Pressie and stitching!

Today was a lovely sunny day-a little blowy, but definitely better than the rain we received on Saturday! It is just so pleasurable to have sunshine coming in through the windows, even if it reveals my lack of cleaning!LOL!

Last week was one of those weeks-2 steps forward and about 10 steps back!!! Most evenings and afternoons (school finished early) were spent revising-this was my son's end of first year exams and until now, they have never been taught how to revise, so it was intense to say the least. Lets just hope he has learnt from the experience!!

Added to that was ANOTHER visit to the Dr's with him, for ANOTHER round of antibiotics-they know us on first name terms now..HA! AND we were back again today with cherub number 3....I'm beginning to feel a little uncomfortable, in case they think I have an obsession with the surgery, or worse still, with someone in the surgery:( It's going to have to be vitamins all round for the next month, to help us stay out of that place!

I did get the most lovely surprise in the midst of one of my power cleaning mornings......Yep, Postie came again:)) Oh, I so love postie when he brings me parcels, especially ones that have been put together especially for me, catering to my tastes. Just check out what my lovely friend Wendy from 'The Quiet Room' sent...




Is that amazing or what? The photo doesn't show the lovely pillow properly. It has a little prayer and smells delish! Look at those bobbins (I am going to pinch a few for makedo's) and the lovely rusty goods and paddle and candles....

Thank you soooo much Wendy, I just love them all:))

Wendy does the most beautiful stitching and uses her blog as a journal. Not only is she a great friend but she is so inspirational, fun and so down to earth with it! Thanks again buddy:))

I never got to show you this boy I made recently. I like how he turned out with his wool penny rug, but I'm not sure if he would look better without his ears-what do you think?



Because of the nature of last week, I only got to snatch a bit of stitching here and there-purely for therapy, so it had to be something not very brain taxing and relaxing:)



I know it's not Fall yet, but I just needed these comforting colours....the bigger pillow is a chestnut junction pattern and the smaller I think, came from Homeberries.
I hope I am giving credit appropriately, as it has been a while since I got the smaller one.





The close ups are to show you the lovely fabrics I made them up with - Memes Quilts, but I don't remember which range. The stitcheries are darker than the pic shows, as they were stained.

Thanks to all who visit and to those who leave comments, I greatly appreciate each and every one.

I mightn't get much blogging in, for the next few weeks as I have a major clean to do, for going away Monday week-(my MIL will be staying here) but we will see, I might get round it quicker than I think :)

Hope you all have a great week,
Blessings,
Shazy x

The Primitive Shelf and Fantastic Giveaway!

A quick post to update you all on a few places you will want to know about;

Check out this new blog shop-Christine (Preferably Prim)has recently started selling her lovely prim goodies at the Primitive Shelf



Secondly, check out this amazing giveaway! Not only is it very generous but you will also love to get to know Tanya and her lovely blog at Friendship Crossing



Blogland is just the best to meet new friends-it never ceases to amaze me, the generosity and inspiration of some people:) Enjoy, both these visits!

Blessings, Shazy x

Pressies and purchases!

Good Monday morning!

I don't know about you, but I have heard some people say they suffer from the 'Monday blues'-I'm delighted to say, I can't relate to this one, as I LOVE Mondays.
In fact, I was so anxious for morning to come, that last night, I could hardly sleep!

No, it wasn't the house work that I was dying to get up and do!LOL! Surely you know me by now....I had a multiplicity of projects in my head, so up I got at 6am and up to my sewing room! You see, I couldn't go downstairs and start housework as I would have to turn the security alarm off and the whole house would be awake!! So, it had to be to the sewing room-even if the only project I got finished was taking up my sons trousers for school (yes, I had to spend £26 on new trousers and there is only about 6 wks of term left-that did go against the grain just a little)

Why do I love Mondays?
Because, its the start of a new week and this week, well, this Monday, I don't have any kids off sick:))
Over the last while (it seems forever) there was always one or other of my two oldest cherubs off! So hopefully the tide has turned AND it is sunny outside,
so all in all, things are looking good:)

Last week I had a couple of lovely surprises amidst all of the sickness.
First off, I got a lovely package from guess where? Yea, USA!!



