Rose Swaps

This is the folded rose fabric postcard I did for the ArtntheMail swap. I used some sari fabric I'd been sent and organza for the leaves. The rose would have been more crisp if I'd used cotton but I wanted a more loosely packed rose such as those on the wild rose bushes. I was quite pleased with the effect but it was quite difficult to fold.

I received this card from Brigitte in France the picture doesn't really do it justice. There is a log cabin type background with an applique rose print. Around the rose Brigitte has sewn organza. It gives the effect of a rose peeping through a hedge.

Not had a lot of time for the blog this week, it's been one of hospital/GP visits. If it wasn't me it was my Mum, if not her then my dh. But we've come through with flying colours. My mum had me worried though - herr GP rang because she'd missed her appointment and told her he wanted to see her the next day, there was a problem with her blood results. Mum of course being deaf only partly heard what he said and phoned all the family to tell them something was seriously wrong with her blood and she was very ill. You can image the panic in the family. I took her to see her GP with trepidation only to find out that the hospital had asked them to check her blood pressure a month after she'd been discharged. Mum of course had forgotten this. Luckily it was normal and we all had a laugh - at mum's expense but thank goodness it was only that. What mum doesn't hear she makes up but at 91 we forgive her.

I spent the weekend making these art dolls for the Ukembellisher swap and now I don't want to let them go. I have a hanger to put on one of them and then they'll go off to Amanda and Liz tomorrow. Not sure who will get what will just address the envelopes, turn them over and pop one into each. One other thing I've done this weekend is send out my cards for the 'chicken swap'. I had some chicken fabrics but only small pieces, not enough to make all the cards. I was some I'd bought at the Knitting and Stitching show last year. I didn't want to buy any more as it chickens are not really my thing. I scanned in the fabric, reduced the patterns a bit and created a 'chicken block' with it. The chicken were drawn onto shrink plastic, coloured and shrunk with a heat gun. I attached them to the cards, which I'd quilted, with flower brads.

Got another round of hospital and GP visits this week I'll be glad when they stop but in the meantime everything is fine.

I received this art doll from Amanda the very first one I've seen and the colours are wonderful, much better in life than in the photo. They are vivid reds, blues and purples. This is a swap organised by Liz on the UKembellisher group.

Monday here already

I am quickly loosing track of weeks, maybe it's a retirement thing, maybe I'm just busy. Funny though my dh has been off work now for over three months and is beginning to 'loose' days. So here we are again another Monday.

New Beginnings

New beginnings for my son who's landed a job closer to home and for more money. At last he can give up the 180 mile round trip each day to work and back. I must say his dad and I are very please we do worry about him trailing up and down the A1M each day.


Another new beginning - my grandson's mother has just had another baby. A boy, she has three sons, he was born on Friday and weighed 8lb and they've called him Dale. I shall have to make something for Dale but what, ah that's the question. Although my son and Mel parted company some time back and Mel married someone else we see quite a bit of her and still feel she's part of our family. Typical teenaager Matthew when I asked on Friday if his mum had had the baby yet he said no. He forgot to tell me she was in labour at the time, obviously going out with his dad to buy vinyl was more important - men!!!

Finally finished the Charms for the Fibrearts group. Doubt I'll make many more charms as I'm not really keen on them. Would only make them with left-over projects in future I feel. I can't see me making jewellry out of them might use them as an embellishment on something else.

Been a busy few days, Mum finally got back into her flat but the flat-fall shower has yet to be fitted and the gas supply to the flat has yet to be laid. Although there is a rumour that it'll be in by 10th August. Quite cross about the shower though. Social Services are organisating the installation of the bathroom fittings so a separate date had to be arranged for this renovation. They were given the day the council were starting on Mum's flat and the expected finish date. Arrangments for them to come in and fit the shower after the council renovations had been done. My brother got a phone call from them on the day Mum returned to her flat saying that as they'd been trying to ring my Mum but hadn't managed to get in touch with her they'd started another job and would fit her shower on the 20th August.. What I can't understand is why did they ring her flat they knew should would be at my brother's home while the renovations were being carried out by the council. Als why when a 91 year old lady consistently fails to answer her phone did they not try to find out why or contact the family? Hmm not impressed at all.

I feel cross when I think about it so I had better go and do something soothing like sewing.