Happy Day

Well, the little lovebird has finally been rehomed. His owners, 2 little boys about 7 and 10 turned up and told me all about how they had raised him from a fledgling by feeding him pap through a syringe. There´s dedication for you! So I was very glad that we were able to reunite them. Although I had got rather fond of him, he was demanding.

And today I received an email from Kiva to tell me that my micro loan had been repaid and that I could now relend it. Last time it went to Gloria Elegado's Group in Philippines (Activity: Food Stall), but this time it´s going to help a young man through his schooling. I love doing this. It makes no finantial difference to me ($25) but makes a huge difference to these people, and makes me feel good :-)

Also I have finished example 1 & 2 of module 2. Cross stitch and Assisi work. I´m quite pleased with them.

Now I´m puzzling about my blackwork piece. I had a plan but feel that it´s not really me, and so I´m having a radical rethink. Meanwhile I´m working on the canvas work sample. Stayed up late last night watching/listening to Victoria Wood and stitching at the same time. This morning I´m amazed at how much I´ve done. Painless!!

Worthing Museum

Mum and I had a great day today ... shopping!!! Then we popped into the museum to have a quick look at their costume exhibits in preparation for module 3. I was very intersted in the shepherds smocks on display as a lot of my family were ag labs in days gone by and probably wore them. (This is a milkman's smock by the way, but you get the idea)

 They are very utilitarian, and all of a colour i.e. grubby!! but what do you expect? I might be able to take this further, but am unsure whether to leave it until the smocking unit.

Hmmm Any suggestions?

Itchy Fingers

This week I am away from home, mother sitting. Whilst we have lots of fun together I do miss my free mornings, when I can work on whatever project I'm concentrating on at the time. This week however I'm much more organised than usual. We are going to visit Worthing Museum to have a look at their costume and textile exhibits. I am hoping to find something suitable to use as a basis for module 3 of the C & G course. They apparently have wheelchair access to these areas so we will see. I haven't been there since I was a girl ***** years ago, and I guess that things will be very different this time. Hope to be able to get some photos to upload so that you guys can see what I saw!

Lovebird

Hi everyone, sorry I haven't done here recently but thought I would tell you about something that happened to me last week. We were in the swimming pool when my hubby said "look, there's a bird" I thought he was being a little silly as it was an outdoor pool, but I had a look anyway. At first all I could see was a leaf that had turned autumny early. The I looked again and saw a little green bird with an orange chest.

 He fluttered down to the shower unit and when a lady came to shower before entering the pool he didn't fly away. I thought "he's tame... he's mine" So I got out of the pool and walked up to him. He didn't fly away when I reached for him and so I just picked him up!! The people at the pool found a box for him so that I could take him home and he's really sweet. He likes to sit on my head when I'm working and oversees all that I do when I'm working on my computer. He is a Fischers lovebird. I am trying to find his owners because he must have been a well loved pet and be sorely missed, but to no avail so far. Isn't he pretty.

Yawn yawn

Ugh. Last night at about 8 p.m. the man arrived with his machine to harvest our almonds. He usually takes between 5 and 6 hours to do it with his tractor making that reversing peeping noise all the time. So a broken night.

Then .. the builder arrived at 8 in the morning to make some repairs to a leek that we have in the roof Argh. ... Then I am late for a breakfast appointment with friends, they forgave me though (good friends) Then ... swimming /aquarobics class in the other town. Home for lunch. Then ... finished painting the two new doors we have just had installed upstairs.  And now I´ve got to think of something to feed the old man! It´s no wonder I haven´t got much done in the way of stitching today!

Photos of my town and my work

I thought you might like to see a little of my environment. This is a picture of my local town. There are cave houses at the top of the hill that the town council have renovated and made into a tourist attraction. Of course I´ve never been. I find that I will travel miles to see things but never visit the sites on my own doorstep.

The blue bridge is a pedestrian way over the rambla - dry river bed- from the new part of the town to the old where the Friday market is held every week.

As you can see the main high street runs across the rambla and occasionally, just occasionally there is water running in it, and then we have nowhere to park our cars, when going shopping, but generally it´s safe.

And now you know where I´m coming from you might like to see this. It´s my final piece for module 1 line. I am now waiting to see what my tutor thinks of it. I hope you like it.

C & G

I forgot to add that I am doing the C & G level 3 Design and Craft - Embroidery course with the School of Stitched Textiles. I have just submitted my first module - line and await with baited breath the comments. I decided to do the course after chatting with my Mum and telling her how frustrated I was about sewing other peoples ideas i.e. kits, and wished I could make my own. She suggested I learn how to design for myself, and the rest is history. At first I found the drawing/sketching part really difficult, as it´s been many, many years since I had to do anything like that, but I can see the point of it all now and am really enjoying the second module ... just can´t wait to get on to the stitching part of it. I quite like the idea of industry and cross-stitch!!
I will try to find out how to add pictures to this tomorrow.

My Very First Blog Ever!

I have finally found how to make a blog. I intend to use this to keep in touch with my stitching friends and to show them how my work is progressing. ... or not as the case may be!