Just a few bits to show

Hi there,  I thought I had better get something on the blog before I got into trouble again.  I have been working on some baubles to take to Canada at the end of the month.....yes!.. I am off again.😲  Our grandson is graduating from High School, so we are going over to attend the ceremonies and celebrate with the family.  It also gives me the opportunity to make (and take) some baubles for them.

This design of  bauble was the very first one I ever made some 15 or 16 years ago.

 and its still one of my favourites

Starry Night Bauble

.
 This one I made last month in silver and gold but never really loved it, so, I have added some colour and like it much more.

Wenceslas Bauble 

Pretty in Pink and Purple
be

Wenceslas Bauble 

altogether I have got 6 to take with me so am happy with that.  All of the patterns are from Spellbound beads

I have also got hooked (literally) on the "dress a child" dresses.  Some have already been given to the ladies and these are just a couple more

Its been great, as I used up some fabrics that have been sat in the cupboard, and the crochet cotton has been in a basket waiting for a project, so its 'win win' all round .

I loved making my " High tea" crochet blanket (which in my house is to be used as a table cloth) so made up the blocks to take on my holidays for quiet days.

Have to confess that I couldn't resist crocheting a few. Who knows I may find time to get some of my charm packs sewn ready for yet another one before I go.

See you next time, happy hobby days.

Just For Ena

Oh my, I have been to my sewing group  today and had a ticking off because I haven't added to my blog recently and all I can say is I have not been idle, but I do have a new laptop and have still got to get to grips with customising my photos etc......well that's my excuse!

I love to sit in the evening knitting, so I have made yet another two pair of socks with fingerless mitts to match

The cream yarn was a Christmas gift to me, but the blue will be a gift for someone else

and the beading of baubles carries on 

I have tried to add some colour to the baubles and beads, but I'm still not sure I like them.

I love the pale butterfly and think it will end up on the white bauble 

and tassels have now been added to the repertoire.  I have to say this tassel gave a few problems to start and I thought this would be the first and last one I made, but now its finished I might have a go at another....they are so pretty1

Before my holiday a friend gave me a birthday gift as a holiday project, she had cut and sewn all the squares so all I had to do was the blanket stitch and the crochet.  It was duly packed and I spent a few happy hours stitching and hooking away. The result was lovely and the whole thing was so enjoyable to do that I have decided to make another.   So fabrics cut and machined. now for the hand sewing and crocheting

The bottom two photos are of the one received for my birthday 

I had been invited to a patchwork group to show them the technique of Foundation Piecing.  I had to make a couple of samples and decided to use them in May's Mini Mania Challenge ....waste not want not!

This block will be added to the others and in time turned into a quilt  

Last but not least is the 'Challenge' we all received from Highampiecemakers.  We all had to make the same block and if you go here you will see that we all made a lovely job.

Another block for the quilt - me thinks 

So as you see I have not been completely lazy lately - just avoiding the computer, I think.

Long time no see

Hi there to you all.  I know its been ages since I last wrote on my blog, but sometimes life just gets in the way.

I have just returned from a 7 week holiday in South Africa........yes, 7 weeks!..I have to say that I honestly didn't know how I felt about being away from home for that long, but as it turned out it was great.  We spent the first couple of weeks in Cape Town with my daughter, her hubby and our two grand children.  There is always a list of things the children want to do and this year the top of the list was a trip to 'Ratanga Junction' with the "Cobra" being at the very top of the list of rides, but my favourite (and one that we went on about 8 times) was Monkey Falls (you really should click on the link and enjoy).

By the time this photo was taken we had both worked out where the camera was 

Mr D and I then had a trip up to Durban to visit some friends that have both had a rough year.  The weather was very mixed (although always warm), the first week was so hot and humid I even developed a heat rash - mind you with temps. of 36 deg C it wasn't surprising.  After a few days  we left my friend V and travelled just a bit further up the coast to Salt Rock.  We arrived there on the Sunday, and Monday it started to rain. By Tuesday we had caught the tail end of a Cyclone and in all the time I lived in Natal I don't think I have ever seen it rain so hard and for so long   I believe that in 24 hours over 12 inches of rain had fallen!

cool pools 

Cool Cocktails 

Our next stop was Victoria falls.  In all the time we lived in S.A we either didn't have the money or the time to visit this beautiful tourist venue.  Getting into Zimbabwe was a bit of a trial because although we knew we needed a visa and had checked online, there was some confusion as to how we could pay (the web site said we could pay in US$, Rand or credit card, but web sites can be out of date we were told!).  We were the last folk in the airport and getting a bit frustrated but eventually managed a card payment...Phew!!!  The driver that picked us up gave us a few hints and tips about visitors to the Falls and also said she would take us to the bank for US$  but unfortunately the banks had no money (nothing unusual we now know)  so we managed with Rand and credit cards.   The falls were magnificent and well worth the effort of getting into the country.  You just cannot believe the spray that rains down on you as you wander through the rain forests, and unbelievably its warm so locals call it a free shower.

