Wednesday 23 February 2011

Out and About

It is a while since I last posted something here but fret ye not. I have been out and about. Last week was my sister's 50th birthday and so I went and spent a few days up in Stoke. One thing I didn't do was take my camera and so have no photographic evidence to mark the occasion. My niece Megan (Megan papier on my sidebar - I need to learn how to do a link) has a blog and if you have the time perhaps you would pop over and leave her a word or two of encouragement. She is 17 years old and a great girl. I am biased of course because I love her. Meg has posted a little about her Mum's birthday. I took my sister to the theatre to see Jason Donovan as Captain von Trapp in the Sound of Music. He was great and we had to keep snatching the spy glasses off each other to ogle Jason each time he came on stage. We also enjoyed a delicious meal beforehand plus a little drop of vino.( Well, a bottle to be exact but we won't mention it!!!). Maria was played by Verity Rushworth better known as Donna Dingle in Emmerdale. She was a real sensation and in my humble opinion better than Connie Fisher.

I also had the great privilege of visiting Barbara Chainey for a delicious lunch of the local delicacy of cheese and bacon oatcakes. I also had a private viewing of a selection of her antique quilt collection housed in her tardis - sorry, cupboard. Some absolute beauties and I came away with a few ideas I can tell you. Thank you Barbara for a lovely day. This blogging medium is a fantastic thing, putting like minded souls together. Again, you can check out Barbara's blog.

On Saturday we met Sarah and Olly down at Lyme Regis in Dorset. It was one of those gorgeous days when you feel that spring is here, when the sun comes out and you think Oh Thank you, thank you, thank you for the bit of warmth on your face and it makes you feel so good. I would like a bit more of that please.



Mick and Olly on The Cobb Harbour. Golden Cap in the background. Lyme Regis is famous for being immortalised in the film The French Lieutenant's Woman. When you see Meryl Streep staring out to sea, well, this is it.



It is also famous for it's fossils.



Today at Kate's we celebrated Pat's birthday with the usual exchange of presents and tea and cake. Pat has just returned from New Zealand and brought with her lots of goodies to show and tell. Sorry, didn't take any photo's in the excitement.



This is a section of Kate's quilt hanging in her studio. It is amazing and is hand painted and appliqued with shells and you may just see some of the wording on it. It is just so soothing and beautiful.



Wendy has been working on these little beauties for some time now and were from an inklingo swap. I think she has now hatched a plan for them and it was a treat to see them again. Those diamonds are 1" and therefore 2" hexagons.



Just a little burst of colour from Kate's threads hanging on the wall.



Finally, are you still with me? not fallen asleep? This is a bit of my offering. Work in progress. It needs its borders adding and scalloping. This little project is from Cupcake Cottons. I walked past their stand last year at Malvern so many times that eventually I gave in and bought this kit and may have to buy another one this year. They are a great new business venture and have such great fabrics and kits.



I need to be making decisions now on that background fabric as I am 2/3rds of the way through the hexagons and before I know it they will all be done. Decisions, decisions.

Happy Stitching.

Love Shirley.x

10 comments:

  1. What a lovely newsy post, I'm glad you've had such a great time out and about. How wonderful to have had that time with Barbara, I bet you were drooling over the quilts. The shell quilt looks wonderful and so does the cutie heart project of yours.

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  2. You really come from a beautiful part of the world. I have fond memories of our holidays there a few years back. Love all the different projects; very inspiring. Cheers

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  3. So much lovely stuff I don't know where to begin! The shell quilt is amazing, as are those tiny hexagons. 2" across, sheesh! And I love your heart quilt; it's darling.

    It's very easy to put a link in your post text. Say you want to have the word Megan be a link. You type Megan then select the Megan text, then you press the Link button, which is the little horned icon to the right of the text color icon (at least on the old editor). A dialog box will be displayed. Simply paste or type the http://address into the textfield, then press OK and you're done. Megan will now have a different font color, so you can tell it's a hyperlink. Hope this helps.

    Happy trails,
    Susan in Texas

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  4. There we go again, working on similar projects, red and white.
    I love those beautiful photos of Lyme Regis I can almost see Jane Austen walking along in the shadows. Happy birthday to Pat.

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  5. What a great time you have had,interesting to hear all your news. The shell quilt is gorgeous and your projects are lovely.

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  6. Nice that you have been out and about. I saw Barbara's post about your visit. I would have loved a rummage in her quilt cupboard too.
    Also I am liking Wendy's stars , very striking.
    Isn't it nice to start getting back out and visiting favorite places It finally feels like spring has sprung.

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  7. You have been busy, busy Shirley, good for you!
    Wish I could have shared some vino with you and your sister...sounds fun :)

    Lovely quilts and the red and white hearts are right up my alley.

    You really do come from a gorgeous part of the world. You would be bored stiff by how drab Oklahoma looks, well maybe not in Spring.

    Have a wonderful day!!!

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  8. I can't imagine having so much on the go at one time and getting birthday trips in there too!
    I LOVE the hexies...so small and delicate I can see that.
    it was a long post, but you had a lot to say.
    spring is coming so we shall see the lovely English blossoms!

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  9. I am glad to read that you enjoyed your time in Stoke and it sounds like a wonderful Show - always nice to have a leading man to drool over! What a wonderful treat to see some of the treasures in Barbara Chainey's cupboard and it sounds like you both had a great day. I love the work you have been doing and the red and white is lovely. Love the photos of Lyme Regis and the French Lieutenant's Woman is a movie I well remember - must look for it on DVD. Take care!

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  10. It is good to see you are making the most of the weather. That fossil is amazing. I seem to be chasing my tail at the moment.

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