Corner of my home...the peaceful place...

Well time has a whole new meaning for me, for the first time is sooooooo long I actually have some to fill, using my own initiative to fill it, rather than having it filled for me by looking after little people. Its been a difficult week and not helped by the fact that I am car-less, so I am at home in the school hours and getting stuff done...boring stuff like housework, after eight years of surface cleaning I am finally doing the real thing...
So when you get sucked into this world of cleaning, I can not believe I am actually talking about this as I loath cleaning with a passion...I escape to my peaceful place for some sanity. Now I have taken up the challenge set by Monkee Maker (go read this girls blog if you don't laugh out load you don't have a pulse) on the 14th September she asked if we would share with blog land our favourite knitting spots, well I have a few, but this one is my favourite. My BED!!! Once the kids are in bed, the animals are fed, lunch boxes packed, toys put away etc...well its some down time. I like nothing better than making a pot of tea (all special with a tea pot, pretty tray cover and milk jug maybe even a homemade cookie), plug in the ipod or put on a movie and just relax...I have big feather filled cushions and with the dark nights setting in I love the colour of my bedroom (yes I know I wanted to change it in the summer, it is a winter colour...great at Christmas) its warm and cosy and just for ME!!! So with all this Autumn cleaning I have been doing I took a break early in the week and made something just for ME! (See the 'me' word again...so not used to being on my own it sounds indulgent) Now I adore the Heather Bailey range of fabrics, it also helps that I read through, as most of us did, the whole experience of her going from an idea to the fabric being in the shops. In the UK we are always so slow to catch on to things and the fabric was unavailable unless you had a pay pal account. The wonderful Small Fox and I did a swap, I sent some Liberty fabric and she sent me the Heather Bailey fabric, in four different colour ways. (We swapped other cool stuff too).
It has been on top of my Fat Quarter shelf all summer, to scared to cut into it. Now I was doing a search on ebay and came across a sale in the UK, just a one day one, with the wonderful H.B. fabrics...I ordered some straight away, infact I went a little mad. SO this meant I could dip into my stash without fear, they had been ear marked for a handbag and small quilt...Not anymore...
I had embroidered the tea cup and 'Suzie Sews' on a piece of linen scrap, one of those project just lying around to pick up and do a stitch here and there. So I put the two together and two hours later...Hey presto!!! a personal cushion, I adore the colours and the way the textures of the fabric really sing together, I did a fold opening as to a zip as I hate it when you snuggle in and the metal gets you just in the side of your face...OK! OK! its also much quicker and easier...
As if by magic, just as I finished it the postie arrived with my new batch of labels.
Have a great weekend, if I can work out some transport its my patchwork course this weekend, a children's party and no other plans...hopefully a relaxing time should be had.

Memories are made of these...

It is a beautiful crisp, dry day with clear blue skies and a nip in the air and the joy from my youngest when he discovers he has 'Dragon Breath'. The camper van broke down today so alas it was a walk to school...When we saw the conker trees we just had to stop and pick up conkers, it was at this moment I knew that the summer had ended. The nights are drawing in and the warmth of the sun is only slight. When we sat round the supper table and enjoyed a candle lit meal (great for getting greens into the little one) I knew I had to face facts... So today I say goodbye to the summer and all that it means to me and remember a few of the bits that will carry me through the cold winter months. The results from the summers beach combing with a memory in every pebble, shell and sea glass, the most worn outfit...
The jewels that came from the beach (see necklaces above and below) A pretty shell with a whole in just the right place and a beach pebble worn away by the sea, I am wearing this everyday at the moment... The memories of the garden play, hours and hours of just enjoying the simple pleasure of the children playing, Mommy knitting or sewing and lots, I will say that again, LOTS of splashing. Ice cream, outdoor painting, camping, swimming, sand castles and beach huts, this summer had it all, not to mention an amazing amount of RAIN...On the creative side, the knitted mice took over the house, I learnt to crochet on a beach, my 'Linda' memory quilt was made, lots of yummy yarn and fabric was stashed away. The kids being creative as usual, I encouraged them to use what was around them and their learning through play was all about fabric, from a visit to a working mill, watching my oldest work the sewing machine for the first time to tie dying in the back garden...
SO today is the acceptance that will allow me to let go of this special season and for me to enjoy the Autumn delights...

