GIVEAWAY DAY woo hoo

Well I made it, A Ton Up, a century, 100 posts. For months I was a stalker, swooshing around Blog Land, popping in here and there for a nosy. Sometimes I even had the temerity to leave a comment. I entered lots of giveaways ( and even won a few) I gathered up ideas, some were copied to the 'nth degree some were chopped about to suit me.

I picked a few blogs, well quite a lot, to follow. The selection process was random, sometimes the blog name appealed mostly it was the content and writing style.

Along the way I learned enough to realise that I knew Diddley Squat about the mechanics of setting up and maintaining a blog ( I still know very little)

Then we watched the Bucket List again and during the film I thought, what a good idea. I had a stack of things that I would like to do someday!  Ah that elusive day when all the stars align, all the lost pens, needles, stamps and other treasures fall out of the "safe place" that they have been hiding in and you finally get the me time you have been waiting for.
RIIIIIIING RIIIIIIIIING  that is the alarm clock waking you out of that cosy dream.

I knew that would not just happen, sooooooooo I wrote my 1 year Bucket List, on it was start a blog, also on it was get ready for retirement, learn to live a more frugal way both in a financial way and in an everyday manner. I wanted to slow down and smell the flowers, spend time improving my way of life and cut back spending to the bare bones.
I had spent a few years heading that way without realising. We moved a few times, downsizing and decluttering each time, the money that we made through this set the children up, and gave us a few holidays and treats along the way.

And to cut a long story short I managed most things on my list, the ones that were rejected or ignored were not really important to me. The list is ongoing.

And now to business, Yesterday, as told, I went to Button Up & Stitch and found these pretties.

Four half meters of quilting weight cotton

Woodland Pals from Robert Kaufman.

Festive Forest from Camelot Cottons

A leaf print from Camelot Fabrics, I do not have the name of this print. Sorry.

Another nameless print from Sevenberries.

To complete the set I added a reel of thread, I have picked fabric for many a project only to sit down at the machine and realise that I have enough matching thread to half wind a bobbin and no more. It is Guttermann Col 1 and is polyester, I am not a purist I like cotton thread for hand quilting but my machine runs smoother with polyester.

Anyway to enter the draw. I forgot to say that I will post anywhere. So join in and try your luck.

1.  Be a follower. Leave a comment telling me for one entry.

2.  For a second entry leave a comment telling me what you would make if you won.( I may steal borrow your idea.)

I will let this run for 7 days and on Friday 19th July I will put all the entries into something vaguely hattish and get fool friend to pull a name, you need to be contactable so if you are a non reply blogger leave your email in your comment. I will email the winner and post the winnings off as soon as I have a snail mail address.

BTW, I have been rushing around like a BAF for days and have missed my list so i am going to double it up today.

Reasons to be grateful.

1. The sun shine, bring it on.

2. Bertie and Ben snuggled up either side of me.

3. The freshly painted ceiling in my conservatory.

4. Reaching 100 posts without running out of stuff to talk about. as if.

5. An empty laundry basket always good to have.

6. I won a giveaway, a stack of vintage sheet fat quarters. yum

7. The great team that I work with, we are pulling together to get through a very hectic time.

8. Francesca who brightens my day.

9. The great blogs that I read.

10 The lovely peeps who read my inane scribblings.

My Word a long post indeed and now it is time to get a coat of magnolia on the conservatory walls, I never thought that I would buy "mongolia" but could not decide on a colour. as I have said before    my mind not only wanders, sometimes it leaves the building altogether.

I think that a diversion to make tea is in order.           TTFN   Pam

99, love it or what

Here it is , Post number 99, a bit of a teaser, just like the ice cream. Soft swirly ice cream in a crisp cone with a flake in the side. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

To me it was a soggy cone filled with tasteless gloop that melted before it could be eaten, trickling through my fingers and cascading down my arm to drip squelchingly off my elbow on to my skirt.

My Granny however loved them and would demolish one in the blink of an eye, she cared not that they were made with a powder mix and water, she would not have recognized an additive if she tripped over one. They were the only "junk food" that I ever saw her eat.

Before we had a fridge all cold food was stored on a marble slab in the north facing pantry and ice cream was a rare treat on a trip to the seaside, usually with the Odd Fellows or Buffs annual outing.



