I sewed and sewed!

I've had a nasty throat and ear infection these last few days, but that didn't stop me from sewing my little heart out. Look I even finished something. The last time I blogged about this cross stitch was way back in March 2011. Floral Trio was originally intended as a gift for my Mum. It's been a long time in the doing, too long. :-(  I'm glad it is finished, but I'm not sure what will become of it now. I'll keep it safe and maybe frame it one day.

Well a finish means a start right?

 (We won't mention all the other cross stitch projects I have started and stashed away)

Introducing Moonbeam. Isn't she pretty? Not the greatest picture, sorry.

Anyway, here you go, I have already completed an arm and a knee. 

 I'm looking forward to getting back to her later today.

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It's not been all cross stitch, I got very creative with some of these fabrics, can't show what though, it's a secret. ;-)

And I made some more string blocks with my Oh Cherry Oh strips. I think I have enough now. I left all the blocks lying like this on the floor upstairs and looked at them as I came a went organizing my cross stitch projects and working away at the secret stuff. 

I had to go up to my play room this morning to use the ironing board and while I was there, I played about with them and I think I came up with a final layout, more on that next time.

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Tony is off out later today to carry the Royal Naval Association Ramsey Branch Standard (or a one pal puts it, he's off flag waving) in the Armed Forces Day parade. I had planned to go with him, but I still have the tail end of that throat infection and really don't want to pass it around, so I'll be staying home, sewing.

Off on a tangent, again!

You know us crafters, we're easily distracted. And I am certainly no exception! In between making blocks for my latest quilt project I took a side trip off to create something for my lovely husband.

Every time we pack up our bags to trip off someplace, he gets bag envy. Many a time I've caught him eyeing this pretty little number while he is wrapping his shoes in an old T-shirt. This lovely was gifted to me by Janice, I adore it and use it every time we trip off.

Well Tony really doesn't need shoe bags with stilettos on, that really is more my style. But I knew he would love this fabric as soon as I saw it. I whipped up four little bags in a day. Two for his shoes, a smaller one for his polish and brushes and a girly one for me. I popped shoes and polish into his and left them on his shoe tidy I didn't say a word when he got home, I just waited.

 He was tickled pink. He loves black kitty cats and is amazed that I could create them so quickly. Thank you again Janice for your gift and the inspiration.  :-)

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So yesterday I went back to working on my quilt project, I had an appointment out of town, so only had a couple of hours, but I made up a few blocks. I'm using a Moda layer cake in the Oh Cherry Oh fabric range. It really is very pretty. Each block is foundation pieced onto a 7.5 inch square with a white fabric always as the center string.

II was inspired by a pattern in this book, (Although I've made my blocks smaller to accommodate the size of my fabrics) but that didn't stop me from playing around with a couple of different lay out options. 

I think though I'll stick with the original idea in the book. I really do like it. I'll be doing more of these blocks today, after I've done the domestic stuff. 

For those interested, I have completed another 18 round granny square for my crochet blanket, that makes 4, so a lot more to go.

Right, I'm off to do the boring stuff, so I can get on and do the fun stuff.

Fancy a look around?

Lots of pictures today from yesterdays walk.

I had a couple of tasks to do in town before I got going. This mural is painted in an empty lot in our main shopping street. 

 Magnus and Orry are ancient Kings of Mann they have recently moved out of their home in the town hall and now live near the post office where more people will see them.

My chores completed I set off for my walk. But this colourful sight caught me eye. If you must have scaffolding at least make it decorative. LOL

 I had hoped to walk along the beach, but the tide wasn't low enough yet.

 As children we used to swim in this area.

 Climbing up onto the 'bull rock' to jump off into the water.  

I'm trying to investigate the land slip and I know just the place where I can get a little closer. So I set off up the road.

 Once I cross the electric tram lines.....

 I won't be in Ramsey any more.

But it really is only on the other side of the lines. Hmm, does that make the tram lines no mans land?

