May has come and nearly gone ... an unsettled month for me.
I have not been well and I'm waiting for results from investigations into my back, hips and Aorta. Wheels turn slowly in our health service!
I've done some stitching, enjoyed taking photos of flowers, and have played with digital editing programmes lots -
the weather is lovely just now, so altogether things are not too bad.

The first mosaic is of flowers from our garden, next from photos sent by my sister in law in France ....
and the signpost is to remind me that we are going to France for two weeks on Tuesday.
When we see that sign we'll know that La Chausee is just down the narrow winding lane, a pretty and quiet rural spot, and where we will be staying!
I know we will have a very enjoyable and relaxing holiday with our family.
Barbara & Peter make us very welcome, the countryside is beautiful and there are lots of lovely small towns, villages, markets, and restaurants to visit.
When we get back three hospital appointments, surely all that will put me right!

1st June ...... new month, new header from small pic done in watercolour pencils and background from http://daisygraydesign.blogspot.com/
..... I'll be around after 16th June .....

Freeform Crochet "Scrumble"....

Moving on from chain stitch flowers to free form (as I can't do patterns.) - this started to frill so I thought it made a nice cuff. I love happy accidents!

Postcard for May

I finished my personal challenge monthly postcard this evening, (Flickr 6x4lives group) - this is what it will look like if I decide to frame it - which is unlikely!
The frame is from Photo suite 7.
Just one more PC to make to complete the set of 12 as I made the first one in July last year - that's another year gone by quickly.
I like doing postcard sized pieces - fairly quick to complete, which suits my style.

I'm always wanting to do something else and I don't give attention to doing things well and finishing off neatly - well, I often don't finish a piece!
As most things just go into a box or drawer it doesn't really matter - I enjoy what I do and that's my main aim.
I'm still struggling with crochet - had fun doing the free form piece at the weekend.

Gorgeous Quilt!

http://comfortstitching.typepad.co.uk/comfortstitching/2009/05/100th-post-quilt-giveaway.html

Aneela Hoey is offering this gorgeous lap quilt for the 100th post on her blog 'comfort stitching'.
I've never entered a giveaway as far as I remember but just couldn't resist being in with a chance for this!

Later ..... oh dear, I didn't win! Never mind I've got this lovely picture.

"I grow old, ever learning many things."
- Solon.
Today I'm 74 (not from choice! LOL) and yes, most days I try to "learn" something new, though remembering it is the problem!
How lucky we are to have www at hand with more info than we will ever be able to take in.
But I'm indulging in nostalgia too.
These trinkets are of little value except for sentiment ....
my mum's watch and necklace, dad's penknife,
John's grandmother's fob watch,
my grandmother's 'treasures' including a Queen Victoria Diamond Jubilee commemorative token, 1837-1897
my aunt's thimbles,
salt cellars from a dear friend .......
I don't know who first had the tiny book calendar. It's 1" x 2", from 1898, an advertising freebie from the Midland Educational company ....
worthless things but priceless!
For group www.flickr.com/groups/mosaicmonday/

Stitching on Hessian


For two days I have had an arthritis flare in my right arm so could only do short sessions on PC and stitching.
As I had made the crochet flowers previously in practice I stitched these quicky small hessian pieces and spent time reading.


Yesterday Sandie, a docrafts web crafting friend, called unexpectedly. What a lovely surprise - we had not met before.

We had lots of ideas to share and really enjoyed the afternoon. I gave her the top piece as a momento - it is slightly bigger than ATC size.
The pink piece is an ATC.

Fabric Landscape "Late Summer"

I started this in February and picked it up recently to add embroidery.
It's my first successful fabric landscape mini quilt, machine & hand stitched, inspired by the books
Points of View by Valerie Hearder and
Creative Hand Embroidery by Sue Newhouse.
I don't often frame work these days but as this is a first I think I'll get it framed.

Daisy Gray Design
..... my new background .....
Thank you Caroline,
http://love-stitching-red.blogspot.com/
for the link to Daisy Gray Design, http://daisygraydesign.blogspot.com/
and many thanks to Daisy Gray for the lovely selection of backgrounds.
After playing and trying several I decided this "Asian Cherry Blossom" was my favourite and that it sets off my photos well.
I loved the blossom mosaic I had as a header recently but have changed it as this background blends better with pinks than the blue sky on the blossom photos.
Lots of my work and photos are mainly pink so I'll be able to ring the changes on the header - something I'm always doing!

Flowers in Chain Stitch ...

My personal challenge is to learn crochet.
I made a few Granny Squares years ago (background here) but can't remember how I did them.
I'm very clumsy with a crochet hook, the yarn keeps slipping, and I can now only do chain stitch .....
..... so I'm practising by making lots of chain stitch flowers which I'll use later on something .....
The French Knot centres help to hide lots of uneven stitches and mistakes but I am getting a bit handier with the hook.
I've ordered a beginner's book, Crochet unravelled, by Claire Bojczuk,
and one called 100 Flowers to Knit And Crochet, by Lesley Stanfield, so when they arrive maybe I'll get better - maybe not, LOL!
I'm really enjoying using scraps of all kinds and colours of wool and threads, just making small chains and linking them.
There are so many web sites and short videos to help but the abbreviations for the stitches complicate things.
Crochet is so easy to undo and redo though. I'm struggling with basic stitches next as I'm inspired by lovely flowers I see in the Flickr crochet flowers group.
www.flickr.com/groups/crochetflower/pool/

...... and a new header photo as blossoms are so beautiful just now.
Fifty years ago our street was planted with a lovely avenue of blossom trees. This one is just outside our lounge window - once again a delight!

Learning Crochet!

I've seen several pretty crocheted flowers recently and decided to have a go!
I sent for a begnner's guide and a book of 100 flowers, but couldn't wait .... long ago I made four granny squares at a craft class - but can't remember how I did them.
So I found a hook and as all I can do is chain and slip stitch "free form" is for me.
It's fun so I'll be doing more!
I'm a granny who can't crochet a granny square so I've done a rectangle in two different texture wools, using chain and slip stitches randomly.
The flowers, added on top, are in chain stitch.
The background colours are more golden than shown here.