Happy Valentine's Day xx

Firstly we need to mark a wonderful milestone - last night I finished my last ever Splendid Sampler Square - weyhey!!  This morning I added the borders to my Lynette Anderson square and then checked through my file of printouts to make sure that everything was there - the free printouts are only available for the next week or so!  I also checked how many "bonus" blocks I have done - 7 in total, so I need to do another 3 to complete the quilt. Well, I say "complete" - now the hard works starts with the quilting, sashing and binding!  All within a self imposed deadline of March 11th!!  Help.

This afternoon, you may recall, my new dishwasher arrived.  Oh the joy - I will relish not having to wash up again!!  Consequently I spent the morning tidying up and washing the kitchen floor - well, we can't have those poor men kneeling on a dirty floor now can we?  I may, just may, have overdosed on sewing recently so the house is bearing the signs of neglect - I won't say anymore!  I have also put the window cleaner on charge - this dreadful sun is not doing my windows any good - you can see every mark lol!

After a lovely sunny walk with the dogs (the temperature is definitely on the rise - I have turned the heating off (gulp) and the forecast suggests that it may get high enough tomorrow onwards for a week to think about getting on with the fence painting!  - mind you it also forecasts rain tomorrow - hey ho!), it was then onto a totally different task - Christmas present making!  I have a project that I can dip in and out of so wanted a break from the SS blocks.  Mind you it entails changing the foot of the sewing machine to the free machine quilting foot which would then lead seamlessly into the SS blocks!




After that everything seemed to be going more wrong than right, it was time to walk away!  How many times do I say that but its right - thing's are often better after a break.  I used my good old soup maker for lunch - kale soup - before settling down to some church admin - numbers are always more reliable!  Meanwhile Daisy made herself known to the two men fitting the dishwasher - she loved the attention!



All that's left to do today is to nip out and get some dishwasher salt (they leave you with a complimentary pack of rinse aid and 2 tablets - but no salt?) before making tea and settling down to some handsewing.  My master plan is to start the dishwasher at the beginning of Eastenders and see if it is finished by the end - oh the excitement of a short cycle.  I'm easily pleased!!

Unexpected moments!

Last night, for some reason, my mind was racing.  That's the only reason I can think of as to why I was still awake at gone 2am!  Therefore, when the alarm went off at 6:30am it was a rude awakening - made worse by my stumbling to the kettle, taking it to the tap to be filled, only to be greeted with water spurting everywhere.  In-between the water starting and me realising what needed to be done, it felt like a biblical flood!  Water turned off, it was the nut at the bottom of the mixer tap that had worked loose and was okay once tightened up again but ......  I was soaked!

The early start was so that I could open up for the Monday Morning Gang.  Four people weighed in and lost half a stone between them with a new friend joining us.  Me?  Well I will admit to not having a good week but stayed the same weight wise so will live with that one!  As we speak I am opening up the good old slimming wold books and planning my week out!




There was a strange sight in the sky, I think that they call it the sun!  So, off I went to the garden centre where I bought some compost for the veg trug / potatoes, some strawberry plants and some plug plants for my front door baskets (I just have to find some first mind you!)  I don't know if you remember but I had a £8 off a £40 spend - and my bill came to £40 exactly !!  With my own £8 vouchers as well (plus the offer on the compost), I got £43 worth of goods for £24 - not too shabby!



Once home, it was time to clear up the mess caused by this mornings antics - which was a good excuse to empty the cupboard next to the dishwasher in case they need to gain access tomorrow.  I still haven't found the socket for the dishwasher - how strange!  I guess all will be revealed tomorrow.

I also took Daisy out for her first walk since the op.  Truthfully she is becoming more tigger like as the days go on, and her scar is looking really nice and neat, but the vets have said that she is only allowed short "on the lead" walks so we won't be going up to the beach until we get the all clear - hopefully on Thursday!




