Rosa-Munda

A new year

2012-01-01T16:57:00.002Z

Starting today, I am joining my friend Tessa on the E100 bible reading course which she is doing with her parish. Its a journey through the essential 100 passages in the bible which we will read, pray about and hopefully apply to our lives during the next few months. Tessa is doing this daily, but I'm probably only going to manage 4 or 5 times a week. If you'd like to know more about this course, please follow the link and click here.

Today starts with
Father God, please open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your law. (Psalm 119:18)
and we begin by reading Genesis in a new and prayerful way.

The end of the year saw me busy finishing off some long time UFOs and after two days sitting at my sewing machine I'm very pleased to have these two quilts and cushion cover out of my creative space!

My lovely friend Jan sent me this beautiful postcard just before Christmas. Thank you Jan for being such a great friend and putting a smile on my face just when I needed it!!

A Happy New Year to all my blogging friends.

God bless you,
Ros x

Happy Christmas

2011-12-25T18:19:00.001Z

Today a saviour has been born to us;

He is Christ the Lord.

O sing a new song to the Lord,

sing to the Lord all the earth.

O sing to the Lord, bless his name.

Proclaim His help day by day,

tell among the nations His glory

and his wonders among all the peoples.

Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad,

let the sea and all within it thunder praise,

let the land and all it bears rejoice,

all the tress of the wood shout for joy

at the presence of the Lord for He comes,

He comes to rule the earth.

With justice He will rule the world,

He will judge the peoples with His truth.

Psalm 95

O Holy Night

2011-12-24T20:23:00.004Z

Wishing you a very happy and holy Christmas.

May the peace, love and joy of the first

Christmas be yours today and always.

Ros x

Today, the Word who sits on the throne of glory with

the Father became flesh, born of the Holy Virgin,

giving the universe the grace and hope of adoption

into the fullness of becoming children of God.

St Ephraem

Preparing for the Nativity of the Lord!

2011-12-19T12:09:00.001Z

God saw the world falling to ruin because of fear and immediately invited it by grace,

preserved it by love and embraced it with compassion.

St Peter Chrysologus

Hope you are enjoying your Christmas preparations!

7 Billion . . .

2011-10-31T23:54:00.005Z

. . . People in the world!

I'm number 2,925,247,365.

What number are you? Click here if you would like to find out!!

The Desperate Housewives Quilt Block

2011-10-28T08:40:00.002+01:00

Welcome dear quilters visiting from Want It, Need It, Quilt It! Here is the block I have designed for you this week. I hope you enjoy making and experimenting with it. Here goes!

You will need to cut:

4 x 3" squares (orange or colour 1)
4 x 3" squares (green or colour 2)

1 x strip 2 1/2" x 14" (purple or colour 3)
1 x 2 1/2" square (orange or colour 1)

Chain piece together the 3" orange and green squares using a 1/4" seam allowance.
You will need to sew around all four sides.

With a pen, mark a diagonal line from corner to corner,

two on the orange side and two on the green side.

With a small sharp pair of scissors cut through one layer only along the pen line.

Open out and press well.

Repeat with each square.

Trim each new square to 3 1/2"

Cut the purple strip (colour 3) into 3 1/2" lengths

and lay the block out like this.

Sew together the strips with 1/4" seam allowance.

Trim the block to 8 1/2".

Experiment with different sashings.

A dark sashing like this will give the blocks the appearance of floating.

You can repeat the above technique with your finished block

to get an on-point setting (cut an 8 1/2" square from the black spot).

For a very different look this block uses a white print for the background.

The central hexagon is made with two 2 1/2" squares sewn as above,

opened out and trimmed to 2 1/2".

This last block started with two 3" squares (pink and purple) using above technique and repeated again each time a new colour is added.

3 5/8" green square
4 1/4 " orange square
5 1/4" purple square
1 1/2" white outer border.
Trim to 8 1/2".

I shall look forward to seeing your blocks on the flickr page!

Good luck!

Ros x

The Glory of Autumn!

2011-10-27T23:14:00.003+01:00

For a short slide show of the glorious autumn colours at Stourhead you may like to click here. Just love that west country accent!

Ros x

Thank you Jane!

2011-10-15T13:11:00.000+01:00

This lovely jelly roll arrived in the post from Jane at Want It, Need It, Quilt It! after I won the September Giveaway. Thank you so much Jane for your kindness - you certainly made my day special!

You may know Jane from the Inchy Hexagon Swap, the Desperate Housewives Quilt Block, or from the Want It Need It Quilt It! Store.

I just happen to know that Jane has another Giveaway for the month of October. But you'll have to work for it:

" If you were to inherit an ice-cream factory, what new flavours would you introduce? "

Autumn Colours

2011-10-06T00:50:00.008+01:00

After a long spell of glorious weather, today it changed to a rather windy and overcast day so I took my camera around the National Trust gardens at Clivedon. Its only 20 minutes drive away, on top of the Chiltern Hills overlooking the River Thames near Marlow. The autumn colours were truly amazing. To view the pictures in a larger format just click in the box and choose full screen (slideshow) option.

