More glass

Having fun with seed beads, 

thought these might look good as flowers.

The lighter colours dissapeared, and the stems are a bit thick, but I do like the idea, because of the size limatations in using my microwave kiln, I do need to think smaller. But seed beads are a good way to add colour, and I have loads of them. 

I saw this design on Pintrest, and thought it was worth a try, the white is a bit to thick, the glass rods were all the same size, so I need to be aware of using the solid colours with the opaque. The design was made to look like holly.

I have not done much else with the glass, I want to get more of my gifts finished, before playing. I will try using bigger glass designs, I can't go huge, but I think the bits I am using does not suit the tiny things I am making. I do love the seedbeads and the thin glass rods, but they look big on my finished items.
Time is short with the arrival of baby George, who is beautiful, but tiny and not feeding the best, so visits with mum is planned. Will went home with daddy last night, he was missing both parents. Hopefully mummy and George will be allowed home today, so they can start this new part of their journey. Grandma arrive tomorrow, so more family together, there is nothing better than a tiny new life in your family.

Just a few things

I have been reusing some of the nicer jars we have, 

bringing some of my lovely beads and buttons on show.

The shelf is cut from a leftover piece from hubbies side of the office.

I have a second spare shelf if I want to add it later. 

I watched this series on TV and it was wonderful

I don't normally read a book after watching it on screen, BUT this book is brilliant, I knew what was coming but the book is written so well, and still it offered a twist and turn. 

 Pomegranate potted into a bigger clay pot

I am on a mission to get as many 2nd hand clay pots as I can

Plastic pots are on their way out of my garden. 

I have just ordered the wormery below, in green

It's back in stock in June, can't wait for it to come.

I don't like to touch worms, they are slimy, but I do know their worth. This model allows the worms to munch their way upwards, so when the top tray is full, the bottom layer can be removed, compost used in garden and then the empty tray is added to the top. So no worms will be touched at any point. It's a good size for us, and would ensure our waste from the kitchen is used in a positive way. Plus the tap at the bottom will drain and we will have liquid fertilizer. I will use the last of money gifted to me to purchase this.
I know I am a big girls blouse in the garden, I do not like to touch worms or slugs, worms are carefully tucked under the soil and slugs are removed on my trowel. My mum used to laugh at me, but it's just the way I am. 

We are still looking at waste, we throw away so little these days, as I have said before, if we don't purchase it, we don't have to get rid of it in the future.
Our food waste is almost zero, which is very pleasing.
We do not have plans to  renew anything, if it breaks, we will try and get it fixed, only replace where we have to. We pass on things we don't need, and happily take passed on items where we can use them. The only new things we regularly get are clothes and shoes, but we don't spend too often, I'm not ready to wear clothes that have been passed on.
A couple of points from my last post regarding the bird house, both really good points to point out, the paint used is nontoxic, and regarding the metal roof overheating the box, we already decided to place it in a shady spot, where the sun won't reach it after late morning.

So many pretty things

I popped to the village today, I wanted some ribbons and our local shop has a good selection, all these are purchased off the reel, so you get as much as you need, Plus a couple pieces of fabric came home with me. 

 More baubles, these are really quick to stitch and I am using retro colours. 

The wet ring around the top right one is Fray check, it's like water, I dribble it around my stitching and when it is dry I can cut it out. 

 Here is a basic test run for my cards, the sign is just one I found in my stash, 

I printed this myself.

It does have the effect I am looking for. 

 I had some tiny wooden cotton reels left over from another project (purchase from The Range) and wanted to make a tree hanger, I used some ribbon I got today, only small amounts requires and a few colours from my DMC range, not bad for a first attempt.

 I spent yesterday afternoon in the garden, the corner of the decking next to the herb garden is looking good again. Every thing is planted, and double watered, Sam  was here and wanted to help. He was surprised how many of our green tomatoes had turned red, and another small bowl full found it's way into our fridge. 

 I wanted a different lunch today, so I got a fresh roll for myself and a apple doughnut. On the way home one of our cafes had a sign for fresh soup. So I raided my cupboard, Weight Watcher Carrot and Basil, left over from last winter, cost of my lunch £1.02.

It has been another warm sunny day here, but every thing is about to change, tomorrow, colder, wet and windy, so we have decided not to have the day out on the bike, every thing at the National Arboretum is outside, so if we get wet, there nowhere to go to get dry and warm, hubby is disappointed, but we will tomorrow visit my brother Martin and the travel on to Wales on Sunday morning.
Evening in tonight I hope to stitch another bauble, I will take stitching away with me, and a book, hope to get plenty of relaxation and rest.

