Roses, roses

This weekend has a bit of a rose theme. A few weeks ago I bought a little tin pot.  

As I'm enjoying building up a few pieces of shabby chic I decided to paint this little pot.  First I washed it in vinegar, then (at the Crafts House for our Saturday morning fix) I painted it with sealer and then some Deco Art Light Buttermilk paint.




A quick coat of spray on sealer helps to set the base coat.  Next I added some leaves with a watered down soft green colour. 







I used a soft mauve and rubbed some colour on to the roses. Full strength colour helps to highlight the petals.  Finally I added some shading in the ever-useful Raw Sienna.  I put a little disk of fabric at the bottom and gave it a final sealing coat.  





Now the paintbrushes have a more attractive home than an old glass.

I had seen a pattern to crochet some roses, so my linen yarn, with its soft sheen seemed the perfect choice. I hate my yarns bobbing about the floor when I'm knitting or crocheting so I use a cup to hold them. Yesterday my hands alighted on this sundae dish and when I put the yarn in - hey presto! A calorie free ice-cream sundae.

First I made 48 chain stitches then crocheted increasingly large petals along the chain with double crochet and treble crochet stitches.

When this is done you roll from the small end, stitching as you go.

There will be about twenty roses of various sizes on a crochet 'rope' and these will become curtain tie backs (eventually).

Our end of year play was on so I schlepped across to Makro to buy some essential junk sweeties and then hot-footed it down the A19 to set out my stall.  The play was fab (Our Day Out, by Willy Russell).  I was back home, via the local Indian takeaway - bad, bad girl - by half nine and Saturday was done.

Today has been the usual lovely round of washing and ironing.  Earlier Ben came in to test my pot was chip-proof.  It isn't. 
(Please note we now have two teeth).

John shared my curry leftovers, Steph sat in a bowl of soup, as you do, and now at nearly 7pm, I'm sitting contemplating the tea.  Something simple because I'm just about to have a severe bout of lethargy.  

Steph chose some squares from a little pack I bought at the Quilt Show and I am going to make a little 'box' for her to put in some doo-dads and geegaws. The fabric is called Lario, by 3 Sisters.

Every window and door in the house is open to let some air through.  It hasn't been 33 degrees again but it feels like it.  No quilting at the moment, but I'm itching to get on with the crochet roses.

Tomorrow it's Monday, again...... oh that relentless passage of time! Until next week then, wishing you peace and happiness.

Recovering from a long week - and phew what a scorcher!

It's been a long hard week - normal for the time of year anyway but we are having major refurbishments at school so there's a lot of extra comings and goings because of that.  At the moment we are waiting for a new telephone number but for some reason the various companies involved in making this happen are not speaking to each other.  I have a load of signs and re-branding stuff to sort out but everything will have to wait for the new number. Wasn't it easier when you had one company for phones, one for gas and one for electricity?  Hey ho.  

We had our Summer Fair yesterday which went really well but the heat was energy sapping.  When I got home yesterday evening I had a cold drink and could only doze until it was time for bed.

This morning I woke up recovered enough to make a little batch of bread. Mmm.....

Don't colours look different in daylight and lamplight?

Some buns for Will's bacon butties - 

And a sunflower and pumpkin seed loaf for tea.

I got the ironing all done before it got really hot and then, because we had a surfeit of eggs I made some frittata for lunch which I served with the only fresh green thing in the house - some lettuce from the garden. 

(Note to self - go shopping before you get a vitamin deficiency).



A plate of raspberries and nectarines finished the lunch off nicely.

Unfortunately I ate a packet of Doritos and some chocolate whilst I was watching the German Grand Prix but I am going to have a storming week next week (probably).

Sadly I can't show any pictures of my crafting today because it is a surprise for someone who may read this blog.

I did however get quite a bit done last weekend.  The girls did some more blocks for the Quilts for Comfort. It's called a square in a square and is a lovely simple block.  I just handed them my bag of thirties fabric and told them to pick the colours they wanted.

Sunglasses will have to be supplied I think!

Ben came over to help with the laundry

And then we tested how hard we could hit the saucepans before we made ourselves cry.

When all was quiet I got the strippy quilt out to sandwich it together.  Drinks cartons make good weights.

This will have to wait until the weather is a bit cooler though, but I'm patient. It's the process not the product.  I'll thoroughly enjoy quilting this when the time comes.

Now I'm going to sit back with a cold drink and read one of my birthday presents:

What a thoughtful present, thank you Sandra - it is so interesting, I love the folklore attached to bees and beekeeping.  So, with the temperature dropping to a more pleasant level, the rhythmic thump of John's trainers in the washing machine and the wafting of BBQs from various points around the neighbourhood, I will finish my weekend on a gentle note.  I hope your week ahead is a happy one.

