Hi everyone

Well the weather is miserable but I am fairly happy with my Sunday sewing, having dedicated most of the day to stitching , wait for it, yes I picked up Lady Greensleeves and decided to try and fill in the gaps.

This is how it looked in June (can not believe that was the last time I done any sewing on her) …….

and this is how she looks now …..

I have also done some more on Audrey, this is where I was ……

And this is where I am now …….

Well I must dash, hope you enjoyed the visit and that you have achieved your goals this week.  Catch up with you soon

Daisy

Hi Everybody

Well the end of September is nearly upon us and time for a review of my achievements (if any) over the past year.

1. Read 19 Books (5 books read – 2 still reading)
2. Sewing Projects (1 new start – no new finishes – 4 already done) (owls coloured in ready to be used in a sewing project) (butterfly colouring design to be made into cushion)
3. Learn Something New (Learning Patchwork  – 1 x Bee Quilt Top Finished – 1 x Pirate Quilt top finished – 5 more partly sewn together by machine /  1 new Seasonal Quilt hand sewn centre piece finished starting on border sections, and 1 Scrappy/Evolution Quilt part finished the top – hand sewn)
4. To Not Buy Clothes as much (Total failure – bought new dress , new embroidered pinafore and pinstripe leggings)
5. To Eat more vegetables (1 x Aubergine grown and eaten. another 1 growing but not sure on weather now)
6. To write To Penpals (wrote 2 letters to Australian penpal and 1 letter to best friend)
7. To create something and sell it for Charity nothing to report here
8. 8.To watch 19 DVD’s or Movies Nothing new here
9. To Finish my 1st Novel (Still a W.I.P.  Have wrote another chapter) nothing new here
10. To write a Small Poetry Book (2 more poems written)
11. To laugh more – Lots of laughter I’m happy to report
12. To Play my Saxophone Nothing to report here
13. To try and Learn the Ukelele Nothing to report here
14. To Learn Pilates and Deep Breathing – (watching Darcy Bussell Pilates DVD – feel a little more flexible and helps with my Asthma)
15. To Visit National Trust Houses/English Heritage places Nothing to report here
16. To visit the V & A Museum Nothing to report here
17. To visit an art Gallery Nothing to report here
18. Go On a Long Walk Nothing to report here
19. Go to Local Craft Fairs More Nothing to report here

Well not any big achievements but step by step we will get there.  Perhaps I need to get out more though!

Daisy

Hi everybody,

Firstly some sad news – the little baby dove is no more – my husband found the remains in the garden and the parent doves just sat looking at their nest.  We do not know what took the baby.

Now onto some sewing news, I have been rather naughty and purchased some new stash with the idea of making something smaller – some cushion covers.

Last week was a washout health wise and I have been careful not to overdo things this week although I had to do some catching up at work.  I also managed to do some sewing on Audrey in the evenings.

Here is where it was last week

And here she is now …..

I have decided to join the SAL that Avis started to help me with the Seasonal Quilt.  At the moment I am sewing/basting loads of white hexagons.  If you would like to join I will include the link below.

Well that is all folks.

Daisy

This is the Bee Quilt (my design) -with a removable bee cross stitch (not my design) as the centre piece.

Hello Everybirdybody,

What can I say – I had the unexpected pleasure of the company of my human mummy for an extra 4 days though to be fair she was in her bed in the other room – I squawked for her but she didn’t come to me so I was quiet as she must be ill.

However, she had promised me another cage revamp as I make quite a mess what with my shredding habit, destroying the toys she provides for my amusement.  So here are the samples she has created with the intention of removing the snuggly that I haven’t taken too.  (Other birds love them – she protests)

Hetty has wrecked the mirror and pulled the bell off the bottom (vandal)

Doesn’t like the green snuggly – never been in it.

So  – new swing toy with chewable parts which I have added as she destroyed the original parts.  Two newly revamped wooden toys with bells on (wooden parts from Northern Parrots).  They will not last long!! He! He!

Oh dear – after all her kindness I am in her bad books – whilst snuggling I got moody and pecked her fingers quite harshly –  don’t know why just did.

Preening myself quietly.  Bad Bird!!

Hetty

Hi all

The garden is still looking pretty but things are beginning to turn autumnal (I like that word).  The burnished leaves of the Maple Tree start to turn coppery colours.  I was wondering does anybody know whether you can get the sap out of the tree that is actually maple syrup??  I’m sure I saw someone drill a hole in a tree and hang a container downwards to collect the syrup on a TV programme a long time ago.

