Happy New Year

Hi,

I wish my followers and vistors to my blog a very Happy New Year. I look forward to seeing you all in 2012.

Hugs

Margaret

Anni Horrible

Hi,
Anni Horrible or horrible year, that's what 2011 has been for me and Vernon, I cant wait to see the back of it, I only wish I was in Samora and have one day less for the year to end.
A year of illness and now I have flu last winter I went though without a cold or flu, this winter this is now my second bout of flu. The two things that have come out of the year is that I am not in pain 24/7 and the gall bladder operation I waited for for a long time was done in July. The cancerous mole was taken out and although I am left with a very long scar on my back I am cancer free.
Mother is still in hospital and although she does not know it yet is going into a home, if you hear screams and shouts coming from Somerset its her protesting that she wont go into a home, but she cant look after herself and I have no choice in the matter the hospital and authorities say a home. So I am now looking at care homes and trying to find the best one for her.
Vernon's planned retirement happen and although its now nearly two months we have not yet got into a routine, its been all go since we got back from our holiday. Its been nice having him home and to share all the problems we have had over the last couple of months.
Our Holiday to Grand Canary, although the hotel was gorgeous, food beautiful and the choice wonderful we did not enjoy it as we should have done but as many of you know with mother in hospital and Peter being killed things just took the joy from it. We did do a trip around the island and an evening at Sioux City. I can now laugh at one moment we brought new cases for the holiday and we got off the coach at the hotel, I sailed into hotel leaving Vernon behind me, as he pulled his case in the handle came off, he thought that case went light, he had the handle and the case on the pavement. I might add when we got home my handle was lose, well it made it home.

While we were in Grand Canary we were given some sweets which I kept for my grand daughter Bethany, one of them was this one, on the wrapper was Mells, we laughed as Mells is the name of the next village from us towards Frome.

It was not the worse holiday we have had that was a couple of years ago when my purse was stolen, although it contained no cards and only a few euros it had my silver dollar inside, I was given it on my 21st birthday, and as yet I have never been able to replace it, it was one of my treasured items, hopefully one day I might be able to replace it for now I still miss it in my purse. I was told that if you have a silver dollar in your purse it was lucky and you would never be without money in your purse, not sure if that is true. On that holiday it rained everyday and we had thunderstorms every day, even the resort got flooded, I am not planning to go back there again.
Now on a lighter note this lovely card and snowflake arrived just before Christmas from Wendy (Unintsuru) in Singapore. Thank you Wendy the snowflake is gorgeous, I thought it was one of her own patterns but it was from the lovely book playing with picots by Martha Ess which Mother gave me for Christmas and I have been playing with over the last few days.

I would also like to thank Michelle for the Latin, Latin is not a language I have ever used, so thank you Michelle, Anni horrible is the only words that fits my year.

I hope you are keeping well and with only a few hours left of this year, roll on next year.
I wish you all a very very happy New Year.
Hugs
Margaret

More Stitched cards

Hi,
Well Christmas was quite, we visited mother in Paulton Hospital on Christmas day, we were supposed to go to Oxfordshire on boxing Day. Unfortunately I have come down with the flu bug, last winter I never got a cold or flu, this is my second bout of the winter. Its been a mild Christmas here in Somerset, no wonder there are so many colds and flu going around. It started with a cough on Christmas eve night and progress all day on Christmas day. I could say its just another thing to round up the year nicely.

Today I thought I would bring you these couple of stitched cards I did on our holiday, they are in my esty store at the moment.
Its a peach card with butterflies in multi colour metallic thread and pink beads, and flowers in pink metallic thread and matching pink beads. the leaves are stitched in metallic green thread.
Using the Starform silver stitching peel offs.

a close up




This is a lilac card although this picture looks blue, no idea why, the ribbon is sheer pink and lilac mix, which I brought at the craft barn at Millets Garden Centre in Abingdon, when we went up to Oxfordshire.

The hats and flower are stitched with shades of purple metallic thread and purple beads.

This is a close up, I used gold Starform Stitching peel offs for this card.

A close up of the flower.




I hope you have a good Christmas, I had from my Mother the book Playing with Picots by Martha Ess for Christmas and I have been playing with her patterns, I will show you my efforts when I have something to show you.

