Sunday 18 February 2018

Preloved fabrics & quilt pieces












The word Preloved 
makes my heart sing.

SJH











With little more that I can do now until my printer phones me at the end of this week for pick up to make up the kits I am now looking at other projects, I am turning my mind to other things that I would like to do with this week.   Firstly there is the matter of some serious housework so I have decided over the next few days to to 3 hours daily to catch up.  It cleans my mind and the house.  Secondly I have lots of projects to catch up on as I did rather drop everything to make the kits happen. I had so many emails asking if I did them that I felt I should give it a go.  It has been a massive learning curve for me.  The design part was really enjoyable and really not that hard but getting everything else done that goes with it has seen long hours here at HQ.

The calming thing to do for me is make a coffee, pull up my little stool and go into my cupboard or drawers and look at my beautiful stash of preloved fabrics and quilt pieces.  It brings a calm over me and is my happy place to be during the Winter months. I will afford myself some precious time to do that as I need to take stock to make a few inspiration boxes as well.  There is no hardship with that task, except letting go of some beloved stock!

I am loving making tiny wee pumpkins out of fabrics and hearts out of antique quilt pieces and I have decided to do some more designs this week too for magazines later in the year.  I need to calm down and focus on the week in hand but  also take lots of time to slow stitch and I have missed it so much over the last 12 days or so.

Miss Muddy Beak has been told all these things and it is strange because she is getting really rather tame with me, if I am not jiggling about.  She has almost become a pet to me and I do love her so.
  The other morning over the weekend I was in the garden and putting extra food out and I saw that cat that I told you about,  he was garden hopping and had decided to shimmy across our back fence and amongst the bushes.  To my horror he/she had what looked like a bird in its mouth.!  It looked like the colour of Miss Muddy ..... I think I went pale.  I stood there wondering in a split second do I chase it off or try and get closer to see what bird. ... well it saw me first and ran.

I charged inside and started frying up some bacon bits ( she always comes to the smell of that) and eagerly awaited it to cool.  Armed with my enticement I sat down and put it on the lawn with mealy worms... and waited.  Mr Robin appeared and other birds who are not so tame perched in trees and on the shed and our roof.  It was like a scene from Alfred Hitchcock!   Then to my sheer joy about 10 minutes later ( it seemed like an age) she appeared and hopped over.  My relief in seeing her was immense but I was so sad for the bird who would not make it back home.... Luckily I thought it is too early for them to start nesting for young but only just.!   I actually then thought oh gosh when we move can I take her!! ... Who ever buys this place will be left with our bird table and bird bath etc and
a huge bag of food ... I am hoping they will love feeding them all as I do.  At the moment we are not even looking with Mum as she is so I do not have to fret about that right now.

So early this morning I went hunting and gathering in my cupboards and drawers and I have a lovely little pile of delicious and beautiful preloved fabric and quilt pieces and I am going to have a day of just creating and sketching or jotting ideas down that pop into my head.

I can not go far anyway as my husband had to have his car serviced and some work done and so for two days he has taken my car to work and I have two days where if it is not local - I can not go there and so I am going to enjoy these few days of just being in a creative comma!

There are buttons to sort and actually my sewing room rather looks like a north wind has blown through so I think an hour spent tidying, dusting and pushing Mr Dyson about would do both me and the stitchery room some good, get rid of cobwebs for us both.

I have sorted out some pencils and my sketch book along with my quote book and think I will go through my books and google is my friend and search for some more beautiful quotes as well.  As you can see I have the next few days sorted.  I can not get to my Mum until the middle of the week but my sister can and so I am going to enjoy my in forced time here and light the fire and candles and just think of creative pursuits and also go into the garden and see what is out there for pressing.

My dried flowers that I pressed have been used in a picture and the flowers are absolutely beautiful.  I have put three snow drops in my book for pressing.  It is a vintage addition of Little Women and sits on the mantle piece over our open fire.  It is warm there and the pressing process enjoys that.  I think I spotted some rose hips as my little rose bush has finally succumbed to winter and the buds have all gone.  In a few months I can pick some more because as you can see they turned out beautifully.  I think I will feed the birds again mid morning and then have a little rummage around our garden to see what I can forage....

With plenty to cram in today and tomorrow I am going to be busy but very happy with a needle in my hand and finishing some bits and thinking of other designs for this coming year.  The weather forecast is for drizzle rain and dark few days but brightening up mid week but again getting lots colder.  So I have sorted the fire this morning to light later, the candles are all ready to light too and the fairy lights are already ablaze.  When I have finished some housework and bits I will be snuggling down in a comfy chair and a warm drink and my wonderful sewing basket and threads.

Well that is it for this morning and I will be back here tomorrow to tell you what I got up to today in my own whimsical way.

Have a wonderful day whatever you are up to and as always Happy Stitching! XX













6 comments:

  1. Good mourning Sarah, goodness you have been busy. I can imagine that it would take quite a concerted ( no matter how enjoyable) effort to pull together these kits and also the inspiration packs. They will be wonderful and I'm hoping to get in quick when they are released. 😊 I know I exactly what you mean about Miss Muddy Beak. We are lucky to have lots of birds visiting the garden including numerous robins. To my utter horror we have a cat, who is the most lovable cat in the house but outside he is a terror and keeps killing robins. It so upsets me - to the point I don't actually like said cat very much. We rehomer them after their elderly career died - I'll never have another cat after this pair go. Like you, I worry that if we moved they would not be fed. Good ploy though, to leave table and feeders and food! Now, isn't there something nice about knowing you can't really go anywhere- I do enjoy a day like that. I have a couple of projects I need to finish, so hope to get them completed today. I had two busy days in the garden over the weekend - with a new saw! so won't feel guilty about staying in today. Have a super day Sarah. Love, Mo xxx

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    1. Morning Mo

      Oh the horror of cats, I could understand if they were starving and homeless and it was survival but these fat cats around our neighbourhood and I imagine yours as well are indeed pampered and fed well. The size of them tells me this. There is only my friends cat who comes to visit me I let in, he looks but never touches.
      Today yes I am going to enjoy being here at home and not even thinking about getting in a car. It makes me stay put and I need it actually as I am very tired after my virus and the crazy hours put in here at work.
      Enjoy your day stitching and I hope your weather has improved, I am sure you would not have been gardening in the snow! A new saw! you meant business then! LOL

      Have a great day.

      Sarah xxx

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  2. Yes, I often put bird food out, and occasionally bacon pieces and its a bit like the birds here too, but then..........the dreaded seagulls appear from out of nowhere and the gentle garden birds fly off in all directions.

    Julie xxxxxxxx

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    1. Good Morning Julie

      Yes we have seagulls here too being by the sea but our garden birds gang up on them and that is no mean feat as they are huge, even the babies!

      If there is beef fat out there the seagulls have not chance, air combat is in full force with the magpies and crows in the lead followed by the tiny ones bringing up the rear!
      I hope you have a good day and stay dry if you have the drizzle that we have this morning.

      Sarah xxxxxxxx

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  3. 3 hours daily of housework? Eeeek. I do hate it when I have to put housework before hobbies. The minute I leave it to do something fun it descends into chaos...and hobbies cause chaos..paints and brushes and fabric.
    Enjoy your day xxx

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    1. Morning Dawn

      I know I prefer slow stitching and stroking fabric but with two open fires going in this cold weather it needs to be kept up.

      I love being tidy as it clears my mind to be creative. It is only just getting it back up and running as with us being poorly too. Normally its about an hour a day but a little spring cleaning is being started here.

      Enjoy your paint, brushes, hobbies and fabric chaos ....

      Enjoy your day too.

      Sarah xxx

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