Where has the sunshine gone ?

Hello my blogging friends, after a glorious month of sunshine , we now have grey skies with the rain at times . The garden /jungle is loving the weather and is all thriving. I have taken some pics to show you as it is such a transformation to the one we planted just 3 years ago. I do have stitching to let you see and a finish and a giveway I won.
So where do I start, the stitching I think this time then if you aren't interested in the garden you can skip it. . I was so lucky to win a giveaway , I am not usually very lucky, but I only enter the ones I see that I really would like to stitch and not just for the sake of it. Anyway I saw this on Carins stitching blog and just had to enter. Well it is a sheep after all.

These are the new colours from Classic Colorworks, Not only did Carin send me this she also sent me this lovely pincushion.

I love this running hare and scissors and the little patch of the backing on the front. Thankyou Carin if you read this , I downloaded the link so I could stitch this for myself not realising that I would get the finished article . So lucky I am.  I did offer to give her cute little witch Brumhelda a holiday but Carin needed her to help with her quilting.

I also had some new stash come this week,as if I need more , ho hum . Anyway I could not resist these two and I have ordered 2 more which will be coming soon I expect. I ordered this new one from Blackbird designs, My Pink Rose,

I already have the fabric for this, so I only had to order the threads. Next I saw this and had to have it.

When it will get stitched is anybodys guess but I liked it.

Again have the fabric just had to get the threads. They look very similar to the Blackbird designs colours.I do like this colourway. Have you realised yet they are not sheep!!. I will be showing you my sheep fix for this time later , as I have to have at least one sheep in each blog post.

This was my finish for this week , Christmas Cookies my Friday evening SAL with Sally, I finished it on Friday and made it up yesterday. 

I used some bakers twine to edge it with. Now for progress reports. Sunday is the Blackbird Designs Sal with Tracy over at Needlecraft Haven and as you know I was in two minds whether to carry on with the one I had chosen as I have had 2 failed attempts ,one with frogs and the other had to go in the bin. So if it does not work this time ,3rd time lucky I will be choosing something else.I decided to fill the house as I go, rather than doing windows and outlines first.

The fabric looks lighter than it is,it is called Iced Coffee. Then tomorrow it is Sally and my spooky night. I have the ghost finished on the 3rd Cube, this is by The Primitive Hare. I am undecided ,should I finish them as I go or wait until all 9 are done. Scarey stuff indeed. 

Again fabric darker than this and he looks a bit like Caspar the friendly ghost. He has to have a broom and the letter L so maybe he will be finished by next time.On Tuesdays I stitch the Calendar girls (sorry if you  are getting this each time ,but there may be some new people reading this, if so hello to you and welcome ,) 

I am stitching May but it  is only just around the corner, so I do not think it will be ready until the middle of May. 

Sorry, not a lot to show really ,but at least you can see I do make progress between one post and the next. I also had some fabric to finish these with come this week but I won't show you that until they are made. Wednesdays I am in the parlour ,eating cake ,I am allowed in here as is virtual. I am stitching the Neighbourhood Friends from LHN. This was a pattern that was designed by Lhn and all proceeds were given to animal charities which you could choose where it went. I chose the Golden Retriever one as as you know Goldies are very close to my heart. This is how far I have got and now I start the second side.

I hope to make this into a lead and collar holder for Ollie. We are a bit sad today, he has a very dear to him friend, name of Zac, He has met Ollie in the fields for many years along with his owners and 2 other dogs. Zac was a goldie too and he and Ollie were great buddies with much kissing and playing going on. However today when he got to the field he put his nose in the air to see where Zac was and did not immediately take off to find him. ,Martin met the owner a bit further on with the 2 other dogs. He said Ollie was looking for Zac ,but he has gone to the Rainbow bridge to wait for him. He had gone for a walk last Wednesday got 50 yards into the fields and collapsed. His owner rushed him to the vets only to find he had a massive tumour and nothing could be done. He was an old dog 14 ,and at the last was doing what he loved to do, so at least for him it was quick. He had got thin and we did wonder. Ollie was completely bereft,even the owner commented on it, I think  every year is precious now as he is 12. Anyway this will be a tribute to all his dog walking friends that he meets, although Zac was special. 

On Thursday I have started the big Shepherds Bush design I have had in my stash for many years The Earth Gatherers ,so I am not rushing it just like the designs themselves they just call for slow and unhurried and are so worth it in the end .This will be my third gatherer.

She  only has a hand and an arm but you get the idea.

Lots of open space to be filled on this one. Sally is going to be starting SB The Fold . That brings us to Friday and another new start next week. Saturday is my UFO night with Julie and Mr Stick , cannot show you that though .

So my friends that is the stitching bit done. 

Martin has been busy and here are my sheep fixes one blind sheep with no legs yet and one finished.

Reminds me of Shirley in Shaun the Sheep lol. We have not been on any travels for you to share this time as most of our spare time has been taken up with this.,

Decorating yuk. Everywhere seems to be in turmoil and its only hall stairs and landing. We are doing it white or sail white as it is called , black framed pics will be hung on here along with the big mirror. We still have the Bathroom to do and loo. I say that in the Royal sense you understand. While the man of the house is wielding a paintbrush I am confined to barracks no outings.

We did have our usual shopping trip to the supermarket and I picked up these ,they really were WOW! look at those, in fact a lady stopped us an asked where we had got them . Her daughter had been asked to get her some from up country as she had not seen them in our store. Hee hee got there first and there were only 2 on the shelf. 

In the summer house they look just perfect.

They remind me of crewel work I did many years ago,now I wonder where that went,

The summer house has had its spring clean and I have been able to sit out there a couple of afternoons. The garden though is growing madly.Here is the view from just above the summer house.

This one is just below.

One taken looking toward the house.

Don't look too close as there are weeds. I did not take any of the front garden maybe next time, . While we were shopping on Friday for sunflower hearts for the birds at our local garden centre, we saw this and I was treated to it. It is now planted along with some foxgloves that went in the shady part of the garden. 

It is not as pink as this more like a peach colour. it is called a Cornus. I love my garden and although I miss lots of flowers I do not miss the work of having to prick seedlings out etc etc. We have so many heights and shades of green in different forms it all works. We do have a tulip tree at the bottom of the garden , it was unsuccessfully trying to grow in a pot so when we were having the garden revamped we decided to stick it out of the way somewhere where it could take its chance in the garden. Well it certainly liked the move as it has lots of flowers this year.

This petite little flower is right down the bottom and is called The Pagoda flower , it does not last very long but it is very pretty.

A clump of blue.

And this acer  is a lovely colour too.Although it looks a bit washed out in this photo.

So there you have it a trip of sorts around our back garden. Please leave a comment if you have a moment I come back often to see if I have one or two, Thanks to all of you out there that are kind to this woman who waffles on about nothing in particular and is so happy to have you as "Friends"

Take care and keep safe,

Hugs from Barb.