It's Blooming Marvellous!

What do you think of this cheerful chappy that greeted me as I stepped out of the front door on a perfect sunny Sunday morning this weekend? In case you're worried, his petal isn't broken, just folded back on itself.  I did try to straighten it up for the photograph but he wasn't co-operating and I didn't want to break him.. ha ha!!



Pretty purple pansy

 And these beauties surprised me by bursting open recently. I only get into the top garden on the weekend and when I caught a glimpse of yellow while pulling into the drive on Saturday, I had to investigate further.



Lovely lilies

The veg garden is filling out nicely and we have lettuces galore at the moment!

 Our reliable knarled old apple tree is nurturing plenty of 'cookers' that will be ready later in the year along with the 'eaters' on the newer trees (there's a branch of one in the foreground above).

Old faithful's knarled and scabby trunk!

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 I used to  make these almond slices quite often at one time because they are a lot easier than they look and everyone likes them.  I  thought I needed ground almonds but kept forgetting to buy some.  I remembered this week but then discovered the recipe didn't call for them anyway!  What I didn't have though was sugar.  They don't look too bad and tasted ok, according to DS, but I don't recommend using preserving sugar and two and a half years out-of-date almond essence!

 This may not look a very interesting photo but it's quite significant to me since it shows my first ever successful poached egg!!  I've always shied away from making them because my few efforts have resulted in a stringy, watery mess.  My secret this time is that I managed to catch DS in the kitchen cooking scrambled eggs and I remembered to ask him what to do.  He showed me that day and this is my effort a few days later of which I am quite proud!

News next time of a crafty project/present that I'm working on. 

Bye for now
Teresa x

Dove-tailing Episode No 2.......

I recently came across the Facebook page of a local Craft Centre (The Court Cupboard).  I was interested to see their programme of workshops after attending one a couple of years ago.  It was a day course where I made this folded-fabric covered box. 

The Court Cupboard were having a drive to get 100 ‘likers’ for their Facebook page and, what do you know, they were at 99!!  I couldn’t resist and immediately clicked, leaving a little message too! They came back with a message of congratulations and said to pop in for a complimentary coffee and cake (not knowing whether I lived down the road or the other side of the world!). They would leave a note behind the counter for whoever was on duty.

HST quilt slow progress (borders added)

I didn’t need asking twice and called in a couple of weeks later for a browse of the lovely crafts.  The crafter manning the counter (they take it in turns) welcomed me and I started to explain who I was, expecting him to rummage behind the counter for a note about me.  Before I’d finished my sentence his face lit up with understanding and he was welcoming me like a celebrity, offering me refreshment and explaining to the other visitors who I was. It was quite a welcome, I can tell you!  

June block for Tag Square Bee (subsequently found out recipient is no longer part of the Bee)

On a similar subject, I’ve booked a weekend course in November with Jennie Rayment at Farncombe Estate called Texture into Sudoku.  I took the list of materials required for the course to my quilting club last month and they happened to have a few books by Jennie that I was able to look through to get more information.  While doing this, I noticed one of the designs looked familiar.  It was the method I’d used to cover the box (above) at The Court Cupboard!  Well, at least I have an idea of what’s in store for me in November now!!

Bees of a different kind!

I found this lying on the settee when I got home from work the other day.  Apparently DS bought it.  I wonder if he got the idea from the bees trying to take up residence in my shed.  Whatever the reason, I haven't asked what his plans are!!

Bye for now

Teresa x

"It All Dovetails......" (As Mrs Jerebohm said in The Darling Buds of May)

Buying magazines is one of my little luxuries but being aware of adding to the general junk on the planet, I normally try to stick to 2 copies a month. This month, however, I've been naughty and the lure of all the new magazines catering to the handmade market has been too great.   

 I recently cancelled my subscription to Zest (because I wasn't interested enough to read the last issue before the next one arrived!) to replace it with Popular Patchwork and I ususally buy Country Living because I love looking at the beautiful pictures of country homes and reading about the lifestyles. But I also succumbed to the temptation of Craft Seller and Handmade Living. 

 I was most looking forward to reading Craft Seller, thinking it would give me a lot of advise, help and 'oomph' to get going with selling my own work, but it didn't tell me much that I didn't know already. I much prefered Handmade Living with it's 'makeable' projects and blogger profiles.

