I need that holiday NOW!

Evening all - just a quick note in between ironing (ugh:(( ) and packing for our cruise.

I am really glad to see the end of this week. A few weeks ago we had to replace the lock on our garage door as I broke it when trying to open it. On Thursday this week we went out - and some b*****d had tried to break into it! They had broken off something in the lock which meant we couldn't open it with a key and had to call out a service engineer/locksmith. Needless to say they didn't have a spare lock in stock - one should be arriving on Monday! Guess when we drive to the airport hotel?? Monday!! Luckily we are staying there before flying out the next day, so it doesn't matter if we get there late.

Last night our cable TV, broadband and home phone went dead just before 10pm. We headed off to bed and read a bit more of our books. This morning it was still off! So after a variety of phone calls we eventually discovered that it was a district fault (not just us thank heavens) and the tv came back about 1pm and the internet about 3.30pm. But we still have no home phone. Luckily we both have mobiles, so we're not completely isolated! But guess when they are coming to investigate?? Yep! Monday afternoon!!!

All I can say is that I will be glad to lock the door behind us on Monday night. Surely nothing else can go wrong between now and then?

Oh no! Now my daughter wants me to make Minnie Mouse ears for Jessica to go to a fancy dress birthday party before we go!! I was hoping to finish a dress that I'd cut out and not even started to sew for me - but if I hunt around I might be able to find some black felt?? Wish me luck!

Anyway, dinner calls, and I doubt that I'll get time to post what I've been working on this week, so I'm signing off for now - be back on March 16th from Singapore, so check back then?

Love
Sandie

Two posts in two days! WIPocalypse update 2

Finally got round to taking some up-to-date photos of my projects! First of all though here's one more photo of our snowy landscape; slowly disappearing now as the sun shines - even if it is weak!

This is my wizard who sits guard over my rock fountain. He sits on a pile of magic books - but they can't be seen! 

On to the work I've been putting into my crafts. For the last few weeks I've been reading a lot of travel guides, so my embroidery took a bit of a back seat. Anyway - here's Egypt. This is the hieroglyph panel on the top left of the main design. (Not a particularly good photo - sorry!)

Now for my Rose fairy. Considering the light has not been too brilliant, and it's quite small work I'm pleased with the progress on this one. It's actually beginning to look like Cecily Mary Barker's fairy!

And for a finale - the knitting I've been doing - I don't profess to be a wonderful knitter, but I bought some specialist yarn and made some scarves - 

Three with a ruffled effect, and the fourth with an eyelash yarn. Think they'll be enough for this cold snap? I bought another ball of a pink mix. Not knitted that one yet; I'm going to save that for a present for my daughter. Hopefully she'll like mine and be delighted to get one of her own!

I've also sat down and made an anniversary card for my DH. We celebrate 37 years together on Feb 18th this year. And of course I can't show the card as he might see it on here!

So I'm using all of the above towards my WIPocalypse thread too! I simply won't have too much time to add another post in a few days for it, so I've updated this post to include it all. The other bits haven't even had a stitch put in them! But I have found another piece I want to add - a square flower pattern I got from Sparkles 'n' Stitching Louise has a few patterns free in her artfire shop. You request it, and she emails it to you separately. I'm thinking of doing it in a variegated thread on white - but I'm also thinking of making a series in various colours which I can use as cushion covers?

Today I went back to the library and returned a pile of travel guides. Why? Well in two weeks time we're off on a cruise in South East Asia! We are travelling with another couple who we have been away with before. We travel to Beijing, spending a few days there and in Xian. Then we get on board the Diamond Princess. First stop is Busan (South Korea), next sailing to Nagasaki (Japan). Then it's back to China for Shanghai and Hong Kong before sailing to Nha Trang and Ho Chi Min City in Vietnam. Bangkok (Thailand) and Singapore finish it all off before we fly home. Not really sure now if February is the right time to travel there? Temperatures will range from -11C to 34C, so we've got a lot of planning to decide what we should pack! I think it will have to be mainly natural fibres, worn in layers which we can take off as we get warmer! So the travel guides have been used extensively looking where the excursions go to from the ship, and planning what is the "must-see" places for each stop. (I've put some reviews and thoughts on my Book Page.) I think I'll be taking the square pattern with me to sew on the cruise as I won't have to worry too much about colours etc and it will be easy to pack!

I'll try and post more before we leave, but who knows where the time goes these days?

Hope you're all keeping well and if you have snow I do hope you're all safe and warm

'Til next time

Sandie

Snow!

Morning everyone!
We went out last night to see some friends and managed to get home before the snow struck this area. As we got home there was just a light dusting - like icing sugar - everywhere. This morning we woke to this - 

View from our front windows - we live in a courtyard - no direct vehicle access, so the centre area is normally grass!

Part of my back garden.

A small Green Goddess face which hangs on my gate post surrounded with snow hair!