Emotions running high.

Its been a rather emotional week this week.  The UK has been gearing up to celebrating Mother's Day, which was yesterday and all the shops are full of flowers and gifts, but for some this causes a lot of sadness.  I have just returned from a Mother's day service at Emily's school.  It is a church school, so Mothering Sunday is celebrated by the church and they put on a lovely service lead by the children.  The first thing the vicar said was put your hand up if you have never had a Mum.  As adults we understand that he is saying you would not be here if you didn't have a Mum, but to the poor little girl in Emily's class whose Mum has died doesn't see it like that :'(  Later another child in Emily's class burst into tears as she had been given a prayer to read and her Mum was not there to hear it!  The service was a lovely idea, but harder for those whose Mums were not there and probably did not explain why they could not be there. In fact there were more children in the room whose Mum weren't there than were there.  The headteacher did try to rescue things a bit by saying its not only about Mum's but anyone that cares for you.

We spent the weekend in Sheffield with our parents, but you can't be with both sets at the same time so its difficult on special days to make time for everyone.  I did not see much of Emily as she was spending time with her Grandmas and I was feeling terrible from the busy day on Saturday.  We are hoping to do something together later.  Emily got very upset at bedtime as although she had enjoyed seeing other people she then wanted me and it was time for bed, so she ended up getting into trouble and upset as did I.

There are many people who will have found yesterday a difficult day including my Auntie whose son died 2 1/2 years ago, a friend whose niece died yesterday, another friend who has been diagnosed with Breast cancer recently, those who are not able to have children or that have lost children.  I myself have a beautiful daughter, but still mourn the fact that I cannot have other children and that Emily will never have a sibling.  Having fertility treatment is heartbreaking and anyone having treatment around this time will find it hard.  One of my own treatments failed close to Mother's day.

Moving on from these sad thoughts.  I have been doing a little crafting.  I made another framed button picture for a friend and also a card for her and a Mother's day card for my Mum.  As ever I forgot to take photos of some of them, I was sure I had!

Patterns are from Ann's paperart.

A few posts ago I posted about crafting and cats.  My cat stays away, but at Quilting the other week I got the company of the Rivers Meet cat.

I am hoping to get to Rivers Meet this week to see Barbara the knitting lady so I can get on with my waistcoat.  I have some other cards to make as well, but it will be slow progress as school breaks up at the end of this week.  I will have to check if Emily wants to attend any of the Rivers Meet Easter Craft classes, she usually enjoys them.  Sadly because of the Easter holidays I won't be able to go to the next quilting class so quilt progress will be slow too.  There is an Easter craft fair on 13th April too that I hope to attend.  I got some lovely Mothers day presents from the Mother's day fair, including items from Leeds Bead shop, Sharon's essentials.  For other people we bought gifts from Kelly Lou, Maggy Hunt.  Also purchased from a lady selling knitting, a wood turner, Baht at Ruby Shoesday and Ready Planted.  I also had a Mother's day gift from Our Handmade Collective and a lovely plant that Emily had plated and decorated at school.

I will go and have a think about which cards to make next.

Recycling

I have just made the card I made for my husbands birthday into a card for a neighbour who is 80 this weekend!  Its quicker, easier and cheaper than going out and buying one and unless he reads this he will not know that it wasn't specially made for him!

Off to search for some more now as I need another card for Monday.  Foiled I don't have any others that I have made, don't think its fair to recycle someone else's work!  

Feeling pretty rubbish now was a busy morning, well only out for coffee with friends, but meant driving and our first choice was closed and second choice was noisy, but nice to have a chat.

Got my geese cut out last night (well Rob cut most of them).  Emily informed me they look nothing like geese, not much gets past her!!  Should be fairly easy to stitch, I really want to get on with it, but seem to have little time and energy between bouts of hecticness ( is that a word?), well hectic for me, for anyone else its a walk in the park (which to me is hard work! and something I would love to do). Had planned a bit of my Mother's day card stitching, but not up to it now, oh bother!

