Another weekend....

Another week has slipped by and the weekend is here again, it has been a busy old week, attending a day course on Monday, my main job and another temporary job. All in one week. This has left me with no time for crafting and blogging. Today is my youngest son's birthday, he is 15 and fortunately he is at that age where all he wants to do is go into town with his friends. While he was away enjoying his birthday treat at the cinema, DH and I wandered up to the allotment, more weeding and tidying. This is such a mammoth job, back breaking work. A little more progress, but still a long way to go......

We celebrated our sons birthday this evening with a meal at home, his choice Bang Bang Chicken, and I made a traditional Victoria Sponge Cake, filled with Wild Cherry Jam and whipped cream.

Woke up this morning to the smell of fresh bread.....

DH is continuing to make sourdough bread, he now has a constant mix of Leaven on the go. He can russel up a batch of bread with not too much effort. He was up at the crack of dawn, and had these buns ready for our breakfast. They were lovely and very nice served with butter and homemade Blackberry Jam.

I am off to the Alnwick Spring Show this afternoon, and looking forward to it. Then onto a very nice Pub by the sea for Supper to celebrate Ds2 Birthday. Have a great weekend and enjoy the fab weather.

My small stash of Amy Butler fabrics........

I have had this small stash of Amy Butler fabrics for some time now, sadly not enough to make a quilt ........

but just enough to line this very useful shopping bag. I love these fabrics, so bright and uplifting.

I think I will be buying more soon.

Have you ever seen as many weeds in one place.....

Well I suppose it is that time of year again when heavy back breaking gardening is needed. The allotment is one of those duties that is essential if we are to plant any veg this year. Have you ever seen as many weeds as this.......



I am quite ashamed it is this bad, and DS3 cannot believe it either!!! I managed to bribe 2 of my sons to lend a hand.


Armed with all the essential equipment, we made a start on the raised beds.

Two hours later, we had made some progress........ Our energy levels low and quite exhausted, we called it a day. It is back breaking work and my back was certainly sore. Best not to do too much in one go. Hopefully, I will be able to get the boys to come back and finish the digging at the weekend.

Thinking of the weekend the Alnwick Spring Show is on this Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th at Alnwick Gardens, entrance is free to the show but normal admission prices to the gardens. The Alnwick Embroiderers Guild is having a stand again this year and this is a piece I am putting forward.

It's a piece I did at a workshop last October with Val Stoddard. It is a contemporary version of a Carpet Page, from the Lindisfarne Gospels.

New Sewing Machine

I am now going to relax and rest my sore back by doing a bit of light sewing on my new machine , I got it a couple of weeks ago, and have not had much time to play with it.

It does lots of automatic stitiches which I need to explore.

William the Bear.........

I have been working on William for a week now and he is taking shape, I hope I will be able to reveal him soon. He is looking pretty snazzy. Just a few finishing off things to do and he will be ready to meet you all.

Fine Weather..............

The recent fine weather and the glorious sunshine this weekend has brought out all the daffodils, it is lovely to see some colour in the garden at last. I feel the cold weather is definitely behind us now and spring is here.

The seedling we planted a few weeks ago are coming, it looks like we will have lots to do in the coming weeks.....

Potting on.... These little shoots are cornflowers, we may have got a bit carried away.

We have promised to share our tomato plants with friends at work, too many for us. I made the containers from newspaper, so they can be planted straight into the ground and will rot down.

The doors of my shed have been open all weekend, it must be spring...........

Some sewing bits and bobs.........

Fabrics and threads bought at Fashion and Embroidery last week. Some nice gingham, a twin needle, Sari scraps , and lots of Madera threads. I think I am going to be busy on the sewing machine.......

Easter Greetings.....

:: Happy Easter ::

Hoping this is the start of spring and warmer days. Relax and enjoy the long weekend. I certainly am.

My recent trip...........

The Country Living Show was great, lots of lovely Spring and Easter goodies. It really made me feel spring is here at last . Although, I saw lots of lovely things I was very restrained in my purchases and resisted the temptation to spend, spend, spend. I did however make one special purchase which I could not resist. I met a lovely local girl called Emily who was selling the most wonderful kits to make teddy bears and animals.
Her company is http://www.emilys-ark.com/

I fell in love with William, the little fellow below. I now cannot wait to start making him.
He reminds me so much like Ted, the bear I recently repaired.


Then onto Birmingham for http://www.ichf.co.uk/fashion/ Fashion & Embroidery.

They were displaying some of the costumes worn in the Film " The Duchess".


The work was fascinating, so much detail.

Even dresses made for pregnant women

Afghanistan Inspirations

The exhibits were of a very high standard, alas the photography does not do them justice.

My day complete, I was ushered out of the building by Storm Troopers visiting from another exhibition in the NEC.