Good morning, everyone. After a very damp day yesterday, it is damp again this morning and doesn't look like clearing in the next hour or so anyway. So isn't it good that I don't HAVE to go out until mid afternoon and, after the usual houseworky daily stuff, I can sit and indulge in more cross stitch and/or applique.
Yesterday was good fun. The Garden Room chap (Matthew by name) arrived bang on time and spent a good three quarters of an hour with me going through everything, explaining, showing me nice pictures and advising.
There was no sales talk though, no pushing, thank goodness. Nothing is more guaranteed to put me off than a hard sell.
I was pleased that there was a lot more flexibility than their brochure indicated and things like an internal wall (to create a 'shed' area with its own outside door), a water butt, different colour on the outside, etc, were all perfectly do-able.
That's the first one. Now to organise a few more so I really do have a choice.
Oh, and best thing - it was well within budget. Yay!
Tuition went well too - my student is so much more confident as they progress through year 6 (they have a very good teacher) and it's a pleasure to work with them. Yesterday was things like finishing off a piece of extended writing, sorting out the conversion of miles to kilometres and back (we both had a bit of a blind spot with that one but no longer - it's the one pre-metric measure they need to know because miles are still in common usage) and some geometry formulae (just basic ones).
The rest of the day was pottering around inside. As well as the homey stuff, I did more cross stitch and it's coming on nicely now. I've gone wrong in a couple of places, one of which I need to deal with (it's just one stitch out of place so not a disaster) while the other is just not noticeable.
I played around with the applique again. This is what I made - I don't like that button, it doesn't sit well but it's all I had. Maybe I will pootle off to Hobbycraft as they sell jars of buttons for crafting and I rather like the idea of adding buttons to applique. I love buttons!
I experimented with different edgings - blanket stitch, chain stitch and herringbone stitch and the outline is 'a la Sharon Blackman' who uses outlining a lot in her creations.
I rather like the effect (it can become another card) and want to extend the idea by having a few leaves scattered around. I can't add them because they should have gone on first.
Just imagine - maybe, come the autumn, I can sit in my garden room, bifold doors wide open, in an easy chair, stitching away . . . < happy sigh >
Weather warm enough for sitting out seems a long way off today - second day of wet and grey.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to hear the garden room man wasn't pushy - I hate that too.
It seems far enough away to have a dream-like quality, doesn't it? But it will come . . . hopefully.
Deletexx
Your applique is so pretty.
ReplyDeleteIt's dully and mizzly here today, but yesterday the weather was glorious. Not a cloud in the sky. X
Not here it wasn't! :0) It's the same today too - as you say, dull and mizzly. Oh, well, take the wet with the dry, the rough with the smooth!
Deletexx
That applique flower is lovely but you are right the button is just wrong, you'll know the right one as soon as you put it into place.
ReplyDeleteOur weather is awful here today after a beautifully sunny clear day yesterday.
Thanks, Sue. I'm not even sure about the yellow, to be honest. It would be nice to keep it pink and it could make a nice baby girl card - not that I know anyone who is expecting or has a baby girl but you know what I mean!
DeleteI'm far too lazy to turn under edges in shapes! I go for the 'rustic frayed edges' look. Lol!! Your flower is lovely :-)
ReplyDeleteI think I probably am too but I thought I'd give the technique a try and see.
Deletexx
Blimmin orrible weather here today. It's cold and grey and thoroughly miserable.. no wait, that's me. :-)
ReplyDeleteHee hee hee. Bet you're not - not really!!
DeleteIt's Thursday now and the sun is shining. Lovely.
xx
It's good that you'll be able to have the sort of garden room/storage room structure that you want. Knowing that it's possible you can make a start on deciding exactly what you want which I always think is the fun part. Are you planning to get it built this year?
ReplyDeleteI do like your new applique but agree that you need a different button. I wonder what else will take your fancy when you go to Hobbycraft for the jar of buttons? xx
I would like it this year - the money is there, in savings. I've contacted another company and am waiting to hear from them.
DeleteAnd goodness knows. Hobbycraft encourages naughty behaviour, for sure!
xx
Your garden room sounds delightful. Your description sounds like the perfect way to spend the afternoon.
ReplyDeleteI like the embroidery. Like you I'm not sure about the button though. Perhaps you can find another that you like.
I think just an ordinary, four hole button would look better - of a flower shaped one. I'd like to see the thread in the middle and it will sit much flatter without a shank.
Deletexx