Until we meet again take care

Hugs

Margaret

Happy Christmas

Hi,

I wish you all a very Happy Christmas and thank you for all the lovely comments you have left on my blog over the last year.
Hugs
Margaret

Christmas Stitched Cards

Hi,
I hope you are getting into the Christmas mood, Unfortunately we are not there yet and possibly wont be. I stitched these two cards on holiday along with some others, I thought you might like to see these.
I used Starform peel offs, they have glittered centres and look lovely. This card has two large gold bells, and holly leaves with a red sheer ribbon bow. I used red and gold metallic thread with red and gold beads for the bells and green thread and beads for the leaves. They were stitched onto a white scalloped card, I sew the beads on as I go so they wont fall off. I don't use glue, I finds using the same thread when sewing them on makes them look better, although I did put the ribbon on with a spot of glue.

This card is also a white scalloped card I put three silver bubbles on stitched with red and silver metallic thread and red beads, with three red bows at the top of each bubble. The holly leaves are stitched with green metallic thread and green beads, I put some leaves in each corner of the card at the bottom.

A close up

Another close up.





One day is rain another day is cloudy, one day mild and the next day cold with a frost, the weather at the moment does not know what it wants to do, no wonder we get colds and flu in this country. I don't know what is worse, cold, dry and a frost, or mild and wet.

Until we meet again please don't over do it, its only a couple of days, the shops will only be closed for one day.

Take care

Hugs

Margaret

Santa Magical Sleigh

Hi,
No this wonderful work is not mine, but if you would like the instructions for making this brilliant Santa Magical Sleigh, visit the following:-

Get a free "Santa's Magical Sleigh" card making template from Card Carousel.Just visit www.cardcarousel.co.uk/free/sleigh.html

I wont have time for this Christmas but it will be something different for next Christmas. My thanks to Suzanne for passing this on.
Hugs
Margaret

Embriodered cards and a Esty Treasury

Hi,
I hope you are having a lovely day here in Somerset we have had snow, yep its back, its now raining and its very dark at 2pm I have the light on, the heating on, and more snow forecasted. Last year at this time of year I was getting ready for the last craft fair of the year and it was cancelled at the last minute for snow. I hope it does not happen again this year.
The above tablecloth which I knitted some time ago and has been in my Esty store was featured in Wonderful works by Gillian Holder from Stitches and jewels in a treasury, its the first item from my store that has been in a treasury. I feel really pleased at the moment.

These stitched cards went into my esty store last week and have been sold and are now on their way to the US, but I thought you might like to see them, I was stitching them on holiday, well its easy to take on Holiday just some thread, needle and beads oh and a pair of scissors. I also took my tatting and two balls of wool to make two scarfs.

Anyway back to these cards, these are oak leaves and acorns which I stitched with red/gold thread on the leaves and gold thread on the acorns and a bead in the middle, They are Starform peel offs with glitter center, I was quite pleased with these.

This card had three leaves on a green card, they were stitched with gold thread and had gold and red beads in the centers of the leaves. again they were Starform peel offs with glittered centers in the leaves.

The red beads were in the center of the leaf and the gold beads on the otter middle of the leaves if that makes sense.

This card had a heart with pink stitching and a smaller heart under which I used as a vase with an arrangement of flowers above and going down one side of the card in pink and multi coloured thread with pink beads in the center of the flowers.

I hope you like these cards, I have done some more which I will show you in a few days.

I have been busy today I finally got my case unpacked and most of it washed, its been so hectic since we got home with the funeral and mother in hospital, they send so much washing home, I am sure she only has to make a mark on her clothes and they change her. Its amazing how much washing she has had over the last week, not to mention the amount that I brought home from the first visit when we got back home. She will be in hospital for Christmas, and we wont know if the leg has healed until the next x-ray on the 28th December.

Our Friends are moving today, and Vernon has gone to help them, its been snowing in Shepton Mallet and he will be very wet and cold by the time he gets home later.

I hope to write a piece about our holiday over the next days.

I want to add that I am sorry I have not been around the blogs over the last few weeks, I hope you will understand that I will catch up with you all over the next few days, I have not forgotten you. I am sure you have some wonderful things on show so please accept my apologises for not visiting your blogs.

I hope you are keeping well and getting ready for Christmas, Vernon and I have decided to cancel Christmas with the events over the last month we don't feel in the Christmas mood.

