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

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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

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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
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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

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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

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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

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