Stitchy Post

I have almost finished the top design for European Cushion, this will sew into a square, I will do a little of each side and then start the next section. I have picked the colours I would like to use on this project, but I do need to plan which colours I will use for each section. 

 At 28cm it will be a good size cushion, which is pleasing, often when I stitch on a higher DPI count the design is too small for a decent cushion. 

28cm is about 11 inches.

 This afternoon we have beautiful sunshine, so a trip into the garden, no jobs to do, everything is up to date. The Raspberries are coming along well. I purchased these two obelisk from Wilkinson's and at £6 each they are a bargain, the best bit is they are both one ring higher, but I won't need that much height, so I have made another frame for a tomato plant. No pretty top but that does not bother me. I have added the net to keep the cats and birds away.

 After moving the Strawberries to a sunny spot, they have started to grow, soft fruit is coming along well. My Blackcurrant and Gooseberry bushes are growing well. I also have a Blackberry in the back corner of the garden which is starting to climb, I don't expect too much fruit this year, but they have all settled in well.

 All I require now is a Blueberry bush, so off to garden center this weekend. Last weekend I got an Olive bush, it's about 4 years old, it's in a green house for the next few weeks.

My Orchid in the sitting room is still in full bloom, my fingers are really green at the moment. 

I hope to use my sewing machine this evening, I have a few items to make up, I have been very lazy in not finishing things. I also have a sewing job for hubby. 

Work is good, busy enough for the time to go by but not manic. 

My first few days of my diet have gone well, I managed to put 3 pounds back on in the last month, some thing to do with Easter. So in May I would like to lose another stone, which is a bit more than I need to lose, but allows me a few pounds to gain once I finish.

New start and shed update

My first post of European Cushion, this is the outer boarder, I am choosing the colours myself, I am stitching on 32ct Belfast Linen, Pale Lilac, using one thread of DMC. I have to stitch 40 of these centre diamonds along the top, bottom and both sides. 

 Most of this week has been in the garden, and working on my shed, I think you know by now how pleased I am to have my own space. 

I am now adding girly touches, hearts and a silly cow.

 The wooden storage unit we have had for almost 20 years, it spent 15 years in the conservatory of our last house, since we moved here it has been 4 years in the garage, now it's mine, perfect for storage. 

 This nesting box has never been used, where ever I put it the birds stay away, so now it's on the roof of the shed. 

 Hubby put power in today, so I have a clock, I can get lost for hours in the garden, and with this end being so nice, I will sit up here more. I am pleased with the pole and the hanging beakers, our grand sons don't use them any more.

 This is my prized procession, it belonged to my mum, she passed loads of garden tools to me when she sold her house, the handle is so smooth from years of use, and it is the best trowel I have. 

 The twisted willow and Daisey are both planted, I had the purple container, it's not a plant pot, bit it looks good. I love this photo of the garden.

It has been a blustery few days and the last of my spring bulbs are gone, just waiting for it to turn a bit warmer so I can plant out summer bedding plants.

We are having a evening in, Su and David are coming to tea, hubby is cooking a Risotto, and we have some fresh herb bread.
Tomorrow is another day at home, if it is warm a trip out on the bike.

5th Finish of the year.

My sampler is finished, happy dance time here. I started this beginning of February, so almost 3 months of stitching.

 I love everything about this sampler, the design, the colours I used, 

the tiny blue stitches. I did change the top of the final box, the letters were jumbled and some missing and some in twice, not at all to my taste, 

so I added three hearts. 

 Tidy neat little boxes.

My favourite box has to be this one with the ship and the blue sea, 

can't tell you why, I just love it. 

 Most of this week has been about my shed, how sad a grown woman having so much fun, I love every time I enter I can smell cut wood, which I love. We have had heavy rain this week and the inside is dry, very pleasing.

I have planted items next to the fence, a Honeysuckle, with red flowers and a Fuchsia, there is also a white Jasmine here, so most of the fence will be covered. I also added stone around everywhere to make it look clean. I plonked my Twisted Willow in the tall pot just for now, but I'm loving it there, so I will plant it up. I will also plant the small daisy in front, just looking for a nice container.

