Friday, September 17, 2021

Snippets from my Week

Greetings lovely friends & readers

I was delighted yesterday, to collect my newly framed Sampler from my local boutique Framing Shop.

I began stitching this back in June - it is a French General Chafarcani Panel pre-printed on Linen.  There were a set of 4 in the series - I only purchased 1 & now wish I had bought more. 
Really hard to photograph on this rainy dull day
Janet at the Framers helped me choose this frame - new in stock.  I liked that the "plain-ness" of it didn't detract from the stitchery itself & I also really liked the pale pink wash of the wood.

I stitched this using Cottage Garden Thread in the colour "Running Postman".  (Whoever knew that Running Postmen had a colour ???!!!) 😉
Very slowly my Sampler Wall is growing .........................


My dear friend Carolyn was up visiting as her youngest son & his partner have just welcomed a new born baby son.

I buy white bath towels when they are on sale & use these to back my Bibs
I wanted to put together a handmade baby parcel for Carolyn to give them so I went hunting through my stash of fleece & flannelette.  I made 3 bibs using * this * free pattern which my daughter in laws always told me were "the best bibs Ever"!  I made a thick fleece cuddle rug from some gorgeous polar bear fabric & added in a pair of knitted booties.
 


The lockdown dishcloth knitting continues as I slowly use up all my oddments of cotton/bamboo.  I really like using 
* this * free pattern as I find it enjoyable to knit up as well as being a nice size for a dishcloth (not too large, not too small)

My lovely friend Shirley asked me to run up 4 lavender sleep pillows for her. She provided the beautiful Japanese Woven fabrics cut in to 6 x 4 inch squares. Shirley is a wonderful sewer but her machine has thrown a massive wobbly & gone away for major repairs. 




To try & use up some more lemons & oranges, I made a Citrus Slice  & also made The Mr a Weetbix Slice which is his favourite.


As mask wearing is mandatory in our country now, I have had more requests for masks.  I don't especially enjoy making these as I find them very boring & uninspiring to make & lots of people request plain black which probably doesn't help.  The one on the far right (black with scissors) was for my hairdresser which I thought was perfect for her.


Last Tuesday Sid & I planted some "dinosaur gourd seeds" which I hope grow as a certain little boy pushed the seeds in rather deep 😉
We also planted some sunflower seeds as every year I seem to leave this too late & then wish I had. 

My dear friend Sandy left me a deliciously moist Banana & Chocolate Chip loaf in my letter box yesterday - it was such a treat with my coffee this morning. 

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend dear friends 
Thank You as always, for your visits here today,
With much love & friendship To You All,
Julie & the furry ones x0x0x




20 comments:

  1. Your sampler wall is wonderful. I find that the frames you used go together very well.

    Masks are once again mandated here as well. Still have many that we never wore (seems like we grabbed the same ones every time) and lots of filters as well. We should be good. I do understand what you mean by a boring sew though.

    God bless.

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  2. Love your sampler. I suppose if the postie is running his face might be red from exertion. :) It's one of my favourite reds to stich with but the name has always puzzled me a bit. Hope the gourd seeds grow. Hugs, xx

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  3. Beautiful job on the sampler. They do look nice hanging together on the wall. "Running Postman" for a color name had me laughing!
    Very nice bundle for the baby. You are so thoughtful!
    The Citrus Slice has my mouth watering. Sounds so yummy!
    Oh, I am getting more requests for masks now, even though they are not required here--just recommended in some situations. I am tempted to make myself a few new ones--I am more fussy about matching my clothes now if I have to wear a mask. Silly me. But when I was making them in large numbers I had to use fun fabrics or it drove me crazy. I get what you are saying. And it did seem like men especially just wanted black.
    I'll be rooting for those seeds to sprout, too. That was kind of a bad pun. ;)

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  4. your samplers are lovely and look perfect grouped together for impact. The bibs look very useful and practical and, yes, I too got bored very quickly with making masks! I buy them now and am still wearing one in supermarkets and crowded areas although they are no longer compulsory, a lot of shops request us to wear.

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  5. Your sampler is beautiful Julie and the wall is looking great! You put together a beautiful baby pack, I bet it was loved. Yes we have to wear masks all the time when we go out too, I have avoided making any so far. I hope the seed grow well, especially for the dinosaur lover. That slice looks wonderful! No help from Miss Pippi this week??

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  6. HeHe! What! No Scroggin Slice...! :).

    I've often seen those sampler on the antique
    programs over here, but, the very old ones
    from the Victorian era..and they're worth a
    lot of money..! Saw on last Tuesday on the
    Antique Roadshow, 3ft high 18inches wide..
    valued at two and a half thousand pounds...!

    Had to chuckle at Sid's 'Dinosaur Gourd' seeds,
    never heard of those..I'll Google them later..! :).

    I've a various assortment of masks my daughter made,
    mostly pink, though the one l wear mostly is one of
    a tigers face and mouth, quite scary, saw it on line,
    so my daughter got it for me..!

