Happy New Year 2012

Just a pic of my Pond House BOM so you know I am doing some stitching.  It will be a year in February since I started it, and I have come slowly to a halt.  My NY resolution is to get going again and have something to show you all soon. God Bless all my Blogland friends in 2012. You're a great bunch of women. love B x x

ALQS6

This is the lovely quilt I received from Pam in this year's ALQS.  All the stitching notions are embroidered and embellished with beads. The scissors keep hangs by blue cotton and there are lots of buttons.  I was sooo pleased to get it.  Sorry Pam that it has taken me this long to show and tell.  Thank you for a lovely addition to my growing collection of Little Quilts.  ( Did you notice, Kate, I said 'This Year's ALQS. Do you see how I am hoping for another next year......roll on No. 7 )

I did it.

I have been learning how to put a link into my blog.  I think I've cracked it. My link to Oops-lah works........yippee.  You're never too old to learn something new.

School supplies.cats and dogs, Christmas pouches

Once again girls, I am surprised at how quickly the time has flown.  I last blogged at the beginning of October and now it's almost December.  However, in my defence, I was offline for at least 3 weeks of that as we changed server.  It was good to get back to my laptop, as reading email and blogging by phone is not as good.  Maybe I need a posh phone.  I will have to talk myself into that.  I havent taken pics of everything I have been up to, but here are a few.

My grandaughter wanted a special pencil case for school. She decided on the fabrics and the design.  There are two compartments fastened together with poppers. Each has a little pocket on the outside embellished with a few buttons.  This pencil case has been on the go for two months and is surviving school very well.

I made my little fluffy dog a small quilt.  Why, because her friend Amber insists on taking over the dog bed, and she is too kind to argue.  She does love it tho, even if she looks anxious.  I think she hates the camera.

little Christmas pouches

I saw these on Oops-lah's blog and they were just what I was looking for.  I needed some treat bags for the table when I go our with some friends later this week.  Thank you Vreni. Your pink and white pouches were lovely.  I decided to go for Christmas theme, as this is our Christmas 'night out' together.  I added little jingle bells on the ribbon.  Photos not the best, think I need a posh camera too.  Santa, can you hear me?   I only have two finished. Need some more ribbon.  Shopping tomorrow :-) 

Catch-up

Well, Here I am again. I cant believe it is two months since I blogged.  I have been following everyone else's blogs and enjoying them very much.  What have I been doing.  A little holiday in Connemara. Sitting catching my breath after a hill walk in Connemara National Park

This is Kylemore Abbey.  Well worth a visit if you're in this part of the world.  It was a glorious day and most of the visitors we saw were not english speaking.  It was as if we were in a different country.

These are the formal gardens at the Abbey. In the process of being restored to their former glory.  The backdrop of mountains everywhere made it a perfect holiday break for me and DH.

Still working at my BOM Pond House.  I am waaaay behind, but aim to catch up now the winter evenings are on the horizon.

I made this bag for my friend's significant birthday.  She had a holiday in Cyprus recently and took it along.   The little dachsie bag went inside, as my friend has a well loved dachshund.

 Shh about this one. DD is 37 on Monday and it is for her car.  Do you like the label?  Printed with my inkjet printer after I saw a 'how to' on Oops-lah's blog. Love it.

 This is what I missed when we went to Connemara.  First time ever, a balloon festival near my hometown.  Hope they come back next year.

 Made this little girlie from a tutorial by Beth of love laugh quilt.  It became a tombola prize and was won by a boy who was a bit put out.  His mum loved it though, so it will have a good home.

A little glimpse of what I do while waiting at the school gate each Thursday.  My day to pick up my grandchildren.

I noticed this hanging in a coffee house at Portstewart Baptist Church.  I was there last week for a women's conference.  Thought it was lovely.

Another prize for the tombola at the open day at A Little Horse Trust.  The woman who won it was so delighted I got several hugs during the afternoon.  She was in charge of the pony games demonstration, and stopped to hug me each time she passed 'Her' quilt.

Well, girls, this has become something of a marathon.  Will try to keep up to date in future. Blessings, B x.

ALQS6

http://anotherlittlequiltswap.blogspot.com/  Hi everyone. This is a great quilt swap to take part in.  Why not visit the blog and get all the details. Here is a lovely little quilt I received when I took part in No. 4 swap.

summer things

 First thing a significant birthday at beginning of June. This quilt themed cake was nearly too nice to eat...I said nearly.... it was delicious.

 On the birthday with my kids.

 Another day and my grandson rescued this......

 from this rascal....Amber.

Then a lovely wedding, where the bride made all the floral arrangements, even her bouquets. Look closely, not a fresh flower in sight.