Fabric overdose and other delights

How quickly does time pass?  Sometimes I feel like I get loads done and sometimes I just sit and stare into space.  The weekend of 15th June was Ben's Naming Day.  A lovely get-together with the family but not much in the way of pics at the moment.  I'll get some from my brother who had brought his camera.  I couldn't find mine but it turned up in my knitting basket (where else would you keep a camera?)  I took this one with my phone - John's best friend was toasting Ben who decided he would like to try his drink! You can't tell from the picture but Ben wouldn't let go of the bottle.

He was charming all day, scooting around in his little walker, visiting all his guests.

I gave him his memory box. Now all he has to do is fill it. I only put the finishing touches to it that morning!  The little bunny is called Bunny Ben and he  has a lot of adventures to share.  The stars on the box are part of the constellation of Libra (roughly drawn though).  My interest is in astronomy not astrology and I can hardly wait to do some stargazing with Ben.  Will, John and I spent happy hours watching shooting stars and learning about our fascinating universe when they were little.

 

Next day we went to the Cafe Rouge for Father's Day brunch.  

Waiting to order - I think I'll have some mush.

Last week I went to Surrey to stay with my lovely friend Karin. We went to Sandown for the quilt show and then on to her sister's house for birthday cake. We finished the day off with curry made by her husband.  On Sunday we went to visit her 92 year old mummy, Onie (short for Leonie).

What a weekend in the bosom of her lovely family.  I've known them since I was seven and they are everything you could possibly wish for.  Honest, funny, generous and loving.  Quite noisy too!  Well there are six siblings all vying to be heard.  Karin has a gorgeous garden - full of colour.

Oh did I mention I got a few pieces of fabric?

This weekend's activities will have to wait for the next post because it's nearly my bedtime. I usually read for about twenty minutes each night.  I have a queue of books at the moment, which is, of course, better than having nothing in waiting!  I'm reading a book called Catnip - very amusing.  I also listen to audio books - Winds of War by Herman Wouk is the book of choice there. Next time I have pictures of some gorgeous birthday presents, some quilting for Quilts for Comfort, and an update on the strippy quilt.

Me One - Housework Nil

I'm sitting watching the Canadian F1 feeling guilty (probably not enough guilt) that I have hardly done any housework this weekend.  I managed to finish work on time on Friday so called round to see my babies:

Fresh from the bath

They have just signed contracts on their new house.  New to them - it's a 'project' to put it mildly.  They will be staying in the flat until it's habitable. They may be some time!

When I got home there was a lovely little parcel waiting for me.

The yarn is 100% linen and is for a special project I'm working on (more to follow soon).  Check out the website: quinceandco.com.   It took ages to wind into a ball but I had to do a quick sample.

It's a lovely crisp yarn but has no stretch at all.  It knits to 4-ply tension on 3mm needles so I have cast on the first part of the project.  It's something I can knit in little bursts.

Saturday morning started well:

A nice little poached egg with fresh tomatoes 

My favourite breakfast - thanks to the little white hen - her eggs are the best.
Mavis and I went up the 'the hill' for our Saturday morning fix.  

QUILTS FOR COMFORT - If you want to have an excuse to make a lap quilt check this link to learn about a call for donations to a fabulous cause (quilts or even blocks,  but not money).

No-one was about when I got home so had a quiet afternoon marking more of the strippy quilt.  I had a bit of problem seeing the pattern through the floral fabric so thought I would try making a card template to draw around.

Actually that didn't work so I reverted to the tried and tested method of the paper stuck to the table.

I bought a roll of paper from the children's department in Ikea ages ago.  It's really economical for doing things like this.  I worked until the light started to deteriorate.  I'm so looking forward to quilting this.  I'll need to check I've got enough sharp needles.  On this pattern I will have eight needles on the go, one for each line in the braid - it makes the quilting much more even and there are not nearly so many stops and starts.

It's Ben's Naming Day next week and I want to give him a Memory Box so I was up with the sun this morning.  I had a papier mache box (as you do) in my store so I undercoated it last night.

I sketched out a pattern.

I printed some letters from the computer. Then I traced round the sketch of the bunny. I painted a ghost image with watered down paint.

I have worked on this for most of the day but won't post the finished pictures until I've given it to Ben.  It's nearly nine o'clock now and I'll be wearing crumpled clothes for work if I don't get on.  The housework?  That will have to wait.

Where was I?

I've been off the radar for a while.  Got really busy at work and  then out of the habit of sitting quietly on a Sunday afternoon to blog.  So now I'm getting back in the habit and will be blogging with my usual weekly chatter.

Lots has happened of course - Baby Ben has been born:

But now he looks like this:

He's a jolly baby and as cute as a button.  Notice the large amounts of toys and the one he is actually playing with!

I've been on holiday from work this week - off work and on my own has been a rare thing over the past year.  I had an enormous to-do list which is only slightly smaller but I am totally chilled now.  I've pieced a quilt for a friend but won't post a picture until I've given it to her.

For a long time I have wanted to make a strippy quilt.  I love hand-quilting and it's a long time since I made a traditional quilt rather than a patchwork quilt.  I'm busy marking it up today. 

