It's my Birthday!

The secret to staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age. Quote by Lucille Ball.

Happy New Year!!!

Heating Update

Thank you for the enquiries about our heating problems! The gas man came about 12 o'clock today and we are warm again. I hope that anyone else that has had heating problems gets them sorted out very soon.

Christmas is Over

Christmas was better than I thought it might be, we had my Mum with us this year on Christmas day, she's been suffering with depression for a few months now which isn't very pleasant. My Father in Law was with us too, we collected him on Christmas eve and he went home on the 27th. He and my Mum kept each other company on Christmas Day and apart from the fact that he insists on taking out his hearing aid every few minutes everything seemed to go off OK!

Rachel came home for James' birthday and is going home tomorrow after lunch, she has plans for the evening, tomorrow is her birthday she'll be 24! James and Becky are joining Rachel and her friends for the celebrations it's Becky's birthday tomorrow too!

Today we went to Bluewater shopping, thank goodness we went early, the parking was horrendous and the queues across the QE11 bridge to get in when we left there were stretching back to the M25. Dave and I only went to keep Rachel company, she had a couple of Birthday presents to buy. We needed to buy food for dinner tonight, Tuna, new potatoes and salad from John Lewis food hall, so Christmas is well and truly over!

Like Gina we are without central heating! Our boiler gave up on Sunday, could have been worse and gone off at Christmas, especially as Dave's Dad was with us. The gas board turned up and cant repair it until tomorrow, fingers crossed, this is not an unusual thing for us, it happened 3 years ago over a Christmas, we have a new boiler!!!!!!!!!!! As predicted in a previous post the tumble dryer has given up and a new one is on order.

Cant wait to get back to textile related things, I haven't managed to do much. I'd feel a bit mean sitting here under the quilt stitching, I have thought about it though! I've been knitting a scarf for myself using some of the wool I bought at the K&S this year. Usually when I feel stressed I knit socks, this year I've knitted quite a few pairs, here's a picture of just some of them!