Music of the summer...It has to be Jamiroquai and especially 'this corner of the earth' this may or not be the title, this is from memory...yep I really have played it that many times...

'Little darling don't you see the sun is shinning just for you if you hurry you can get a ray.

Like every humming bird and bumble bee, every flower, cloud and every tree I feel so much a part of it.

Nature has got me high and its beautiful, This corner of the earth is like me in many ways, I could just sit here for hours.

I am blessed when the sunlight comes for FREE...'

Yep that's my summer!

The day has come...

The day has come when my youngest started school, his first full day...I really do not want to talk about it as at the moment, it all feels VERY strange, after a sleepless night which involved a long cuddle with him at 4.ooam and tears whilst I made up his lunch box, would he be able to open it?could he get the top of his pudding? etc...well, as you can imagine I am a bit of a mess. SO on to things more joyful, on Friday morning I awoke to sounds by my bedroom door...'Oh the children are up'...I opened the door to hear giggles and this left for me to discover...One of my many knitting books, with various bits of pink paper and the adorable writing by my older child. Asking me to look in the book on the pages marked with more pink paper, and a note to ask for me to knit something in particular...a woolly sheep!!!
So whats a Mommy supposed to do...drop all her currant projects and get knitting sheep that's what! I had the wool in my stash, it was intended for a cow, but a sheep is good! Now the thrill for me is my older one despite loving his Rummage Mouse and Smiling Croc I have knitted him, he is not a fan of my knitting. He groans when I go into a knitting shop, fabric he's pretty cool about...wool however, is not his cup of tea. So with the slightest bit of interest and I am going to make the most of it...
Well the weekend was not as productive as I had hoped it was going to be, the sheep did have something to do with this. We got up on Saturday and spent the morning in our PJ's. As usual some baking with the kids, more cookies and pancakes. Then I went into overdrive to prepare for the nights dinner. We had some friends coming over, the usual dilemma of what to cook...well with the latest cookery programmes on telly here in the UK I was some what influence by what I cooked.
Menu...
Poppadoms with various dips and relish including a mixed dressed tomato salad from Jamie Oliver's latest series using some of my own home grown tomatoes.
Chicken 'Fruity' Curry served with brown lime rice, roasted peppers and olives. (Forgot to put the extra limes on the table)
Pudding a selection of chocolate delights...Chocolate strawberries (well what was left of them after my oldest and I had made and sampled them) A RICH chocolate mousse from the Nigella Express series and a selection of chocolates with coffee. All quick and easy, I made the curry while we had our aperitifs at the start of the evening. I so adored the mousse...yum, Now in the Nigella Lawson series she claims to make the mousse along with a three course meal with in 30mins including time for her to get ready...I would really like to know how she does this. It was quick I grant you, but the pudding alone took me nearly twenty minutes and a good two hours for the mousse to set. SO be warned if you wish to make this, give yourself some time, its worth it, but maybe smaller portions because it really is sweet 'n' rich!!! I would post the recipe but do not know about copyright for this, I know I see lots of recipes in blogland, indeed I have cooked some of them, so I guess it must be OK.
Anyway the food seemed to go down well, but my hint as a host...always provide lots to drink that way everyone is too 'tiddled' to care what they are eating!!!

A season of great change...

I am trying so hard to remain positive and upbeat about all the changes going on around me. I am trying to have some sewing or knitting time each day just to keep me sane. First of all I can now report that I have accepted that summer is over, with great reluctance I must add. This might be down to the fact that our camper van needed to have the frost scraped of it the other morning and the next day I awoke to glorious sunshine, pulled on my shorts went outside to let the rabbit out and MAN!!! was it cold...The sun might have been shinning, but there was no strength to its rays. I eventually gave in and put on my wide legged linen trousers and a long sleeved top. Funny wearing clothes with legs and arms in them seems almost claustrophobic. I have spent some great mornings with my little one before he starts full time at school next Monday as he is still only (only she says) on half days. Everything we do seems bitter sweet, lots of this will be the last time!!!

