Well hello my blogging friends ,I thought I had better give you an update on my doings or undoings as the case may be. I had a rather unwelcome visitor this week ,who caused a rip it hole in my last Know your own happiness.So fed up was I that it went into the bin as it was unrepairable. Then on Monday it hopped out again and this progress I had made on my Wordplay ,was found to be out by a thread.

So I am inbetween 2 minds do I start it again,or rip it out? Shall make up my mind by Monday when I see Sally again. So I got my magic wand out and this is what happened to the frog,

Hee Hee I am not really a witch. I did have a finish this week over at the Parlour in the Little House in the Country I had a new start,firstly though both Miss Julie and I finished the same design ,here is mine.

Thia is Daisy Lane Cottage by little House Needleworks. After some deliberation I decided on Vintage Christmas by Country Cottage Needleworks as a new start this week.

I did have another new start, but as that is for an exchange I cannot show you that. On Saturdays we have over at NH a ufo night with Julie and Mr Stick ,Julie has been very clever on getting us to KEEEEP Stitching whilst watching Strictly. A favourite programme of mine ,as is Merlin and Casualty that I stitch now all evening on Saturdays, then it is the results show on Sunday and Downton so it gets and airing again. I have made a bit of progress on it and now I shall show you the before and after 2weeks.

After this last weekends stitching. Quaker Diamonds by Rosewood Manor stitched over one.The bottom pic is more true to life colouring wise.

I am so pleased I turned that frog to stone! I have so much to tell you this time so better get on with it. Martin had a craft fair last Saturday ,this was his stall.The day was a little slow he said but he did sell some things.

I think maybe it is a little early and will book for the end of November next time. When Jack saw his grandads woodturning he asked if he could come and have a go whilst on half term. This is said Jack in Martins very messy garage. Couldn't get a car in there even if you wanted to lol.

I was going to show you a pic of the bottle stop in ash he made and a redwood candlestick holder. He is supposed to be sending me a pic but it has not materialised yet.!!
He has been to lunch today with Katy (girlfriend) they had spaghetti bolognese. I do like Thursdays as it is so nice to see them.

Yesterday I was collected and taken into town with Kate (daughter) and we were very naughty went to M&S and had tea and cake. Oooh yum.Kate couldn't believe I was taking a picture of the cake. Now maybe she was right and I shouldn't have as  it will be held in evidence against me .

Martin and I took a walk round the garden the other morning and just had to show you this. It is a Fatsia Japonica Varigata and it is in flower . Isn't it fab, looks very alien like and it is laden with flower as you can see all the little round flowerets waiting to burst open. Do not take too much notice of the spelling of its name ,I think I shall have to find her a name of her own. Any suggestions.

I have been knitting too and another finish means I now have some fingerless gloves.I am not sure what I want to knit next ,I had an urge to knit Martin a cable jumper but the price of the wool was frightening. So a rethink on that one.
I am sure I had lots more to tell you but the brain is being addled by pain, so I think I shall call it a day. Thankyou so much for coming over to keep me company it is always good when friends call. If you left me a little comment thanks, I was thinking should I carry on with this blog ,but had such nice mail from Sally and Angela that I had second thoughts, oh well it cannot be that bad.
Hope you are all well and if not get well soon .Loads of sniffles and snuffles doing the rounds. A few of you have worrying times - apparently we are not given more than we can handle so just hang on to that handle.
Big hugs for you all
Barb.x

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.

We can all do with a little help

A little help is what we got! 2 boys came over to help grandad and I move some bark (not Ollie) from the front to the back garden. Oh did they have fun and did not want to stop.Alfie hands on hips 5 going on 55 supervised when needed ,just to make sure grandad was doing it right. This is the side that just needs a little tlc. The other side is the new bit , but photos do not show just how much is in there in fact it looks a little empty.

Of course the wigwam was temporary -shows how much I am out of date apparently it is not a wigwam it is a hobbits house! This border will look so much better next year.