Craftwise - I know, you were thinking that I had forgotten now weren't you - I completed this bird block last night which then left me with just two to go.  How could I resist that challenge?  So I set off to complete my penultimate block.  The final one (apart from some bonus blocks to take me to 110 blocks in total) is full of tiny squares so is likely to drive me nuts!!

Groundhog day!

This morning was meant to be spent at church, but I had a message late yesterday afternoon to say that it had been cancelled due to illness so my morning started a tad later than expected.  I had, however, volunteered to go round to church and put a notice up.  BAD mistake - the weather today is worse than yesterday - wind and rain - VERY cold! 






Once back in, and after the dogs had been given their treat which they "demand" at 10:30 every morning, there was nothing for it - back to the sewing again.  I had honestly thought that I had finished all the blocks which involved foundation paper piecing - but I was wrong.  Cue another 2 1/2 hours on a single block!  I am getting a little better and do enjoy it more than I did at the start - but!!









Of course the dogs resumed their usual position!







After lunch, I lit the fire and spent some time embroidering the blocks from yesterday.  I watched a really interesting film based on a true story - The man who knew infinity.  It starred Dev Patel, Jeremy Irons, Toby Jones - and mathematics - what is not to like?







 
 


Then I started today's block - its block 100 and the last block in the project - unless I am right and there's a bonus one on Tuesday.  We started this journey on February 14th 2016 and its strange to think that well over 20000 people from around the world have been brought together on the same project.  I have to say that this block very nearly defeated me - and I had to walk away at one stage.  It is certainly not my best but I am planning to embroider 100 in the centre and so can add some balloons to hide the messed up corners!





Apart from general housework (the kitchen cupboard will need a blitz before the dishwasher arrives on Tuesday - I have no idea where it is actually plugged in!!), the only other task for today is to get ready for the Monday Morning Gang (slimming support group).  It will be interesting to see how everyone has got on tomorrow.  I know that I only lasted two days without milk in my coffee - my life is far too short for that one!

Today was so full of promise .......

.....until I woke up!

I had planned to go to the garden centre to buy some compost for the veg trug and two baskets to go outside the front door (the screws are there - I just need to find baskets to fit).  This might seem a bit premature given the weather but I have a £8 off a £40 spend, which runs out next Tuesday, and £8 in loyalty vouchers so am hoping that you can use both together and have a whopping £16 off! However, when I woke up, the weather was wet and dreary - and hasn't really changed all day although it does seem to be getting colder and colder!  Since the compost is stored outside, I just couldn't bear lugging wet bags in and out of the car.




So, instead, I went to "work".  That would be my sewing work of course.  Being slightly obsessed with the splendid sampler, the 100th (last) block is published tomorrow although the website suggests that there will be some form of celebration block on Tuesday.  After today's efforts, I would really love to finish all of the blocks by Tuesday as well - although I also have some bonus blocks to complete in order to get to 110 in total.  So, what did I manage to achieve?  Well, first up was this paper piecing block - which took 2 1/2 hours (including much unpicking) to complete.








Then I prepared two blocks ready to be hand embroidered and appliqued.












Finally I completed the embroidery on yesterday's block and completed the sashing on row 3.








Millie and Daisy, of course, have adjusted to the cold weather by curling up in their beds in the sewing room and sleeping all morning - it's a hard life!

Tonight it's my turn to volunteer for Hospitalities at the local theatre so I will, of course, be taking some of this hand work with me.  How many blocks are left to be completed?  Well, by my count I have 5 left to do (not counting the two prepared today) - including tomorrow's block.  I can make it, I will make it!!  As for the garden centre - well, it's only the 11th Feb - I still have 3 days to use the voucher!

Wintery showers have arrived

Last night, and this morning, we have seen the wintery showers that the weather forecasters had predicted.  I would say though that they are more like white rain rather than actual proper snow!  Inland it was a different case and, as I travelled into Louth this morning, I did pass cars with a considerable amount of snow on them.  I was in Louth to take Daisy to the vets for her check up.  They were pleased with her progress, although she has a slight inflammation on her wound, but don't need to see her for another week.