Building the 2012 Olympic Games in London

2011-10-01T09:33:00.003+01:00

With less than a year to go before London hosts the next Olympic games I thought you might like to see a short slideshow of the progress.

Click here to view Slideshow

What do you think? Do you like it?

Seeds galore!

2011-09-10T17:15:00.001+01:00

A quick trip to the local garden centre this afternoon gave me something to smile about. I was looking for a pack of green manure seeds to overwinter in the raised vegetable beds. I had the last one, but guess what? All the 2011 seeds had been reduced to 50 pence a pack! I couldn't resist so just look what I got next!

I think I need a plan for this lot!

This is how my garden is looking at the moment, plenty of vegetables but room for so much more.

Pay It Forward

2011-09-08T14:22:00.004+01:00

I received these lovely gifts from Wilma in North Carolina from her Pay It Forward post a few weeks back. The bookmark is cut, folded and stitched and is a really interesting technique! The pincushion wheel will be great for taking to workshops or sewing on the move and I love the felt flower - which I'll hang by my sewing machine in my 'friends corner'.

I would like to Pay It Forward to three friends, but I will be secretly choosing some of you who have kindly left me nice messages in the last few months. I will be in touch!

Thank you again Wilma for your kindness!
Ros x

World Youth Day 2011 - Madrid

2011-08-21T15:46:00.008+01:00

We have seen the worst of humanity recently in Britain and Norway.

Now witness the peace and hope in the eyes of these beautiful young people earlier today in Madrid.
(The Mass begins at 27 minutes and the sign of peace at 1 hour 51 minutes).

Festival of Quilts 2011

2011-08-15T12:18:00.012+01:00

Yesterday was a glorious late summer day and I was lucky enough to make the final day of the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham. Just one and a half hours drive along the motorway and I was there! I'm not keen on large, crowded spaces and I knew the last day would be relatively quiet. My patience was rewarded and I had plenty of space to enjoy the wonderful quilts. You can click on any of the photos to see the full size image.

Probably one of my favourites was the winner of the traditional quilts, beautifully worked by hand in stunning colours.

and a closer look!

The best in show was a bit angsty for me, but the beauty was again in the detail!

Gillian Cooper's Unsung Muses was quite a moving experience to walk through.

She says, "Flat and empty figures, left with only traces of past human experience, washed out by the waves of time lapping and crashing over them.

People from the past lose definition and personality and merge together. With the world changing so fast it is difficult to understand someone from 50 years ago, let alone 4,000, particularly with the changing role of women. However these people are our past, they are part of us; their lives led the way for us coming into being in our full 21st century understanding."

The Tentmakers of Cairo had a huge display of their amazing applique quilts. This blue and green bird themed quilt was probably my favourite and I would have enjoyed taking it home with me as they were for sale, but the price tag was beyond my reach!

One of the Egyptian craftsmen was working on a cushion cover - the technique he used was totally different to anything I expected. The backing fabric was thick and very loosely woven, the needle was pretty big and the scissors were huge! No thimbles either just the pattern roughly inked onto the fabric and speedily sewn.

A quilt celebrating the work of the Foundling Hospital was something which took my breath away. Using vintage items, and each square representing an abandoned child. The Foundling Museum in London is now on my list of places to visit!

This stunning quilt was made with . . .

hexagons!

Liberty print dresses.

(I'm not sure if they were vintage or just made to look so).

A group quilt from 178 ladies in the Czech Republic made its way into the Guiness Book of Records.

Clearly a quilter lives in this wonky house.

I loved the international dimension to the show.

This stunning quilt was from Russia and close up you can see the applique

is raw edged with two layers, the bottom layer being gold lame.

Some of the quilts in the minature section were very tiny indeed! This quilter has my admiration for those tiny triangles.

And I would love to visit this coastal landscape.

The winner of the minatures was this heavily quilted beauty.

the detail!

Another stunning hexagon quilt.

And lastly I loved this pretty blue and white quilt from Hungary.

Thank you Quilters Guild of the British Isles for organising such a wonderful show and an amazing day out!

Ros

Victoria Plums

2011-08-10T14:52:00.002+01:00

This summer has been very good for Victoria plums. An abundance of sweet juicy fruits hanging like jewels from the tree. This little tree was planted three or four years ago, then moved last year (by the builders with their JCB!) to another spot with more sunlight.

The wasps are starting to buzz around the tree so I'm picking them even though they are a little sharp. They should ripen very quickly.

Pomona has this great receipe for spicy plum chutney which you can find here. I shall be trying this out for sure. There will be plenty more for freezing so we can enjoy them later in the year (plum crumbles, plum sponge pudding). We will be enjoying a feast!

We've had some charming little visitors this week, and they have been enjoying the good weather too. Cassie is quite a bold little bunny but her companion Bo is a little shy. They love the sun and the tasty fresh grass. (Tim renamed them Casserole & Bolognese!! We are a veggie household so they are quite safe!)

There has been a bit of stalking going on, as the resident kitties are a tad jealous. But extra treats and tummy rubs have cured that. And the bunnies come indoors at night just to be extra sure.

Ros

Stunning Blooms

2011-08-08T14:25:00.005+01:00

These glorious blooms appeared in my garden this week. Just an inexpensive bag of mixed lily bulbs from the local supermarket which were tossed untidily into an earthenware pot sometime last year.

