Too Much To Do!

What a busy family we are................

I have been really busy with all kinds of projects and trips.  Skiing in Morzine went brilliantly, we arrived in time for lots of new snow.  Alex loved it.  Our friends who were new to skiing had a brilliant time too and are going again!  Just when I thought no one read my blog, BBC Radio Cumbria got in touch asking me to do 'Little Cumbria' based on my blog!  So I tootled off to the studio to record a week in the life of me.  It is not direct from my blog but certainly includes crafty things.  I had to laugh at my broad accent though.  They sent me a cd of the recordings after it was aired. See link for the full show.

Link to Little Cumbria Monday Show
Link to Little Cumbria Tuesday Show
Link to Little Cumbria Wednesday Show
Link to Little Cumbria Thursday Show
Link to Little Cumbria Friday Show

I also attended the Embroidery Guild North West Regional Day in Manchester with fellow guilders.  There were stalls selling a variety of goodies.  Two speakers plus a committee guild update.  Competitions and work to look at.  The lunch was rather nice too.  I really enjoyed it.  I had to try and finish off some pictures for our guild exhibitions plus dig out some old ones.  I did not manage to really do that as time was against me.  I did find an old fashioned tree embroidery i did years ago but it did not go into the exhibition either.  Below shows the lichen embroidery I had started, I also madel ime green lichen on water soluable fabric to go over the blue but got fed up!!

I am now back onto making housey project stuff like doorstops, cushions and tablecloths.  I have found a lovely arts and crafts pattern book which would make lovely finishing touches.  I really want to explore my kooky Barrow bags.  Images of Barrow appliques onto tote bags or anything really.  I might be able to sell them through the tourist info shop or made in cumbria.  Need to make up a batch though.  Images will be more like cranes, subs, lighthouses, seagulls and fun local sights rather than the obvious lakeland scenes.  I have made a couple of mock ups in material scraps. 

Other family stuff have involved taking Alex with his cousins to Ducky Park Farm at Flookburgh with Nic and my parents.  It was a great day they loved it. Especially the tractor ride and the animals!  Alex also had a trip on the Lil' Ratty at Ravenglass and totally loved that too, so he is now tractor and choo choo mad!

New Sewing Machine

Just managed to open and check out my new super duper sewing machine!  It is great but a bit complicated so it is going to take a while for me to get used to it especially after the old one i had!

It is a Brother Innovis 350 SE, it is the same as the 400 but apparently this one is cheaper.  It should do above and beyond my needs at the moment.  What I am hoping is that I can improve on my free motion embroidery and get to use special designs on my home deco stuff.  It has over 200 stitches!!!!!  There is a internal panel that i can lift up and choose a pattern by inputing the code into the computer bit!

Catching Up Time

I have not written anything for a while for a couple of reasons.  The computer broke, then my husband is on it all evening every evening and I have been very busy.  I have been to the North Lonsdale Embroidery Guild a few times and love it!  Started my textile art class at Kendal Brewery Arts Centre and loving that.  Been doing digital art workshops with Signal Films in Barrow.  Been doing lots of outdoors stuff with my brother like ghyll scrambling up Church Beck in Feb in the snow.  I fell in and it was rather cold to say the least but I felt like a hero afterwards.

My son Alex turned two and started pre-school for one morning a week and has to wear a uniform.  Looks really cute but was not happy about it! As seen here afterwards at his yiayia's house.  He loved the nursery though.

It was my husbands 40th birthday last Friday and we went to Liverpool for the weekend.  I hired a swanky appartment in Liverpool One.  We had a couple of great nights out and did a bit of shopping too.  The best was seeing the Mark Rothkos at Tate Liverpool though.  I love the old bits of Liverpool mixed with the new!

In two weeks we are skiing with friends in Morzine in France for a week so really looking forward to that.  The Winter Olympics has fired up our juices and we really excited.  So as you can see I have been busy.....ooooh I almost forgot to mention my new sewing machine arrived and it is great.  A Brother Innovis 350 SE.  Love it.  It is my 40th birthday present 3 years early from my husband.  So I m super busy with that too.  I have a couple of exhibitions coming up through the guild.

Snow, snow, snow....

We have had lots of lovely snow and my 22 month old got to experience it properly this year before we go skiing at Easter.  He tried out all his new gear whilst playing on the Glebe in Bowness-on-Windermere last weekend.  I have finished his quilt at last too!  There has been no QG or EG due to snow so bored!

Momiji Contest Winner Announced

Unfortunately I am not the winner or indeed a finalist of the Momiji Couture Contest.  These were announced on the  Momiji blog on Sunday at 4pm.  It turned out to be someone called 'Felt Mistress', whose blog I follow actually.  I loved the doll and I felt she deserved it.  Photos of the finalist dolls will be published later on.  Click on the link to look at the winning entry and read the interview.

                                                   http://lovemomiji.com/momiji-blog/1

Snow on Coniston Old Man!

I went for a walk with my brother Eddy today up to Beacon Tarn from the Blawith end.  It was a cold but clear day.  It snowed as we walked up.  When we got up to the tarn we were thrilled to see that the snow had settled on the Old Man and Dow Crag.  It is days like this that make us feel glad to live where we do.  Although I have to say very rainy dark days don't.  Although those type of days are typical and define why we are called the 'Lake District'!  It was my first sighting of local snow this year!  It was a great day.

Momiji Update & Furness Shoreline Quilters Guild Christmas Meeting

Checked out the blog for the Momiji Contest I had entered last month.  It seems they are well on the way to finding their final 10 dolls.  What gave me a bit of a thrill was that in the photo accompanying the blog was one of the judges marking some entries.  I could tell that my doll is the one at the end by the judge!  I know it does not mean anything of course but I was thrilled...as anyone would be!

http://www.momijicouturecontest.blogspot.com/

Last night my Aunty Anne and I attended the last guild meeting of the year.  Everyone had to take some food to share, a christmas card and a fat quarter of fabric for the secret santa.  The Christmas project was to make a table runner or placemats.  I did not have time to do anything unfortunately.  The entries are laid out so we can view and then vote.  I particularly liked the one that came third. 

We ate and drank, played quilt bingo and did a christmas carol quiz.  The average age must be 70 but I really enjoyed it.  I like talking to the ladies and gleaning lots of new sewing tips!  We were given the list of next years speakers too.  Quite a lot to look forward to!