Happy Christmas

Another Birthday celebrated yesterday, James is 28! 3 more birthday's left before the end of the year......

~~~~~~~~~~~~Have A Very Happy Christmas~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I've Posted the cards!!!!!!!!

Well two birthdays down, my OH Dave's was last week, so I cooked a family dinner as it was mid week. Saturday 14 of us went out for a Chinese Meal to celebrate my nephews 21st birthday. It was a shame that James and Becky couldn't be there but as I've said in a previous post, James was playing with Gyratory System at the Brixton Academy!!!! James is playing the Bass Guitar!

Christmas is creeping up fast only one gift left to buy, all the cards posted, a Christmas cake to ice, but the tree is still in the loft waiting, so there is only a sad little snowman sitting lonely on the window ledge, waiting for the rest of the room to be decorated!!!!
As promised in the last post here is a photo of the quilt! Still unfinished but I'm stitching on....In the meantime lots of other things have been happening ERTF have been invited to take a stand at the Knitting and Stitching Show, Alexandra Palace in October 2010, we have also been invited to take part at Textiles in Focus February 2010, so I think that ERTF are in for a busy time in 2010!
Winter has arrived, I had to scrape the thick ice off the car windows this morning before I went to the gym! Then at lunch time it snowed, it hasn't settled but we are forecast more! Just in case it doesn't snow I copied the snow fall onto my blog from Sharne's thanks Sharne.

Counting Down To Christmas

Some Holly to get the Christmas Spirit started!

This is Birthday Season in our house, in our immediate family there are 5 birthdays this month, that's without my nephew who will be 21 this month and about 8 members of my extended family that's Aunt's Cousin's and their children have birthdays too! Expensive!!!!!!!! There are only 2 Christmas gifts left to get, but I've still got all the cards to send, every year I talk about giving money to Charity and not sending cards but don't have the courage. Would everyone realise that was what I was doing? Or would they think I'd taken a dislike to them, that I was dead or that I'd become very mean spirited! Instead I buy charity cards and hope that they get a fair share of the profits!

I've not posted for a while, Dave returned from Madrid with a gift, a cold which he kindly passed onto me! I think by the time I caught it, it had mutated into a mild case of the flu, so I was out of action for a week or so. This week I'm so much better, and lots to catch up on. A couple of weeks ago I was invited to join a quilting group, the group is fairly small and is going to concentrate mainly on Art Quilts. I'm really enjoying the work, it' still needs a lot of work as you can see, I'll keep you updated.




I've also finished my first piece of work for the Aqua Group, I'm not going to show that yet as we are hoping to have an exhibition, more news on that when it's arranged. I'm still hand stitching the quilt for our bed, I think that will be ready for the new year. I'll post an image when I next post.

Home Alone?

OH has just been picked up and whisked off to Heathrow, he's working in Madrid for a few days! I've got plans, get lots of textile projects finished and some new ones started. I wont feel guilty if I spend all evening painting or all night on my sewing machine.

Rachel will be coming home at some point to help give Belle (the constipated cat) her medicine, I cant manage on my own, however Rachel can! When I try there is sticky medicine all over the house, a cat with her fur standing on end and me scratched to bits, hot and really, really frustrated, a sight no one wants to see! Rachel just opens the cats mouth and pops in the syringe, done, I wish I knew the secret?

From Chelmsford to Brixton

On Monday I went to Chelmsford branch of the Embroiderers Guild, I've become a member! The speaker was Jacky Russell, her work was amazing, she uses a lot of Lutrador, something I bought ages ago but had no idea of how to use it, but I have now! They are a really friendly group, I did already now a lot of people there some from Aqua , also from my City and Guilds class and of course some are blogging friends, Sharne and Nickie and Diane. It's about a 25 mile journey for me but well worth it, I'll be a regular at the meetings, their programme of speakers looks really good, next month it's Sara Impey!

James, my son had some good news this week the band he plays in Gyratory System ,have been booked to play two nights at the Brixton Academy they are supporting Soulwax, apparently they are really well known! We are all really pleased for him, the only thing is that we had all planned to go out on one of the night's for dinner. It's one of my nephews 21st birthdays, we will miss James and Becky his girlfriend, but it's an offer that the band couldn't refuse! The Brixton Academy is such a well known venue, James took Rachel my daughter there to see Morrissy years ago, so Rachel's really excited to think that he'll be playing on such a well known stage!

The weather here is really miserable, it's going to be another afternoon spent watching TV and hand quilting I think. I didn't manage to get any quilting done yesterday, so I need to get lots of stitching done today!