Monday I went to my last National Childbirth Trust coffee mornings. I have been involved in this charity for over eight years and worked in many different roles. Both my children have been involved in the coffee mornings and the charity events...they really do have the T'shirts to prove it. Funny how something that was once so much a part of your life suddenly just stops and you move on to something else. My little one and I have spent time just relaxing, reading, baking, crafting and chatting. Did I mention thrifting yes we both love the little round of charity shops followed by a drink in our favourite tea shop to look at our prized goodies. Today he asked asked what I will do when he is at school...As you are aware (and possibly fed up with) I am not looking forward to it, I have been asked numerous times if am I going to get a job, or how am I going to fill the time, one kind person even suggested I needed a 'Project' to keep my mind off it all. Me a 'project' can you imagine...
Well yes I am going to find it very lonely without my little guys for company, I am sure I will also even miss the constant need for milk, loo trips, blowing noses etc... So with all this emotional stuff going on in my head I thought I would get a grip and take action...so finally I am making some 'House' plans. As time has gone on I have started to get more elaborate with my ideas and plans. The main one is sorting out my sewing room (studio or as it is really known as...the play room)! I have previously posted pictures of my sewing area, and been very open about the fact that it is actually the children's playroom, the above picture is the reality of what I look at when I am sewing, the 'other' half of the room. Well its going to get transformed, its taken a lot of thought as I potentially have three rooms I could make my sewing room, obviously the other rooms have a purpose and its a case of juggling it all around to work. So after the beginning on next week I shall allow the Monday to be tearful and generally sad at the silence in the house then it 'Action stations'...

I bid you a very good and healthy weekend and the next time I write my role in life will be shifted, but Oh! I have great plans...

WIP update...I am working on a few Craft Fair products at the moment, wishing jars and more knitted mice, the Dino knitted sweater is getting the odd row done every so often, lots of sewing for gifts including a toy for the tooth fairy to take those precious teeth over to fairy land...I will post more next week plus my giveaway, as promised...

PHOTOGRAPHS: 1)Thrifted cake stand with new cup cake candles2)dishes off my Mom, eventually she gave them to me rather then bin them Yippee!3)This weeks thrifted goodness, yes I know I could have done it myself, it was the thought someone had spent so long knitting it and finished off with great care I felt I had to give it a home that would really appreciate it4)The reality that it the Sewing and playing room!!!

Tag...questions

Well I have been managing to read a few blogs this week, not as many as I would like to, I am so enjoying this questioning tag. Artsy Crafty Babe made an open invitation to join in, so I thought I would, please feel free to join me. I think it is a great way to find out a bit more about the person behind the blog and why they do what they do. I get asked all the time 'WHY DO YOU DO IT' ???So here goes...

1)Do you promote your blog? No not really other than than when I read someones blog I like to leave a comment, or I feel like I have been peeking secretly at someones diary. Friends and family know I blog, most are not even interested enough to ask what I write under, although two people I have not seen through the summer commented to me this week that they had read my blog. All positive stuff, but I always imagine that no one knows me, it did spook me a little. See I am not as confident as I might come across as.

2. How often do you check hits? You can do you do this? I have no idea how you go about this, if anyone can tell me...in a simple way, I would be grateful, although I would hate to worry if I have enough or too few hits...would this lead to 'Oh not many hits today...I must change the way I write' etc...

3. Do you stick to one topic? Well NO, I blog as Suzie Sews, I used to comment as Suzie Knits then I found out about the famous Wendy Knits and thought people might think I have copied her, so I changed it, as my blog suggest in the header 'SUZIE SEWS and knits and Mothers etc...' I write about the creative side of my life...a lot of things effect it from the day to day stuff so sometimes I go a little off topic.

4. Who knows that you have a blog? Immediate family and some friends, as I mentioned most people are not the slightest bit interested 'Blogging whats that' a few have taken an interest and the feed back has been positive, although most just do not read it, I guess they already think I am a bit obsessive with my projects without having it confirmed (unless they do it secretly). I guess I am just wired a bit differently to most of the people around me as if someone I cared about was doing something they are enthusiastic about I would be interested in it as it makes them who they are. I have two very close friends who have moved away, I miss them terribly, they 'get' who I am and its a great way to keep them in touch with them.

5. How many blogs do you read? To many to be as productive in my free time as I should be. I have a core of about ten blogs I read daily and a lot I read every week or so as I enjoy sitting with a cuppa and catching up with them, I pop in and out of others through links and comments, often I hit on one that really interests me and gets added to the 'must read' list.

6. Are you a fast reader? NO not really, I scan words, if something catches my eye I then give it my full attention. I often read books like this, something I picked up from having children as you do not have the luxury of time to read everything you want.

