Disaster

Horror, My computer has died,( I'm using my son's) so may not be able to post for a few days. Still could have been worse, it could have been my sewing machine.Be back soon
Gillx

Roses

I went to Peter Beales Roses in Attleborough this week and had lunch with LB before having a look around their rose garden. I thought you might like to have a look too.




This one is called Keith Maughan and I bought one of these.


This one is City of York and is on my wish list.













Pictures speak louder than words.

Gillx

swaps

I have received 2 swaps this week. The first one was from Lucy/ TeteL'air (who doesn't have a blog) and was part of the fabric swap on Tina's Scratchy cats blog
I forgot to take photos of what I sent Lucy I'm afraid but here's what she sent me. All that lovely fabric. Thanks Lucy.



The next arrived this morning from Jill at love to craft as part of the boudoir swap run by Fondant Kiss.
love the pretty spot paper.



Lots of pretty things including what my husband Mr.T calls proper girly hankies.Thank you Jill it's great although I'm afraid the chocolate didn't last long. Well I didn't want it to melt in the heat.



Then just to end today, this weeks favourite flower from my garden. These Alliums are lovely when they are in flower but also have fantastic seed heads which I use in the winter. What a useful flower.


Tomorrow I'll have some photo's of my trip to Peter Beales Roses.
TTFN
Gillxx

Pay it forward

When I said I woud see you soon I didn't think it would be quite this soon but I am on of the lucky 3 to be getting a little gift from Em's Shabby Shack.
It's called the pay it forward kindness chain and The idea is that the first 3 People to leave a comment on this pay it forward post will get a handmade gift from me within 365 days. You then pledge to take the badge forward to your own blog, write a post and sending out your own 3 gifts.
So if your interested in receiving a handmade gift from me and want to carry on the chain then just leave me a comment and I'll contact the ones who I will be sending the gifts to.

AND

Just a quick Thank you for all the congratualations I have received. I feel very special at the moment.

Gillxx

Before I tell you about my trip to Kent on Sunday I just have to get something off my chest. I am absolutely furious both with myself and with the little Muncher that has totally stripped my gooseberry bushes. Not just one but two totally bare,not a berry left, I can't believe it. I know I should have covered them up but I have a whole list of excuses. I was really looking forward to eating them although Mr T will be delighted, he hates them.

OK rant over, (I feel better for that)let me tell you about Sunday



Well as you can see it was Brother-in-laws 50th and our nieces 21st birthday party. So we arrived from all over the South East and had a BBQ. Luckily the weather was kind to us even if a little chilly at times.

It didn't seem to bother Simba who found so many people all too much.None of my children could make it but it was nice to see all the nephews with there girlfriends and my niece with her new boyfriend who was rather nice.



The sentiment on this little wall hanging I thought was so true, and at the risk of sounding gushing, reminded me of our blogging community.






I had to drop Mr T at Stanstead on the way home, he was being picked up and taken into the wilds of Essex for a training course, so we left fairly early, but this meant we saw some interesting vehicles on the way. I love the old American car (don't know what type it is) we passed on the M25.

.

Now this one I do know, It is one of the first Police bikes. They used to call them Noddy Bikes and my Dad used to ride one when he was a Policeman.


It is always nice to see this sign. When the children were young we always used to cheer when we drove past it and I find myself still doing it even when I'm in the car on my own like this time.



Before i go I just had to show you this photo Mr T took in Derbyshire last week. He assure me it is real. I think it's great.



Speak again soon.
Gillxx

I did it.

This Saturday was when I had to complete my sporting challenge of completing the Great East Swim. For those who have joined me recently (Welcome by the way) My surfer son set me a challenge of swimming a mile in open water with him and his sister, little one. They are both RNLI beach lifeguards. Unfortunately Surfer Son is quite poorly at the moment and couldn't do it, but after weeks of training my time had come.

The weather wasn't good with heavy showers and gusty winds on the drive to Ipswich and I was getting very nervous.
When we got there however the sun was shining and there were people everywhere.



My transport was certainly turning some heads.



As were my fellow travellers/ competitors. My little one is in the middle.



My first glimpse of the water and it looked very cold but actually it wasn,t. The photo's aren't wonderful. Put it down to nerves. we had to swim out around the big yellow buoys and back.




Just as we were about to start the black clouds started gathering again and as I approach the 1/4 mile buoy the wind really whipped up the water and the rain was so heavy that I couldn't see the next buoy but at least it made the water even warmer. Once the rain stopped it was just a case of keeping in a straight line and not drifting off, which of course we were all doing. It was certainly different from swimming in a pool.



