Moved!

We moved into our new house two weeks ago and we're still surrounded by boxes.  The Colonel says it's because we (I think he means me), have too much stuff!!!  One can never have too much stuff, surely? 

The garden is huge, I'm hoping we haven't taken on something we may not be able to manage.  Time will tell.  Hopefully time will wait, as it's autumn, until next spring, when I hope the house will be more sorted out than it is today and I can get out there and make a start.

The previous owners did leave courgettes (now marrows), runner beans and raspberries and I have been able to make good use of both courgettes and raspberries but obviously not at the same time.

The raspberries are completely overgrown but there seems to have been a second crop which have been delicious.  The runner beans are slightly less than perfect so I am collecting the beans to plant next year.  My Grandpa always used that method and thought it was the best way.  

We have loads of apple trees of differing varieties and one or two pear trees.  In fact, there are so many apple trees that I've looked into buying a cider press for next year.  It seems such a waste to leave all the fallen apples to rot when we could be making good use of them.

until next time,

Lesley

xxx

Changing Times

Time marches on and things change in life, the garden and the world.  Sometimes for the better and others not so much.

Since I last posted, our much loved dog Tilly has passed on.  She was thirteen and we had a lovely life together.  The Colonel and I both miss her loads but it was her time and we move forward.

We are moving at the end of October after a long search for that illusive perfect house.  I'm looking forward to getting in the garden and seeing what appears as the first year unfolds.  The garden has a bit of everything including a large veg patch.  I've never really grown vegetables before so that could be interesting. I can see there'll be a lot of digging! 

Until next time,

Lesley

x

It's Been a Long Time

Hello

I hope you're all well and life has been treating you well?

It's been such a long time since I wrote anything.  Many things have happened in my life in the last three years.  Some good, some bad and one or two just awful but I won't dwell on the bad bits. 

I've made many quilts, crocheted blankets and finished my A-Level Textiles.  Yes, really, I did A-Level Textiles.  Not sure how it all started, other than a friend ask if I'd be interested in doing a textile course.  Without really thinking what I was letting myself in for, I said yes and from then on, every Tuesday evening I went off to school to learn.  As it turned out, it was brilliant fun.  I had a fabulous teacher who was inspirational and completely unflappable when things didn't quite go to plan.  I had three units to complete in each year, two of which were topics given in an exam paper and the other was one of my own choice.  It was incredibly time consuming but I'm so glad I did it because at the end I achieved an A*.  Worth all the hard work.

I'm not taking it any further forward at the moment as The Colonel and I will moving this year and I think it would be too much to take on another course.  

Talking of moving, we had the obligatory three estate agents come around to give us a valuation.  The valuations were ok but the estate agents themselves were all like chalk and cheese.  The first was an older guy who clearly didn't really want to sell our house.  On personality alone we felt we couldn't do business with him.  The second one was very young, highly motivated and absolutely charming.  The third one was a washed out, tuned down version of the second.  We actually liked the second one and have subsequently gone with that estate agent on the basis that we feel he'll work to get us a good price.  He was also more realistic about things in general.  He's probably just a really good salesman and we've fallen hook, line and sinker for his charm!!!!  Time will tell.

On my last post, I think I had shown you a quilt that was in progress.  Here is the finished version.  It was something I was making while The Colonel was away and my goal was to complete it for when he came back.  I did manage it and am really pleased with the result.

Until next time, (I'm hoping it won't be nearly three years)

Lesley

  

Happy Sunny Sunday and The Big Quilt

What a joy it is to get out in the garden and make the most of the wonderful weather. My tomatoes and beans are planted out and I've just been enjoying pottering about outside.

Tilly and I have taken to getting up at the crack of dawn to go out for a walk before the heat of the day sets in.

Now, I realise that this photo looks like Tilly stood next to a triangle with legs but I can assure you that is just me taking the photo!

I've been beavering away on a project that I promised myself I would finish before July 2012.  As it turned out I've actually finished it long before my deadline as I've enjoyed doing it so much and the dull, wet weather kept me indoors.