The patio Sunflower has produced smaller and smaller flowers and the leaves are slowly dying.  The dahlias are still standing tall and one stands out from the rest

Proud to be different!!!!!!!

The insect life and bird life are still thriving though.  The Ring Necked Dove’s have made a nest in our cherry tree and yesterday I managed to get a photo of the little baby – he is just at the front of his parents breast and I think the half of eggshell is to the right of her.  Didn’t want to get to close.

By the way, I have names prepared.  As I call the doves Romeo and Juliet, I have decided on Leonora for a girl and Federico for a boy. (Mad woman I hear you say).  This pair had a boy last year which I called Martino.  I only know the sex when they have grown as the females have a smaller head and less markings.

Also we had a visit from this little Red Darter Dragonfly, pictures do not do it justice, which I think is a male.  It seemed to keep darting at the lawn which is probably where it gets the name from.

(t is cleverly disguised is it not.  Just off centre head facing north easterly.)  Wings not visible.  About 2 1/2″ long.

That is all for now, thanks for reading

Daisy

Hi Everybody

I am feeling much better and on the sewing front I achieved some sewing on Audrey and completed the blue hexagon which is to be part of my Scrappy Mother Nature Quilt.

Here is where I was at on the 1st September ……

Here is where  I am now on 15th September

I was trying to find some inspiration of how to border my hexagonal Seasonal Quilt and have ordered some more white hexagons and some plain solids in the four colours that make up the central part of the quilt, with a mind to placing one colour in between white ones down each side of quilt and making a pinwheel design in the colours at the corners. Hopefully, it will not detract from the original design, we will have to wait and see.

Well that is all for this post, take a look at the other posts from today for Hetty and the Garden.

Daisy

Hi everyone,

That probably sounds more cheerful than I have felt all week as I had a blinder of a migraine.  Sparing you the details – laid up in bed for 2 whole days, then just resting for 2 days – feels like I loose hours of my life.

Anyway enough of that, as I slowly got better (Friday), I managed to create some more hand sewn patchwork for my scrappy quilt which I have now decided to lay out in a  “?”  shape and entitle it as Mother Nature’s Evolution.  Details will follow when my head is in a better space.  Here is what I made …

I think I need to look up on how to applique next – also trying to think what backing colour to use – is cream ok?  or maybe light blue?  Too much thought not enough brain power at the moment.

Non sewing stuff – I plucked the Aubergine – so proud it grew – shame to eat it really – but looking forward to home grown vegetable.

Bye for now.

Daisy

Hi Everyone

As one of Birthday Gifts was a Book Voucher then Sunday was the perfect day to visit the bookshop.   I seem to be on a roll of reading books about walks and other factors when you are out and about in the countryside.  So here are the books I purchased…..

I haven’t read of these authors before – has anybody read these books?  I am sure that I saw a tiny snatch of Simon Reeve on the television but didn’t watch the programme.  They are added to my pile and I will plough my way through them.

What are you reading at the moment?  What do you do with books you have read but are not intending to keep.? I know some are cherished and will be re-read so many times that the corners become dog-eared, whilst others are discarded in some way.  Do schools want books for pleasure reading?  Do retirement homes need books – do they have libraries?  Our second hand bookshop in town has gone now so I need to find another outlet for my not so cherished books.  Any ideas?  I do not even think there is a second-hand book stall on the market.

Another question – are you a turn down corner of the page reader or do you always use a book-mark?  I confess to doing both.

Well that’s all for now – see you again at the weekend as I am at work all week.

Daisy

Hi Everybody

As you may be aware I have been off work having a staycation which has enabled me to progress with my many sewing projects.  In a previous post I showed you my Seasonal Quilt top which is finished apart from borders, but I have also been working on my Scrappy Quilt and have partially sewn the blue hexagon …..

As you can see it is sewn around the hexagons and diamonds but not the half hexagons.  It was very  tricky to get the points correct but I am quite pleased with it.  I am learning so much.  I have several hexagons ready and some squares but no idea at present how it will all come together – exciting!  I’m not even sure what background colour to use as there is so much colour in the various blocks.  Choices, choices!!!

I have also been busy with Audrey and her dress is coming along nicely so hopefully next Sunday I will have decent progress to show you .

Happy sewing everyone and bye for now

Daisy