Gifted Gorgeousness - June

It's a very special Gifted Gorgeousness this month - huge thanks for Jo for allowing my May post about my Mum's Afternoon Tea for her 80th birthday.

Her actual birthday was 31st May but as she was on a cruise to Canada I had to give her gift to my stepdad to smuggle on-board and keep safe until the day. I don't do very much quilting or machine sewing but as my Mum does I decided to make her a project pocket for taking away on her travels.

I stitched Jardin Privé design Ciseaux et Bobines (scissors and bobbins) which I thought was perfect for Mum as she makes quilts. Using elements of the design I also stitched a covering for a tape measure, a needlecase and a bag for scissors. Because Mum was travelling and scissors can be restricted I bought her a Clover cutter and made a stand using a bobbin.

I was very nervous putting the fabrics together and especially making the project pocket as I have trouble working out where to stitch when things have to be turned .... inside out is something I find tricky.

Mum opened her gift on board ship before spending her birthday in Corner Brook, Canada. I haven't seen her yet as they have only just arrived home but she did send a message to say how lovely the gift was.

Mum's complete 80th birthday gift  - a Project Pocket for her travels

Needlecase

Needlecase inside

Tape measure

Clover cutter, bobbin and scissor bag

The front of Mum's Project Pocket

The back of Mum's Project Pocket

The inside of the Project Pocket

Gifted Gorgeousness is hosted by Jo at Serendipitous Stitching - on the 15th of every month we post about any item we have either gifted or had gifted or have used that was once gifted. Our posts are linked to Jo's blog so we can see each other's Gifted Gorgeousnesses. Thanks Jo for hosting this great blog link each month, and once again many thanks for allowing Mum's party for GG-May.

Flaming June

Well it isn't 😂

The first of June was glorious and I moved up a colour on my Temperature Quilt, however since then it's cooled down and has been raining everyday.

Here's my progress to 7th June, I'll be stitching this week's weather tomorrow as Friday is check in day on Needlecraft Haven.

Just one day of hot weather on my Day Quilt

The temperature overnight has stayed
the same for a few weeks

Whenever she visits our daughter brings flowers, as I do when visiting her in Cardiff. On her latest trip she brought some beautiful lillies, I love the deep colour. The flowers are so huge I've had to put them where they can't touch anything else.

Gorgeous lillies

Although it's midweek our friends came for dinner. We're all retired but our, and our friend's, weekends seem to be always busy. I made salmon mousse for our starters, our main was mussels with French fries and it was salted caramel ice cream with fresh fruit for dessert. A lovely light meal for a Wednesday night.

Hubby found some beautiful napkins in Dunelm, in the sale at 63p. They look lovely, I'd like to get some more if we go in store again.

Perfect napkins

I'll be blogging again soon as the 15th is Gifted Gorgeousness time with Jo from Serendipitous Stitching and I have a very special gift to share this month.

Another three for church

I'm not quite on track with my stitching, not behind just uncertain of which projects I have and what I should be working on. I guess I need an afternoon of stash sorting ! 

I did find some hardanger pieces that were half completed for a project I'm not doing anymore. The fabric is very soft but they have stiffened up with a little ironing starch.

I finished them with wrapped bars, eyelets and a spider's web centre. The edging was the trickiest, I have used diagonal blanket stitch which I think looks ok. There are two more to do which will make another five for my church tree.

Three more hardanger pieces for church 

It's been a busy weekend: Hubby's sister and husband are over from USA visiting my Mother-in-law who has just turned 83. Yesterday we had Sunday Lunch at a local pub, 11 of  us all together. It was lovely to meet up as we don't see each other very often.

Our daughter and boyfriend came up from Cardiff for the weekend so they could make the lunch and as it's our 30th Wedding Anniversary soon we went out for a meal on Saturday night. The five of us survived a very bumpy taxi ride down country lanes to a superb restaurant - Hercules Revived. 

When we got married it was Hubby's sister's husband who was our best man. They lived in Germany at the time and as a thank you we took them to this restaurant a few days before the wedding. It was a bit different in 1989 and since then it closed down and re-opened - hence the name.

It was lovely being all together; Hubby, me, son, daughter and her boyfriend. We had a superb meal, my pate was so tasty and my pork just melted. There was a good selection of wine too. The weather brightened up so we were able to sit in the garden overlooking the Leicestershire countryside for a pre-dinner drink - memories made :-)

A super evening - I love family time 

Well I best go and sort my stash and see what projects are calling. I have remembered to send Jo a photo for the Summer Blog Hop - you can find the details on her blog Serendipitous Stitching if you would like to take part too (it' at the end of her post)

May update

May has been a busy month with planning and baking for Mum's birthday and our tour of Scotland. I posted about the birthday surprise in my GG May (thanks Jo 😉) - if you want to read about, and see the photos of, our Scottish adventures (4 posts ) pop over to my other blog 

Aimetu's - wine, food and travel

I didn't do any stitching whilst away, the main reason being that the light in hotel and guest house rooms is so poor. I think they focus on 'soft lighting for a good night's sleep' but in some rooms even reading was tricky.

I recorded the highest day temperature and lowest night temperature in all the places we stayed and now we're home with good light I have updated both my Temperature Quilts to 23rd May. I'm really enjoying these, the colour changes are amazing, I love it when the temperatures rise. 