So I didn't have any high hopes for them. The foliage is untidy but if you can ignore that and just take a huge lungful of air you have the most wonderful heady scent.

Perched beside the greenhouse for shelter and reflected sun they seem to be enjoying themselves and rewarding us with this beautiful show!

Photo: BBC Gardeners World

We did have some unwelcome visitors, red lily beetles, which had to be despatched very promptly! Check here on how to deal with them www.gardenersworld.com

Ros

My Favourite Drink

2011-08-07T00:52:00.004+01:00

Fresh mint tea, straight from the garden. Delicious!
Just break off the young leaves from the plant, put into a mug and pour over boiling water.
Leave to stand for a few minutes and its ready to drink.
Any time of the day.

Thank you Pomona

2011-07-31T12:44:00.003+01:00

I was the lucky recipient of this wonderful book in Pomona's recent giveaway. Bunting and Pennants from Search Press.

I especially love the bunting with pom-pom edging!

Well, here's my first attempt!! The colours looked great inside but outside in the sunshine they look a bit pasty. I like the blue and white spotty one in the middle, so that's what I shall be using next time.

Thank you Pomona for such a lovely book!

If you rush on over to see Pomona she has another brilliant Giveaway.
Ros x

Day for Life 2011

2011-07-30T14:35:00.002+01:00

Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer.

Romans 12:12

DFL is a day celebrated yearly by the Church dedicated to raising awareness about the meaning and value of human life at every stage and in every condition. This year we are celebrating the Day on Sunday 31st July.

Sadly, we are living in a culture which defines happiness in a very personal way: pleasure, success and money are seen as what brings meaning and quality of life. However, many of us are starting to see we are missing something here.

Pope Benedict said during his recent visit to the UK, "Happiness is something we all want, but one of the great tragedies in this world is that so many people never find it, because they look for it in the wrong places. The key to it is very simple - true happiness is to be found in God. We need to have the courage to place our deepest hopes in God alone, not in money, in a career, in worldly success, or in our relationships with others, but in God. Only He can satisfy the deepest needs of our hearts."

If you would like to read more about DFL you can visit here.

I will leave you with a beautiful reflection from Blessed John Henry Newman:

"God has created me to do Him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission. I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next. I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons. He has not created me for naught. I shall do good; I shall do His work. I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place, while not intending it if I do but keep His commandments. Therefore, I will trust Him, whatever I am, I can never be thrown away. If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him, in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him. If I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him. He does nothing in vain. He knows what He is about. He may take away my friends. He may throw me among strangers. He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide my future from me. Still, He knows what He is about."

God bless you,
Ros x

We thank you Lord for the gift of life.
Help us to appreciate the unique dignity of every
person and the individual contribution they make to
the world, in fulfilment of the task you give them.
Enable us by your grace to promote their well-being,
serving you in one another in a spirit of generosity,
through Christ Jesus Our Lord. Amen.

Kandi Pandi's Fabric Swap

2011-07-15T12:20:00.014+01:00

Heather (Patchwork Heart) and I were paired for Kandi Pandi's Fabric Swap. I met Heather last summer when we were swap partners for Khris's FRIENDS Swap, so I knew this was going to be a good one!

The scrummy tissue revealed some glorious pink and green fabric squares - with my favourite flowers (pink roses!), a very pretty needlecase (great for my hexie projects), an embroidered heart, handmade card and some chocolates.

Heather is a great fan of Cath Kidston, so my parcel to her included fat quarters with a CK colour scheme, some fabric scraps and an inchie hexie (as we're both part of that swap too!), and

a pink felt pin cushion (I love making these).

Thanks Heather for being such a great swap partner, I shall enjoy my gifts!

And thank you Kandi Pandi for organising such a lovely swap!

Ros x

Heather, I forgot to say the vintage pink striped ribbon on the fabric roll brought back some memories. I had some of this ribbon to tie back my blonde plaits when I was little!

A carry case for my laptop

2011-07-04T08:05:00.008+01:00

Using furnishing fabrics from my scrap bin I sewed this little bag to keep my precious laptop safe and sound.

And very cosy it is too!

I covered an old button with wadding (batting) and gathered up a circle of fabric to finish.

And the lining was a piece of left-over silk from one of Sophie's ball gowns she made last year. So my laptop is feeling very snug now!

Have a lovely day,
Ros

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt

2011-07-03T08:21:00.006+01:00

Have you noticed how many Farmer's Wife quilts are being stitched just lately?

Hubby gave me the book for Christmas and full of enthusiasm I stitched my first nine blocks, but I ground to a halt once the holiday was over. Having time to print off all the little templates was certainly a factor!

I was delighted to see a link this morning in Linda's blog enabling me to print off ALL the templates on just 15 pages! She suggests laminating the pages for some really quick templates. How helpful is that!

Thanks Linda, I'm already to go again now.

Its Sunday morning here in the UK and the sun is just coming up on a glorious summer day. I'll just leave you with a few photos of blooms from my garden to thank you for visiting.

Ros

Corpus Christi

2011-06-26T09:31:00.004+01:00

Today is the feast of Corpus Christi.

