Sunshine travels to Berlin.

 I wanted a circular design on this piece, and I am glad I found one I liked, 

I have totally changed all the colours, using ones I have already stitched in this design. I was hoping to have more done, but it's been a busy few days.

 I am loving the shapes on this

We have been away again for the weekend, we went to Berlin, we stayed in this fantastic city for 2 full days, using the public transport, which was clean, on time and running almost every 15 minutes, we used trams, trains, subway and  buses. Here we are at  Brandenburg gate, a dry, sunny but cold day, and even though there were loads of people, it was not that busy.

Us at Checkpoint Charlie,  I thought the checkpoint would be more than just this wooden hut, but all the photo's show it was only ever this hut. Now in the middle of a busy street, but when it was the gate from East to West, it had loads of barriers up to stop traffic getting to close going to fast. 

These guys stood all day, ready for photo's. 

This bit of the old wall, set in an open museum, we also visited the museum for Check point Charlie, it was full of they ways people escaped the East and loads of stories how the people managed under the oppression which was their daily life. Very harrowing, but so very interesting. 

 In side every where was warm and friendly, here we had the most perfect meal, with a beer for Kev, we were here for almost 3 hours, all very rich is smells and sounds. Much nicer than the modern places where every one was in a rush.

 The tower is the TV tower, we went to the sphere to look over the whole of the city, the sky was clear and blue and the views were unbelievable. Below the Christmas markets, this one was nice, not so full of mass produced items, lots of craft people.

 This when lit up was stunning, 

it is the centre piece for the market, 

the passing children loved it. 

Back home and back to work today, I was glad to be able to sit all day, visiting new cities can be fun, but loads of walking.
I am in the mood for Christmas, I will put our tree up on Saturday, which for me is early, but it is the season to be jolly. Our plans for Christmas is going well, Logan with mummy and daddy will be staying with us, for 3 days, so with a 3yr old in the house, loads of excitement and toys.
For the rest of this week it's all about keeping warm, the temperature has dropped, but it is dry, most of the flowers in my garden have been killed off by the morning frost. Now for an evening with Kev and some stitching.

PPS still not watched "Day of the Doctor", some thing else to look forward to this weekend.

Busy weekend

Can you please tell my garden it is mid November and begonias should not be in flower, we have had a couple of light frost this week, but every where I can see summer flowers growing.

 I have made my soup mix in jars, these are for presents. I want a large jar for me, I have an idea to keep them separated as I use them. My home made presents are coming along well, I hope to start wrapping presents this week. My tree will go up on 1st of December, a bit early but I am feeling festive.

 I have done some more stitching, but it has been a busy week, 

I hope to do some more this evening if I am not too tired.

 We headed back to Taunton in Somerset yesterday to spend time with Logan, mummy and daddy let us have him for the day. Here we are enjoying cake after a trip to the museum, and before going to the toy shops.

 Grancha was happy to help Logan, every where in the museum there were things for younger children to do and touch, here they are building churches and church windows. This part of the building is a castle, only a small one, but great fun for little boys of all ages.

 With my love of wood this carved tree was wonderful delight in the entrance.

 The windows were fantastic, and the views outside great, here are just a couple.

 One room had loads of poetry on the walls, we both loved this one.

We had a great evening with mummy and daddy, stayed in and chatted together. This morning we were woken up just after seven with Santa singing Jingle Bells and a very excited little boy. We are so lucky, our grand sons are so loving and happy.
Home for the rest of the day, spent some time in the garden, picking up leaves from our magnolia tree, the leaves are huge and I don't like to leave them on the lawn.
Now we are snug and warm inside, just the two of us, nothing much planned, well maybe an early night.

Sunshine in November

My free style is coming along well, I have a few plans, but will have to see how this grows. For now I want to finish the big diamond. The yellow and green squares are the same size and I plan for them to be the same stitches. 

 It's been a sunny day here, so I have been working this morning in the garden, here is my last harvest, tomato's, peppers and chillies.  I have cleared all the plants growing in my green house and have put loads of tender plants in there, we are now looking at frost most mornings. I have also planted my Amaryllis, which I will keep in my office for now.

 My pots are looking good, which can't be said for our wall, we had water penetrating and the plaster came away from the wall, hubby has stopped the water and sealed the bricks, so soon we can have it re plastered and painted. I have planted primroses today around my pots and gardens.

 This afternoon, I have mixed my cake and now it is cooking, the house smells of spice, I love this time of year. It will be cooking for four and a half hours, I then turn the oven off and leave the cake in the oven over night. I will take it out of the tin tomorrow when it is cold. The fruit looks good, I always soak it in fresh squeezed orange and lemon juice and use the zest.

 I have been making Christmas presents, cookie mixes for our grand sons in the green and blur jars. The clear jar is for daughter Su. I also want to make Su a soup mix and do another jar for my sister Leanna. Nice presents, but if you think it's a cheap option, it's not, but they will have the jars to keep for storage. I will next year start collecting Kilner(Mason) jars for jam and chutney making.

My food dehydrator has arrived and I have sliced orange, lemon and lime, apple and parsley drying, it is taking longer but I thing the citrus fruit is slowing down the process.
It's been a very productive day, soon I will go for a shower and then stitch, I was going to use my sewing machine today, but I will plan to use it in the week.