I had a little trip to Wisbech today, to get paint for the conservatory. While I was there I popped into Button up & Stitch, my local Quilt Shop and a favourite destination.

While I was making my selection a delivery turned up and I had a sneak peep at some of it, pretty pretty pretty, I almost drooled.

I thought that it was a sign to give you a sneak peek at my purchases.

Oh dear, it is a bit blurry, by accident or design, he he. Tune in tomorrow and have a proper look.

There will be a give away for followers to celebrate my 100th post and if nobody enters I will just bite the bullet and use it myself, but I hope to be flooded with entries.

If you have not had a look at the button up & stitch website you do not know what you are missing. It is a small shop and I could spend a few hours there on every visit. The range of fabric is superb and I have seen nothing that I would not buy, even the browns are lovely. I never thought that I would say that!

Easy peasy dinner tonight, baked potato with coleslaw and cheese and a pile of salad, fresh mango for pudding, yummy.

Work tonight, and then a night off on Friday followed by a straight run at work from Saturday to Thursday.

Then it will be some serious play time.

And now the time has come....................TTFN    Pam

Scrappy Paper Piecing, Pam Style

I was asked how I use copier paper in my scrappy patchwork a few posts ago, I wanted to try something out so had a little play and took a few loads of photos in the hope that it will demonstrate.

First of all this is how I set up my work space with my iron in reach so I do not have to get up to press seams. I throw a good hand full of scraps and strips out ready.

I cut my paper to just over 5 1/2 inch square and then started pulling pieces of fabric, the middle piece is an autograph block that was cut wrong from years ago.

I sewed these together and then positioned them on my paper square, then selected two more scraps , sewed them together as before.

I found a strip of two pieces already joined and sewed them to the bottom of the paper to complete the block,

Turned over you can see that the paper is covered with the fabric, it is a tight fit on one side and I will trim the overhang off later.

These strips would be fine laid straight but sewn at an angle they will be a little more interesting, I will trim the excess fabric to reduce bulk.

Just like this.

On this block I have used a strip that was trimmed off a block for a previous project, it is perfect to complete this corner.

Once the blocks are made I turn them over and trim all the overhang fabric off, these trimmings will go back into the scrap bag for another day.

I made four blocks and will use them in a square layout, another time I might sew them together end to end to make a long strip.

The final block has been pressed and trimmed to 10" square, I will make this into a large block using another 10" scrappy block and two 10" squares, either plain or a "quiet" pattern and colour, turning them into a Four Patch block. This will finish at 19 1/2 inches and I will add two borders to bring it up to 24 inches four of these sewn together will turn into a decent size quilt, the final size will depend on whether or not I add borders.

The finished quilt will be a play mat for my Grand daughter, it is her first birthday next month and this will go on the lawn or the carpet or even on the beach for her to play on. Lots of colour and varied shapes will make it interesting for her. I may add a few pockets to pop a soft toy in.

I highly recommend a visit to Bonnie Hunters blog, she is the undoubted Queen of scraps and does a live quilt cam  sewing session every now and then.

That's all for now, I need to go and beat the living daylights out of some batter mix, Toad in the Hole for dinner with some of my " Old Spot " sausages, fresh veg and onion gravy mmmmmmmmmmmmm

Bertie has rallied round and is as active as ever, Ben has been to the Vet this afternoon, he has seemed out of sorts and lethargic for a couple of days. He had a good looking at and his joints were flexed and muscle tone checked, the vet very kindly offered a full blood test and a set of Xrays for upwards of £600, by this point Ben was bouncing around like a puppy on speed and asking to get of of this place, so I took a rain check!

It was obviously man flu!.                       TTFN    Pam

More work, less play makes Pam out of sorts.

I am working Sunday to Thursday this week as we are so busy and people need holidays and rest days, I am not alone in this. The two trainees came for one night decided the work was too hard for them and did not return.

I was so tired yesterday that I could have had a lead role as a zombie with no make up,

It was all that I could do to function on a basic level and left off early this morning as I was too tired to work safely.

I hate being so tired, I like to be busy but work is beyond that, we are flat out and are chasing our tails trying to keep up with demand. I find myself clamping my teeth together so as not too snap at people who are trying to perform tasks that they are under skilled to take on.