 The 'dovetailing' involves the pile of CL and Zest magazines I recently offered on Freecycle. There were 3 interested parties and, unbelievably, 2 of them were also called Teresa!! OH randomly picked one and it turned out to be a Teresa, who lived at the end of our road and I didn't know!! Well she called to pick up the mags and promised to Freecycle them on while I promised to pass on my magazines to her in the future. A satisfying deal all round!!

Watering cans hanging from the garden room ceiling

The photos are from the garden at the back of my hairdresser's salon that is going to be part of an Open Gardens weekend next week.  Can you tell the theme is Yellow?

Another 'dovetailing' story coming soon concerning a local craft centre, a handmade box and my quilting group.

Bye for now
Teresa x

Dreadlock Holiday!

The local annual Music Festival is all over again for another year.  We came to take for granted the beautiful hot, sunny weather we had over the last 6 years and it was a bit of a shock that it wasn't a permanent feature!!  Despite the rain, the weekend was a great success with more events than ever.

Despite the drizzly Friday evening, when we sat under umberellas in the pub garden listening to a lively cover band, Saturday dawned bright and sunny.


OH and my friends at the Castle waiting for 10cc

It soon became cold and cloudy, though, as we headed up to the Castle car park to see 10cc, wrapped up to keep warm.  In typical British-weather-style, the sun came out and blazed during the first supporting act until we were all down to T-shirts. 

You didn't expect it to last did you?  We hoped it would, but were prepared for the worst because we actually believed the forecast (which proved correct)!!  The temperature must have dropped about 15 degrees but within an hour was back to its sunny brightness :-)  

Owen Money at the golf club on Saturday evening.

I'm glad we went to see Owen Money (even though it meant missing a lot of 10cc when they over-ran) because he was hilarious and we had a good laugh.  We were glued to our seats for another reason too - if anyone got up for anything, they were picked on like a shot.  DD's boyfriend went to get drinks and although he waited until Owen was halfway through a joke before coming back in, thinking he was safe, the joke was abandoned and Owen and his band sang a little ditty about him 'wearing a checked shirt' and 'looking like a prat'!!  It might sound rude, but actually it was very funny!

Due to the all-day rain on Sunday the usual Male Voice Choir concert was held in the church so we decided to do something different and went to see a young reggae band at The Beaufort. It was a shame there weren't more people to see them because they were great fun.  If it'd been sunny they would have been performing outside on the terrace and people would have been drawn in as they passed.  I can't tell you who they were because they were an amalgamation of bands that got together just for the festival and not as listed in the programme.

The last 2 years our group of friends has worn fancy dress on the Sunday evening, so all weekend people were asking us what we were dressing up as and wouldn't believe us when we said we weren't.  We did try to thing of something but as the concert was a Take That tribute band we couldn't think of anything suitable.  Maybe next year!!!


We took Monday off work to recover - toasted tea-cakes in the sun!!

Well that was supposed to be a post about the Music Festival and ended up being more about the weather.  That's the British for you!!!! But we have an excuse in that we have an awful lot of weather to talk about.

On a different note - As I haven't heard from the winner of my second brooch in the Sew Mama Sew Giveaway I drew it again using a random number generator.  It chose 32 which is That Girl, who I will contact shortly.  

Bye for now
Teresa x

On the Road Again!

I know I've been a bit quiet recently but there has been a reason. Do you remember in this post where I mentioned that after our last office move we would either be finishing after a few months or moving again.  Well...........we moved again!!!!!



Packed and ready to go.

Last time I packed 35 crates but this time I didn't have quite so much stuff and only had 25.


At the other end after movers had left!!

The crates above are mine but the rest of the junk is not.  I don't know where it came from but had to get it all moved before I could get to the cupboards to unload my crates (which were piled in 3 different rooms). 

All unpacked and ready for action.

The rooms in these new portacabins are wider than the last ones so I don't expect to bruise my legs on the corners of the desks quite so much!  And whereas we (females) had one toilet between us before, we now have more than one each!?


This is one half of the corridor and has the air of a submarine about it.

 If you stand in the position above, you can't recognise anyone standing at the far end of the corridor.  I know because someone waved to me yesterday and I have no idea who it was.

This view is a big improvement on the last one.  I don't feel so enclosed and shut off  from the world here.  It's changed a bit since I took this because they've finished laying the tarmac carpark. Now we can park almost outside the door and don't have to get a minibus from the temporary carpark, approx 1 minute walk away!! As it's an active construction site, it was either that or don full PPE every morning and afternoon.