7. Do you customise your blog or do anything technical? Ahhh!!!! scary...no I am to scared. I want to put a banner up, every time I try the picture takes up the whole page and I can not shrink it, I put a few buttons on etc and would like to put up a book list as I am always buying books, especially craft related. Although there is a down size to this, my computer is a few years old now, the memory struggles and some blogs take ages to load and some I just can not get to load FULL STOP, usually because they are heavily customised.

8. Do you blog anonymously? NO, I am who I am, the feed back from people who know me say 'It is like you can hear me talking' I do not try and make myself into someone I am not. I admit to being very creative (that does not mean I am good at it, just creative) and my personality matches it, sometimes I am a bit gushy and I think a lot about things, actions words things I see and say, I worry a lot too. I guess this comes across. I am a mother of two and I had planned not to talk about my children, I can not help it, they are all part of it. YES I am careful about what I post regarding my children, I do not want to take chances, I know its a mean world out there, one of my favourite bloggers in the last year stopped posting photo's of her children and eventually stopped blogging due to something happening to here pictures. I felt very sad and angry about this.

9. To what extent do you censor yourself? Oh LOTS, I have a little routine when I blog, first I pick my pictures then I just type away, loads and loads of words, being dyslexic I allow myself not to worry about the spelling just yet, then I read over it and delete easily half and then play about with the words, basically I edit it to say what I want to, but keep the interest held...I can go on a bit... I do not call it witter for nothing. Then it gets reduced even further as I take some of the raw emotions out of it and check the spelling, although very often poor spelling slips through...I am always surprised that when I do write something that is very personal to me, and I just have to put it out there, the comments are always at there most genuine. I do not want to 'bitch' this is unproductive and just hurts people. I am not here to debate or start up negative conversation on politics, religion or even child rearing...As these topics are all part of my life then I guess I do censor a lot, but the purpose of my blog is craft related...knitting sewing baking, mothering and a little about the women behind it all.

10. What do you like most about blogging? The inspiration is the biggest part of it for me and escape from the real world, it seems to be a much more friendlier place to be, I feel I can sit down with a cuppa and have a 'chat' with so many like minded people who do not think I am odd because I like to feel fabric and yarn run through my hands! It is a way for me personally to finally write. I have always kept a journal or inspiration books and I have written editorials and articles for a local magazine, so it is something I enjoy but with years of being thought of as stupid because of the dyslexia it is a path I have dare not walk down...until now. OH and the photographs, yep I have always taken pictures... I adore pictures, if you have been on holiday and have a whole load of pictures bring them to me. No I do not get bored I really do enjoy other peoples pictures. I have told stories all my life without words and used pictures instead. It is the gift from my (sadly departed) Dad that I treasure the most...Thanks Dad. Every click of the shutter with his camera I felt his hand over mine.

Accepting the change...

