Leather Tool Roll

Ages ago...(maybe 4 or 5 years 😲) my son asked me to make him a tool roll for his chainsaw files etc. So, because it was going to be complicated, I put it on the back burner to think about how I would do it. At one point I thought I would get on with it, but the leathers I had in the stash did not suit his ideas.

But the vendor I regularly got leather from had stopped vending... so time went on. Then in 2018 I caught a glimpse of a leather vendor just as I was leaving the Bristol show They we’re back last year. She had a good size piece, but for £30. Which I hadn’t got. So I said, what about that misshapen section? So she cut that part off, leaving her with a more squared off piece others might like. The piece I got was about twice what I used here. and only cost £10!

I find it easier to design something out of my head if it already has an interesting shape. 

Anyway, after dithering (🤨will I be able to make something he likes?) I finally decided I better do it for this birthday and get it out of my head!!

Plus - An extra file pocket and a small pocket for whatever. 

Pancake Day

Yesterday we met at our friend’s house to have a pancake night. One day early because other friends were going away today. 🧇
Mr Thoughtful was one of the ones who made pancakes. And some gluten free pancakes for me. We love getting together with these dear people.

But I forgot to take photos when we were there. 🤭

A special lunch

We don’t usually go out for Valentine’s Day on the day, because it is too busy. So, this year we went to lunch on Monday at the cafe at Holme Grange.

Cute little milk can.

We had one of the best omelettes I have ever had. Cheese and Mushrooms.

I would definitely recommend the cafe! I have no idea about the chocolate. We were looking for lunch and the garden centre was quite busy and food would have been a 45min delay!

West Country Quilt & Textile Show

Judges Highly Commended!!!

For Ramshackle Suburbs

As well as the rosette, there were goodies. Somehow they had 2 goody bags left for 3 people! So we shared the goodies out between us. 😁

Photo by Pat Beattie 

Something on Saturday

Treasure 25

This is a new treasure.

A Certain Young Man picked this lovely mug when he had a layover in Dublin.

But is it Safe? At Festival of Quilts

I was excited to see that my work in the Art category had been hung on one of the white walls, rather than the black drapes.

And even more excited to see I had a Judges Choice!

And then at the SAQA dinner, I met another member. We talked of family things. Then she asked about my work. I showed a photo of one of the Ramshackle pieces. And then discovered she was the judge who selected my quilt as her favourite!

This photo thanks to Roz Rossiter. 

Yes, and of course, I have forgotten her name! Oh, yes. It is on the email Roz sent. Jenny Hall. 

Thank you Jenny for this support. 

Lovely day!

Though it was extremely hot 🥵 yesterday, it was a lovely day for a birthday because I didn’t have to go out, and I didn’t have to cook!
But mostly because friends and family are very precious.

New keyboard and mouse, little pots of herbs to grow, posh needle cases, colours that can be made permanent on fabric and a poignant book about the fabrics poor people wore-discovered through research of the identity tokens left with babies at the foundling hospital.

And a bit of swag. Meant to be for my stitching, but I am sure some will actually be worn for a while.

Look at these special gifts! And at least one more in the post. 😁
Thank you!

I like Thankful Thursday

This week's likes.
I like very much a few days to think after having completed the Ramshackle refugee piece "But is it Safe?" I posted about it yesterday.

Also much joy over a wee royal babe!

Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor
from here

and Great Excitement yesterday because my friends and I have been praying for years for this dear lady. What faithfulness, what endurance and fortitude! I pray Asia Bibi will settle in now safely getting to know daughters who grew up while she was waiting.

I am currently reading a book about the events around 1000-1066+ William the Conqueror and the other contestants for the Throne of England. Using what is known, but in a novel form. Warriors of the Dragon Gold.

I haven't got far because the print is very small, but I think it will be good. I hope! 3 of 4 books I attempted to read over the Bank Holiday were rejected after a couple pages. Too much about rude things and not enough about the story. I would rather read a good story than drag my mind through the gutter! I picked these up from a Charity Shop. They looked good, but were not my type.