It's Working

A really good week, three trips to the gym, it seems to be working! I visited the doctors to get the results of a blood test I had a couple of weeks ago, my cholesterol is fine and the other things he tested for were good to!

Friday I went to the V&A with a group of friends from ERTF we went to see the Maharaja exhibition, Chris generously took me in as her guest! The exhibits were wonderful I was particularly taken by a necklace Diamonds, Emeralds and Platinum! I couldn't take photographs in the exhibition, this is in the foyer of the V&A it's a glass sculpture by DALE CHIHULY. Then as usual we sat and had a lovely lunch and a good chat, it's always nice when we catch up. The plan had been to go and look at a venue that is possibly going to be used for ERTF 2011 exhibition, but that didn't happen.

Yesterday I went to Romford Embroiderers Guild meeting, the weather was awful really strong winds and pouring rain, I was surprised how many people turned up. Today was totally different weather warm and sunshine! We went to Lakeside Shopping Centre and managed to get a few more Christmas presents.

Now the weather is changing I'm glad to be snuggling up under my quilt in the afternoons watching something good on the tv and stitching!

Tomorrow evening I'm going to Chelmsford Embroiderers Guild for the first time, I'm really looking forward to it!

My Favourite Poem

i carry your heart with me-by e e cummings

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

11th November

In Flanders Fields

by John McCrae, May 1915

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

More Info on Yesterday's blog

Sharne I wish I could say I had dyed the fabric's but , the fabric's are Hoffman's Batiks, I bought it on the last day of a holiday we took in W. Virginia in 2006. We were staying in Charlottesville for a few days and I'd already spent far too much on fabrics on our tour through W Virginia and found Cottonwood , I fell in love with a block of fat quarters and said to Dave 'That would make a lovely quilt for our bed' it took 3 years before I could bring myself to undo the ribbon and take the block of wonderful colours apart. The quilt is for a King size bed and I've got enough fabric over to make a small quilt, I did buy some extra black batik for the boarder. I'm quilting in the ditch of each block, then I'm planning on machine quilting a free machine pattern on the boarder, not sure about that yet!

Thanks Gina, glad you like the colours.

A couple of photos of the hotel and the gardens of the hotel we stayed at in Charlottesville. It was when I was looking at the photo's for yesterdays blog I realised how long I'd been admiring the fabrics, how sad is that 3years!

Sew At Last!

Finally the quilt is ready for what I think is the best bit HAND QUILTING. So it's gone from this...

to this... and despite kneeling on the hard floor my knees felt fine this morning and I had a good workout at the gym!

Fun Fun Fun!!!!!!!!

Where to start, I've had a really bad eye infection all week, I'm on antibiotics so cant even make myself feel better with a stiff drink! Dave had this week off so we had planned to go out for a few days. But! we had been waiting for the builder to come and pave our driveway which we are having done jointly with our neighbour. The guy turned up and started, Dave wasn't at home so I went out and talked to him and all he said was 'Yer,yer, yer' your not listening to me I thought! No he wasn't! As a consequence we couldn't go out except for short periods of time as we didn't know what we'd come home and find! I was glad Dave was here as the guy really dismissed everything I said, still it's all finished and as it turns out it looks really good, we just need to sort out our flower beds and it'll look really good. During the week the Aqua-8 group met at he RSPB site fairly close to where I live for a walk sadly the weather wasn't that great. We still managed to have a nice walk and get some good images.The site it's self is really interesting it is on marshland very close to the Thames, and was once used as a Rifle range I know it was used up until the late 1970's as Dave went there when he was a young lad, and every time we pay a visit he spends ages telling me about the good old days!!!!!! I'm not sure if it was used during the First and second world wars? One of the images has the numbers clearly there these were where the targets were located, I think? Yesterday I went to the ERTF conference in Letchworth, the venue was really good, I had been a few weeks ago with another member to check it out, it was ideal. I took along my lap top as a few members are having trouble with their passwords, so I got them sorted out. I'm going to try and take the lap-top along to most conferences, I hope this will make things easier for the members.During the morning there was a talk from Claire, she works for Southend on Sea Museum Services, she gave an interesting talk on costume and textile conservation. Then Liz Holliday did a "members spot light talk" about her work and her inspiration, her work is beautiful. These talks are always inspiring, we are so lucky to have a lot of very talented artist in the group. I was looking around yesterday and thinking, as there are so many members thank god I'll never have to stand up there and give a talk about my work, they will have to get out a search light not a spotlight if they ever ask me to do it. I'll be running for the hills! After a really nice lunch we did a networking- speed dating! It was really good fun, we each took a piece of work that we liked and were happy to talk about, we then had five minutes each to talk to our 'date' before we moved on. As you can imagine it was very noisy a room full of woman chatting at the same time, but really very enjoyable. I did get to talk to a few people that I'd not spoken to before, that's always good!
