frayed at the edge

Little sparrow, little sparrow ......

 ........ has the title got you singing Dolly Parton?  As it was very windy earlier in the week, we didn't see many birds in the garden, but this morning they were back.  If you look carefully you will see at least half a dozen sparrows in the hawthorn tree

 

tucking into the birdseed ......

 

....... and the peanuts

 

washing it all down with a quick drink

 

as well as sparrows there were blue tits ......

 

...... and coal tits

 

at patch'n''chat this afternoon, Anne S had two projects to share with us - a fabulous wallhanging .....

 

......and this very clever wallhanging .......

 

..... which actualy consists of lots of pockets to display your Christmas cards in

 

the Friday cake was the delicious apple and sultana - a firm favourite

 

of course I will be back at Borderland Fabrics tomorrow for our Linus day, then on Sunday we will probably pop in to the big craft fair which is on in Kelso over the weekend.  Whatever you are doing, I hope you have a wonderful weekend, love Anne

The naughty step!

Malcolm has been sent to the naughty step for telling fibs!!  After saying that he only had enough driftwood for one tree ...... he has made another two!!

 

I was busy this afternoon making more cards.  I unearthed this booklet, which was free with a magazine, from my stash

 

I've never made decoupage cards before, but is is quite simple, if a bit fiddly cutting out the smaller pieces

 

this photo shows the several layers

 

last Friday, when Sandra, the Linus Lady, was sorting out a large pile of fabric samples which had been donated, I spotted these delicious linen fabrics

 

as they aren't suitable for making quilts, I asked Sandra if I could have them in exchange for a donation to Linus, which she agreed to.  I had thought of using them for cards but this afternoon I remembered that I had some plain black notebooks.  I cut out a piece of fabric and frayed the edges, then stuck it on the notebook.  The plan now is to type up wording, print it out, and stick it on ...... nothing fancy, perhaps  "notebook"!

 

I popped into The Reivers' Moon Gallery this morning with some more cards

 

This is my favourite one - the little post box is at the end of our road, and I took the photo a couple of years ago when we had the really bad winter

 

I know that I have declared next year the "year of using it up" (and in January I am going to join Lucie in a challenge to use up scraps), but I was very naughty yesterday when we were in Jedburgh!  I had a little browse in the three charity shops, and as well as this book .......

 

........ I bought these four cushion covers, which are printed, ready to embroider (thus using up some of the embroidery thread stash!)

 

but it wasn't a great extravagance, as amazingly they were only £1 each!

 

when I was in the Gallery last week, I had asked Sally, the owner, if I could buy some mounts, backing boards and cellophane envelopes, which I knew she had left over from mounting my photos for sale in the gallery.  She was quite happy to let me have them, and it means that I can mount some photos for the Southdean Christmas Fair.  This is my favourite heron photo - I may have to buy it from myself!!

Bedazzled!

I wish you could have been at Abbey Quilters' meeting last night, to see Kay's stunning work!  It was only after her presentation that we learned that this was the first time she had done this ..... perhaps that explains the frown of concentration as she set up her laptop and projector (sorry, there are bits of heads and bodies in most of the photos, as I was at the back of the room!)

 

but it wasn't just the stunning quality of Kay's work that has us ooohing and aaaahing ........ it was also the fact that she has only been  quilting for a few years!  (that's Sandra, Linus Lady and vice-chairman of Abbey Quilters on the left)

 

this quilt is made with Liberty fabrics ...... it is gorgeous/fabulous/delicious

 

this is her 2012 Scottish Championship winning quilt

 

a detail of one of the feathers

 

but the most amazing thing is that Kay doesn't do her quilting on an ordinary sewing machine, but on a vast longarm machine

 

these details are from one of her many award winning quilts.  It is amazing that she can produce such tiny detailed stitching with such a large machine!

 

Charlie brought along this quilt, which Kay had quilted for her .......

 

........ do you recognise the stitcheries?  Yes they are the same ones that Anne did for this quilt

 

we went to Jedburgh this morning, for some shopping and a spot of lunch.  Malcolm had a haggis and cheese toastie, which was delicious, with a tasty salad

 

I had nachos, which were also delicious

 

.......  the jalapenos were served on the side - the cafe owner thought I was brave to eat them!

 

three of the clematis in the back garden are still flowering

 

and there are still flowers on the hellebore ..... at this rate it will go from being a Lenten (Easter) rose, to being a Christmas one!

So what did I do?

I had fun playing with the lovely black, white and red fabrics.  Unusually for me, I got out a notebook with squared paper and drew out a pattern!

 

I cut the pieces and put them on the design wall

 

I wasn't happy with this version, as the two  top right and two bottom left pieces were too similar, so I swapped things around until I was happy with this version

 

however, this is only 32" square, and there wasn't enough plain black fabric to put a border round it.  Then I had a little lightbulb moment, and used the black fabric, plus a central square, to come up with this version.  I will still need another fabric to add an outer border, but there are enough bits left to make binding

 

all I have to do now is remember the layout when I stitch it together at the Linus Day on Saturday!

 

I have to dash, as it is Abbey Quilters' monthly meeting tonight.  I am looking forward to it, as the guest speaker is Kay, the fabulous longarm quilter.  I hope that I wwill be able to take some photos of her work to share with you tomorrow.

A very busy weekend!

Despite talking more than sewing, I did get quite a lot done on Friday, sewing quite a few more clamshells (sorry, forgot to take a photo!) and making a start to the embroidery on the Needle Nookie

 

Katy brought in her chicken wallhanging - it is just so cute!  The chickens are called Clara, Doris and Ethel

 

the wallhanging has an amazing edging

 

and the chickens look appealing with their ricrac topknots

 

as always there was the Friday cake - Annette's delicious cupcakes

 

this Saturday we are having a "Linus Day" at Borderland Fabrics, where we will work together to make as many quilts as possible.  Katy made a start to one, using this Jelly Roll of Christmas fabrics ......