Shock

Shock, horror I made a decision, an expensive one!!

I have finally gone for the sparkly black for the borders and the backing!!! Got to make a good job of it now.

Two days to go to next class and some cutting to do before then to make flying geese blocks. Hope it less confusing than the last class where I got everything back to front! But finally got a cat block!

Thank you to Sarah for your patience.

Fabric ordered, wonder when it will arrive, ooo its exciting!

Still undecided

As ever I can't decide, if there was a degree in undecided I would pass with flying colours!!

Talking of colours, my latest thoughts are to do the borders black and then use red on the back (the images don't display the effect properly) and there is a black too.

I have just seen this hearts fabric in my local fabric shop, which would tie in with my heart theme on the front and the colours are right. it is only a small shop and they only have a few 100% cotton.

Have just booked for respite at Fountains Court after the Easter Holidays.  Much in need of a rest, but worried about leaving Rob and Emily.

Another Dilemma, to save or not to save? Help needed!

Having sorted out my border dilemma, I have opted for black, I now need to decide on the reverse of the quilt.  The fabric I originally intended does not really work.  I have to buy the black needed for my border to get the look right, but I have lots of fabric and don't really want to buy more if I can help it.  The fabric I like best for backing would cost £35, black fairy dust fabric

While there is no doubt that it would make for a striking finish, I feel that it is difficult to justify the cost whilst I have other things I could use.

Last night Rob and I had a play about with some options

These are the options, or variations on these options, the bottom one showing what it would look like with black borders to match front.

I am not convinced by these.  Laid awake as ever I thought that this might work better, again with black borders.

Or I could really splash the boat out and have sparkle black borders and sparkle black back, oh so many choices.  After I have put so much effort into the quilt I don't want to scrimp and not be happy with the finished thing, but feel that the cost is a bit much if a good effect could be gained in another way.

I am also worried about putting too much effort into the deciding as my health is not good at the moment.  I am in a lot of pain and getting by on very little sleep.  Although I have been putting the insomnia to good use looking at fabric ideas!!  Just hope after all this I am well enough to go to the class on Friday!!

Rob got me the frames from Ikea so now I need to make up one of the pictures and also get on with stitching cards I need for next few events, but I am just not getting anything done as I feel so exhausted all the time.

Better go and pick up the fabric before my cat comes along and decides to sleep on it and add more paw prints than it should have.

From reading other crafty blogs many of us seem to have cats and many of the blogs feature the cats.  My cat tends to keep out of the way so I don't have any pictures of him with my craft projects, but will post a picture of him anyway!

Ok two then!!  These pictures are quite old now, he is not a neat and tidy these days, bless his little paws he is nearly 15.  This is Timmy by the way.

And just in case he feels left out here is the hamster, whose name I never know as it gets changed every week!

I have a tank of fish too, but not taking pictures of each one you will be glad to hear!!

Emily is asking for a guinea pig now as she says her friends guinea pigs are going to have babies once they have got a boy guinea pig to go with the girl ones.  We have said we will think about it, I am not sure I could cope with the work it would create, so I am secretly hoping that the guinea pigs don't get on ;-)

Some fabric possibilties

 black cat

black cat 2

black cat 3

Tabby Cat Fabrics, appropriate name have many mottled effect fabrics in, blues, blacks and greys which would work well.

This subtle paw could work, but its in the US

So I am no nearer finding a solution so I will end with these I founds that are cool

Found on an old blog post www.blisstree.com.  I now have visions of a big yellow duck quilt!

Like these maybe;

big duck

umbrella duck

Quack, quack!

Fabric Dilemma

I think I need some help here.  I am trying to decide the fabric to go in between my blocks on the quilt.  I thought I had what I wanted, but now I am not sure it works!

Had quilt laid out on floor and taken lots of pictures and still not sure what I like or if any options actually work!!!

My original plan was to go with the blue at the top, red, or cream, they are the ones I have enough fabric for, out of those I think the red works best, but not sure it is right.

The only other that I have enough of, but that was going to be the back is this

Don't think that works either and probably won't for the back.