It's a bit longer commute for me (about 50 mins each way), so after one week I'm feeling a bit tired as I'm not used to getting up at 6.30 every day.  I'm sure I'll get used to it and it's an advantage that we moved in the spring because hopefully I'll be well into a routine by the darker winter mornings/evenings.  I've heard rumours we may be here until the end of 2012 but nothing is definite in this business!

As a little extra, and a divertion from boring work business, I thought you might like to see who's trying to set up home in my shed!  This hive is (was) about 5" across and well on it's way when OH discovered it on the underside of the front overhang of the shed.  A lone bee made a feeble solitary attempt to rebuild after OH knocked it off but his attempts, too, were thwarted.   Hopefully, they've now given up because I'm not sharing my shed with anyone - IT'S MINE!!!

This weekend is Music Festival weekend so lots of fun to be had by all.  Unfortunately, it looks as though this is going to be the first time we haven't had lovely sunny weather for it.  I have, however, learnt from previous years and have taken Monday off work to recover!!

Bye for now

Teresa x

What an Idiot!

Not you, no!! I'm the idiot - I'll tell you why later.

First of all, I had a splendid Bank Holiday weekend and I'd like to share a few of the highlights.  They're nothing too out-of-the-ordinary but I made the most of the time, was far more relaxed than usual and rather than worrying about what I should be doing in the house enjoyed the 'moment'.

I finished putting together this little experimental project while watching Batteries Not Included on TV (love that film - so sweet!).  It could have done with being a bit smaller because, although the felt was quite stiff, it wasn't stiff enough to hold the shape as I wanted. I'm sure I'll find a use for it.  I'll try a smaller one next.

When I craft in front of the TV, I generally have my equipment scattered on the sofa next to me but this project involved a lot more bits and pieces, so I copied Bugs and Fishes and put it all onto a tray and it worked out well - No scissors lost down the side of the cushions or reels of thread rolling away.

On Sunday OH and I went to the local garden centre to pick up some plants to fill our borders.  We also ended up having lunch in their cafe and I bought a new pair of sandals, none of which was planned :-)

From there we went on to a local craft centre where I bought a bag before Christmas.  This time the lady who makes the bags in a studio on site was there and I had a lovely chat with her.  She and I are similar in that we both use recycled materials and our favourite colour is orange.  Where we differ is that she has just given up a part-time job to work 2 days in the craft shop in exchange for free use of the studio.  Waaaaaah.................I am so jealous.  But I was so pleased, I got excited FOR her and congratulated her on taking the plunge.

The weekend also involved some baking, some exercising and meeting with friends listening to a singer performing in the lounge at the local hotel.

Now for the idiotic bit!  Remember last time I said I was waiting for a Walking Foot for my sewing machine so I could quilt my next project properly?  Well, it turns out I had one all the time!  As soon as I opened the package I recognised the box.

It came with the machine when I bought it, but I didn't know then what it was for and assumed it was for some fancy procedure that I would never need.  I'd then put it back in the pocket and didn't think to look at it again. I contacted the shop and luckily they agreed to refund my money if I sent it back - otherwise I was considering ebay which would have been a bit risky.  No excuses now, not to get on with the quilting!!

Bye for now

Teresa x

P.S.  I've sent off the first brooch to Helena, but I'm afraid I haven't been able to contact Sharon who won the other brooch.  If you read this, Sharon, please email me with your address (or if you leave it in a comment I won't publish it). I'll draw it again if I don't hear in a week or so.

Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Results!

I've had fun taking part in Sew Mama Sew's Giveaway again this May.  I entered quite a few myself, (although not as many as last time, due to restricted time) as well as offering a prize.  I don't think I had any success though!  On the other hand, that was more than compensated for by the 33 lovely comments I had (and 4 new followers!!).  It seems that handmade items get far fewer entries than supplies because it comes down to whether readers need or even like the items.  So I was thrilled to get 33!

I think (hope) I replied to each one but please accept my apologies if you didn't get one.  One of the giveaways I entered had well over 500 entries but still managed to reply to me.  I wonder if she used some kind of mass reply-sending function!

