Now I can rest

It was my last fair of this year yesterday and I met a lot of lovely people at the Corn Exchange at Devizes.  I met some lovely people yesterday and had some really interesting conversations. I'm going to miss that for a while.

 

 

I had a really late night when I was just trying to finish off the last of the strings of Christmas bunting.  I'm so pleased I did because they have now gone off to their new homes.  It's nice to thing of my bunting bringing Christmas cheer to someone else's home. 

 

My head is already buzzing with ideas for new things that I want to make for next year but first I have a few Christmas presents to make.

 

 

We've had some great mornings this week with beautiful pink and turquoise skies, and yesterday we even had freezing fog which meant that everything was covered with glitter.  Truly amazing. 

 

Philippa xx

Granny Squares Challenge Update

You remember how some weeks back I decided to follow Michelle's lead (the heartfelt company) and make a blanket with different Granny Squares as a way of learning how to crochet..........well I thought it was about time I showed you that the wools have not remained in their pristine condition but some of them have actually made it into the required squares.

As you can see they are not all quite the same size.  I have actually made 4 of each design but these are the best of them.  The very first week's ones which were the traditional Granny Square were actually so bad at the first attempt, all buckled and tight, that I undid them and tried again.  The 2nd time they came out flatter and much looser but are now too big.  Rather than lose time and fall even further behind (I am on week 6 now but Michelle is 3 weeks ahead of me in giving out the patterns) I think I will wait a while before redoing the worse ones.

I am really enjoying learning to crochet and it makes it seem a lot more fun to be doing a limited number of a different square each week. 

Mind you I was really tearing my hair out last night when I tried to understand this week's challenge.  I could not understand the photo instructions when it came to doing the corner, however, drawing on the experience of corners previously done I got there in the end.  It did my confidence no end of good to manage this as the pattern gives the skill level as intermediate. 

As you can see it is not quite finished yet............. and then I have 3 more to make.

Thank you Michelle for the challenge and for finding such lovely patterns for us. 

Philippa xx

PS  You've probably seen on the news about all the rain and flooding that has happened here in the South West of England.  I know the River Avon has burst it banks locally so it will be very interesting to see whether I can drive to Bath as the river passes alongside the main road for some of the way.  Hopefully the high pressure that is coming in off the Atlantic will give us a few dry days and a chance for the fields to drain.  My heartfelt sympathies go out to anyone who has been flooded out in the last few weeks, and for some on more than one occasion.



Computer frustrations and general busy-ness

I am so sorry for not posting for a little while.  The Best Beloved has changed computers for me and being a real technophobe I have been shying away from learning where to plug things in on this new one.  I know it's silly but computers are a necessary evil in my mind so the less time I spend on one the better.

It's also been really difficult for me to drag myself to work when the weather has been so wonderfully sunny even if there has been a decided chill in the air.  I am lucky enough to work in the World Heritage Site of Bath, and one day I looked behind me and saw the leaves were all falling off the trees.

I really wanted to be out there kicking my feet through them as I have done since I was a child. 

It seemed as if one minute the leaves were on the trees and the next they were just a carpet on the ground.

Queen Square doesn't look like this now because the tractor arrived together with men with big blowers and all the leaves were sucked up.  That's the trouble I suppose with Bath being so beautiful, it has to be kept that way. 

Yesterday was a good day at work though because after 2 very late nights I finally finished the advent calendar comission.   I hung it above our stairs and it greeted me in the morning.  It looked really quite at home but I know it will be enjoyed in its new home too.  Still I was sad to see it go.

Onwards and upwards.  Tomorrow I am at Spirals Christmas Craft Fair in the Town Hall, Marlborough and no doubt will have a lovely time playing shops again.  If you are there do come and say hello.

Px

Messing about by the river

It being a bright October day yesterday the Best Beloved and I decided to take a walk with the dogs over at Bradford on Avon.  For those of you that may not be familiar with this "working historic town" as the town sign describes it, it is a very picturesque town that straddles the River Avon.  It can be a nightmare to drive through however as so many of the roads that approach the town centre come down steep narrow hills.  That aside, it is a lovely town and does have some good small shops and places to eat.  (Sorry I digressed into my tourist guide mode.) 

As I was saying, we took the dogs through the park down to the river.  Running parallel to a stretch of the river is the Kennet and Avon Canal (which also goes through part of the town).

Seeing the canal boats gave me a small twinge of regret that I haven't managed to get out on our canal boat this year.  The Best Beloved is more fortunate (!) because he flies out on Tuesday to go and do some DIY jobs on the boat whilst it is at it winter moorings.

This is me being guarded from the rear by Treacle with her bone at the ready to ward off attackers.  As always, Phoebe was off jumping in and out of the river.

