Wednesday, 9 November 2016

Moved!

We moved into our new house two weeks ago and we're still surrounded by boxes.  The Colonel says it's because we (I think he means me), have too much stuff!!!  One can never have too much stuff, surely? 

The garden is huge, I'm hoping we haven't taken on something we may not be able to manage.  Time will tell.  Hopefully time will wait, as it's autumn, until next spring, when I hope the house will be more sorted out than it is today and I can get out there and make a start.

The previous owners did leave courgettes (now marrows), runner beans and raspberries and I have been able to make good use of both courgettes and raspberries but obviously not at the same time.
The raspberries are completely overgrown but there seems to have been a second crop which have been delicious.  The runner beans are slightly less than perfect so I am collecting the beans to plant next year.  My Grandpa always used that method and thought it was the best way.  

We have loads of apple trees of differing varieties and one or two pear trees.  In fact, there are so many apple trees that I've looked into buying a cider press for next year.  It seems such a waste to leave all the fallen apples to rot when we could be making good use of them.


until next time,
Lesley
xxx

Saturday, 1 October 2016

Changing Times

Time marches on and things change in life, the garden and the world.  Sometimes for the better and others not so much.
Since I last posted, our much loved dog Tilly has passed on.  She was thirteen and we had a lovely life together.  The Colonel and I both miss her loads but it was her time and we move forward.
We are moving at the end of October after a long search for that illusive perfect house.  I'm looking forward to getting in the garden and seeing what appears as the first year unfolds.  The garden has a bit of everything including a large veg patch.  I've never really grown vegetables before so that could be interesting. I can see there'll be a lot of digging! 
Until next time,
Lesley
x




Monday, 23 February 2015

It's Been a Long Time

Hello

I hope you're all well and life has been treating you well?

It's been such a long time since I wrote anything.  Many things have happened in my life in the last three years.  Some good, some bad and one or two just awful but I won't dwell on the bad bits. 

I've made many quilts, crocheted blankets and finished my A-Level Textiles.  Yes, really, I did A-Level Textiles.  Not sure how it all started, other than a friend ask if I'd be interested in doing a textile course.  Without really thinking what I was letting myself in for, I said yes and from then on, every Tuesday evening I went off to school to learn.  As it turned out, it was brilliant fun.  I had a fabulous teacher who was inspirational and completely unflappable when things didn't quite go to plan.  I had three units to complete in each year, two of which were topics given in an exam paper and the other was one of my own choice.  It was incredibly time consuming but I'm so glad I did it because at the end I achieved an A*.  Worth all the hard work.

I'm not taking it any further forward at the moment as The Colonel and I will moving this year and I think it would be too much to take on another course.  

Talking of moving, we had the obligatory three estate agents come around to give us a valuation.  The valuations were ok but the estate agents themselves were all like chalk and cheese.  The first was an older guy who clearly didn't really want to sell our house.  On personality alone we felt we couldn't do business with him.  The second one was very young, highly motivated and absolutely charming.  The third one was a washed out, tuned down version of the second.  We actually liked the second one and have subsequently gone with that estate agent on the basis that we feel he'll work to get us a good price.  He was also more realistic about things in general.  He's probably just a really good salesman and we've fallen hook, line and sinker for his charm!!!!  Time will tell.

On my last post, I think I had shown you a quilt that was in progress.  Here is the finished version.  It was something I was making while The Colonel was away and my goal was to complete it for when he came back.  I did manage it and am really pleased with the result.


Until next time, (I'm hoping it won't be nearly three years)

Lesley
  







Sunday, 27 May 2012

Happy Sunny Sunday and The Big Quilt

What a joy it is to get out in the garden and make the most of the wonderful weather. My tomatoes and beans are planted out and I've just been enjoying pottering about outside.

Tilly and I have taken to getting up at the crack of dawn to go out for a walk before the heat of the day sets in.




Now, I realise that this photo looks like Tilly stood next to a triangle with legs but I can assure you that is just me taking the photo!

I've been beavering away on a project that I promised myself I would finish before July 2012.  As it turned out I've actually finished it long before my deadline as I've enjoyed doing it so much and the dull, wet weather kept me indoors.

Last year, I'd had a go at a Dresden Plate design, (lots of wedge shapes, sewn together lengthways to form a circle).  It was such good fun that a plan for a future quilt started to form and somewhere along the line I decided that it would be a kingsize quilt too.  It was a bit ambitious, I'd never made a quilt quite so big before.  Also, I promised myself that it must be finished before July 2012, (more about that on another occasion).  So, on 6 January 2012 it began.  




The Dresden Plate is then machine appliqued on to a navy blue square.  You then cut out a circle and applique that onto the centre.  Twenty squares later, some sashing, borders and I had my quilt top.

I had thought about quilting it myself but I didn't relish the idea of hand quilting and my sewing machine wouldn't cope with that much quilt going through it.  So I decided to have it quilted on a long arm quilting machine.  Fortunately, my nearest quilting shop offers a long arm service and so I went along and chose the quilt pattern and thread and left the quilt with them.  When it was done I went back to collect it and was delighted with the finish.  It was worth every penny.  I got the binding on last week and here is:


Tilly and I are going down to the woods today, there's a stream where she can paddle and it's much cooler under the trees.

Have a happy sunny Sunday.  

Lesley
x

Tuesday, 1 May 2012

A Little Bit of Colour

It's another rainy day here in Wiltshire.

Tilly and I got drenched this morning when we went out for a walk.

I took these photos in my Mum and Dads garden a few weeks ago and had to share them with you.  Hope the vibrant colours lift your mood if you've got a damp, miserable and grey day.  Certainly works for me.





















The spare room is coming along slowly.


The wardrobes, before.
Forgot to take a photo of the room before I started painting so here's one when I was nearly finished.




I've painted it using Dulux Sweet Pink.  The curtains were a charity shop find and I've bought a new bed too.


Hmm, the wardrobe doors don't look very different do they?    I had painted the whole door but something went slightly wrong with the waxing and I didn't like the effect.  So I bought some wallpaper and pasted it to the panels.  I took the cornicing off, that way there's room to use the top too.  New door knobs, from Laura Ashley. Now I'm trying to find some bedside tables and lamps, without much luck at the moment but I'm sure something will come along.

Have a good week.
Lesley
x


Sunday, 8 April 2012

Today!

Today I've been having fun with:



Thank you for your comments.  Fortunately my nearest stockist is only 10 miles away.


What fun!


AND, it works really well.  I can see why you're all so pleased with it.  I'm hooked.  I've been wandering around the house wondering what else I can paint!!!!!


Will bring you the before and after photos as soon as I've finished.


TTFN
Lesley
x





Friday, 6 April 2012

Painting Wardrobes

Can anyone help please?

This weekend I'm painting my spare bedroom.

At this point I was going to show you a photo of the room in question but for some reason I can't get to my photos via Blogger no matter what I try.

I have some built in wardrobes that are horrible but a necessity.  They're standard wood effect, laminated chipboard.  Another photo should have been here but ditto above.

Do any of you lovely ladies out there know if  I can paint them?  If so, does it have to be a certain type of paint?  Have any of you painted this type of stuff before or is it more trouble than it's worth?  

Would love to know what you think.

TTFN
Lesley
x