Lots to Show

Hi and good morning!

My post is late because someone stole my weekend! Seriously!  One minute it was Friday and I was getting ready to leave my weekend post and before I knew it, Tuesday was here!  Gosh..where does the time go?

I thought on Thursday I would catch up with all your blogs and I even commented on most of them but I just had a look at my reading list and wow...you guys have been so busy.  Reading blogs should become a full time job with income. Can you imagine how rich we would become?  I might pass that idea on to Richard Branson: see if we can make it doable.

It's June, tennis season and of course that means rain..I don't know why but as soon as the tennis starts, so do the downpours!  And of course it is strawberry season!

Or rather, strawberry mug rug season.  My lovely rug mug from Tarja arrived from Finland.  She also sent an amazing postcard with information about the Finnish flag. Did you know that if the flag touches the ground it has to be burnt?  I never knew that. There was also some Finnish chocolate but it seemed to disappear, only to appear again when I stand on the bathroom scales.

A perfect mug rug.  I love it.  So cheery and full of the promise of summer. I love the little buttons in the corners. Who doesn't love buttons!

And talking about strawberries...I have a stitching finish.

M'Lady loves sweet strawberries, stitched on228 count marbled clay jobelyn fabric with DMC and one overdyed gray thread.

M'Lady loves strawberries but she is not going to lower herself and her standing in society by picking them herself.  Oh no! One has maids to do one's strawberry picking! So this little maid is in the strawberry patch, happily enjoying the sun and probably having a sneaky nibble or ten of the wonderful strawberries.  I think she had better hurry up and pick all she needs though because I suspect those blackbirds have the same idea! Strawberries for tea anyone?

Available as a pdf from Stitchers Anon Cross Stitch Designs and as a paper chart later in the week.

Goes nicely with this, though I will need to take another photo of M'lady and her garden: that is a terrible picture..in real life it is much, much nicer.

 

There will be more M'Lady charts soon.

 I've  also received a mug rug from Kaye in Australia.

I've pressed it since I took the photos, so sorry Kaye..I was just so excited when I opened it! I had to take piccies there and then!  Look at the lovely buttons in each corner. Yes, I do have a thing for buttons!  The backing fabric is beautiful as well xx  Perfect and she sent wonderful information about the river Yarra, which is a river which runs upside down! And wow..those chocolates. I love nuts too!

I've loved this exchange..I really have! It got me right out of my non-sewing comfort zone, so much so that I'm going to start quilting again.

I've also been sorting prizes for the fundraiser which will start soon. I guess I am afraid to go for it in case no one takes part but what the heck right? If I don't try then I won't get will I?  And worse case scenario, I guess I can sell items and donate the money that way rather than a prize draw.

There will be three little bunnies.  They were made as pincushions but because there are no buttons and the ribbon is quite short and removable, they could be used as childrens toys or to decorate a room.

One bunny = one prize.

And wow..look at me go!
Two crochet pink and white bowls: one small and one large (no idea of exact size: will find out at some stage I guess lol)

These are so cute.  I think I have to make more just because they are so wonderful, quick and most importantly, easy!

 Two mug rugs are also going in the prize pile so slowly but surely it is growing.

And while I think about it (my mind is kind of random that way: seems to work independently to the rest of me) how are we all getting on with the vitual stitching retreat?  It seems to have gone very quiet!

I have a finish which was sent to me by Kath who came on this years retreat.

She's personalised it with the location and date.  Lovely.

It would be great to see how yours are getting on!

So, what are my plans for this week.

Well, two days ago I thought I might experiment with elderflower champagne...and guess what!  I can see bubbles!!  Yay!!!  So I suspect I am going to spend a lot of time peeking under the muslim (aka cotton pillow case but don't tell the River Cottage Lot) and getting excited about bubbles..and when it is bottled we are going to see if we can make one bottle explode!  See, that is the kind of science teacher I was...you can't have science without bad smells or explosions!

Today is hospital day and I'm going to ask about a new drug which has just been tested and find out why I've been allowed to possibly come out of menopause which was something I was told I'd be kept in.  I want answers!

Chatting to the counsellor has helped, despite my doubts about it (t'isnt a science as Sheldon would say on The Big Bang Theory lol).  So much so that I'm starting to look ahead. So from a time when I didn't dare look ahead more than a week, I'm now looking ahead to next years stitching retreat....and possibly doing an English Degree.  My science degree was a means to an end.  I wanted to teach and at the time they were crying out for science teachers.  My love and passion however was for words and English. So it might be nice to do a degree for fun...and yes, I do enjoy that kind of thing.  Exams never phase me.  I just need to try and find the funds first.

And to help I'm also going to consider offering grinds.  Grinds is another term for tutor here in Ireland.  Private tutoring in science.  I am after all a teacher.  My counsellor is going to look into it so watch this space.  I'm considering venturing outside my door and dipping my toe back into real life.  From victim to survivor....oooo I feel a bit like James Kirk  teehee. Exploring unknown worlds!

So it is all looking good and I am hopeful that it will remain this way for some time.

Tomorrow is a trip up North into the shady world of Asda and shopping and then I hope my poor back will be good enough to do some sewing.  I'm not looking forwards to two days spent sitting in a car for two hours at a time...two hours to the hospital and two hours to Enniskillen and of course the two hours back.

So I may or may not have wonderful things to show you next week...and if not then I will spend my blogging time reading all your posts and popping by to say hi!

Have a good week everyone xxx