Monday 29 September 2014

I AM...

... not going to be doing much sewing to-day....  because I have a LIST of things to get done!!... oh! this retirement lark is exhausting! lol x It is mostly housework ... and you KNOW how I feel about that!... why do you think I am here right now instead of getting started? (snorted my own cup of tea then xx)

I was out in the garden ... now isn't that funny .. I go out every day and brush up the dead leaves in the garden ..WAIT...


.... (sample pile ) and as I walk away there is a sssshhhhhiiiinnnggg noise and more leaves fall down ready for brushing up to-morrow ..... and it doesn't bother me ... out I go x BUT when it comes to cleaning up and ironing and washing ... which is also always there ... I moan about it! lol x

ANYWAY... I was out in the garden ... and I have to tell you I recently listened to a radio programme that was all about the hot dry summer and how the spiders have grown BIG ... for us anyway .. and how the females are all coming looking for mates!!... (I seem to going off at all angles this morning!...) and I saw THIS...


I had to put a piece of paper behind to get her to show up in the picture!!... risking life and limb I might add...


GOOD GRIEF!!... I am off to do some of the housework on my list ... and NOT look at the cobwebs in the corners xx

... just re-read that and had a thought ... do you think she could be eating the groom!! YUCK!

Diane x 

Saturday 27 September 2014

EVERY TWO MONTHS....

.....I meet up with the girls I used to work with. We take it in turn as to who chooses the venue ... this time was Panama Hatties.. you may be able to guess what type of food w had xx

 
 

One of the girls has a due date to give birth NEXT WEEK!... and it became a VERY funny and silly game to see if she squirmed or drew a deep breath xx Was a WONDERFUL night .. next one is November xx

There was A LOT of food .. we managed to get through it xx... and this was my AWSOME pudding..


I don't think I need to eat for a while xx

You may notice the tea cosies ... I let them choose one each ... it was like we were a tea group!!!! .. He-He ... yes it got a bit silly at times with all the food and SOME alcohol!!.. such fun x

Diane x


Wednesday 24 September 2014

LAST NIGHT ...

... was quilt group in Sandbach (Beartown) .. and we had a speaker (Nigel)who came to tell us all about ribbons and how they were made  I now know WAY MORE than I ever did about ribbons!! Who knew there was so much involved!.. certainly not me!!

It was a good evening and of course ..


you have to keep these local businesses going xx (that's ALL I'm saying xx lol x )

I was also given this..


OH MY GOODNESS! a sneaky taste almost took the top of my head off! I am SOOOoooo going to enjoy this xxx

Because  I KEPT telling you about it ..! I know you know about the workmen I had in recently ... well.. I am getting sorted BUT ...I keep finding projects .. in bags.. that I have obviously sorted ready to work on...



OH ! I will have to have a session of ... SORTING OUT!

Hey-Ho .. no time to get bored here xx

Diane xU

Monday 22 September 2014

WHEN I SAW....

... the September block for the Christmas B-O-T-M I thought ... oh no! not another tree!

However .. I had a think and decided to change it up a bit ... well it is MY wall hanging/quilt after all xx !! lol x

SO... to-day I made my block..


and then continued the process of putting it together... there is one more long strip for the top .. next month...


I have to say I'm very happy with it x

Diane x

Saturday 20 September 2014

GOOD MORNING...

... its a bit dull here this morning .. not complaining though , because, for the first time in WEEKS we have had some .. much needed .. rain . The air is much fresher .. you can hear the plants sucking it up ... AH! Very nice x

I have been putting off making the postcard for the swap this month. The theme is ....wait for it... free machine quilting!! GOOD LORD!!! I barely machine!! I know you need to practice at this .. but first, you have to have an interest!!... and I don't!

Hey-Ho... I'm not going to let my partner down.. even when I don't like the theme! SO...


this is my crummy effort! I had a go .. no more will be said! lol x

I was asked to make 4 Christmas bags ... money will be crossing palms here xx..... SO within 2 days of being asked I have made ..









SEE THE DIFFERENCE when I am motivated? lol x

I was looking at this cushion ...


.... remember I made it at Area day? Well I was thinking about how she said the whole look  can be changed around ... and so I changed it around and made ... 


I am really pleased with it x.....ALL I did was change the white from a dominant position .. and very obvious to a minor position ... its EXACTLY the same block xx




 How cool is that x ... I do have to laugh at myself sometimes !!! lol x

Off to find some more motivation ... NO free machine quilting ... or housework either come to that xx

Have a lovely time yourselves

Diane x

Monday 15 September 2014

I HAVE...