The blessing-cup, which we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ; and the loaf of bread which we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ?

And as there is one loaf, so we, although there are many of us, are one single body, for we all share in the one loaf.

1 Corinthians 10:16-17

My favourite banners of all time! These were made for the Year of the Eucharist in 2005 and they are still going strong now. I used gold satin for the letters, cream and gold silk for the artwork, so they sparkle in the light.

I just wanted to show you this gorgeous piece of crocheted lace which hangs over the edge of the altar. It comes out on special occasions (Christmas, Easter, First Communion). I always wonder who made it and how long it took?

And if you are curious about transubstantiation then Marcellino can explain it way better than me!

Hope you had a good weekend,
Ros x

Partnership Quilts for Japan Quilt Festival

2011-06-16T08:49:00.010+01:00

Ayumi from Pink Penguin is asking for help to make blocks for partnership quilts for the Tokyo Quilt Festival to be held in January next year. She says:

"Each year the Tokyo Quilt Festival exhibits lots of Partnership Quilts, which are made by quilt blocks submitted by everyone. A theme for partnership quilts is set by a popular Japanese quilter/textile designer annually, and she will put all blocks submitted into groups. Folks there will piece all blocks and make them into quilts accordingly.

2011's theme was "Flower" and there were 10,344 blocks submitted total from all over the world. Under supervision of Yoko Saito, an author of many Japanese sewing books, those blocks turned into 86 quilts to be exhibited at the festival. They did a great job on putting similar blocks together and I so enjoyed seeing many flower themed quilts there. I'd like to invite ALL of you to participate in this for next year. I am especially excited about next year's partnership quilts, because my super quilting hero Suzuko Koseki, an author of these awesome sewing books, will be a supervisor."

This year's theme is "Triangles and squares" with a finished size of 9".

If you would like to be part of this exciting project, please pop over to Ayumi and say hello!

Tarting up tea towels

2011-06-01T17:21:00.003+01:00

Originally two quite plain tea towels, now almost too pretty to use! I made these for Fiona.

the first one Cath Kidston-style

using scraps of plain fabric and hand appliqued.

The second one with a scrap of Peter Rabbit fabric (I made Sophie a pillow case as a house-warming present from this gorgeous piece).

I can't claim the spots as my idea!

And my buttons came from Love Paper Fish.

And here are the teatowels I received from Jytte. They fit perfectly with the rustic corner of my kitchen! Thank you Jytte!

Ros x

More Pincushions

2011-05-31T20:48:00.007+01:00

A lovely surprise package arrived from Linda, organiser of our pincushion swap! Not one, but two pincushions (the little one is a finger pin cushion) and in my favourite colours: pink and green.

And this blue version of the pincushion I made for Grandma Rockton is on its way to Linda.

Ros x

RHS Chelsea Flower Show

2011-05-25T01:12:00.003+01:00

For a peak at this year's Chelsea Flower Show and this amazing sky garden click here.

Pin Cushion Swap

2011-05-18T21:10:00.003+01:00

Here's my monogrammed pincushion/needlecase from my swap partner. This is going to be perfect for hand sewing projects, especially on the move (see below for a little story!). The machine quilting is so fine and neat and the cream satin ribbon just finishes it off nicely. Thank you Corina, it is truly beautiful.

And inside, lots of useful pockets!

My pincushion to Sandra (Grandma Rockton) was made with a mixture of cotton fabric and wool felt and some hand embroidery. I used little plastic pellets in addition to the polyester stuffing to give it extra weight and the pattern came from this delightful book.

And a big 'Thank you' to Linda (Quilt Cookie) for being our lovely swap host.

Just before I go I'd like to share this little corner of my garden. Last spring I bought a tray of sweet williams for bedding plants. Here they are, still in the same pot a year later, looking absolutely gorgeous. And to think I nearly threw them out with all the other annuals at the end of the autumn!

I have a few more garden flowers to show you, but that will have to wait for another day. After weeks of dry weather it is finally raining - only the second time in the last month. This is England for goodness sake - what has happened to our rain??!!

Ros

PS The little story I have to share concerns a husband and a mountain bike and a short trip over the handlebars! Enough said! I have been spending quite a bit of time in hospital waiting rooms and car parks (better I decided to wait in my car with my music and sewing than in a windowless corridor in the outpatients department). My vintage embroidery projects were just right for such occasions! Broken bones are healing nicely.

A rare chance to unwind!

2011-05-06T12:49:00.001+01:00

Every once in a while you pick up a book which is very hard to put down again. For me The Quilter's Daughter was one of them. An Amish community, a love story, family tragedy and a second chance at happiness for Abby. It was a very enjoyable read and probably a book I would never have picked up myself. Thank you Marion for lending me the book, and I can't wait to read the sequel, The Bishop's Daughter!

The author has a delightful website, and well worth a visit.