Accepting the change...the change of so much in my life, I have found myself reflecting all week. Usually after every holiday I suffer post holiday blues, this time it is so much more, after nearly seven weeks of freedom from time restraints and all the great beach time (despite the weather reducing it somewhat) I am finding it hard to find my rhythm. Add to that the change in my Mothering status with both my children starting school I am really having to work hard at being positive and make myself look for the beauty in the simple things that surround me. I am also admitting to myself (still with great reluctance) that the summer season is drawing to a close and Autumn is starting to show signs of its arrival. Our favourite tree in the garden, the one we sit under in the summer when the sun is to strong for the children's delicate skin, is dropping leaves, the centre of the tree has turned yellow, it is a beautiful happy colour, yet still it pulls at my heart strings...eventually the garden will be covered in leaves and slowly the lushness of it all with fade. Soon, yes soon I am sure I will embrace the season, but just for now I notice the chill in the air, we sit outside less to eat, no knitting has been done in the garden whilst I watch the children play, we plan our days out rather than lazy days around the paddling pool. Reading blogs last year really helped me with this transition of the season, to read the outdoor nature trails, bags made in Autumn shades, children's crafting..painting leaves, acorn hats etc...so soon I will throw myself into it, just let the sun shine a little longer...
The advantage of the breeze is the washing is dry so quickly, as I had bought so much fabric last weekend I washed it all and had it ironed all in two days (see first picture). I went in search of good quality linen I was not disappointed. The plan was to sew some 'lounging around the house trousers'...but I had to have immediate gratification...so I made a row of little 'pull along' ducks. Sadly they did not pull along as they need to be more 3D so I need to work on this design (the basic design was from a book, the name of which I do not have to hand). I packaged them up as gifts and put in a few quilting pins to indicate the use as a pin cushion.
Suddenly there seems to be lots of babies and lots of little gifts needing to be made, and just at the right time my Amazon order arrived and in it was the book 'Simple Gifts to Sew'. Now I have a lot of craft books as most of us do, some are just pretty, some are useful and some are better left in the shop, this book however really caught my imagination, well actually you do not need an imagination except to take the designs a little further to make them more personal. It is clear easy projects, slightly different from the usual pillows and embroidered tea towel, not that there is anything wrong with this, and I have most of the materials already in my sewing room. SO with a free afternoon (very unusual for me) I immediately dipped into my stash...a few hours later many little gifts had been made...my kind of crafting, a little relief from the hours of quilting I have done this summer.
So once the gifts are made I can not wait to get them packaged up and given out. Later in the afternoon I did the dreaded weekly food shop, browsing down the reduced section of all the school stationary and school bags which are now all half price...I came across these little magnets for pence...(34p) Now I like magnets and I get mine usually from a children's resource centre, not cheap either, worth it though as the children make great things with them. SO when I saw these I picked up a few packs, great little stocking fillers (Did I really refer to Christmas then)? All I need to do is remove the magnet itself. Having read through the whole previously mentioned book I really liked the project for fridge magnets for little hands, we use the word magnets on the radiators, obviously when they are not hot! due to the fact that the fridge is set in a cupboard. I have so many piles of oilcloth, as I change our table cloth over every few months, its a big old pine kitchen table, bought from a reclaimer's yard in Oxford, despite lots of cleaning it has lots of groves and ridges from time and use so the oilcloth is a great cover up. I keep them all, but every time I come to redo the table I want something new so I now have a useful project to try out whilst being very environmentally friendly as my older child says 'Mom you have to reuse and recycle'.

With the many changes taking place here at the moment along with it has come some free time. It has been put to great use, for the first time in sooo long I went out for a meal in the evening to a lovely restaurant without the children, if you do not have babes it may sounds silly, those with will know what I mean. I got to wear a silk dress, not something you can do with sticky handed children, shoes that do not need to be flat to enable me to chase after little people, in fact I actually felt quite grown up. To also have some free time in the day, OK I have a house to put back together after its been torn to shreds by numerous children over many years. But I did get time to sew, to read a magazine, to shower without someone wanting me to read to them... Have I convinced you that I am not missing the kids...maybe I am just trying to convince myself!!!
...I miss them with a passion...

Are you really still reading my witter...I thank you:-)

A little crafting going on around here...

I wanted to once again thank you for the very thoughtful comments on my last post. It was not an easy post to write, it involved a few tears and some reservations about it being too personal. I do this blog to journal about my 'making' and try to keep my emotions out of it, but as 'making' is such a big part of my life it is difficult not to mention other things that interact to it. The weather is holding out for us here in the UK so I thought I would share with you a few activities I have been doing whilst making the most of the last days of summer. A little outdoor crafting, or as my youngest says 'What a mess Mommy' Can you spy my Lotty Rabbit? I am sure you all know who made her... the very talented and one of my favourite bloggers Little Cotton Rabbits. I am trying to get a few pin cushions, fabric pins and lavender hearts in some Cath Kidston and Liberty fabric made up, they all involve pretty buttons so my special stash of mixed buttons, vintage and old have come out. Or as a friend likes to tease me...Tat and old.
My youngest is settling into his school and is just so cute in his uniform with his little chubby legs popping out of his shorts, he is only in school in the mornings at the moment so in the afternoons we are making the most of our time together only a few more days and he is full time. We did a little baking, pea nut butter cookies from the very brilliant BILL GRANGER book. Have you seen his lifestyle cookery programme, its on most Sunday mornings here in the UK. It is fab!!! I adore the way its shot, the beach lifestyle (there's a surprise) and the simplicity of his cooking. OK I also think he is gorgeous!
Most summers since giving up work I invest in a cookery book, to try new ideas out, last year it was 'Apples for Jam' again another wonderful look to the book with great pictures although a little fluffy in the wording for me. I invested (or so I thought) in her other cookery book and as I learnt to cook in Greece I thought it would be a great for me, I was sadly disappointed and have not made a single recipe from it. The year before that it was our very own Nigella Lawson 'How to be a Domesticated Goddess' well it turned me into one, not to mention the extra weight I put on, I think every recipe is sinful. Oh enough witter about cooking...just try the cookies, if you like pea nut butter you will love these and talk about simple. A great tip from him is to use an ice cream scoop to get the perfect sized and even shaped cookies, simple but what a tip, as a big cookie maker its a gem for me.

