April Showers

 

Well April seems to have been a complete wash out but you know what these photo's say something different!  Bike rides, walks, gardening, ice cream, and trifle!!!  Maybe April was ok after all!

  

 

  

 

My Name is Carole and I'm a Quiltaholic.....

A fab weekend.  Quilting all day Saturday - and quilting birthdays to celebrate - always such a joy!  And rain AGAIN today (Sunday) - meaning quilting all day today too!!!!! (Yes OK ..... I should consider cleaning something at some point!).  Can there be such a thing as to too much quilting?  NEVER!!!  Can there be such a thing as not enough time to quilt - ALWAYS!!!

A late, Friday night baking session started my weekend.  I should have been attending HW husband's gig in Kingston (Tinyfish)  but two customers arriving at 5.50pm Friday evening meant a late finish for me and an even later finish for D - that's the downside to owning your own business - sometimes you cannot walk away - even when you have plans. 

However, on the plus side, it gave me the chance to make the base of my trifle for Saturday quilt meeting.  Madeira cake.  Of course I had to test a small slice on the removal from the oven to just make sure it was suitable for the QQ!

An early start Saturday to pull together the trifles ....I hope they taste as good as they look! 

We have three birthdays in April, within the QQ group.  In total I have about ten birthdays during April - my busiest month for present buying (other than Christmas!).  I had fully intended to make their gifts again this year but as usual time went too quickly for me so I hit the internet and came up with this little lot.  I was once told you should never give a present that you wouldn't like to receive yourself.  I would be sooooo happy to receive these!!!  I hope the girls like!!

Saturday's meeting also had the extra excitement of being held at a new venue.  We all met at HW and made our way over to Fulham to visit EL.  I was surprise at how short the journey was, the only delay was really the traffic.  EL has an amazing house - a light and airy living room looking out into their small but perfectly formed garden - it was just made for quilting.  Glad we were indoors mind as it did not stop raining all day - full details on our day at QQ.

Sunday morning was nearly a non starter.  I lay in bed listening to the rain and wind lashing against the bedroom window. I gave up entirely at that point on getting into the garden.  I complied a small list of chores that had to be done with the intention of then quilting for the rest of the day.  D then kindly suggested that instead of quilting I should really tidy my sewing room.....

in fact if I was going to tidy it why not take the opportunity to spring clean that room ......

and while I was at it, did we want to move the furniture around!! 

In one quick conversation I saw my quilting time disappear!!!!  But it needed to be done - and sometimes there is no time like the present.  So everything was moved out.... is there ever such a thing as too much stuff.....yep there really is no need to answer that!

Furniture moved - dusted - hoovered.  Furniture moved to another part of the room, moved again and again and then finally moved back to were it was to begin with!!!  Don't you just love that!

And everything put back, put away and sorted.

And would you believe....I found my wonderful turquoise scissor.....lost/misplaced about six months ago.  I hunted high and low looking for my faithful friends but I thought I had lost them forever.  I did actually squeeeal with delight when I opened the tin and saw what was inside. 

And a final note: My weekend flowers - brings a smile to my face every time I look at them!

A Grand Day Out

Visitors at the BH again this weekend.  My Mum and Dad this time - they arrived Thursday - having waited so patently for our work to be completed.  We have had such appalling weather this week I didn't hold  much hope of getting out and about Sunday with my parents, so arrived armed with DVD's and my sewing!

But whoopee... sunshine greeted us Sunday morning - so after a quick breakfast, off we went into Littlehampton, equipped with walking shoes and rain mac's!

We headed off for a 'breezy' walk along Littlehampton front - heading away from Littlehampton and towards Rustington  - introducing my parents to the country's longest bench...

I was most surprised at the number of people out and about - most I suspect taking advantage of the dry weather as we were!

Yatchs were out in the sea -

Colour everywhere....

After lunch, with the sun still shining and the wind still blowing - we walked the other way along the front - heading back into town.. 

