An odd assortment and Handmade Monday

Friday was Open Day at the Grands school, we had not planned to go, in fact, we had planned a totally lazy day but at 9 a.m. my daughter phoned to say that one of them was getting into a state because his Granddad was not going to see him in his play.
So, with feet not touching floor we made it for 9.45 just in time for curtain up and Stella The Starfish was in full swing. How those teachers got 60 kids of 6 and 7 to remember all that and perform without too many hiccups I will never know.  Children of that age are soooo amazing.  They not only remembered words and dance routines but 8 songs too and we were told that they had only been  rehearsing for three weeks, any more than that and they get bored.  I am so glad that we didn't miss it after all.

I have nothing to show you for Handmade Monday except a bit more work to one of the panels as I have been doing alterations. A client bought a set of five long sleeved blouses and wanted all of them turned into short sleeved ones.  Although the blouses are identical apart from the colour she wanted all the sleeves different.  I was so fed up with them by the time I had finished I could have binned them for two pins.  Common sense prevailed and they are now packed up ready for collection tomorrow. lol.

How about a ditty to make up for my lack of work~

The light, so bright,
So clear and crisp,
Glistening dew
In the sun through the mist.

The early hour

Of the first Spring day,
The Herald cries
Summers on its way.

I love these mornings

When the world looks so new,
When the grass looks so fresh
And the weeds still few.

But before much longer

Sunday peace will be gone,
With the hum of mowers
As the grass gets too long.

I have gossipped enough for one day so I will suggest you all pop over to Wendys at 1stUniquegifts/blog for Handmade Monday and have a look at all the lovely goodies

A Doggy Tale and Handmade Monday.

I have been unwell now for several weeks, a virol infection I am told.  Lost my voice for three of those weeks and am just getting it back although still a bit husky. As it hurt to try talking it has improved my sign language no end.

Talking about sign language, I will relate a small situation I found myself in this morning.
As  I am sure most of you are aware, I am the grateful owner of an elderly mutt, I refer to her thus as the Vet claims her Grandmother was raped by a fox.  I don't know if that is possible but it is certainly feasible as she came from a New Age Travellers site and she certainly was mistaken for one on several occasions in her youth.

She is fifteen now and as deaf as a post.

Picture this if you can. 

This 70 year old Gran in her dressing gown and slippers at 7 ish in the morning standing in her back gateway which leads out onto the large common at the rear of her property doing frantic hand signals which rather resemble a rain dance to this deaf mutt who, in her own silent little world has wondered from one delicious smell to another and ended up 3oo yards away.  Unfortunately she has, by now, done more than her usual tinkle and this stupid old woman has the added problem of finding and picking up whilst hoping against hope that no other dog walker is about to appear through the woods and catch her at it.

Rosie has always been a very obedient dog, never any trouble at all, I could walk through the busiest town without a lead and she never moves from your side, step for step she is with you but I am absolutely certain she has twigged that if she does not look at me she does not have to do as she is told. Grrr.

Back gate is just off bottom left corner.

Now I only have a small offering for Hand Made Monday, just another three panels for the twins quilts.

 

These are 12" square, or will be by the time they are inserted. 10 completed, 2 to go.  It seems to be taking forever.

Now is the time to pop along to 1stUniquegifts.co.uk and have a look at all the other well deserved offerings.

Hopefully it won't be so long between blogs now I am on the mend.  Have a wonderful week everyone.

Update on the Aged Aunt problem

We managed to get her to the Doctors but she is not letting on what was discussed so I suppose we are no nearer a solution other than the Doctor is now aware - hopefully - that there is a problem. Its gone very quiet  there so they must be on speaking terms again. No more threats about throwing herself under the local bus or in the canal, which is quite funny in its own way as she can't walk that far, someone would have to push her in a wheelchair. I am beginning to relax about it once more. Phew.  Catastrophe averted for now.

The end of another weekend.

Sunday evening always makes me feel as if I should summarise the week, what I have made, what I failed to complete and what I could have achieved if I had made that little extra effort.  I try not to dwell on the last one because it is a waste of time, it happened, or I should say failed to.
OK so I have had quite a severe cold during the week, still coughing, I think I am hooked on linctus by now but at least it appears to have subsided somewhat, keeping fingers crossed it doesn't come back and hit me again like they often do.
I have managed a couple more panels for the quilt -

Also a friends small boy has a birthday coming up and she asked me to make him a cushion for his bed, had to be red and white and squashy so this is what I came up with.   I have made it into a pyjama case and it is padded with thick foam wadding and lined with white cotton  sheeting so very  washable.

It is Handmade Monday so can I suggest you pop along to www.1stuniquegifts.co.uk/blog and have a look at some lovely crafted articles.

One way and another I am having a traumatic weekend. Lots of phone calls and crying.  I have two aunts, one 87 and the other 93 in a couple of months.  Both live in their own homes, the older one with her partner who is 92.

The 93 year old has fallen out with her partner, The problem is not what they have argued over but their age,  They should have help in but will not admit that they need it and I get shot down in flames if I even hint at them not managing.  I should add that these Aunts never had children so guess who has to pick up the slack.  They all live about 35 miles from me so not so easily accessible.  The younger Aunt is also crying because the older one is upset.

I am about to get shot down in flames yet again because I am contacting their Doctor tomorrow to get them to go in and insist they have some help.  They will listen to him because, in their eyes he has the voice of authority. 

Wish me luck.

Its a Beautiful day.

What a beautiful day for a walk. Blue skies, I always take my camera when out with the dog, you never know what you might miss.

Not a breath of wind and the sun beating down to encourage all the crocus and snowdrops to lift their faces towards it.

It is one of those days that makes everything seem worthwhile.

In the next day or two all the daffodils will start to bloom throught the woods, we also have some tulips in amongst them, just the odd one or two and then the carpet of bluebells will take over.  Well, that takes me through till April by which time the nettles and other wild plants will be establishing their claim to flourish but, for today, I feel uplifted.

New Beginnings

Oh not me.  I have started a new family quilt.  It is going to consist of 9 aplique panels, framed, and set into sashing - colours yet to be determined. lol.
As I have nothing ready for Handmade Monday I am using what panels already completed as my offering.  They are all hand sewn and my own design from my own hand made templates.  I tend to start a quilt with no definite idea of where it is going making it up as I go along. 
This is quite similar as I don't know what a panel is going to look like until I sit down to make it and I have no idea what colours the frames and sashing will be until  I have completed all the panels and lay them out.  Then I wait for inspiration - can take some time as I am not the most imaginative person about I can tell you. lol.

These are the four panels already prepared:-

I am a rotten photographer, the colours are not shown to be as vibrant as in real life but,  hey ho, you will get the idea.

Now pop along to www.1stUniquegifts.co.uk/blog  and see all the other lovely stuff on offer.  You won't regret it I can assure you.

And yet another 7 days passed...

Handmade Monday again.  Where has the week disappeared to.  I don't seem to have achieved much in the way of crafting this week so just a small offering from me.
I finished the third and last dressing gown, this is for an 18 month old little girl who is running around like there is no tomorrow, her Mum can't keep up with her.

And there was a a thread on Craft Forum this week about how many projects one had not finished off so I got my proverbial finger out and finished one of them.

I did not put the knobbly bits on the back. lol.

Thats it for this Handmade Monday but do pop along to www.1stUniquegifts.co.uk/blog and look at the growing number of crafters willing to share their beautifully crafted items with you.