The granny squares are coming along a treat I must have over thirty now and can do them with my eyes closed, well nearly. I am so pleased I took the time to learn to do this, I know I am a bit behind on this and most people have already got great quilts made in blog land , but if it was not for the wonderful Simple Sparrow I would not have taken the time. I was so inspired to read her postings about how she learnt to do it I persisted and it paid off. Go check it out she has lovely colours going in her squares, plus a lovely blog...oh to live by the sea.
Continuing with making the most of the child's play...look what we made yesterday. Yes I have a lovely Cath Kidston cow boy tent, but we wanted something straight away, so with a bit of string and my Greek bedspread my little poppet and I came up with this. Given some thought I am sure something really cool could be made here, maybe I will work on that for next year. I am thinking big quilt with pockets for the stones. I think this idea is inspired by soule mamas beach rugs, she made some at the beginning of the year with little pockets to weight down the corners so as not to get caught with a gust of wind. I think in the UK this is a very good idea...It made the perfect place for youngest to take a nap out of the sunshine, but still be outdoors after all the activity at school and then playing with Mommy.
Talking of the little guy and an even littler one, here they are, do you like his tank top? Yep that's another finished project. He looks adorable in it and cheap to make, so soft! The piggies are now rather big, they are going through a bit of a power struggle at the moment and are grumpy. They went to stay at a kind neighbour for a couple of days when I was away as my usual sitter was unavailable, she put them in with her piggies (pleased to say they are all girls) which I would have been far to scared to try and they have not really been the same since, Lola is very skittish now and gives lots of warning nips although never to the children. I am trying to sit with them each night and give them cuddles to see if I can get them back to being the best of friends, they have even started to sleep in different parts of their home. If anyone has any words of wisdom about them please feel free to leave advice. As for Archie (THE BIG) bunny, he is adorable and just follows me around like a little puppy at the moment, I think he misses the children too. One of the school gate Moms said she was going to get a dog now her babes had started school as she needed something to fill her time with, funny how we are all dealing with this stage in our lives.

PS Trying to contact Foxgoves in the breeze...if your reading please drop me a contact.

In memory of a VERY special person...

