Creativity

I came across this little cross stitch kit lurking in the cupboard with a couple of others and decided it was just right to do, simple and easy without too much thinking.  Haven't thought what to make it into yet.  

I then decided to be a little more creative, this little cat is the same one I used on DD's needlecase (I'm sorry, but even though I have trawled through some blogs I still can't find who to acredit it to)  I drew around a heart shape and then let my pencil meander around creating the vine.  I used number 15 beads for the flowers and was quite pleased with the result.

What next? so I chose 1/2 squares in colours I don't usually choose and had a play.  I had been inspired by someone else's chevron cushion and gave it a go.  Trouble was, I totally miscalculated the number of squares I needed so decided to try the diamond shape as well.

I quite enjoyed doing these, just need to think a little bigger, lap quilt bigger perhaps?

What now?

take care

Baltimore

This year all of our Agarves have matured and are flowering, quite spectacular as they tower above everything else.  Unfortunately we have had high winds enough to lift roof tiles off and these magnificent flowers have taken a battering, completely breaking one off and damaging the others, such a shame as they take 30 odd years to flower then the whole plant dies.

Here you can see just how large one flowering head is as you can just see DH's hand holding it, its very heavy too.

I thought I would make a few mug rugs for DD using her favorite colour, purple

An interesting question was posed in someones blog (sorry can't remember who) which was, when does a WIP become a UFO?
Well this next project was definately in the UFO catagory.  It started out its life as a Baltimore pattern years ago, but I really didn't like the flatness at the time so I incorporated stumpwork, needleweaving, french knots and some beading to bring it more to life.  There it sat, it even came over to Spain, just shows how long ago it was started. So I decided to do something about it and put on the border, but this time I made the binding by bringing over the backing, quite a quick solution.

The petals and  bird's wings are wired

and the feathers were attached separately

Quite chuffed after all this time to see it finished and it looks good hanging up too.

Take care

The Unicorn

I've been playing with Romeo! no I don't mean a gorgous Italian, I mean the vanishing  fabric.  I have played a little with this before but not with metallic threads.  Years ago I purchased a sampler pack of metallic threads which included needles, bobbin thread as well as the top thread, but I had never even got them out of the bag. My machine at that time wouldn't have handled the thread very well, but now I have my Bernina it played along quite happily.

I tried free hand first but couldn't keep the tension, it was much easier in the hoop and although it did take a little while to do, I think the finish is just right for the job. I only stitched it down in places to resemble flowing hair.

The little dragonfly is done on wires with organza using the stumpwork methods, a technique I really enjoy doing and it gives it a nice 3D effect.

It's really difficult to get a decent photo, but I'm sure you can get the drift.

I even quilted stars in the border and made my own binding with my little gadget, so all in all it was quite a good project to get going with.

Hmm what to play with now?!

Its really hot here, so I might even venture into the pool while I think.

Have a good weekend enjoying what ever you do,

take care 

A little applique

Back in January I had rather a serious fall, well actually I was completely knocked off my feet and bowled over. By whom you may well ask? it was one of our cats, yup Lucy came speeding around the corner from the kitchen straight into my legs as I was walking up the marble steps, I went flying landing very heavily across the steps and hitting my head on the marble wall. Now I'm not sure how much sense was in there in the first place but boy it certainly shook it all around.  A check up at the hospital, as my foot had smashed down very badly,  all was well in no broken bones, concussion, take some pills and off you go, the fact it has taken months to all heal is just another part of the equation.

Well a week ago I decided I had reached the end of putting up with the pain in my shoulder etc as it was having a serious impact on my life and as things have quietened down on the DD front I went to see an osteopath.  All went quite well on the first day but he wanted to see me again, so I have been going to his torture chamber   consulting rooms every morning with the instructions of do as little as possible and go easy on the stitching!

That didn't last long as I have been quite enjoying getting back into it all again, so I decided to try something different where I could stand for a bit without tension in the shoulders and neck, so here is what I am up to, reverse applique.  

I am being disobedient because I blanket stitched around all the shapes, but as I enjoyed doing it I think one must out weigh the other, well that's my story and I'm sticking to it lol

I am going to have a play on the machine with Romeo (dissolving fabric) for the mane and tail and I think I will add something in stumpwork, 

Off to play, enjoy your day

take care

Finishes

I enjoyed my goats cheese salad with honey dressing the other day at the beach, so as not to leave DH out I made my own version, just adding a few extra ingredients and tomatoes.  Not a thing was left on the plates, so I suppose that speaks for itself.

I did mention that I had dabbled at a couple of things during my 'away time', here are a couple of them, during a conversation with DD it emerged that her needlework box had been left behind in the UK so I thought I would add a couple of little extra gifts for her recent birthday and made the little mouse pin cushion and needlecase which I also filled with all sorts of needles, pins safety pins etc etc as you do.  She was pleased but I really don't know how much use she will get out of them as she is really not interested in needlecraft at all.  In fact just the other day she asked if I could mend a layered summer skirt where the layers and lace were drifting apart, no problem, then I found she had already tried to fix it herself at some earlier stage as I tried to prise out rusty safety pins and staples lol  where's there a will there's a way

I was looking for a project to take with me whilst waiting for DD in radiotherapy and found a printed panel of 6 cushions in my stash.  They were just right, no thinking involved, no piecing, yes I know, cop out! just quilt the design, so having layered them up I took them along and they made their debut, now for some reason we have noticed that many of the people waiting just don't take anything with them, just sit getting agitated, but I could still talk to DD and stitch.  Now what I hadn't anticipated was the others watching me and then asking me what I was doing, unfortunately my spanish is still not what it should be so all I could do was smile sweetly and keep my head down.  I actually finished quilting all 6 and we now have nice new cushions for our outside naya.

