Something on Saturday

For the end of the year...another animal. A  Christmas animal ?

Well it is somewhere !
This Christmas bauble was given to me by my friends from Australia who visited this year.

Something on Saturday

Also at the garden centre - (oops another cow!)

A strange Nativity scene.
These animals are all sorts of proportions. Plus, their heads move around.

Not so bad, but when you look into the manger itself, Mary and Joseph are scarecrows. Hmmm?😕

and the camel's movement is stuck, so it looks like he is nodding along to some tune. 'We 3 Kings?'
I made a video with my phone. I hope it shows up here.

If you stay to the end, that is me trying to get my phone to stop recording!

Something on Saturday

just for fun - I promise, I have covered all the cows I own.

These were at the garden centre when we went a few weeks ago!

I didn't buy one, but really if I had extra money, I might have done.

Love it! Love the expression.

Something on Saturday

cow 100!

This is going to be the end of cows! Even if I find more.
I never expected to get past a year. But here we are at 100. Although you know there are more than 100 after seeing the posts from the last few weeks. I just am ready to be done!

I have a big cow quilt made for me by my Mom. She went with blues and pinks...some work better than others.

Here are a few of the cows on the quilt.








Of course, there are more variations.

and this is the label on the back.


The funny story of this is that when I opened the package with the quilt, I could not 'see' the cows. I could 'see' a T shape. I thought, "oh no, she has sent me the quilt meant for my brother Tom. What am I going to do?" 😳
Then I thought to look at the label to see if it was for him and if not, what 'T' would be connected with me?
Oh. Oh! "I love Cows". I turned over and had a better look. Then I saw the pieced cows. The 'T', being the head and horns/ears.
I did feel silly. 😅But I was glad I hadn't tried to ring her or something!

The Cow quilt.
The photos were taken in the summer when I had the quilt outside to dry from being washed. Some of the cows don't show up on this photo because of the sun, but you can imagine them.

click to enlarge

Maybe you can also imagine how I thought it was a T shape, rather than a cow's head? Especially when I hadn't fully unfolded it?
---------------------------
Thanks (at least) to Irene and LeeAnna for checking in to see the cows and their stories! This also includes those of you who keep quiet about it!😁🤗
I have another idea for Something on Saturdays. But will start them in the new year. So I probably will do a few random posts.

I like Thankful Thursday

I haven’t been of much use for computer stuff lately. Besides very bad back spasms, I also had a lovely visit from my sister! I felt bad that instead of baking together, which is what I wanted to do, she ended up doing the baking on her own.
I love that lady😍!
She bought us a beautiful pot of Christmas plants.

It will be lovely to mix the red ones with the pink ones I already have.
I need to work out what the plant with red berries is.

I also am Very Thankful that my Mom was able to go to visit my sister in Alaska for Thanksgiving. What an adventure for an 80 year old!

To begin with, she was delayed in Maine due to a snowstorm. When she finally got to Philly, things were delayed or she missed her flight anyway. But they put her up in a hotel and gave her a food voucher. Early next morning, instead of going direct to Seattle, they sent her via Chicago, where she got the flight to Seattle.
Meanwhile all of us girls were frantically trying to keep track! She won’t have a mobile! But one sister had booked wheelchair service all the way through. So, we reckoned they would get her from wherever A was to wherever B was! 🤣 and another sister had some sort of app and Mom’s confirmation details. So she was able to know if she got on the next plane. 😅
So she got to Alaska in the end.

The sister who came here had no problems! Which I am very glad of!
 On a the Thursday, we went to Lady Sew and Sew where I sometimes teach. Somehow my sister is a very good enabler!

The top two are for dresses. The lower ones are going to be useful for my other work. In fact the darker bamboo-look will be just the answer for a problem I was considering about joining the sections of my current work.
But then it came time for Mom to go back. OH😱no! Alaska had 2 Earthquakes and very strong aftershocks! Airports closed. 😲 I guess you have seen the photos. Somehow they managed to get her off without great delay and no major problems on the way back. My sister and her husband stayed overnight in Anchorage rather than go home in the dark with possibilities of Moose or deep crevasses! They were still getting aftershocks and 12 in of snow forecasted!
My Mom will have enough stories about her adventures to keep her going the rest of her life!

I must say that I like living in England very much!!
Okay. I could do without falling when I was trying to get out of bed. Now being covered with bruises! But the Thoughtful Man has been very good on the Thoughtful front. so most days I am asleep on a chair in the lounge, passed out from strong pain killers!

Not so much a post about likes - although there are plenty of those! - but It has been a challenging week!
I am very tired and sore but I really like the way my God has kept all of us safe.

Something on Saturday

cow 99

At one time I had this collection of cow pot holders hanging on my wall. But when we repainted, I washed them and packed them all away. I didn't put them back up, because they had got quite grubby and I didn't want it to happen again.

Still, they have been useful to pad out the bureau drawer were I keep the trifle dishes and Christmas mugs.

Maybe now though, I can begin to use them...and perhaps even let a few of the well worn/stained ones go.

Another cow thing made by my Mom.
This is a half apron with 1/2 towel attached.

I should get it out and use it!

Something on Saturday

Cow 98

I just found this laddie.

I think he is fun.
He was with a totally different collection of creatures on my antique books bookcase.

Cyclamen

A bit more colour even though we had a frost yesterday.

These are cyclamen living at the left side of the front garden.

They have finally begun to spread. These were the type you are gifted and are meant to keep as houseplants. But when they finished, I planted them instead.

They have done well. They are often there in the spring, having lasted the winter. But they have spread slowly compared to the little ones on the other side of the front garden. I think I started with 2 or 3.

