Blue skies….

Monday the skies were crystal clear and very blue, enticing me out for a walk.  The pictures speak louder than words…

Just a little bit of where I live.

PS.  last day of the give away – just say hello!

Time Out!

This weekend we took a moment for some time out!  Time away from everything.  To re-group and take stock. Time to relax and catch up.  It has been so hectic here for such a long time that we had forgotten what it is to have a weekend to rattle around in!  So after bacon butties – our standard Saturday lunch! – we went shopping.  Some light retail therapy!  Mr A’s retail therapy is not quite the same as mine.  It isn’t the sort to linger over windows.  To spy the little bargains.  To drool over a beautiful corded coat – although I did do this on Saturday, but  they didn’t have my size! Drat! And double drat!!!!”!  His sort is…. know what I want, where I want to go for it and whizz…….. it is bought!!  It wasn’t quite this quick on Saturday, but it was a very focused shop.  So I shall save my browsing and drooling for a day on my own!  Then it was home for a saladey tea and some light crafting.

In  fact I did quite a lot of crafting this weekend.  Things for the Sun Shine School.  Sorting out and mentally pricing things ready for the next sale. Hooking and knitting while I watched the cars varrrooooming around the race track.  Stuffing and sewing while Nottingham Forest were wrestling with Cardiff.  Want to see?  Well here is just a peek….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two little buzzing bees.  One for each hand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three golden glows.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Four Rainbow babies all snuggled up warm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hair bobbles and brooches and matching pins…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So things are moving along just fine…….

And the weather today is glorious so I have had a long walk to town and back.  Snapping away for some artistic shots! …… Ha ha!!  But that is for another day.  A day to play about and mosaic in!    Just a tease….

PS the give away is still there… so just say hello!

 

Treasures.

Treasure.  What comes to mind when you think of treasure?  A big chest with a rounded lid raised revealing pearls, diamonds, gold?  Or a small jewelry box full of trinkets carefully bought over several years by little hands?  Or is it nothing material, but all the memories stored away to be brought out into the open when someone says “Do you remember when…….”?  Over the last two weeks we have shared many of these “Remember when” treasures.  Holidays spent in the sand dunes, driving to those far flung corners of the British Isles, family birthdays, get togethers, quiet days sitting at home in companionable silence hooking and sewing………. and that brings me to the treasure boxes left to me by Mum.  I know it is going to rekindle a craft that I enjoyed many moons ago, but like so many things was left to try something new.  Want to know what it is?  well let me show you the boxes first.

Five of them all neatly stacked.  They started life as trays of Ferarro Roches, loving munched at family Christmases.  Those little bundles of gold..mmmmmm…..!!!  But now, look….

a tray of ruby reds, scarlets, pinks reminding me of poppies, roses, sunsets.  But wait….

yellows, golds, oranges, sunflowers, daffodils.  But these beauties need leaves….

moss green, dark green, bright green, all greens!  Oh and don’t forget we need the highlights….

You have missed one I hear you call.  You have missed a colour way.  No, I have saved the best for last!

It is full of my favourite colours.  Blues, lilacs, mauves and the deep deep purple that is me! Waiting ready for me to cross stitch the pansies, irises and everything purple.  For that is what Mum loved to do – cross stitch.  We have sat many hours cross stitching together. Up and down, over and under.  Very methodically building a leaf or a petal.  I know I will again.  Not yet, but soon.  First I want to linger with my treasures and stare at the picture I have on my inspiration wall, carefully cut from a magazine.  The one I take an imaginery walk in everyday.  The one I dream of sitting in, dipping my toes in the cool pools. The one that is full of blue.  The one I say to myself “Remember when….”

Mellow Yellow!

Have you ever played it?  See a yellow car and then SPLAT!  No?  The first time we ever played, or saw it being played, was in my son’s car.  Every time you see a yellow car you gently nudge the other person or say SPLAT!  Well that was us yesterday coming back up the M40.  ’A’ started it!  ’Oh I didn’t know we were playing!!’  ’That’s the fun part!  Te-he!’  Needless to say  we didn’t see another one until I spotted a digger in the road works and was promptly told that didn’t count!!!!!  Anyway it made us laugh!

