Handmade Monday is here again and this week I actually made it. Phew.

Finally this is almost finished, I have one edge left to bind.  It is specifically for my daughter as a throw for her huge settee in the conservatory which is choccy brown leather.  I made it quilt and go which means, to the uninitiated, each square is made complete with wadding and backing before attaching to the main article. It is 50% machine sewn and 50% hand sewn.  All the little coloured squares are just left overs from my stash.  In fact, I started it by sewing the small squares together as an experiment and it grew from there.

This is just one of a good number of lovely blogs to meander through for Handmade Monday so why not pop along to  1stuniquegifts/blog and sus the others out.  You will definately enjoy the experience.

For Caroline (Redneedle)

A view from the side.

Thursday Blog Hop

Go along to www.Caroleecrafts.blogspot.com and feast your eyes on all the other contributions to Thursday Blog Hop.
This is mine, it is mostly hand sewn and from left overs from my workroom.  There is a diverse number of crafts in this little cushion which include flower making, applique, quilting to name but a few.
The rose is 3D effect, only the back petal is appliqued to the fabric, all the others stand proud of the cushion.  Ornamental rather than useful I am afraid.

I have made it for a very specific reason but if that falls through someone has already requested it so I am very lucky.

A timely warning for those proposing matrimony?

It is Thursday again, this is my contribution for our blog hop.  Have a look at www.Caroleecrafts.co.uk for all the other contributions.  Some lovely 'makes' to be seen.

A friend recently told me she ws getting married again, third time lucky she said.  I took a deep breath and this is what I told her.

I've quietly studied

The species of Man,
I'll put pen to paper,
And describe if I can,
The many varieties
The species span.
There's Tom, Dick and Harry,
A Michael and Dan.
There's film stars and singers,
You could be a fan.
Short ones, tall ones,
Beefcakes with a tan,
Adonis's, athletes,
And then 'also rans'.
Some come as loners,
Others in clans
Some on buses
Some on trams.
Some own houses
Some own land.
Others on
Street corners stand.
Lets face it girls,
Theres nothing grand,
About a fella,
With nothing planned.
Go for the jugular,
The plain gold band.
Security sits
On your left hand.

(If I have shown this one before I apologise, I have looked back and can't find it anywhere.)

Handmade Monday. http://www.1stuniquegifts.co.uk/blog

Follow the link and enjoy the many varied blogs involved.  Take the opportunity of seeing some beautiful hand made items, reading such interesting articles and generally embracing the whole idea of Handmade Monday.  You won't regret it.
We have entertained three 6 year olds and one just 7 year old for the weekend and have had such fun.  There was no agro at all, everyone had a wonderful time.  My lounge was taken over as a 'camp' with sheets and quilts spread over clothes horses, chair backs and anything else that would prop them up,  All the household cushions found themselves in the camp doubling up as beds plus a couple of pillows. Clothes pegs too.  It all hung together on a wing and a prayer but, oh boy, did they have fun.  I will remember it for a long time, I hope they will too.  I think they will, things like that they end up relating to their own children don't they.
. 

So young, so clean, so pure,

So innocent unto the core.

Eyes clear and trouble free,

Just how they should be.

How can we protect,

The already perfect

In every way

This child of today.

How soon will it fade

Or the innocence jade

In the name of maturity

To loose so much purity.

Thursday Blog Hop.

Visit www.Caroleecrafts.blogspot.com and see all the other blogs taking part in their own particular field, lots of variety.

I wrote this a few years ago and have just come across it so thought now might be a good time to give it an airing.


A Reflection

The cold, grey eyes returned the look from the mirror.  A rare combination, redhair and grey eyes.
He had come up through a hard school of life and the lessons had certainly been tough.  No longer did his eyes reflect his soul or his mouth voice his thoughts.  Oh yes, he had learnt well.

Reared by his dour Scots maternal Grandmother with little 'love' but plenty of 'duty' and the constant reminder of his lack of a known Father.  His mother had left this harsh life when he was three.

