Needlework Fiesta

Hello lovely bloggers :o)

Hope you're all well and happy?

Goodness, May already!  Where does the time go?!

Well I spent some time at the weekend visiting a local needlework fiesta. It was in Brockenhurst in the New Forest.  I took loads of pictures to share with you, and I did wish that several of you lovely ladies who read this blog were there with me!!  I just knew that you would have loved it, and appreciated it!

But anyway, I took some photos for you to share!

Gorgeous felt balls. Someone had been really busy making dozens of these things!

A most beautifully embroidered mirror.

This quilt represents the trunk of an oak tree. It measures 12 x 12". it won the quilting competition!

I did like this one better though!

A beautifully embroidered 'Fay Maxwell' cushion..

Honestly there was just so much to see, and I took dozens of photos.

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My eldest daughter had a friend round to do some cooking at the weekend too.

They made this lemon and almond cake totally between them..bless 'em...

It was delicious. (Yes Jennie, I naughtily had a tiny slice! lol)

And the quilt for my daughters Teaching assistant is still a work in progress.

The trouble is that as my daughter is the one doing the actual 'hand quilting' on it, she is also at the same time finishing off her textile art GCSE coursework. So obviously that was the priority.

But that all has to be handed in this Friday, so I'm hoping that she'll then crack on and get this quilting done.

I also have two more quilts on the go at the moment!  Talk about biting off more than you can chew!

Oh, and one thing I'm excited about is my eldest daughters prom in June. She has said all along she isn't going to go, but we had a shopping trip on Monday, and whilst there she decided to buy her prom dress!! I was so excited that she wanted to go! And her dress is really pretty. I'll show you in a few weeks.

As most of you know, she has epilepsy with seizures day and night. This means that she never ever wears dresses which I think is the reason she didn't want to go to the prom. But this dress (without ANY encouringing from me I promise!) just caught her eye, so I was just so pleased she's decided to take the plunge!

(I will be there hiding a corner of the prom room to look after her, so will make sure she is safe and covered if she has a seizure  -bless her!)

Anyway, that's it for me today.

You lovely people take it easy and don't let this grey weather get you down.

Take care everyone.

Love Donna xx

Quilting and a winner

Hello lovely bloggy people :o)

Hope this post finds you all fine and dandy!

Thankyou so much for all your kind 'welcome back' hellos. It is lovely of you all to leave such kind comments and make me feel all warm inside. :o)

Now, I've been a bit cheeky with this post title, as the winner I have mentioned is ME!!

Yes, me!  I've won something else beside the Harry Potter tickets that I told you about last post!

I have won a blog giveaway. But it's one with a difference. My prize is a years subscription to the brand new vintage magazine called Pretty Nostalgic.

I won the giveaway on Niki's blog, and was absolutely astounded when she emailed me to tell me I was a winner!  I had to hotfoot it over to her blog to check that I really had won before I believed her!
But I'm really pleased to have won this. Honestly i was so excited, it felt like Christmas!
When I get the first issue on 1st May, i'll show you all what it's like ;o)
But from the blog, it looks to be something really lovely, and it features Nikis shop in it too :o)

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Anyway, what have I been up to this week?
Well, I've been trying really hard to get a quilt finished...

It has lots of applique roses on it (you know, those -what I call- William Morris style roses...)

And it has embroidery stems -which i have to admit, the embroidery was quicker to do that those roses!!  And I have discovered that I badly hate quilting with linen!!

But I'm getting there. When it's all been stitched together, I'm going to get my eldest daughter to hand quilt it. It's a present for one of her helpers at school, and I thought it would be nice if the helper realised that my daughter had shed tears over it, as well as her mum!! lol.

********

And, I've been pigeon sitting!!  Now, I know you're all thinking what an ugly creature this baby pigeon is, but i just think they are the most cutest things!!

When I was little my Dad used to have great big pigeon lofts, and have racing pigeons. And I do miss them a lot as I always used to be down in the lofts with him.

But then when we moved here, we met an older couple who live near by who breed 'fancy' pigeons. And when they realised they had met someone who wasn't scared of pigeons, and actually adored them, they asked if I could look after them for them when they go on holiday and the such, and I just love it!!