Then another birthday in July. GS has eyes only for the chocolate cake.  It is his mum's 39th.  Have I really made her 39 chocolate cakes..............oooooh!!

Well, June and July have been busy.  With birthdays and sunshine days away, not much stitching done.



We spent a few days at the north coast last weekend.  The weather was glorious.  I even braved travelling in a boat to Rathlin Island.  Not a lover of boats, but it was a great trip.

The Lock keeper's house.

This morning my 2nd D and I had a good walk along the old Newry canal towpath. It was a beautiful morning.  There was masses of this plant along the canal.  It looks like a wild orchid. The canal is only used by canoeists and fishermen now.  Once it was a busy trade route.

I have done some stitching. ALQS6 is on the go. A little glimpse.......

tray cloth for Auntie

Made this little tray cloth for my aunt using Beth's tutorial for disappearing 9 patch as the centre.  The little dog is an embroidered badge from Patsy May. The border is printed to look like pieced, so it was a quickie to brighten her day as she is confined to the house because her mobility is restricted.

Tablemats and Birthday

This is a quilt I have made for my sister's 50th B'day. It is a bit random, but I think she will like the fresh summer colours. Wondered what to bind it with, pink, turquoise, any suggestions.

These two lovely swans look like they are out for a romantic dinner for two on our local lake. They are two of many this year. We had lots of Graylag geese too this past few years, but I can only see one couple this year. Maybe the lake was getting overpopulated, and they went to pastures new.

I made some tablemats and a runner for my youngest D. Look closely Jess, and you will see I used your lovely gift of fabric to bind them. It was the perfect colour.

It was a lovely sunny Spring day or a few, so I took the stitching outside and did the binding there. In the meantime, I am getting along with my Pond House BOM. I enjoy the hand applique when I am doing the school run, and waiting in the car for my grandchildren :-) Love to all. B.

Wedding Day

I have just spent the day watching the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton. Such a beautiful wedding. THE DRESS. I loved the lace and the elegant lines of her dress. Her sis did a great job as maid of honour. The little girls and boys were sweet. I am being super soppy here, but I did enjoy the whole event. And... the prince.. well, he was as gorgeous as ever. I did however get a little stitching done on a runner and some table mats I am making for my youngest D. A day is never wasted when some stitching is done :o) Will post pics when I have loaded them from my camera

Post from Jess

Hi everyone. Look what lovely things I got in the post from Jess of Scrappy n Happy. I won the mug rug in her giveaway. It was wrapped in this beautiful paper. . . . .

which was double sided, with a lovely design on the inside too. Then when I opened it there was a surprise along with the gorgeous mugrug. Jess sent me some of the fabric she used for binding. I am sooooo blessed. Thank you Jess.

I put one of my favourite china mugs on it to show it off to the family. There is no coffee in it. Some day I will summon up courage to use it with a real drink of coffee. It is so pretty I just want to look at it and stroke that lovely fabric. This just made a sunny day even brighter.

Happy me.

Giveaway by Vreni

Have you heard of the great giveaway Vreni is having over at Oops-Lah.blogspot.com Tell her where you heard about it.

New Colt

This little guy was born last night. He is Sue's seventh foal. Dad is marked this way, and it has taken 7 tries to get one like him. All the other's were chestnut like mum.

At the milk bar. He was up and drinking within 30minutes of being born. Apparently Sue had to rest her muzzle on his rump to keep him steady, as his long legs were a bit too wobbly to allow him to drink. He's steadied up today though. No problem now.

Spring and finishes

Hi everyone, It's spring today. T'was winter yesterday. That's what April is like here. DH and I had lunch outside. It was lovely. However, I had lots to do. Ironing, vacuuming, dusting, it never goes away. I did spend the morning at my machine however, finishing D2's curtains. Then there was yesterday.....well, I finished a little bag for myself. I used some laurel burch dancing horses fabric which I love for its vibrant colours...You want to see....ok then here goes.

Sorry the curtains are sideways. Forgot to turn the pic before uploading.This is a peek at the colours of the fabric in my bag. I found it really difficult to cut this fabric, I wanted to keep it and keep it.The buttons and tabs that give a little shape. Dont look too closely at the stitching. Not happy with it.However, I love the bag

It has a little inside pocket, and a strip of scraps along the centre of the removable base. I didn't waste the tiniest bit.

Then I remembered I hadn't taken a pic of block 2 of my BOM. Pondhouse quilt.

Here it is, out in the Spring sunshine. Block 3 is due any day. Cant wait.

Is it any wonder I have all those household chores to do. Better get going. Luv B.