Thursday 20 June 2013

How alarming!

At the crack of sparrows (5am), I heard the sound of an alarm going off near our property, the noise was not far away from our bedroom window and it set the hens and Mr Roodledoo all a cackle!

Eventually, since the alarm was not being tended to, I got out of bed and had a look out the window which overlooks the hen house, but couldn't see anything. I then looked out the bedroom window across the garden, to find a Guinea Fowl perched on the garden wall! It had escaped from the small holding across the road! I looked to see what it was up to and then realised that this Guinea was the culprit making the alarming noise! By about 6am I was concerned that perhaps more Guineas may have escaped their enclosure and had been toying as to whether I ought to go over and tell the owners of the small holding... I walked over to the small holding, the Guinea watching me as I walked past, looked to see if there was anyone up and about but there wasn't... pondering a little longer, I eventually came to the conclusion that, if I were the owner of the small holding and my Guineas were escaping their enclosure, I would want to know about it. Thus, in order to notify the small holder of the situation and stop further escapees from drifting into the village, I knocked on the front door and waited.

Eventually, a sleepy face opened the door, I told him what was up and he apologized profusely... he said I was not to worry, the guinea had probably got out last night and that it would find it's way back, again. (I do hope so! Poor thing!) He said that he was winding down the Guineas to make way for Turkeys and then asked me how my hens were and said that if I needed any further help in future, I could just give him a call. I had asked him to help me once,  last year, with a poorly hen, whom he said had had a fright which had given her a heart attack - they are very fragile birds, he said, probably a bird of pray had flown over and caused her to have a fright, happens often, he said. I thanked him for his kind offer and headed home, the Guinea still perched on the wall, I headed over to take a closer look but it flew away.

So, if you hear a strange alarm going off at the crack of sparrows, say a hearty 'Morning!' to Ms Guinea and then send her on her way home!


Alarming, Ms Guinea! ...

Sunday 16 June 2013

Four Poster... Beautiful...

Love this picture ... very inspirational... Catherine...x
shared from: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Country-Living-Made-Beautiful.


Thursday 13 June 2013

Glued to the Cutting Board...

Evening all!

Today was spent entirely at the cutting board, prepping for my next project... I went out for two short breaks, to buy cat food and then to have a look at a fabric store, simply to stretch and have a change of scenery. This evening I've been sewing some of the blocks and tomorrow, I shall be cutting again, since I had a bright idea half way through the prep-work to slightly change the colour-design in this project... hence more cutting and a bigger quilt as a result, but that is good and all part of the fun of design.

I will probably sew a little more tonight but when it gets to quitting, sleeping will be extra sweet!

So, here's wishing you all a good night and sweet dreams... Catherine...x

'Shirttails and Chevrolets' Quilt...

Wednesday 12 June 2013

Shirttails and Chevrolets Quilt Project...

12/06/2013



Today, I went to the local farm store to get some supplies for the
Hens and Mr Roodeldoo... 
and there before my very eyes... I beheld a glorious sight... 
Oh my! A pea green Chevrolet Pick-up! I ain't seen one for real before!
Sweetie Pea!

Catherine...x
09/06/2013


Unlike 'The Great British Sewing Bee'...

Unlike 'The Great British Sewing Bee'...
I am not making a shirt so much as cutting one up! 
Is it wrong to find such delight in this?! Catherine...x


Taking care of me...


Dessert: A small fresh fruit salad... if I need it!
Catherine...x

Tuesday 11 June 2013

Sting... Love...







Today's portion...


... & water & a small hand full of almonds & 5 prunes (snack)...
Catherine...x

Sewing Room...

Good morning! Hope you are all well! 

The sewing room is starting to take better shape now that I've been working in it for some time - a couple of changes have made a huge difference... I now have a area for sewing, cutting, ironing and my desk for admin, all sorted out. 

One really needs to live and work in a space for some time before getting it working to it's full potential... I'm sure things will change in future, as they do, but for now my sewing room feels comfortable and fully functional... happy me! 

Hope this encourages you to tackle that area in your home which needs a good sort out.

Have a lovely day! 
Catherine...x



Sunday 9 June 2013

Framed...

All it needs is batting/wadding, backing, quilting and binding (green)... Catherine...x


Tuesday 4 June 2013

English Fields and Weddings...

Good afternoon to all you wonderful people and welcome to all my new friends who have joined my site over the past few weeks!

The sun is out and cheering us all up, no end! The birds are happily 'tweeting away' and the fields and hedgerows are looking cheerfully delightful smothered in Buttercups and Daisies!!! And England is covered in Emerald Green and Rape Seed Yellow... Love it!

All is a-go-go here in the sewing room... getting ahead with one or two projects. I have also attended a number of beautiful and happy weddings over the past few weeks... so encouraging to see people still wanting to tie the knot! And of course, each wedding brings with it such creative inspiration... take that as you wish! I myself, am talking about seeing the endless ways in which to decorate barns, cakes, table settings and so on... gloriously inspirational!

So, here's to all you creative creatures out there -enjoy this wonderfully summery season while it lasts! 


Catherine...x






What is it about 'Log Cabin'?

Having pulled out a few projects that where simply exercises in technique, I came across a folder filled with my hand rotary cut strips for an unfinished block of log cabin patchwork. Eager to finish this project I have placed it on my work table, ready for the next available opportunity to do some sewing.

'Log Cabin' patchwork is such a simple design with so many options for layout. I love it not only for it's simplicity and diversity in layout options, but also because the design is based on the actual log cabin housing typical of America (and Canada). The central square in Log Cabin patchwork which is mainly depicted in red fabric, symbolizes the hearth of the log cabin - the fireplace and 'heart' of the home. The strips placed around the central red square symbolize the logs with which the cabin is built.  My favourite Log Cabin layout is the 'Barn Raising' quilt layout. To me, there is something so comforting about this design. It seems well grounded, solid and stable in appearance. And although it is quite linear, it has a softness about it, in that it is a design which I would describe as being 'in the round'. For me, the design being 'in the round' is rather fetal - creating a feeling of protection, comfort and warmth. Of course, the name 'Barn Raising' in itself, conjures up the most fascinating and beautiful image of the Amish Community, gathering together for an actual 'Barn Raising' - the blue sky, the traditional Amish clothing, the woman and children busy loading tables with delicious home made food and the men-folk all climbing up or sitting on beams, beavering away at the skeletal structure of a barn in the making.

The Log Cabin patchwork block and the Barn Raising layout therefore, in my opinion, physically and visually, fully depicts all that I love about quilt making - the thrill of design and colour, the joy and satisfaction that comes from learning a skill or craft as well as the actual process involved; the rhythm of creating the stitches, the methodology involved in creating a quilt from start to finish, the tangibility of the craft - the fact that I can hold the fabric and feel the tools with which I am working gives me a sense of grounded earthiness, the fact that quilts are functional but also decorative, that they are items for comfort and warmth in the home but are also very flexible in their endless uses and especially lovely as a picnic throw.  Quilts were and still are very much part of the everyday life of people who love them. They have stories attached to them, not only of how and when they were made, but also the stories of those who made them and for whom they were made.

Quilts are therefore, a wonderful and important tool for understanding our social history. And if you are lucky enough to own a quilt, you will truly understand, that it is an absolute delight!

Catherine...x