So whilst I was there, i just had to take a photo of 'Neville' (I named him/her -don't ask how I thought of Neville lol) as i just knew you lot would like a little looksie!  He's one of the first babies out this year !

My neighbours also have the most beautiful garden.

I just love this apple blossom -I think it's prettier than my apple tree blossom...

And just as luck would have it, when ever I went in the morning to feed, the sun was shining beautifully, even though it's been pouring and hailing  for about two weeks now....

I thought this view was a bit surreal with a mediterranean palm tree, and our english ,native holly bush in the same picture!

And I loved the shadows of the palm that played out on my neighbours, neighbours (does that make sense?) house wall...

I mean how nosey can one woman get, not only taking photos in her neighbours garden, but taking pictures of her neighbours, neighbours garden lol.

Bet you're pleased I don't live near you!! :D

Anyway, that's me for today lovely bloggers. Off to have a nose around blogland :O)

You take care now, and I'll speak soon.

Love Donna xx

EDITED TO ADD::

Oh my word!!!   I have just found out that I have won another prize!  Can you believe it? Cos' I can't !    I shall be buying a few lottery tickets this week, but I'm not sure it works like that, and this is my third win already - so maybe I'm just being greedy! :D

Happy, happy week folk. xxxx

Hello, Hello, Hello :o)

HELLO lovely people :o)

How are you?

Oooo, it's lovely to be back :o)

I've had a really lovely break, and I'm pleased I backed off for a little while. It made me realise just how much of my time is spent on the computer, and how little is spent creating and 'home loving' !

Anyway, i'm hoping that I've learnt enough to make things a bit more even now.

It was my youngest daughters 13th Birthday a couple of weeks back, and I was lucky enough to be a winner (yes ME!!) of some tickets to the pre-launch of the Harry Potter Warner Brothers Studio Tour.

So on her Birthday we whizzed up the M3 and M25 (motorway roads in case you're wondering:o)

to Levenden where they filmed parts of the Harry Potter films...

The model castle was magnificent. Shame about my crappy photography really, otherwise you would be able to see it better :o)

Obviously we had to have a glass of Butter Beer (no alchohol) which I have to say was delicious!  I shall be trying to replicate this during the summer months as I can still taste it now..Mmmmm

There was loads to see and do, even though it hadn't yet opened 'proper' to the public. We won tickets to go on 17th March, and it didn't officially open until 31st March.

I'd say it's a brilliant attraction to any Harry Potter fan, and my eldest daughter and husband aren't 'into' Harry at all, but they really enjoyed it too.

Just one thing to remember if you do go though.  I know generally the souvenir shops at places are expensive, but the one at the studios was extortionate in my opinion. It was really expensive as things go, so just be ready to take your credit card, cos' you'll need it!

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The garden has been popping out all over the place. My forsythia bush has been flowering since before Christmas (which at the time I have to admit had me a bit worried as to what would happen to it in the spring), but now it looks divine!

And we have frothy blossom everywhere, although i'm still waiting for my apple blossom :o)

And I've been getting on really well with my makes.

I'll be opening my Litte tiny stitches Etsy store again today or tomorrow, so it'll be good to pop my new makes in there :o)

All sorts of patchwork has been happening here,

which has been making me happy.

And I see that this super lady has had a gorgeous patchwork quilt made by one of her customers from the fabrics from her Etsy store which sells the most fantastic vintage, soft and cosy fabrics.

And I see this super lady is making the most gorgeous patchwork quilt too!  And as well as that, she does the most fantastic crazy patch blocks which are to die for!! 

Just pop over and have a look at these two lovely, brilliant people. I admire them both tremendously :o)

Well, that's it for me today lovely bloggers.

Pop back in a few days, as I'm gonna introduce you to my 'thrift store'.

Happy happy week to you all.

Take care now,

Love Donna xx

Sun, sea, sand n' stress......

Hello my dears, hope this post finds you all fine and dandy this March morning.

I'm just popping in to let you know that I won't be about for a while.

I'm having a wee break.

Not gallivanting about or anything, it's just things have been getting on top of me for a bit now and I feel I just need to have some time to take a few deep breaths or so....

Hopefully I'll still be able to get round and visit you every now and then. But i just wanted to ask you not to be offended if I don't, as I just need a bit of time :o)

Thankyou all so much for being such lovely bloggers, leading such lovely, inspirational lives that I can nose into, and for leaving me such supportive lovely comments.

