The wanderer returns

Here I am ,wandering back along the bridge to write a little on my blog to you my blogging friends.

Before I start showing you where we have been the last 2 outings ,I think I had better start on the stitching news. After all I expect that is really what you want to see. 

I had a belated birthday gift from my birthday twin Angela. I was so excited when I opened this ,not seen anything like it before,and she had made the cover too with a Sampler Girl design. Of course as some of you know  we are both Janeites and so what could be better than this quote from Jane Austen.

Sorry the pic isnt up too much but inside the pages look like this.The title inside reads Books I have loved.It has lots of information for you to fill in about the book, and any notes you would like to add. At the back it has pages for books you would like to read . All in all a lovely gift and I was delighted , I had an e mail from Angela saying she is hoping to come down to Lyme  and do the Jane Austen tour at Lyme ,perhaps we could meet up. She also sent me a lovely Jane Austen note book ,again thank you so much Angela. I think I may do the other quote about reading from Jane -" She has read too many books and it has turned her brain ",I could attach it to  the back of this book lol.

Another Classic author I like  is Thomas Hardy and when I went out with Kate my daughter last week we found ourselves in a book shop. Well it is hard for both of us to resist them. Anyway my grandaughter Caitlin gave me a voucher for Christmas and I got these 3. One of them is called Winter by Christopher Nicholson ,it says it is a portrait of the writer T.H in the depths of old age, It appealed to me . I am looking forward to reading it. I just need more time.

Sorry gone off on a tangent again, As I am talking about books though if you are after a good book I will recommend this one. 

This is what I am reading at the moment,

Oh dear forgot to turn it the right way up. Enough of books , I will get back to the 2 finishes to show you. I also had 2 yesterday ,just thought I would add that in ,as I had to leave this on Friday and came back to it today Monday ,the day after Mothering Sunday. 

This is The Stitchers Prayer ,that I had to have framed professionally because of its awkward size. I was very pleased with the result.  As soon as I saw the piece of frame I could see it would really set off the stitching . The one above it is a stitched design by Tina who sent it for me for my birthday a few years ago. 

All pics are clickable if you want a closer view, Then I finished and made up Dear Santa.

I liked the Santa fabric so used that to back it too.I have started Snowy love the next in the series ,these are done on Fridays with Sally. We are hoping to fit in an extra evening with Sally stitching Shepherds Fold and me doing the Earth Gatherers. Tonight it is our spooky night and I am doing the Primitive Hares Hallowe'en cubes. I have almost finished the witches boot.

 Tuesdays I am stitching April from the Calendar girls series . Wednesdays I am in the parlour with the ladies at NH and I am stitching Neighbourhood friends by LHN. Saturday sees me with Julie and Mr Stick stitching my secret garden as this may be a gift I cannot show it here. Sunday I am stitching along with a Blackbird design again over at Needlecraft Haven. I hang my head here as I did not stitch last evening as I was out. DD Kate and her daughter and Martin came too, we went to the cinemas to see The Second Exotic Marigold Hotel ,with cousin Judy in. VERY distant cousin I may add. 

Our travels have taken us to Corfe Castle ,which was shut for staff training as most of the village was.

I suppose it is still very early in the season.

In the corner of the field was this horse which was very interested in my coat!!

Of course being on the animal theme I just had to take a photo of sheep ,it wouldnt be my blog if I left out the sheep.

Not a good photo really but I was standing on a bridge and they were underneath ,just thought their colouring was a little different.

I took a photo of the inscriptions of the history of Corfe but won't bore you with the whole thing just to show you a taster if you like.

Pesky sheep get in all the pics , While we were in Corfe we just had to pop in to the Old fashioned sweet shop, be warned the jars were not about to tumble off the shelf, blame the photographer ,(I do not do straight\).

I think everything has a list to the left lol. We also wanted to visit here but alas it was closed.

Enid Blyton spent a lot of her childhood here and this shop had lots of her books etc ,we could just see through the door. In the window was  certainly different display.

This was The Golly Bill of rights , I do think it is a shame that these things of certainly my childhood are seen as such a racist thing now. The same window was in support of womens rights.

So our little tour of Corfe I think finished there , just to give you a flavour of the place. This on the day our son Graeme was sitting a panel to become a store manager for Sainsburys. He was really nervous as it was not the first time he had done it , He got to the interview a few years ago and despite jumping through all the hoops etc he failed. So it was a very big day for him ,his family and us.He works in Wareham and as it was on the way home ,we called in ,just to see how had got on. We knew it started at 9a,m and finished one way or another by 12. So we parked the car and walked to the store.

A very smart man was standing in the door, Of course his dad had to get in on the act.

I must admit to having a very proud Mum moment. We let him make his few calls then met him on the quay for a cup of coffee to celebrate. He has worked so hard and really deserves his promotion.

I think I have rambled on enough for now, I am not sure if to continue with the other news as well as stitching ,could you let me know in your comments if you are happy for me to continue in this vein. I do enjoy sharing my news with you but would hate to bore you. I am not showing you last weeks outing as it would be too much I think so I shall not take so many on Wednesday as that is this weeks day out I expect as it is our 48th wedding anniversary. So I will give you a quick peak of where we went this last week and if you want to see more let me know . Meanwhile thanks for popping by and the comments you continue to leave. You are so kind. Take care my friends and I shall see you again with another update soon.

Isn't this church window beautiful ,this is where we went this last week.

Mad as a March Hare!!

