A Card, Trims and Chat

Well I didn't get any stitching done Friday night but I did make a card instead. One of my cousins' offspring produced an offspring of their own the middle of last week so I made this card to send:

The light was fading when I took it and the flash has flared a little, unfortunately. The teddy is made from Fimo so this is a very dimensional card. LOL I had to wrap it in bubblewrap and put it in a Jiffy bag to send it.

DH enjoyed seeing Henry V - he not only managed to follow most of the flowery language but also didn't fall asleep! I'll be honest: I had visions of him nodding off, his head falling back and loud snoring issuing forth. LOL The run finished after the performance on Saturday night and DH helped them with the Get Out. No rest for the wicked: DS is off to tonight's reading for the Pantomime, in the hopes of getting one of the two parts he's interested in, then he's stage managing for a Group 62 production which I think starts next week (the actual details slipped past me somewhere in the telling, I'm afraid). I know he's asked DH if he'll help with the Get In.......... looks like I'm set for a few more quiet nights, being in charge of the TV remote. :0)

Saturday we went to Brigg Garden Centre for dinner then had a look round. We had a look round the upstairs Christmas display, which was almost fully complete. Only one mardy brat, who was soon dragged off, so it was quite enjoyable. We didn't come away with any decorations (though there was much temptation!) but I did manage to come away with some pretty trims for finishing off ornies:


At just 99p for 4 metres of piping and 5 of ribbon I thought they were very reasonable. :0) We also came away with some feeders filled with seeds for the robins, tits and finches, a couple of net bags of sunflower seeds and some bags of fruit suet, as planned. A bag of sunflower seeds and one of the feeders went out onto the new feeding station as soon as we got back and a scoop of suet went into the mesh trays. Now to see if more than the starlings, ring-necked doves and sparrows are tempted into visiting. :0)

Sunday we opted to go to the Stephen H Smith garden centre cafe for dinner - my tuna melt panini was very tasty. :0) Afterwards we had a wander round their Christmas display and, again, it was quite pleasant as the few kids that there were very well behaved. This time I did succumb to a decoration:

Can you blame me though? I love and burn candles of all kinds but these Yankee Candles and their decorative burners are in a class of their own. That Christmas Cookie candle is gorgeous - it smells good enough to eat! There was also a good selection of both hardback and paperback books in the gift section, with some being 3 for £10 and others at 3 for £5. I didn't give in to temptation this time, although I could have done, quite easily. DH wasn't going to either, despite immediately spotting a couple he was interested in, but I talked him into them - as part of the anniversary present I still owed him.

He can be awkward to buy for sometimes, as he doesn't give many clues as to what he wants, so I grab such opportunities when they present themselves. It's his birthday next month and, despite reminding him that I'd like to know what he would like....... nothing, nada, zilch, zero - not a clue. I'm debating making up a large tag as an "I.O.U. one birthday gift" and giving him that. LOL

After that we had a look round B&Q for a new bath tap and shower combination but couldn't find one that would meet all the requirements we wanted. Due to my having some arthritic joints in my fingers we are changing all the taps in the house to ones with flip up handles, rather than twist on ones, to make it less painful for me to use them. Unfortunately it's proving difficult to find a flip on bath tap/shower combi that is both thermostatically controlled and has a flip bit to turn it from tap to shower mode - they either don't have the thermostat bit or still insist on having the little twisty knobs that I really struggle to use. We've only just started looking, so have other places still to try, but if that's an example of what's on offer then it may just prove to be a frustrating search.

Next was a trip out to Uncle Henry's. First we had a cold drink (no sticky as we were being good) then did some shopping: some meat for tea, bottles of the Orchard Pig apple juice (one of the best I've ever tasted) and a few other bits and pieces and we signed up for the Loyalty Card scheme. We drove back via the airport so DH could plane spot - although I'd taken my stitching and book with me I didn't need either as it got quite warm, thanks to the sun shining through the windows, and I couldn't keep my eyes open....... I ended up curled up on the backseat having a snooze. Sheesh, I've got the habits of a little old granny already! LOL I told DH he'd better not be turning into an anorak! LMAO

After tea I carried on stitching the JA/S&S Challenge piece, which I started Saturday night, and completed it. Sorry, no pic until Reveal Day. Have you ever started out with the intention of making your stitched piece up as one thing then have it morph into something else entirely different as you go along? Well that's what happened with this: I had all intentions of trying my first needleroll with it and had cut the fabric to suit but the design had other ideas and is now going to end up as something totally different. If I have enough time, among the other things I want to stitch and complete this month, I may just stitch a second pink design to go with it. As the stitching on that didn't take too long I started the fifth and final part of the Good Friends Count SAL as well. It stitches up so well I shall miss this when it's completed.

It's been my usual routine today with one exception: Alex wasn't able to come round for our regular coffee and natter due to pressures of work, thanks to the parent/teacher evenings fast approaching. I miss the natter. I got the jobs done and out of the way anyway - it frees up so much time for other, fun stuff, later in the week when I do that. :0)

Tonight I hope to carry on with GFC, so fingers crossed for a finish and a HD very soon. :0)

Thank you for visiting and for all the kind comments on my stitching, they are greatly appreciated. Hope you enjoy your visits. :0)