Blessings

Blessings in our garden are things which happen by themselves. Every year I attempt to grow vegetables, last year I had courgettes by the ton,  six runner beans, all eaten with great appreciation.... Also three strawberries, gone in a minute, but the sweetpeas and nasturtiums were a riot, pretty but not very edible. But every year starts with great hope. At the moment, the vegetable plot has been dressed with manure, compost and awaits the plants in the greenhouse. In the other parts of the garden, daffodils and fritilaries are so gorgeous and this year is marvelous for cowslips.  So I was delighted to find two blessings.... well three to four really, three with wings, as peacock butterflies arrived from Italy on Saturday and one little primrose, self seeded on the steps.... all by themselves, with no help from me!

 This a spring coloured quilt  I have made for Joss with all the things she loves about her garden. Her frog kite flies over the apple tree, her teddies picnic in the garden and a little owl perches on a branch. 

Travels

Katy is off to Norway for a year. She going on an adventure which involves eighty huskie dogs, many puppies , snow, sleighing, boats and all weather jackets. Those of you who know my Katy will not be surprised, she is a girl of great spirit and we are really excited for her. It will be very cold and at night reindeer skins are the bedclothes of choice. But they only come in a limited palette of colours, so I have made her a quilt. The design is called a sampler quilt and features many different kinds of piecing. The centre square pattern is called Trip Around The World which I think suits Katy well. I have bought my travel guide and can't wait to do some visiting, those puppies look so cuddly too....   Katy is off to Norway for a year. She going on an adventure which involves eighty huskie dogs, many puppies , snow, sleighing, boats and all weather jackets. Those of you who know my Katy will not be surprised, she is a girl of great spirit and we are really excited for her. It will be very cold and at night reindeer skins are the bedclothes of choice. But they only come in a limited palette of colours, so I have made her a quilt. The design is called a sampler quilt and features many different kinds of piecing. The centre square pattern is called Trip Around The World which I think suits Katy well. I have bought my travel guide and can't wait to do some visiting, those puppies look so cuddly too....   

A present for Jo

Last year I went on a course with Janet Bolton, an internationally famous picture maker and textile artist. She makes the most wonderful textile pictures in a folk art style. Her subjects are everyday scenes from life, but she brings a special insight to her pictures which makes them come alive. She is also a kind and generous teacher. So I have wanted to make little pictures for a while. William the Pidgeon  (see below) was the third attempt and now I have made Jo a birthday present. Every morning, she sits at the bottom of her garden with a cup of tea. She wears her mum's old coat and is always joined by Brough the dog and Willow the cat. It is the start of her day. So here is her birthday present, which now hangs framed and in her kitchen. Thank you Janet for your wonderful teaching. 

A guilty secret

I give talks to local WI groups occasionally. These ladies are well known for their wonderful cake making. Recently we were chatting after a talk and the topic of cakes came into the conversation...quilt makers are well known for their cake eating.... The lady asked if I knew about the Infamous Cake In a Mug recipe..... made famous by London West End Women's Institute? you can read about them here. Well, I looked it up as soon as I got home and yes, there it is, complete comfort in a mug for those of us love cake and it only takes 3 minutes to cook! So here is the recipe, you know you want it.....

5 minute Chocolate Mug Cake
4 tablespoons self raising flour
4tbsp sugar
4 tbsp cocoa
1 egg
3 tbsp milk
3 tbsp oil
3 tbsp choc chips
splash of vanilla

Method:  Add all dry ingredients to the mug and mix well. Add egg and beat well. Pour in milk and oil and mix well. Add choc chips and vanilla and mix. put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 mins at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, don't worry. Cool slightly, then eat from the mug with cream, ice cream or squirty stuff.... feel the comfort rising!

Warm beds

On these chilly, snowy mornings, the temptation to stay in bed is great. Staying under the warm bedclothes, snuggled up with a quilt seems an excellent idea. Hibernation until the spring could be an option which needs thinking about carefully... some of us even wear a hat in bed, so important to keep the ears cosy too. But many parents find the children have climbed in to cuddle up together with them in the mornings and Louise, who has three little girls, kindly sent me this. There is just room for five in this bed under a big quilt and at the bottom is written Green Star Quilts! Thank you Louise, such a kind present.... 

This the quilt I have made for Louise's daughter Charlotte

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to all of you who read my ramblings and my New Year resolution is to pay more attention to the blog. Things Have Slipped..... but before Christmas I made 150 star blocks for 3 quilts and that's my excuse.... Now we have a new start and on Monday we went for a walk along the riverside route to Bardney. It was the best sort of Lincolnshire day, huge blue skies and pale winter sun. Just enough to warm us whilst walking and give the promise of spring to come. This photo is of one of the sculptures on the route. It seemed to me that we stood in the old year, could walk through the arch and the new one would stretch ahead with lots of possibilities. For some 2012 has been a bumpy journey so lets hope 2013 will be a gentle stroll.

Happy Christmas everyone

Having just finished ironing on the yak to Peggy Rose's alphabet quilt, I am  closing the door of the sewing room until the New Year. 

detail of Peggy Rose's quilt

 This year very special stockings have been hung up, but the owner won't be here until the end of January.  In fact they are little sheepskin boots and they belong to my gorgeous baby grandaughter. 

And the best Christmas present for me is that our Singaporean family are moving back to the UK. And even better, they are going to live with us until they are settled.... excited, me?? So I just wanted to wish you all a Very Happy Christmas. Thank you for all your custom, encouragement, enthusiasm for my quilts and the lovely comments on the blog and in the guest book throughout the year,

Happy New Year everyone