A little thing like tea....

and cake.

Last Sunday we were invited to an extra special tea party. The mad hatter was nowhere in sight thank goodness. Sue our dear dil and her brother invited us to their parents 75th and 80th birthday celebration. It was held in the same place as Graeme and Sue had their Silver Wedding Celebration . It was all laid out as the picture and a total surprise to her parents. We weren't sure we would get there in time as we got delayed due to traffic being held up by an accident. Which thank goodness looked a lot worse than it was ,the cars were a bit mangled though. After the sandwiches and small cakes ,they brought in hot scones and cream and jam. Argh diet blown. Then they had birthday cake.  

The flowers were all done in  vintage tea cups . It was held in what was once a manor house;I quite fancied my self as lady of the manor.However I would not be posh enough!!

A lady said to me it would be lovely coming down that staircase as a bride. Bit late for me. This week saw our anniversary of 49 years of marriage and although we did not buy each  other big presents ,Martin did buy me this. 

I do love her books the little illustrations  are gorgeous and she writes a delightful blog too. I am  looking forward to the following book in this series. Martin also wrote  a little something in  it.

He is a sweetheart.  Next year will be our  big one . We used the voucher Graeme and Sue gave us as part of  our Christmas present and went out for lunch , then took a trip down to Abbotsbury where I longingly drooled over a mirror,not literally I might add, It was so wonderfully made, the border was a hunting scene ,with all the mediaeval   characters done in Marquetry absolutely stunning but at £1,465 ,  yes you read that right ,we thought we would leave it where it was. Martin said there would have been  so many hours gone into it.

We then went on the the Abbotsbury gardens where we bought a plaque the saying of which is me to a T,  "I am afraid my train of thought has left the  station",Martin says if anyone finds it will they please return it.

So a lovely week and although MIL still gives us cause for concern , we have a  meeting with the carers and social services  this coming week. Things are not as bad as they were. We did not take her with us to the  party ,which was a shame but we are not sure how she would be and she can be rather unpredictable in mood at the moment. A pic follows of the parents cutting the cake.

Of course we had to have  a picture of  our grandaughter Ella ,who has had her blonde (natural)hair dyed dark. I keep ignoring her as  she looks  so different lol.

As you can see it is a very grand ,scuse the pun,  place. Now onto other things.  I do now  have  a spring mantle  shelf with my latest finish.

Carin sent me this with the 3 special threads to stitch it and  so thanks Carin  here it is stitched .Moving  along comes these and the first few bluebells  from the garden ,as too are the daffodillys. 

The blue vase was the first ever present I bought my mum  for  mothers day I saved up my pocket money and bought it for  her to put bluebells  in. It was  in  the good old days when we still had  shillings and pence and it cost me a lot ,or  so   I thought, it was  1/6d . She treasured it and when we found it after she died ,it just had to come  home  with  me. Will show you what I did for mothers day for her,we cannot  visit her grave as she was buried 300 miles  away. More of mantle first.

Sally's sheep and Julies Easter card with March behind. Of course at the base of the tree I had to have the needlefelt hare I made.

Now for what I did for my angel mum.

Just a little rose bush in her favourite colour pink with  a pic of her underneath in a silver frame.

Whilst on this train of  thought, and being flowers how about these  in the manor house we went to . 

Lots of these nooks  and  crannys with elegant flower arrangements in. I wonder who lived in a house like this. At the bottom of the stairs ,where I was standing in pic, There was a sign carved in wood saying To the nursery , do you think they needed that in case they got lost .

Not many finishes this time just Welcome  Spring and  something hopped off my needles this week. She is a little shy.

Now come on just turn around.

Oh dear Lily the pink is not playing nicely . Shall we try again,

See it is not too frightening being on this blog. I was really pleased how she turned out.Seymore ,Rose and Milly and Maisie have made friends. Those are bunnies that my great friend Julie knitted for me.  I will show you what is on the needles next time.  meanwhile it sits in here.,

I have also been trying to banish a frog on my Miss Violet stitching or non stitching with Sally, I have got so fed up trying to cope with the wishy washy colour and trying to see where I was ,I  had a moment and threw it  in the bin and started again ,now I am  way behind with Sally, I do not often give up  totally with something but this I did. I usually throw it in the box of  abandonment and take it out as  a ufo at some point.  I am still stitching on my Prairie  Santa  but sorry forgot to take a photo for this post,  I am stitching honest Mr Stick. Also another block completed on The Blackwork  Journey.

Hope to get some more done this evening. Tomorrow is  my Christmas  Ornament sal with Sally and Chris, we are choosing to do them from the Just cross stitch ornament Magazines we have. I am sure Sally will guess this one as it is almost finished. Maybe tomorrow,  I am doing it over one and I wish I had stitched it as the chart. Never mind. So Sally can you guess  what it is yet. I need more of yours as I am  not quite sure yet.

You may remember this one too , I stitched the CCN Christmas ones with Sally last year,but while Sally got them all done, I was one not done so I have finally got it finished and here is Merry and Bright.

Still with me , well done. I am almost there. It cannot be Easter already next weekend ,need to stitch, knit faster. We did see a few sheep whilst we were out and about but not near enough to photograph ,so make do with the ones I backed my Welcome Spring with . lol.

This was a gift of fabric. I wonder how people know I   like sheep. Last week I was busy taking my 2nd grandsons trousers up of his fire cadets uniform . He looked so smart and grown up ,they all tower above  me now ,,even Alfie who is 9 I can rest my chin on his  head  .

Sorry there has to  be one or two skew whiff photos  I had only been drinking water honest. This is my gorgeous Sam and of course daughter. We are hoping it may lead to something in the future as he is really keen.I was going to show you my new haircut but decided not to give you nightmares. Have an enjoyable week and not too many eggs or chocolate .A blessed Easter to you all.

Much love and many hugs

Barb.x