crochet bunting workshop

Those of you who visit my blog regularly will know I love a bargain and regularly visit charity shops. If I can find fabric or yarn to up-cycle, even better. Our local hospice has a charity shop selling second hand goods, a gift shop selling new items from which the profits go to the hospice and also a pre-loved furniture and textile warehouse called Returned to Glory. This isn't far from where I live and so we often call in and have bought items of furniture from there. Today they began a series of craft workshops and so I joined the first one on making crocheted bunting. The lady teaching was really helpful, I have done crochet before but learnt lots during our morning workshop. It was run really well, we learnt the basic stitches, made new friends, ate delicious lemon & blueberry iced cake and drank coffee. 

Julie, our teacher, had made the cake and included a photo copy of the recipe in our teaching pack :)

the table was laid out beautifully, lots of books and ideas to look through

the 100% Rowan cotton yarn was provided together with the crochet hook in these disposable take out cups...a grat idea

all instructions were included

 the finished bunting that Julie had already made was joined with crocheting ribbon along the top of each little flag

I have finished my first flag and will make some more. When my daughter comes over from SA to attend my mothers funeral, I will teach her how to make them too and she can take them home for her little house :)

birthday

Last week just as I was feeling quite sad I received an email from my dear blogging friend Hadley  to say that I had won her give away! That brought a smile to my face and even more so when my wonderful gift arrived on my birthday!

 as usual my photo doesn't really do this justice, the patchwork and stitching on the beautiful purse and key fob is brilliant, the little piece of Liberty fabric will be included in my Liberty quilt when I get to making it and the chocolate...well I'm about to go downstairs and eat it right now!

 This was my delicious birthday desert at Raymond Blanc's Brasserie in our little town

 The bluebells are out in Ashridge Park so I went to take photo's with my new Canon camera that hubby bought me, sadly the weather wasn't good and so they don't look their best but the smell after the rain had fallen was amazing.

so all in all even though we have been having a sad time just recently, my birthday was special. I share it with my sweet daughter in law and so the night before we spent the evening with  our son and daughter in law and her family. I had lovely gifts as always and even an ipad mini but I'm not to say who that was from :)

I cant think of a title

I found this photo on my son in laws blog and posted it because it made me smile. We have had a sad few days. My Mother gradually deteriorated last week and so on Thursday I drove the 4 hours down to Devon praying that angels would cover my registration plate as I sped through the countryside. 

I arrived at my mothers care home, my daughter, brother and most of his family were gathered around her bed while she slept, she had been asleep since the day before. We spent the afternoon quietly chatting, praying and crying. We older ones remarked afterwards just how precious our time had been with our children and our Mother. They amazed us with how they handled their grief and also cared for us, their parents. Even our children who weren't able to be with us were messaging us throughout the day checking we were OK.

The young parents gradually left as they went to collect their children from school, each one whispering goodbye to Grandma and telling her they loved her. My brother and his wife left a few hours later leaving me alone with my Mum. I held her hand, telling her I loved her, reminding her that she was the best Mum ever, reading scripture to her and praying until Jesus took her hand and gently led her to be with her beloved husband and heavenly Father. We have so much to thank God for, He completely undertook in every way. I cant go into all the details but His timing in all that happened was a blessing to us all. 

boys in beanies

So here are my beautiful grandsons in the hats I made them...not sure what's with the funny faces :)

bank holiday monday

You know when I haven't had time to 'make' because I just post photo's of the grandchildren. These were taken by my daughter over the weekend. They visit all these beautiful places by just walking from their house. 

Today we will be enjoying bank holiday Monday with a cream tea in the garden shared with friends from church :)

bears

I know I probably shouldn't say this myself, but they are pretty darn cute

basket

While we were in Devon I bought myself a nice French basket, its a bit smaller than my last one. I like to line baskets and add an inside pocket for small items. sometime back I bought a few metres of lovely vintage seersucker fabric and made knitting bags for my two daughters and also one that I have for sale on etsy. I loved the fabric and was glad there was enough left to line my new basket :)