Last year, I'd had a go at a Dresden Plate design, (lots of wedge shapes, sewn together lengthways to form a circle).  It was such good fun that a plan for a future quilt started to form and somewhere along the line I decided that it would be a kingsize quilt too.  It was a bit ambitious, I'd never made a quilt quite so big before.  Also, I promised myself that it must be finished before July 2012, (more about that on another occasion).  So, on 6 January 2012 it began.  

The Dresden Plate is then machine appliqued on to a navy blue square.  You then cut out a circle and applique that onto the centre.  Twenty squares later, some sashing, borders and I had my quilt top.

I had thought about quilting it myself but I didn't relish the idea of hand quilting and my sewing machine wouldn't cope with that much quilt going through it.  So I decided to have it quilted on a long arm quilting machine.  Fortunately, my nearest quilting shop offers a long arm service and so I went along and chose the quilt pattern and thread and left the quilt with them.  When it was done I went back to collect it and was delighted with the finish.  It was worth every penny.  I got the binding on last week and here is:

Tilly and I are going down to the woods today, there's a stream where she can paddle and it's much cooler under the trees.

Have a happy sunny Sunday.  

Lesley

x

A Little Bit of Colour

It's another rainy day here in Wiltshire.

Tilly and I got drenched this morning when we went out for a walk.

I took these photos in my Mum and Dads garden a few weeks ago and had to share them with you.  Hope the vibrant colours lift your mood if you've got a damp, miserable and grey day.  Certainly works for me.

The spare room is coming along slowly.

The wardrobes, before.

Forgot to take a photo of the room before I started painting so here's one when I was nearly finished.

I've painted it using Dulux Sweet Pink.  The curtains were a charity shop find and I've bought a new bed too.

Hmm, the wardrobe doors don't look very different do they?    I had painted the whole door but something went slightly wrong with the waxing and I didn't like the effect.  So I bought some wallpaper and pasted it to the panels.  I took the cornicing off, that way there's room to use the top too.  New door knobs, from Laura Ashley. Now I'm trying to find some bedside tables and lamps, without much luck at the moment but I'm sure something will come along.

Have a good week.

Lesley

x

Today!

Today I've been having fun with:

Thank you for your comments.  Fortunately my nearest stockist is only 10 miles away.


What fun!


AND, it works really well.  I can see why you're all so pleased with it.  I'm hooked.  I've been wandering around the house wondering what else I can paint!!!!!


Will bring you the before and after photos as soon as I've finished.


TTFN
Lesley
x

Painting Wardrobes

Can anyone help please?

This weekend I'm painting my spare bedroom.

At this point I was going to show you a photo of the room in question but for some reason I can't get to my photos via Blogger no matter what I try.

I have some built in wardrobes that are horrible but a necessity.  They're standard wood effect, laminated chipboard.  Another photo should have been here but ditto above.

Do any of you lovely ladies out there know if  I can paint them?  If so, does it have to be a certain type of paint?  Have any of you painted this type of stuff before or is it more trouble than it's worth?  

Would love to know what you think.

TTFN

Lesley

x

Something Funny Is Going On

Hi everyone,

Isn't the weather just glorious?  

I've spent most of three days in the garden, doing some tidying, pruning, sweeping, digging and planting.  Normally my Dad sows runner beans for my sister and I to plant out but this year he's leaving it up to me to sow them.  He had a hip replacement last week and doesn't think he'll be able to cope with everything in the garden this year.  I've also planted some garlic and yesterday I noticed the tips of green poking out.  I've never grown garlic before but it's supposed to be easy.  For the last three years my tomatoes have got Blight and I've lost them all.  I'm told that once it's in the soil it's hard to get rid of.  So this year, I've got a good old growbag and am going to have a go with that. 

In the woods where Tilly and I walk, I keep finding plastic bottles wedged in trees.

I'm not sure why someone would put them there.

Maybe to make a point about littering. 

Maybe to stop wildlife from getting trapped inside, (I know, highly unlikely but you have to have some faith in people).  

 It's not as if it's going to degrade any quicker by putting in a tree.  In fact the tree is likely to die before a plastic bottle degrades.

But what I really don't understand is, if you've taken the time to pick the bottle up and place it in a tree, why not take it home and put it in a bin! 

Is it me? Am I missing something?