And that got me thinking about yellow.  You have to smile when you see yellow.  You have to grin.  It is such a bright and sunny colour, it is bound to lift your spirits.  So here are some archives of all things yellow!

Smiles above in the hanging basket.

A cheddar grin from Henry.

A little plate of sunshine.

There were 6 in the bed and the yellow one said….

A cosy pot of tea for two.

The Mother’s day bouquet.

And a lapel of brightness.

So why did they say in the song, ‘They call me mellow yellow’!!!!

Relaxing!

I have had a few days relaxing at home with my Mum…  some quality time… some me time!  We have been chatting and hooking and sewing, and watching the Chelsea flower show. Dreaming  of beautiful gardens while looking out at a jungle!  If only it would stop raining long enough to dry the grass up so I can cut it!!!!

Flowers and bright colours have featured a lot.  The six little gnomes have been delivered to six little people.  Tiny hands clutching tiny bodies and having a cuddle.  I even spied one of the Mums stroking the yellow one while cuddling her little bundle of joy!  Shhhh!  Your secret is safe with me!! and you, of course!  But you want to see some pictures of the highs.

Close ups of long standing favourites.

Unusual seed heads.  Interspersed with fun and laughter from Joe and Alan!

Methodical rippling.  Watching the hook going in and out.  Very therapeutic!  I am about half way now.

Browsing and oohing and ahhing at the beautiful things inside. Flowers again!

I have sooO many ideas for No.4, but sooO little time to make them happen at the moment,  But I will!

I just love these storage boxes.

Like I love these buttons.  I have been looking for these for ages.  Sadly Mr Heath didn’t have a full range, but I will keep my eyes open when we visit York soon!

Then Lucy of Attic24 said ‘Yes’!!  I was thrilled when she agreed to my using her posy pattern for a very important project.  One that is close to my heart at the moment.  (More of that later).  So last night I started..

and finished up with 18 tiny little florets!  Thank you Lucy, you are a gem!

Tears and a whistle stop tour!

Our walk around to the Garden Tomb followed the outside of the walls of the Old City.

Out of Jaffa Gate, passed New Gate and beneath these marvellous palm trees.

Across the road from the Damascus Gate, the Garden Tomb is in an oasis of calm in a garden.  In the hustle and bustle of a busy noisy city it is amazing that you can cut it all out and relax.

The path meanders through the garden believed to be that of Joseph of Arimathea, and leads you to a fence over looking a cliff face.  It is known as Skull Hill.

“And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means the place of the skull)…. they crucified him.”  Matt.27 v33

“And Joseph took the body. and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock; and he rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and departed” Matt. 27 v 59.

As you enter the tomb you step over the gutter in which the large stone was rolled and stand in the large weeping chamber.  This area is typical of a tomb of the 1st century CE, and as with many before me I cried!  I cried that he died for me, but then I smiled that he was not there, that he has risen!!

“The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid; for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.  He is not here; for he has risen, as he said.  Come see the place where he lay.’”  Matt 28 v 5, 6.

This shows the head stone inside the tomb.

Many people visit the garden including Barnaby,

He came with us wherever we went…

to Ceasarea..

to Megiddo National Park..

where both King Solomon and King Ahab built palaces.

Driving along in the bus..

through Nazareth to the Sea of Galilee..

Visiting the Jesus Boat..

and the Western Wall in Jerusalem..

Down the Jordon valley to the ruins of Masada..

and David’s Waterfall in the middle of the desert at En Gedi..

and lastly, Qumran and the Dead Sea Scrolls..

One amazing holiday!!  We hope you have enjoyed the tour!!

Now, crocheting.  ONE…

TWO..

THREE..

little gnomes from school!!

High Tea.

