Ok body, I'm listening!

Wednesday: Umbrella instillation in Church Alley.

Umbrella Shadows

Thursday: Freebie chest of drawers.

Red Work

Friday: Colourful stitchery.

Mmm! Nannies cup cakes!

Saturday: Hexi quilt and TV therapy.

I can't believe it's already been a week since the launch of my website and my amazing trip to the festival of quilts.  I came home with my head buzzing with even more ideas for future projects and was looking forward to all the creative things I was going to do this week. However, you know the saying, "best laid plans"? Well I certainly did not plan on coming home from work on Sunday feeling rather unwell, to wake up Monday with a head cold that continued to develop into a chest infection that has really knocked me off my feet.  I spent Monday and Tuesday flitting between the couch, the sewing room and my bed. Needless to say not a lot of creativity was achieved.  Wednesday saw me at the Doctors and armed with antibiotics and pain killers I ventured into Liverpool City Centre for some much needed fresh air.  The umbrella instillation in Church Alley is to raise awareness of ADHD.  The sun was out as I walked under the instillation and I loved the shadows the brollies made on the pavement. They reminded me of patchwork hexagons.  Feeling a little better by Thursday (yey for the antibiotics) I decided to embark on a summer clear out of my sewing room.  I managed to empty and remove 10 of the plastic stackable drawers and put their contents into the freebie chest of drawers. Notice in the photo two of said 10 drawers with their contents, which have still got to be sorted and put away.  Believe it or not this took me hours to do and by the time I finished I was exhausted.  Later that night I managed to do a bit of doodling which turned into a little stitchery.  Friday was a continuous coughing day.  I noticed my husband had put cough mixture on our shopping list! I think he was trying to tell me something?  I had a little visitor Friday afternoon, although he is not so little anymore, my gorgeous grandson Cole. We managed to make a batch of scrummy yummy cup cakes which I had to keep supervising from a distance in between coughing fits.  Its now Saturday and I have finally given into my aching body. So today, I am going to sit on the couch with hand sewn hexi quilt, watch TV and rest. 

Festival of quilts 2017.

"My Liverpool Home"

Mr Stuart Hillard

My "Eleanor Stuart" quilt.

Margaret and Andrew Beal.

Annabel Rainbow, Laura Kemshall, me and Linda Kemshall.

Yesterday I visited the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham NEC and oh boy what a whirl wind of a visit it was.  My first port of call was to the "In the spot Light Exhibition" to see my quilt "My Liverpool Home". There I met the lovely Rosemary Preece who has been my go between regarding this exhibition.  As you can see from the fab photo, I met Stuart Hillard, who is such a tonic.  He very kindly took a few minutes out of signing his new book, to hear all about my Eleanor Stuart quilt.  This was inspired by his log cabin quilt that I saw when I heard him speak at regional day in October 2016.  This quilt will soon become available as a pattern on my new website so please keep an eye out for it.  I caught up with some people I already knew and also made quite a few new friends.  I chatted away to the very talented Gillian Travis and her friend Fiona such lovely ladies. A quick hello to Jennie Rayment, then I popped over to Margaret Beals stall. I became a fan of Margaret's work many years ago when I read an article in Stitch magazine.  I was fortunate to meet her at  FOQ and purchased her book, some felt piece and a soldering iron.  I always stop by to say hi to her and he husband, Andrew, such a great couple who always make me feel welcome. Last but not least my trip would not be complete if I did not drop by to say hi to my beautiful FOQ friends Laura and Linda kemshall.  Again I met Laura and Linda a few years back at FOQ and at the time I was such a big fan of their work, I was completely in awe when I met them in person. However, they chatted away to me and made me feel like we had known each other for ages.  Yesterday was no exception when I popped along to their stand TG9 to say hello and see their amazing exhibition "Through Our Hands a Portrait Shuffle" hosted by Laura and Annabel,. Well done ladies on a fabulous exhibition.   Finally, I'd like to say a big thank you to all the people who took the time to chat to me and if you took a business card, please drop by my website or my facebook page or even find me on instagram and say hello. X:)

Count down to website launch.

My new business cards.

Alice 1

Mad Hatter

Alice 2

My website goes live on Friday 11th August I am so excited but a little nervous at the same time but I have had the most amazing support from family and friends it has been overwhelming. I am truly blessed to have such fantastic positive people in my life, thank you all for the good wishes you have sent me for my launch.

Last week my new business cards arrived, I am so happy with them. I have been handing them out as a way of promoting my website.  During the week I met a lovely lady Delia Brady-Jacobs the proprietor of  Hobo Kiosk, fab vintage shop in Liverpool Baltic Triangle.  Delia very kindly gave me a beautiful woollen skirt which will eventually make a gorgeous rabbit. She also gave me a little set of Alice in wonderland stamped images on pieces of fabric. I wanted to thank Delia for her gifts so I came home and made her these three small canvas textile collages using the fabric stamped images. This was way out my comfort zone but I really enjoyed making them and Delia loved her unexpected gift. 

Getting there slowly.

Tweeking then tweeking again, writting up patterns.

Tada two patterns complete and my business cards.

Girls Toys and Boys Toys quilts

Museum day with my gorgeous little guy.

I can not believe it is August already! Er hello, where did July go! Well I guess thats what happens when you are so busy building your little empire and by that I mean my website. Although with that said Colin has done all the website hard work, I have been busy creating new designs.  I think the launch date will be very soon but we still have quite a few things to do before I can comfirm a date. I have a date in mind just not sure its achievable.  On Sunday we spent most of the day writting up the patterns. I would like to thank my lovely friends Janet Mc, Hillary and Peter K these have been my red pen peeps, proof reading my patterns and their help and advice has been amazing.

I did however, manage to take time out of the sewing room on Thursday and went off to the Museum of Liverpool with my gorgeous grandson Cole. We took our sketch books and pencils, we did lots of drawings of the fish in the aquaruim then up to Ancient Egypt where we took lots of photos. I had a fabulous day and it was good to get out. Well folks better get back to the never ending to do list and first on the list today is boring house work. x:(