I show no such restraints when speaking to the powers that be though, I am quite happy to discharge both barrels at close range at any member of "the management" who has the temerity to ask me stupid questions.

Eight hours sleep and I am back to a reasonable state. I did not manage time in the garden apart from watering the pots but I emptied the laundry bin and then the ironing basket.

I also pulled everything to the middle of my little conservatory and washed the walls and paintwork down, I want to paint it out at the weekend, I envisage a trip to see B & Q to purchase paint tomorrow.

I will have to paint on Friday and Sunday as I will be in Kings Lynn on Saturday, it is the Quilt Festival and Francesca and I will be nosing round the sales tables and having a good long look at all the exhibits.

Two nights on the trot we have had Ding Dinners, but they are home made and come with a generous serving of salad or steamed veg. Tomorrow will probably be the same, but then that is why I have a stock of ready meals in the freezer.

I turned one of my kitchen cupboards out today, I would like a pressure cooker and need to make a space to store it, if it does not have a home it will not come here. That is my house rule, one in one out.

I am working on my 100 post give away and am talking to the lovely ladies at Button up and Stitch in Wisbech, BTW that is a little clue.

I must fly and get ready for work.           TTFN    Pam

test post

Just playing with my phone, I have had it for ages and have no idea what it can do.

Hazy Lazy Sunday, Bring it on.

Lawks a mussy, another glorious day, same as yesterday minus the laundry.

Today I went to Lynn to visit Mr S, he very kindly sent me a stack of vouchers for money off shopping and petrol if I spent £40. A much better deal than the one Mr.T offered me.

I made my list and off I went, I should say we as Francesca very kindly drove me in her car. I stocked up on  some basics and filled some gaps in the larder. I was careful to keep just over the £40 mark.

I did find a very pretty little heart shaped tin of chocolate hearts on a 25% off promotion so had 2 of those for stocking fillers.

I did not look for RTC items as my fridges are full and it would be an unnecessary expense., Francesca treated her car to a spin through the wash and I treated her to a tank full of petrol using my 12p off a litre voucher.

My treat was not driving and time for a leisurely browse round the non food departments. I found an ice cream scoop, just like the old mashed potato scoops from school dinners days, I will use it for measuring cookie dough and filling cup cake liners, that way they will all be the same size.

Every thing has been put in its allotted place and I am in mine, my chair in the shade with a cup of tea and a book to flick through. Lush, good times for all.

Ben and Bertie are snoozing, I took them out for a gentle stroll at 6. this morning and it was pretty warm then
my tea is getting cool so it is                  TTFN       Pam

PS, I am approaching the 100 post mark so am thinking of a little giveaway, watch this space. Pam

Lazy,who me?

It has been a wonderful day, between us Francesca and I have changed the beds, done the laundry and the ironing, and hoovered through. We did not dust as with all the doors and windows opened I am hoping that the through breeze did that job for us, not joking!

I had some sausages RTC and quite a few eggs so Scotch Eggs and salad for dinner, and I have a piece of RTC Brisket to put in the smoker for tomorrow.

The rest of today has included several glasses of chilled lemon, more than a few cups of tea and a very juicy mango for my lunch, dressed up with some black grapes and strawberries. Lush.

There has been a bit of reading, a moment or two of dozing, about 20 minutes or so cutting back a few thuggish plants. Then there was a big chunk of  Lewis, one that I recorded during the week. I enjoyed Morse and read all the books but Lewis has grown on me.
I do like Kevin Whately, he has a gently crumpled lived in face. Lawrence Fox has a long intense sort of face, not handsome or even good looking, interesting is the best word that I can call to mind.. He reminds me of the lead singer in Cold Play.

Following that there was a bit more reading and some nodding off along with moving my seat around the garden to keep out of the sun.

I did put my new  fabric away, I will show you another day, it was just not a day for picture taking, plus my batteries need charging.

I am at work tonight, I will not be sorry when this month is over, we have some new people starting their training next week and that will take two to three weeks.

I have to go now I need to find the energy to drink the tea that Francesca just made.

Lazy, who me?                 TTFN   Pam

OOPS, I am working so hard I forgot my list

Reasons to be grateful

1. Francesca's marvelous tea making skills

2. The shady spots in my garden.

3. Francesca's Ironing skills.

4. Bertie still with us, although snoozing most of the day.

5. The roses that scent the garden.