I have been trying to make a tea cosy a month for this year’s challenge and I never thought a tea cosy would present itself in Jerusalem, but it did!!  My host took me and several other ladies out for High Tea.  Where do you go for High Tea in Jerusalem?  Well to the Olde English Tea Shoppe of course!!!  Yes I jest not, there really is an English Tea Shop!  A tea shop with a twist.  It has chandeliers….

Bright aren’t they?! Beautiful silver tea strainers…

Yes, they serve tea made with loose tea.  Trays of tea cups and milk jugs and bowls…

Shame about the sugar packets, but can you see the cake fork?  Then came the tea pot…

with it’s cosy.  It was crocheted – I had a good look – with charming little tassels around the bottom and the top.  But it didn’t have holes for the spout and handle, it had splits and it just plopped on the top of the pot!  Definitely one to make.  The best bit was yet to come.  Remember the cake fork?  I bet you are expecting cucumber sandwiches and cake, well… voila!!

The bottom two tiers are the sandwiches!  Each one a work of art.  Cream cheese rolled in freshly chopped herbs with salmon twirls on top.  Biscuity bases – savoury of course – with shredded vegetables built up like meshes.  Sweet touches with fresh peaches cubed and placed delicately in the centres.   It was amazing!!  Then there were the sweet bites on the top tier.  Little ginger stars, the taste of the fresh ginger was out of this world!  And the scones, served with little tea cups of cream and jam… mmmmmmmm!

And as it came we sang songs.  Anything to do with tea – Tea for two, and I’m a little tea pot, both songs and others, sung with gusto by all twelve of us!! Before we started our treat we also sang our thanks with Shabbat Shalom.   I said it was an English Tea Shop with a twist!!

We’re back!!

Boy oh boy!  Where do I start?  We have had the most amazing 10 days in Israel and I really do not know where to start!!  It was just mind blowing!  So while I get my thoughts together over the next few days, here are a few moments to keep you going and guessing!

Barnaby came too!

From Old Jerusalem….

to the new.

The blue sky at Ceasarea on the Mediterranean…

to the gentle waves on the Sea of Galilee.

From orange hues on floors…

to boxes of oranges.

Tropical moments…

to barren wilderness.

And the comical pout of the camel!!

A country  of contrasts in every way possible.

Moments of contentment.

Watching Grand Designs Revisited while making patterns.

Twirling the pencil around the point on a pair of compasses.

Imagining the patterns on wrapping paper and cards.

Buying huge wooden and  colourful buttons.

Piecing fabrics together for cushions and throws.

Marveling at the beauty of the blossom in the dusk twilight.

And dreaming of sun, sea, and new horizons.  Bye for now!

Still playing!

Where did the weekend go?  I was on the go practically the whole time, but there just didn’t seem to be enough time to do all those things I wanted to do!!!  So what did I do? I was in the garden weeding and mowing. Generally soaking up the sun.  Ahh bliss!  We went shopping for some memory cards for my camera and some film for the panoramic shots for my husband’s camera.  Why?  Where are we going?  Well that’s a secret at the moment.  Shall I just say it is a trip of a lifetime!  But I will have room for 1200 pictures!  Wow, now that is a number!

Once back from shopping I found my flower book and crocheted these little darlings.

I thought my tea cosy looked a little boring and needed jazzing up!

A little circle of friendship!  Ring a ring of roses!

I think this has to be my favourite pattern at the moment.  The double trebles are so satisfying to do.  Watching the hook weave in and out, round about the wool. Hmmm, yes!  Then came the sewing.

All the way around the top.

One tea pot nicely dressed.

In between these little flowers I began my design sheets.  I had forgotten how much I enjoy making these research sheets.  Scanning the pictures for patterns and colour.

Looking for the detail, the repeating patterns, the grid lines.

I had also forgotten how time consuming they are to do.

And how out of practice I am at doing them!  My weekend of playing wasn’t quite how I had planned, but I did enjoy myself, and there is lots more playing to do!!