Next I dug out all the scraps I have and tried to see what might work, but its difficult with only having small pieces and many of them I have no idea where they are from.

I think this darker bright blue works well, it is a piece given to me by a relative so would have to find a similar piece.

This black and white cat is a very tiny scrap I had, I like it, but can't tell if it would work all over, I think it would, but no idea how to find the fabric.

Not sure about this one, it could work.

Again not sure, its nice and bright though.

Plain black works well.

As does this mottled dark grey.

I did not want to spend more on fabric, but the ones that work best I do not have enough of.  The shop I get most of my fabric from is an hours drive away and next time I am in that area I won't have time to fabric shop as well as seeing all the relatives with it being Mother's Day weekend.

Would be interested in comments about what works best or any other suggestions.

Mixed sort of a week and internet finds.

Well the weather has been a very mixed bag with temperatures of 16c on Sunday and people in the park eating ice creams, then on Tuesday it hardly got above freezing! Today its beautiful and sunny and 7c.

I think I have been much like the weather changeable, but sadly not many sunny intervals.  The best day weather wise was my worst and I missed most of it having to stay in bed and look through the window, did get up for half an hour in the park, but it was a huge effort.  Feeling a bit brighter today, but then need to catch up on things I have not been able to do so have worn myself out again, not quite at the totally exhausted point yet, but heading that way.

My craft efforts have been none existent, I started cards last week, but not a single stitch on them since and they are taunting me.  I am trying to think of ideas for Mother's day, but they are both difficult to buy and or make for and my ideas are few.  I need to send Rob to Ikea to get some frames for the button pictures as I have another one to make.  I also need to think of egg decorating ideas for school.

When able I have been looking online as I always do at things I like and would love to be able to make, but most of them will always be just things I like.  I tend to sit looking at things when unable to do much else.

I have seen lots of great gluten free recipes and have been pining like mad on Pinterest they all look so yummy, but there is little time or energy for baking.  We did make Carrot and Banana muffins on Tuesday which are delicious.

My favourite thing this week is a bracelet idea from Beads Direct in several different colours

Orange

Purple

Black

I have most of the elements to make them except for the feature beads and they are £9 plus each, so its an expensive make.  would be ok for a present, but really a make for myself as it would rarely get worn.

A few other likes include

Marbleised eggs

Bunny Handpuppets

Sheep Quilt

Cat Quilt

Pine cone owls

Fork flowers

Cute pegs

Well here was me thinking I have done nothing, I seem to have collected a lot of ideas if nothing else.

World Book Day

Its World Book Day and many schools are asking children to dress as book characters.  Emily saw an Alice in Wonderland costume and wanted to go as Alice.  I would have liked to do something more creative, but she was determined so she has gone off dressed as Alice and armed with some eat me biscuits, a drink me drink and a big key!

Emily's friend has gone dressed as Dandelion which is a new one on me, but its a great costume and well created by her and her mum.  It was good to see many of the teachers dressed up too, Emily's teacher is Christopher Robin, I also saw a Cat in the Hat, Tiger who came to tea and Where's Wally along with some I did not instantly recognise. Its all good fun and a different way of getting the children's interest.  Not sure what I would dress as.  I love Pooh Bear and a bit of face paint and some yellow trousers and  red top would do the trick, I like making props too, a big jar of honey maybe!  

Two years ago when Emily was in reception class she went as the Queen of Hearts, again from Alice.  We made jam tarts then!!

The strange thing is Emily has never actually red Alice in Wonderland or seen any of the films.  I have just bought her a kids version of the book, but it has not arrived yet.  I also very tempted by this collection that I saw on facebook after I bought the other book.  We have so many books though and many of them are unread.

World Book Day have just sent a link to 50 books that will change your life.  I have read a fair few of them.

I have seen a lovely quilt idea today on Bustle and Sew blog 

Craft idea of the day has to be http://www.abc.net.au/local/audio/2014/03/05/3957423.htm

That's it from me today fatigue and pain is getting the better of me.