Coming out of hibernation.

Hurrah - the clocks have changed and summer time is officially here.  It does feel as though I can come out of this kind of hibernation I've been in.  It's been a very slow winter most of which we seem to have had little or no web connection.  Couple that with the fact that we had to batten down the hatches for most of January to avoid big snow and rain, rain, rain and there really hasn't been a whole lot of blogging going on.  However, today the sun is shining, as it has for the last couple of days and so we ventured out to one of our favourite antique shops to have a browse and I came home with a new acquisition!

Three vintage storage tins for the kitchen.

I think they're fabulous and look great on the shelf next to the cooker looking after my stock cubes.

A couple of finished projects...

After my effort in November to finish some of my (very) unfinished projects I can finally strike two from the long list!

The Spring Hare finally has proud of place in the hallway, just in time for spring!

I can't actually remember when I started this UFO from Mandy Shaw's book Quilt Yourself Gorgeous.  It was through one of Mandy Shaw's classes that I got back into sewing after a very long break.  The class was for teddy bear making and I loved it!  Afterwards, I saw Mandy at a craft fair in Brighton where she had lots of her quilts displayed.  Her fun and quirky designs really inspired me and Quilt Yourself Gorgeous has some beautiful makes, plus lots of great sneaky tricks and tips on techniques to try.

I'm now working on a cross stitch that I think I probably started over 15 years ago.  I've picked it up on and off over the years but am determined to finish it this time.  

A New Year and a new project

Happy New Year!  I really hope that 2013 brings you everything you wish for.

Well I started the new year with a new project.  I've been a fan of  Helen Dickson of Bustle and Sew for a while now and have been itching to try some of the gorgeous projects from her website and magazine.   She produces so many fabulous ideas and designs, the list of things I wanted to make was growing ridiculously long.  So, with a couple of spare days over the New Year, I hid myself a way in my studio and am now the proud owner of a lovely wall panel for the kitchen (as featured in the January Bustle & Sew Magazine) and I also used the cup applique to make a matching teacosy.

A winter bunny?

Having spent a bit more time in my studio recently it needed a bit of a sort out and tidy up - it always amazes me how I seem to be unable to put things back where they belong when I'm working on something.  It's never going to be immaculate but it is now a bit more organised I have table space.  I also have a very large pile of UFO's - unfinished objects.  Quilts at varying stages and a lot of half finished cross stitch and embroidery projects.  Whoops!  I know realistically I won't be finishing them all before I start something new but I have promised myself that I will make a determined effort to get some of them finished.

The first one up and is probably one of the newer members of the UFO pile is an appliqued quilt that I want to hang in the hallway.

OK, so I admit, I started this project last winter and it was supposed to be finished by the spring.  Still, better late than never!  It's an adaption of a design from Kim Diehl's book "Simple Seasons - Stunning Quilts and Savory Recipes".  It's a beautiful book, a great collection of quilts to make and some fabulous recipes, what could be crunchier?!

The "spring" quilt I started last winter was my first attempt at using yo-yo's.  I loved them (although not enough to add the 40 or so smaller ones that Kim's quilt has between the larger ones!).  I couldn't get them to close quite enough, maybe my fabric was a bit thick, but they were quite quick to create and give the quilt more depth.  The pattern is designed as a table runner, to be viewed on all sides, but I wanted mine to hang on the wall so I tweaked the design a bit more.

All I need to do now is add the hanging loops and put it on the wall in the hallway.

Under the Apple Tree

It's been a while since I last posted something.  Young Rolf has kept us very busy with his puppy shenanigans and we've also been on a bit of a road trip.  We headed south to the Minervois, where we used to live.  It's a beautiful area, full of vineyards which are all changing colour, from green to wonderful reds and golds.  We had a lovely time catching up with lots of old friends.  We drove back via more friends who had kindly invited us to stay in their own corner of Paradise in the Cevennes National Park.  They have a beautiful house and are surrounded by chestnut trees, wild herbs and mushrooms!

The leaves across the whole of France are telling us that Autumn is here.  Since we've been back the cooler days are making me want to get back into my studio for some "makes".

After my usual procrastinating of tidying (or shuffling and re-arranging) I came up with this cute little picture made with appliqued felt shapes.

Meet Rolf

We'd been thinking for a while of getting a second dog.  We've had Daisy, our brown hound that smells like biscuits, for just over 5 years and even though she's 6 she still acts like a puppy most of the time.  A friend for her would stop her getting too bored, especially when we're busy working.

Joe, never one to do things by half, favoured a Great Dane, while I, who likes things cute, liked the idea of a Dachshund.  Some how, after a couple of weeks of debate and looking at all the local refuges who are sadly packed out with dogs, we ended up making a 1700km round trip in a day to collect Rolf, a Labrador/Border Collie cross - how did that happen??

He's as cute as anything, as naughty as anything and will eat anything.

Daisy loves him, and has the puppy teeth bite marks to prove it.

Boot tolerates him but can't believe we've brought another dog into the house.  Boot can also control him with a Paddington Bear style hard stare - a look we both need to learn.

He's been with us three weeks now, has tried to destroy most things (Joe still hasn't learnt to leave his slippers out of puppy reach) and we still have a mop on standby, although this isn't used too much.

Ta-dah! I give you... the door!

So finally, after much sanding, painting, rendering, painting of windows plus the distraction of a 1800km round trip to rescue a puppy and eight days of guests we have a new look to the front of the house.

All we need now is some new door furniture, some draft excluders and to finish the hallway on the inside.  But for now, we think the outside is looking much better.

Before

After