Hello my friends. Had a bright idea during the week – and it looks like it has borne fruit! The size of the font is now as it should be… Yay!!! I do trust this finds you well and safe. Despite being a woman of a certain age, I have not yet had my vaccination – and this morning, have learned that my YOUNGER daughter – aged 44 – has had hers today. HUH!! Grrr. (Love her really!) So I shall continue to stay home – and keep warm. Today is the complete opposite of Monday’s sunshine and high temperatures, when I was out walking in glorious weather. Oh well, it is still only February.

So, my desk today. I have done a load of sorting. The hardware is now tucked into a corner, and the rest of the desk tidy. It’s waiting for me to make some Easter cards. Three of us decided that everyone in the church should receive a card this year – so we would divide the church list between us and get cracking.

I know – it’s just not right is it, – an empty desk like that… but it will see some action soon, I trust! I have been busy in the lounge, though. The front of that pink and white sweater is now finished and I have started on the back, and one of Julia’s “fiendishly difficult” jigsaws has been done. Your comments about my jigsaw addiction are fabulous. I know I do them quickly – it’s just the way my brain works. I look at a single piece and can see just where it should go – no idea quite why my brain works like that… but there we go. This one, however, was different. Normally I start at the edges then set to on the inside. Oh no – not with this one. Start with the inside, then the border – and then the edges!

I have also been busy with the cross stitch. Again, your comments last week had me in tucks of laughter – one person even suggested that, actually, I was sewing a dragon… So, here’s a picture of the whole thing for you to gaze at… Sorry about the photo – the picture is taken from the pattern book – and it’s on shiny paper!

Ultimately, my stitching should look like the above – but on a larger canvas, so I can stitch the 24 numbers and small rings around the image in order for it to be an advent calendar. So far I have stitched the girl in the green coat, the baby on her shoulders, and part of the boy pushing the sledge. He hasn’t got a head yet, poor boy. Slow, but steady progress now the light is improving. The image will suddenly “pop” when I add the backstitch outlining – but I leave that until the end.

So that’s it from the North Wales coast on a wet and miserable Tuesday afternoon. The wind is blowing a hooley, and has already taken one of my fence panels! Can’t do anything about it until the wind drops and the shops open in order to get another panel. Good thing I get on with my neighbour.

Take care everyone. Stay safe. God bless you.

Margaret

Hello my friends. I was thinking this week about you all, and how saddened we all are about Shaz Silverwolf’s death – and it struck me forceably that the word “friends” is exactly how I see you all. I have been “meeting” with you all for several years – too many for this blog to still have online, as some early posts were lost when I had to change server – and so looked back. Every comment from Shaz was filled with encouragement. I met her in person for the first time on a Friday evening in November 2016. John and I had always said that we would go to the crop – but he never made it. So – in fear and trepidation – I decided to go down to Wiltshire (I had only had my car for a few days, and had never been to Wiltshire!!!) just 2 months after he died. Jan invited me to join her, G, Julia, Shaz and Doug for dinner on the Friday evening. Shaz obviously had been pre-warned I would be there, because Doug fell through the front door laden with goodies – two huge bags full of the most wonderful stash. She simply said she knew at lot of my work was for charity, so wondered if I could use any of it!! I have done, Shaz – thank you. So, just a couple of photos to show how I saw Shaz and Doug – she the hard worker and enabler, Doug an encourager.

I confess to having no desk shot this week as it looks exactly the same as last week – almost! Another layer has been added. The doorbell rang the other day for the delivery of a parcel… A complete surprise when I opened it. A prize give-away from a magazine. I have absolutely no memory of entering the competition – or when it was – but it’s a great prize. Nothing has yet been opened properly, though! Four 8×8 paper pads and five dies. They will be used when my mojo returns from an extended vacation – about the only one who CAN take a vacation at the moment!

But I have continued a little with the cross stitch – not done a huge amount, as the light hasn’t been good – but some progress. Two children now done apart from their heads! It’s beginning to look like something now – or perhaps I just think that because I know what it will eventually be….