I thought it was something I'd forgotten I had ordered!(what does that tell you?),I was so pleasantly surprised, to find a parcel of yummy goodies from the lovely Tanya from 'Friendships Crossing' blog.
Just look at it all-Mays edition of Country Sampler (I have practically ate it Tanya), some lovely stitchery and cross-stitch patterns, a little cross-stitch Americana kit and some really really gorgeous over-dyed floss (going to save it for a while:))
Thank you sooo much Tanya-how thoughtful and generous, it really brightened up my day:)



On Friday, Christine and I met for coffee and a visit to a quilt shop (the only local one we have and its about 1hr drive)
Christine surprised me with these two lovely pears, made by her own fair hands and I just sooo love them. I couldn't believe it, as I had just recently got a folk art pear pattern.

I have them displayed in this little cart, for the meantime



This next pic, shows the lovely fabric better. Once again, thank you so so much, Christine for your thoughtfulness:)
Blogging buddies are just the best:)



What did I buy?
Well, I took this pattern with me, to look for background fabrics.
I got the pattern a while back and just noticed recently that PG are running this as a BOM, starting in July and they are using some yummy Japanese fabrics....maybe I should have waited?



The fabric in the next pic is not very clear, but it is a deep red woolies flannel, which I am hoping to use as the background for the Christmas Sampler quilt,designed by Cheri. Another Christmas project-it's not hard to work out my favourite decorating season:))



I'm afraid this is another Christmas pic. This is a little kit I got from PG and just HAD to have it.Just look at those gorgeous wools and those delicious gingers, who could resist such yumminess? Not me anyway:))



Talking of PG (Primitive Gatherings).This day 4 wks hubs and I should be winging our way to Wisconsin and PG here I come!!! Only, I am getting a big bit scared.....this ash cloud is causing major havoc and all flights are currently cancelled-it is getting a little close for comfort (my knees are nearly calloused from praying-I
MUST MUST get to PG)

On the sewing front, I have been sewing little bits here and there. I did get the blocks prepped for stitching, of the 'bundling board'. I found this challenging enough to do, as I find it difficult not to try to co-ordinate the fabrics and this pattern calls very much for randomness-is that a word??


That's all I think I have to share at the minute. The sun is shining and I need to get outside, so have a great week and hopefully I will get back again soon,
Please say hello, if you have visited-I love to hear from you all:)

Until then,
Blessings,
Shazy x

Finished project and other things!

Hello again,
I hope everyone has had a good start to May. It is hard to believe how quickly the months are flying by, but I sure am looking forward to some good sunny weather. This last few days here have been quite cool ( we still have to put the heat on) and worse still, I am wearing my winter boots!! Sorry but, I like my comforts and there aint much worse than cold feet! Ha!

Thank you all for your lovely thoughts and kind wishes regarding my daughter and her sore leg. Thankfully the cast is now off and they do not want to do any further scans at present. So hopefully everything has settled down again. The whole experience seems to have knocked her confidence and produced new fears-one being, that she won't go to sleep on her own; she seems to need someone with her ALL the time. We sure are hoping, that this soon settles!!

I thought you might like to see a quick little needle punch. This is one of Robins patterns from Bird in the Hand blog. I had previously got the bit of wood from a charity shop, thinking I would make a wall sconce, but when I was looking for something to mount this needle punch onto, this seemed to fit the job!!







This is where it is for now, but I'm not sure it is staying here (there was an existing nail)

Over the last few days, I have been taking a couple of pics of a few things that have made my heart SING:) I hope you all have such moments. Obviously it goes without saying, that my family makes my heart sing, but this blog is primarily about my hobbies and crafts and I don't really like putting my family on such a public place, as you can understand.



What makes my heart sing....
What can be more joyful than the colours and details of nature?


What makes my heart sing?.....the back broke on a HUGE maintenance job! (I'm painting this timber black)


.......Postie bringing an international parcel (that means something crafty from USA-yea!)


.......getting stuck into a new project. This is an all wool penny rug table runner and so far I am enjoying prepping it for hand stitching-I so love having hand stitching to do in the evenings.


There is a window just above my cutting table, which is making these colours look brighter than they really are-they are more muted.


This is what the finished job should look like:)

Oh, did I not put in a photo of what postie brought? Oh dear! Well I'm going to have to save that for another post, but I think it might have been some yummy fabrics...

Have a great week,
Blessings , Shazy x