Updating again!

Right - dismal Sunday here. DH left me to sleep in this morning, so I actually got up this afternoon! I keep telling myself that I must have needed the extra sleeping time as my nights have been a bit disturbed lately. That's my excuse anyway!

This week, we have been chasing 2 garden firms over quotes for getting our artificial grass laid. They vary from £320 to over £600 - and both are quoting for exactly the same materials etc! The one with the lowest quote, currently has no van (it blew up a couple of weeks ago!), so depending on when he gets that back, we might get the job done during the week after Easter! We wait - and hope!

Stitching has been a little slow over the last few days. I've been busy sewing a few things for our upcoming holiday - more on that in another post - I guess those cushions etc gave me the sewing bug back! I was trying to make a waistcoat yesterday and hit a brick wall when I tried to remember how to turn it right side out! Then I realised that I have stitched the shoulder seams up when I should have left them open! So as it was dinner time, I put it to one side. I'll have to unpick those tomorrow then I can finish it! So far I've completed a dress (which has sat around for about 2 years), and a new tunic top.

My cross stitch has moved on two fronts. I completed this card which I'm going to give to a dear friend when we next meet up for afternoon tea.

This was a free gift from a magazine.

Then I picked up my Fairy Grandmother again. I was gifted the pattern by a lady in New Zealand who already had it in her stash, when she inherited a friend's stitchy stash. She kindly sent it to me along with a few skeins which would be used in it.

As you can see I've still got a long way to go, but I'm just loving the colours in it.And for a Lavender & Lace pattern there are only a few beads and metallics, so that's an added advantage!

Better go - I can smell the roast beef cooking and it's making me hungry! As I got up late we're eating our main meal tonight!

Take care

Sandie

A quick catch-up

Morning everyone! The sun has finally found its way through the clouds here and although at present my garden looks a mess, it is heart-warming to look out and see blue skies.

Our latest plan for the garden involves a large roll of astroturf! Not a football pitch sized piece, but too big for DH and I to manage between us. So this morning we had a visit from a gardener, who is going to give us a quote to lay it for us. We had a beautiful awning put up a few weeks ago, and with the astroturf laid across what was our patio, it should make the garden really good in time for summer. I'll save the pics until it's all complete rather than the mess it looks now!

This is what it looked like one night recently!

On the stitching front I am pleased to have 3 pieces which have finally not only been completed - but made into finished articles! The two sugar skulls have been made into cushions for my daughter and her husband. She really wanted a sugar skull, and I stitched this on last year's holiday to Egypt, but I never made it up. As her husband is a fan of the Star Wars movies, I made up the second one and decided to create two large cushions for them.

Shown on my bed!

I also completed the Ursula Michael Let's Unicorn. This is for my granddaughter who is MAD for My Little Pony. I made up the tote bag using a new fabric tote which I had never used as the lining.

Hopefully she can either use it to take her outfit to dance classes or maybe to Rainbows, which she started recently. Even if she only uses it to keep her collection of ponies in, it will be great! As we are driving over to see them today, I shall take them as alternative Easter presents - of the non-chocolate variety!

Better go now - things to do before we get the car out for our trip to our daughter. 

Take care

Sandie

Do I continue...or not?

I have finally decided that I should return to this blog. So much happened over the last year, and none of it was committed to my blog. Holidays, stitching, family, health. All passed by without comment from me! Or at least no WRITTEN comment!

The time has come to decide if I continue with this outpouring of my thoughts. It's not as if my life has been filled to the brim with exciting happenings. Mike and I tend to lead a quiet life!

This year we have decided that we are going on another Hawaiian Cruise with Princess Cruises. It may well be our last long-haul trip as I am now suffering with sciatica, and the thought of a long 11 hours strapped to an airplane seat does not fill me with joy like it used to! So after this trip we will probably keep more to Europe (although that has it's disadvantages to these days!)

Following our holiday decision, we decided to spend some more money on our garden, so this year that's where I'll be spending more time. If you want to keep up with me, I'll try to show progress pictures of the changes we intend to make.

My cross stitch is still making progress. I started the Lavender & Lace Fairy Grandmother, and also an Ursula Michael - Let's Unicorn. (current photos below)

 

I also completed another sugar skull which I aim to complete as a cushion. My daughter and her husband will get sugar skull cushions for Easter this year, and I hope to get the unicorn one completed as a cushion for Jessica. 

We went to see our daughter and Jess over half-term in February. Jess is doing really well now at school. She has also joined Rainbows (junior Brownies) and a Dance class, which all seem to be helping with her speech as well as her co-ordination. 

Still - I am so cold here now that I'm going to abandon this - sitting still at the laptop is not really conducive to keeping the temperature up! Gotta go and find another sweater!

Sandie