I have, however, finished a jigsaw – another Thomas Kinkade.

I’m merrily knitting another sweater – have to do something in the evenings! Nearly finished the front – just another white section, then a pale pink half triangle at the top.

So that’s about it, folks, from the North Wales coast. It did strike me that I hadn’t added a Welsh photo recently – that’s probably because I haven’t been anywhere or done anything… but in case folk are suffering withdrawal symptoms – here’s my favourite view ever – Snowdon is the pointy one third from the right, and, in the foreground, the Twin Lakes – Llynnau Mymbyr

Take care, all. God bless you.

Margaret

Hello my friends. I do trust this finds you well – if cold! Thanks so much to you all for visiting last week and leaving such lovely comments. I read them all and appreciate the time and effort you take on my behalf. So, to the reason we are here today… my desk!

I am really sorry – I have NO idea what exactly I have done his afternoon – but I can’t change the type size!!! I do hope you can read this!

Yes – a bit of tidying has gone on this week. Both the old towers are now tucked into the corner, and can be accessed when I need to work on them. I look forward to the day when they can go and I can bring my Gemini machine through to use there. Having given myself a little more room I have done a load of stamp sorting – getting rid of ones I no longer use, putting them out to pass on – whenever I can be in touch with others!! But then I decided to just have a bit of fun – and played with some brushos.

I haven’t done a lot – but will add a sentiment, some background paper behind or some such, and make some cards. I rather enjoyed spraying the water at different angles, just to see what happened… and then discovered

Yes. The sheet I was using to stand the watercolour paper on was quite effective too! I rather like this one – no idea what, if anything, I shall do with it – but it is rather fun.

I realized this morning I never showed you the knitting I had finally finished – the jumper knitted in the round from the neck down. The answer to the questions the other week is… no, I don’t like it any more now it is complete. Oh well…

Julia sent me a couple of jigsaws the other week. Her comment was “They are fiendishly difficult”. Well, I won’t disagree with that!!! If anyone wants to attempt it… send me an email and I will post it on – preferably only to a British address – sorry!

Out walking this morning I discovered that 30feet above sealevel and there was snow still on the ground after a shower yesterday, and that the standing water in the field opposite was frozen! Should have been wearing a hat, really, but goodness – it was exhilarating! And the hot chocolate when I got home was even better…

So, that’s it from me this week here on the North Wales coast. Do take care. Stay safe. God bless you all.

Margaret

Hello my friends. Yes – awol again! Sorry folks There was nothing to show because my desk on the landing was totally unusable!

See what I mean? John’s computer, my old one… getting a bit crowded out there on the landing. The trouble is, I currently still need access to them both! – just occasionally. BUT…

… I have moved into the study – ie. John’s art space! A much better shaped desk, screen a little further away from my nose, and, yes, I am finally joining the 21st century – a webcam. Zoom-ability has arrived. So nothing to show on either desk except hardware – but I have been keeping myself out of mischief down in the lounge.

I assure you, Julia, I have hunted high and low for that missing piece – even tried hoovering the living room… but no sign – sorry.

And I have crocheted a baby blanket for a charity in the Midlands. Oh dear – I really should have taken the photo from a different angle, shouldn’t I? That settee cushion does look rather bad!

So, that’s it today, here on the North Wales coast. I took part in the big birdwatch this last weekend – and like most folks, discovered that you can see hundreds of birds at any time…. except the one hour you choose to do your counting! However, having a field behind me did mean I got to see 33 curlews feeding at the same time. Of course, Monday I looked up, having just recorded my results… and there were over 150 there! Oh well, there we go.

Do take care, my friends. Stay safe as the news gets ever more distressing each day. I don’t know how our medics are keeping going – seeing so much heartache, suffering and death day by day… their hearts must be breaking.

I pray that in the midst of all that is going on around us you would find the peace of God filling your hearts and minds. God bless each one of you.

Margaret