Thursday 30 September 2010

A bit of colour!

Yesterday was such a gray day.....then today we had a lovely autumn morning when  I noticed there was still some colour around in my small garden....










One solitary Honeysuckle blossom!



then we had a horrible gray afternoon......

Sunday 26 September 2010

It's not a Quilt!

I've been having a play on my new longarm, I am no good what so ever at just practicing on a piece of fabric, I need a purpose!

So I used some glazed cotton/chintz .....the 18 inch squares refered to previously already had a purpose..... here's the finished practice piece, 

I intended to use a couple of the best blocks to keep as a benchmark for my future quilting....

So here are my finished cushions......




Lots of feathers and curved cross hatching using Carol's 'Fineline Ruler's' from Accents in Design, you can find them here....
accentsindesign.com/fineline.aspx


My next practice session is already on the frame.....such a shame that work gets in the way of my playtime.....


Thursday 23 September 2010

It arrived!

The big incentive arrived a week ago, I was so busy assembleing her that I forgot to post an updated photo, then I was so busy trying her out, that it never entered my head again until today.......

So here she is all set up in her new home......



I had a little practice with some echoed swirls.....



 Then went straight for it, marked out some 18 inch squares and feathered them....



 

Not perfect by any means....but I think quite impressive for my first week......I think it's going to be BLISS!

Saturday 18 September 2010

Horses for Courses!

Had an early start today, left at 5am to travel down to the Cowper Sale in England.....501 horses for sale, we took 2 two year olds to sell, which we did and then tried very hard not to buy anymore, which we also did.
The sale started a 10am and by 3pm the sale was half way through to lot number 250, it was going to be 7 or 8pm before the sale was finished...a very long day, we didn't stay till the very end....


 

Just random photos...

Sunday 12 September 2010

Incentives!


It's suprprising what you can get done when you have an incentive.....
I pushed myself to organise workmen to put up a new ceiling in one of my spare rooms, it had been needed for a few years now! Of course all the furniture had to be removed, that meant a good sort out of drawers and cupboards...lots of stuff for the charity shops. I also arranged for the carpet fitters to measure for a new carpet.
I  put down dust sheets to protect my carpets and while the workment were doing the ceiling I went ahead and gave the upstais bathroom, shower room and WC a thorough deep cleaning...decided that while there were dust sheets everywhere I would enlist help to clear out all the clutter from my loft / third floor area, why do we collect so much stuff...it's so easy when you have a loft to just shove it up there!
I went ahead and decorated the bedroom once the ceiling was dry enough...new carpet is now fitted and furniture back in place.
A new carpet in one room can make your other carpets seem a little stuffy so I decided to give my bathroom, kitchen and hall carpets a good clean too.
My next brain wave was to  move my sewing room upstairs into the bedroom where I keep my quilting frame, of course that meant moving the bedroom downstairs....I felt a little sad as it had been a lovely bedroom, everyone who stayed in it always commented how cosy and different it was....
Well what can I say?  All of my sewing room was heaped up in the hall and on the landing for all to see...so much stuff....stuck betwixed and between while I sorted out the new downstairs bedroom....I have to say I am pleased with the bedroom now it is done....

It took a huge effort to move my cutting table and sewing table upstairs but my new sewing room  is a wonderful workspace with everything in one place....I am sure one day I will be able to find everything....lol...

When I was on a roll I turfed out a few drawers and cupboards around the house and cleared out some clutter, now I have quite a stack of crockery, books, clothes and some pieces of furniture for a car boot sale / stop and swap. I also made a half hearted attemp to clear out my farm office but there is only so much you can dispense with from there.

This was my sewing room last Thursday....








But today it looks a bit bare.....



 Hmmmmm....."There's a big space...wonder what I could put there"???


Saturday 4 September 2010

Another flimsy!

I finished another flimsy today......I'm building up a pile of tops to quilt.....lots of PPP.....


Thursday 2 September 2010

It's Irresistable!

It's irresistable..... to butterflies that is!

I thought the Autumn was here, well, it is chilly in the evenings and the nights are certainly drawing in by half an hour each week but surprisingly we are having some wonderfully warm, sunny weather.....

The warmer days have brought out the butterflies who love this buddleia bush / butterfly bush.....




 


Common Red Admirals...but beautiful all the same!