Friday 31 December 2010

Happy New Year!

                                                                      





May all your dreams come true in 2011!

Thursday 23 December 2010

'Tis the Season!

Time for the last minute shopping, wrapping the last few presents, worrying if everything will fit into the oven and more importantly - be cooked at the same time!  Wondering who's will be the last Christmas card to arrive - always the person you missed off the list and now it's too late to do anything about it !

I wish I was one of those  people who can get everything lined up in time and then forget about things, but its never going to be that way so this Christmas will be the same as all the others - stressful, tiring and totally disorganised, but great fun just the same!

Whichever category your Christmas falls into, may it be peaceful and joyful.  May you keep safe, well and warm and,  however you choose to celebrate, enjoy the day to the full !


Sunday 12 December 2010

Taking Up A Challenge

Tucked away under my work table I have a box whose contents rarely see the light of day once they disappear under the lid.  Its the kind of box that I am sure every quilter has and just in case I should forget what's inside, it has a label that says - you've guessed it - UFOs!!

Try as I might, I cannot reduce the number of items lurking inside, in fact I am convinced they multiple without any help from me , so when I came across Myra's PhD Challenge it sounded like just the push I could do with to get stuck into finishing some of these projects!

 I've committed to finishing at least three items with perhaps (!) another three smaller projects thrown in, but this will depend on what life sends my way over the coming 6 months :-)

For starters though finishing these would be great





My  smaller version of Bonnie Hunter's Sister's Choice pattern , a long time quilt -in- waiting !





Windham Fabrics pattern  Old Virginia Calicos , with a slight colour change on the border as I messed up cutting one of the fabrics (!)  This is probably my oldest UFO and it's well passed its 'should be finished' date!





Number 3 really needs to be this one as I so want to get it done, but just can't make my mind up how to quilt it - any suggestions , nothing too complicated mind !!

So, if you have any UFOs that need a little push - come on along and join in the fun!

Monday 6 December 2010

It's Official!

No doubt about it, Christmas is just around the corner and there is just no where to hide from it:-)

After all the problems with the weather and my eyes (much better now!) it's been 3 weeks since I've ventured further than a couple of kilometres from home - after all even us 'mature' ladies have no wish to be seen in public looking like the Wicked Witch from the West, which is exactly how I 've looked since this allergy started!

Today however with a little help from some light make-up I managed to look almost human and we took off to Rennes for some Christmas shopping.

Everywhere you look is decorated with baubles and bells, trees and garlands, and it is very difficult to decide which are the best displays, but I just have to show you some photos I took in one of my favourite shops in Rennes -   Cocktail Scandinave .

An Aladdin's cave at the best of times but at Christmas it really comes into its own!

Follow me in through the entrance .....






......and take a peek inside!


 There are colour- themed displays with all sorts of wonderful elves and reindeer , Santas and fairies, not to mention  stockings and garlands galore!




Don't forget you saw it here first!!



Yes !  That's right ! An upside-down Christmas Tree!

There are baskets and boxes for every occasion..........

...and linen.........


 .and we mustn't  forget the soft toys!!



You have to agree that this is a truly magical shop at the most magical time of the year!!

Oh - almost forgot, how do you like the new look  Blog ?

Sunday 5 December 2010

Slow News Week

There's not been a lot going on here this last week, unless you count a dash to the local hospital when my eyes flared up again!  Not very nice this time and quite frightening I can tell you - but a thorough exam didn't find anything other than the allergy which has calmed down again, so all is well !

More snow arrived in the early hours of Friday morning leaving the road out of the village impassable again, but then yesterday the rain turned up and today no more snow!  I guess we had about 8/9 inches all told, which is nothing compared to other parts of Europe, but more than enough for an area not accustomed to this kind of weather and with limited facilities for keeping the roads clear.  In fact most of the local roads were only open thanks to the number of tractors using them.

I'm not going to bore you with more snow photos, and because of my eyes there are no quiltie photos either, but - I have found a new blog to share with you !

In my web search for all and every reference available on free motion machine quilting I have found a plethora of information and some great blogs, but the one that stands out for me is Wendy over at Ivory Spring  .  This blog alone is worth a visit, but wait until you read her sister blog  Thread Talk!

Wendy's  FMQ  is awesome in my opinion and all done on her Bernina DMS so please go along and check this out - anyone interested in FMQ will not be disappointed !  I am going to show it to my Berni and let her see what can be achieved if she keeps practicing , do you think it'll do the trick  :-)