Who knows what this week holds? Hopefully I'll get in a few trips to the gym, I'm also going to the V&A and while I'm in London I'm hoping to pay a visit to a gallery that we are planning on using for the next ERTF exhibition.
I promise I'll post during the week with some images of textile things, I've made a piece of felt this morning so I'll post about that. I'm supposed to be pinning out a quilt now but the thought of kneeling on my hard wooden floor is putting me off which is why I'm blogging now, can't delay any longer here goes..........Comments are always welcome!

Catching Up

I've not posted for a while but I've not been out of touch, I've been keeping up with all the news by reading everyone else's blogs. In between that I've met a friend for lunch at Barleylands and as I didn't spend enough at the K&S I made a couple of purchase's at Craft Arena. I've also been busy uploading information onto the Aqua-8 website, it's still very much a work in progress, I've also made another site for myself miriamweaver.

My Mum has been suffering with a frozen shoulder or a 'cold shoulder' as she told someone! I've been doing bit's for her, shopping etc. Then on Friday I took her for a hospital appointment, she had a small lump cut out of her chin, now we have to wait for the results.

Rachel came on Sunday for lunch and she took home a scarf I'd finished knitting for her, I forgot to take a photo! I've asked her to take a photo so I can put it on here, but knowing how she feels about me using her image on here, see previous blog and 'the hat' I wont hold my breathe. But it is a lovely red scarf that I knitted using some of the wool that I purchased at the K&S.

I think that's probably it for now. I wont go into the details of the other things that have been going on here, as it involves Belle our constipated cat, our new bed, pee and a trip to the vet's. No that isn't what happened, she's still here! Here is a photo of the LOVELY BELLE, sitting on the bed!!!!!!

Knitting And Stitching Show

I had a lovely day yesterday, it started off when I tried to get into a Range Rover and only being short and without the aid of a ladder I eventually managed it! It gave everyone a good laugh and started the day off in a cheery mood especially a we had an early start. It really made a change as I was a passenger, there was lots of chatting in the car and we missed the turning, but we still arrived early and had a coffee before the show opened! Once inside we split up and arranged to meet up at 3.30 for Afternoon Tea, we set off into the halls packed with all the wonderful things to tempt us, my purse flew open and out came my cash and my credit card and this is what I came home with.

I joined the International Felt Makers Association, I'd spent a wonderful week with Cathy Unwin an ERTF member and Sue Pearl at Janice Gunner's summer school, it was nice to meet Sue again. Janice had a solo exhibition at the show too, I managed to get to say hello to her . The place was buzzing, it's always great to meet up with people you know either in the crowds or on their stands. James Hunting was on the Royal School of Needlework stand, he was a great help to ERTF when we were launching.

East had a lovely exhibition which will be moving to Harrogate K&S in November, next Autumn it will be at the Warners Archive, so there will be plenty of chances to view their work again, Janette and Carole were on the stand so I thought I'd share a photo of them with you! This year there were a lot of knitting stalls which I was pleased about as I had my cousin J with me she was a K&S virgin, she enjoyed the show and came home with wools to knit socks, scarves and even some wire and beads to knit 5 bracelets! I think she's hooked and will going again next year, who knows next year she may even buy some threads and surprise everyone! By the time it got to 3 o'clock, we had done almost everything, so we made our way outside to meet the others for our tea. This is this first time I've done this as usually when I go to this show I don't stay that long, my daughter usually comes with me and we have a system where we walk up and down the isles, buy what we want when we see it and never go back on ourselves. This time we wandered and spent more time looking at the exhibitions, both ways are enjoyable and I thought that we had earned our tea!

