Sunday 30 September 2012

Tuesday 18 September 2012

Mini Ta Dah

Mug Mat.....

Started back in August 2011 - FOQ - It was an hour lesson on Mini-Mosaic Tiles by Paula Doyle

To be far - it has been sitting in my cupbaord waiting to be finished - along with everything else!!!

But an hour Sunday evening, and hour last night and half an hour tonight .....






And Ta Dah


Now the actual pattern given on the day - gave you the option of doing six blocks and making a wall hanging - but I've just done the one and put some special wadding in and I'm going to use it for a mug mat!!!  Now where did I put my cup of tea......

Ta Dah: Lily's Quilt

Well I've finished a quilt at long last.  I have to say this one seems to have taken forever - considering its only a small one.

Started back in October 2011 - my goodness - that nearly a whole year - well not to be too hard on myself I have been a little distracted of late!!!!




This is the first of two for my friends daughters - they will be sharing a room - so different designs but the same fabric.

....November 2011......



...... January 2012 .......


...... April 2012 .....




...... June 2012 ....


..... August 2012 ....




..... September 2012 ....  Ta Dah ....




This one has grown on me the last few weeks ... and I'm really looking forward to producing the 'matching' quilt for her sister. 


Sunday 16 September 2012

BH Building Work: Week Four/Five

Well, much progress over the last two weeks.  Paint on some walls - some with two coats .... some with just the undercoat.




Our small cupboard has disappeared to make way for the extended shower unit in our en suite.


The bathroom completely stripped of all contents....ready for the walls to be plastered.







Living room ready for plastering.



And none building work - we have been trying for at least three week to cut the lawn - but the weather has not been kind - however today the sun came out to play ........ three hours later!



Everything needing a good cut and trim...... next week maybe....


Monday 10 September 2012

Oxford: Part Four (and Final Chapter!)

The time has gone so very quickly.....much too quick for my liking.....my head is already turning to all the things I need to chase when I return home this afternoon!  Last night over our evening meal we decided that we would like to try and get a tour of the Bodleian Library.  Opening at 10am and catching our train at 2pm - plenty of time!! 

So off we went....



Inside the Bodleian.....  The Divinity School







If you spot someone taking photo's of the floor... chances are they will be a quilter!!




Convocation House.....  great quilting patterns on the ceiling!!





And then up to the Arts End of the Proscholium .... no pictures allowed.  Well worth a viewing if you are in Oxford - where they filmed the Harry Potter Library scenes.

And sadly all good things must come to an end.... off to grab the suitcases, catch our train and back to the insurance paperwork.

Sunday 9 September 2012

Oxford : Part Three

Now today just happens to be our 11th Wedding Anniversary - and as I far as I was concerned the best activity day yet!!

Yesterday on route to find an evening meal, we discovered the local Canal Group were offering Canal Boat Rides - approximately 30 minutes long on the Sunday (Today).  I have always wanted to go on a canal boat (I have to say I did get a little excited that perhaps we could make this happen - although I would like to state not anywhere near as excited as D and the three year got yesterday!!!!). We had already planned on going to this part of the canal anyway as today we were doing an 8 mile trip along (the other side of) the Oxford Canal - into Wolvercote and then back into Oxford via the Thames Path.  One of my 'bucket wishlist' for when time is no object, is to ride the Thames Path from start to finish!



We made it to the ticket office half an hour before it was all due to start - only to find a massive queue had already formed and that two boats had already gone early because of the amount of people there.  Our ticket was allocated for 11am - a lot later than we had hoped.  It was no good starting our walk - as this was going to take a few hours.......a quick shuffle of this afternoon activities and a very quick walk over to the castle to view a display of Morris Minors (it was a 100 years this year that the Morris was introduced to Oxford).  We had been informed yesterday that a large number was expected.....

Disappointment as only three had turned up......although excellent condition .... not really much to view. 







So we decided to head back to the boat ride and see if we could squeeze onto an earlier boat - and luck would have it the 10.10am boat was half empty so on we jumped!

















That was soooo much fun....... I totally got the reason why people enjoy a canal holiday - there is slowing down when on holiday - and there is slowing down!!!! 

And then off we go on our planned walk!



Wonderful colours.....




Nearly every house that backed on the cancel had some kind of boat at the end of the garden - others has wonderful sheds ...... 





Local wildlife......


Our walk continued....



Finally, after nearly an hour we reached the bridge we needed to come off at....


Another 15 minutes walk along the road into Wolvercote itself, we arrived at the pub where we had decided we would try and eat lunch...... The Trout.





And so after a long lunch (as all lunches should be on holiday...... our return journey started ... back along the Thames Path back into Oxford.











An excellent day, another wonderful Anniversary.