I finished in 45minutes and 18seconds and raised nearly £200 for the RNLI which I am chuffed with, but if you think your going to see a picture of me in wetsuit, swimming hat and googles, forget it. I do have some self respect left, all be it not much.

I wanted a go on this when we finished but apparently I am too old, can you imagine that.



Tomorrow I'll tell you about the family party in Kent on Sunday. I had a busy weekend.

TTFN
Gillx
P.S
I understand that a lady lost her life at the swim on Saturday and my sympathy and thoughts are with her family.

mums pillow

Well I said I would use some of the fabric I bought last week for a pillow for my Mum, well here it is. I love this pretty green.



Then I remembered we are going to Kent this weekend to see the in laws so I made another one for Mother in law. The pattern is from sew 4 U and the idea came from Elle Thornton In her fathers day blog post.



I made this basket at a course on basket weaving a while back and use it as a work basket when I go away, but things kept going through the holes.



so I decided to use another piece to line it.





I'm quite pleased with the results and at least things won't fall out.

Tomorrow is my sponsored mile Swim ao I'll tell you about it after the weekend. Have a good one.
Gillxx

Surprises

I love surprises don't you? as long as they are good ones of course. Well I've had 2 this week.
The first one was when my friend LB came for coffee and brought me this from Gisela Graham .
, as she thought I might like it. She thought right.



Then when I got back from walking the dogs this little package was waiting for me. I had won a giveaway from Muddle Puddle Crafts faccebook page but wasn't expecting it so soon.





A new keyring for my car keys and I love the colours.Thank you Jo.
If you haven't read her blog pop along, her stuff is great.


A good start to my day. hope you have a good one too.

Gillxxxx

My weeks efforts.

A real mixed bag today so I hope you can stay with me as it doesn't flow so well.
Anyway I met up with my friend Mrs G during the week for a coffee and a chat in Holt, which is becoming a regular thing for us. We then go to a lovely little shop called Pied Piper which have a fantastic selection of fabrics so of course I had to have a few bits.



Then I was reading Ma and Me's blog and found out that Five valley designs.com were closing and having a sale. I couldn't pass up an opportunity like that, so here are my purchases from there. One piece at least is going to be made into a neck support for my Mum I think.





While I was waiting at the airport in Brisbane(sorry for the namedropping), I brought a copy of Australian Homespun magazine to read on the way home. It was great as I got 2 mags for the price of one and had geat fun reading them on the way home. It was a good job I hadn't found any of the shops in the adverts while I was still in Oz It would have cost me a fortune in excess baggage. Any way I finally got around to making something from it this week as I have had so much else going on, so this is flopsy and I think she is really sweet.



I have also managed to do a bit more felting this week and have had a go at adding some embroidery. I quite pleased with my new place mat.



I not a very enthusiastic cook but I do make my own Marmalade and this week was the latest batch, complete with pretty tops so they look nice on the pantry shelf.



For weeks now I have been telling Mr T that the phone was playing up, except of course it didn't when he was about, did it, which meant it must have been me. Well this week it packed up and we had no phone, and did I say I told you so, of course I did. Anyway My little one said that she had a phone she had used at Uni and we could use that instead of buying a new one. Gosh it's amazing how quick a man will get his wallet out when he has to talk into a pair of Bratz purple plastic lips.



Gillxx

Wildflower Time

I thought I'd just show you some of the wildflowers I saw on my walk with the dogs this morning. Unfortunately the picture of the honeysuckle was out of focus.I'm no David Bailey,( Oh dear,does that show my age).

Loads of Red Campion in the hedgerow.





The pretty Dog Rose in both white and pink.



My personal favourite,the Common Poppy. This part of Norfolk is called Poppyland as we get so many.



These actually come from my garden but I still class them as Wildflowers. Don't just love that vivid blue.



Gillxxxx

Strawberry Swap

Well it's arrived, my first swap but what a big box. At least I remembered my camera before I started ripping it open.



Lots of parcels, there's more than I got for my birthday.



One of the first I opened was a strawberry pin cushion which is so timely as I've lost mine. Honestly how do you lose a large 3inch square fabric cube full of pins,but that is what I've done. So this one is great.



China,I love china. Shirl has been so generous, I hope she likes what I have sent her. I think I might have a fight on my hand with Little One over the pot and the mug. Her comment was "How does someone I have never met know my taste so well?"
I have tried to explain it's not for her.



The Fabric is lovely.



Thank you Shirl,You really have been so generous and I love it all.