Snowdrops

Hello again. It's been a long time since my last post. We've had problems with the wireless router. Hopefully it's all sorted now.
Went to Hodsock Priory to see the snowdrops. We haven't been for a few years but we weren't disappointed. Just a few photos to show you how lovely it was. The pics are bleached out because it was a fantastically bright day.

Snowdrops under the trees in the woods.

Small cyclamen, a real treat. Brilliant colour in February.
This was by the pond, don't know what it is but I love it!
A rather pretty snowdrop.I can't add any more photos blogger won't let me or I haven't figured it out yet! I'll do more later.

I am doing some textiles but I can't show you yet.

Happy New Year; vermicelli; dragon

Happy New Year!

Have been unable to post due to being disconnected from the internet repeatedly. However my other half seems to have solved it.
Anyway, I have actually managed to do some textiles. I'd got some shirt weight dress fabric with a very broad navy blue on white print. I quilted each stripe with white thread then went over it all with blue Markal paint stick. Had to leave it to cure for 48 hours then put a layer of blue polyester organza on top and quilted each stripe again. I'd been reading about variations in vermicelli and decided this would be the quilting but an angular variation. It worked well so I made another piece.

For this piece I used the same fabric but with a narrower stripe. This picture shows the piece before its layer of organza and second layer of quilting.
I have a thing about these layers at the moment, but I must develop it and move on or leave it.
Went to see my Mum and Dad and wanted to take something to eat. I saw this fruit in the supermarket the other day. It's a 'dragon fruit' or pitahaya. It's the fruit of the Central and South American cactus. I was taken with the colour. Isn't it great! It had a sweet taste and a texture similar to a kiwi fruit. It wasn't unpleasant but wasn't particularly remarkable, just amazing to look at. Lots of vitamin C and fibre.
It's been good to read all my favourite blogs again. I felt very isolated when I couldn't read them.
Happy New Year again to everyone.

Last images of the year, Christmas

A beautiful sunset taken from my back door at about 7.45am on Christmas eve..... whilst.......

.....indoors I was starting to make trifles, one for my parents and one for us.

My mum stitched this for me for Christmas. I'm into fairies at

the moment and always into flowers.

Our lodger came to stay after Christmas and this is him opening his present.
Some actual stitching. I made this for a wedding anniversary card my Mum and Dad. It is on New Years Eve and will be their 52nd. I couldn't give it to them as I'm not well, so I emailed a picture of it to them. I'll take it in person when i'm better.
Have a happy and creative New Year :)

See you soon!

Christmas towers

Hello again.
Thought I wouldn't manage to post again before Christmas.
I saw the towers in QA gift magazine and wanted to try the idea. I made this for my other half as a Christmas card. It's a flat pack tower, the beads along one edge act as buttons and there are corresponding loops for fastening. I feel it needs more perhaps some wire and beads at the top but maybe that will happen next year. I will use it again but not as a card.

I then decided to do a set of three towers, again flat packs. These are finished yet as I've got to put on the fastenings and any other decoration.
This is the tower flattened, right side showing.
The wrong side, not too bad, could almost use it as the right side.
I like the tower idea because you could use any favourite technique and adapt it to suit. The size and shape could be adapted. There are so many possibilties, my mind goes into overdrive!

Going to finish wrapping presies now!

Merry Christmas.

Stuff for Christmas!

I saw these things in a sweet little shop. I don't usually go for things like this

but I thought it cute and charming.

A Christmas pudding teacosy.

Covers for those well known golden chocolates.
These are covering Heroes.

Merry Christmas.

I'll say it now in case I don't get chance later due to festive stuff or hospital visiting.

TaTa......

The visitor and the tree

Two weeks before Christmas and it's time to put up the Christmas tree. We also have a visitor for the weekend.

The finished tree. I put up our smaller one this year so I don't have to find another home for the table it stands on. I was watched by yours truly (below) who only became interested in one of the boxes of decorations because it made a noise.

My other half went to Old Trafford, it rained practically all day and this is where my mate spent part of that day...watching the front door waiting for his other mate to come home and take him for a long walk. Some decent frosts this week, didn't manage to get good pics of the best ones. Will persevere though, might be good for next years Christmas cards. Cold out though!
Must try and do some textiles in amongst all this festive stuff!

Panic - Big Foot!

Just had a panic.... my Big Foot had an accident! I was happily machining away producing something whimsical for christmas and this happened. Something fell off my Big Foot....aaaarh!!

This one shows it a little clearer. I was shocked. I love my Big Foot! Can I still use it without damaging my sewing machine?


Just as I get going with some stitching I'm thwarted. I want to stitch. That's it, moan over.