    Well..best get on..expecting new neighbours to~day,
    don't know who they are, let's hope they've got a cat! :).
    🍁 🍂 🍃 🍁 🍂 🍃 🍁 🍂 🍃 🍁 🍂 🍃 🍁 🍂 🍃 🍁 🍂

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    Replies
    1. I've just Googled Dinosaur Gourds....
      Dinosaur gourd plants (Lagenaria siceraria),
      also known as Caveman's Club and Maranka....
      Gourds are generally not edible and have been
      used as ornamental items, birdhouses, art
      projects and traditional bowls and household
      items..!
      And some can be dried and used to make utensils,
      cups, bottles, scoops, ladles, fishnet floats,
      whistles, rattles, pipes, birdhouses, and other
      useful objects....Amazing...! :O)

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  7. Running Postman, lol, if I had thread in that name, it would be blue like our postal uniforms. But that's OK as I am a
    blue color person. But the pinkish frame does look outstanding with the red thread. I had done lots of samplers or just
    embroidery pictures from printed cloths that my grandmother had and left undone. They had price stickers on them for
    original new price of 10 cents from WW II. But in the move 15 years ago, I sold them at yard sale. All went quickly.
    And onto chocolate, now that is my favorite flavor! Hope the seeds all take and grow well for Syd. Here the news is
    the 2 acres of trees were all mowed down last week in 4 1/2 days. This week they dug the basement hole in 2, and poured
    the foundation concrete on Weds. Thursday they dropped off the building block. So the house will be up and finished
    by end of November, our Thanksgiving time. Our covid is bad bad bad. We now have numbers worse than anytime in the
    past 18 months, just in my rural county. Hope your lock down ends soon and well. Lynn and Precious XX

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    Replies
    1. Thank You Lynn & Precious. I'll just bet those samplers of your grandmothers went quickly at your Yard Sale!! I can imagine they were swooped up. That's amazing regarding the house being built - so quick! And I am sorry to read your Covid is bad again - I had thought they had it more under control by now. Such a shame & the way of the world it seems at the moment. Have a great weekend both of you. Julie xx

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  8. Beautiful work as usual. I just love all the things you do. IT is so inspiring and i hate making masks also.

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    Replies
    1. Thank You Kim ... Yes I find them so boring to make but unfortunately it is what everyone is asking for at the moment.

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  9. Your sampler looks fabulous Julie. Such beautiful stitching. Yes, masks are pretty boring to make. I love the apron fabric. Too pretty for a mask! LOL! The lavender pillows are lovely and the baking looks delicious. We have a new neighbour and the two of us have been making yummy things and swapping with each other. I think we've scored with them moving in next door! Have a lovely week. Hugs, Christine xx

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  10. Hello Julie! Your samplers, like all of your work, is beautiful. The new frame is lovely and I love the name of the thread. I was wondering though, if the other two frames on the right are made of wood? They are so pretty, just in a different way to the new one. Much love, Jennie💙💙

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    Replies
    1. Thanks so much for your sweet kind comment Jenny. I have private messaged you back via Instagram 😊 xx

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  11. I love samplers and yours has turned out beautifully and looks lovelymin that grouping. Uou have put together a very sweet parcel for the new little person. I am with hubby love that slice too! The dinosaur gourds sound cool...fingers crossed for a successful harvest xx

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  12. Hi Julie, I love your red sampler, it looks gorgeous with the other samplers. Love the frame you chose as well.My lavender sachets are beautiful and smell so wonderful, they have gone to the recipients now. The wonderful lavender should knock them out for a good nights sleep. I do hope the Dinosaur seeds grow. Loved the baby parcel gift.Hugs.

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  13. Julie your samplers are beautiful, and make a lovely display on your wall, yes I had a go at mask making, have to agree with you, as I gave up😂 Hope Sid gets his dinosaur gourds, so cute. Well think hubby is about to have 2 wks off thanks to our government shutting down the construction sector, they protested yesterday about the mandatory covid jabs, so our premier told them they will be shutdown instead, cant wait to move from Victoria. Have a great week Julie. Chris xoxo

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  14. Dear Julie, What a wonderful sampler and it does look really good with the others too. A nice arrangement. I am baffled that they called that colour "running postman"! Beautiful gifts for the new born. I so love to crochet baby clothes nearly my most favourite makes ;they are so dinky LOL! Dear me! Those cakes look super delicious. I was asked to crochet some masks but I refused. Other than a pretty boring make as you so rightly comment I just don't see that a crocheted mask is very practical or hygienic. Stay safe Amanda x

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  15. Your cross stitch is gorgeous! It looks beautiful up on the wall...along with ALL your other beautiful craft makes! ;-)
    Blossom made lots and lots of masks for people in her neighbourhood and said the same thing as you, most people wanted black and it became very boring.
    I do hope those gourd seeds sprout; just imagining how excited your little man will be.
    Biggest hugs
    Jennifer

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  16. You're always so incredibly busy, Julie and with such great results too. I adore your samplers, tres chic! Still wearing masks indoors here and I will continue to do so until the end of the pandemic (they say it might be next Spring when we can move on but I'm not optimistic, given Scotland's rising numbers). I took the Granddaughters shopping at the weekend and it still amazes me how second nature it is to them to wear their masks in the shops. They even remind me before we leave the house to check if I have my mask in my handbag! Have a great week, Julie.x

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