~*~ Hurrah for Amy Butler ~*~

Great afternoon for c. 75 sewing & quilting fans at The FQ's, near Blackhall Mill near Newcastle, when Amy Butler dropped by.
Amy is a fabric & pattern designer from Ohio, via graphic design , and her work and colour combinations are a breathe of fresh air.
A buffet lunch was followed by a slide show chronicling her recent trip to Bali & India and the designs the trip inspired.
The colours ,art, people and spiritualism of these countries have inspired some fantastic fabric which will be revealed next year.
Amy is also delving into the world of bedding, towels, rugs, stationary, wrapping & cards.








She seemed a lovely, genuine, enthusiastic person and took plenty of time to answer questions & sign books etc.





Pauline, wearing an AB creation, at the show




This photo has a "Locket" in the background and Amy was photographed with a Pigeon which I amsure has some great meaning.Do tell!!

~*~ Hens etc ~*~

A couple of new members have been recently ,and very gently, introduced to my small flock.
A very pretty white Leghorn, these lay beautiful, white eggs.

I originally bought 2 at the sale but they are quite wilful & highly strung so I gave one to Mary's Dad.The remaining hen is continually trying to escape & despite my best efforts & the garden looking like a set from "Chicken Run", she keeps appearing on the communal green area to the side of the house.

The quails are enclosed in a nice run & are starting to lay nicely










This is what they give us on a good day ........










Always the optimist, I ordered the most recent, recent Elm Creek book, a follow-up to the Runaway Quilt & thorougly enjoyed it.....
















Last Autumn, I planted some tulip bulbs in a vintage bucket and they have been glorious for the last 2 weeks.

~*~ Easter in Northumberland ~*~

What a fabulous, sunny , Easter weekend we have had here in the North-East.
I have spent , almost, the whole time pottering in the greenhouse or the garden. The potatoes & onions are in ,perennials divided and replanted, bucketfuls of weeds removed & seeds sown.






In the evenings, tired, stiff but happy, a lot of easter chocs have been consumed.
Did you spot "Willie's Cocao" in the pic am I a Tv ad man's dream or what?

I sent off to our beloved Am.... for the latest Elm Creek book, a bit of a swiz, mostly recipes, probably lovely but in US measures, eveything kosher but not much story. Could I sell a book about cleaning out my kitchen cupboards ? this is the trouble about buying sight unseen , ay well looks pretty on the shelf.





What else ?

Started stripping the wallpaper off the hall !!!

Patchwork & Quilting..........................Nought doing !!

Knitting.............started a cotton thing using dk cotton I had ,looks a bit bright, may be visible from the moon if it gets finished.
managed to get out of the gloves loop, 5 pairs well 4 really 5th is odd ???




Now the weather is improving I might have a crack at this Amy Butler dress.....

~*~ Happy Mother's Day ~*~

~*~ New month means new........ MAGS!! ~*~

A great new blog by Funky Monkey tipped me the wink about this article about one of my other passions Bridgewater pottery.
I have to be really strict with myself about glossy home & interiors mags and the beginning of each month presents shelves of tempting treats.





Past, present, & future.......gloves !

can't do them quick enough but they are fun and reasonably easy, I am itching to start on something bigger if only my newly ordered & paid for Debbie Bliss magazine would arrive on the mat.The waiting is awful tho sometimes the anticipation is the best part !!

Next week , its off to the Country Living Fair in London & the Rowan dept in Liberty's.

~*~ Chillin !! ~*~

The last few months have been very ,very busy and stressful and last week I started to feel the strain , physically and emotionally. So I have taken some time out to relax and get things back in perspective.
I have therefore been pottering around at home catching up with little jobs that have needed doing,catching up with sleep, walking the dogs , with friends , reading and my sewing and knitting.
The headaches, twitchy eyes, insomnia, overdoing the wine, and temper etc,etc have all improved.
Jill , a good friend, rang me recently cos she wanted to take up knitting again, she had seen some fingerless gloves I had knitted my boys and wanted to do some for her brood.The last few days ,I have been supervising her first glove. I have started a pair that I promised Calum before Christmas and am keeping up with Jill,s progress.
There have been a couple of "urgent" calls to "knit direct" as stitches have gone awol or patterns illegible.We even sat and knitted in the bar of the local cinema before going to see the "Reader" with Kate Twinset.
The knitting bug has really taken hold again and I am also knitting a tea cosy (why??)





Sewingwise, I attended 2 workshops with Sandie Lush which were marvellous and have started finishing a Bronwyn Hayes UFO

Off for a cuppa, chocolate biscuit, some knitting and the last few pages of "39 Steps" by John Buchan.