a very rainy sunday

Some left over birthday cake, a strong coffee and a very absorbing book on this very blustery day here in the small town.........if you haven't read it give it a go. A very young friend of mine recommended it(he's 12 and as bright as a button). All I'll say is it's one mans tale of the Holocaust.........told in graphic form. I can't put it down.

Another Christmas present finished....love this one so it will be hard to give away(is that a mean thing to say?)

Have decided to make the mother a shawl for Christmas........she isn't exactly gushing over my hand made efforts so will let you know how its received.(have a back up just in case.)

Off to Bath this week. some friends of ours have just bought a large house that they plan to convert to a B&B. An exciting new adventure of which I am more than slightly jealous. So I will take lots of pictures and when its finished will let you know the name just in case you find yourselves in Bath with nowhere to stay. They are lovely people who will make a great success of it. There is also a Christmas market in Bath this week so am really excited on both fronts.

Finally we had a lovely day in Southwold this week to celebrate Herbs landmark birthday. Happy birthday lovely man!

big number birthday.....

Herb has a big number birthday coming up.......and I am at a loss what we can do on the day as its midweek. We wanted to go to York to see eldest child, stay over and have a meal but that would mean youngest missing 2 days of school and she cant really do that at the minute..........can anyone recommend a day out...we are about an hour north of London, going east. Restaurants, nice little towns, gardens, west end shows, anything.............am struggling.

Its been a while.........

...and I have done some lovely things....the knitting and stitching show at ally pally was wonderful, I would urge you to go next year if you can. Not only lots of lovely things to buy, but wonderful textile art and demonstrations. However I forgot my camera so have nothing to show except a couple of purchases. Wonderful Amy Butler prints for a bit of patchwork and gorgeous yarn for a bit of crochet.

but generally.....I have been in a major slump!

I'm not prone to moods except a little pmt and even that's on the wane.......nor generally to prolonged miserable periods, but this has been awful. I feel mithered, on edge, as if all my nerve endings are on the surface. Every thing is a major effort and nothing brings joy (except youngest child of course.) Herb and I have not got on, which is fairly unusual, I even cancelled good friends who were due to come for dinner last night only because I couldn't make the effort to cook. I have had a week off and hopefully with the return to work tomorrow, life will return to normal.

A good day was had on Thursday however, visiting the Tate Britain and Portrait Gallery, for the purpose of inspiring youngest for her ucas personal statement. Will write next time of what we saw, but would highly recommend the restaurant in Covent Garden we went to..... Wahaca....a fab Mexican, recently awarded best cheap eat by the guardian. It was really good.

despite 'slump' have been quite busy on the craft front, some more copying I'm afraid

a little try at some redwork embroidery

more bargello copying

and the crochet scarf all finished. Doesn't it look fab, hopefully it will be well received at Christmas.

Oh this was something else to add to my low period......a little accident in the rain........no one hurt thank goodness.