Now, down to business:

I chose the winners using the usual on-line Random Number Generator and the first number chosen was 3.  Therefore, Helena from Thumbelena Dreams will be the recipient of the first brooch/corsage.  The RNG next chose number 4 which was Sharon (who doesn't seem to have a blog) who will receive the green brooch/corsage. Congratulations to you both!!  Please let me have your addresses (I've also emailed you with the news).

I searched for something to photograph to make this post a little more interesting to non-winners (hope you had more luck in other giveaways!).  All I have is this glimpse of something I'm currently working on as result of the wool felting fiasco (see last paragraph) I had a little while ago.  I've cut out pieces, blanket stitched edges and auditioned trimmings.  Who knows whether it will come out as I imagine it!  I don't even have a finished image in my mind - just a vague idea, not even a sketch!  Not a good way to go about it really!!  And all the time I have my half-square-triangle quilt at the back of the cupboard in the back of my mind calling me to get on with it.  It's not a very big quilt but it's the biggest I've tackled so I'm feeling a bit intimidated.  However, my new walking foot (for my sewing machine - for the benefit of non-quilters) is on its way so that should help! 

Bye for now
Teresa x

P.S. - DS's leg is healing well and he managed to pass his tree climbing certificate a few days later. Thank you for all your concern :-)

Sew Mama Sew May Giveaway!

 I hope I'm not too late for the deadline of the Sew Mama Sew May Giveaway Day!!  I've been trying to get online today and there seems to have been a widespread problem stopping any sort of access.  I'll plough ahead anyway and if I'm too late it will just be a little giveaway for my regular readers.  I've taken part in one of Sew Mama Sew giveaways before and it was a great way to find new bloggers, get new followers and try to win lovely things.  It made me feel part of something big (which it is) and it's generous of the people of SMS to give us the opportunity.

I mentioned a while ago that going past 5,000 blog views was a reason to celebrate and I was going to have a giveaway for that (I'm now past 5,500); I have also mentioned in the past that I would have a giveaway to get your views on some brooches/corsages I'm making.  So, using the SMS giveaway event as a platform, I will mark all these things with this giveaway.

I have 2 brooches to giveaway to 2 entrants.  This one is made from layers of cotton and satin topped with a felt circle and a vintage button. 

This one is multi-layers of felt, cotton, satin and silk also topped with a vintage button.  All the materials are reclaimed or recycled except the felt.  I'm disappointed that the colours haven't come out well.  They are much richer in real life!

All I'd like is for you to tell me which one you like best and why (if you know why) to give me some idea of the style that would be most popular.  I'll choose one winner who will get the brooch they prefer then another winner who will get the other one, whether it was their first choice or not!  I wouldn't like to exclude my loyal overseas followers so I will send anywhere.  As requested by SMS, I'll leave the giveaway open until 25th May and post the brooches on 30th.

 Now for some news of what's been going on around here.  Just one item of news really.  Remember I told you my DS had started a gardening business? Well, on Saturday morning he headed out to do a hedge cutting job 5 minutes away.  Twenty minutes later the phone rang and it was DS who told OH he'd cut his leg!!!  I was frantic until I spoke to him myself!!  Luckily, it wasn't too serious but it wasn't very pleasant watching him have 3 stitches put into his leg (or for him having them - the local anaesthetic didn't work very well). The lady doctor laughed when he pulled his trousers down to show her the wound  - I think it was relief that it wasn't a bigger injury but DS thought she was laughing at his baggy, Beano jockey shorts.  Now what was it your mother always says about underwear and getting knocked down by a bus?!!

Don't forget to enter the giveaway and good luck.
Bye for now
Teresa x

Edited to add:  Thank you for all your fabulous comments!! This giveaway is now closed and a winner will be chosen and notified shortly.  Teresa x

Block Party?

Now we're well into May I was beginning to wonder why I hadn't received my Tag Square Bee blocks for March and April.  Then, lo and behold, through the door comes this beauty!  It's my April Block from Floh Stiche.  I asked for autumn colours and this certainly fits the bill.

The way the rota works meant that Floh Stiche was the recipient of my May block.  Blues of every kind was the colour scheme Floh requested and I had no trouble finding these. The spotty fabric is one I received in a recent scrap swap organised by Ali.