Ros

May, Month of Mary

2011-05-01T20:30:00.002+01:00

The Holy Rosary prayer
(click here for the whole rosary)

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee;
blessed art though among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Fr Werenfried van Straaten:
In the divine economy of salvation, Mary has a pre-eminent position. The redemption of mankind began in her virgin womb and, in accordance with the will of God, is only carried to completion with her co-operation and at her intercession, The honour the Church pours on her has its grounds in this sublime calling. Mary is the mother of the Son of God. She is the most beloved daughter of the Father. She is the spouse of the Holy Spirit. Because of her co-operation in our Lord's work of redemption she is raised high above angels and men. She is worthy of all praise because she is full of grace and because her holiness - already full at her immaculate conception - proved itself for a whole lifetime in her perfect obedience to the will of the Father.

Wedding photos

2011-05-01T09:12:00.008+01:00

If you haven't already overdosed on the wedding, you might like to see these beautiful photos of William and Catherine here.

"Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire."
St Catherine of Sienna
opening words from the Homily of the Bishop of London during the royal wedding

What a day!

2011-04-29T13:59:00.009+01:00

Congratulations William and Catherine!

One day to go!

2011-04-28T08:05:00.001+01:00

For a 'behind the scenes' slideshow of the Guards you can click here.

Sun, where are you ?? !!

Getting ready for The Wedding

2011-04-27T09:06:00.004+01:00

The flags and bunting are out!

Excitement is in the air! Even Hubby said he was looking forward to Friday!

Getting photos of our 'sleepy' village without crowds of people is a bit tricky - even at 8am this morning.

If you are interested in a quick tour around stunning Westminster Abbey before the day you can click here and have a closer look.

And if you would like to see the military rehearsing at 5am this morning click here.

Ros

Cottage Needle Case

2011-04-25T09:30:00.003+01:00

When sewing with vintage threads and transfers, you need a little vintage needlecase to keep your precious needles safe, don't you!!

Made from scraps of felt and little vintage beads, I stitched this delightful cottage yesterday while everyone was busy with their Easter Eggs.

The little cloth I bought on eBay. I did get lucky after all!

Hope you're enjoying the Easter weekend. Our weather is glorious but the pollen count is a little high so plenty of sneezing going on.

Ros

PS You can find the pattern here.

Happy Easter

2011-04-24T06:50:00.007+01:00

Jesus Has Risen
Matthew 28:1-10

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

Let Us Build the City of God, Dan Schutte

An Easter hymn for you! Just click on the link.

Journal for a friend

2011-04-21T09:06:00.007+01:00

This little batik journal, made for a friend who I know loves tulips. So I sorted some scraps in tulip colours, added a couple of crystal clear beads and made this in no time at all.

Talking of tulips, I just wanted to show you this pot of tulips we've been enjoying by our front door. Beautiful while they lasted, sadly just for a few days.

I can't tell you the variety as the winter weather washed off the 'permanent' marker on the tag.

Ros

Holy Thursday

2011-04-21T08:52:00.005+01:00

John 13:1-15
¹ It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.² The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus.³ Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;⁴ so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel round his waist.⁵ After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped round him.⁶ He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, Lord, are you going to wash my feet?⁷ Jesus replied, You do not realise now what I am doing, but later you will understand.⁸ No, said Peter, you shall never wash my feet. Jesus answered, Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.⁹ Then, Lord, Simon Peter replied, not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!¹⁰ Jesus answered, A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.¹¹ For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.¹² When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. Do you understand what I have done for you? he asked them.¹³ You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord', and rightly so, for that is what I am.¹⁴ Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet.¹⁵ I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.

Birds and Blossom

2011-04-13T14:25:00.010+01:00

These two charming parakeets were on an exceptionally beautiful tablecloth I bid for recently on eBay. It finally sold for an eye-watering £150 with 30 bidders - so I clearly had no chance!!

However, as luck would have it, a few days later I discovered a very similar pattern which I picked up for just 99p! This looks a little challenging - although its mostly satin stitch and only a few colours. If I go quiet for a while, you'll know what I'm doing!!

Here are my (quite modest!) stitcheries to date.

The bouquet of flowers is from my previous post.

And don't you think this cheeky little dog is adorable!
This pattern is available on the internet here.

Ros

Vintage Flower Embroidery

2011-04-08T15:50:00.025+01:00

I love the idea of including some pretty vintage embroidery in my quilting projects. I can't quite bring myself to snip old items inherited from my family, even though they are a bit stained and worn so I've tried my luck bidding for traycloths on eBay. However, I don't think I'm a very clever eBay-er as I keep loosing the bid at the last moment!

It is much easier to bid for vintage patterns and silks! I 'won' this sheet of vintage flowers which I'm hoping should be fairly quick to stitch. I also 'won' lots of DMC and Anchor silks, some vintage, some new, to replenish my thread collection.

A trip to my local haberdashery for some lovely cotton satin and a transfer pencil and I'm ready to start tracing.

Here's a scan of one of these bunches, please feel free to copy and use it. It measures about 3" so it will make up very quickly.

Use tracing paper or greaseproof paper carefully outline the image with the (really sharp) transfer pencil. Using an iron and with the image against the fabric carefully transfer the pattern. Don't wiggle the iron otherwise it will blur, just hold it still for as long as you need to. This will make a permanent image.

Try satin stitch for the central flowers, back stitch for the bluebells and ribbon and French knots for the little dotty flowers around the edge of the bouquet.

