Spring?

After the snow we had a couple of weeks ago, it suddenly seems like spring has sprung! Very soon the daffodils will be bursting into flower. There are loads of them around the garden and they will look lovely in the front garden bathed in sunshine. Crocuses seem to be sprouting up in the strangest places; and not clumps of them...just one here and there!
I know there a lots of varieties of snowdrop, but this has to be one of the prettiest I have ever seen peeping through lupin leaves

It also looks as if there is either a cowslip or primrose flower starting to grow in the grass in the front garden judging by the leaves that I spotted yesterday.
This spring-like weather means we might take a trip to a garden centre this weekend to buy some garden tools as we don't have any. However I am loathe to do too much digging around as new things seem to be sprouting up around the garden all the time and I don't want to dig up something I might regret later!

As is usual I don't seem to have achieved much sewing-wise this week. I'm trying to get into a routine at weekends of getting housework out the way and then having some creative time. I cut some fabrics last week to make a couple of samples up. Thought I would try and make something from fabrics in a couple of collections that aren't selling as well as others in the same collection.

I started off making a quick pieced Attic Windows wall hanging with some fabrics from La Scala. The blocks went together beautifully but then I rushed adding a thin black sashing  without pinning them properly and of course my seams didn't match horribly! That's what comes from rushing to get something done before going to bed..........never pays off does it?
I was very good and unpicked the offending seams and it has now gone together much better. I just need to add a border before its finished and will post a pic then.

The other fabrics are a couple from the Imperial Collection 7 that are hanging around a little, mainly because I didn't use them in the sample I made using fabrics from this collection. Hopefully I can make a start on this quilt this weekend too.

This, that and the other

The snow has finally gone, well apart from the lump that was TK's snowman and it seems that Spring is trying to burst forth. I spied our first snowdrop in the garden this morning.

I think I might have said before that it is going to be interesting to see what happens in our new garden throughout this first year. I will probably dig up some plants that I don't like. Its still a question of getting used to the fact that if I want to change something...........I can! I want to put some stepping stones down the length of the garden to the shed soon. These will also follow the washing line down the garden so I need to do this sooner rather than later before I tread a path......
We still have a potato planter so we're going to try and plant some seed potatoes and maybe some other veg in pots too.

Last weekend we treked across country to Llangollen in mid Wales for the trading day at Quiltfest. It was nice to be in temperatures above freezing for a change!

I spoiled myself and bought a piece of original quilt art. My friend Ferret had an exhibition of her work at Quiltfest and she was selling pieces of demo work she was making on her longarm at the show.

Ok I actually have two pieces as my parents also bought me one for my upcoming birthday.

This is the piece I bought

I will get them framed by a local lady and then hang them. I'm trying to get things for the house that are unique and not mass produced and made by local craftsmen too.

Not much sewing has gone on still. Work seems to dominate most of my days and I end up chilling with my pc in the evenings rather than doing something creative, oh and doing the washing up :o(

I want to design a quilt that I can kit for the new Grandeur fabrics that were delivered the other week............will try and do that before the quilt show at Chilford next month. In the meantime I think I will do a bit more quilting on the Kaleidoscope quilt

Snow!

The snow started falling about 6pm last night and this morning we woke up to quite a few inches, so much so that we couldn't open the back door to start with due to snow sliding off the conservatory roof and blocking it.
It looks like this is the next bit to fall!

I love the scene when snow if freshly fallen, everything is so smooth and seems really calm and peaceful............must be all that white?

I actually did some quilting the other evening! This blog was supposed to be about my quilts too but I guess its an indication of how much sewing I actually manage to fit in that I don't seem to blog about them much!
I had hit a slight wall with how I wanted to quilt the next tiny section of my kaleidoscope quilt, but I finally bit the bullet and broke through my quilter's block. I have a feeling this will happen quite often with this quilt! I'm pleased with how it is looking so far though

Busy!

Its a sure sign that I have had a busy week as I haven't even thought about posting anything for over a week!

The last seven days have seen me rushing around getting ready for a quilt show as well as have an editors meeting AND the magazine's annual 'do' last night. I've driven quite a few miles the last few days and its not over yet as there is the quilt show to help pack up at tomorrow.

Having suggested a compromise in recalculating my child maintenance with the ex husband several weeks ago, as usual I haven't heard a thing from him. I suspect I will get my answer when its next paid on 1 Feb. Do they EVER stop being bitter and awkward and difficult?
I just keep thinking to the future like a certain son's wedding should he choose to get married, and how we can both stand there on his big day when we have no communication at all.

The work do was fun last  night. I had been quite nervous about going as I haven't been to an office do for nearly 20 years. I'm also still adjusting to going to social events on my own as a single person. It is social occasions like that when I sometimes wish I did have a special someone and when I don't 'meet' any potential mates I start to wonder if I will ever meet anyone again. Whilst beauty is skin deep, I think some kind of weight loss and exercise program might be in order!
I just need to find a bit of spare time..............

Veg of the Month

So we had our first new veg of the month last night....................
we tried celeriac. I baked it thinly sliced in the oven with carrots and potatoes and some stock. It was ok. TK tried it at least which is the deal we have.
We still have some left so will probably mash it or make a dauphinoise with potatoes.

The other choice for January was kale but I'm not sure if I can eat that or not!

I've been busy editing this week but the next few days will be spent getting ready for a quilt show next week including getting new kits together.

 

Hello Winter!

Although it has been milder today, we had a reminder that it is actually winter at the moment. I took the chance to go out into the garden on Saturday and snapped a few frost laden plants.

Even this thistle looked pretty!

Seeing as my garden is new to me, I'm trying to take photos throughout the year so that I can see whats in flower and when. A lot of the plants are new to me. At the moment the hellebores are in flower

Life's Frustrations

Just when you think your divorce is done and dusted, it rears its ugly head again!

Is there ever an end to hassle when you get divorced?

The week didn't start well with the ex husband announcing, by email since we don't talk, that he wanted me to open a cash ISA for our son and wanted to reduce the child maintenance he pays by a third so that he can pay money into the ISA. I started composing an email to my lawyer till I realised how petty it all sounded as at the end of the day its for our son's benefit. Basically the ex wants to ring fence any money he pays me so he ensures its used solely for the benefit of our son. The trouble is that's not how it works; he just doesn't 'get' what maintenance is for.
I hope I have suggested a suitable compromise because I really don't want to have to involve lawyers or the CSA.

On a more positive note I have finished block B5 of our SBS quilts and will try and remember to take a photo in the daylight tomorrow. I think I need to alternate between piecing and quilting each evening so that I make progress on each project.
When I got the quilt out to do some quilting the other night, the cat decided for the first time for ages to sit in the lounge with us..............under the quilt of course!

Funny that!