It took most of the summer, but it is now finished, my quilt made with the Memory of my cousin 'Linda' sewn in with every stitch and inch of fabric...In one day I managed to do all the binding even all the hand stitching, it was quite funny to be sat in the sun in my shorts with the quilt wrapped around me as I hand sewed the binding on the back, if Linda was watching she would have thought me a complete numpty! I have known my cousin Linda all my life, she was ten years older than me and I have always looked up to her and her sister. As a child we spent a lot of time together, we shared family holidays. I guess for Linda she would rather play with my brother, she was the kind of kid that just got in there and joined in, the rough and tumble suited her play. One family holiday at a working farm, we discovered the hey loft and I can remember watching my brother and Linda and her sister just jumping and rolling around in the hey, as for me I was too young to be allowed to join in as they jumped from bale to bale and down great heights.
As she moved into adulthood I stayed at her house and watching her get ready, the shoes, the bags, her bedroom filled with pieces of pretty china. I was into pop posters and generally uncomfortable at being a teenager, so again I looked in wounder and this person. Linda was an amazing knitter, the best I have ever come across, not a stasher she did one project at a time and the things this lady knitted...just amazing, traditional complicated aran sweaters, often knitting for friends children and a whole knitted outfit...simply stunning.
As with most knitters she was good with the hook to, I have fond memories of sitting with her and her Mom teaching me to crochet, OK I only got as far as a long chain (and I mean LONG) and a little mat for my dolls house that would not lie flat, but it is Linda I guess that started my love of all things with Yarn. As a knitter now myself I can really appreciate just what a talent she had. Linda was diagnosed with Cancer and was given three months to live, I remember the phone call from my Dad when she had told him, my Mom and Dad adored her, especially my Dad as they both had the same naughty and rather saucy sense of humour. When I went to see her I was shocked at how well she looked, having watched a couple of close people suffer this dreadful disease I was expecting her to look very ill. Well what can I say...three months...no way not with Linda's love of live...she sure showed the doctors that she was not going to take this news lightly and she remained with us a lot longer.
Sadly through all of this my Dad was then diagnosed with cancer and within weeks he passed away, Linda and her sister came to visit him in the hospice. Where as Linda was still looking vibrant my dad had deteriorated quickly (although he never lost his character). As I mentioned my Dad and Linda had a special bond, I think to see my Dad like this hit her hard emotionally. We are not a close family now, we do not spend much time as a family together despite how close we live. This has always saddened me. SO I did not see Linda as much as I wanted to and indeed towards the end my Mom suggested I stay away. I did visit her (secretly) in the hospice a few times. Once I took a Rowan knitting book and she chatted to me about what she was going to knit when she got home, the next visit we talked about how knitting was not something she had any inclination to do, I left her very heavy hearted. The knitting book was returned to me later by the family unread, this broke my heart as only a knitter would understand the true meaning behind this. My last visit she talked about being ready to go now. We lost her earlier this year, despite her suffering, she always had a smile, she always made an effort when you visited her, she supported others in the hospice. A more beautiful, smiling person you could not hope to meet. There is great loss now in the people she has left behind.
So as I thought of all these memories whilst I cut, sewed and put together this quilt the memories of this special person are well and truly sewn in (with love) into this quilt. Rest in peace my cousin. To hear her laughter one more time would be a true gift.

Angels

Well what a welcome back to blogging, thank you so much for taking the time to actually comment. It amazes me that anyone reads my witter (as it does my family) the fact that you actually take time out of your own day to leave a comment really does make such a difference and for that I thank you so much. Well I have managed to read a couple of blogs this last week, and there is so much talk of Autumn. I have to say that I will be taken kicking and screaming into it as I so want this summer to continue just a little longer, after all, here in the UK we have only had a couple of weeks of it. SO I am still thinking outdoors, sunshine and playing with the children. Do not get me wrong, since my last post an amazing amount of sewing and knitting has been accomplished. I am sure over the next couple of days I will share with you the the products that my hands have been working on, especially my memory quilt for my cousin Linda, its finished... I also have my giveaway to do. But for now its a beach post once again. I love, I so LOVE this picture of my children, as most Moms do, I call my babes little Angels (and sometimes they are, but not always) to me this photo really captures the spirit of them from their Mommy's prospective. Holding hands, bare feet, outdoors and just so cute, yer I know I am biased!!!!
This weekend we took a trip in the camper van, I have a bit of a tradition in going to Wales for the start and end of the summer season. We packed up on Saturday morning and took the long drive to the coast. We got there early evening and went straight to our favourite restaurant and had a great meal outside. This trip we took an extra person, the children's Daddy came with us. After our meal we drove down to the beach, there was very little daylight left and the boys just ran straight into the sea, casting aside their shoes and shorts as they went. As soon as the chill hit the air the boys started moving around stones in the hope of a camp fire, sadly this was not to be and a damn was built instead, later we cuddled up in our blankets my older babe was sad to see very few stars and he commented on his wish for lots of stars, 'Mommy last time we came here at night you and I lay on the sand and made sand angels and looked at the stars.' Once again, how a child can touch your heart with words alone. Sadly our traveling partner is not a beach fan and it breaks my heart to see him try so hard to join in with something he just does not feel. We are all different, but the beach is such an important part of my life, I love the feelings and emotions it brings and I so want to share them. To see someone just not feel it is a sad thing indeed. I guess I am more reserved too so as not to come across and the silly Mom that I really am when playing with my kids.
I awoke before anyone else the next morning, I was also the last to go to bed for I sat and knitted and listened to Brenda's Cast-on podcast. The view that welcomed me was amazing, the beach, the sun rising and the silence, Oh so silent! We packed a picnic and headed to the beach, well two beaches, one is a wild beach with dangerous sea, but so amazing especially when you have it virtually to yourself. The second is a child friendly beach we dug out boats, swam in the sea and curled up in the tent. Again the boys Daddy watched the children play, but with the irritation of the sand and the chill in the air, it was not the amazing beach day for him that was for the children and me. You know when you care for someone and you really want to share with them your hopes and dreams and what makes you , well you!!! Sometimes it just does not work. I guess it works both ways, he is more into jumping off mountains with a bit of fabric to break his fall, flying in the sky without a parachute, the rush of adrenalin that he enjoys is the stuff of nightmares for me. Still for the children we do what we can in the hope that they get a varied zest for life.
We did manage to get him to pick up a few stones though when we went beach combing:-)
Now in case I had not tortured this poor man enough, on the way to the beach we made a diversion to Abakhan fabrics, it was a stop for a picnic and for me to stock up on fabric, after all I needed more, right? So I am off to wash it all and get it put in the stash all ready for action and a promise to you that the next following posts will return to the the works in progress. Forgive my beach time indulgence.