Kirk twice a week and basic, plain food resulted in no capacity for pleasure according to the strict Church beliefs.

School was no better, ostracised and called 'A bastard'.

In his loneleness he burried his head in books and acquired a sound education.

One final look in the mirror.  Had it gone too far?  Was it too late to evacuate this shell that had protected him all these years?

He almost broke free of it once, long ago now, but again, had left it too late and lost the only person who had dented his armour.  Felt like another lifetime ago and now Grandmother finally joined her north-of-the-border ancestors which necessitated him sorting out all her personal papers.

Some very startling, if not brainstorming information had come to light leaving him reeling with shock.

He had a Son.

His wife, she still was that as they never divorced, had written to Grandmother several times over the years trying to locate him.  Odd that she had kept the letters when obviously had no intention of passing them on.

He had been a Father for 10 years.  They were married in Sydney, Australia but having suffered such isolation in childhood he had been totally unprepared for the closeness needed to keep the relationship alive.
He had hurt her, he knew that but wanted to stay safe in his clinically, neat and tidy little world and she was here in Edinburgh.  His wife and son. 

Something else he had learned in the sort-out.  He wasn't a bastard after all. He had found his Mothers marriage certificate and other papers proving he was the legitimate son of the man he could now call Father who knew nothing of his existance.  A farmer of means which he would eventually inherit and pass on to his own son and heir, hopefully breaking the cycle which his late Grandmother had put in motion.

James straightened his back and marched out of his house into his future.

Remember, remember, the 5th of November for Handmade Monday

Hand made Monday  http://www.1stuniquegifts.co.uk/blog  Do use this link and look at the lovely things on show today, well worth a visit.

Another 5^th of November – I must be getting old as they seem to come round so quickly these days.  A trip down memory lane is called for I think.

My memorable bonfire years are the 1940’s,  Some describe as “The good old days” but I believe this title grew from the fact we didn’t know or have better to judge them by.  However, I digress.
Fires in the back garden, pretty fireworks, Roman Candles, Waterfalls, and the like. No such thing as Health and Safety, we all threw wood on the fire regardless.   It was part of the fun as we knocked on neighbours doors asking for something to burn and made our own Guy Fawks to stick on the top or push round the streets asking “Penny for the guy”.
I remember it was always so cold you had to stand fairly close to the fire to keep warm ending up with red faces. Dad threw potatoes in, we threw in loads of conkers and waited for them to explode and if the money stretched far enough we had marshmallows on sticks to roast. 
If you were extra lucky next door had better fireworks than you and you could watch them too. 
By the time I had children garden bonfires were a thing of the past but we did have community ones on the nearest piece of waste ground organised by a few Fathers and we pooled our fireworks.
Now it has changed again and although, obviously things are much safer for our little ones and more environmentally friendly, I do wonder who enjoyed it most, our home made fun or the youngsters of today with the more commercial, (pay to go) and very organised ones we have now.

I could not resist fetching my camera this morning after I had let the dog out for her early morning constitutional, at 7.30 am the light was crisp and clear with the sun shining gloriously.  Sadly I have had to reduce the pixels to be able to post them so they have lost some of their sharpness but hopefully you can still imagine what a beautiful sight it was.  To be able to take a clear pic. inside the woods is some indication of just how much light there was this morning.  There was a definate autumnal chill in the air indicating the beginning of winter.  Friends will notice that for once Rosie is missing, that is because she was so busy with all the new smells left from wildlife activity during the night.

My new, all singing and dancing sewing machine has gone wrong again.........

Where is my old Singer,

I knew it oh so much

Sensitive and feeling,
It knew my every touch.

No cranky digi messages,

No codes to be worked out,
No complicated stitching
It knew what it was about.

Why did I let it go

To that workroom in the sky
When I could have kept it here
On  pedestals right up high..

Well, one good thing came out of it, I made the Thursday Blog Hop.  Now I wonder what everyone else has produced.  Why not come along with me and have a look - www.Caroleecrafts.blogspot.com.