First of all I vacuumed thoroughly.  The quilt is a shabby-chic floral and ivory strippy quilt and my floor is always fluffy!

I always tape a strip of white paper to the table so that I can see the designs through the fabric. 

Gathering together the designs

I chose a Weardale Chain because you can put small designs in the centre. I'm also using a four strand cable for the floral strips because it is more effective to have a crisp design.  Too much detail becomes lost.

I am using a traditional Durham Rose for the spaces in the Weardale Chain but I'm interspersing these with designs which are personal to me:

• A strawberry and beehive (who would have guessed?);
• A robot (Will, my oldest son, built lots of robots when he was younger and we travelled the country for competitions);
• A rugby ball for John (I spent many cold but happy hours on the touchline, and many hours in casualty too....);
• A butterfly for beautiful Steph;
• A bunny for Ben, but it should probably be a jack-in-the-box;
• A swan for my oldest friend Karin (it was her maiden name);
• A diamond for my lovely friend Alison, aka Mavis.

Last time I made a Durham Quilt it took me nearly ten years.  Hopefully this one will be quicker.  I'll keep you posted.

When I get myself more organised I will be posting blocks for my new quilt -

Picture the Year

It's about 34" square and intended to be a wall quilt but I will be making some individual blocks which can be made into little cushions or bags.

I better get on then.

The Flight of the Bumble Bee

I've been busy today finishing off the batch of bees ready to go into the Beehive pattern.  They look like a squadron ready for action!

It was all quiet in the house this morning.  Will was off on a bike ride before going to a BBQ/F1 session at one of his friends.  

John is nursing a bad back and has been applying ice packs since last Thursday night.  I suppose he works in the right place to have a bad back (Shield Clinic in Gosforth) but since his work is very physical a lot of the time, he needs to keep fit and well.  Luckily he works his hours over four days so he has had three days to recover.

Steph (38 weeks) had a restful morning after a midnight 'practice' run to the RVI in Newcastle.  She had better not have this baby on a match day otherwise we will have to plough a few football fans down to get to the Maternity Unit.  This is her with her 38 week bun and a freshly baked bun balancing on top.  There were lots more but you know what they say about hot cakes. I, of course, did not indulge....

....I have had a good first week on the diet (I always do) and my journal now has a complete first page.  I spent more time than I should doing the page for week two but I really enjoyed myself.  I have decided to have a road travelling across each page - hopefully most of the footprints will all face the right way.  There will be times when things don't go according to plan but, after all, it's not the mistakes you make, but the lessons you learn from them that counts.  Each night when I come in from work I just put a little thought in the journal - sometimes there is little activity in the brain, so not every night has a comment.

Work was a roller-coaster this week, as expected.  Network down and up, phones on and off, electric cables over heating and a whole new year group trying to find their way round a strange school.  I decided to go with the flow instead of trying to brace myself against the twists and turns.  This seemed to work for me.  That and the haircut on Friday night - it comes with a head massage which is guaranteed to soothe the raggiest nerves.

More beehives

I'm having a bit of a beehive interlude.  I don't know why they seem so comforting and homey but I love to include them in my work.  Bees are such lovely creatures too.  They only live about sixty days on average but what a lot of work they do in their little lives!  The latest beehive is a tag to put on the key-ring for the back door to stop certain sons putting the key in their pocket and forgetting to hang them back up. (Are your ears burning John?)

Why make one when you can make two?  I didn't think it out too well though because I couldn't find a key ring to fit the hole so I had to put a little extender on it.

I've been working on the Cosy Autumn Swap so I can't post too many pictures this week.  I have, however, been prepping a little book which will be my weight loss journal.  

I've just painted a background colour on the pages - a double spread for each week.  I've struggled with my weight for ages and I'm so sick of feeling naff that I am doubly determined to succeed.  John found an offer on Groupon for the Biggest Loser Club and tomorrow is my first day.  Each week I'll complete my journal page.  The challenge is for eight weeks but I know that there is a lot longer to go.  I'm hoping my journal will help me to succeed where I have failed before.  Cooking is such a huge part of my life and I know it won't be easy.

We collected two hens last week.  Some marauding hens got in to my garden a little while ago and we lost two hens over the past month or so.  It may have been co-incidence and I know that animals do just turn their toes up without reason.  I lived on a farm long enough to understand that, but it's still very sad.  The new ladies are a White Leghorn and a Columbine.  They are a bit flighty at the moment so I'll post some pictures when they have settled in.

I have just finished reading 'Out of Time" by Deborah Truscott - a gentle story.  I need to search for something that doesn't make me cry this time (not giving away whether they were sad, happy or wistful tears though).  I like a gentle story as I read for about half an hour before I go to sleep.  

Well I'm going to check I have everything ready for work tomorrow before I settle down to a bit of knitting.  I got my warm jumpers out last week but it looks like I'll have to put them away again.  Hey ho!