thoughts on allsorts!

Tuesday 30 September 2008

Blue days


do you ever have one of those days when you wake up and and off you go ... worrying. i should really call it a 'worry' day. if i can find something to worry about, i do!

i woke up this morning early and just lay there, and started thinking about things, you know, family, friends etc. trouble is once you start you just can't stop! anyway i won't bore you all with the details but i thought i know what will help - just go onto the blogoverse and be inspired by others!

Have been sooo inspired by everyone's little hats for the innocent smoothies that i have decided to get on a make some - will post some pics when i have done a few!


at the weekend i finally got some time to do more with my quilt - have 'only' got the hand quilting to do now!!





and this is the back
have not decided how to quilt it yet!

However - have got some new fabric for the next one! its lovely soft cotton flannel - just right for the winter


can't wait to start it - may just do simple squares - need to do something easy to make sure i finish it before the end of winter -any suggestions for patterns gratefully received!
i also feel the need to start knitting scarves!! huge scarves are all the rage apparently, in the fashion mags - i know, i'm such a hip person!!! this then gives me the perfect excuse for searching out new yarn - as if i need an excuse! (would love to do a scarf swap but feel i'm still a new kid (ha ha) on the block, and everyone i think has loads enough to do at the mo!)
well thanks for being there and apologies for the whinging but sometimes it helps to get it off your chest and into perspective.
lol
maria
xx

Tuesday 23 September 2008

Never, ever get in the car when your mechanic is testing your ABS brakes!

You would think that no-one would be that mad!!! uummmm, well.... what happened is....

I have been getting the ABS warning light come on and also the TC (traction control, so i'm told!) light and as i use my wagon to tow a horse trailer i am fanatical about keeping it in tip top shape. (geeky points maybe!) So, I thought, i would call in and see our mechanic. (that was my first mistake, should have just rung him up and booked it in!!)

Right then, he said, hop over and i'll give it a drive - my first thought was well i bet it goes ok for him and he'll just think 'woman drivers'! I would point out that we have had Chris as our mechanic for years and he is just brilliant. Any hooo, there is space round the corner from his garage where we could drive it so off we went.

now then, he said, lets give it a go - warning bells started going off in my head, especially when he said 'hold on'! We took off like a bat out of hell heading towards a building..... and i shut my eyes as he slammed on the brakes.... well, they worked a treat, but no warning lights came on...

just do it one more time he said - oh my god, i then remembered that in his spare time he races cars!!!! Off we went again and all i could think of was i was glad i had not had my lunch!!

The be all and end all of it was he thinks there is something wrong with the electrics as there is nothing wrong with my brakes, and i think i probably have whiplash to prove it!!! (slight exaggeration probably!)

Now on to calmer things - my stitching angel swap - i have finally completed two projects, one was of my own design (nothing to get too excited about i can tell you!) and the other was a slight adaptation of a design.

here is a sneaky peek--




The person i am stitching for loves all things vintage so have included a few little extras in the swap.


I just hope my stitching comes up to scratch and she is one very talented lady and makes the most gorgeous scarves!
Think i might just go and have a cuppa now and settle my nerves - pity its afternoon - could do with something stronger!!!

xxx

Monday 15 September 2008

Not 1 but 2 parcels!!!!

A little bird (well, two actually) had told me to watch out for the postie and i was sooo excited i could hardly contain myself (you probably gather from this that i don't get parcels very often!


Well, when i got home lunchtime i shot into the garage to see if postie had left anything and there they were, two of them!!


The biggest parcel was, of course, trashy's box swap - i couldn't wait to tell her, so rang straightaway - mind you it was so well wrapped up, took me a while to figure a way in, bearing in mind i would have to send it on again!


Well, here are the goodies i picked:-



there was some lovely yarn, Colinette, a cute little box with a cupcake on it with some buttons inside, and some fabric! how fantastic.

i will try and turn it round as quick as possible as i know there are others waiting - as you probably know my sewing room is just full of boxes and odds and ends following our floor scenario, and, you've guessed, my goodies are underneath somewhere! So tomorrow morning i will be diving under the table to try and get them all out!!

My next parcel was from Australia - my excitement level by this point was sky high!! and inside were these beautiful goodies from my stitching angel:-



Isn't it the most gorgeous needlecase ever - i was so thrilled - its beautifully made and in my favorite colours.




inside there were needles and a tapemeasure - and i also received some lovely fabric and a hugs and kisses iron on transfer!!


Aren't i lucky - i just want to say a HUGE thank you to my stitching angel - its an absolutely lovely present and i can't wait to find out who you are!

Lots of love and thanks to trashy too for organising the box swap.

xx

Sunday 14 September 2008

getting there!

very slowly my house is starting to get back to normal - unfortunately my sewing space is last as most of the boxes and stuff were crammed in it!
This is how it looks at the moment:-

the new floors are all finished and oiled and am really pleased with them, it was worth all the hassle:

lots of tidying up and moving of furniture yet, but still, on the final phase as it were!!


Did manage to get some knitting done tho' - have done some squares for WMK's blanket - not as many as i would like!


This week is rather a special week in our family - all three of my children have their birthdays!!


Em's was yesterday and she wanted.... shoes!

My son Dan has his birthday today and Tom's is on Wednesday! I think you might guess that christmas was banned in our house for a few years!!!

PROJECTS - once this week is over and things have calmed down a bit i can finally get going on all my WIP's - i seem to have so many - not least the stitching for my 'stitching angel' swap!

am off to get a cuppa now and make a birthday cake for Dan and pizza (his choice!).

xx

Monday 8 September 2008

Chaos reigns!!

this last week has been chaos in our house - and the reason i have not been in the blogoverse - we are having new floors laid in two of our rooms downstairs - not much problem you might think - well think again!

three rooms of furniture into one - hardly anywhere to sit, no computer (i hear your sharp intake of breath! and my husband is now fully convinced that i am totally hooked on blogging!) - one of the funniest things was trying to operate sky tv with the sky box in one room and the tv in the other - there was much tooing and frooing and not a shortage of strong language!

i have so missed everyone's news so tomorrow will frantically be trying to catch up and will try and do a proper post!

til then --- oh its sooo nice to be back!!

xx