Boats a bobbing ...

Swans enjoying the extra attention...

Dad got lucky with a large dollop of bird poo on his trousers - mmmmm must remind him to get a lottery ticket this week!!!

Recipes a plenty for those lucky enough to catch anything (apart from the bird poo of course!)

And just to round the day off nicely D was able to view a small gathering of Morris Minors - just love the colours - not all original I suspect but fantastic all the same.

All in all an unexpected grand day out!

Lavender Girls

Friday I had the pleasure in attending a local quilting event at my local library - arranged by the Lavender Girls and Scola Quilters. 

I started my quilting life as a Scola quilter back in 2004 (I think), as did many of my quilting friends.  A few now attend the Lavender Girls group.  I have to say I really didn't know what to expect from this exhibition but was determine to attend to show my support. 

CD - part of the QQ and Lavender Girls had entered a quilt under the Myths and Legends section

My Scola tutor had also entered a quilt under the same section - great colours - you can see were my inspiration for using colours came from!

And another ex-scola quilter SW had entered her interpretation within the Myths and Legends section

Other items had also been exhibited - which, I felt, was excellent representation of patchwork and quilting as a acheiveable hobby - sometime the thought of completing a king size bed cover can be a bit daunting!

I know all those involved work very hard in organising this exhibition - both in terms of the actual quilts made to exhibit and the organising behind the exhibition - so well done - and excellent display. 

Half Day Holiday

I took a half day Monday and made an appointment with Dyno Rod to come and look at the pipework we had exposed.  I decided, that although it was half a day from my holiday time, I could not just 'quilt' during the afternoon.  So I made a compromise with myself,  yes I did actually have a good chat with myself,  complete one chore that had been on my list for far too long and then the afternoon was mine.

Cleaning the Oven, was my chosen chore. Mmmmmm just love this job - probably why I haven't done it in such a looooooooong time!!  I am really embarrassed at the state of the oven and was not going to post the pictures but why not, it may encourage me to keep it clean.  Still needs a little work but certainly the hard work has been done!
Before

After

I then went on to complete the backing of pink quilt, and sandwich together - Mmmmmmm now I DO love
THAT job!!

I absolutely love the boarder and cannot wait to start the quilting.

The Dyno Rod guy was very good - although the conversation did boil down to the fact we may never find the problem causing our crack.  He did express his concerns over next door's washing machine connected to their down pipe and soak away but suggested that without digging up their patio and garden we would never know.  He suggested that we fill the crack and keep a close eye!  More discussion between D and I, I think!!

Pond Life

A great start to the weekend - I made Friday night a quilting night.

Managed to sew most of the hearts onto my boarder, with just two corners to complete.  I feel so much better in myself now I can find a bit more time to 'craft'.

The weekend weather was suppose to be wet and cold, so I had planned a part spring clean in our bedroom should Saturday be a wash out, or continuation of the garden should the sun be out to play.  Guess which one it was...

Well to be fair I got to do both.  The afternoon weather was much better than the weatherman has predicted - good old weatherman!.  Bedroom spring clean in the morning and afternoon in the garden - sorting out the pond.

I can state a fact here, I absolutely  hate cleaning the fish filters - thank goodness I generally only have to complete this task once every few months.  With new filters with easy reach....

The filter was opened ..... with a great deal of grunting and groaning .. and eventually a kitchen knife to prise it open!

Pile after pile of blanket weed removed....



A surprising amount of pond life came away with the blanket weed this year...

This little site here, tells you about my little friends above.  http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/pond/

Sunday was far nicer than expected so another day in the garden - finishing the pond and some more work on the veg patch.

Pond plants, cut back, cleaned out and put back....

A check on the other plants....

              

     

I have to say I'm a dab hand at growing those yellow ones!!!

I have, however,  discovered a problem ... someones been munching on my sunflowers.  If I ever catch the little tike there is going to be trouble.