But one of them was good. I like detective stories, quirky anti-types and stories set in another period.

The Norfolk Mystery - A bit of Poirot mixed with Wodehouse and a large bit of unique and often annoying detecting. 😵 Although the cover is a bit strange, I guess it is meant to be a tree and not an atom bomb? It is just funny (but not full of jokes...maybe British Humour?) and a good read. The detective is eccentric and wears you out reading about him!  You really feel you are reading a book written in the years before WW2, but it was published in 2013. So, for me this makes Ian Sansom a good writer. I have discovered that there are other books in the "County Guide" series. So, those are on the list to look for next. Anyway, something else wonderful. The first peony bush is blooming. And the one next to it is thinking about it. The yellow poppies have opened. And I am about to do a project that doesn't take so much deep thinking. Many to choose from!! I don't know which one, but I am going to do something! To see what the others like, follow the link to LeeAnna's blog.

I like Thankful Thursday

Phewww! I really, really like that I can work on the computer without getting nauseous!
I have a collection of photos I have been holding back for I like Thursday. Being the type of post that wants several photos, I just wasn't managing to face the computer for them.
I like to resize my photos so it doesn't take up so much room in the random place where blogger stores them. And not so much data for viewers to download. But, so far, I haven't worked out how to do this on my phone. I take pretty much all of my photos on the phone now.

Besides that, I like that I can do a bit of word processing to get my posts just right, without going insane with the way that it is either Very small, or it jumps around on my phone when I try it. Tada! Lots of sorting done at a size I can manage!

So... for today.
When I went for my glasses the other day, I saw this lovely lady in Princess Square.

This week is half-term. In Bracknell town centre they have set up a Fantasy Fairy Trail. I don't know what else was involved, but I loved this lady sculpted in greenery. I didn't touch her, so I don't know if it was real shrubbery (isn't that a fun word?) or not. Either way, I think it is cool.

As you know, I like Amaryllis flowers. This one was given to me by a friend at Christmas.

It has been amazing. This is the 3rd flower shoot!

Since I missed posting after Valentines day, you can see them this week.
I like how Thoughtful the Thoughtful Man is...
Dark red roses... ✔️

Card and chocolates...✔️

heart-shaped microwave heating pad ✔️✔️ Hurrah! Great for the neck when it is causing a headache.

I like it when I 'see things' that are unexpected. Such as a face in the minute steak I cooked for our Valentines Day meal.

Meet the man in the meat!

As usual, check out more of the other likes from the links on LeeAnna's blog.

All the better to see you with

...and finally, after well over a year... I can see properly!!! 👀

New spectaculars 😁

Regular Bifocals 🤓

And Bifocal Sunglasses 😎 

They had to put prisms in to deal with the double vision. It works!
So wonderful to see distance again! I worked in my studio a bit. The eye dr had said they will take a bit of getting used to. The long distance is not so bad, though I do have to blink if I turn my head quickly. The close up/reading part will need a bit of time. I stitched my daily bead project, but needed a break after that in order to do anything else. So I started sorting some of the magazines I cleared from the bookcase a week or two ago.
Next real will be the computer. That was the hardest bit. I found myself getting “see sick” 🤢, whenever I tried working online. So most of what I have done is on the phone.

Happy New Year! 2019

Hope your New Year is full of blessings.

Photos from the telly.

Sorting 2018

O

Tidied away

Auditions for 2019. This will become a record of lives.

Birthday plant - just a fiver!

On Wednesday it was the birthday of the Thoughtful Man

We went to the Garden centre. I had a voucher for a free cup of coffee...He likes coffee. I had hot chocolate.

We had in mind a plant or plants for a space in the back garden.

He finally settled on this one. A Hebe 'Inspiration'

The label said £16. When we got to the till, it said £7.50! I had a voucher for £2.50. So, it was only £5! (Good for the pocket). Plus I had a voucher for double reward points. So, something else will cost less down the road.
That was a good day out!
So, we got home, and when we got to the front door, straight away we realised the plant was just right for the space where he had dug out the overgrown ivy.