Happy stitching!
Ros

PS I have had quite a bit of trouble uploading this so that it prints off the exact size. Can anyone suggest another method I could try?

I can probably email you a clearer image - just let me know.

Mini-Round Robin

2011-03-29T08:40:00.002+01:00

I've been wanting to do one of these for a long time, so I quickly said yes when given the opportunity to join a group of ladies making a (surprise) round robin. I stumbled at the first hurdle - a paper pieced St Louis star, so in frustration substituted Lucky Star instead (from Quilters Cache). I sent my offering to Jeny in Scotland and soon received one in return.

This really was not as easy as I had imagined it would be! I asked Jeny what other colours she would like in her quilt apart from blue, and she said pink would be nice. I probably should have chosen a pale blue background for a more subtle effect as the white was a little bright! Off it went in the post and then I received Irene K's quilt.

Very pretty, and very pink, so looking at Irene's original colour choice decided on pale green. That turned out bright too!

Off it went . . .

The last round was for Irene B. Now this really was a challenge - I had no colours in my stash whatsoever to suit this one. Batiks seem to work well in these little quilts and I managed to buy a few small strips after much searching. I think Irene must have wondered if she was ever going to get her quilt!

And finally here is my delightful quilt made for me by these three lovely ladies. The finished size is 27" x 32", so do I carry on and make more borders or just keep it small and hang on my sewing 'room' wall?

If you would like the instructions for this quilt you will find them here:

Round One
Round Two
Round Three
Round Four

Thank you Katy for designing and organising this swap!

Fridays in Lent

2011-03-25T12:35:00.001Z

In the evening Jesus said 'Let us cross to the other side.' A gale began and the waves were swamping the boat. Jesus was asleep, and the disciples called out 'Master, don't you care? We're sinking!' He woke and said 'Be calm!' And all was calm again. And Jesus said to the disciples 'Why are you so frightened? Have you no faith?' Mark 4:35-41

Storm in the Sea of Galilee - Rembrandt

Lord, like the disciples in the boat,
suddenly overwhelmed by the storm,
so panic can overcome me like waves.

Their boat was sinking
and the disciples cried out in fear.
You calmed the storm
and all was peace again.

Lord, save me, too!
lest the waves overwhelm me,
and I sink away from you.

Help my faith, Lord!
help me to entrust my whole life,
my whole being, my whole future,
to you and your loving care!

Help me to let go the things
that hold me back
from trusting in you.
Lord, calm my storm within.
Amen.

from: a Lenten Journey with Jesus in Galilee
The Prayer Trust

Fridays in Lent

2011-03-25T12:00:00.005Z

Today's soup receipe is a great favourite of mine:

Spicy Parsnip Soup

• olive oil
• knob of butter
• 1 large onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
• small piece of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 6 parsnips, peeled and chopped into chunks
• 500ml milk
• 1 litre vegetable stock
• salt and pepper

Heat a splash of olive oil and the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and garam masala. Gently fry for around 10 minutes, until the onions are soft and sweet.

Drop in the chopped parsnip and stir together so that everything gets coated in the oil and flavours. Pour in the milk and stock, season well and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 30 minutes with a lid on.

After half an hour, check that the parsnips are cooked by sticking a knife in. If you’re happy, remove them from the heat and carefully whiz up using a hand blender or liquidizer. Taste the soup to see if it needs a little more salt or pepper.

From Jamie Oliver
www.jamieoliver.com

Mobile Phone/iPhone Case

2011-03-23T09:14:00.005Z

Samelia's Mum has a great tutorial for this handy little phone case.

www.sameliasmum.com

Fridays in Lent

2011-03-18T12:24:00.019Z

Galilee

Early in the morning, well before dawn, Jesus went off to some lonely place and prayed there. Mark 1:35

As I look at the hills and mountains
where you went to pray,
and imagine you climbing higher up
to some lonely place
away from the crowds,
I think how these times of prayer
were so precious to you,
these quiet moments in between
all the busy teaching and preaching.

And then I think of the many days
when I've been busy
and given hardly a thought to you!
Why do so many insignificant things
seem to occupy the day?

Lord, in this time of Lent
help me to make prayer a priority,
to find a quiet space in the day,
to share with you a sacred space
to enjoy your company.
Amen.

from: a Lenten Journey with Jesus in Galilee
The Prayer Trust

Theses photo were taken in Galilee by Pauline (my mother-in-law) last September on a pilgrimage in the Holy Land.

Fridays in Lent

2011-03-18T12:17:00.004Z

Today's soup receipe, also from New Covent Garden's Book of Soups, though quite plain is totally delicious and quick to make. I shall be making mine with vegetable stock (cubes!!)

I'll post a photo later for you to see how it comes out.

Ros

Fridays in Lent

2011-03-11T09:45:00.000Z

Dear Jesus, as I call on you today
I realise that I often come asking for favours.
Today I'd like just to be in your presence.
Let my heart respond to Your Love.

God is not foreign to my freedom.
Instead the Spirit breathes life into my most intimate desires,
gently nudging me towards all that is good.

I ask for the grace to let myself be enfolded by the Spirit.
I remind myself that I am in the presence of the Lord.

