Back down to earth

We have had a lovely time, a dear friend came and stayed, Oh, I am so lucky, the sort of friend who feels like family! and we have had these

 and some of these...

 and also lots of these!

and then we had some of this

and went out to watch some of this

brave Saint George, who slayed Slasher










all in a fight over the virtue of fair Phoebe.....

and then this quack doctor 'cured' Slasher

so that the father of fair Phoebe and Slasher, could be content...

yes quasi English tradition is still alive and well in the pubs of Cheshire!
 worth seeing at least once! to the confusion of all...









and so we then had some of this on the feast of Stephen!

 I looked out later and found that small people from next door had made the most of it, and there were plenty of footprints across it! Good job they did, it was all but gone this morning.
And then, finally, we had some of this!

I hope all of you had just as good a Christmas as we did!
And I hope my dear friend may come back and do Christmas again some time!

monday stitching

 Our  Round the world bee seems to have hit a little hiatus, I have received no blocks to progress since before Christmas. However, I do know the order of the blocks, and some of them can be made without reference to the blocks already done.

Anita asked for a 'neighbourhood block' some building or scene that would represent where we are, and that she can assemble all the different blocks to make a unified quilt, from all our neighbourhoods.


In January I took a couple of photographs at work, in the snow. So when I was trying to choose what to make for her, this image came to mind- after much sifting of thoughts, and comparing of many images - possibly four images?

I like the drama of the trees, and the building just to the right of that further tree has an interesting roof. So that became the inspiration for this block.

Yes, I know, the block is nothing like the photo, but it still came out of that image!


And I like the cold and snowy feel of it, and Anita likes it too, so that is another one done!

what is next? an aqua grey and yellow block, and then a pinwheel or star. Just do not expect too quick action!



On another note, my crafty DD2 made the most delicious Easter eggs.

 She blew the eggs, I find that a very tricky operation, but she did it very quickly and neatly.

Eggs were well washed, and then dyed with food colouring. They came out amazing jewel colours- I think vinegar was involved?







She then filled the eggs, with a sort of truffle mixture. Very delicious, and she left these two behind, and I am the greedy one who is eating both! well, I have eaten one, and have the other in my sights for tomorrow!















I promise, very nice indeed!

yes, we have some snow

 As I left the house on Monday morning, this scene greeted me. I love to see the pristine snow, waiting for feet to crunch and mark it. We seldom get any snow to speak of, so it was lovely to see this as I went out.

Already the mornings lighten rapidly so that after my short journey to work, the day had really come, and the snow had stopped falling, but the birches managed to be a little picturesque.









 Snow did fall at intervals during the day, and is falling now, on Wednesday, but it has almost gone, even whilst still falling.

 And, not too surprising that most of the afternoons appointments got cancelled.  Even though most of the snow vanished - like snow off a dyke!














So, this is what I have been working on in my spare time.  I had some Salt air Charms, and was wracking my brain to use them as economically as possible- that's right, I am stingy with my fabric- and finally decided to go with a sort of simplified Arkansas Crossroad, and yes there are more of these in my future, as I love the effect of using the patterned fabric for the 'road' . So I am now messing with layouts. It seems as you start to lay it out, it is fine. And then you think, but that bit there is going to bug me , so you change it a little. And another little buggy bit appears. So you change a little more. And again.  Hmmm.







So, what do you do. keep changing bits until, well, when? Or just put it together as it appears, more or less randomly?  I am still not quite convinced by my layout, but how to say STOP? I don't know.

And then, I think borders will be required. But we are getting there.