The design I was trying to track down here it was published in a German book Advent im Winterwald (Advent in the Winter Forest), it is very hard to get hold of, but I have tracked the designs down and it in my pile to stitch.  

Finishes and stash

We have our dinning room table back, I did some sewing yesterday, I still have loads to do, and have made plans for some patchwork, only very simple. 

 I made two more small Christmas cushions, I have had the Christmas cross stitch in my box forever. The Christmas fabric I purchased many years ago, without any plans, just three different designs, they are a good quality cotton.

 I have decided to give Leanna the top (1st made) cushion, I have made mine just a bit simpler, I do need to add a few words above the tree, red cushion is also for me to keep. I will stuff and finish them later today.

 This design has finally arrived, it was purchased in my last order in early August and was out of stock, I am itching to stitch it, but will keep Winter Watergarden in the frame.

 I purchase the chart for this, e cosa bella natura I fell in love the moment I saw it, I have not stitched a long narrow piece before, can't wait for it's arrival. I found it at Crafty Kitten. This was purchased before I decided to join Sue's September drive, see below.

 Just one shot from Friday, we make a neat team plus a few from the district, it was fun to see them all again and very sad to say goodbye. Ann and I will have lunch together this week, to catch up with gossip.

I follow loads of blogs, ladies (and guys) who have the same loves as myself, and in the past few years I have been sorting clutter and unnecessary things from our lives. Sue at Our New Life in the Country  is a master at this, and in September she is having a Low spend/No spend and I am joining in.
I plan to use the hoard of food in our big freezer in the garage, we have enough clothes, not to need to purchase any more (we have been good for ages, and passing all the sales to wear what we already own)
The only hiccup I have to allow is hubbies 65th BBQ next weekend, but already I have found items in the freezer to use, and will stick to the low spend as much as I can.
It will be very interesting to see  what changes we make, but it should be just more of what we have been trying to do, and a very good time to stop purchasing chocolate and snacks, which will help with the pounds I have put back on.

Beady finish

It has rained here for the past two days, loads of heavy rain, so inside we stay.

 I have finished beading my 1st tree

 I found the tree topper in my stash box

I have searched out my Christmas material, and decided on these two, I will get my sewing machine out tomorrow and sew it together, hubby is home today. I prefer to use my machine when I am on my own I can then spread out. I will try and finish a few other projects, I have some hearts to make up.

 I used two size of seed beads, these are the normal size, I mixed loads together,

I also used petite seed beads along the top of the branches. 

I will bead the 2nd tree later, it will be a gift for my sister Leanna

This morning we met Su and David for breakfast in Costa Coffee, which was a 1st for us, we chatted for almost two hours, they are both on holiday this week, it was a real nice way to start the day.
Fliss is also on holiday this week, today is a day at home for her and the boys.
Our garden is looking good for all the rain, I did manage to pick some tomatoes this morning, I only had time for a quick dash out, I still get withdrawal symptoms if I don't visit my shed, and I wanted to ensure the Amaryllis was doing OK and not dry.  I can't imagine life without a garden.
My window sill plants are growing well, the Lemon now has four small leaves on, the Lime leaves are huge. The Avocado now has a very small green shoot coming through the top of the split, all very rewarding.

Oh Christmas Tree

Finally I am stitching, this is another design from Pintrest

 I am stitching two, but in each case only the tree, just two colours so a quickie. 

I will add beads to the branches.

 My sister is a hoarder, and can not buy just what she needs, here are a few of her seed beads, she has confessed she has never used any of these, they were purchased 'just in case' They came home with me for this project, I will keep a few and the rest will go back, I have no need for them.

 This is my aim for the finish, I won't copy it just use it as a guide.

 I think it is beautiful.

 Yesterday Josh was 9, and for his birthday he went to Harry Potter World.

 Just a few photo's of the fun they had.

 Sammy loved the motorbike

The boys will be with me one day in the week, so I will hear all the stories of the best bits, Josh is not good with photo's. Sammy climbed on every thing he could, both boys had a great day.
I have pulled out Winter Watergarden it's time I finished it, I looked at it in June 2013, but last stitched it in June 2011. I have everything I need, I just need to focus on the next section.
Not done much this weekend, I am hobbling about like an old woman, I have trapped a nerve in my lower back, which runs down to my left leg, so I can't sit or stand, and now on the second day, I am grumpy.
It's wet outside, so no bike ride, we will pop out later for a Pizza, but other than that, it's stitching and chatting to hubby.

What would you chose

My stitching is finished, and now I want to add beads to the pale pink diamonds, here are a few from my stash, the seed bead's on the right are pink and a very good match for the pale pink stitching, but do I want to blend, or use the darker ones on the left, these are different sizes but the same colour. 

