Thinking time

Before I begin I want to say a big thank you for your recent comments.  The ones about the poem I found especially touched my heart.  I hope you liked reading the poem on my previous post. I know my new friends in Australia and New Zealand celebrate Father's Day in September (unlike us that celebrate it in June) I thought some may want to use it for that reason. I think though it fits equally
Well if you change it around a bit and use it for a mother and son.
I do believe in signs like finding the poem........my Dad died 31 years ago when I was 17 but I miss
him like it was yesterday.  This isn,t the first time something like this has happened, it hasn't,t happened often but when it does it lifts my spirit and somehow I step back and see the bigger picture or find a answer that up to that point may have eluded me. Friends have told me they find a white feather or see a robin or something similar , that to them that means something and always when they too feel they need a little "lift".......;

Well the project in hand is going well.  I think I've spent at least 20 hours , probably more over the last 4 days in there. What started out as one enormous chore is now becoming a labour of love !!!!
I haven,t been disturbed , just left on my own.  My husband is retired so it seems that I rarely have time just to be on my own and just think.   I have pottered around, cleaned when I can, been ruthless  even! I have my throw it, donate it and recycle it bags and feel good !  It's been a real trip down memory lane finding things I had forgotten and things I can,t even remember buying or being given to me.  But most of all I have had time to think.  Time to be me and not just Maria or mum, and I am liking that feeling and must in the future carve some time out for "me". I realise when family life took over and all the packages that comes with it , it was so easy to forget about making time for me and I think this little haven of mine is going to be the place to make that time.

I hung the cross stitches out to air as advised and it worked , they smell so much better no smell at all
in fact.  I have a confession.  The pixies was not as dirty as I thought. I really am a dum dum!!! (Lol)
I went through the bag and found it was stitched on cream not white! Yes I know , makes quite a difference.  Yet again I have had words with myself!  The alphabet bears looked better than I thought in daylight too...here they both are

In glorious sunshine too, even better

I think both are worth finishing 

Especially as little man 

has asked me too

He likes the pixies too now !

AND

  

Some before and after pictures

Everywhere was like this!

And now

Haven,t found the table yet"

BUT

Another finish

Do you remember Bill and Ben the flowerpot men?

Here they are on the top shelf 

Keeping a eye on me 

(Welcome back boys I had forgotten all about you!!)

Just to the top right of the picture is 

"Northern Bear"

My dear man is from

"Up north"

And when you press bears tummy

it says 

"Come on gorgeous , give us a kiss!"

In a northern accent

Had him years too 

And he always makes me giggle, now he looks 

Quite happy too.

Not too much planned for today.  I am giving my poor old back and neck a rest. 

Rain forecast and has already started!

Might, just might , have a look at the pixies 

We'll see.

See you soon

Xxx

The biggest WIP ever!!!!'

I just cannot believe it is Tuesday already!

I got up this morning and my back groaned a bit , too much standing and lifting I think.
I did about 5 hours in the morning . Stopped for lunch and then decided to go through a few of the bags I had found in boxes. Then about 4pm I went back in.  I think because I can see some progress now I feel I just want to go in there and get on with it.  Luckily too i haven't seen or found anything
like  dead mice etc (like you do on the hoarder programmes) so another plus!!!! Yesterday too would of been my Dad's birthday and in one of the boxes I found the most beautiful poem about a daughter and her dad.  How strange to find it yesterday of all days???? It did bring a tear to my eye, almost like he was sending me a little present on his day and encouraging me to stick with finishing this job like I know he would of done...........

I found two bags full of  cross stitches nearly finished , one is quite big and again I think it was
a nursery project again started somewhere around 2003 .  My beautiful boy looked at it  (I can,t be sure, but I think I was making it for his arrival) and although he is nearly 10, he ran his little fingers over the stitches and said he liked it and could he have it (when it's finished) .  I took advice from one of the very lovely ladies in the craft club I go to about this cross stitch and the pixies .  Should I wash them before returning to stitch them and she said absolutely not.  She said if I did I would affect the stitching size , the floss colours may fade and although they will need a wash to wait until they are finished before giving them a wash and press.  In the meantime to get rid of the "been in a bag for years " sort of smell I should put them on the washing line for a bit which should help.  Don,t get me wrong this big one and the pixies doesn't,t stink but it needs airing, so that was my first job today.

I found "Hatched and Patched" books and stitcheries I knew I had but for years haven,t been able to
locate.  I told Melanie from The Patchwork Robin I knew I had some and as a result had refused to
buy any more because I just for the life of me didn't,t know what I had secreted away.  You lovely people out there have told me of the treasures I would find, you were not lying.  Lots of you too seem
to have this love/hate relationships with getting your craft rooms /space tidied, sorted into some kind of order and ready for you to use, I know I am not alone lol. Yesterday I managed to actually Hoover a bit and saw the carpet again!!!! There are no more cardboard boxes under the tables and I am now going through the bags and plastic boxes.  I have sorted out areas for each type of thing , whether or not I change my mind again remains to be seen!!!! I think it was around 7pm when my dear man popped his head around the door and told me dinner was ready, bless him.  He has been keeping me supplied with drinks and snacks and the odd word of encouragement, he said I could open a shop, I think he's right!!!!!!

Somehow over the last week I have filled up another tin with little hexies.  I think because it is the sort of sewing that you just can do without too much concentration ! I find myself not having to think
too hard, always a bonus for me lol! I have even joined a few of the flowers together too.

Well today hopefully I may find more treasures

And time to take some more photos .

My new mantra is 

" I will not hoard or move ever again!"

I hope you are having a lovely day in your part of the world.

See you soon. Xx

Being a friend

Isn,t it nice to share?

Now that that these presents are safely in their new homes I can share.

I had a few birthday and thank you bits to give recently to some very kind ladies in my life .

Here is what I sent.

For the cross stitch cushions I used the Lizzie Kate alphabets I have and they smelt so lovely as I filled them with dried rose petals.

The fabric cushions and pin cushions too were scented , but these weren't,t put in the cushion itself.

Instead for these I made a little pocket at the back ( like my new needle case,  by the way thank you for the lovely comments you made on that post) and put a organza bag filled with rose petals too in the pocket. I always do it that way so the petals can be removed if the cushion or pin cushion needs a wash.

And 

then this beautiful scene last night..

Until next time

........

wishing you a happy creative day