Busy Busy Busy...

...making needlecases. I think I made 8 today, all different. I'll be putting pics in to my Webshots when I get around to it. They're on the computer, just haven't got round to uploading them yet. After they were done I kitted up another four Elizabeth's Designs charts, although I will need to order some of the more specialised threads and charms. Tonight I made a start on the first one, called Hyacinth House. I've done the right hand window, the window box with the flowers in it, the grass under the tree and half of the tree trunk. Hopefully will get quite a bit more done tomorrow.

I should really do some work on Celtic Autumn as it's ages since I worked on her. I did stitch some beads on while I was at Kathy's but you can't really see them on the photo. I have, however, worked out how to take close up photos with my digital camera (only had the bloody thing a year) so maybe the next pic will show them up more. Fingers crossed eh? It's amazing what you can find out when you read the instruction book. LOL!

Not long now till Craig and I go on holiday to Scarborough. We're going with my Mam and Dad, the first week in September. We decided against a caravan again this time as my parents aren't really keen on vans. We're staying in a proper guest house for a change and won't have to do any cooking or shopping for food. We're only going B&B though so will still have to buy something for lunch and tea. I googled eateries this afternoon and there seems to be a fair few places we can go.

And then, at the beginning of October, Craig and I are off to Prague for four days. It'll be Craig's birthday our second day there, so I'm hoping it's going to be really special for him. He's never flown before so that'll be a novel experience in itself, and the furthest he's been abroad has been northern France/Belgium on a baccy and booze run...LOL. We're both really looking forward to going.

Road Trip Part 3

VISITING LYNN!

I arrived at Lynn's (in Shropshire) in the afternoon and after being shown to my bedroom and where everything else was we had a relaxing time, chatting and doing a little bit of stitching. I seem to have been a bit of an inspiration to both Lynn and Kathy as they both said they'd sewn more with me there than they would have normally. Now there's a ringing endorsement! LOL. As Lynn was in the middle of having her kitchen overhauled we had fish and chips from the chippy for our tea that night, and it was yummy.

On Sunday we went to a local garden centre called Bridgemere, which had a Hobbycraft and had a mooch around in there. As Lynn's kitchen was still unusable we had lunch in the restaurant before heading back to Lynn's house. We did a little bit of stitching in the afternoon, relaxing and chatting. While I was at Lynn's I stitched a square on one of her round robins, the Margaret Sherry 12 Days Of Christmas that I had been going to join in but then had to pull out of. I ended up stitching on Kathy's RR (on glittery evenweave!) and got it finished before I left. Lynn was really grateful as she doesn't like glittery material.

On another day we went to a candle making place. There isn't a web site but I found this info about it...

CHESHIRE WORKSHOPS
Burwardsley, Nr Chester, Cheshire CH3 9PFTel: 01829 770401Open: 7 days a week 10.00am-5.00pm. Free Admission & Car parking.
Candle workshops set in the heart of Cheshire. Hand carved candle making, unique brushed and dipped candles made as you wait, glass artist, gift shop and restaurant. The workshops are a delight for children of all ages. They can try their hand at approximately 10 different activities including candlemaking, pottery, badge making and many many more while you are able to explore the factory and gift shop.
Nestling deep in the heart of the beautiful Cheshire countryside flanked by rolling hills and the twin castles of Peckforton and Beeston. Candle supplies at factory prices. Cheshire Workshops are situated only 20 minutes from Chester and 60 minutes from Manchester. Follow the Tourist Board brown signs ‘Candle Workshops’ from A49, A41 or A534.

After the candle shop we went to the ice cream farm where the three of us (Lynn's daughter Cindy came too) had a scrumptious ice cream. Mine was Bailey's flavour and was really delicious. Another afternoon was spent in Shrewsbury where we had a good look round some of the shops and had a snack in a little cafe. I surprised Lynn with a little present of a perfume bottle, which she collects, and we bought Colette a birthday present - a wind chime with fairies on it.

