Strolling through the gardens at Tatton Park:

We had a fabulous day out yesterday at Tatton Park. We did not go until late afternoon so we only managed to see the garden.  That means we need to go again to see the house and the farm.

Arr isn't this a lovely picture of mother and daughter!

Peek a boo:

A couple of photos of the Japanese garden. It was so peaceful and tranquil here.



The weather was glorious and we baked in the afternoon sun. We had a lovely picnic lunch then a leisurely walk around the gardens.  The whole day was such a tonic and it certainly recharged my batteries.

Lost mojo and felt flowers;

I am sorry I have not post for a little while now but unfortunately I recently lost my mojo and I am really struggling to get even a small part of it back. I have not done any sewing since I tried to quilt my spring flowers quilt.  I have however, unpicked all the terrible quilting on this quilt and I am now back to a top, the wadding and the backing. As you know I could not bare to even look at this quilt, I was so sad because I had ruined it.   When I went to Liverbirds a couple of weeks ago I was so inspired by my friends Gwen and Sue's spring flowers quilt I came home and retrieved the quilt and began unpicking it. I have requested the help now of my fab friend Janet who I hope, will help me fall in love with quilting once again.  In the meantime I did manage to make these beautiful felt flower broaches. 

Beside the sea side, beside the sea.....

You may or may not remember a little while ago I was all fired up about a post card challenge but unfortunately it did not happen. Well I purchased several postcards at the time and this was one of them. I really liked the little huts and the lovely colours. I could visualise a small applique wall hanging using the image from the postcard. A few days ago I decided to make the little wall hanging and here it is.

Art on the go:

I have two sketch books on the go at the minute both are my summer work for art college in September.

This page is from the to kill a mocking bird sketch book. You have to read a book from a list given to you by the college and make sketches or gather images that depict passages or descriptions in the book. I chose to kill a mocking Bird, it is a book I have wanted to read for a long time so here was the perfect opportunity.

I love doodling and this page is just one big doodle.

Above Sea Horses, after a trip to the world wild Musuem and below still life, apples.

I am suppose to draw for 20 minutes each day in the second sketch book. The subject matter can be anything I like and this sketch book has lots of various subjects. I have put a few pics of different pages in this book. This project is not new to me, as I have kept a sketch book on the go since City & Guilds. However, the other sketch book is something different and I'm enjoying reading the book then trying to imagine what the character looks like based on the description.  How people may have dressed during the 1930's, what the houses where like etc...... I have to say I also do a little bit of research in the Internet to help me with some visual aids, not sure if this is a bit of a cheat. Never mind, I will soon find out in September.

FWSQ:

Block 16 Calico Puzzle

Block 9 Box

This morning I thought I would do another two blocks from the FWSQ. I am not sure if I am suppose to wait for Janet and follow the blocks she makes? If I am sorry Jan :).  Last night in bed I was looking through the book  and decided that just using the pink and green colour scheme would not work for this quilt. Therefore, I have decided to go with the flow and use a vast range of colours. Today's colour choice was blue and white. 

The farmer's wife quilt along:

Block 2 Autumn tints

Block 4 Basket Weave

Block 84 Spool

Block 109 Windows

You may or may not remember but a few months ago I posted about purchasing the Farmers Wife Sampler Quilt book. Over the past several months I have often flicked through its pages and drawled at the prospects of having a go at making it. My friend Janet also has this book and  a few days ago posted on her blog (lemon tree quilts) if anyone would like to join her in a Farmers Wife Quilt along. I immediately left a message saying I would love to join her and when she told me we would only be making the easy blocks I was even more up for the challenge.  Here are my first four blocks. I have decided to do my blocks in the colours pink and green. Seeing as I have four draws full of both these colours I think the chances of me running out of fabric for this project is extremely slim.

Thank goodness for family and friends:

As you may have gathered from my earlier post today did not start good. However, a phone call from my amazing sister and a tex message from my lovely friend Janet helped chase the blues away.  Later this afternoon I went into town with my hubby to look at possible locations for his next photo shoot. Whilst there he treated me to a cup of tea and a very big scrummy yummy double chocolate cake at the new Patesserie in town. I have to say I did not manage to eat it all, far too sickly but I throughly enjoyed the bit I did eat.