Happy Sunday

Philippa x

Rain, Rain .............and yet more Rain

Yesterday it was sunny but what a difference a day makes because today it is pouring with rain and freezing.  I should be working out in my garden room but somehow I can't get motivated.  I was out there this morning and finished some Christmas bunting but so far this afternoon all I have managed to do is eat chocolate!

So what to do this afternoon?  Tuck up on the sofa with a hot water bottle and some embroidery I think..........and a good girlie film while the males are out.

Talking of males I thought I would introduce you to Timmy.  Timmy was rescued by Bath Cats and Dogs Home from a house that just had far too many animals.  He wasn't used to being touched by humans at all and to that end you can feel you are taking your life in your hands even now seven years later if you try to pick him up against his wishes.

 

Our other two cats are much gentler natured but Timmy has always been the bravest with the dogs.

 

The Best Beloved says he is not a cat lover but I know that Timmy holds a special place in his heart and I swear he bought this antique chair which stands on the landing especially for Timmy because it is not too high (Timmy is not very good at jumping), it warms up in the sun but perhaps more importantly Timmy can see what is happening downstairs whilst lying in comfort.

 

 

Now what film shall I watch?

 

 

Philippa xx

 

PS  They have just said on the news that is is 25 years since the Great Storm that hit us here in the south of England.  I can't believe it.....25 years.  I can remember exactly where I was at the time, can you?  

A Midsummer Night's Dream or Nightmare?

Hi Everyone

Last week whilst at the fair at Pewsey I met a lovely lady called Annmarie.  She was very kind and admired my embroidered buttons.  She went on to ask me if I could make one for her daughter who's name began with the letter "S".  No problem I said.  Annmarie is obviously very proud of her daughter (what Mum isn't you may well ask) and went on to tell me that she is appearing as  Fairy Cobweb in Midsummer Night's Dream.  Could I convey all or some of that on a button please?! I said I would try.  I would just like to mention that the buttons I work on are 22mm which isn't very big is it?

Anyway I put my thinking hat on and during this week I got my needle and threads out, and here is the result.

She looks a little as if she has a Robin mask on as her eye came out rather larger than I had hoped but my eyesight isn't as good as it used to be.  Creeping old age and a chronic health condition have rather taken their toll.  Indeed I have been known to spend several minutes trying to thread the sharp end of the needle. 

Anyway the button is now winging its way to Annmarie courtesy of Royal Mail.

Never one to sit twiddling my thumbs (chance would be a fine thing) I decided yesterday to make a start on some Christmas bunting.  I got as far as six pennants and then I had a little helper come to keep me company....................

May I introduce Jasper who is one of our three cats (Copper and Timmy being the other two).  Jasper loves to come into my garden room when it is raining outside and either nudges my hands asking for a fuss or curls up on my work table thus taking up all the available work space.  I always said I didn't like black cats because I find it less easy to read their facial expressions but Jasper very quickly changed my opinion.  He is about 11 years old now and like me is going grey,and out of the three cats he is my favourite.  Just don't tell the others I said that.

Have fun
Philippa xx

Busy, busy, busy

I had a stall at a charity fair on Saturday over in Pewsey.  The fair was in aid of the Finlay Foundation and Wiltshire Air Ambulance.  Finlay was a little boy who was knocked down and killed by the school bus whilst holding his mum Niki's hand on the way to school.  I remember it very vividly and was very happy to support the event.   The hall was bustling with people all day and lots of happy shopping was done.  I wish I had taken my camera or thought to use the one on my phone and then I would be able to show you just what it was like.

I too did a little bit of happy shopping as there was one stall where the lady had been having a little bit of a clear out.  Look what I bought:

 

 

A Royal Worcester cream jug ("Do you really need yet another jug" says Best Beloved), a 1950s jam pot (I don't have one of these any more), and a small vase also from the 1950s I believe. 

 

 



I don't know if I dare tell you but the whole lot only cost £6.  Talk about a bargain.

They will be holding another event in April and I have already signed up for it.

I'm really getting into a new collection at the moment.  At the vintage fair that my friend Becky and I did a few weeks back I bought an Alfred Meakin jug from the 1950s with a lovely Paris scene on it.  Lo and behold I managed to outbid everyone for a tureen with the same design a week ago

and as you can see it fits perfectly with the items I bought on Saturday. 

Becky and I went to another vintage fair at Chipping Sodbury recently too and I added a few more embroidered tablecloths to my collection.  I cannot help but be really in awe of the ladies who spent hours sewing such beautiful cloths and it sickens me to find them so undervalued now.

 

 

It can't be right that something this beautiful only cost £4.50.  Is it any wonder I succumbed to the temptation to buy?

 

Philippa x