Folksy Sale #17

I love Folksy - I love that I can make something and put it on the site and completely forget about it.  And it's always a lovely surprise when someone buys something of ours - although it's not so great when I'm turning the loft upside down to find it to post off!

Anyhoo, more socks ...

Which has just given me a fab idea ... I'm off on holiday in a fortnight and wanted a portable project.  Socks, just the thing!  I will put them on my packing list immediately!

Duxford - 'Planes and Quilts

Back in March, Mum and I had a jolly to Duxford Air Museum - not for the 'planes, although we got to see those anyway, but for the quilting show.  We had been to Springfields quilting show last year but that one was enormous and Duxford was a bit smaller, and more manageable, or so we thought! 

Duxford Museum houses a huge number of 'planes - and we got to see them as part of our admission fee for the quilting show - ie, much cheaper than if we'd just gone for the 'planes.  There did seem to be quite a few men around so perhaps they'd latched on to this also and saved themselves some money by accompanying their ladies!

I got very reminiscent for Concorde.  When Andy and I lived at Colnbrook at Heathrow, our little flat was right under Concorde's flight path. She flew over every evening at about seven o'clock and we always knew she was approaching as all the car alarms in the vicinity would go off and we'd have to hold down our possessions in the flat!  Lovely memories seeing this lady.

But that wasn't the reason we were here.  We were here for stitchy stuff and we weren't disappointed - Mum and I both bought some charm packs - all pre cut squares so hopefully will make life very easy when we get going with the quilting.  We bought some lovely fabrics and spent lots of time ooh'ing and aah'ing over the finished quilts on display.  There really are some very talented people about.

David and Buddha were extraordinary - both made up of just one inch squares - just stunning.

This was clever - it was the same pattern on both sides, but black thread on white fabric and white thread on black fabric which made it look almost silver.  Very very clever.

Now this quilt - and the ones that follow - are amazing - they look like they've been painted.  Just the use of a different colour thread can make all the difference, they are just beautiful.

I love the ferny quilting!

It's certainly inspired me and I'm now on the home straight with the quilt I've been making with all Nan's old dresses and nighties - it's only been twenty-nine years in the making so far but we're almost at the finish line!  Post to follow .....

Other People's Gardens - May 2017

Back when I started working in Amanda's garden last year, I wanted to catalogue what I've been up to, to show progress. Sadly, very little progress has happened at all, I think I seriously under estimated what I would need to do, but, now I've worked it out in my head, I'm hoping to start again soon with renewed vigour.  At that time, I started to blog about gardening, but that's also fallen by the wayside - I've been so busy with gardening work that I haven't actually had time to photograph anything or write it up.  I've decided to give up with that other blog and to incorporate a monthly post into this one, basically just showing bits and bobs of what I've been up to in my gardening job.  So, here goes .....

Now, this is a bit embarrassing.  I was recently asked to weed asparagus beds, which I couldn't find.  Because, basically, I was actually looking for short plump stalks of asparagus so I was looking about four feet lower than I should have been - these have bolted somewhat!   I've been told that you can afford to let them bolt in the early years, although I'm still not entirely sure why?   I need to research this - do they set seed?  Don't they just come up from crowns underground, like herbaceous perennials?  Must look this up!

And these are raspberry and strawberry beds which I DID recognise!

And this is the first lot of mulching I've ever done - Mum and Dad got me to dig up some sickly stuff to try and revive it elsewhere in the garden; plant in some new plants; and then cover the whole lot with bark mulch.  It smells delicious - really piney - and I love the look of it too.   We gave it a good soaking which made it smell even nicer, so I'm assuming the rain will set the smell off again too?   So much to research .....!

Seeds and Stuff - May 2017

It's that time of year again when things seem to be growing in front of our eyes - we've had a very dry year so far, although some quite torrential storms lately, so consequently everything's shifted up a gear.  And I've been spending so much time working in other people's gardens, that ours is suffering a bit because of it.  

One of the loveliest things to have developed this year - quite accidentally I have to admit - is this shady little area at the top of the garden that Finn seems to have a liking for.  Although I think the proliferation of frogs up there is probably helping!

Hopefully I'll have some better photos - and a better garden! - for June's Seeds and Stuff.

Odds and Sods - May 2017

May has been sooooooooooooooo busy!  Lots of days out and about and visits around East Anglia and Lincolnshire, and many posts to follow ... eventually! 

Andy and I have had half a camping trip - we ended up not staying overnight - but had a lovely day anyway, and I had a very productive day studying and knitting.

We've eaten very healthily this month - we have a new favourite supermarket so, instead of planning meals in advance and then going shopping accordingly, I do my meal planning while at the supermarket by getting the special offers and matching them up with veggies and carbs as I go round!  It's a bit more haphazard but we're saving loads of money!

Finn's had a posh new hairdo which is keeping him cooler in the heatwave we're currently experiencing.

And here are a few photos before the haircut, just because he's worth it!