SAL Progress, Patchwork Blocks,Lavender Make....

This is my Alla Turca SAL progress, all up to date with part 6 finished, and part 7 eagerly awaited any day now. I just love ding this SAL it is to relaxing, and easy going.

Its been a funny sort of a week, starting very peculiarly on Saturday evening, when a sort of semi connected person in our family telephoned us to say that my Daughter and her family are stuck in Goa with no money as her income from an Internet business had ceased. I haven't heard from her or from any of the grandchildren in 9 months. I have tried to get hold of them but to no avail. I would have thought that if she was in such a predicament she would have gone to the British Embassy out there, and we would have heard something.But no! We spent quite a lot of time on Saturday evening until midnight trying to find out what had happened to them, via the Foreign Office, but to no avail, as they said if they didn't want to be found, or had not requested assistance there was nothing we could do. They did suggest other agencies such as the Police, but they were unable to help, as they said unless they were wanted for something they couldn't help. Apparently too they have moved house from where we knew they were living too, so that doesn't help matters.

All I have been able to think of is awful thoughts, and worrying about the grandchildren... ages 14,12 & 7. I really can't keep my mind from wandering, so please forgive me if my blog is a bit disjointed.

If there is a likelihood of Joanna reading my blog......please get in touch to let us know you are all OK.

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On a happier note......Lavender Room & Drawer Fresheners

I have discovered on another blog which I can't seem to find the name of I found this wonderful idea of making these gorgeous little Lavender room and drawer fresheners. I thought they are ideal for someone who is allergic to the commercial type of freshener products. As my lavender is just about ready for picking now, I thought I would have a go. This is the pic of the end result

How to make them is quite easy. You cut about 10 stems from the plant as about 12" or more. Get all the heads together evenly, and just under the heads, wind some thread around about 6 times and tie off( I used crochet thread). Then about 6 inches down the stem wind the thread around again 6 times and tie off tightly. Then bring the cut end of the stems back up towards the heads one at a time,(it doesn't matter if they crack slightly). Then push the end of some 1/4" to 1/2" ribbon into the centre of the bunch to hold the end of the ribbon whilst you weave it in and out of the stems on the outside. When you have woven all the way up the stems, tie off ribbon and add a loop through the tied off ribbon for hanging the completed piece. Trim off the end of the stalks of the lavender at that end to make it neat. Add a bow to the bottom.

And there you have it sweet scented lavender pretties for decorating about your house. It keeps flies away too and soothes the mood, and aids sleep.

Two Finished embroidered Patchwork blocks.

These two blocks stitched up really quickly, and I thought they were just lovely, so I am going to make them into large cushions for my lounge like I did with the peacocks that I showed last posting.

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This is a pic of one of my paintings that I did some time ago. I usually use watercolours, and gouache, I think that this one was done in watercolour.

This one I painted whilst sitting by the river Dart at Dartmeet.

Little Alphabet Sampler......& Spring Holidays

I just loved stitching this small alphabet sampler. I have stitched it on Belfast Linen 28ct, and used DMC floss. I found it a while ago as a freebie. Its title is " Bluebirds and Daisies", and is a complimentary design from: www.blueribbondesigns.com . I found it very easy to stitch, and I thought I may incorporate the design again along with more motifs to make a larger sampler.

My latest stitching project is a birth sampler for my new little grandson, when finished I will show it on my blog.

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Spring Holiday..... Well a rest for DH anyway....

The weather was beautiful, and silly me I thought that we might go out and about for a few days, especially as it was Easter school holidays and all that. We had even talked about going up to the Fleet Air Arm Museum, and the American Museum up in Somerset, as DS wanted to go there, but no such luck, DH just wanted to rest up. I suppose I can sympathise in a way as he does have a strenuously gruelling job,but I would have driven, and all he had to do was to sit there and look at the countryside.....but no. He just wanted to stay at home. I think that he was just enjoying the fact that my eldest son had moved out the week prior to that, and he just wanted to enjoy the peace that now reigns in our house. I did manage to get DH to go into the garden, and finish digging the veggie patch that we have decided to have this year, especially as people in the UK are being encouraged to grow their own fruit and veg. We have planted Tomatoes, Courgette, Broccoli/Purple sprouting, Lettuce..various varieties, carrots, peas, broad beans,and aubergine, also a custard courgette.

We did however manage to get down to visit the newly arrived Grandson after him being born about 10 days previously. He's so cute,he weighed in at 6lb 6oz and is now gaining weight, and getting stronger every day. They are all coming to see me tomorrow, so I will get to cuddle him again. I do love tiny babes especially when they are not your own and you can hand them back when they start crying.

Easter Saturday, saw a big spring clean out, we had so many old books, and clutter, that we thought it was time to get rid of the excess. Doesn't it take an amazing amount of time, as if you are like me you seem to come across things that you have forgotten and than you start to look through them all particularly photos, or that little memento you had kept for posterity. Eventually we had a huge pile of books which we put on our local Freecycle.com group, www.freecycle.com and there were many takers. We still have loads to do, and get rid of before we can even start to think about decorating. I really must stop hoarding, and stashing.

On Easter Sunday there were many bootsales, and flea markets on, and it was wonderfully warm so we decided to go to one. Yet again I couldn't resist, and found some fabric to add to my stash. Not only do I like doing cross stitch, and blackwork, but from time to time when the mood takes me I do like to do patchwork. I was lucky enough to get about 4 square metres of Calico for £1, and 2 metres of really nice checked material suitable for all sorts of projects. The colours were not too dissimilar to the colours I used in the ABC sampler above.

I also added to my cross-stitch stash, as a lady was selling a piece of 14ct Aida, and all the threads to make a teddy bear sampler. I don't fancy making that up, but the threads, and aida will come in for something. I also was lucky enough to get Donna Kooler's " 555 Fabulous Cross-stitch Patterns" book for 50p. There are so many nice little motifs that I am sure I can incorporate into things that I will make, both for exchanges, and for myself.

Its amazing what people will get rid of for next to nothing. I also had the pick of whatever I wanted out of an old sewing chest. I had a powder bowl full of pins, some with nice heads on, and some buttons for covering, and a velvet press type brush. I shall be covering the little buttons with some cross stitch flowers I think.That all cost me £1 too.

My Antique Porcelain find......

I was just about to leave the bootsale/flea market when I came upon this stall that just had a load of old junk when I found this wonderful little Dresden side plate decorated with purple pansies, and hand gilded with little dots of gold on the pansies, and gilding to the scrolled edges.The age of the plate is around the 1880's-1900.

Two little Finishes

Matress Pinkeep Finished

Small notebook which I covered with some chintz, and did this little blackwork motif just to set the front cover off.

I recall that the pattern was found amongst many in the http://www.antiquepatternlibrary.org/completelist.htm