Day Quilt

Night Quilt

It's always a worry when we go away about our garden. We only have pots and they need watering every day. With Mum away too we had to come up with a plan ... so we bought a water sprinkler and timer for the outside tap. It came on once a day and although we had to do some dead leafing, weed clearing and general pruning the pots survived.

Hubby and I spent a day working on it, dodging the showers. I'm so pleased with how it looks, it's the first proper year after all the changes and I just love sitting outside with my coffee. 

We have a new clematis to climb the fence round the clock

I've added some pots to the edge
of the gazebo

I love the contrast of the red acer leaves and the greenery,
we now have a fig growing behind the chairs.

I love the exchanges we do at Needlecraft Haven, this year we have already had a Valentine's Exchange and an Easter Exchange. It's time for our Summer Exchange which is to make a pin cushion on the theme of either cats or dogs - at the moment it is still sign up time but our partners will be announced soon so I'll know which theme to stitch.

Huge apologies to everyone as I haven't had time to read any blogs for quite a while. I plan to spend the next few coffee breaks in Blogland catching up with all the news.

Gifted Gorgeousness May

It's Gifted Gorgeousness time again when we can share our crafts using any item gifted to us or our crafts we are gifting to others. This month my gifting is one large gift but it's not cross stitch it's my other hobby ..... baking. 

Jo at Serendipitous Stitching is our GG host, pop by to her blog to find the links to everyone else's giftingness. I do hope my baking is allowed Jo. 

The reason for my baking is later this month it is my Mum's 80th birthday. She will be away on a cruise so we celebrated a little early. I told her our local bowling club was having an Afternoon Tea and I'd got tickets for us all, a great idea just before her holiday. 

Well it was an Afternoon Tea ...... a surprise 80th birthday afternoon tea. Around 30 of her friends joined us and she certainly had no idea it was for her until a chorus of 'happy birthday' rang out as she entered the room. 

One of the ladies at the club did the sandwich, savouries, scones with cream catering and I baked all the cakes - it was a superb tea, plenty to go round. 

Mum's cake (I didn't bake it but I did decorate it)

Carrot cup cakes 

Lemon Butterfly cakes

Chocolate Guinness Cake (sliced at the venue)

Ginger and Pineapple tray bake (sliced at the venue) 

As well as baking Hubby and I made cards for the table that had fun facts about 1939 - top films, songs in the hit parade, how much things cost and who else was born in that year.

1939 fun facts

at little more about 1939

The room looked lovely, we borrowed some bunting from scouts, the club had some lacy table clothes and they had vintage china cups, saucers and plates. We had two tier stands for the cakes, it was certainly a great atmosphere.

Afternoon Tea Room 

Mum's place with menu and invitation

Mum and Keith enjoying the afternoon

Next month I will have some stitching to share but I hope you have enjoyed my 'other' GG, as you can see Mum certainly enjoyed her day ... once she recovered from the surprise !

Mum and her cake 

Easter time

We were away from Good Friday until Easter Sunday, you can read about our weekend on my travel blog Aimetu's.

Before we went I made some Easter treats: chocolate nests, Easter biscuits and a simnel cake for my Mum.

Simnel cake

I did put my ornaments out and decorated my Easter tree which is an old branch from my Grandmother's twisted hazelnut tree. I have just one stitched egg ornament from an exchange a few years ago, I should maybe stitch a few more for next year, especially as each year at least one of the other eggs breaks.

Easter Tree

Chick plant pot

Easter Ornament 

Our new door minder

Today is opening day for the Easter Exchange at Needlecraft Haven. For this exchange we had to make an Easter ornament for our partner and include a card with a sweet treat in the parcel. 

My partner was Julie who I know loves bunnies so I stitched this cute bobtail. I made it into a small pocket hanger and included two malteser bunnies. I also sent Julie some M&Ms eggs and a pack if decorative eggs I found in the supermarket.  

Ornament for Julie

Perfect pocket for Easter treats

Easter Exchange parcel for Julie

My parcel came from Astrid who lives in the USA, she sent a variety of treats. It's always good to try  new things, I especially like marshmallow, it will be interesting to try the Peeps. Astrid also sent some cute socks, perfect for my recovering foot a d a  beautiful handmade card. My ornament was a wooden basket with a beautiful stitched panel on the front, I'm already thinking about how it will be displayed each year. Thank you so much Astrid for a lovely exchange parcel.

My exchange parcel from Astrid

The wooden Easter basket from Astrid 

I hope you have all had a good Easter, our weather has been amazing so we have been able to enjoy the garden as the spring flowers bloom. 

Easter Treasure Hunt Blog Hop

It's hopping time again, extra fun as it's treasure hunt time. Our Blog Hops are organised by Jo at Serendipitous Stitching, she is so organised with all the blogland activities she hosts - thanks Jo

For the Easter Treasure Hunt you need to visit everyone's blog to collect letters which will spell out a seasonal phrase, each blog will have the link to the next blog.

Pop along to Jo's blog for all the details - Serendipitous Stitching

Jo asked us to include a photo of our craftwork on the theme of Easter or spring. I'll be posting my Easter decorations on Easter Sunday so I chose to share my mini spring pillow. I stitched the series a few years ago as part of the Needlecraft Haven Four Season's SAL. I took advantage of a sunny day and took the photo with our spring flowers.

Are you ready Blog Hoppers? Here it is .... my letter in the Treasure Hunt is...

... and now you must hop over to Elfie's blog http://elfinstitches.blogspot.com

Have fun hopping and hunting, wishing you all a Happy Easter🐣