Next time I go into the woods, I'm going to collect them all and put them in the bin.  After all, I can't complain about it, take photos of them and then not, could I?

Took this really early in the morning, that smoke behind the trees is in fact, steaming piles of muck waiting for the farmer to spread it around the field.

 The daffs have been gorgeous this year and despite having frost some mornings, they just pick themselves up and continue to look wonderful.

  

Have a good week and enjoy the wonderful sunshine.

Lesley

x

Successful Stollen and Cushions

Hope this post finds you all well?

On Fridays I get together with a group of ladies who quilt.  Some weeks not a lot is done but a lot is said and sometimes we're quiet and lots gets done.  I always try to make some biscuits or a cake.  This week, I've made stollen.  Now, I realise it's not exactly Christmas but I've been trying to make stollen for years without much luck as I always seem to make something that resembles a BRICK!  Today, (and I'm not sure why), I seem to have made stollen, not a brick but a soft, fruity, marzipany, spiced bread. At last, a successful stollen. Just hope the ladies won't mind something Christmassy in March.  

I couldn't resist having a small piece, just to make sure it wasn't a brick and to straighten the end up, you understand. 

Also this week, My Mum gave me a couple of patchwork panels, fabric and piping for two cushions she'd never finished.  The quilting was done but they had been sitting in a cupboard for years and she asked if I'd finish them for her.  

I thought the black bits in the centre circles were stylised japanese flowers or something.  Only when I inadvertently had one of them the right way up and I was stood back looking at them, I realised it was meant to be a map of the world!  Then the words made sense too. Duh!!!!  

Her quilting is perfect.  Beautiful even stitches and right on the line too.

Happy Mother's Day to all you Mums out there.  Hope you get thoroughly spoiled this weekend.

Lesley

x

Hi everyone, hope you're all well?

It's been a strange couple of months.  The Col is away for a while and Tilly and I are home alone!  I don't mind my own company and can easily find things to do, so no time to get bored.  But where does the time disappear to?  I never have enough hours in the day to get normal stuff done, let alone any sewing or quilting.  I think I'll have to put aside a day to do something I really enjoy and tell everyone I'm not available.  My Mum always says that as you get older that time seems to speed up.  It's happening to me!!!!  

I had got a plan that while The Col is away I'd paint two bedrooms, the study and get the kitchen redone.

I've done nothing!

Absolutely nothing!

Clearly, I need to give myself a kick and get on with these things.

Trouble is, with the kitchen, I don't really know what I'd like to replace the cabinets with.  Do I go for a modern, contemporary look, the cottage/farmhouse look or maybe a more plain and simple Shaker type?  I have a good sink and taps which I want to reuse.  My electric hob is perfectly useable and I like it.  I did think about just changing the cupboard doors to save money but to be honest they've seen better days and the cupboard carcasses are more than a little tatty on the inside.  A new oven is needed as only half the grill works and I'm fairly sure that the thermostat in the oven has a mind of it's own and plays tricks with me, especially when I'm baking cakes.  I need to think hard about layout and what sort of cupboards I'd like.  I've always fancied having a proper larder, I think that's a thing from my childhood.  At the moment I have lots of little cupboards and they drive me nuts. You can never find or see anything, so definitely won't be having anything small.  Of course, there's always the concern of who to do the work.  I could go to Ikea, Wicks, Homebase etc.  Then there's the small, local, independent company or someone who would just come and fit whatever you buy...... gosh! so much to think about.  Watch this space! 

On the sewing front, I did make a cosy for an iPad.  It was for a good friend and she loves it.  The pattern came from; actually I'm not sure where I got the pattern but suffice to say, it's not my design and I should give credit to whoever the design belongs to, if only I knew!

We had a beautiful sunset the other day.

Hope the rest of the week is good for you.

Lesley

x

An Early Start

I got up early this morning to get out with Tilly and my camera.  

It was beautiful, just the frost, the sunrise and the birds singing, brilliant!  Oh, and quite chilly too.

Badger and deer footprints 

 Another badger

Not sure what made these footprints, could be a squirrel, rat, stoat or weasel.  If anyone knows, please let me know.  They were only about 2.5cm across and don't appear to have claws.  

Have a great Sunday.

Lesley

x