 

sub-cutting some of the strips and deciding on a layout for them

 

later, we ordered Chinese food

 

I had my favourite chicken chow mein

 

yesterday morning we went for a walk in Kelso.  The sun was shining and the sky was blue - a perfect background for these old chimneys

 

I want a window like this one!

 

Malcolm took this photo (the boy has talent!)

 

as well as tractors and rusty things, I also like boats!

 

and you know I love herons

 

this is Floors Castle, home of the Duke and Duchess of Roxburghe

 

I finished the baby quilt.  These aren't the best of photos, as it was another dull, grey day

 

I also finished my ripple rug!

 

I also made a start to quilting the little teddy bear quilt for Linus

 

on Friday, I got these fabrics from Sandra, our wonderful Linus Lady - I'll show you tomorrow wwhat I have done with them!

Shadow Shot Sunday

It's just as well that I have lots of shadow photos from our holiday, as there haven't been many shadows about this week!  Todays selection were taken in Manly, Sydney

 

 

 

To see more shadows from around the world, pop over to Shadow Shot Sunday 2, which is hosted by Magical Mystery Teacher, Rose and Gemma.

I'm not here!

I'm out having fun, but through the magic of blogging, I'm here too!!  I'm at Borderland Fabrics, where we are having one of our "quilt till you wilt" sessions, eating Chinese food, catching up with friends who don't usually come on Fridays ..... and we might even do some sewing!  I will be doing more work on the clamshells

 

and making a start to the embroidery on the Needle Nookie

 

 

as always over the weekend I will be busy sewing, and hopefully the weather will be good on Sunday for us to get out for a good long walk.  I hope you all have a good weekend, love Anne

 

Driftwood creations

No - I haven't taken up yet another craft, it is of course Malcolm who has been making things with driftwood.  First was the C*****mas tree on canvas, with some stamping to add that little extra something

 

then this fabulous tree ...... I want one, but that was the last of the driftwood, so we will have to try to get to a beach to find some more (Malcolm has just said he will sell that one to me!!)

 

as always happens at this time of year, I have received some cards, wrapping paper and a calendar from the Red Cross (and of course a request for a donation!).  In the past I haven't used these cards, as I thought that friends might be offended if I gave them a "free" card, but I now use them, as they advertise the good work that the Red Cross does, both at home and abroad

 

this morning I met my friend Lorraine in Jedburgh, as we were going to a charity craft fair.  As it was held in someone's home, I couldn't take photos, and as most of the stuff was frightfully expensive (and most of the ladies there were frightfully posh!) we didn't buy anything, although I did make a hefty donation to the charity for our cuppas and tiny mince pies.  We then went for lunch ...... we used to meet reguarly for lunch, but for various reasons, we haven't done so for months.  Lorraine is so used to my taking photos, that she doesn't start eating until I have snapped the food!  She had brie and cranberry sandwiches ........

 

...... while I couldn't resist the coronation chicken

 

I had taken along the two photo books that I got here, one with photos from Australia, and the other with photos from Singapore (click on the photo to have a closer look)

 

so why did I take a photo of the street sign?  Because there is a Cairnhill Road in my home town of Airdrie.  I didn't realise how interesting my home town is until I found it on Wikipedia - I shall have to read all about it later!!

As well as getting the photobooks, I also had one of my photos turned into a canvas ......

 

..... and another one made into this, which is described as an aluminium mounted print, but looks like it is covered in acrylic

 

that one is on the wall in the kitchen, and when I was taking a photo of it, I noticed the fruit bowl was looking good!

 

 

 

A big delivery

I was in the bath this morning when these logs were delivered, so I missed seeing what kind of machine lifted them off the lorry - boohoo!

 

in no time at all Malcolm had them neatly stacked in the garage ...... I wonder what he will make with the pallet?

 

I mentioned recently that my Dad had taken me to see where my Grandparents' shop was in Glasgow.  I think Granny and Grandpa were only in their 50s when this photo was taken, but they look much older!

 

it had just been one of those days when there hadn't been anything much to take photos of ...... then the robin appeared for his bath!

 

as it has been windy, he had to share his bath with some leaves

 

to finish ...... this bag from the Botanic Garden in Sydney caught my eye in the studio today ........ I wonder what it reminds me of?!

Tiny tags

This morning I popped into The Reiver's Moon Gallery with the cards that I hope are going to sell like hot cakes!  I had spent some time on the packaging and presentation.  I bought the luggage labels on ebay (very cheap!) and trimmed the bottom with fancy scissors.  The hearts were recycled from labels I hade made for something else which hadn't sold.  I put these labels on packs of cards

 

on the back I put a sticker.  The label is stuck on to the paccket with a clear seal, the idea being that you can remove the label and transfer it to the outer wrapping if you are giving them as a present

 

for single cards, I made tiny labels using my Cuttlebug

 

I found this pink and white string in my stash - perfect!

 

one of the orchid cards with its little tags - and the box of the clear seals

 

I have decided that next year is going to be "The Year of Using It Up" ...... and this afternoon I made an early start when I got our my card making supplies, which I haven't used for some time.  First I made these cards using photos which I got ages ago - I had ordered postcards, but when they arrived they were photos (I did get a refund).  I wan't sure if I should use rafia or string, but having asked Malcolm's opinion, I went with the string

 

I then made this batch using a piece of old sheet music that I bought some time ago in an Oxfam shop for 50p!

 

there was an amazing sunset tonight ....

 

but the crows which were massed over the house were slightly scary!