Birthday Lap Quilt and Slimmer of the Month

I've noticed there are a few of us out here in blogland following the Slimming World plan to lose weight and adapt to a healthier lifestyle. I thought I'd share with you my latest success as I joined Slimming World at the end of April and have been following the food plan since then

I go to a lovely group with really supportive people and I have to say a rather wonderful consultant who always fills me with inspiration each week. This was my third slimmer of the month award, I'm getting a wardrobe full of certificates!

Thank you for all the kind wishes for my parents. Mum's home from hospital and trying to take it easy while also caring for my Dad, if you ask them, they say they're 'muddling through', it's not easy, but they're coping.

On a lighter note, it's Dad's birthday today so I thought I'd show you the lap quilt I've made for him.

It's brushed cotton so lovely and soft. I bought the fabric in a pack from Hobbycraft and thought it would make a lovely lap quilt for my dad when it gets cooler. I sandwiched a layer of light wadding in it so it's not too heavy. It was posted at the beginning of the week so arrived in plenty of time for Dad's birthday today and he says he loves it. We also sent him the full box set of The Detectorists, a lovely gentle humoured series set in the English countryside that I know he'll enjoy.

Take care
xxx

Lunch Out with an Unexpected Guest

Our routine has changed, we were having our little grandson Zackary for 3 days a week, but now that mum and dad are both working full time, little Zack has been enrolled and started going to nursery and we now have him twice a week. Poor little Zack is not impressed with nursery and makes his poor dad feel awful in the mornings when he drops him off by screaming his little lungs away, though is usually playing happily when mum comes at the end of the day to pick him up, little rascal. It has made him very clingy though, when we're doing our babysitting duties, Zack doesn't like either me or Andrew to leave the room and is wanting extra cuddles (which I have no problem providing at all).

It's a long day for such a small person, from 8 till 6pm, so when Zack has his days with us we try to go out for a while in the afternoons to break it up a bit for him. We had some lunch out the other day, a nice cup of tea

and a healthy salad with a baked potato, simple and very tasty.

Zackary enjoyed sitting outside, watching people come and go.

We were being watched while we ate by this little robin red breast, perched on a chair looking for scraps.

When the person next to us left their table, he swooped straight in there, picking about to see what he could find.

Quite a tame little fellow, I caught this picture just after he'd been on the floor between Andrew and Zack, an unexpected guest picking at Zack's dropped pieces of food. He seems to be on a good thing here and we'll be looking out for him next time we go.

It's funny as it's only an extra day a week, but we seem to have more time and it's been nice to spend some of it outside in the garden when the weather was a bit warmer. I found a comfy seat with a cup of tea, good book and some hexis I'm working on.

The book is Into the Water by Paula Hawkins. I really enjoyed her other book, The Girl on a Train, and this one is just as gripping and written in a similar way, from different peoples perspectives.

Little hexis waiting to be made into something glorious....

I wasn't the only one enjoying the new free time, Gary stretched out and caught some ZZZZZs

I had to show you little Alfie too, what a face he was pulling at me here, another one who likes lots of extra cuddles!

Take care

xxx

Is it Nearly Christmas?

I can't believe we're just a few days away from Christmas, I just don't seem able to find my Christmas Spirit this year. I've been quite organised, cards were written and posted early on, presents are always bought over a few months, but they've all been wrapped for a while. Normally the tree and decorations go up at the beginning of December, but this year we waited a bit, not feeling the excitement we used to. I wonder if it's because Imogen is 15 now, no more putting reindeer food out or excitedly writing lists to Father Christmas?

We do have our first grandchild, which is the most wonderful thing to happen, but at 4 months old, he doesn't know it's Christmas! I'm hoping we'll be spending some time tomorrow with Zackary and Izzy, Izzy is 8 so a lovely age, full of excitement and I'm hoping some will rub off on me.

The tree in the dining room

Imogen has finished school today for the Christmas holiday so that's rather lovely. We're planning to do some baking together tomorrow and I'm sure we'll play some festive music at the same time.

I've finished Zack's quilt. It's very soft and will be just the thing to have under him when he lays on the floor.

The background is brushed cotton, so feels really nice against the skin.