 This pretty Fuchsia grows wild in the hedgerows all over the island. 

 As I walked along I could hear a river rushing along below me and peeping over the wall I could see the bridge the trams use to cross the ravine.

 I rounded the corner and took a left turn into the glen on the other side of the ravine. Only to find this! I guess it's something to do with the land slip. I followed the fences and could see the high vis tape at the top of the slip. This whole area has gradually been getting smaller, but I have to say, that is the biggest slip I've seen since I was a child.

 They hadn't closed off the whole glen, the area away from the slip was still accessible, I followed the footpath down into the ravine. I could hear the river again.

 It was really pretty under the trees.

 I was surrounded by wild garlic, the flowers are all finished, but the smell was still there. I should have collected some. Yum.

 Down some very steep steps. 

 The footpath joins the river.

 And we end up on the beach. Where someone is obviously trying to shore up the cliff. 

I couldn't get any closer as the tide still hadn't dropped very far. 

 But I know I can get partway back to town this way.

 I made it and didn't get wet, though there were one or two rather energetic waves.

The ledge runs out halfway back to town, so I set off up this path and rejoined the road.

 I trotted along the prom and remembered another mural.

 Sadly some cars were parked right in front of it, so I couldn't get the whole thing in one shot.

 It's right by our Lifeboat station.

This was the last image I took, the battery on my camera gave up. So no more pictures, shame as there was a film crew on the swing bridge, it would have been fun to catch them in action. I didn't recognize the actor, so he can't be terribly famous.

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On the sewing front, I have over a dozen blocks all sewn up, then when I got back from my walk I did the house ironing before getting all distracted and starting another something new! This will be quick though. Pictures of both in my next post.

Still sewing.

No great weekend long parties this week. Just an exciting but quiet meeting with my beautiful baby Grand daughter. (Pictures in my last post). So I haven't been up in my play room since Friday. Where I didn't do even a moments work on the 4 inch charm quilt. All the strips are still waiting to be pressed. Instead I had a new start, with this Oh Cherry Oh layer cake. I've had it for ages and was never inspired, but since Faith was born, it's been whispering to me.

 So, it finally came out to play. You'll be seeing it again over the next few days.

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While I haven't been upstairs plating, I have been fiddling about downstairs. I'm hooking along slowly with some 18 round granny squares. Very slowly, but I'll get there.

To be honest, I'm in no hurry with them at the moment as once I join them together it will be very warm work and it's warm enough here at the moment.

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Right, I'm off to be domestic for an hour, then I get to play.

Meet Faith

Grand Pa Tony and I finally got to meet our Grand Baby Faith today.

 She was oh so good, considering she was passed around like a parcel.

 Her doting uncles were very well behaved and both had a cuddle.

 My two favorite girls. Well done Kaileigh, so proud of you.

XXX

Another Quilty Finish and a visitor.

From start to finish in just over a week. That has to be a record for me. It would have been done sooner, but I was waiting for thread.  So here it is, not looking it's best. I gave it a quick rinse to get rid of the lines I had drawn in the border, then because the weather is awful I tossed it into the tumbler and forgot about it.

 Never mind, I'm sure it's intended owner DS2 will have it looking worse in no time! You can't really see it here, but it's quilted in variegated blue thread in a giant cross hatch, making one big X in each square. The borders have a wavy line in a variegated burgundy thread. It's backed with a piece of blue fabric and the binding is the same burgundy as the border. It was very quick and satisfying to make. 

Time to get on with the next one, all those strips of 4 inch squares are still waiting to be pressed. 

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In other news.....

Yesterday when I wandered into the kitchen to make a start on dinner I happened to notice a visitor to my yard. What a sweet kitty.

With not so sweet intentions! 

The birds were wise though and didn't feed while she was here, well she is not exactly camouflaged. She stuck around for quite a while.

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My DD and her baby will be here tomorrow. I'm off to make sure the camera is well charged.