After stopping off at Aldi for some cheap fat quarters, it was home for some tidying up (where did I get that urge to wipe the cupboard doors down from?) before starting on some more SS blocks ( only 10 more to go!)  Mum and Dad have upped the anti - they were going to come up at Easter, and may still do so, but they are also coming up on Sunday 12th March - so my self imposed deadline for finishing the quilt has moved forward by one month!!  Last night I tacked 15 blocks ready for quilting but settled down today to complete one or two more blocks.  First up was a windmill effect - and, fortunately for me, someone else had suggested a 3d version - which actually took a lot less time than the original!



Next up was a "skyscraper" block which didn't really appeal.  Again, someone else had changed this to a more domesticated block with pretty houses and gardens.  So I spent time putting the foundations down - and will embroider the features tonight.  All the time, listening to the radio where they were explaining how rice, rice cakes etc contains arsenic and how we should be careful how often we eat it - apparently brown rice has twice as much arsenic as white rice!  Help!!

On a different crafting front, I m now up to row 12 (out of 100) of my crochet blanket.  Now I am not saying that it is perfect but I am enjoying it and there is a wave pattern of sorts.  At least I am getting lost of practice in double crochet, half treble and treble crochet stitches!

Undefeated!

You may recall that I left you with a defeat - a splendid sampler block that just wasn't going right!  Well Sewingbuddy was right - I could not be defeated so set to and completed the first quarter before I went to bed.  Therefore the first job of the day today was to set to and make the remaining three quarters.  THREE HOURS later - I completed the 6 1/2 inch square!!!!!  Not a block that I am likely to repeat in a hurry!




Having washed the floor (well, I needed some light relief after that mammoth effort) in the kitchen, I decided to order the new dishwasher - I know, there's no definitive link there other than I was in the same room.  Initially they said that they would need to order one in but then rang back to say that 4 had just arrived in the warehouse and could they fit it next Tuesday - you see, I will get a valentine's day gift after all!

After some church admin, not to mention a quick tidy up of the craft room table after that block (why does paper piecing produce so much rubbish?), it was then time to start the pile of ironing that has accumulated.  You can see how exciting my life is can't you?  Meanwhile Daisy is on the mend - she is bouncing around like Tigger (even through the medical advice was to not allow her to jump up) and, this morning, took to her bed with a tea towel in her mouth ready to chew - normal service has been resumed! Tomorrow she will go to the vets for a check over -I would say that they should be pleased with her recovery!

Diva Daisy has taken to her bed!

Well, I brought Daisy home and she was walking, well I guess you would say, gingerly.  She took straight to her bed and stayed here all evening - only really raising her head to eat a small tea.  Later on in the evening she did come into the lounge for a cuddle but then settled down on my knees to go back to sleep.  Clearly it had been a traumatic day yesterday.  Today, however, she has perked up a little.  She is still bed bound and is sleeping it all off - but wouldn't we if we had such an op?  However she has had her breakfast (thank goodness - that contained her dose of painkiller) and we haven't gone out today - in fact she is not allowed to go out for any walks until after Friday at the earliest!



So, today is a quiet at home day.  As a list maker, I had a mountain of tasks to complete but most of them too mundane to report.  I showed my "A Quilter Lives Here" to my sewing teacher yesterday and it went down well - so now that could be hung on the wall and I can take the Christmas one down at last! I also spent QUITE a long time on the phone to a relative who just couldn't understand the technology that we were dealing with - so we had to solve the problem in a different way.









Other than managing to burn carrots whist making soup(Nigella I am not!!), the other big news at Dobbo towers is that I have a new poached egg pan!  I used to have tis type of pan when I was young but they seemed to go out of favour.  I have used pods etc but then noticed that Tesco were selling these - the eggs turned out wonderfully!!   Craftwise I wrestled with a foundation piecing block but just had to walk away - it defeated me today - but I will be back!!