Southport flower Show

Beautiful garden sculptures.

Just one of the many gardens this was golf themed.

I adore any daisy style flowers and I fell in love with these dwarf Echinacea.

This rusty poppy seed heads where about five foot tall and would look amazing in the right settings.

Gorgeous spiral glass blown wind charms.

Amazing sunflowers, they where huge.

A glimpse of one of the show tents this was the vegetables.

Now that's a vegetable stall.

Simon Rimmer from Channel 4's Sunday Brunch being interviewed by Paul Crone from Granada Reports.

Creative Arts Labyrinth. I am a member of the creative arts programme but I did not take part in the Labyrinth project.

I ate my lunch with these little guys whilst their mother was not to far away keeping a watchful eye on me.

This lady demonstrated these three flower arrangements which where then given as a raffle prises. I bought a ticket but sadly I did not win, they where simply gorgeous.

As I departed the show due to the heavy rain and the fact my pumps where soaking I spotted the name of the street that the flower show is next to.  I can assure you this row is far from rotten and has the most amazing big beautiful house on it. If you look closely you can just make out a couple in the distance.

Anniversary give away......

I realised yesterday that I have been blogging for five years my first post was August 2008 but I am not sure of the actual date as I had to delete the first year of post to be able to continue putting images on my blog.  Anyway to celebrate my fifth blogging anniversary I am having a give away.  Not sure what the prize will be yet but I promise it will be sewing related. If you would like to be in with a chance to win the mystery prize just leave a comment and a week from today I will put all the names in a hat and draw the lucky winner.  Good luck Peeps  and thanks for dropping by xx

Indian Ladies mini quilt.

I bought this kit at the FOQ from Gillian Travis and spent yesterday afternoon making it. To be honest the photo does not do it justice but never mind. It was a lovely project to make and the sari silk fabrics are so beautiful and vibrant. Isn't the newspaper bag that the little kit came in just fab, it is what attracted both Janet and I and we both bought one.  However Janet bought the book "Dual Journey in Stitch" and I am now sorry I didn't buy one myself  so I will have to ask if I can have a sneak peek when next visiting her.  The newspaper bags where made by the Barefoot College which is a non government organisation that provide services and solutions to problems in rural communities with the object of making them self sufficient and sustainable. (quote from Gillian's kit). She is also involved in the stitch project which creates beautiful textile products as well as women's work in local areas. All this information and more is in the little instruction booklet that came with the kit and I found it all really interesting. This little quilt was a real pleasure to make.

Festival of Quilts 2013

I am back from the FOQ and I had the most amazing weekend. It was as ever very very busy and I arrived home last night completely shattered.  I met lots of new people and caught up with friends I have made on previous visits to the FOQ. Here are all the lovely yummy goodies I purchased during the three days I was there. I have to say a massive thank you to my friends Janet and Emma for a fab trip and for being such good company.

First Love.....

The first thing I was introduced to as a small child was a pencil, paper and a father who could draw. He would sit with me for hours doodling away and my life long love of drawing was borne.  I have recently been feeling extremely lost with my creativity, lacking any motivation to sew, draw or paint. After my recent trip to the Edward Burne-Jones exhibition I decided to get the pencils, paint and paper out and dabble in the art of drawing people. I have never been very good at drawing people and like most things in my life I am a very much self taught. This week I have been researching how to draw the human form. Its a very slow progress and its not going so well I have to say but I am enjoying lots and lots of utube tutorials on the subject. I have also being drawling over one of my favourite artist Leilani Joy. I love her stylised images and can only dream that one day I will find my own style of drawing. However, for now I am quite happy just dipping my toe and enjoying a whole new creative experience.

Port Sunlight and Edward Burne-Jones.....

The Lady Lever Art Gallery

Sponsa de Libano Water colour by Edward Burne-Jones. This painting is over three meters tall and is based on the song of Solomn in the bible.

Veiw though the arch at the end of Queens mile.

How posh is this sign for neighbourhood watch.

Port Sunlight Museum

Tiny tea cup ans saucer a little treat from DH.

Yesterday was another gloriously sunny day.  Colin and I decided to make the most of it and visit the beautiful Village of Port Sunlight to see the Edward Burne-Jones exhibition. Such a treat he is one of my favourite painters. I have to say it was breath taking, 30 delicate drawings and water colour paintings that are to fragile to be on permanent display.  These drawings and paintings have not been on public display for more than two decades.  Just as we entered the Lady Lever the heavens opened but by the time we emerged the sun was once again cracking the flags and we enjoyed the remainder of the afternoon exploring the village. Colin bought me this tiny tea cup as a little surprise because I had been drawling over all the tea cups in the museum. Another trinket for my sewing room that holds a lovely memory of a fab day out.

Hot lazy days.....

This is a victorian childs sewing machine, it is displayed in Suddley House and it is the nearest I have been to a sewing machine in weeks.

Path that leads to the back of Suddley House.

Floral inspirations.

I know it has been weeks since I blogged but sadly I have had nothing to blog about. I have not been anywhere near my sewing machine since my last post because of the hot weather.  Instead I have been spending my time reading, sketching, painting, family bbq's and the odd day trip somewhere local. The latest of which was on the 61 bus to Suddley House in Mosley Hill, where I enjoyed some of my favourite paintings by the Pre-Raphaelite artist William Holman Hunt and Edward Burne Jones.