Canal trip

Smile please

A trip on the narrow boat Charlie was a treat one day as we sailed on the canal from St Bruerne lock to the tunnel and back.

Sewing Day

Beatrix Potter

A day at home spent in my sewing room, what a treat after the hectic week with the granddaughters.

Three Linus cot size quilts were quilted and had their bindings attached, just the hand sewing to complete them.

The black wall hanging made on the Jennie Rayment workshop is also now quilted and has the binding on ready for the hand sewing.

I also made a start on my Beatrix Potter project, sewing out four designs on my embroidery machine, following as closely as I could the colours in my friend's Beatrix Potter book.

Safari Park

Black Bear

Giraffe licking the car!

Monkeys climbed on the car and
stole the rose from my aerial!

Fun in the Wallaby section

Petting the goats

Feeding the birds

Following Mum and baby monkey

Granddaughters Abigail 8, and Eleanor 4 have been staying with me all week and we had a wonderful day at Woburn Safari Park.

Abigail's Award

23rd July 2012

Yesterday Abigail was awarded a gym trophy for getting the most stickers on her chart.

To collect a sticker she has to work hard, try something new and be helpful.



Scrappy Zappy Do

 Saturday I attended a workshop at Poppy Patch Gt. Doddington with Jennie Rayment.
It was such fun with lots of laughs and lots of work.

Her latest book Foldy Rolly Patchwork Pzzazz [ couldn't fit the "i" in the title, so left it out!]  was the inspiration for the workshop.

Jennie is very free with advice and ideas, including how to thread your machine needle to using invisible thread.

Scrappy Zappy Do is now ready for the wadding and backing and then quilting and binding.  This might have to wait a week as I have both granddaughters next week, and will not have time or energy!

Noah's Ark

A friend sent me this and I thought I'd share it..

I am not afraid of tomorrow for I have seen yesterday and I love today.
Noah's Ark : Everything I need to know, I learned from Noah's Ark ...
ONE: Don't miss the boat.
TWO: Remember that we are all in the same boat!
THREE: Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.
FOUR: Stay fit. When you're 60 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.
FIVE: Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.
SIX: Build your future on high ground.
SEVEN: For safety's sake, travel in pairs.
EIGHT: Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.
NINE: When you're stressed, float awhile.
TEN: Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
ELEVEN: No matter the storm, there's always a rainbow waiting.

Most people walk in and out of your life, but FRIENDS leave footprints in your heart.

Tree of Life

Almost there

I have been working on The Tree of Life for some time, and at last have all the blocks machine embroidered.
Just need to get it all sewn together.
Pattern and disc by Anita Goodesign.
Marathon embroidery threads.
White on white cotton fabric.
Sewn with a very thin wadding.

Eventually the tree with have free hanging leaves embroidered with my family names.

You are invited

The car park is getting fuller again!

Book ends!

A new member of the fleet



Side view

Having spent some time looking for another Land Rover, yesterday we made a dash to Braintree to "look" at another one offered on Ebay. Needless to say we came home with it. The plan is now to sell the red one, but at the moment Chris now has a Red LR, White van and Blue LR  .. this is taking jubilee / Olympic / national pride colours one vehicle too far..



Eastbourne

Union Jack

Olympic Rings



Pier

 Friday to Monday earlier this month we spent a very nice time at the Burlington Hotel in Eastbourne. The photos were taken from our hotel room window. The flowers were beautiful and every morning about 7am there were cleaned and weeded. In fact everywhere was spotless. The weather was hot but VERY windy.