And within 15 minutes, it was already planted!

I like the variety of leaf textures and shapes.
Looking forward to it growing with the other bushes there. I am not sure what the whole flowering season is, but the purple will go with the lavender.

And another Happy Birthday to the Thoughtful Man!

I like Thankful Thursday

A few things I like!

Last week was our wedding anniversary. We went to the cinema to see Incredibles 2. I think there were about 10 people altogether watching it!

from Wikimedia

We enjoy kids films as much as anything.

The week before was my birthday as well. I have a clever phone now, so I have been busy trying to learn that. 📱

I haven't done anything too ambitious yet. But I did get the app for my favourite radio station.

As it is Thursday, I am currently at the Festival of Quilts. (I set this to post while I am there) I will find out today who the winner was in the Fine Arts Quilts Masters. (Nervous!)

 But I am very happy just to be shortlisted.
I love coming to the Festival of Quilts (Birmingham, UK) I catch up with a lot of friends I have made over the years.

I made up a pumpkin pie in my head in the early part of the week. Maple flavour!
I have been making some dietary changes in hopes they will help me not to continue to spiral down in my health. So, I made this with some of the 'good for me' ingredients the Thoughtful Man has brought home for me.

I already had the pie crust frozen, so I wanted to use that up. But I will just eat the pumpkiny bit, not the crust. I have written down what I did to make this so I can make it again! If I do, I will probably use a glass dish and bake it in a bain marie. Or something.

If you want to see more of the Likes from other people - check out LeeAnna's Blog.

I like Thankful Thursday

I like that we are home this Christmas for the holiday.

We have never put lights out in front before.

I like a dog who is happy to be fussed. If it means wearing a red ribbon, then more people will fuss you! Even if the rest of you looks a bit like a scruff most of the time.

Holly; the dog found at Christmas time. The rescue people thought she was part Patterdale Terrier. When her 1st mother got her from rescue, they were calling her 'Crackers' - like Christmas Crackers. But Her Mother said there was no way she was going to call out Crackers when she was out and about in the field or woods. So, she called her Holly. She doesn't look like a Holly, but never mind. She is a bit Crackers, though! I often call her Polly for endearment. Polly Wolly Doodle All the Day.

We took Holly on several years ago when Her Mother was diagnosed with lung cancer...she wanted to be sure of someone caring for the dog before she even started treatment. Her Mother is still actually doing well, but the cancer won't go away.

In the meanwhile, Holly fell in love with her new dad, and that was that. Holly has fits now and then, the first time she had one after we had her, I got down and held her and told her not to worry, etc. That is when I was adopted.
So, when Dad is not here, Mum is the best friend. and when A Certain Young Man is here, he is the one to follow because he is usually in the kitchen...food. But also because he is the one who will play rough and tumble. Only not too much, because she is starting to feel the aches and pains of being older.
And anyway, Holly loves to cuddle you (as long as you aren't disturbing a nap) and will come and lean against you when she needs/or when she thinks you need a hug.

I like that I don't really have to do anything this holiday. But I have been baking and making meals that will suit the caveman. and more baking. But mostly reading books.

I Like looking forward. These gifts are from people who know I like:
photos on calendars or words for the day

books and diaries to write in (and a calendar missed from the last photo)

Almost the day for writing in new diaries! And making new lists! Hurrah!

go see what the others like at Lee Anna's blog.

Just lovely!

This is what the Thoughtful Man gave to me for our 30th wedding anniversary (which I hadn't realised was Pearl).

Because the pearl is under the starburst, it makes it shimmer back and forth and glisten with the light.

Sparkly!

Birthday

A few of the birthday gifts

From the Thoughtful Man for teaching - larger wheels help go up and down stairs more. The crate is separate and also has a lid.

Very good story. I like the ones that cover different generations of a family or back and forth between eras in some way.

from a Certain Young Man
Robert Frost Poems and Writings and a calendar

and my Mom
Wonderful pieces of fabric and a local cookbook