Hello to all . The title refers to  the month and the needlefelt workshop I at last attended with grandaughter Caitlin , I did a hare (artic as he is white) and Caitlin turned hers into a cat which I will  get a photo of to show you. Anyway be aware this post will be a long one I think with many pics , so much to share ,and hope to give you a few things to comment on.If I am lucky.
Anyway here is Harold the Hare.

I was quite pleased with him, at one point he looked like a donkey! Also  I finished Humphrey at last, he now has a blanket or 3.

Somehow I think I may be having a menagarie as this is what my mum in law bought for my birthday,well she gave me pennies and these are what I bought.

Also one called Wild and Tame needlefelt animals. The one in the background is an appliqued felt project. I showed you the sheep one I did and here is another I have finished.,

This is Claude the cat. Another pin cushion. I do have more finishes to show you but I had better catch up on the birthday that was ,as if I remember rightly I got called away to dry a very wet golden retriever. He has had another visit to the vets ,this time with a very upset tummy, eeeew not nice. He would not even eat his favourite biscuits so we knew something was wrong. He had a course of antibiotics ,some paste to squirt down his throat that looked like polyfilla! Special food was prescribed too which after the days of not eating he couldnt get enough of, However at £2 a tin , he only had 3 days on that. He is back to normal now thank goodness ,apart from his wretched feet, I think he will have to weat wellies. 

You did not come here however to read about Ollies problems so I shall get myself back on track. 

Back to birthday, I really was spoilt by family and friends alike. Martin took me to Abbotsbury on my birthday , just for a mooch round really but we went in the Wood gallery there and although it is on the expensive side we just could not resist this, It reminded us of our grandchildren ,especially Jack as he is now over 6ft. 

I am a hobbit or so he says , mind you with now becoming the shrinking woman I  shall be able to bite his kneecaps soon.

Caitlin his sister spent some of her hard worked for pennies on this dear little sheep. Very naughty of her but I love it.

Isn't she fabulous. Some of my cards had sheep on I wonder why? 

My 2 other grandsons spent their pocket money too Sam got me this and him and Alfie put together to buy me the sheep underneath.

Sorry if I have sheeped you out. I have quite a flock now.

Just call me Bo Peep. Paddington was a gift from Ollie , I did have an original Paddington who stood on the stairs and surveyed all. I say did have because one of the dogs we had (not \Ollie) demolished his nose and so he looked sad and forlorn. Martin thought I should have a replacement but he said it is not as nice as the original one. Off to make a cuppa and I will make one for you too as there is more to come ,can you bear ,scuse the pun, to stay with me. Ok back and would you like one of these with your tea.

That is better now I will continue. Christine sent me a lovely little purse she had made and guess what it had on it. No you will never guess,a sheepdog , but a sheep on the other side.

Thankyou Christine ,your gifts are always a little different,you are so clever. I also had gifts from Kate whose birthday is the day after mine. She sent me lots of lovely things too.

Loved that card and I shall have to maybe frame it. The charts ,kit  and fabric are  so lovely too. So I won't bore you with anymore birthday ,although I could I received 35 birthday card and some super 

fabulous gifts so thankyou all once again. I just have to show you these couple of cards though. Promise no sheep.From Caitlin.

Is she trying to tell me something  lol. This was from my two youngest grandchildren.

Awww gulp.

Well now what shall  I tell you well lets tell you about a couple more finishes. This is March and I put it together yesterday the 2nd. It had been languishing in the basket of procrastination for far too long .So when I saw Junes February ,it spurred me on to get on with it. So here she is pretty isnt she.

Last Wednesday in the parlour ,I could at last get off my knees, The stitchers prayer was finished.

As it was an odd size it was taken to the framer to be framed so you will see that next time. We took it to a man that lives in Upwey not far from us and outside his studio stands this. 

For a stone cockerel he was very handsome. The name of the studios is Cackleberry Farm ,so  very apt.I also finished the 2nd Hallowe'en themed sal that Sally and I do on Mondays. I also have finished No 3 today so that will be hot off the press.

The fabric is a little darker than shown but I am pleased with it. I used chenille trim to edge it and I think Sally is doing the same. New starts last week was BBD sal on Needlecraft Haven . I chose Away we ride. This was my first weeks progress,

Not a lot but thank goodness it wasnt. I went to pick it up on Sunday and damn and blast, I had done it in totally the wrong colour so had t frog it and here is this weeks progress.

Must put right glasses on lol.I also had a monthly challenge finish with Christine over at NH and I finished it into a fob.

I just managed to fit it in here, I must make a start on this months. Only 2 more finishes to show you, have i been busy or what. Well here is Dear Santa the other Sal I am doing with Sally ,not made up yet as I am awaiting fabric which hopefully will arrive tomorrow.

The next one is a finish I have not really attempted much before, Backing fabric and ric rac came this morning and as I finished my witch last night here she is finished and made up.

I am very pleased with this one. What do you think Sally? Well almost time for me to leave you but before I do ,the picture on this month on the Susan Branch calendar is this. 

So right for the creative month I have had. Some flowers to speak of the season .

I just love violets. Daffodils are a must at this time of year and a little brown jug is all they need.

So there you have it the last time I spoke to you to this , Hope your weeks have been as fuitful as mine , take great care ,leave a comment if you can squeeze in a moment ,they are read with much appreciation. Oh and a P.S for Angela , If you would like to know about the Jane Austen tours in Lyme go to Lyme Regis walking tours ,it tells you all about it.

Much love to all

Barb.xx