It's a great feeling when so many things have been done, Christmas is on it's way here, and I am feeling in control, again this year, I want a nice comfortable house, full of family, tradition and fun.

Lovely gifts

I received some lovely items for my birthday this week, the miniature rose will go out into my garden, the Amaryllis I will start growing for Christmas. Teddy from hubby, Jo Malone candle from daughter Su.

 I love the pale colours and will have to make plans to use them. 

We have chosen my shed for the garden, just have to order it, I have never had a shed of my own, got loads of plans to make it mine, just for gardening stuff.

 Some thing else I am waiting to arrive this food dehydrator, I have wanted one for ages, saw this a half price, oh how I love a bargain. I already have parsley, peppers and chillies ready to dry and I want to dry slices of oranges for my Christmas cake.

I have been lazy this week with my stitching, I have done loads but did not want to follow a pattern, so I started this free stitch design, at this point I am not sure what it is going to be, or even how big I will make it, it's a stitch and see project, but I am loving the variegated threads. 

 Today for the second day we had birthday cake in work, yesterday was mine, today our bosses, so I am a bit caked out, Lucky we had birthday cake and fireworks with Josh and Sam last Sunday.
Not many plans this weekend, I did think we were in Somerset tonight, but that's next week, so a nice stay at home couple of days. Tomorrow I want to finish my pots from the garden, I asked hubby to put them all in the garage today, so they are drying out ready for planting. Sunday I want to get out my sewing machine. Also tomorrow I have a friend coming with her stitching for afternoon and evening.
I also plan to cook my Christmas cake, I am a bit late, but it won't be a problem, I have jars to fill with cookie mixture, a soup mix and spices, which I hope to complete to give as presents.

So all in all Christmas is on it's way.
PPS this is post number 500

It works

I have finished stitching this heart, it's bigger than I wanted, but now it's done I love the shades of brown, both Su and Fliss love it, so I'm hoping Nic will love it too.

 I hand washed the piece to remove the soluble canvas, which washed away completely. I would use this again if I could get it in a smaller count. If you look below you can not see any shiny canvas left.

Now I have to stitch it into a heart, I plan a sewing day with my machine this weekend, I have a few things to stitch. 

 Not the best picture of my cat, but I have done more, the shades of grey are so very close, it hard to tell them apart, it is a hard photo to take and below is the best I could do. I have almost finished the paw and next I will get on with the nose and mouth. This is very cute.

My heart is on my wall, this corner of our office being mine and fully of crafty items, my green basket on the shelf is full of finished items. Not sure if you can make out my TUSAL jar, it's getting full, loads of stitching this year.

Today is bonfire day and tonight is all about fireworks, our cats are in and safe, and we have no plans to leave them. Josh and Sammy are having a firework party at home with their daddy. We do not go to displays, once there you have to stand for hours, and if it rains you get very wet.
I plan to stitch the cat tonight, and then back to Grand Marquoir.

With a rare weekend at home, I plan to finish sewing Christmas presents, and making the cookie jars, I have been looking on the net and getting hints on how to layer them so they look good and printing the recipe. I am in full Christmas mode, my cake should be baked this weekend.
I also want to potter in the garden, any dry day I will spend an hour just keeping every thing tidy.

Photo heavy

 I had an early birthday treat today

1st time ever in a helicopter

 just stunning views

 and back to the airfield at Goodwood in West Sussex.

Thanks to my hubby, a great surprise and loads of fun, followed by lunch out with Su and David then home with Josh and Sammy for chocolate cake and fireworks. Perfect day, lucky me.

Going to stitch some more now. Some time soon my big grin should start to fade.

3 projects at once

I have framed my heart, I did it myself, the black frame has a clip on back, I got it from Hobbycraft for just £5.00, I am really pleased with this and it is now on my office wall. Today we got Tribal Cat back from the framer's and it is looking good, but that's a present from hubby for Christmas, so you have to wait to see a photo. 

 I have done a bit more on my little cat for Su, it's coming along very well.

 I now have the extras I require to get this heart finish, I am stitching tonight, and I should have most of the cross stitch done, I am making a pocket closure on the back and will use two of the buttons, not sure which ones to use yet.

 I saw these and fell in love, so very different, and I have managed to get a chalk pen.

 We have been to town today and purchased more Christmas presents, and I'm very pleased, both presents of for male family members and they are not easy to choose. Our Christmas shopping is coming along well, have to think of what to get hubby, he has most every thing he wants. I am also looking at cookie mixture in a jar, I want mine to look good. I am in the mist of a busy making period, I want to cook my Christmas cake next week.
We are also planning our New Years Eve, not party this year, we are being rather grown up and inviting just 4 people and having a posh meal, including us all dressing up, we purchased our Fireworks today, at half price.
We are having heavy storms and then bright sunshine. I would like an hour in the garden, but I think every thing is going to be so wet. Oh well there's housework to do.

I manage to capture Grace again, not that she looks to pleased about it, I tried to snap Purdey, but every time she sees the camera she runs towards it and I end up with loads of shots of her tail and bum!