I have been following others blogs, just not felt able to contribute but enjoyed all the projects, then a couple of days ago Clare http://clarescraftroom.blogspot.com.es/ showed us the lovely dish covers she had made.  Feeling that was just what I could do with right now, I was game to have a go.  Fell at the first hurdle, bias binding!  Didn't have any, don't know where to get any here either.  Then light bulb moment when I remembered a huge box of notion goodies that came from the days when my parents had a little craft shop so my Dad could present his Tiffany glass work.  A good rummage revealed a little binding maker, with instructions, (luckily) and so I ventured off into unknown territory, and it worked.
I'm sure all you seasoned quilt makers are wondering what is she on about it's easy, well I couldn't make it line up but after several unpickings got there in the end.  Obviously more practice needed.
So I was really chuffed to have made 2 covers and thank Clare very much for the idea.

Only problem is I couldn't get the start and finish edges to line up nicely, so if any one has any hints/tips on this binding lark I would be pleased to hear from you

Oh well, that time again, off to do the evening meal
take care

Life's little pleasures

We are experiencing higher than normal temperatures here for June at the moment (39c+) and on Friday DD and I  had to return to the hospital to see her consultant.  It was sooo hot, but I didn't care as DD was driving me for the first time this year and it felt so normal it was great.  She was given the all clear to venture out in her car and has been making little journeys and loving it.  

These trips always seem to be a marathon what with all the usual waiting time, but the consultation went well,  new TAC scan booked with follow up and slowly slowly recouperation.  The best news was she can now have a full normal diet.  She has been restricted to having all fruit and veg peeled if raw otherwise it had to be cooked.  We have had some fun with some things, got to be a dab hand at peeling strawberries and even had a go at peeling blueberries, but did give up after half a dozen - can't think why?! lol

So to celebrate we went here in Javea

This is about 20 mins away from the hospital, a lovely beach side cafe, literally placed on the stones of the beach which meant we had full advantage of the gentle breeze coming off the sea, most welcome and of course the wonderful view.

We chose this cafe as we knew they did this, a super mixed salad with goats cheese, walnuts and honey dressing

It was wonderful to see the utter delight and enjoyment on DD's face as she tucked into her first proper salad of the year. It was very yummy.  Afterwards we stopped in the supermarket and she selected lovely plums and is looking forward to tucking into cherries.
Just makes you appreciate the small things in life doesn't it.

Found a little project to do so off to find some shade and have a play.
take care

Hello again

I'm back, well sort of! I've been away on a long journey, not one, I have to say that was planned or that I enjoyed, but one that has taken us as family into uncharted, sometimes terrifying waters, where we have had to learn survival tactics and strategies, but it is one that has highlighted our personal strengths (and weaknesses) and brought a close family unit even closer together.

Just before Christmas my beautiful daughter was suddenly diagnosed with a large inoperable tumour in her chest cavity.  Bad enough, but then the biopsy revealed she had Cancer and if treatment did not start immediately she had very little time left. As I am sure anyone who has been touched by cancer would agree, it impacts on everyone and everything.

We started the new year learning to live with 24/7 shifts in the hospital and the first round of aggressive chemotherapy, having moved only a few weeks earlier into their own home, DD and her fiance had to move back with us for her constant care.  Chemo in itself would warrant a chapter but suffice to say it was every week for 12 weeks solid beginning with leaving home around 6am and returning after 11pm with a 3 hour round trip.  Some weeks the chemo session lasted 10 hours, what a marathon.  It's not necessary to go into details but it seems that every reaction you could get, she got. We took each day as it came and looked for positives, however small, during that day, its amazing how much energy you use trying to be upbeat, but certainly worth it.

We were relived when it was over and she was being allowed a month's rest before radiotherapy.  Unfortunately it didn't work out like that, but journeys never do do they? with twists and turns and mountains to climb.  Before Easter DD was whisked back in to hospital where her condition rapidly deteriorated resulting with her being in ICU for 12 days with 8 of those in a coma and a prognosis of less than 50/50.  They threw every drug they could at her as they diagnosed pneumonitus caused by the cocktail of chemo drugs she had received on day 60 of her treatment.  Scary times, having spent a month in hospital with us doing 24/7 shifts, she was released to recouperate before radiotherapy.  Here they expect the family to do all the auxillary nursing, but at least DD had her own ensuite room with day beds for family overnight stays.

Now for the good bit!! She has just finished 4 weeks of daily trips for radiotherapy with all its own implications and complications, but at the end of the treatment she rang the large bell that is in the department which is to signify been there, done that, and now I'm on my way.

On her way she certainly is - the scans revealed the tumour has disappeared and she has officially been declared in remission. Yeah!!!!  Now we all begin the long road ahead of healing and returning to full strength as there are a few problems that the tumour has caused to other organs, but hopefully without too many diviations or road bumps.

So! having no effort or imagination these last months and apart from doing one or two little items, I am hoping to be able to slowly return to crafting, having been reading and following others blogs (which kept my mind otherwise engaged for a while) 


So as they say - Onwards and upwards  -  Watch this space