wooden chairs as a second sitting area, my little green houses are here as well. The Acer I moved looks happy in it's new spot, it's very rustic here, Kev wanted to do some work, but I love it as it is, this is an old garden and out here I love rustic.

Nothing much planned for this weekend just hubby and I, we had house guest last week and we do love our time together, tonight a nice meal and a film, tomorrow we will see what the weather is like, maybe a drive with our camera's.

I am planning a few RAK's, I do know some one I want to cheer up, so please watch this space.