Thailand

I regularly read a blog from a lady in Thailand.  She posts so many pictures of the shops and all the wonderful, colourful fabrics they stock.  Most of the manufacturers are not on the internet in her area so we cannot buy direct but as you may recall from a previous blog this lovely lady Jill has bought for me and posted.  Gosh, I would never have any money left if I lived anywhere those lovely warehouses.  I look at the pictures and ache to go. Of course, I might win the lottery any day soon in which case............

There appears to be a lot of hatching and some batching around me but so far, fortunately, no dispatching .  So I am busy making wedding gifts and baby gifts again.  Happy times for all I hope.
Keep my fingers occupied for a few days, or weeks, depending on what I decide to do.   A memory cushion is top of my list at the moment as the wedding is imminent.  They have about 8 children between them so have everything for the home.  I thought a little luxury for the bedroom would probably go down quite well hence the cushion.  Next is a pinkish little cardi for about 6 month old cos it will be winter then.  Hopefully she won't want woollies during the summer months.  Weeeeell, in theory she shouldn't. lol.  Another Wedding, but next year.  Giving us plenty of advanced notice this time.  Haven't a clue what to do for that one. Waiting for inspiration.

Decisions, decisions

It has been a week of decisions rather than work.  It gradually dawned on me that my main problem was lack of fitness.  If I did anything out of the norm I ended up with a pulled muscle or at the very least stiff limbs. 

Over weight.  Oh soooo over weight.  Being only 5'1" I am sure if I fell over I would roll. 

Depressed because of all these things too. 

I think, at times, we all arrive at this "Day of enlightenment".  Mine came last Wednesday after yet another restless night when finally crawling out of bed and realising it was make or break day I took myself off to enroll with a Gym.  It had to be one with a pool as I would rather be in the water than on the rowing machine etc.,.

I am now a paid up member and have been every day - yes, every day.  Walking up and down that stretch of water as if my life depended on it. Less impact on the joints apparently and no, no one quite shouted "Save the Whale" as I stepped in. lol..  Another week of this and I can gravitate towards the treadmill and the bike.

I could not believe how much I had deteriorated, age of course don't help but its no excuse.  Muscles? What muscles? just flab. 

I have 6 weeks to get into some kind of shape before my holiday which is a cruise with the whole family who will be spending all their time in various water activities in which I would be unable participate. I would hate that.

Let this be a lesson to all you avid crafters.  Sitting on your backside sewing and knitting and anything else you do requiring a sedentary position aint good for you.  Well, thats my excuse.

Talking about sedentary and avid, I took this pic this morning at breakfast time.  All the males in the family were sitting avidly watching Smurfs and wrapped in some of Grandma's quilts. 

Mainly due to my other activities  I only have something small to offer for Handmade Monday.  I would not have bothered but trying to keep to the spirit of the event.

Now do pop over to Wendys Handmade Monday on Handmade Harbour.there is always some lovely things there. 

Getting there slowly

I have been a silent watcher for a couple of weeks.  Read all your blogs but not left comments.  Didn't want to pass on my black moods when you were showing such lovely things and having great discussions but I did enjoy it all from the silent sidelines. 
Getting things back together a bit thank goodness.  Made a bag for my holiday cruise. 
Now we all know we have to take something to do whilst away.  I bet none of you can bare to sit with your hands empty or your fingers idle, I am just the same so needed something summery but also useful for carrying cameras etc., when tripping off the boat. 
I made this from a load of 4" squares inherrited from a crafter who sadly passed away some years ago.  There was a huge pile of assorted colours and designs which, over the years, I am gradually using up. It is fitted it with dual types of handles depending on what I am using it for at any given time. The white is just sheeting from Dunhelms and the plastic handles, well, I have had them sooo long I don't know where they originated.  The buckle thingy on the long handle came curtesy of The Equity Shoe Factory at which both my aunts worked.  What I would call a totally ecconomical bag.

As I have not entered Handmade Monday for a few weeks perhaps I can offer this.  Go to Handmade Harbour   to see what everyone else has offered.  You will be amazed at the variety offered.  Apologies to Wendy for being so remiss.

So sad

We lost a devoted friend, faithful companion, light of our life and my second skin this week.  We feel, at the moment, as if we will never get over it.  She has been with us  for nearly fifteen years and only once did she spend a week away when she stayed with her previous master, my youngest son whilst we went on holiday.  If I remember right, I spent the week worrying about how she was getting on and she spent the same week fretting.  We never left her again.