Until we meet again take care

Hugs

Margaret

Peter Tyrer - African Childrens Fund

Hi,
The world lost a big man with a big heart when Peter was killed in a head on car crash in Nairobi on the 18th November, many of you may have seen the piece in the daily mail showing this picture of Peter with the children, it was also broadcasted on the local Oxford radio and local newspapers.
He was the founder and CEO of the African Children's Fund link here.
The charity was founded in Spring 2006 and now work in Kanya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe. Peter used to go out to Africa three times a year and was due back over the weekend, it is with great sadness to all of us that Peter was killed but the Charity is going to carry on and a trust fund will be set up in Peter's name to make small grants to causes he would have supported.
Peter was also a member of the Abingdon Chamber of Commerce, a Governor of Longworth Primary School, and vice chairman of the Wantage Liberal Democrats.
The church service was held on Wednesday at Longworth Church St Marys, it was a long service with many tributes coming from Africa, these were read by Henry Chitsenga from the GRJ church of Zimbabwe, tributes also came from the Kenyan Community of Swindon, Dad timed the service as one hour eight minutes. One strange thing happen in the service, in line with the coffin and the vicar sitting a very small translucent green insect spiraled up into the top of the church where is came from I don't know but it almost looked like an fairy with its see through wings. While the vicar was talking about Peter a wasp landed on his robe and stayed there for a while before flying off. There was a message from Caroline his sister living in Australia, she said that a couple of days after Peter was killed a blue and white butterfly came around her as she hang out the washing, it stayed by her ear hoovering so close she could hear its wings moving and then it settled on her arm and looked at her. She felt it was Peter came to tell her he was OK. It was a bitterly cold day with a cold wind blowing and the sun shone, the church was packed with people standing at the back and in the aisles. Peter was well known and will be missed in so many ways by so many.
Then followed refreshments at the Blue Boar in Longworth before a family service at the Oxford Crematorium.


I shall never forget Peter this is a picture from our wedding in August 2002, Peter was Vernon's Best man. Peter did the most brilliant speech at our wedding without writing it down just a few lines to prompt him, there's not many people can do a speech without it being completely written. From the first time I meet him well on the second time I meet him when we were leaving Peter said to me I get on better with you than I ever did with Pat (Vernon's previous wife) I thought at the time he's only just meet me he hardly knows me, but I always got on very well with peter and well everyone in Vernon's family. It strange that Vernon's Dad was going to arrange for me to meet Uncle Colin (Dads Brother) one day and why it is that families only meet up on sad occasions such as funerals.
I will miss Peter and this has been the saddest post I think I have written, I know its a bit late but its better late than never, the world is a sadder place with the loss of Peter a man with a big heart who would do anything to help anyone.
Vernon will never forget his retirement day being the same day Peter was killed.
Margaret

Christmas Angel

Hi,

This is a scheduled post, hopefully they have all worked OK.
Today I am showing you my Christmas angel from the book Christmas Angels and other tatting patterns by Monica Hahn, page 8. In the pattern it is all white but I thought I would make your shirt coloured so I used Lizbeth no 20 Butterfly Breeze for the shirt and in the middle of the head dress. The white thread is also Lizbeth no 20.

This was the wing, you start with the wing first, it went down and not up, no idea why it went down but it looked wrong so I started again, Its not a difficult pattern and easy when you have done more than one. I have another one on the go when writing this post, will show you when I come back off holiday.

See you soon
take care
Hugs
Margaret

A selection of christmas cards

Hi,

This is a scheduled post, I do hope these are working OK.
These are some cards I made from a free gift that was in the magazine called Papercraft Inspirations, November 2011. I did change them a little bit from the ideas in the magazine. I hope you like my ideas and how I used their free gift.

I hope you are keeping well and everything in your world is OK. see you soon

Hugs

Margaret

Purple Twist

Hi

This is a scheduled post.

Today I thought you might like to see these tatted items, they are done in Lizbeth no 20 Purple Twist, I brought this thread by mistake I wanted to order the variegated green and something happen with the computer and I got this. Purple is really my colour but it has worked up well and makes a change from the normal colours I use.

The above is the Celtic 5 point motif, buts its 10 points as 5 do not sit with me, so I have done 10 and I think it looks better, the pattern is by Sue Hanson.

This is a selection of items, the butterfly and cross are Mary Koniors and the little cross is a pattern which was on "intatters" and I have to confess I cant remember who's it is.

