Alfie and the witch

Hello my dears, well it is almost Hallowe'en so thought I would share last Saturdays comment from Alfie with you. I had set out the mantle shelf with the Hallowe'en bits and bobs. Kate popped in last week with Alfie who was very intrigued by pumpkins and witches. On Saturday we were asked to have the boys for a couple of hours and standing by the front door Martin heard Alfie say to Sam ,"Sam come and look at the witch in the  front room,(I was in the front room!!) Martin was seen to smile !!.

Anyway although I am not a witch (a Christian through and through) ,I do like witches and Hallowe'en type things. So I decided to buy this from The Primitive Hare ,just awaiting fabric to arrive.
This will not be done for this year I may add.

Thanks so much for the comments last time, Barbi asked which designs I liked in the JCS Christmas ornie book, well I have 5 marked to do and I am not sure which to start first. Meantime SAL with Sally we decided the first Sal after Blackbirds ceased singing ,was an ornie for Christmas ,I finished mine this week but have not put it together yet. This is LHN it is snow cold. I really enjoyed stitching this one and now have to get the sewing machine out to finish it .

This is not the only one I am stitching of LHN at the moment as you know I open the doors of the parlour on a Wednesday over at Needlecraft Haven and we stitch on any design from LHN ,CCN or The Sampler Girl. Julie and I are doing the same design and here is my progress up to now.Last Wednesday when all the ladies had gone I picked up a book I had been loaned.

Must admit it spooked me out a bit, but I had to sit with it on Thursday until I had finished it. I have also got some knitting finished that you can see.This is my 3rd Shawlette and it is so Autumn to me.

I thought I may do some fingerless gloves and sent for some wool yesterday it arrived today. So tomorrow I shall be doing a little knitting.

I have now decided to have a wool basket ,the basket Martin made is fab-u -lous ,but dont tell him I told you lol. I was going to put my berries and birds in it but they looked a little lost. So hence the wool.

Taken outside .and then taken full-ish inside.

He has been busy of late trying to get things made to sell at our annual craft fair in a couple of weeks.

 He was in the workshop the other day and with all the rain etc its a little slippy underfoot. I decided to go our in unsuitable footwear (flip flops)I can hear what you are thinking silly woman! Yes you guessed it ,coming out of the workshop the earth moved under my feet and there I was having a mud bath. Oh yuk. Not a lot of damage though apart from a few more aches to add to the pain .
 So I had to have a shower and a sit down. Which calls for a trip to Amazon and these 2 arrived a few days ago.

I have all the cottage tales and this is the last one I am sorry to say.

So my catch up with you is almost at an end and just one more pic to show you of another new start ,hope to get it finished by Christmas (famous last words) .

Now all that remains for me to say is I hope your week is a good one and that you wrap up warm against these cold winds etc that are on their way. Take care and if you would like to leave me a little word or two it is appreciated as always.


  Hugs n stuff.
Barb.x

Just a quick note this time.

Hello everyone, I have decided this time it will be a short one,but I do tend to ramble on so it may not be.!

I have allowed myself half an hour to talk to you as I have to take Ollie out shortly so better make haste. Last time I told you I would have some stitching to show you so without more ado:-Last weekend it was the Autumn Exchange opening over at Needlecraft Haven and this is what I received from the Lovely Clare who runs it ,she was my secret exchange partner and this exquisite biscornu with its teeny tiny stitches made my day.Thanks again Clare.
The hardanger is just so twee. I love the other side too.

The sunflowers are so sunshiney for want of a better word!

This is what I sent to my partner and I am glad to say she loved it.

It is a scented bag and the design is Season of Plenty by Little House Needlework stitched over one. The scented satchet was Spiced Pumpkin which smelt lovely.

I am afraid to say this week my Sal with Sally did not go well due to being coerced into going to a AGM for the Arts and Crafts Royal Manor Workshops, Martin is chairman and after a 3 year break I have been voted secretary again. So last Monday was out as far as stitching went ,sorry Sally ,only once a year the AGM ,however next week they booked a committee meeting for Monday evening agh!!!! No not a good night but should be back at it week after.
Martin is trying a basket making day on Saturday so I may have a bowl to put my Birds and Berries in.Will let you see if it works.

Tonight I am down in the country at the little house. The parlour gets very cosy with the Needlecraft Haven girls stitching along. If you want to join us then you are more than welcome.Here is the progress on Daisy Lane Cottage ,it is very slow going handwise at the moment and you will have to excuse the crumpleness! of the fabric.

Today the postman called and look what I have got. I ordered it from Sew and So here in the UK ,I thought I would have to wait a while but must have hit the arrival just right.
I would love some of the older ones that I have not got, I think 2004 is the earliest I have ,but don't quote me on that I will have to search them out.

I also had a gift from my dear other half who knew I would love to have this when he saw it in a shop.I am looking forward to reading this . All things Jane are so me. I have also had to have the new Sampler Girl chart . A glass of wine. So now I have promised myself no more. I have things to stitch (more than enough)things to knit (a few) and more books than you can shake a stick at.

The garden is finished at the front and we now have decided to do a little place at the back ,the gardener is returning sometime this week. He has to go in and have Carpel tunnel surgery next week so we hope to be all finished this week. Here is the front garden -next year Dale said it will be eyestopping. We already are having people stopping to look over the wall. I love the old wall it has been covered for far too long. The land we live on used to be a farm in my great great grandfathers day and through the genealogy we have been doing found he worked here. Must admit to that giving me goosebumps.Another couple of pics .

This bit still looks a little scruffy due to fallen leaves and small plants not to mention the ivy from next door which has to be dealt with . Although some of the plants are very small ,Dale did plant over 100 so next year I will show you how they develop.
So my news has come to an end apart from my eldest grandson Jack being taken to hospital by ambulance on Sunday.He had been playing football for a local team and was injured. They thought he had torn his Achilles but he has torn his calf muscle. Caitlin the next one down has broken her knuckle on her right hand . Fencing would you believe. Kate said her children will be put on the at risk register if she continues taking them to hospital. Caitlin is supposed to be doing an outward bound course with the Air Cadets this weekend , Kate is dreading it!!
Must go Ollie is starting to winge. Hope to catch up again soon, thanks for the comments I really do like to get them. I think I must be doing something wrong as I am back down to single figures again. Oh well live in hope.
Take care all
hugs n stuff
Barb.