Funnily enough when we got back to the car I had no trouble getting in, maybe it's because my purse was much lighter! The journey home was good, talking about what we'd seen and bought, I was dropped off and the others went home. I spent the evening finishing off a pair of socks so later today I'm going to download a pattern for a shawl and get knitting, using my new purchases. I'm going to give the sock knitting a rest for a while. I've also got to work out what to do with soft sulpt, watch this space! I should also say thanks Diane for the lift, Sharne, Jackie, and the k&S virgin for the company!

Fishy Weekend!

I'm all fished out, after watching Nigel Slater on TV last week, I had an urge to cook Smoked Haddock Chowder, so that was Saturday's dinner! Sunday we met my cousin and we went to The Company Shed for lunch on Mersea Island, it's an experience not to be missed! You cannot book and it's a very popular place, you have to take your own drink, bread, butter and if you want mayonnaise take it yourself. They do provide glasses, but don't expect wine glasses, no napkins but kitchen paper is provided a roll on each table. We arrived and put or names on the board, then left to find a cafe for a coffee, when we arrived back the restaurant was full so we stood with a swelling group and waited to be called it took about 20 minutes, well worth the wait, on the board after us there were 18 groups, we sat at a table with another 4 people. The menu is fish, fish or more fish, it’s mainly shellfish we ordered a platter for 4, it was enjoyed as you can see from the photographs. Lunch was finished off with coffee at Mersea  Island Vineyard, I even bought a bottle of blush wine, I'm going to keep it for Christmas, how's that for planning?

Then tonight we had pasta and Salmon,maybe my planning isn't that good! So tomorrow its Red Meat!

Today I went to the second Aqua-8 meeting, everyone has come up with great ideas for our project so there is a lot to look forward too!  I impressed myself as I also went to the gym early this morning so I could fit everything in, wow!

Hats and V & A

Just to prove I've not been completly idle here's a picture of my daughter modeling one of the many hats I've knitted for her over the last few weeks, I've not stopped knitting socks just had a short break! As you can see Rachel wasn't keen on modelling for me!

Yesterday I met up with 5 ERTF members for a visit to the V&A, next year we are having an exhibition using the work of Owen Jones, as inspiration. We spent the day looking at his work, during the afternoon we had a room to ourselves and were allowed to  view his designs close up and take photographs. It was amazing to be able to touch such wonderful work from 1840, I left feeling very inspired and my head was buzzing. I took lots of photographs, but can't show them here as they are for personal use only, but here's the group!

To end the trip three of us went to a tea shop in Kensington, they had lovely cream cakes, I managed to resist! I met Dave at St. James's and we travelled home together. As the train was pulling out of Fenchurch Street Station I noticed the sky and the light looked really good so I had my camera out of it's case. I think this is a good shot of Canary Wharf!

I was back at the gym this morning so far I'm managing to fit in these trips, I cant say I'm enjoying it but I'll keep going, all I need now is to get some willpower and eat less!

In The Groove?

It started off as a really good week, Tuesday I was in Cambridge stewarding at the ERTF exhibition. It was a really good day, we had plenty of visitors and I met a new member, Sue she's a weaver and lives in Norwich. I also started at the gym this week, so far so good, I can still walk and feel a lot better knowing that I'm doing some exercise, I've been 3 times this week!
Wednesday the band that my son is in had a launch party near Smithfield Meat Market, at a place called Pure Groove, we felt old! However  we weren't the oldest there Robin in the band is in his 70's I think! The band is called Gyratory System, I dont mind the music but I couldn't listen to it all the time. Everyone there seemed to enjoy it, the place was packed,last week their single was voted as the best new release of the week in the Guardian! The band before were 2 boys dressed as girls, with very bad makeup and clothes, when I said to my daughter that I could give them a couple of tips on how to apply lipstick I got a 'schooosh', their first song was all about cutting off their 'boy bits', not the words they used! As I said to my sons, mother in law, they were trying to shock, been there done that! Some of us remember Punk the first time round! And the first time it was better than the rubbish they were churning out, maybe I am too old! Before we went to the gig we had a lovely meal at SOS, if you watch Master Chef it's run by John Torode.
Today I took my Mum to Cambridge so she could have a look at the exhibition, have Lunch and have a look at the shops, she's had some very sad news another of her sisters has been told she's got cancer and doesn't have very long. My cousins have taken her to live with them, which is very sensible as they live quite a few miles from her. Mum wont be able to pop round the corner to see her, and to make it worse their eldest sister died at the start of the summer. My Mum is the youngest of 7 and has only one sister left, and they aren't close at all! I cant imagine how she feels, but I spent the day listening to her! When I left her she said how much she'd enjoyed the day and that it had helped not sitting at home thinking about things.