If all that isn't enough to put me in a Christmas mood, I do have this beautiful photo my son sent me... a real life little Christmas elf...

Have a wonderful, safe, happy and healthy Christmas

Take care
xxx

What's Going On?

The answer to that is lots! My dad has had his first operation to deal with the cancer and is slowly (and painfully) recuperating at home. Hopefully it has all been removed and we're going onwards and upwards, though the day before he went for the operation, his Macmillan nurse rang to wish him well and also let them (my parents) know that the scans he'd had had all shown clear except for a small mass on his adrenal gland, which may or may not be nothing, but will have to be investigated. So that is something else to be done before dad has his heart operation to fix his leaky heart valve. One step at a time, one day at a time.

Meanwhile, up in Yorkshire not as much is going on as there should be. I have a few projects on the go, but the only thing I've managed to get finished this week is my book! I finished it earlier while waiting for the plumber to come and fix our shower (the second time within a fortnight), it really isn't the weather for the shower to decide to stop working - very hot and sticky here.

I was near the end and wanted to find out how it would wrap up as it had such good reviews, but it didn't 'grab' me like I'd hoped it would.

What Alice Knew by T. A. Cotterell was written from Alice's viewpoint. A successful artist, happily married to her successful husband with two children with a happy life, until..... her husband goes missing and odd things start happening. The author spent a great deal of time talking about art and the artists view of life, which I'm afraid was a little lost on me. I saw the ending twist coming, so no big surprise for me there either. I'm sure many people will love the language and descriptions, but it wasn't a favourite read for me and I'm not sure I'd read another book from this author.

So while I was busy finishing off my book, I wasn't busy finishing off my crafty projects. This is what I have underway at the moment.

Only 8 weeks until my sweet grandson comes into the world and here are parts of a quilt I'm making for him. The middle of the front is ready and I have some lovely, brushed cotton for the sides and back.

This project is some oilcloth material cut to make bunting for the garden, it just needs sewing onto some tape and it'll be ready to hang outside. I also cut some small pieces to hang around the fairy garden.

On my crochet hook, or just off it as it's now just waiting to be sewn together, is another grandbaby project. Here are lots of little stars waiting in a pile to be sewn in place.

This is where my stars will be shining, on this blanket that will soon be ready for my baby's baby!

Hopefully my next post will have finished projects show you!

I hope everyones's enjoying the weather whatever you have and you're having more success finishing off your projects than I am right now.

Take care
xxx

Needles and yarn

For Christmas Imo had a tablet pc, we looked around for a nice cover but saw nothing that appealed to her. So... time to do some sewing, a little patchwork quilted bag. We chose some pretty fabric pieces

I love these pretty pink blossoms and have gone back to buy them in blues as well.  It was an evening job after Imo went to bed and didn't take too long on the sewing machine. I wanted it to be quilted to give the tablet some protection.

It's lined inside with the small blossom pattern too. We do have a nice big 'I' cut from felt that Imo would like stitched on one side as well, and perhaps a strap... At least her tablet is safer now!

Thought I'd do an update on my Granny Stripe blanket. Wow... it's getting so big, it hangs down both sides of out kingsize bed, so nice and wide. I'm starting to flag a bit now, but really want to finish it... I think I can see the end... I think! Anways... here it is, I'm sitting on the sofa holding it up in the air and it's draped down the sides...

Take care
xxx

Treats

I've had a good day, been treated... always a nice thing to happen, I'm a lucky girl :)  I bought 2 magazines today, 'Simply Homemade' and a new magazine 'The Art of Quilting'. Both have very yummy free gifts, a flower making loom, and squares of fabric with thread and needles.

I also braved the weather to look for some jumpers to felt. We went in 2 charity shops, and found 3 in one of them, feeling very pleased with my finds and looking forward to working with them, just need a couple more colours...

Take care
xxx

First Quilt

It's been a labour of love, but I finally finished my first ever patchwork quilt this evening. It's very snuggly, and is already being used by Andy to keep him warm while he munches on his post Christmas 'using up the leftovers' snack!

I think it'll become lovely as the years pass and it fades a little and gets worn with use. I really hope it's something that'll be in the family for a long time.

Take care

xxx