She was the gentlest of creatures.  I have never known her to growl and she would take food from your hand so carefully you never knew she had had it.

What are we going to do without her.  

If we go out we don't want to come home to an empty house. No welcome when we get up each morning.   No dog hairs.  No muddy roses on the floor. No walks down to the brook.  No frolics through the woods outside the back gate. No more sneeking round to next door for an extra titbit. 

I am not going to have another pet because it hurts far too much when you lose them. 

How long does this hurt last?  It feels like it will go on for ever.

Doiggie Dementia.

Our pet is 15 now and stone deaf which can be quite a problem especially when you add the dreaded aging dementia. She forgets where she is, where the door is, where her bed is,. Mind you, she never forgets meal times or treat times, but I suppose that is instinct.
Each evening at 10.30 ish one of us takes her up the garden and out the back gate for her late night tinkle. Well last night she disappeared into the darkness and forgot to come back. Chucking it down with rain, wind howling, me in my slippers - are you beginning to get the picture - good (I think). We have an intruder light over that gate so I have to keep waving at it to keep it on but still could not see her. Went to fetch OH and a couple of torches and back to wander over the Common in the hope that we can find her. No good calling of course. Finally the torch picked up a pair of yellow eyes, scared me half to death, thought it was a fox but no, it was a very frightened and wet Rosie wondering where the hell she was.
I wasn't exactly warm, dry and comfortable either. Not a pretty sight.

On another note, wedding cushion now complete.  Only draped over another cushion at the moment as I need a 20" pad for it.  Meant to get one today butg with this inclement weather...........?   I'm sure you will understand.

Ooops.  I forgot to link this to Handmade Monday.  Good job Wendy left a comment or it would have passed me by again.  Thats 1stUniquegifts/Handmade Monday.

Little gift for a big nephew.

One of my nephews is getting married.  He and his partner have both been married before and have children from their respective marriages.   They also have their own home as have been together for some time now.  All this makes it difficult to give a suitable gift, they already have everything they want or need, so I decided to do a memory cushion. Having made the centre panel I am looking for white curtain type fabric for the rest of the cushion.  Last time I got just what I wanted from Dunhelm's shop but they appear to have cut back on their fabrics and naturalaly mine is one of those that has disappeared from the shelves.
I only need half a metre.   I could purchase on the internet but will incur £5 plus for postage and packaging which is a bit grim on such a small amount.
I know just what you are thinking, why not buy more to make it worth while.  If I do that with the enormous stash I have in my shed someone else in our household will have a fit of appoplexy. Grrrr.

However, a few quick pics of the panel which is completely hand sewn (except the hearts) got them from my local Aladins cave of a shop.

I do regret not doing the horseshoe in silver now but it is too late.

I am going to offer this post as my contribution to Wendy's Handmade Monday.  Do pop along and have a look at all the other beautiful offerings.

Handmade Monday 9,4,12

Oh dear, I have been very lax again but do have a lovely tale to tell you.

I bought a couple of metres of fabric locally.  It was lovely to work with and the design was tiny, just fitted the bill for the job in hand.  However, I hadn't bought enough but on returning to my little fabric shop - yes, you have guessed it - all gone.
The only identifying mark on the scraps left was the word 'Belleboo' on a bit of selvage.  Not to be beaten I searched all the fabric shops on line - nothing. 
Eventually I typed in the word Belleboo to see what came up and, lo and behold, found a site called Jill's Quilt Site so very cheekily emailed Jill only to discover that she was in Thailand, she didn't sell fabric but said she would go into Sampeng and have a look in the fabric suppliers who make it..
I am forever surprised at the kindness of other people. This is an email I received back.

Dear Carol,

I saw the fabric in another color. I ran out of time. Will be going back again next week and will look again. I don't think it has a name. I might have to buy a few meters and send it to you. How many meters do you need?

Jill'

She has since been back to the manufacturers and acquired me 5 mtrs of material, some in the original beige and some in pale blue which is now winging its way to me from that magical Country of Thialand.

I will, of course now become an ardent follower of her blog and see some of the lovely work she and her friends do, mostly for charity.

This is a link to her site  http://bkkquilt.com/

I am hoping I have made a new friend, one can't have enough of those can one?

Although I have no 'makes' to show you don't let it stop you from going over to Wendys at 1stUniquegifts.co.uk/blog and see what everyone else has made.

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