Busy, busy - I seem to turn around these days and a week has passed by!  Where does time go to?  Think I'll hop on a plane and head west and keep going, so every time I cross the International Date Line I'll recapture one of those lost days lol.

Thought I'd show you a photo of my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Bracken, today.  He is such a lovable little chap.  He was recently diagnosed with a heart problem, so we have to be extra careful with him now and he is on medication for life.  Love him to bits xx

The grandchildren are back at school and our holiday is looming, still a few more bits to do.  A cousin contacted me the other day, asking if I could do some research for him on his paternal line (we are cousins through our mothers), so I've added another line to my family history research.  That makes eight trees I'm working on now!

See you soon  x

Along with sewing for my holiday I am still making dresses for girls-around-the-world.  I have recently heard of a charity that wants help making wiggly-bags.  These are little bags to hold hickman lines for children in hospital.   http://strawberrypatchramblings.blogspot.co.uk  is the site to check out if you are able to help in this very worthy cause.

Team GB Paralympics are off to a good start - well done everyone.  I think these athletes are quite incredible - not only are they fantastic at their chosen sport, they have had huge difficulties to surmount to reach the peak of their ambitions.  Every one of the 4,000 plus men and women from around the world deserve medals to my way of thinking.  And wasn't the opening ceremony terrific too?

Been busy these last few weeks - helping out with the grandchildren during the long school holidays.  And sewing like mad so I can have a few new things to take on holiday soon.  Also been trying to lose a bit of weight, so those new outfits fit!  

 A friend saw the iPad pouch I had made and asked if I'd make one for her - finished it a few days ago and she is happy with it (thank goodness lol)  I enjoyed making it, but not sure I will do another one.  Having enough material left I made a patchwork cushion cover to match.  




         Front views below.

Wasn't the opening ceremony for the London 2012 Olympics fantastic?   I didn't intend to stay up to see the whole show, but once it started there was no going to bed.   I think it was a great window on GB and must have raised millions of smiles around the world.   Some of the items may have needed explaining to viewers in other countries - and I wonder how many people now believe that our wonderful Queen really did jump out of a helicopter?????   In my opinion Danny Boyle deserves a knighthood for that fantastic show.  His ideas were out of this world - and proved to be one of the best evenings of entertainment and enlightenment on tv for a long time.   The next must-see on my list is Tom Daly - come on Tom win another gold for Team GB.  We are off to a good start - with the silver in the women's cycling road race today - and more to come I'm sure.  Let's fly the flag for Team GB!

Here's Niamh with Gerby, the giraffe I made for her for her first birthday.  Her mummy said it was ok to post this lovely photo of our gorgeous little girl.

This is the patchwork quilt that I made for Niamh's cot when she was born.  Look closely and you will see it is full of Winnie the Pooh pictures with Pooh's famous red and yellow in the smaller squares.  I worked her name and date of birth in some of the bottom squares and, of course, signed it too.   My husband is holding it up - can you see his hands at the top corners and his legs at the bottom of the photo?

I made this patchwork holder for my ipad.

I like to use a stylus rather than my fingers, so I added a little pocket inside the cover to hold it.

Just one of the things I have made recently in patchwork.  I'm working on two full size quilts at the moment.  Photos when they are finished.

These are the first two dresses I made for 'Dress A Girl Around The World'.   I used a little bit of the material left over from Gerby to make the pocket on one of them.

  Would you believe that all four are made from pillowcases?

 Add a few pretty trimmings and some bias binding and voila!  They are now on their way to some little girls in Africa.

This is "Gerbera the giraffe" more commonly known as 'Gerby'.  Isn't she cute?  I made Gerby for my great-granddaugher for her first birthday.  Forget the teddy bears - Niamh is into giraffes.  I'll have to ask her mummy if I can post a photo of Niamh with Gerby.  For she is one gorgeous little girl.

Gasp!  (holding hand to my head) is it really so long since I've been here?  No, can't be, I don't believe it (said in Victor Meldrew tones).  Ah well, maybe it is.   Somehow the days, weeks, months (even years?) roll by when you are busy and enjoying life.  Well that's my excuse anyway.   


The most fabulous news since I last rambled on is the arrival of a great-granddaughter.  Niamh (pronounced Neeve) arrived on 19 June 2011 and is the most gorgeous little girl ever born.  Well, I'm entitled to say that aren't I?  She really is a poppet, a hyper-babe says her grandma - my daughter Tracy.  Still can't believe she is a grandma, even though she has eight (yes eight) step-grandchildren.


Apart from all the cardmaking and scrapbooking that I do I have been busy sewing.  Firstly, a patchwork quilt for Niamh's cot, then a couple of full size quilts.  I've also been making little dresses for Dress A Girl Around The World, a wonderful group of people who make dresses and shorts for children in deprived areas of the world.  They are sew easy to make (pun intended) and if you have a pillowcase you no longer use, check out sewscrumptious.blogspot.co.uk and join in.


I'll be back again soon - till then, take care and enjoy life.