Monthly Round Up

 Is all I seem to be managing at the minute! What is that all about?  I seem to have less time now that when I worked full time!! 

But....  I have completed the Scrappy Ladder to the Stars quilt top

 AND... I spent nearly as much time piecing the leftovers to make the backing

 Now that is ready to layer up and begin the quilting.  Soon I hope....

This months Mini Mania Challenge topic was "Circles"  I made a mad dash at the last minute to make something and that is now done and revealed over on Flickr

Lines are a bit wobbly but - hey! its done!

and in situ

 We had a lovely day in London at the beginning of the month and met up with No1 son and family at the London Aquarium. A bit of a Birthday treat for Grandson and a last outing before school commences for Granddaughter

 We certainly did our 10K steps that day !

 The folowwing week saw us back in the city and a long overdue visit to Kew Gardens

 Afternoon Tea was included in our gifted ticket

 And we finished off on the Tree Top walk (on the windiest day of the year!)

 But it was worth the fabulous views.

 And then off to Portugal for a week in the sunshine

say no more

yes - I'm in there somewhere!

 Some fabulous meals in this little village

Now we are off down "sarf" to visit the grandies so we will need another holiday when we return 😂

Well, that didn't take long did it?

Before the End of the Month

I must get another post done on this sadly neglected Blog 😧

My August has been full of activities starting off  with my Annual stint at the Festival of Quilts, helping out my lovely friends from New Zealand

Kids Quilts Stand

I arrived by train just after 8am and headed straight to the Exhibition for a quick browse before the show actually opened .

I took many photos. There were many more quilts this year and I have to say that the standard of work was exceptional
Here are just a few of my favourites

                                    

                                            

 

 

My favourite

detail

A4 quilts made by Cancer survivors

A great display of the 365 Challenge quilts

    

 And the best in show - Philippa Naylor does it again

to show the scale

detail

 It was a good job that I arrived early because we were so busy on Thursday that I didn't manage to leave the stall at all!
Friday started just as busy and then ....... I got the call

Emily Fia arrived on Friday morning weighing in at 8lbs 12oz

      
 she is adorable and is already stolen our hearts
                                              

                                                     
So I left the show on Saturday afternoon and headed over to meet the newest member of our family

Proud Grandma

 I promise - no more baby photos!



I have also started an new scrappy quilt project

                                                     
This time in more Autumnal colourways
                                                 

All of the centre blocks are made and I am ready to start the border blocks

And as I had not done any sewing for .... ages and we had a good reason to pop a cork, this was my sewing refreshment!!

The southern part of the family arrived for a few days, and Little Miss O and I made her Daddy a birthday cake.  She however was more interested in this...

She also brought all of her school uniform for the labels to be sewn in.  26 items!!!  All for a 4 year old! 

We have been harvesting some of the Bramley Apples from our tree
                                                

         And there are still loads to pick so I will be busy busy busy                                         

I have finished August Mini Mania Challenge but the big reveal is not until tomorrow so you will have to wait to see.

I am now off to clear up the 5 broken glass baubles that have shattered when my Light Tree just fell over!

                                     
And I have made myself a promise that I will do more posts on here in future - where does the time go?


                                                

July Antics

 On a lovely July day a group of friends and I  took a leisurely train ride up to visit the city of York

view down the River Ouse

The weather was just right, nice and sunny, but not too hot.  We had no particular plan, just to meander around the streets and enjoy the sights. One of our group despite her advancing years had never been to the city before. 

We hadn't ventured too far before we felt the need for refreshments so a detour into Kennedy's ( one of my favourite haunts) for a bite of lunch

 Which went down very well

 Then off we went again. 

We did walk the prettiest section of the city walls which takes you around the back of the Minster

Then a visit to the Minster itself.

I love this building

 York Minster has the largest collection of pre Reformation stained glass, some of which date back to the 12 century! 

One of my favourite parts is the Chapter House - a circular room within the Minster where the day to day business of the Minster was run. It has this fantastic tiled floor

and an incredible vaulted ceiling

 My photo of the whole space was... rubbish,  so I have borrowed this

from Flickr

We wandered quietly ( which is good, because I had an awful case of laryngitis and could make no sound) for several hours. A wonderful place of peace and reflection.

No visit to York would be complete without a visit to Betty's Tearoom  in St Katherine's Place , where afternoon tea was served just as it should be.

Two lovely Chinese ladies sat at the table next to us and much fun was had demonstrating how to use a tea strainer and the correct way to load the scone with jam and cream. Their English was very good and we chatted about the Chinese perception of English people (how wrong that is!) and where they were from in China. Luckily I happened to glance at my watch and realised we only just had time to get to the station for our return journey home. 

A great day out that I am sure will be repeated.

I have not got much sewing dome this month, but the renovations have now been done
 (1st phase 😳 )and DD and SIL have now settled in.


I did make this little caddy  at our group

 But I failed miserably at the July New York Beauty Mini Mania Challenge. August's Challenge has been set ( Seaside)  and I have started that in earnest and hope to get back to the NYB too this month

 There is much excitement close to where I live as the long awaited Rushden Lakes development has now opened. 

 Everyone knows that I am not a shopper, but the Lakes has a lovely open feel to it and I can think of many worse places to spend an afternoon.

there is a Boardwalk area overlooking the lake, and you can hire a pedalo, kayak or canoe if you want to venture out on the water.

 The development is a step away from a large area of lakes and walks that are a designated area of Special Scientific Interest.

This was the view that we had (minus the vehicles!) at our wedding reception  37 years ago, when the Skew Bridge Ski Club was using the site.

 A few purchases may have been made. Well, it would be rude not to 😜

 Mr T has been busy in the garden building a bin store for the ugly wheelie bins that our council uses.

Plants have been purchased

 et voilà our Bin Store with a Green Roof

 As I said, not much sewing but three knitting finishes ready for the arrival of Grandchild number 3

which will be Darling Daughter's first so there is much excitement and preparation but hopefully he/she will not make an appearance before Sunday as I am doing my annual stint at the
Festival of Quilts working on the

Kids Quilts stand with my friends from New Zealand.

I feel a purchase may be imminent😳

We shall see what new treats they have to show us.