Honestly, I do appreciate you all so much!

Well, Goodbye for a little while, and take care now won't you?

Love Donna xx

Happy Leap Day :o)

Yes, Happy Leap Day bloggers :o)

How are you this fine and dandy Leap Day morning?

Any proposals planned out there?  Ooooo, I do like a bit of a romantic tale don't you? So if you have one, do leave a comment and share with us!

Well my new boiler has just arrived! YAY! The men are supposed to be here at noonish to start fitting it!  And guess what else?  My washing machine started leaking last night! LOL  I have to laugh, or i'll start crying! :)

*****

Some of our pretty flowers are starting to come out now. I was a tad worried about what all the spring flowers would do to be honest, especially after the early arrival of some in December...

But it seems that they are recovering well, if somewhat slowly :o)

I know what I was going to ask you...  Can anyone let me know what would be a really basic site for editing my photos on?  I mean as basic as you can get girls :o)

I feel that obviously my photos were benefit hugely from some editing for my etsy stores, but can't quite work out how to do it..doh.. So any advice, hints and tips on which site would help me best would be greatly appreciated :o)

*****

Well, I've finished both my practice quilts now..

I was a bit naughty with this one!  I'd ordered some special cotton batting to go in the the quilt sandwich, but I was in such a hurry to make it that I went to my local bedding store and bought some plain white towelling, (You know the thin cheapy stuff? ) and used that in the middle.

I mean it would have been ok perhaps on a lap quilt, as it's so soft and drapey, but not on a little wall quilt!

D'you like my little bee? :o)

Now, I didn't realise I hadn't actually taken a photo of the whole finished quilt, so here is the last photo I've got with one of the hanging loops half sewn! 

And it isn't all wonky like that in real life...that's the way it was sitting when I took the picture...:o)

(See? The drapey-ness of the towelling! :o)

And here's a practice at one of those 'shaggy edge' homespun quilts..I only did the eight little blocks..

This is it before it goes in the washing machine..

And this is it after! -See? All shaggified :o)   (I'm having to be very careful how I describe this as i can't think of the real words, and all *kinds* of shaggy words keep popping in my lil' ole' head, so I hope I haven't offended anyone!)

It was really easy to do bloggers, and if you google it, there's lots of inspiration and tutorials out there :o)

I feel that I got a good lot of shaggy style in there even though I didn't use true homespun cottons, I used vintage sheet fabric on the back..

Oh, but make sure when you pop it in the wash to get the 'homspun shaggy style' you put it in a pillow case first to catch all the threads that come off the fabric. I even basted the top of my pillow case so none came out, and it works a treat :o)

(Good job I did actually, or I'd be blaming myself on the leaking washing machine! LOL)

*****

Well, that's about it for me today.

I've got the boiler being fixed this afternoon and tomorrow. Then on Saturday I'm off for a day out girls!!  Yes, me! A full blown day out with lunch, and mooching around charity shops!

A lovely lady whom I know is emigrating to Canada in May (She is so brave!) and I really wanted to spend a day with her before she got really busy with all the stuff that goes with emigrating.

So for weeks we've had Saturday planned.

We're going into Salisbury, we're going to have lunch (OOoo, this sounds posh to me! ;o) and then we're going to have a nice leisurely walk around the shops, then go for coffee later.

I am terribly over-excited about it now its near. And I really feel I need a special day like this after my last few weeks I can tell you.

But i'm so pleased we're going. I can't tell you the last time I went out for a day like this!

Well, I remember last year when I went to the Vintage at the Village Hall fair, and before that I went and had a coffee with another dear bloggy friend. So It's nearly a year then! (Whewie, doesn't time fly?)

But it's all planned, and even if my eldest daughter is having poorly, I'm to go my hubby says!  He is quite capable! :o) ( AND I've saved some spending money ;o)

So, wishing you all a fabulous leap day, and rest of our leap year, and I hope you all have happy weekends too :o)

Take care now 

Love Donna xxx

EDITED TO ADD!  ::

Sorry lovely bloggy people!  Its RAGGY quilts! Nothing to do with shaggy at all! :D

Thanks jennie :o)



More long stories kept short.....

Hello my dears,

Hope this post finds you all well and happy?