The leaves on this are green during the winter but at this time of year are a bright scarlet colour the flower in the middle is pink which turns white then to turquoise blue with a yellow middle. Certainly different.

Since this was taken the gingers at the back have started to flower and we have screened the wall with bamboo screening and put a redundant water feature in between the bamboo and the gingers. Will show you again later when all are a little more established.
Sorry about the photography will get a man that can ,to take some better ones.

We did have a lovely day and at lunchtime we went to the pub opposite and sat and had lunch. Scuse the photo of the woman with the new haircut ,not sure if I like it or not yet. Seem strange after having it longer for a while.
Then we went home and the boys carried on moving bark until 4 pm.

Just love this one of Alfie, there must be a caption for this one don't you think.?


Well enough of the gardening . I have finished Caitlins damask shawl .I expect she will be over for it soon.I did have a bit of a time with it and like the first one I did say damn and blast more than once. Just hope it gets washed carefully ,or I can see it becoming a dollies shawl.

Here it is sitting on my new bench, well I had to have a new bench to sit and admire the new border.

Not very good pics sorry,

This is the latest shawl,another holdenette in Autumn shades. I am also going to attempt some fingerless gloves so I sent for some more wool and also to do a shawl for the Dear Mother in law for Christmas. Not sure if the colours appear right in the photos .Twill give you some idea though.

This is for the gloves to go with the shawl and here is Mils shawl to be.

So shall have to go find my stitching head and see if I can do some to show you next week.i am finding it a chore at the moment to stitch which will never do. The cottage in Daisy Lane is almost there, just have to do a bit of roofing then I can start on the fence and "twiddly" bits. My sal with Sally , she is a dear as when I see a post from her she gets me all fired up again,is going very very slowly .I think its the colouring I do not like. I am also as I said trying to read a few more books but this one is a very very long one that I am reading . It is Fall of Giants by Ken Follet , I ordered it for my Kindle and I am about 30% through it. The sequel has just been released and I have got it in hardback for Martin. Not sure if I will read that ,as it is another whopper. This coming weekend we have our Autumn exchange to open and I shall be able to show you next time. So at least you will have some stitching to see. Ollie news now and it is not good. There is no cure for his foot condition, we took him 40 miles to see a skin specialist vet ,and after 2 hours of consulting he said the only thing he could suggest, if it was really distressing the dog was surgery ,fusing his toes together . He said he had not seen this condition so bad in his 20 years of practising. It is caused by the hair growing into his feet rather than out. I was going to suggest hair removing cream but thought it sounded a bit flippant. Poor old dog ,but it only worries him when the are ready to burst and within an hour or so he is fine. So we  just have to try and keep any infection under control by shampooing his feet after his last walk of the day.Not walking him on roads and pavements just fields and beach. So I took this pic of him in his chair sulking.

So all my news you have this week, oh I did have a giftie surprise from my Julie friend today a holiday souvenir a tea towel from Scarborough, she said it was for Martin and I to share! Well I usually get the wiping part and he does the washing,so it is mine! Also you that have dishwashers, beware !as Julie said a quote from her hubbys dad is,those that wash up together, stay together. Well we have been together a while now so maybe there is something in it. Now going to leave you with a pic of the flowers my Dh gave me last weekend , arent they something.

Please excuse the clutter here there and everywhere ,just thought you might like a touch of sunshine whilst the rain is hammering down-just started again. Thanks so much for leaving comments my friends and followers ,will try for a few stitches this week. Need a bit of encouragement I think. So to you all take great care and I hope to be back with you again soon. Hugs n stuff Barb x

Sorry I have kept you waiting.......

The cameras in the house have been travelling so I had to wait for their return to be able to give you a catch up. You may wonder where they have been , well Graeme borrowed them to take to Philadelphia and New York. So they have been some distance away. Graeme ,Sue and Ella had a wonderful holiday , they stayed with some friends who emigrated a couple of years ago and then went on to New York for a week in a hotel. Sue said they were really hot on security and she was asked lots of questions before being allowed in to the country. Now they are back to work, school and reality. They came down at the weekend to return the borrowed bits and bobs and brought me a little bit of America and at this time of year it had to be a pumpkin.