... another tea cosie to share xx After I made the big top....


I decided to make some one who ... not so long ago... would have been the star of the show...




I REALLY have to take a break from these xx LOL xx I have lots of other things to do!! He-He

Diane x

Sunday 14 September 2014

WHEN I SAID...

.... I'll be back soon ... you were NOT expecting this soon! lol

Last week Shaz was poorly so we did not have ... Alsha's Space: Week 34 of 52 Weeks Word Photo Challenge .... thankfully she is feeling better .. so we are back too it x

The word is TRIO ... I decided to use this one..


you have seen it before .. but I do like these blocks xx

Diane x

THIS IS ...

... something of a catch-up post. I have been out and about quite a bit this week .. and will TRY and remember to tell you all I have been doing x

We were back at Congleton (Beartown) Quilt group on Tuesday ... it was a catch-up after the summer meet... so a bit of everything ... including cake ,tea ,and LOTS of gossip xx Here are some of the many postcards that have been made so far this year ...



not wonderful pictures .. but hopefully you get the idea x

Wednesday as you know we were at the sea-side x

Thursday it was back to Sandbach Quilt group .. We had Chandra Law come to talk to us about making and using batik fabrics ..great talk .. very funny as well as interesting  x  AND the bags came back xx They were sooooo wonderful ...




again not the best pictures!! He-He I need to stop getting all involved and take better pictures!! lol x

Yesterday was The Quilters Guild area day ( we are Region 13)... we had a lady called Carolyn...(I cannot remember her last name!! oops!) Who is a mathematician and talked to us about changing around blocks to make secondary patterns .. she was amazing and had LOTS of quilts to show xx  In the afternoon we had a choice of 3 blocks to make ... by hand x with many variations to make patterns with. I chose to make this block...


and this am made it into a cushion ..


shhhhh! Don't tell .. but I HAD to buy some fabric ... got to keep the local traders in business you know xx lol ...


I picked up Josh (grandson no. 1) on the way home yesterday ... and we went to watch Boxtrolls .. NOW .. there is an odd little film ! Watchable .. but odd x

I think you are up to date .. I'll be back soon anyway x

Diane x

Friday 12 September 2014

I HAD TO...

...get my sewing done this morning x..

I managed to sew some sweetie blocks ..


for this months Brit Bee swap queen .. she wants Christmassy blocks x AND my stash Bee blocks ..


I was preoccupied and forgot to take a picture BEFORE I parcelled them up! They are off centre miniature blocks xx He-He x

I also sewed down the binding on a cot quilt..



NOW....... the reason I was pre-occupied.... is that I had to work out my strategy to get GUS into the bath!! His relationship with water begins and ends with the need to drink it!!!!

SO .. the plan was ...

When we get home from the afternoon walk

1. Do-not take off his lead

2. RUN (!) up stairs .. dragging him with me

3. Dash into the bathroom and throw him in the bath

4. Wash as quick as possible

5. let him get out

6. get towels on him BEFORE he covers the bath room with shaken water

WELL... it mostly worked xx I had to fight off an excited Sam who wanted to get IN the bath while stopping Gus .. who wanted to get OUT!!! and .. the bathroom got pretty wet!! He NOW smells lovely .. although NOT speaking or making eye contact with me xx lol x...


AH! the joys of pet ownership ... I'm exhausted now!!!

Diane x

Thursday 11 September 2014

AS BLOGGER...

... is insistent that I am NOT following any blogs!! I will up-date you on the chaos that he s been going on here xx

The gas men and plumbers have all gone now .. phew!.. working central heating .. all floorboards and carpets returned to their rightful place x OF COURSE .. I have done SOME cleaning and am working my way around to ALL areas xx lol x I will get there x

Yesterday it was much too nice to be cleaning .. or indeed indoors ..SO we had a trip out to the sea side x The sun was shining and the lovely Autumn nip was in the air ..  off we went to Llandudno in North Wales ..

 
 

As you can see the sea was like a mill pond , with some sea mist x There are lots of HUGE wooden Alice In Wonderland statues around the town ..

 

this is on the front and is one of my favourites x mmm wonder if he has/needs a tea cosie? lol x

Mum managed to find a few shops ..


and dad got to carry the bags ..


Quick update on MY tea cosies ..Having a lot of fun with theses .. this one went with the Halloween Swap bag .. (its a pumpkin!!)..

 

This one is for the Facebook swap..the word is CIRCUS and this is my big top...

 

and a few others too...

 
 

Be back soon x

Diane x