No plans for the weekend, weather is not good, loads more rain. I will spend more time adding to my shed, making girly, I have solar lights for outside and some wind chimes, also I am sure some wooden hearts will find a way in.
Squirrels are back, they soon found ways to get past the higher wire fence, but the cats are not coming in, another small battle won. Just have to stop the flies and find a way to have windows open without fear of invading cats, we are on our own, no local authorities are interested, we are private houses and they don't want to know. It is very sad one woman can change so many lives.
I have done a few stitches on European Cushion, photo's next time and I am doing a quickie.

Shedtastic

Box 8 is finished, just box 12 to go, I am planning to have this finished by Wednesday, I managed to stitch  last night, once we were back at home. 

Sorry it's not the best of photo's.

 I have already done a bit of this last box, 

so the finish line is very close. 

 I went shopping with my sister on Saturday morning, and these followed me home, The Aquilegia is in my flower bed by the garage. The mace, in the green tub is in my herb garden, not used mace before but I do like the leaves. The Goji is in a large pot, in the greenhouse, this is very new for me. The daisy is waiting I will have to create an area for it to go in.

 Hubby and I spent most of the day in the garden, 1st job adding the wire fencing to stop the cats coming into our garden, then we built the shed, it fits this space behind the garage perfect, the roof was hard to fit, we really needed to be able to get along the sides, but hubby managed to get it together. I will start to sort my stuff and fill it this week. Already I am being teased because it will be a tidy shed.

 Later our daughters came for tea, we did not have a BBQ as promised, but had our food cooked inside and ate outside. Still plenty of time for football, Josh is getting very good. The garden is looking really good.

 Sam had fun with his cars, and playing golf on the decking. 

The green topped storage box has most of the spare garden furniture in, plus my large garden tools, so by next weekend every thing will be in my shed and it can be dismantled ready for Su and David to have in their garden. 

I have moved the strawberry pots down to catch the sunshine all day, in hope they will now start to grow. 

It has tried to rain this evening, but we have done every thing we wanted to do outside, the boys have gone home, they are back at  school tomorrow. I will stitch soon, and rest, hope your Easter break for fun and rewarding as ours.

It's a Good Friday

This stitching is coming along well, this was at the end of Wednesday night, I had two evenings of good stitching time. 

 At the end of last night, I did go out for a couple of hours, but was not sleepy when I got in, so I sat and stitched until past 12pm. I can see the finish line and am racing to get there.

 My shed arrived this morning, hubby has painted each panel twice, the ground is level with the slabs ready for installation, fingers crossed it will be done on Monday. It will fit this space and look perfect.

 I replanted this garden last September, and I am pleased to see plants coming back, this is a beauty. I love the rustic look of this wall, but hubby wants to paint it.

 Peony time, it has 8 buds at this point, another plant which was dug up and replanted, it was only out the ground for a few hours, so no harm has been done.

 Last night whilst out with both daughters, we popped to a few shops and Fliss treated her mum, the colours in this necklace are wonderful, I have loads of summer dresses and tops which will go well with this. I am a lucky mummy.

We have spent the morning in the garden, hubby painting, me just pottering, I have so little to do at this time, loads of seedlings growing, I hope to plant them next month, I just have to watch out for the slugs, they can eat every thing so very quickly.
Later we have a three hour drive to Somerset, tonight and tomorrow we will spend time with Martin and Leannna, my family. Sunday we will have time with Logan, mummy and daddy. We are giving Fliss a lift, she is visiting her dad and will come home with us on Sunday evening.
Monday will be a day at home, building a shed and then maybe our first BBQ of the year.
Su and David are home, they will feed the cats tomorrow and water all my plants.
I am not taking my stitching with me, it's a bit big, so I am taking my tatting stuff, I would love to master it properley.

Stitching, Almost there

I have found time to do some stitching, not too much, 

but I do hope to finish square 7 tonight, 

This is pure bliss

 My ORT's in their new jar, loving all the colours.

 I have completed under the tree, I wanted this to look neat, I have a Hosta growing in the chimenea, we stopped using it years ago, on the top is a pot saucer filled with water for a bird bath. In front is our herb garden and at the back our fruit garden.