Well, what a week this has been...phewie... I'll be glad to see the back of February I can tell you!

I'll list it to get it over quickly, then on to my thrifty finds from several weeks back that I still haven't got round to showing you 'till now :o)

Ok. here goes.....

It all started a week ago Friday evening....

Friday :The boiler stopped working.

Saturday: british gas came out and said the fan didn't work we need a new one..

Monday 5am : Take son to school to get a coach to the airport as he is off to spain for the week..

Monday am.: They bring the fan but unfortunately it doesn't come with the gaskets so they try and order the gaskets (the bits that stop carbon monoxide escaping intot he air!!) but alas, the gaskets are now obselete as my boiler is over 20 years old at least!

Monday am continued:  Britsh Gas condemn my boiler :o(

The nice man from british gas rings my lovely estate agent lady and tells her he has condemned my boiler (we currently have to rent...)

Monday noon: My landlord rings me up to have a go at me for the boiler breaking. He also has a go at me as the dishwasher broke before Christmas and he had to get us a new one in January, he also had a go as the 'brushes' went in the washing machine in January and he had to replace them. He also had a go as last July time he employed a man to look at the fencing in the garden and the man told him he needed new fencing (it would have lasted a few years yet..) so the landlord bought new fencing.

I did explain to him that I had not done a thing to the boiler etcc, and did it occur to him that the boiler and dishwasher had gone roughly at the same time as they were both as old as the kitchen?!

Then....He asked me if I would like to rent the property direct from him rather than go through the Estate Agent!!

No chance sunshine!!

He's not even supposed to phone me up as the agent had to warn him against it when I first moved in as he was ringing every few days!!

Monday pm: have texted son 13 times now and no response. Even put extra credit on his phone in case he's run out... getting a tad worried as he was supposed to text me when he got to the airport, and when he landed in Spain...

Tuesday am: In response to my now 17texts son texts back..and I quote "yeah I'm ok :o)"  That's it!

Tuesday noonish: I see that Honey hamster is poorly. I take her to the vets, but alas we lose her :o(  This is because it got too cold in the house for her, and in all honesty my dears, i didn't think to give them both extra bedding or anything because we had no heating! I was just trying to keep the girls warm...

Tuesday pm. Me and Mr LTS chicken out of telling the girls about Honey, and hatch a plan to bring in an imposter... We just couldn't deal with the loss at the moment :o(

Wednesday am...I go and get said imposter -Honey mark 2..

Wednesday pm: Big daughter has horrendous seizures at school so ambulance is called.. But the school dealt with it very well..

Thursday through to Saturday: Big daughter is very poorly indeed, but much better now thankyou :o)

Friday am : british gas come round to price up for a boiler. The man that turns up doesn't like my landlord....we will say no more..

Friday pm: Son arrives home from Spain. It was hot and sunny out there, and I am all huffy as he didn't text me.... (OOOooh, mean sulky Mummy.) I wouldn't mind but behind my back the girls had been texting him to tell him to text me as I was worrried that he wasn't having a good time, and he was texting 'em back to say he didn't have time....doh...

Saturday pm: The thermostat goes in the hot water tank. As the tank runs on electric, it has been our only form of hot water all week, and as it's the same age as the boiler etc..it couldn't cope..

Sunday pm: British gas (who do electric as well!) come and replace the thermostat.

This morning..I rang my estate agent to tell about said hot water tank, they tell me that the landlord has made everyone in the office cross by ringing up at least 4 times a day asking silly questions..and reminding them silly things for the boiler replacement men to look out for..

Today noonish.. The nice man from British gas comes round and said that he can put a new boiler in on Wednesday and Thursday..whilst here, my phone rang he quickly says "if that's your landlord please don't tell him I'm here.." LOL

I ask him why and he says he's been ringing him costantly saying things like "what happens if the boiler arrives broken.?"     

Oh my goodness. Well that was my week in *quick* notes LOL :D

If you've got this far, then you are lovely my dearies ;o)

Now, here are some thrifty finds and makes for you to take a gander at ....

I adore this little cup! It's so precious. I've had it a while as I liked it too much to pop straight in my Teapot Lane shop, but I need to make way for other finds soon...

It's Ba ba black sheep from the 60's I think...

