Montgomery

Last week Neil and I went to Wales for a mid-week break. We had a lovely time and did manage to get some R&R but I think we have may have left it too long since our last break. We were both so exhausted that we didn't really start to feel relaxed until the day we came home and could easily have stayed a little while longer.

We broke the trip there with a lunchtime stop at Montgomery. Montogomery is such a lovely little village, it's almost as if time stops there. We have done this before because it is nice, we had lunch in the little deli where the food is fresh and local. It's also a good place to stock up on supplies.

This time after lunch we went up to the castle ruins.

The valley below, you can just see the top of the church.

This looks like the road to no where it just seems to go on and on.

I had to take these pictures of the old footpath, so much texture.

Whilst we were there we went to the local arts centre to see the quilt exhibition. I did take pictures and will blog about it in my next post but I decided not to push my luck with blogger (which I must say is behaving very well at the moment) and try to load all the pictures on at once.

Lots Of Pictures

We had a great time in Wales last week and really didn't want to come back. I don't think we realised how tired we were, the rest was very welcome and we slept a lot.

Don't the Lambs look cute. I didn't take any mint sauce.

The lovely scenery even on a cloudy day.

Pictures of the resevoir, the water was so still like a large mirror.

A disused lead mine.

This picture should have been further up before the pictures of the resevoir but it's got jumbled up and I'm not even going to attempt to move it.

This picture was just because, it looks interesting and full of texture, Neil wasn't convinced but never mind.

More paper play, not the best picture though. This is roughly how the blocks will be but I haven't decided how they are going to hang. I can't decided whether I should sew them together so they hang in three rows or have them hanging in three rows but join the blocks with tabs. Something to ponder.

We've got a very busy week and even busier weekend ahead of us moving the shop but so far everything is going well. I will update you later in the week.

Paper Play

This is why I spent an evening colouring in paper. I have been wanting to make a quilt in purple and lime for some time now but who wants a quilt in those colours? Log Cabin is my favourite block so I'm going to combine the two and make a Liberated or Wonky log cabin hanging.

This has been a very useful exercise to do. It has given me a clear indication of how the colours work together and I've already decided I don't like the pale green inner border the brighter green is much better and the block has come out far too square. So it's back to paper play today.

This is the book that I'm following/using for guidance. It's a lovely book and Janice is a very nice lady who produces beautiful work.

On Wednesday Steph had her hospital appointment. She has been diagnosed with chronic migraine and prescribed some tablets that so far seem to be making things worse. It's odd really, she says her head hurts more and she looks very pale and is being sick. She has to take one tablet every evening for two weeks and then increase to two tablets every evening so she has got to stick with them for a while before any conclusion can be drawn.

We are going to Wales on Monday for a few days so she is coming to stay with Anthony-not sure who will be looking after who but at least they will have each other and I won't worry quite so much.

Enjoy your weekend.

It's Good To Be Back

Thank you to every one for the kind birthday wishes. We had a great time in Wales, we didn't do anything. It was lovely sitting in the hot tub watching the snow fall, we really did chill out, neither of us wanted to come back. However it is nice to be back at work I did miss everybody and I have got lots of homework to do.

I am still working on my hanging. Some progress has been made, I have finished the embellishing and cut it into three pieces.

This will be the top.


This is the middle section.

And this will be the bottom.

Now I have to make some grass!

I have still got to make Stephs wrap for her wedding which is fast approaching. Today we are going for a hair rehearsal. Last night we were trying out nail varnish, only half a dozen or so and then, she decides that she actually wants a french manicure. I didn't know I could be so patient.

Check out Pams blog she has got something new to show you.

A Birthday Treat

We are back in Wales for the weekend. It is my birthday tomorrow and this is my birthday treat from Neil, a much needed rest. Things are going to be a little bit hectic for the next few weeks Steph gets married four weeks today and she is getting a little bit stressed and panicky, so am I. I still need to make her wrap, I know it won't take long it's just a case of knuckling down and getting on with it.

We arrived Thursday afternoon and were greeted with lots of the white stuff.


We hadn't had much snow at home and the roads were clear and free of traffic all the way here so this was a bit of a surprise. It does look lovely.

This photo was taken looking through one end of the verandah, it could be an Xmas card.

Some interesting texture, frost covered weeds.

These cobwebs are beautiful, especially with the sun shining through.

This is a view looking down on the village.

And this is the next lodge down from us there are five altogether so it is very quiet up here. Even the sheep aren't making a lot of noise.

One hungry pheasant, so hungry in fact that when I went out side he didn't fly away just carried on eating. In the distance I could hear guns going off.




I did bring some sewing with me. More hexagons to make some more pincushions and maybe needle cases.

I hope you are enjoying the snow and keeping warm.

I'm Back

I've been away, we spent last week in Wales, here to be exact. We had a lovely time and I didn't want to come home. We went from Monday to Friday and it just wasn't long enough. I came back to work on the Saturday and I just haven't been able to get back into the swing of things. I'm sure you know that feeling.

One thing I have managed to do is work on my Shape sketchbook for my course. It's going in the right direction but it's not finished.

Here I have been looking at circles, how they are used in design and advertising and I have started to play around with them. Looking at this page now I could have made a face with measles using the coloured dots- Can you see it? Although I'm not sure that's what teacher had in mind :-)

This is some of my work on squares. I particularly like the pattern I made at the bottom left of the right hand page. I'm sure that would make a nice quilt. And I'm sure that's what the teacher had in mind more than a face of measles.

This is just a couple of pages where I was playing around with shapes and making patterns.

Hopefully I will get my creative mojo back soon and more interesting things will be produced.

I hope you have a good weekend whatever the weather.

Nothing In Particular

It has been pointed out to me that it's a little while since my last post (thankyou Barbara :-) )

I have been busy with my courthouse steps, homework and a couple of banners for a local carnival, and of course there's the shop. We have had a lovely week with lots of laughter and the odd fabric delivery.

Silly me though I haven't taken any pictures of my work so here is one of Barbara's baby quilt.

Tomorrow I am of to Wales for a long weekend. I think we are going to Trefeglwys ( hope I spelt it right). Hope you all have a good weekend.