Speaking of swaps, I have to apologise to my swap partner  Mary Emmens for not posting about the lovely parcel she sent me in the second swap Ali arranged. Since I was having a major splurge on moving my stash out to my shed, the fabric got caught up with it all and I didn't get a photo. But if you link to Mary's post above you can see what she sent me.   She was also thoughtful enough to research from my blog what I would like and made sure some of the fabric was recycled!

My parcel (the photo of which I deleted, thinking I'd already posted it) went to Linnhe of Wee Mindings who makes cute bags and brooches.

OH and I went to the wedding on Saturday of a chap he has known since he was a boy (the chap was a boy, not OH!).  It was a civil ceremony, which we've only experienced once before (OH's brother) a long time ago, and, although all the trappings were present, the general 'feeling' was very different from a church wedding. Personally, I wouldn't feel truly married if it didn't take place in a church but I understand that a generation (or 2) has grown up without appreciating even the tradition of such an occasion never mind the religious aspect, and that they probably feel more comfortable in this setting.

It was a lovely day with a happy, friendly atmosphere - from the actual ceremony to the evening party.  The hotel where it was held is very popular for weddings - my photos don't really do it justice so if you want a true picture of the place take a look at the website.

The wedding reception tables - the general colour theme of this wedding was blue

The beautiful floral arrangements that lined the way to the registrar (is it called an aisle at a civil ceremony?) and were then put on the tables for the reception.

OH and I thoroughly enjoyed the day - from the brides tears to the funny speeches to the white chocolate fountain in the evening (sorry no pic).  It made a change after last weeks party, to relax and enjoy a function with someone else worrying about what was supposed to happen next!!

Bye for now
Teresa x

A Golden Wedding Celebration Weekend!

My sisters, brother and I have been secretly organising a surprise party for our parents' Golden Wedding Anniversary.  The actual event was on Saturday evening but the whole weekend has been a party of sorts!!  On Friday evening we took our parents out for a drink and surprised them with the appearance of our brother, his 2 children and grandchild (their great-grandchild) who none of us had yet seen.  Everyone got quite emotional. It was quite a feat keeping them hidden and deciding who they were going to stay with so that the secret was kept.

Our parents on their wedding day

 The parents had been told a few days before that we were going out for a family meal.  We were on pins worrying that someone would let the secret out before the party (a few people did say the wrong thing but the comments were explained away somehow). 



The anniversary cake made by a clever local lady.  The flowers are all made of icing!

We were pleased when everyone started arriving at the venue and that they all came in time to be there before our parents arrived.  When they came in, everyone stood up clapping and cheering, then by the look on their faces, we knew the secret had been safe.    

It was also our mother's 70th birthday the same weekend. 

The evening was a great success with everyone saying what a wonderful party it was as they left.  After my brother and his family had left for home on Sunday, 17 of us, including our parents, went out for lunch. We were lucky to get a booking with that number of people seeing as it was a last minute decision and we only rang 2 hours in advance.



We had the balloons for the tables delivered and spent a couple of hours getting the venue ready

It was a wonderful weekend all round and now we all have lovely memories of a great occasion. 

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 A little relaxation was in order after such a hectic time.  On Sunday evening I finished off these 2 pin cushions with button centres and put together this brooch/corsage.

As I mentioned I was going to do in a previous post aaaaaaaages ago, it's a modified version of my first attempt but I'm still not happy with it. It's made from reclaimed cotton and silk with new wool felt at the back.  I think it might look better without the felt.  Version 3 coming up!!

Bye for now
Teresa x

Royal Blue!

I haven't time for many words today so I'll let the pictures to the talking.  I'm also sorry I haven't had time to catch up with your blogs on my Reader lately.  My siblings and I have been busy arranging a surprise party, which is taking place this weekend, that has taken up quite a lot of time.

I was determined to get to the bluebell wood this year before the ferns grew up and swamped the flowers, so OH and I popped along one day after he finished work, while I was still on holiday. It's the same wood as in the photo of my children, taken about 20 years ago, in this old post.



Entrance to the Bluebell Wood a few miles from home



Mounds (that are thought to be the remains of an old fort) covered with bluebells




Close-up detail of the wild bluebells



A last look on the way out



Royal Wedding celebration desserts :-)

You can never have too much dessert!!



Royal Wedding party at a friend's house before all the guests had arrived.  It was overcast and threatening rain but not too cold to sit outside.

Next time I'll have news on the surprise party and hopefully a bit it stitching.
Bye for now
Teresa x