Whilst they have been away we have had a garden designer who specialises in exotic plants, putting our garden to rights,he has been working like a trojan, our big border out in the back garden had almost reverted back to the wild, with our holly tree which was 10 ft tall being covered in brambles. In fact all that border had been taken over and was really looking neglected and uncared for. I am not able to garden anymore and although Martin knew it needed doing he found it beyond him to tackle it. Anyway Dale came and had a look and now in 2 weeks we almost have a fabulous (well I think so) border.We have bamboos and ginger plants and a banana oh lots to look forward to . He supplied all the plants and it has membrane down, the Bark comes on Friday so next time I will let you see what WE have been up to. Well I did have to make numerous cups of tea and iced drinks when it was hot. It is small world ,as I found his wife used to do my hair about 17 years ago, she left to have her babies and they moved to Cambridge. They decided to come back to Weymouth and he started his own Coastal Garden company. So now I have a brand new haircut as I have not been able to use my hairdresser as it is upstairs and I cannot do stairs. Kirsten said she would come in after work and do it for me,she works as a teaching assistant at the local secondary college dealing with children with Aspergers. Sorry rambling here aren't I. I am sure you want to hear about stitching etc don't you. Well not a lot being done really. Think I am losing the will here. I did do another cushion for the berries and birds basket, Sally and I have decided to have a little break from Shepherds Bush this year and do Blackbird designs. I do find I am missing the muted colours and delicateness (is that a word) of SB designs maybe I will have to sneak one in here and there. Anyway here is my first Blackbird on a Monday with Sally done.

I changed the colours that were used on the chart and had added a few beads to the birds beak. This week I am did a little more on a ufo that I found in the box of abandonment ,it is a Blackbird Loose Feather Design ,Beyond my Heart.

You will have to excuse the crumpled and folds in the fabric will press it next week.I am wondering if I could be a cheat and use it on Julies UFO night too on Needlecraft Haven then I needn't get Quaker Diamonds out until later. Talking of my friend Julie I sent her this ,this week , I had ordered it for myself as I have all the BP books and could not resist this to add to the collection. I know Julie likes Peter and BP too so I sent it along for her and to read to her dear little grandaughter Izzie.

Peter does seem to get himself into trouble . The other two I liked the sound of the write up so those went into the basket too. I have ordered a few others but they have not arrived yet . Hairy Bikers diet book , (well one can hope) a book on Bamboos which we borrowed from Dale and thought it might be useful to have and a Katherine Webb book that I cannot remember the title of. I have been reading lately and would like to get to 40 books this year but I have a way to go yet. Tonight it is the start of the second week in the parlour of the little house in the Country - so if you would like to join us there then come along to Needlecraft Haven and sit in the parlour with us and stitch whenever you like during the week. If you can I would love a pic from you each week and we will see which designer of LHN, CCN,or the Sampler girl you choose. Last week after the summer break we had our first meeting and I am looking forward to seeing what everyone has stitched this last week, it is not a race, as much or as little as you please just has to be one of the three designers. Here is my choice for the first piece. It is a LHN design called Daisy Lane Cottage . Not a lot done but will do a little more this evening.

I also sent for this little booklet and it is lovely , la d da designs a plenty.

I have more (only a little) stash coming from the US the last wordplay design September ,then all I have to do is stitch them ,also the LHN Its snow cold ornie chart. I am sorely tempted by The Primitive Hare Brooms for Sale ,but trying not to fall in the pit that is calling my name and telling me I really need it!!! Well only one thing left to show you which is Martins latest creation.

So looking forward to Strictly and Downton so maybe more stitching will get done. Take care all and hope not to be so long next time in posting. Hugs and stuff Barb.