Friday 28 December 2012

Happy New Year to one and all.

Well  after a lovely family Christmas 
I'm a few pounds heavier in weight and quite a few pounds lighter in the purse
but I do have my computer back so I've just popped in to wish you all a
Very Happy New Year.

The morning of Boxing day saw us on Cromer beach watching the  
Boxing Day dip.
Nearly 400 people ran into the North Sea 
(in swim suits-no wet suits allowed)
not just once but 2 or even 3 times.
My Son and some of his friends were amongst them
although I'm not sure he will do it again, it took him a while to stop shivering.

Then it was all up the pub for warm cider before lunch.

Sorry about the photo but it does give you some sort of idea 
of the crowds of people who go to watch--
literally thousands.



I am off to France for the New Year with some family and friends.
My little one is working the Ski season in the Alps so we are off to do some Skiing
and to spend the holiday with her.
I am really looking forward to it.

As soon as I get back I'm starting a beginners course in quilting so hopefully 
one day, I can make something like this.



So see you in the New Year and watch my progress
into the world of quilting.

Gillxx

Monday 10 December 2012

Merry Christmas

I know it's a bit early but my Bl***y computer has broke so I have to take advantage of having one to use for a few minutes as I don't know when I will get mine fixed.

So let me take this opportunity to wish you all

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

and I'll see you all in the new year --hopefully.


Gillx

Sunday 2 December 2012

Advent Day 2

Day 2 of my photo Advent.



Gillx

Saturday 1 December 2012

Lagging behind

I wrote this post over a week ago but when I tried to upload the photos
Blogger threw a wobbly and told me I had no more for photos.
I've had this before and managed to make extra room  by clearing out some 
old buttons but this time I'm having more problems making space.
I have been considering giving up blogging rather than paying for extra
storage but I do enjoy the company and camaraderie that exists on here.
So I have a decision to make, If anyone else has been having this problem I love to here
how you have resolved it.

Anyway back to the post which should have been on
here ages ago.

I have done another of my one day workshops that I like doing so much.
This one was just down the road at Sew Creative at Wroxham Barns.

I got so involved that I forgot to take photos
but this is the end result,
We had scraps of fabrics under organza and then machine embroidered
and embellished
over the top. I had great fun.


The other thing I wanted to show you was my latest make.
A while ago my Mother-in- law gave me o load of wool
that she didn't use.



I have been inspired by Sophie Digard ,who's stuff I love,
to make my self a scarf. I love the colours but unfortunately it is a little bit itchy.



I am going to try and join in KC court's advent calendar
with a christmas picture every day (blogger permitting).
Todays picture is our fake christmas for our little one who is going to work in 
France for the winter at one of the Ski resorts so we had a Christmas dinner today
as she won't be here Christmas Day.
She also had her Christmas stocking in the morning
so now we are sitting watching a movie feeling really fat
 just like a normal Christmas day.




See you soon

Gillxx

Tuesday 13 November 2012

Craft-A- Day

I'm sure, like me, you get all sorts of e-mail spam 
and most of it I delete out of hand without even reading
 but for some reason one of them caught my eye the other week.
It was from a book publishing firm asking if I would be interested
 in reviewing a craft book that is being issued in the UK this month.
Well I'm always up for a challenge and this is something I have never 
done before so I thought why not.
A few days later a package arrived with my copy of 

A CRAFT- A- DAY
by
SARAH GOLDSHADT



Make something new every day of the year.” States the introduction on the back of this colourfully bound craft book which immediately got my interest.  “365 simple projects”
and thats exactly what you get--365 very simple but fun projects.  





The book,  which is very nicely produced with clear and bright photos,
is divided into 52 weeks each with a different theme.
 You have subjects such as Owl week or Cloud Week
 and every day has a project based on that weeks theme. 
So Cloud week( April 9-15) has a pin cushion, 
a mobile and a decorated t-shirt  amongst other things during the week. 
My personal favourite week is people week as you can mix and match 
heads and bodies to make different people. 