I had a great time with Lynn but it was time to leave on Saturday morning. I was heading to Nottingham next to stay with Colette for the night. The 19th August was Colly's birthday and I arrived just after noon. I gave her the card and present from Lynn and I, which she loved, and her husband Richard made us all some lunch which was delicious. Later in the afternoon we had chocolate cake and a few hours later we had Chinese takeaway before retiring to the sitting room to watch a Cher in Concert DVD. Colly adores Cher! Richard made us some extremely drinkable gin and tonics (well I had bitter lemon) and we got slightly squiffy. I think Colette really enjoyed her birthday and she got away with murder, but it was allowed, cos it was HER BIRTHDAY after all. LOL.

After a light breakfast on Sunday morning (we were still stuffed from the night before) I headed for home and arrived back at 2pm, just in time for lunch. Kate cooked and it was very nice....roast lamb. I got the kids to help me empty the car and most of it is now upstairs and put away. Boy was I knackered when I got back.

Road Trip Part 2

VISITING KATHY!

After a very enjoyable week with Sue and Chris (thank you for having me stay), I headed over to North Somerset on the Monday to stay with Kathy and her family for a few days. I reached her house round about noon and again we had a relaxing afternoon with some stitching. I had a couple of round robins to do, one of which was to pass on to Kathy, and the other to pass on to Jackie who lives in the next village and who was coming to Kathy's on Wednesday afternoon. Neither of them took very long to do and I was able to pass them on successfully.

On the Tuesday we took the twins to Bristol Zoo after a visit to the dentist. We took a picnic lunch with us and sat on the grass to eat it when we were halfway round the animals. There are a few photos in my webshots albums on the left if you want to go and mooch.

Again there was a visit to Hobbycraft on one day, and that was the same day we went to Wildwalk at Bristol which had a living rainforest and which was fairly interesting, although I dont think the twins were really impressed. Towards the end of the week Kathy took me to her LNS where I spent a boat load of money on beading supplies. I could have spent more but decided to pace myself, after all, I still had another week to go!

I left Kathy's on Saturday morning to go to Lynn's and was very sad to say goodbye. But hopefully I'll be going back to stay with Kathy in November while her husband Nick is away on business.

Road Trip Part 1

I've got loads to catch up on so thought I'd better make a start.

VISITING SUE!

On Tuesday 1st August I started my trip to Tonbridge in Kent to visit Sue. After giving a lorry driver some directions 5 mins down the road I was on my way. I had a couple of stops on the journey and thought I would be stuck on the M25 for a while, but the traffic was flowing quite steadily there so I'd obviously missed rush hour. The sat-nav did its job admirably and got me to Sue's at about 2.30pm. Not bad going. Actually it could have been earlier.

Sue helped me empty the car and then we sat and relaxed all afternoon. She had a good rummage through my stash crates and picked what she wanted from the free-for-all crate. She even left some stuff for Kathy and Lynn! LOL.

Sue and Chris haven't lived in their new house for very long, but they've got it really comfortable already and the spare bedroom, where I was sleeping, was great with lots of room and a new bed. The weather was fairly hot all week while I was there so we got out and about a few times.

On one day we went to Blue Water shopping mall. We'd had to wait in for someone to come and fix the lock on the front door so it was fairly late by the time we got there. Sue needed to buy an outfit for a wedding later in the week, so we spent an hour in Evans while she tried lots of stuff on. She eventually settled on a lovely cream skirt and a matching top, plus a few other things that made their way to the cash desk.

Another morning was spent in a closed down craft shop in Sevenoaks, where Sue had been donated leftover stock for her special needs class. We managed to fill the boot before calling it a day. Of course there was the obligatory trip to Hobbycraft where the staff know nothing and everything is overpriced, but I still managed to spend a little bit of money. As you do! And we also visited a garden centre but I can't remember the name of it. There was a small craft shop there, that was full to the rafters with stuff, but you could hardly get moved in there. Didn't spend much in there, if anything.

On the Friday of that week, Chris and Sue went to a wedding so I was home alone with my stitching. I'd been working on my Saturday project for most of the week so I did as much of that as I could. I had to order some thread, beads and charms to finish it off properly, and managed to do that once I got home again. As the weather was nice that day, I did my dirty washing, got it dried outside and did some reading. Later on I watched some TV then had an early night. Sue and Chris returned early morning. The following day Sue went to the hospital as she had been stung by a wasp under her eye during the wedding and she reacted badly to it.