 This is our one tulip, very pretty.

 The bluebells I transplanted are growing stronger, they look much better in this garden, I have cut back all the daffodils. I am now watching to see what is growing, I have loads in pots ready to fill gaps. It will take a couple of years to get this garden to how I want it.

 I received a plant catalogue yesterday from Sutton Seeds, they show the Cucamelons, which I am growing in my greenhouse, and now I want the Cocktail Kiwis, I will place my order for them to arrive next week. This summer we will have loads of different things to harvest.

Work has been good, very slow, but we have loads of catch up jobs getting done. I can then get an hour in the garden, picking up leaves from the tree, and sat in the sunshine. We do have to lay the paving slabs for the shed to stand on, but that is truly the last big job this year. Hubby has promised me a BBQ soon.
I have a long weekend for Easter, so just two days left at work, we are away from Friday evening until Sunday evening, visiting family, and the weather is promised to be good. Monday will be a day at home.
Paula, a water butt is a large sealed container which stands next to a building (garage) and the rain from the guttering collects inside, with a tap at the bottom to fill my watering can for the flowers.
Laura, I have as yet not finished your rug, I am being very slow, but I promise it will be in the post for early next week.

Sunday garden fun

The weather has been beautiful here in our part of Hampshire, 

warm sunny days, the sky tells the whole story.

 The tree is full of bird feeders, they are always full, winter and summer, the starlings (thugs), regularly feed, here, even when we are sat close, they have no fear. Another sign of summer the wind chimes are back out.

 I have planted in one greenhouse my cucumbers, one normal the other cucamelon, a bushy plant with very small fruit, they come from central America. With a few spare in pots to pass on.

 The greenhouses are full, loads of seedlings, peppers, salad items and loads of flowers for all around the garden and pots.

 Behind our garage, here we had a water butt, log store and this compost container, we have lifted the paving slabs, ready for the hard task of digging all the compost from the container.

 Pat on the back time, there was alot of compost in the bin, most have been used on our garden and in my tubs, I have flattened the ground and spread the sand, all we have to to now is relay the paving slabs. This area is almost ready for the delivery of my new shed later this week.

 So our final part of the task, a cold drink in the sun shine, it's nice to see the doors open. The sun shine today was really warm, the down side, I had the hose out to water the garden.

We have spent alot of time with Fliss, she was with us all last evening, and for a while today, she has gone to the gym, she loves a good workout, then an early night ready for work tomorrow.
We have been out for a ride on the bike, still a bit cool, but loads of bikers every where, we had a coffee at our local bikers cafe, sat looking at about an 100 bikes.
I have not picked up my stitching, but I do plan to stitch tonight, I love to be out in my garden as soon as the sun shines, I am not a great gardener, but I do like to potter.

Hope your weekend was fun.

Here comes summer

Well not quiet, but Bluebells, I love them, these I have taken from the front garden to the back. This space is looking very good.

 Peony time, I already have 10 buds, 

I love this plant.

 Loads of promise in the greenhouse, 45 french Marigolds little plants all growing to perfection, my twisted willow, loads of new growth, and more flower seeds, many different flowers, probably to many for my little garden.

 These roses fell into my shopping basket, 

the orchid is lasting well. 

 Dave the bear has been closer to my stitching this week than me, he sit's waiting each day, I wish he could sew, think how much we would get done.

 I have done some work on box 12, 

the outer box is finished

 At lunch time I went for a walk, our local park was full of people enjoying the sunny afternoon, just inside the gate, the blue sea of Bluebells welcomed me, in the middle of the city, what more can you ask for.

This has been a challenging week for our family, one daughter so full of sorrow, brought on by a man who was a cheat and a liar, and another daughter whose world is coming together after her marriage broke down. As a mum who can only watch and support, it has been a hard week. Yesterday I had with both daughters, it is wonderful to see how they support and love each other, we did manage to have some laughter together.
Soon it will be the weekend, our garden calls, my shed will arrive next week, so we have to prepare the area, I also want to get some paint, we have decided to paint inside pink.