A beautiful Island...

I forget sometimes how beautiful this Island is. For years as a young women growing up I chose to live abroad, I had a ball living throughout Europe. Paris in the Autumn, Spain in the winter, Greece in the summer etc... I moved around for a few years, always believing that the place I was in was so much more exciting that the United Kingdom. Maybe it is an age thing, you know that dreaded word...maturity! I do not know the the answer, just that I have come to love this land. I have lived in different parts of the UK too. Scotland, London, Oxford the Cotswold's, North South East and West. I adore the beautiful beaches of Cornwall the warmth of the sea and the special light in that part of the world. For many years Scotland was special, I felt that maybe this was my true home, then the excitement of living in the capital (London) also held my attention as a young career women, BUT nothing touches my soul like Yorkshire...
From the Romance of the Moors (Bronte Sisters) to the majestic and often spooky beaches of the coast line (Whitby and Dracula), there is so much history here especially in the wool and cotton trade, some of the mills remain with a working identity, some have been transformed to amazing conversions for homes and one is still a working Mill to teach the future generations of its amazing history that is now just taken for granted.
Yes, if you asked me the place that moves me, that brings out emotions in me that once I would have laughed at, it would have to be Yorkshire. So I return from my week in a cute little cottage by the Yorkshire Coast. The weather was good and the memories will warm me as we approach the turn of the season and head in to Autumn, already the day light is less and the shade covers the garden...the signs of the changes are near. Just for now though I will hold on to the memories, running in and out of the sea, the children as happy as, well 'sand boys' the need for ice cream, and laughter around the garden table as food is enjoyed outside and the smell of a fire on the beach just to be able to stay on the beach for a few hours longer...
The weather has not been kind this season and most of us have had to make the most of the little sun we have had, but as I reflect on the past seven weeks of the summer holiday, the vacations and the time shared with friends, I can say that this has been a special time, with lots of things made and learnt. I sat with my children last night as we prepared for the start of school, we chatted about our summer and our favourite things and we agreed that this has been a special summer. I know that both my babes are at an age when they will remember this time for many years. To be able to provide them with childhood memories is a job as a parent I do not take lightly.
Between us we have laughed, crafted, danced and had fun. We spent time with friends and we missed others, we might not have done some of the things we planned and we missed out on a lot of body boarding due to the rain, but as summers go it was pretty cool. I sit in silence now, the house is a shambles and much work is needed to done...the silence is weird...the house has been full of noise for weeks now, to sit on my own feels wrong...no one asking for juice or 'what can we make Mommy'... 'what are we doing today Mommy'... 'can I ride my bike Mommy'... ???
No it is silent and today I took my babes to school, both of them filled with a mixture of nervousness and excitment. I left my youngest sitting crossed legged on his new mat in his new class room in his new school in his new uniform...did I feel sad...did I cry...You bet!!!

Its time to befriend my sewing machine again...

Photos...The Yorkshire coastline

Return to Home

Well that is it, today is the last day of the summer holiday's, yes I am very sad, but I still have the last day! I am just popping in to say hello and then I am off to spend the last precious hours of this special time with my kids, and the sun is shinning...Yippee!!! This six weeks has been a blast, and boy did we stuff it with great things. Mostly beach time, time with special friends and always in the great company of my children. I will share some of the beach days with you towards the end of the week. Having just returned from our week at a little Sea Side Cottage, feeling fresh and sun kissed, one of the first things we did, a nice pot of afternoon tea and a lovely cream cake!!! Catch up with you soon...