And this little pair of pictures are made from plaster! They are from 1961..aren't they so cute?

I found this Biggles book. I don't think it's worth much money, but I so like the picture. I thought someone might like it for 'staging'...

And these two little birdie dishes from Axevale pottery I found on different days and in different shops...

I made this brooch aagggeeesss ago, and still haven't got around to listing it on Little Tiny Stitches!

I made it in the style of my teapots and tags.

And, I've started quilting again! D'you remember I made my eldest daughters quilt last year? Well I've been inspired by a lovely lady in blog land to make some little quilts (just enough sewing to relax me I reckon! ;o)

I'd better not say the lovely lady's name as I haven't asked permission, and she has rather a beautiful blog, and a large blog following!

But you may know who I'm on about?  She is such an inspiration!

I love doing the applique and the embroidery....

This is just a sneeky peek, and I so enjoy doing it :o) I'll show you the whole thing during the week..

Well, that's it for now lovely people. I'm off to get a nice hot shower!

Have a happy week people, and thankyou so much for reading and all your lovely comments. Believe me, they so cheer me up when things get you down!! :o)

Take care now,

Love Donna xxx

 



How we got on....

Evening lovely bloggy people :o)

Hope this post finds you all fine and dandy?

This is just a post to let you all know how we got on yesterday in London.

I've got some lovely thrifty treasures to show you all as well, but I keep forgetting to post them, so I'll show you them later in the week.

Have all yours got half term this week?

Mine have. Isn't it early this year? Who ever heard of half-term during Valentines Day?  I mean how were the children supposed to get their secret cards to each other?  AAaaaaww, a few disppointed children this year I bet...Bless 'em.

Anyway, as usual I digress...

Right. Kings College, London.

After all the tests that my eldest had last October, they still can't pinpoint where her seizures are coming from.  So they want to send her to Belguim.  There she will have something called a spect scan.

This is where someone sits by her all the time, and the second she starts fitting they inject her with a dye.

They then whizz her to the MRI scanner and scan her brain. In theory the dye should show up brighter in the part of her brain where the seizure comes from....

Then we will go back to Kings college, and they'll look at the results from Belguim and if they think they can see where the seizure is coming from they will commence brain surgery....

But we can't go to Belguim until at least late May as they have to get permission from our local NHS Trust, then once that is given, they have to get permission from another area of the Government to take her there......

But the ball is rolling.... So we will wait and see.

That's keeping a very long story short!

Thankyou all for your support and kind words about my daughter. They do mean a lot to me you know!

*****~~~*****

After we had our hospital appointment yesterday, we decide to go and look at a few of the touristy landmarks..

I used to love Kings Road in my younger days.  All the indie shops and cool, trendy people...

Alas, I found it lacking in all these now....much more in favour of mass production I fear.....

I found one shop I liked though ...Good ole' Cath'..

And my youngest daughter legged it down the raod when she spied Accessorize...

Not that we haven't got one in our nearest town or anything ....lol

I loved this old silver double decker...those were the days when you could run and jump on...and off again if you were really naughty! ;o)

'Scuse the bad pictures some of them were taken as we were driving along.

OOoo, you should have seen the Fortnum and Mason store.... The colours on it's frontage were divine, and I loved the musical notes going all the way up the front of the store..

I thought these houses looked pretty with all their pastel fronts...

And this building was called Duke of Yorks Headquarters...

Not sure if it actually is, but it looked impressive anyway, so you got to see it! LOL

And Buckingham Palace.  I always want to paint a huge union jack on Buckingham Palace when I see it!! I'm sure it would make it look more Regal and impressive with red, white and blue blazoned all over the front in a huge flag...Don't you think?  ;o)

And this building I haven't got a clue what its called, but it's at the back of St James Park! I love its roof towers!

And look at these two little chaps doing their jobs...  I did feel for them, they both looked so young...

Harrods is the humungous building on the left...

And this was the .....something Mandarin Hotel, which looked most impressive with the door guys hanging out the front :o)

And I couldn't finish without showing you the first patch of crocus that we found in Battersea Park yesterday....

This picture is for you if you've got to reading this far... :o)

Take care all, and have a great weekend now.

Hopefully I'll get my thrify post up sometime soon, then I even have some makes to show you :o)

Just one day at a time...

Love Donna xx