Oh! to end on a good note I have a follower, thanks Gina! I should also say that at the exhibition today I noticed that another piece of work has been sold, a felted piece of work.

ERTF AGAIN

I've been having a really busy but good time at the moment, I seem to be spending most of my time dashing up and down to Cambridge. My other half and I were there for the weekend, we stayed in a lovely hotel and enjoyed a great lunch on Sunday at Jesus College with some of the members of ERTF. Michael Brennand-Wood gave a talk after lunch, which everyone enjoyed even by those who are not really textile enthusiasts. After lunch we walked around the gardens and admired the sculptures by Anthony Gormley that are being exhibited around the gardens or perched on the top of buildings. Below photo of lunch.

Pictures of our walk around Jesus College Cambridge, it is such a lovely building full of doors and interesting areas, I took lots of photographs!

On Wednesday I was back again in Cambridge stewarding at the Shop. We had lots of visitors so the time flew past, I had taken some knitting to pass the time, but I didn't need it! I me some very interesting people, also a few people expressed interest in joining ERTF.
While all this has been going on I've also been getting some work done. But I'll post about that at another time.
My son is in a band Gyratory System, next week they have an album release!

It's Not How It Starts It's How You Finish

The week started by a trip to Cambridge and the setting up of the ERTF exhibition, a blank canvas!

 

It was back to Cambridge again on Wednesday for the private view! Look how it changed into a bright vibrant space. Well worth a visit.

 

Lorraine the chairman of ERTF introducing Mary Couzins- Walker who made a lovely speech, and told us Artist to be true ourselves.

Yesterday it was a trip to Southend - on - Sea a walk along the front and an ice cream! (see below)

Today a visit to Aldeburgh, fish and chips out of the paper and sitting on the pebble beach, the best fish and chips I've ever had. On the way home we stopped of at Snape Maltings for a look around and a coffee! 

A Barbara Hepworth sculpture at Snape. A perfect finish to the week in my book!

ERTF Exhibition- Moving Forward

The ERTF Exhibition opens tomorrow. It's very exciting it's the first exhibition that I've taken part in where the work was selected I've got three pieces in the exhibition. I was in Cambridge yesterday helping to set up, the work is very varied not all embroidery. Well worth a visit, but then I'm very biased, so come along and have a look for yourselves I know you'll get a warm welcome. For more information take a look at the ERTF site, there are going to be work shops going on too!

I LOVE LONDON

Saturday we spent with my mum, we took her to one of her favourite places a garden centre. We decided to go to one that she wouldn't drive to herself, she really liked a hydrangea plant, it's her birthday next weekend and as we were struggling with what to buy her we snapped it up, and got it for her as part of her present. Then it as off to a farmers market, we arrived a bit late and had just enough time to buy some olives which went really well with our supper on Saturday and some of Dave’s favourite bacon, which is still in the fridge! I had a quick look around the craft centre then paid a visit to craft arena and bought a back issue of Quilting Arts, then went to the Magic Mushroom for a really lovely lunch. That’s why we later we only wanted a very light supper, feta cheese, olives and a few tomatoes picked from our greenhouse.

When we got up yesterday it was overcast so we decided to go to Columbia Road Market, just for a look! But you have to buy some plants of course! We struggled back to the car with a box of winter pansies, a couple of Elephant Garlic bulbs to plant in the veggie patch and four orchid plants for £10.00, bargain!!!

We then drove to Westminster, parked in our usual spot just off the embankment wont say where I don’t want everyone knowing about it! When we go again we may not find a space. Dave is always telling me about a small park that he walks through, Victoria Embankment Gardens, they are well worth a visit. We walked to Horse Guards Parade and there was a female on guard she's a member of the Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery and very lovely she looked too!

From there we walked across the parade and past the back of Downing Street, past the Houses of Parliament across Westminster Bridge, we stopped at Yo Sushi for a quick snack then strolled along the South Bank to Waterloo Bridge.There was so much going on! Parties by the side of the River Thames, on the Beach? The tide was out. Salsas dancing at the Royal Festival Hall, even the trees were having fun. I love London. Then we were back at the car, a film crew were packing up their stuff, being nosey I asked what they'd been doing, a new Miss Marple was being filmed on location at the Savoy, something to look forward to.

I said to Dave we must come up here more often, he looked at me strangely, ' I do every day of the week' he said. It’s not the same for me any more, I don’t have to travel to London in the rush hour. I think when you work in a place every day it looses it’s magic!