A quilt shop

This county has a quilt shop. A crafty quilt shop. I’m in heaven.

If you are ever in the area, then here it is.

See the Sea

Since being here a new kind of rhythm has emerged.

And it involves a lot of life by the sea.

Wherever we are, whatever we are doing, the sea always calls us back. We linger just a little bit longer. Dip our toes in one last rock pool.

It’s calming.

And wherever I am, under whatever cloud has gathered that particular day, the drive to the beach, the quiet beach on slow roads, relaxes me. A couple of minutes in the fresh sea air and it’s all good again.

I’m going to have a hard time living again without this irrepressible force of nature in my life…

Can I have a holiday after this holiday??

I’m really tired. But in a good way. The boys are living by the seat of their pants and bound around every corner looking for the next adventure whilst I attempt to keep up with them, begging for a toilet break.

Phew.

It is so beautiful here masha’allah. I wish I could show you everything we do day by day, but you’ll just have to wait for a report at the end of it all insha’allah. *sigh *

Things I am learning

1. I have no goals, therefore, depending on my mood, I am in a constant state of achievement/failure and inertia. I need goals both for this life and the next.

2. Whilst not addicted to internet connectivity, the absense of choice and modern equipment is leaving me slightly tetchy. I have no desire to live without technology - I need broadband and USB or I swear I’m going to hyperventilate to death.

3. All my utterings about I how I loathe the city I live in are totally true. I don’t miss it at all. Except the shops. It’s like Russia up here.

4. The plug-in drug has its uses.

5. My bad.

thankyou.

Quick hello from up’t North

I’m just logging on to check mail and to say hi. Sorry, no photos. The PC I’m on is so old it doesn’t have USB ports. I know. Is that even legal? What’s that all about?!

ANYWAY. Taking a breather. Taking time to reflect on a lot of things. Mostly shifting goalposts. Etc.

Kids enjoying everything: lakeside play (and lakeside shivering), beach play (and beach shivering), osprey watching (yes! we’ve seen them! Score!). Oh and my first adventures with finding ticks on children *SHRIEK*. Actually that would be more like *SHRIEEEEEEEEK SHRIEK SHRIEKKKKKKKKKKK* the downside of nature - the day when I wanted all deer DEAD. The day when a concreted patio made sense.

*waves at DH*

Right my allotted time is over. This is Pay as You Go.

SHRIEK.

I miss civilisation…..

We’re off

Can you smell?

Ho ho. Anyway, we are heading out for adventures further afield. If there is internet connection up there in thar tham hills maybe I’ll post, but if electricity has not yet reached up yonder then I’ll see you if we get back in one piece.

*Detangles EF’s sucker-like grip from ankles* Let go, love. There’s no use hanging on, I’ve made up my mind…

Leave you with some piccies.

Praying for beach and lakeside play!

OK OK you get the idea

Hoping for some good times!

xx

I’m turning into my grandmother

If you had told me when I was 21 that I would have doilies not only in my *house* but in pride of place therein I would have told you in no uncertain terms what a complete lot of bullocks that was.

Doilies?? Pah! Something my Granny makes when watching Dr. Who.

My name is not Edna and I will never have those things *near* my house let alone *in* them.

I go thrifting a lot. And sometimes when you see something over and over you get won over.

And perhaps the connection to my grandmother is mixed up in this love somewhere too.

Knitted art with links to a good past.

Quick Whip-Ups

I haven’t packed or cleaned the house and the clock is ticking before we ship out and head off for May-time fun up North insha’allah. So what better time than to ignore lists and make clothes for the trip instead??

Yes I’m on medication, why do you ask?

Loosely based on a pattern which I’ve modified I am not 100% ecstatic with the results. I’m am finding the dearth of adorable boys patterns annoying now. I think I need to spend more drawing better-fitting patterns.

But these are OK. They fit. Albeit a bit baggy. Definitely suited for good weather.

I’m digging clothes-making at the moment; it wasn’t something that ever really interested me until one or two bloggers out there produced some patterns that translated well into a boys version.

And of course having a working serger just *begs* for clothes to be made masha’allah.

Anyone having a good beginner book on garment making? Or sites to share?

Now…. there was something I needed to do…. what was it…

Oh yes. Pack my house into a suitcase *SHRIEK*

Bible Bashing

A lot of books claim to be the authority on a subject, and they claim to be The Bible of this that and the other.

Very few actually hit the mark in any way. But this little book The Embroidery Stitch Bible does exactly what it says on the tin.

The book itself is about A5 size and spiral bound - meaning that when you are exasperated and frustrated learning open chain stitch increasing your desire to stick the damn needle into your eye to end the pain, the book does not add to your woes by closing and shutting and flipping onto other pages. This is very useful IMO. Little things that make my life a whole lot easier and worth paying for.

The index is in pictures, which is a stroke of genius - who the hell knows the names of stitches as a beginner anyway? The pages themselves break the stitches into understandable steps and their are illustrations as well as photographs and tips on where and when the stitches are to be employed.

Brilliant book and hopefully it will help me fill another New Year goal too!

Conquering Crochet

At the start of this year I made some New Year goals. Amazingly half the goals have been met. Maybe I aimed too low?? Hm…

But. I have not yet mastered the gentle art of crochet. And it’s bugging me.

This week insha’allah our little family will be packing up and heading out for more northerly adventures with Grandparents and any passing siblings. I won’t have my sewing machine with me. It’s going to be a tough time … so what better time to learn a new craft?!

New cotton bought, so no excuses. My sister gave me her learn to crochet book, so no backing out. It’s now or never people. So into our packing goes my new cotton and several hooks.

And maybe some fabric in case I get tetchy and need to dig out my mother’s sewing machine….