Photos can;t show the volume of water

Before we got absolutely soaked

 

Can you see the rainbows? 

Having a rest on the way down to the gorge 

We also decided on a Sunset Cruise on the Zambezi river.  We thought a small boat would be more friendly, and rather than a full meal we chose a boat that offered snacks and drink.  I think it was a little African style, but the guys on the boats were brilliant spotters.  We saw hippos, crocs, and an elephant (which was unusual as there had been so much rain they didn't often come to the water as they had plenty inland)

Nice and relaxed 

This is the Captain and the Bar!!!!!

There were so many 

 And such a beautiful sunset

Afternoons in Zimbabwe were spent around the pool.

Love empty pools

This part of the holiday came to an end and we had to return to the airport - and what a surprise that was!  Firstly there was an exit tax that nobody had informed us (or any of the other passengers about) and at $50 each it wasn't a cheap escape.  I couldn't believe the airport, as there was not a soul to be seen!....... beautiful airport but empty!  The biggest surprise was when we realised that there was only 10 passengers on the Airbus 320 back to Joburg!

Terminal 1 

The restaurant 

Our departure Lounge 

Choose your seat 

Our last stop before returning to Cape Town was to see friends in Johannesburg.  Oh how the area has changed since we lived there!  I cannot believe the amount of shopping malls and designer shops, not that we spent much time in them, we were off to the Vaal River for some R and R.  Time was spent relaxing by the river, bit of fishing and then trips in the boat looking for Monitor lizards and fish eagles and other wild life. 

Personal tour guide and spotter 

Lady Muck!!

I did of course get some sewing, knitting and crochet done while sitting around 

This was a DIY birthday gift from a friend 

Christmas gift 

A friend was battling to get this finished so I took it over.   

Then on our last weekend, back in Cape Town, our daughter Jan and I had a "girly" sewing time as the men and children were off to a 'Dads and Kids Camp'.  What a lot of sewing got done!!

Cardigan for granddaughter Issy coming up 

I cannot believe that this was from the daughter that had no interest in sewing!

Jan made two of these 

I also made two

Two pairs of leggings 

Not bad considering we only had Friday afternoon and Saturday..  

Our last day in Cape Town was spent at Noordhoek Cape Point Vineyard.  A picnic and lazing in the shade......just the ticket!! 

What a view 

Hope you have enjoyed my holiday.....

Busy doing not much at all

I wonder if it is the sun that has chased away my enthusiasm for sewing but all I have to say is there has not been much of any going on in this house.  I did manage my Mini Mania Challenge for this month, but even that gave me a few headaches ....... I decided to make a few different size plates and to try something new.  I started with the largest plate and sewed three different fabrics together to make a multi coloured plate, but what I didn't realise until I had sewn them altogether was that if you only use three colours the middle blocks will obviously be all the same...bit of a Derrrrrr! moment, still live and learn as they say...

This one measures about 7" from point to point 

back at the sewing machine to make a smaller one, but only two colours this time

each blade was 3" at this stage

now for the fun bit

Points sewn 

got the yellow and green together nicely, but then tried even smaller and goodness knows what happened to them but they certainly didn't make a plate...

Something definitely wrong here 

bit of jiggery pokery and finally got there

don't look too closely at the quilting...I was tired! 

I am still playing with beaded baubles. 

Love making these 

Just a few more...

and finally this should be all about my scarf/wrap.........I must have spent about 4 days knitting a pattern row, then the next row, only to unknit these as something was wrong.  I finally gave up as I always seem to have the correct number of stitches (261 at this point) and just couldn't get the pattern to work...and life's too short!  I'd like to think the pattern was wrong, but I very much doubt that so as a last resort .....

needles out and unpicking begins 

I have often shown you photos of my Tuesday evening country walks, but the evenings are drawing in now and the sunsets are more difficult to capture, but this is what we do half way around - when the evenings are as warm as they have been in the last couple of weeks...

Not quite Champagne flutes, but these will do nicely  

Enjoy the last of the summer sun.