Then there are the large flower shaped bead or the purple hearts, both much larger, some times too much choice makes life harder, at this point I am liking the beads on the left.  

Work is still great, as I learn more of my task, I find I am enjoying every thing, working in such a small office is good, every one gets on and works together, no ego's. The pace is very different, slower, but we still get more done, with the huge back log, I will start to work later a couple of nights, we don't get paid overtime but, we take time off, it's always nice to have a few extra hours/days. We have a busy week next week, lots of visitors and visits out, all part of being new and getting integrated into the company.
Today I went out for lunch with hubby, just outside the nearest gate to our office is a park, with a small tea room, it was very enjoyable, I knew the park was there, but never imagined it to be so big, and full of people all ages enjoying them selves. I can see me popping there for walks on nice days.
Nothing much planned for the rest of this week, still getting over the weekend, which was so busy, housework and laundry is all up to date and my garden is looking great. We have had a few wet days, so no watering.
The hardest thing is to decide if I am going to do another quickie or get back to some of my main stitching.

Sweet stitching and stash

 I am loving this section of Sweet Flowers, my needle just flows through the linen, the colours just tumble into each other, just like nature intended, I have decided the main flower in this bunch will have a new shade of pink, it will lift the design, it will sit just above the big light pink section.

 I intend to stitch again tonight, hubby is left on his own, but just a couple more days and this section will be finished and back to my Christmas stitching. There is more green in this section and it's coming alive.

 I met Su for lunch and we went shopping, popped into Hobbycraft and found this cotton material, and I love it, not sure what I will do with it yet, but it had to come home with me.

 I am beginning to think about this years Christmas cards, the snow globes has fine beads in to shake, and the ornaments are so very pretty, if a buy a few things each month, nothing becomes too expensive, well that's my excuse.

 They are Divine.

 And beads, the photo does not show the true beauty of the colour of these beads, all very fine, I would like to use these for a necklace. Su is the jewelry person in our family, so we intend to get together to make this.

I have also purchased a couple of crochet hooks, now's the time, I want to do more than granny squares.It's a normal week here, work is OK, we have good weather fore cast for the weekend, at the mo we have a thunder storm, so I am sat with our lights on, summer is leaving us behind, the gardens are turning, it's not been the best year for my garden, but there's always next years. I always have plans.

Stitchy Saturday

 There is a new craft club starting in our museum in Fareham, and Fliss and I popped along.

Our museum is a town house in the centre of town, it has loads of little rooms and deals with local history, they tried to have a knitting club but the is did not attract many people, so they have thrown it open to all crafts. Yesterday was the second week, we had 4 people there for the whole 4 hours, but loads of people passing popped in, we are hoping for more next week.

I decided to take a small project, I am stitching a matching back for my cat tree ornament.

below is the result of an afternoon working with my beads, total disaster, just as I was finishing the tree the wires snapped and so I still have a bowl of beads.

This morning I have an appointment at our local hospital, I am having a body scan, if the results are clear, I will be given a date for my last operation, should be with in the next 6 weeks. Very exciting, I have been told it is a much bigger operation that I was first told, but it will rid me of all my niggling problems.

Later we are going for a walk around Portchester castle, the sun is shinning here, it's cold but we can wrap up warm.

Scan went well, waiting for results...

New Year, different promise

 I find myself with not alot of stitching time and very little interest in doing anything.

I have done one small pattern in bottom right corner, I do have some over stitching to do, I want to finish this and make it into a cushion for Fliss, it's her style and colours, she already knows, I would have liked to have it finished for her birthday next Monday, but that's a bit too much work.

 This year, for this blog I have made myself a different promise, I have been thinking of doing a giveaway for a while, but I prefer to do something for the followers I already have, so through out this year, each month I am going to to a RAK for a few of my followers.
My 1st RAK is for my newest follower http://ricketyjo.blogspot.com/, I'm not sure if her name is Jo, but in her 1st blog for this year, she states she would like to sew Lizzie Kate and do something for halloween, so I am sending her the items below.

 I fancy doing something with these beads, I have had them for ages, sat in my bead drawer, I love the colours, I am thinking of making a tree decoration.

I am off work for a couple of days, I feel as if I have flu, but without the cold, I don't like to take sick leave but I ache so much, hopefully a few days rest will help, it was very busy time over the New Year, I think I probably over did things. We have no real plans over the weekend, Josh wants to take us to a local fort for a visit on Saturday. I should do some cleaning now the Christmas decorations are all packed away again.