I will take refuge in His loving heart.
He is my strength in times of weakness.
He is my comforter in times of sorrow.

Jesus, you always welcomed little children when you walked on this earth.
Teach me to have a childlike trust in you.
To live in the knowledge that you will never abandon me.

from: Sacred Space
(See the button in the sidebar)

Fridays in Lent

2011-03-11T07:50:00.003Z

Perhaps you'd like to join me for lunch today with a bowl of home made soup and bread, something which I will be doing during Fridays in Lent. This receipe is from a favourite, though quite old (1996), book of hearty soups.

And if you'd like to join in with Grace too, here's a prayer you might enjoy.

"Bless us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts,

which we are about to receive from Thy bounty,

through Christ our Lord. Amen."

Ash Wednesday

2011-03-09T14:44:00.004Z

Come back to the Lord,
With all of your heart

Joel 2:12

You can read last year's posting on Ash Wednesday here

Heart Swap

2011-03-05T01:30:00.003Z

Here is my little vintage stitchery heart for the Heart Swap. The vintage embroidery is just beautiful with lovely soft flower colours. I made this for Marion (I don't think she has a blog?)

And a closer look!

And my lovely lilac heart from Anita with beautiful applique and bead embellishments.

I wonder, did we get our heart templates from the same place?!!

And finally, a little thank you for Katrien for being such a lovely swap host.

To see the other stitched hearts, please visit Katrien's photostream here.

Ros

Garden of India

2011-03-02T17:49:00.007Z

Shruti of 13 Woodhouse Road has asked me to review her beautiful new pattern called Garden of India. First of all, Shruti, I would like to say well done on designing such a gorgeous quilt. It is stunning and the instructions are soooooo clear.

The pattern uses 16 Amy Butler Soul Blossom fat quarters plus white and yellow solids.

Ideal for a newbie quilter or a quick project for you clever gals.

You'll find the pattern in Shruti's Etsy shop.

Happy sewing!

Ros

Mug Rug Swaps

2011-02-22T14:55:00.002Z

Susan-Claire from Gourmet Quilters sent me these absolutely beautiful mug rugs for the Quilting Gallery mug rug swap. No prizes for guessing which country she lives in!!

I am just blown away with their beauty, the lovely fabrics and the stitching!

Even the reverse side is beautiful!

And there's more - some charm squares and a bookmark. Makes me want to travel to that beautiful country.

Then I heard the news . . . about last night's devastating earthquake and I felt sick from the shock. My prayers go out to the people of Christchurch and anyone who has family or friends there. May your loved ones be safe.

My mug rugs are on their way (hopefully they will have arrived by now) to another continent.

Then another swap in a Yahoo group I belong too, with more mug rugs!

This blue one is for Susan.

And here is Fiona's batik rug and mug cosy for me. Thank you Fiona - I love my drinks really hot!

If you're inspired to make a mug rug for yourself, you can find the instructions here.

I'm sorry to have been so quiet these last few weeks. I must be a bit run-down as I've had Shingles for three weeks and was feeling pretty rough. I'm on the mend now and back to my old self! Its lovely to be back.

Ros

Sewing Kits for Queensland

2011-01-22T13:01:00.008Z

Gum Tree designers are appealing for sewing kits for Australian crafters who have lost everything in the recent tragic floods. A sewing caddy, needlecase and pincushion plus scissors, thread and a fat quarter. Jenny would love to hear from you if you're able to help out.

Using my own sewing caddy as a pattern and some really stunning batik, I made this simple caddy plus some small items to pack inside. The needlecase is one of Heather's (Patchwork Heart) designs.

I hope it will bring a little joy to a fellow crafter.

Ros

Discovering the beauty of Prayer

2011-01-06T12:09:00.011Z

"The greatest sale of self-help books takes place every year around the end of December and beginning of January. We see the new year as a time to turn over a new leaf, to make a new beginning. Our best intentions, and the books we buy, can easily become something of a reproach as the year progresses and we see ourselves making little progress. Perhaps we need to be careful about the scale against which we measure ourselves. Growing in patience, self-awareness and in proper love of oneself are tasks that deserve time – even if we cannot always measure or prove our progress. Allowing ourselves to be open to the work of God within us will remain a call to all of us during 2011. God won’t give up but waits for us to awaken to the wonder and joy of knowing ourselves to be always in the presence of God."

Catalan - Chinese - Croatian - Czech - English - French - German - Hungarian - Indonesian - Irish - Italian - Japanese - Korean - Latvian - Polish - Portuguese - Romanian - Russian - Slovenian - Spanish - Swedish

I hope you will enjoy this site as much as I do!

God bless you.

Ros

Congratulations Shelly!

2011-01-02T21:59:00.005Z

Thank you all very much for taking part in my giveaway.

Congratulations Shelly, you are the lucky winner!

Update:

This is the little pink package which I sent to Shelly and it arrived today (19th January). She particularly liked the eye mask!

New Year Giveaway

2010-12-31T15:42:00.005Z

To thank you for your visits and lovely comments during 2010 I would like to invite you all to a Giveaway! If you're new to this blog, then you're very welcome too!

I have put together a surprise gift package (I hope you like pink!) and will draw the winner on Sunday evening 8pm (UK time).