For these normal ones, I think I had around a small bag of corms to start with. They were meant to be planted outdoors, so they thrive under the Mock Orange Blossom bush. They are much smaller.

And they have been generous with their spreading. Even some come up in the grass! I would like to get some different colours.

Cyclamen are my most favourite flower. The Thoughtful Man gave me a plant when we first started dating. I don't think I had ever heard of them before. I was amazed at how they grow - twirled up and pointing down. Then before you can blink, almost, they open and fling their petals backward. This is a link to a time lapse video which shows different buds opening.
The Maker loves breaking the rules for creation now and then!

I like Thankful Thursday

Some of the Autumn Colour round about.
I like the contrast between the orange rose and the blue recycling bin.

I like the leaf colour that dances along the path.

and the letters written in the sky


I like the wonderful sunsets lately.

toward the west

toward the southeast
 

Right. That has to be all for today.
This blog post is brought to you by the colour orange.

To see more likes, check out LeeAnna's blog where she has a list of links.

Apologies

Not getting much done. Debilitating Back Spasms.
Thank God for Doctors that straight away take you serious.

In the meanwhile...
getting back to stitching on one of the Long Skinny pieces for 70,273.

Something on Saturday

Cow 97
A few silly ones today.

The top two cows are actually oven gloves. I haven't the heart to use them and get them all stained. So they live in a drawer. They only come out if we are involved in doing games for pancake day.😀
The other one I had forgotten about, so I have hung it up near the sink so I can laugh!

Random...
2 hair scrunchies just came to light when I was looking for something else! I had forgotten about them!


And I have been debating on putting this one up. Strictly speaking, it isn't a cow. So, I will put it with these scrunchies.

My Mom made it. I get what she was doing - cow over the moon and cat with a fiddle... Only the cat hasn't got a fiddle.
I am not particularly fond of cats, so this one is also a soft doorstop. 🙀 for one of the doors that is most likely to be caught with the wind. My husband's wardrobe is behind the door. So, if the other doorstop isn't put back, this one is just by the door frame to make sure the door doesn't bang.
Which is why the whiskers are in a great mess!😾

(remember, all the doorstops are mostly for the dog who is afraid of banging doors!)

Stitch on it - 26

Stitch on paper
Cable Chain Stitch
I have done this stitch before on fabric. Somehow it was very hard to keep the tension right doing it on paper. But I got there in the end!

A traveller returns

The piece I did last year for Stretching Art has returned this week.

Sewing Large.

Makes me want to do another version. The first one was called Sew Large. It shows a large eyehand sewing needle.

The next challenge from Stretching Art and Tradition is about the number 20.
"It’s a big milestone for Stretching Art and Tradition. We turn 20! For SAT20, we invite you to explore the number Twenty in any way you can think of. Twenty Dollars buys a meal, twenty stitches to the inch (is there such a thing?), 2’s company, 3’s a crowd, 20 is a party, twenty pieces of fabric. We’re excited to see where you go with this theme."
I have a couple ideas, but probably won't be able to start it for a while.
If you are interested in taking part, let me know and I will connect you with the details about signing up.

Bead on 4-10 November

week 45 - 2018

bead on fabric

Something on Saturday

Cow 96

This is a companion piece to the one from last week.

"Cows in the Woods"

Birthday plant - just a fiver!

On Wednesday it was the birthday of the Thoughtful Man

We went to the Garden centre. I had a voucher for a free cup of coffee...He likes coffee. I had hot chocolate.

We had in mind a plant or plants for a space in the back garden.

He finally settled on this one. A Hebe 'Inspiration'

The label said £16. When we got to the till, it said £7.50! I had a voucher for £2.50. So, it was only £5! (Good for the pocket). Plus I had a voucher for double reward points. So, something else will cost less down the road.
That was a good day out!
So, we got home, and when we got to the front door, straight away we realised the plant was just right for the space where he had dug out the overgrown ivy.

And within 15 minutes, it was already planted!

I like the variety of leaf textures and shapes.
Looking forward to it growing with the other bushes there. I am not sure what the whole flowering season is, but the purple will go with the lavender.

And another Happy Birthday to the Thoughtful Man!

I like Thankful Thursday

More Autumn is happening around here.
I like the glow that comes with the combo of the red with green and the sun...great mix!

Maples near the hospital car park.

and in the garden

The Acer by the back fence (magnolia in front right)

Deep colours in the bush by the back door. Which I thought was a blueberry bush, but the Gardener says no.

Indoors, I am waking up the Amaryllis. They are ready for it. Even stored in the shed since the spring, they all have a little growth.

This photo was taken on the 31st October.

And here - spot the difference from 1 week! Actually, the second one in had grown inches within a couple days! I think the 2 on the left are still thinking about it.

I love Amaryllis! You probably recall the regular reports last year! I woke the first one up in October last year - then bought some more. This year I waited til November, in hopes that they flower together near Christmas.

This past weekend was also the weekend we packed up the Christmas Shoe boxes to send for Operation Christmas Child.

The Thoughtful Man and I enjoy finding bits and pieces to put in our boxes. We like to select special specific things beyond toiletries and school supplies. I like to imagine who might receive the box. I heard about a girl who had recently began sewing for family and friends.

The box she got had sewing supplies 😁! So I thought i can do that! So the older girl has sewing things.

The younger girl has sharing things...fun stuff to do with friends or a sister.

The younger boy had Plasticine for making and games to do with friends.

The older boy, I am thinking likes building and music,like my son did. So his special things are a recorder and a small Meccano set. I hope they all enjoy them!

And then, here are all the boxes done by the people in our small church.

There is Pat, our organiser, trying to stay out of the photo!

How exciting to see that 30 children can have the joy of opening a box and discovering the treasures inside!
For more likes, check out the links on LeeAnna's blog.