This is a close up of it, it makes a lovely tiny cross.

Hope you are keeping well.

Hugs

Margaret

Selection of Easel Calendars

Hi,
This is a scheduled post, today I thought you might like to see some easel calendars that I have made.
This one has an art deco lady design, with the backing papers from the Joanna Sheen's Enchanted Dreams CD, finished off with pink ribbon and peel offs.




A close up

This one has an image and backing paper from the Joanna Sheen's Pamela West Collection Cd, the image was mounted on purple miri card and I have put some peel off dragonflies and finished it off with peel offs.

a close up.


This one has popcorn the bear image surrounded with pink roses, the strip and green backing paper was from stock, and again finished off with peel offs.

A close up.

I hope you are keeping well and have a lovely weekend.

Hugs

Margaret

Peter Tyrer

Hi,

Just a very quick post from Grand Carania, we are very upset at the moment as Peter our Brother in Law was killed over the weekend in Kenya, You may have seen a piece in the Daily Mail and on Television.

When I get home I will write more, we are not having the best of holidays, Mother is still in hosptial. the hospital has a bug so we were unable to visit her before we left.
All other posts are scheduled.
Will write more when we get home in the meantime take care.
Hugs
Margaret

Mary's Butterfly

Hi,
This is a scheduled post, I wanted to show you Mary's Butterfly.
Her link to her blog is here

This gorgeous butterfly is her own pattern and is made up of all rings, its quick and easy to do and looks well as I say gorgeous I have done a few now in various colours.

This is Lizbeth no 20 Falling Leaves

Lisbeth no 20 Rainbow Taffy

Red which I think might be no 20 DMC by the shape of the ball which I found last week in the draw.

Lisbeth No 20 Butterfly Breeze

I hope you are all keeping well

Hugs

Margaret

Happy Birthday and Retirement Vernon

Hi,
Today is Vernon's Birthday ( my husband) and he retires from work after 50 years of working from today he his own boss (well in his dreams). I made this card not the one I originally thought up as I wanted a picture of him as a baby, the great British Post office failed us, his Dad sent me a picture and the post office lost it. So this card is my second thought about what to do for him. I am not very good at parchment so I really hope he likes it.
I did my own design and used peel off boot and hat embossed in the designs, Vernon is into Country and Western so I hope he likes it, as I say I am still learning parchment and their are no teachers in this part of somerset, so its self taught, reading the parchment magazine and books. I hope you like the card its takes many hours for me to do just a simple card. I put blue paper behind the parchment and blue ribbon down the side. The ribbon is from Joanna Sheen's online shop.
At work they said to Vernon that he would be under my feet from now on, he replied "I told them you would be under my feet", I don't think so. On one hand it will be nice to have him home but all day not sure about that.
He says he is going to do the garden, there's plenty out there to do, as it has not touched the garden for a year, its my job to do the garden and being ill I have not been able to get out there and play.
Its amazing how mild it is at the moment I have a plant called Lady Mantel, it flowers in June, well I have found some in flower now yes November and its in flower, I cant believe how some plants are so confused about what time of year it is.
This cross stitch picture I made Vernon ten years ago, I knew he liked Country and Western and the first Country and Western night he took me too they had a special Indian night, so I saw this picture and decided to make it for him. It was the hardest cross stitch picture I have ever done, I vowed then I would never do another one, the detail in the Indian is vast and took many hours to do. Most of it was done at work then as I was a live in carer, that way he did not see it, that's how we meet he was a friend of the family of the old lady I was looking after.

Here are some close up pictures for you

I made it ten years ago before we were married and has been admired by many visitors. It was a Gold Collection Petites from Dimensions and called Noble Warrior.



Update on mother she is now in a community hospital at Paulton, shes very confused, but they have a bug in the ward and they wont let me in to see her, I have left her a note to say that I have been and that we are on holiday, plenty of nighties I have never known so many nighties coming home for washing in such a short time, I think they change her for something to do. It going to be a long job as they have said 6 to 8 weeks in hospital and that I am to go on holiday and not to worry about her.

From now on all posts until the 5th December are scheduled as we are in the Canary Islands soaking up the sun. this is his planned holiday for his retirement, we are going to make the most of it.

Until we meet again in blog land take care and keep well

Hugs

Margaret