What's happened to September?

Tomorrow is the end of the month and I haven't blogged for a couple of weeks.  The sewing room has felt deserted since I started work a couple of weeks ago.  That in itself has been tiring as I'm doing a lot of training and will have another training course tomorrow morning.  I have done a bit of postcard making with the birthday swap cards done up to the end of the year and preparing some cards for a big Christmas swap in December (I've got 10 to make so far as the swap has not been closed).  I can show any of those yet.

My son, Alex turned 30 last week and today had a family gathering at my youngest son, Jamie's house. A mad house today with 7 adults, 4 children and 3 cats, but the children all play well and a good time was had by all.  Didn't take any photos apart from some mobile pics of the grandchildren.

Looking forward to the end of this coming week when on my day off on Friday I'm going to a workshop tutored by Susan Denton, an art quilter, about colour, then on Saturday a Quilters' Guild day at Hamworthy Club, where Susan is giving a talk followed by Sara Price on antique quilts. 

So, want to see some more Cornwall pics?  Just a brief synopsis of the last part of our holiday (doesn't look like any more hols until Christmas, but will be sneaking in the odd weekend away).

Toward the end of our hols we visited The Lost Gardens of Heligan, been meaning to see this and it did not disappoint.  We were given map and small compass to find our way around but gave up of the compass and followed the map. LOADS of photos taken, but don't want to bore you...

The Mud Maiden

The Grey Lady

Tree Fern in the Jungle

Showing charcoal burning

Charred wood sculpture

Insect Hotel (this had just been constructed)

A wildflower meadow with views over the to sea near Mevagissey

On our way home we headed towards the north Cornwall coast to Tintagel.  The views were really dramatic.  The weather was really sunny, but with the stiff breeze it was quite cold.

A view to the cove from the visitor centre at Tintagel Castle

The ruins

Looking from the headland up the coas

Looking towards Tintagel Castle and the village

Could not resist taking a photo of the path (quilting possibilities?)

 

 

 

 

The Old Post Office in Tintagel

There were several samplers, but this was the best photo I could get

From the garden of the Old Post Office

It was nice to look back at the photos from our holiday I hope you enjoyed them too.  Hopefully I'll try and join up for Fresh Sewing Day to show my progress with the Christmas postcards.

Last week of Holiday

I've started my new job today, a bit familiar (working for the Council) but a bit strange (different department and location) at the same time.  I'm sure that given time I will get to grips with it, but it will be a learning curve.  Meanwhile I have been invited to join the ex-colleagues from my previous job for an evening out later this week, which will be a nice end to my first working week.

Last week David and I were on holiday in Cornwall, in contrast to the previous week's lovely warm weather, it had turned cooler and towards the end of the week a bit wet too.  Hoping for a bit of time on the beach it was just a bit too cold for that so we've been exploring.

On the Monday we stayed around St Ives and took a train ride to St Erth and return to take in some of the coast past Carbis Bay which was an interesting ride.  While David went back to the B&B to relax I stayed in the town and saw this very unusual sight around the harbour near the lifeboat station

A Stanley steam car, which attracted a lot of attention.

As I walked out of town later I heard this and two more steam cars go whizzing past to then struggle up the steep hill going out of town

Just about caught them with the camera!

Tuesday we took a trip out to Mousehole then onto St Michael's Mount, timing the trip so that we walked out on the causeway

The tide just cleared the causeway as water was lapping the edges

Lovely bit of sea kelp in the clear waters

Just got onto the Mount

With the lovely blue sky and water it could almost be tropical!

 View across to Penzance

The castle

A view to the gardens below (which weren't open that day)

Sun shining through the stained glass onto the chapel floor.  I waited ages for a chap to move and I hoped the sun wouldn't go in (he did move eventually when he realised what I was trying to take a photo of and took a photo of the floor too!).

We walked back to the car park at Marazion, passing the rock where there's the landing for the boats (needless to say there are no boats when the tide had gone out this far!).  The tide was way out so it was easy to walk across the beach.

We thought it was too early to get back to the B&B so we had a short visit to a tin mine at Levant

Some marvelous views along the coastline and to see a beam engine at work.  

More photos of our holiday to come.

P.S.  I may not have responded to those who wished me well for the new job, but thank you, it's very much appreciated.

Holiday Week 6

The penultimate week of my 'holiday' before starting my new job.  I think I've got to the stage where the novelty of a long holiday is beginning to wear off - heaven help me when I get to retirement!  I have been doing a tidy of my fabric stash and weeding out some "fugly" fabrics to await a table top sale sometime or to go to the bring and buy table at the next area meeting. 

I've made a few postcards up to the end of the year for the birthday swap and yesterday after sorting through some quilting magazines I came across a "Love Quilting" spring issue magazine which had this

To add to my owl family, how could I resist! Mum and baby only took a few hours to make, here's another pic

They're sweet, aren't they.

I've recently received postcards from the Sequins and Sparkle swap

From (left) Pauline, (top right) Jacquie and (bottom right) Alice.  Lovely cards of shimmery-ness.

This last week of my holiday will be a week away and tomorrow David and I are off to Cornwall with 4 days in St Ives and another couple of days a bit further inland in Camborne.  No doubt there will be a lot of photos taken from being out and about all week.

Fresh Sewing Day and a visit to Portsmouth

September already! August has been a busy month even though I've not been working. In August I've (almost) finished my Welcome to Hollywood quilt, made a hanging for my machine hoops, and lots of other bits and bobs.

Welcome to Hollywood

Hoop storage

Ahem...just a reminder

My thread bin, very useful with all those threads from machine embroidery

That's without the going out and about last month, to Festival of Quilts, trip to Weymouth on the train, Kingston Lacy, Kingston Maurward and an evening of fireworks in Poole, but that's what holidays (especially extended holiday in my own backyard!) are all about.  And there's visitors too - Brian the dog came to stay last weekend and this weekend our daughter Sarah came to stay.


Yesterday to escape the hordes coming to Bournemouth for the Air Festival we went to Portsmouth to the Royal Armories at Fort Nelson, which is on Portsdown Hill overlooking the city.  This has exhibits of big guns

 Even some really ornate big guns (and a mortar, above)

And some silliness - I think these are meant for the kids - lol!

Then we went to Gunwharf Quays, an outlet centre in Portsmouth and went up the Spinnaker Tower.

What a view!  At the bottom of the photo is the train station in the harbour, the big ship behind that is HMS Warrior in the Historic Dockyard

Looking in the opposite direction is the Isle of Wight ferry (the Island is in the background). This docks around the the left of the photo.

Theres a glass floor too.  Guess to had to have a go at standing on it (along with Sarah)

Sorry about the carrier bag - that was not ours!!  I had edited that out in i-photo but it somehow has crept back in.

We had tea and more views on the next floor

And go up to the Crows Nest at the top

A fake bird at the top to stop any birds resting there. After seeing the tower quite a few times, we can say we've now been up it!

Anyway I should say that I've linked up with Fresh Sewing Day on Lilys Quilts, which you can find  here. 

 

Mid September will see me returning to work, however before then I've got this week at home to get more sewing done and getting ready for a going away holiday the following week.  Just hoping this wonderful sunny weather will keep going for a while.