Bargain time!

I finshed work early today (11.50 precisley!) and I knew that I was very close to DunElm, so I knew that I had to go and have a look.  So, glad that I did:

I made an amazing purchase:

They seemed to be having a major change around and had rolls of fabric on offer: this was £9.99, yes £9.99 - for 10metres!  When was the last time I bought fabric at less than £1 metre.  And look at the fabric:

Its so beautiful, kind of a brushed heavy cotton.  It is perfect for full length curtains in my bedroom, which is painted a duck egg blue (I do also want to paper a wall this summer, to make a feature wall)

It will go so fabulously with my quilt too:

I can't wait to get started!

Also, my early finish meant that I could get home, do some revision and then have time to go and visit Zoe, who only has 10days left until the baby is due, AND to do some catching up

Another block for the mystery quilt: I still have one to do.  They look really great all together

Apparently next week we will start sewing some blocks together, so I had better get a move on with the last block.  I'm guessing that there are other blocks to come as well.

Sunday cramming

My Sundays seem to get busier and busier as I try to cram a whole weekend into one day!
I got up nice and early (7.30 - on a Sunday!!) and studied until about 11: things are starting to become clearer but I am also aware that I really need to put in for my next exam soon!
Then I wrote an email to the carnival committee, telling them how badly they let us down yesterday.  After several emails back and forth, I am hoping that things will get better!
I finished this:

 How fabulous does it look next to my cathedral windows cushion. I really love this, its so bright.  Can't wait to flop on the settee later.
And I have been so busy in my front and back garden.  I wish I took before pictures so you could compare the after pictures!  I didn;t take any of the front, but this is my back garden:

Its not big but its all mine (well, I suppose I share it with the mortgage company!)  The decking needs repainting: need to get round to that!

This is a chocolate plant: sadly it doesn't grow chocolate ( how cool would that be!) but it does smell of chocolate, next best thing I suppose!

This is the end of the garden, that gets all the sun at the end of the day.  The acer at the back was a bargain buy a couple of years ago for a few pounds: it looks fantastic now

I tend to keep everything in pots: I think it is a throw back to having always moved house at least every three years (I was an Air force child and then an Air Force wife!) - the girls and I have been here for 10 years now, but I can't seem to get over that : we might move one day scenario!

And then this is the lavender that I chopped off today, to dry out: with a well deserved glass of wine.

Beccy and I have grilled haloumi and salad (and chips!) for tea tonight, so I had better go prepare!

Well, the weather was sunny but.....

I am exhausted!  Today we attended a neighbouring carnival, one of many we will be going to.  The weather was fabulous again.  We were very badly let down by the organiser of the Tiptree carnival, who was meant to have a driver sorted out to tow the float.  It was on/off all week and last night confirmed as definately on.
Then at 11 am this morning we are told there is no float - by which time the girls are all ready to go

So, we decided to go and see if we can hitch a ride on another float. When we got there, we were told that the organiser had cancelled us at 9.30 last night: but had just never told us!
Anyway, with no thanks to her, the girls hitched a ride with another court and we had a wonderful day

The 3 girls get on well together and made the most of the day.  They are starting to get to know the other carnival courts and make new friends

We have another carnival next weekend and have been told that if the girls dont want to walk then they need to sort out their own transport.  So, to the organiser of Tiptree carnival (who obviously doesn't even know this blog exists) : we won't let our girls down and we will overcome your adversities.
Yes, I am cross!  We were promised all sorts - actually all we want is some organisation, but it appears that now that our carnival is over the organisers do not want to be involved, although they say it is important for the girls to turn up to other carnivals so that the Tiptree carnival committe don't look bad.  We are turning up for our girls: not for them.
And, we are looking forward to next weekend

Yummy raspberries

This has been a long week!  I seem to have gone to work early, got in late, sat down and studied and gone to bed.

Anyway, managed to get home early today and caught up with all my house work, so have one less thing to do.

And i picked these from the garden:

Lovely raspberries (and one strawberry) I have had a bumper crop of raspberries this year - love them!

Susan at Canadian Abroad got her PIF gifts this week: that is what I was doing on Sunday.  When I saw last week that she had a birthday this week I knew I had to get a move on

(i have' borrowed' Susans pic, as i can't find mine!)

It was the first time I made the tissued holder, it was so easy to do.  It's on my list to make one for me this weekend.  Anyway, I am so glad Susan liked them all.  She is brillant at leaving comments, not just on my blog, but everyones.  Her blog is a great read too.

Jen is away this weekend, so it is just Beccy and I.  We were meant to be at a local carnival tomorrow, but there is no-one to pull the float.  As of yesterday they had found someone, but this evening it may have all fallen through!! So, who knows.

If it doesn't go ahead we will have a (window) shopping day in Chelmsford tomorrow - and then I will sew!

A drive out and a productive Sunday

I have had a very productive day, so much so, that someone may even have provided me with a few extra hours and I didn't notice.

I did a couple of hours of studying this morning.  Then, Jenny took me out for a drive.  Obviously I have to go with her as she still has her L plates and she needed to get out and practice.  So, I decided to kill tow birds with one stone and let her drive me to the local craft village and the fabric shop about 35 mins away!)  I got just what I wanted (and of course, more than I needed!) there and have made this this evening for Zoes baby which is due in 3 months:

Sorry, not a great picture!  Anyway, I bought two fat quarters: one of peter rabbit and one of pale green check:

I already had the yellow border and the giant ric rak, so got straight on with it. 
When Zoe came round during the week she mentioned that she was looking for peter rabbit stuff, so I knew I had to go to the fabric shop

It is all pinned together, ready for me to decided how to quilt it:  I really don't know at the moment.

I was also very busy this afternoon, but it will be the end of the week before I can show what this entailed....

Jenny did help me out this afternoon, when she offered to do my ironing.  Obviously I took her up on the offer, but I did also feel the need to point out that it wasn't just 'MY' ironing :-)

Jenny Wren

Another saturday with no sewing done :-(.  We left the house just before 8 this morning to go up to Norwich to have a look at the university there for Jenny.

Just before we left I put the washing on the line and out of the corner of my eye saw something climb from the decking into the conservatory.  We do have a resident toad in the garden and I freaked because I thought it had got in the house!

Jenny, who is the resident animal lover assured me it was not a toad and at first we thought it was an injured baby bird.  On closer inspection we think it may have been a wren ( and how often do I call my Jenny 'Jenny wren')

It did not seem to mind us sitting there talking about it and wondering what on earth to do.  Jen decided in the end that we should just leave it there and it would fly off - so we left the room and sure enough it flew off.

University of East Anglia (UEA) was interesting to visit, but neither Jenny or I liked it as much as Chelmsford, although the actual medical facilities (she wants to be a child nurse) were first class, but neither of us got a feel for the rest of the campus.  Still, at least we have comparisons now.  And we did get to sit out in the sunshine listening to an amazing band whilst on campus.

Hugs and Kisses

I have another major finish!

This is my hugs and kisses quilt.  I got the pattern here Henry Glass fabrics: where there are lots of lovely free patterns, all made with the popular fabrics of the moment.

My quilt was made with some fat quarters that I had been saving : I wanted lots of bold fabrics and vibrant colours and I really do like this quilt.

I started it last summer hols and it was an easy one to pull together: nice big sqaures and nothing complicated.  I hand quilted it, stiching around the x's and through the middle crosses.

The green on the back is a sheet that I picked up in the charity shop and then I used the remainder of the purple fabric from the front.

This quilt will be staying with us, because we all love it and I know it will be well utilised!
I am linking up with Lilys fresh sewing day , even though it is not a FWQAL!