The first page of every week has a page of templates to trace 
and use in that weeks projects.  
Then you are given the list of supplies,
 written directions  and a photo of the finished article on a page by day basis. 
None of the materials used are expensive and
 no real skill is needed to make any of the projects.
The projects are easy to do which would be ideal for
someone who is a beginner at crafts or maybe for use 
entertaining children.





 For an experienced crafter it is a little basic but the motifs
could provide inspiration for other projects.


However I found it quite repetitive with alot of the crafts
 being repeated several times
through the book with the only difference between them being the motif  used 
and no development of the crafts skill level.





 The supplies page and how to section are at the rear of the book 
and I would have placed at the beginning because the introduction
 states that there is how-to photos but they were not immediately apparent 
when flicking through the book.
However the photos are clear and easy to follow.








I had great fun looking through this book and will pass 
my copy on to a family member who teaches 6/7 year olds.



It doesn’t pretend to be anything other than a simple craft book  and would be a useful resource for entertaining the Grandchildren, a young Mum to use in the holidays or for a primary school with the templates being a great source of inspiration in other projects.
 It is produced by Quirk Books and is priced at £16.99 in the UK and $24.95 in the States. 






Gillx

Wednesday 7 November 2012

Italy part 2

 I have been awake since 4.30 for some reason
so the house work has been done early and
has given me time to catch up with my favourite blogs.

Then I thought I would just finish off my holiday photos
before getting back to the serious business of 
of sewing and crafting. I have also got a book I have been ask to 
review but more on that later now back to Italy and
the amazing
Herculaneum which is a smaller site than Pompeii
but better preserved. It even has furniture still in situ,
as well as some fabulous mosaics and wall paintings.









This is a replica of a villa garden planted
with Medlar trees  which were there originally apparently.




Wall decoration still in place.




On to the Museum in Naples which houses the 
artefacts from Pompeii and Herculaneum.





in a stunning building


in to the Shopping Mall with it's beautiful roof


And amaze at the size of the cruise ships


Time for the Olive Harvest


and
Time to leave.


Hope you liked looking at a few of my holiday photos

and I'll see you again soon.

Gillx

Sunday 4 November 2012

Italy part 1

 This is going to have to be a 2 part post to show you 
the places we went on our week in Southern Italy.
There is so much to see in this part of the country
and our holiday was a guided tour where we went somewhere 
different everyday but were based in the same hotel in 
Sorrento.
Exhausting but fabulous as this is one of the places on my 
"Bucket List".
.


Sorrento.












The Amalfi Coast.







The plain of Vesuvius.




Pompeii and Vesuvius





 After 800 metres straight up to the crater.




Capri 








Just a few of the hundreds that we took between us.


The next one will be a bit shorter.

Gillx

Tuesday 16 October 2012

George and More

Here is the reason we went down to London
which was
  a-maz-ing




But we made the most of our time away
with my first trip to the V&A
to see a few pieces of ceramics



Just a few pieces


and of course the textiles,
I love this mini dress.
We saw the ballgown exhibition as well but weren't 
allowed to take photos.
They have  a new exhibition opening soon
with  hollywood costumes which my daughter and I 
are planning to see at some time.


Sunday was a day just wandering around Central London

and I had to look twice when I saw this on the outside of 
Harvey Nichols.



We then went onto Green park to see the new memorial 
to WW2 Bomber Command.


My Father was on Bombers and I really wanted to see this.
It really is impressive which I sort of expected having seen 
news coverage of the memorial
But what I hadn't expected




was the photos,stories and poppy crosses piled under
 and around the figures and the effect these would have on me.
Knowing it was only an appendicitis that saved my Father
from being shot down with the rest of his crew
I was very moved by these personal memorials.




Thank you to everyone for your  comments
and concern.
 I am feeling much better now
 which is lucky as I'm going on holiday 
to Italy on Friday so I'll see you all when I get back.

Gillx