Focus!

Another week and more attempts at focusing. This past week I have worked hard at finishing not one but two Quilts! The first quilt is a lap quilt destined for my gorgeous granddaughter. It is soon to be her birthday but this is not a “real” birthday gift. I don’t mind if it’s kept in a cupboard so that one day, in the distant future, she can take it out and snuggle up thinking of me! I am really looking forward to giving it to her this weekend.

The second quilt is also on the edge of completion. I made this quilt perhaps three or four years ago but never finished the binding. I am delighted to report that this WIP (work in progress) should be finished this week. I am so pleased that my halo is choking me!

The motivation to complete these Quilts has been not just the pending Birthday but the thought of starting another quilt! This next one is a Block of the Month and has just arrived.  I can’t wait to start it and I’m  certain that I will be blogging about this new quilt in the near future!

Weekly Blog (an attempt to focus)

I have decided to focus and not have such a scattered approach to everything. One change will be to write a Weekly blog. It may not be the same day every week but blog on a weekly basis I will!

I don’t know about you but I find that I spend so much time thinking, planning, dreaming. I waste time surfing the net, reading blogs and deciding what to do, but not actually doing it! From now on I’m going to adopt a JFDI policy. (Just *ing Do It)

I have so many UFO’S (unfinished objects) that I am afraid to list them! So complete  “some”  I will. One urgent WIP(work in progress) is a must. Hopefully in next weeks blog this will be on display.

 

At the Hobbycraft show in Manchester last week I purchased some Sirdar Firefly yarn destined to become an evening shawl, using the simple enclosed pattern. There was also a beautiful length of fabric which will make a great skirt. A selection of decoupage papers to put in my Cruise craft project bag. And a much emptier purse! I had a great day and saw many ideas for future  projects. Or am I just creating more PHD’s? ( Projects Half Done)

Ode to Autumn

Noddfacrafts

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness. (John Keats)

There is no greater Autumnal pleasure than a walk down a country lane (me!)

This lane leads away from my cottage and up the hill. This Autumn day it was extra specially gorgeous. The blossom was blowing in the air like confetti. As I walked up the hill I found a bounty of Blackberries not yet eaten by the birds. I picked some and left some for the birds to share.

I was scratched, nettled and happy. My fingers were a delicious shade of purple. Benji dog thought it a good idea to steal some from my box but I rescued enough to make a pot of jam or jelly.

Ive only just learned the difference between jam and jelly! Jam you cook with the sugar until set. Jelly you cook only the berries, strain and then add sugar and cook until…

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I want to ask you …

the creative life in between

I want to ask you …

What makes your heart skip a beat?
What memories cause goosebumps on every inch of your skin?

I want to ask you …

Who has hurt you so deeply that you have lost all confidence in who you really are?
What loss has caused bitterness in your soul?

I want to ask you …

If you could be anywhere right now, doing anything you wanted to..
where would you be, and what would you be doing?

I want to ask you …

When you take a deep breath and close your eyes, what is the first thing you think about?
Does it make you happy, or does it make you sad?

I want to ask you …

What makes you want to jump out of bed in the morning?
What makes you smile when you go to sleep at night?

I want to ask…

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Knitting moan.

I’m still “dust busting” It’s amazing how having friends to dinner can motivate you to clean your house! That and the dusty remains of a new boiler installation. But even better news! I’ve finally got back to working on my own projects! Maybe I will even finish something.

I was traumatised to find an error on my Miriam pattern from Quince and co. It was only when I reached all the way to the sleeve insertion that I realised the error. The pattern instructions shape at the “sides” as this is knit in one piece. However whilst it does state 4 sts dec’d the instructions only decrease by 2 stitches. When I enquired I was just informed that I must be using an earlier edition of the pattern and subsequent editions had been amended. Well I don’t think that is good enough. Patterns should be fully tested before publishing. I have had to pull back hours of work which is so demoralising. Still lesson learned….. don’t buy un checked patterns from the Internet!

Help Is Here

that little voice

I returned home just days following Hurricane Harvey’s rampage through this part of Texas, getting a first hand view of the devastation to some 100+ families, not including the dozens of businesses that were impacted in our small town. The saddest part of this tragedy is most of those affected could not afford these life changing events.

They lost everything…except each other. They have no clothes, no shoes, no food, no furniture,  no school supplies, no homes, no direction…and no money.

Rebuild? How? With What?

Move? Where?

Pull yourself up with your boot straps? Who has boots?

I sat with a restaurant owner yesterday as she handed out grocery store gift cards, clothing store gift cards, and cash to her staff members who have no place to live, and no means to ‘start over’. It was important that the restaurant open because these folks needed to get a paycheck, and that wouldn’t…

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Autumn in the Clwydian Hills

Where I live Autumn has arrived! I do enjoy the different seasons and living in the Welsh countryside means I really notice how the year changes. At the moment the farmers are, well, farming! The stock is being moved, the sheep are shorn, the fields are being worked and the hay is in. Hens are laying ( eggs are always for sale at the farm gates). Vegetables are still cropping and being sold at bargain prices. The hedgerows are full of blackberries and my freezer is full of gooseberries and plums waiting to become jam.

So for now, smile a while see you soon!

 

Beads and Stuff

My Sis gave me a large bag of beads that she had collected. She thought (hopefully) quite rightly that they would make a good cruise project.

I have sorted them all out and now need a project……

All ideas welcome. They are heavy and as you can see quite lovely. All I need to know is what to make with them…….

Thanks Sis! Thinking of you. Go girl go!

Threats

It can’t be said any clearer!

Dust, dust,dust

They are still drilling holes through my 22 inch cottage walls! On the plus side we do now have hot water and warm radiators.

I have spent most of the day sorting out my cruise craft suitcases just in case I get another unplanned cruise. My next booked one is a double cruise next July to Norway and then to Sweden. But you never know!!

The twiddlemuffs are ready to be sent to a worthy cause and I have a very long shopping list. At least I’ve got an idea of a new craft list for the next cruise whenever that might be!

Maybe sometime soon I will get chance to work on my own personal projects. I’ve forgotten how many UFO’s I actually have. Perhaps I’ll make a list! The best thing about lists is crossing off the achievements. Next blog a list………..

Meanwhile….