St Lukes.

The new project in college is the City. So with my trusted camera I  set off to see what images I could capture to begin my research. My first port of call on my walk was St Luke's church better known as the bombed out church. Designed in 1802 by John Foster senior and completed in 1831 by his son John Foster junior. It is notable for its large number of male and female heads that cover the building.  Sadly the church was bombed and suffered terrible damage during the second world war in 1941. It was never repaired but it was purchased, with its garden, by the city council to be used as a place of rest and tranquillity after the war. I pass the bombed out church twice a day but I had never stepped foot inside its grounds until yesterday.  I can honestly say it took my breath away, it truly is a place of beauty. Even on a cold and windy day the sun sneaked through a cloud and shone down on one side of the church and it looked like it was made of gold. What treasures we have right there in plain sight yet we can quite often fail to see them.

Let the sewing comence in 2012..

Initial beginings for zodiac wall hanging.

Water added.

It needed something at the botton hence the little fish.

Further ideas in the sketch book for the boarders.

From papaer to fabric.

A few days ago I decided I needed to do some sewing. I went into my sewing room and stood staring at the fabric stash but I felt so lost and over whelmed. I didn't have a clue what I wanted to make. I then spent some time looking through books and magazines for inspiration but nothing inspired me. In the end I started a baby quilt for my nephew and his partner who are expecting a little girl in March. However this was soon abandoned as I had a brain wave on how to do the water on my Aquarius wall hanging. I have to say the idea came after watching a DMTV show in which Linda Kemshall paints the glue side of bondaweb. I have been thinking about how I was going to achieve the water on the wall hanging for months. Well once I started the water just flowed and I was really pleased with myself.  The end was insight to finishing my little wall hanging until I measured it and discovered it was 4" to small to enter the small wall hanging category. NOOOOOOOOOOOO! I was not going to be defeated so off to abikahn where I bought some white lining. Out came the fabric paints and dyes and lots of scribbling in the sketch book and I have designed two boarders. I will add these boarders using the quilt as you go method. PHEW! My wall hanging is saved and God willing will be entered into Harrogate this year.

Family, food and fun.

Gather round one and all.

nothing like a good baord game on Christmas day.

Caught stuffing their faces on left over meat barms. Yummy.

He is scrolling through his mums I phone looking at pictures.

The high light of Christmas for me this year was being with my family.  Christmas night we all went to our Natalie's and had a great time, playing games, chatting and laughing and of course eating lots of delicious food. To night is the eve of a new year and I am so looking forward to 2012 and all that it brings.  So with that said I would like to wish you all a very happy and prosperous new year xx xx

Special gifts.

Pin cushion lid on a jar of buttons from my fantastically good friend Sue.

Latest homemade decoration by the amazingly creative Janet. 

A very me danglie from Janet also.

This adorable handmade bird from my lovely friend Gwen.

Last night was our Liverbird Christmas party and a good time was had by all. We had a couple of fun quizzes courtesy of my very quietly spoken and lovely friend Judith. We had yummy nibbles to eat and of course Jenny's amazing Pavlova's mmmmm! The mug rug challenge was met with lots of oohs and arrrs and quite a few people walked away with little prizes. The whole evening was full of love friendship and laughter. I am so very very blessed that all of these women are in my life and even more blessed that I can call them all, my lovely, amazingly, wonderful friends. From the bottom of my heart I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a fab 2012. xxx

The kitchen and a Poinsettia.

My kitchen and living room are open plan.

Poinsettia cushion for my Auntie Mary

My living room and kitchen are now open plan and whilst I lost a tiny bit of living room space I gained quite a bit of kitchen space.

Every Christmas I buy my Auntie Mary a specific pair of slippers but this year I wanted to get her something different. My lovely friend Janet (who always has the most amazing ideas) made her mother in law a Christmas cushion. I thought oooo I will make one for our Mary. I have this lovely poinsettia applique pattern from an old Popular Patchwork magazine. The image was designed by the very talented Patricia Archibald. It took me a little while but I found the magazine and set to work. I am pleased to say that I only had to buy the zip and the cushion the rest came from my fabric stash. I think it has turned out really well and i hope our Mary will like it.

A christmas tree with a view.

The Living room

The veiw from the window.

Bag of decorations and a note.

My contribution to the comunal Christmas tree.

I have the most fantastic veiw from my flat. I over look the river Mersey and Bootle docks. My neice Paige said she does not like the veiw because it is too industrial but I love it because it is the heart of Bootle and its birth.  I know my photo does not really do the view justice but if you look closely as I took the picture a ferry is sailing up the river.

Yesterday there was a knock on the door and when Colin opened it he was greeted by a bag of Christmas decorations and a note saying dress me. In the corridor somebody had place a rather misserable looking Christmas tree. I am very particular about Christmas decorations and as you can see from my home I like minamalism so I had mixed emotions about this tree being in the corridor. I decided not to be a bar humbug and ask for the tree to be removed and decided to do my bit of the tree very tasteful. The last photo is what I did with the bits from the bag. I did however return the gold tinsel to the neighbour whose bright idea this was with a note of my own saying "I do not do tinsel its very tacky". I have not been out in the corridor since so I do not know if any of the other neighbours have added to the tree as apparently we all got a bag of decorations and a note.  Watch this space and I will let you know.

Welcome to my Home Sweet Home...

Welcome to my home x

the hall

My sewing room.

My mug rug.

At last I have found the time to post. Life has been so busy what with moving home and college I have barely had time to breath. Today I managed to completely arrange my sewing room and it is now fully functional.  My beautiful Bernie is sitting on her own big table and she is just calling out to me. I am itching to sew but alas I have far to much college homework so I will have to wait a little while longer.  I do not wish to bore anyone with just pics of my home so I decided to share the mug rug I have made for our Liverbird challenge.