Molly has a New Pal on the block

Well there is now a little Molly on our block! Yes the neighbours have called their new Jack Russel puppy Molly. So now when I call two dogs come running.

Little Molly popped over yesterday.

  Big Molly and I came out of the gate real early for our walk and there was Lillte Molly. So we could not leave her so she came for a walk with us. I was a bit worried she might run off, but Big Molly kept her up to speed on the "come back when Mummy calls" thing. So I just wolf whistled and back they came. Amazing!

Here they are still running around after an hour! I am exhausted just looking at this. Big Molly is now 11 how on earth she kept up I don't know. I only managed to get them in frame on these two shots. They whizzed around so fast by the time I had snapped and the camera worked they were off somewhere else.

On the arty front, lots of background stuff going on here. I'm still clearing the barn, setting up messy art studio in the garage, emptying and re-vamping my small bedroom studio, turning the greenhouse into a sun lounge for the cloudy and wet days, weeding and mowing in the garden. Even sorting quite a lot of stuff for resale or dump. Working on making some fabulous paper for use in a new project. Oh and I got the camera to talk to the laptop, but only a very basic photo program.

It does you good to have a complete clear out. My brain was frazzled by so much so this is great therapy.

Now I have to go mend the lap top, the letter J has just up and flown across the table. Please pray the lap top does not break.

Love you all. 

x Joan and Molly.

Gremlins in the House

Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darlings

Please!

Yet again I have managed to wipe out the main PC. Worse the darling son - he who fixes the PC is going on holiday - so it will be a long wait. Harumph, grumble, grumble.

Trusty lap top of ancient years has been pressed into service yet again. This time I hope it talks nicely to the printer. Also I am going to dare to try and load the camera software. Hope you all have your finger crossed for me?

OK enough, there will be lots of catching up when all is fixed.

Many xxx's

Joan & Molly - she is unimpressed with me :-)

Apple Applique

This was the last lesson that we did at the weekly sewing class.

Simple Apple Applique. Big scary step for all my beginner sewing ladies - Free Style Machine Embroidery.

An Apple

A day

Keeps

The Doctor

Away

These were my samples, using a variety of apple coloured fabrics. Top three are finished, bottom three need their little stalks. I love the one that shows the inside. Next time I might try an apple core as well. This will be a cushion front.

The lovely pattern is from Bustle & Sew here you will find sewing, embroidery and more free patterns from the lovely Helen. Please do pop along and have a look, you will be amazed.

Pleased to say all my ladies stitched their own apples. Julia brought along a vintage Singer 15 hand sewing machine and we discovered that you can even do machine embroidery with that!

Now off to collect art that has been in various exhibitions, my lounge was just beginning to clear as well.

A little Birdie Retrospective

Love the Bird theme from Inspiration Avenue this week.

These are a little birdie pictures a retrospective fly past from last May.

Made from various papers and vintage book pages.

Or with sheet music. Buttons or sequins for eyes.

Words were printed on the computer but using blank pages from  vintage books.

I really enjoyed sewing these on the machine. All fit a 8 x 6 mount and then a 10 x 12 frame.

Now why not fly on over to Inspiration Avenue Weekly Challenge and see what the other talented artists have been up to.

Quilted Overnight Bag

New bag for a friend who has to go into hospital for overnight treatment. She wanted something that could be folded up and be kept in the bedside cabinet.

I've freestyle quilted the fabric with light wadding. Its lovely upholstery weight fabric, with a bold design.

Side view showing generous pleats so you can stuff a bit more in.

Back view, the bag measures 16 x 12 with a 6 inch gusset. Handles were kept short as Rita is even shorter than me. She specially asked if she could have a bag that does not drag on the floor.

Vintage wooden toggle sewn on with strong cord. I've reinforced the material where the toggle is stitched.

Inside lined with velvet and  toile de jouy silk, base of the bag is velvet too.

Nice large pocket for all the fiddly bits.

Very pleased with this as its is totally my own design. Plus I have used up about a metre of fabric from the stash. Always pleased when that happens.

Nothing much else has happened this week still recovering, then ill again, then better, retched virus of some sort. I did manage to defrost the fridge freezer, one job off the clean up the house list. Oh and I have listed loads on ebay, all garden things and a mannequin. On a mission to clear the barn that my friends kindly lent me. I fear I am like the mice, overstaying my welcome.

And lastly my dear New Home My Style Computer 826 has had its first service in twenty years. I am a bad owner! It is now as quiet as a modern machine, the feed dogs, which were very worn have been raised too. So I am back to speedy sewing.

Flowers for my Birthday

Well I've managed to reach a milestone birthday. Woke up breathing so all is well with the world.

The sun was out so I spent some time taking pictures of my garden flowers.

Aquilegias and forget-me-nots seed themselves everywhere.

Huge dark red poppies grown from seed.

All the plants fight for space.

The sun behind these poppies gives a painterly effect.

A climbing rose hiding in the delphiniums. Last autumn I laid all the long growth on this one, Golden Showers, down to the bottom of the fence. Lots of buds with big healthy flowers this year. Its put on lots more tall growth so I will do the same again. Tip I picked up on one of the garden programs.

The blue and yellow irises have been wonderful this year.

Potentillia, possibly.  All the plants I grow are non fancy varieties, ones that I know will come up every year. Most are still behind, but there is good growth and lots of flowers coming.

Then we walked to the bluebell wood, still a few late ones in flower. 

What a fantastic gnarled tree!

Sweet wild flowers.

Now obsessed with this tree.

Went to lunch with my Granddaughter.

One of her pictures edited in Photoshop.

It was a great day, friends came round and called, loads of FB messages and I had presents and cards.

Now back to reality, sewing machine in the menders and I've picked up a virus!