* Leave me a comment and tell me what your hopes are for 2011.

* For an extra chance become a follower and leave a comment to say so. If you are already a follower, please just give me a reminder that you are.

I hope that 2011 will be a good year for you and bring many blessings for you and your family.

Happy New Year!

Ros

Edit: I'm happy to ship overseas

Pillow Swap

2010-12-28T21:24:00.009Z

My pillow from Maria for the Dutch Sisters' Pillow Swap finally arrived on Christmas Eve, having taken nearly four weeks to travel from Russia! Just look how stunning it is!

Along with the pillow was a delicious bar of chocolate, a little china bell and a fridge magnet.

My pillow to Maria was a dresden plate pattern in liberty-style prints.

Thank you Maria for being my swap partner, it has been a lot of fun!

Ros

Feast of the Holy Family

2010-12-26T12:50:00.010Z

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family

(letter of St Paul to the Colossians 3:12-21)

As the chosen of God, then, the holy people whom he loves, you are to be clothed in heartfelt compassion, in generosity and humility, gentleness and patience.

Bear with one another; forgive each other if one of you has a complaint against another. The Lord has forgiven you; now you must do the same.

Over all these clothes, put on love, the perfect bond.

And may the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, because it is for this that you were called together in one body. Always be thankful.

Let the Word of Christ, in all its richness, find a home with you. Teach each other, and advise each other, in all wisdom. With gratitude in your hearts sing psalms and hymns and inspired songs to God; and whatever you say or do, let it be in the name of the Lord Jesus, in thanksgiving to God the Father through him.

Wives, be subject to your husbands, as you should in the Lord.

Husbands, love your wives and do not be sharp with them.

Children, be obedient to your parents always, because that is what will please the Lord.

Parents, do not irritate your children or they will lose heart.

and the Flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23)

After they had left, suddenly the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, 'Get up, take the child and his mother with you, and escape into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, because Herod intends to search for the child and do away with him.'

So Joseph got up and, taking the child and his mother with him, left that night for Egypt, where he stayed until Herod was dead. This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: I called my son out of Egypt.

After Herod's death, suddenly the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, 'Get up, take the child and his mother with you and go back to the land of Israel, for those who wanted to kill the child are dead.'

So Joseph got up and, taking the child and his mother with him, went back to the land of Israel.

But when he learnt that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod as ruler of Judaea he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the region of Galilee.

There he settled in a town called Nazareth. In this way the words spoken through the prophets were to be fulfilled: He will be called a Nazarene.

Happy Birthday Jesus!

2010-12-24T23:20:00.001Z

I would like to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and many blessings for 2011.

Ros

Luke 2:1-14

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus
that the whole world should be enrolled.
This was the first enrollment,
when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town.
And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth
to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem,
because he was of the house and family of David,
to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
While they were there,
the time came for her to have her child,
and she gave birth to her firstborn son.
She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger,
because there was no room for them in the inn.

Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields
and keeping the night watch over their flock.
The angel of the Lord appeared to them
and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were struck with great fear.
The angel said to them,
“Do not be afraid;
for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy
that will be for all the people.
For today in the city of David
a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.
And this will be a sign for you:
you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes
and lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel,
praising God and saying:
“Glory to God in the highest
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Advent and a Jesse Tree

2010-12-01T13:45:00.012Z

The Jesse Tree is a centuries-old family Advent tradition popular with both children and adults alike. It helps to us to connect Jesus with the shepherd boy who became King David of Israel (son of Jesse).

Each day an ornament can be hung in a Jesse 'tree'. Starting at the base of the tree with Adam and Eve, and the top of the tree with the coming of the child Jesus at Christmas. Each day has a scripture reading and a symbol and will give a much deeper understanding of Christmas by the 25th.

Here are the symbols and scripture for the first week:

Dec 1 - The world is created (a globe) - Genesis 1:24-28

Dec 2 - Adam and Eve (snake and apple) - Genesis 3:1-24

Dec 3 - Noah and the Flood (rainbow) - Genesis 6:11-22; 8:6-12; 9:11-17

Dec 4 - Abraham (camel) - Genesis 12:1-7; 13:2-18; 18:1

Dec 5 - Sarah (baby) - Genesis 18:1-15: 21:1-7

Dec 6 - Isaac (ram) - Genesis 22:1-14

Dec 7 - Jacob (ladder) - Genesis 27:41-28:22

My lovely friend Maureen mentioned this to me last week as an alternative to an advent calendar and I had great intentions of making one (!!!!) but here we are on the 1st and it is still a dream. Perhaps I should just use an advent candle and a bible instead?

If you would like to know more about this tradition, click here

www.crossroadsinitiative.com/JesseTree

God bless you,

Ros

May these days of Advent

be truly special for you,

red-letter days that renew you

in your friendship with the Lord.

May each day bring

its own special grace to you,

gifts of faith, hope and love

from the Lord's loving heart.

May each precious moment

shared with the Lord in prayer,

each resolution you make

to please the Lord, bring blessings

on you and your loved ones

throughout the Christmas season

and in the new year ahead.

(from the Prayer Trust)

Candle Mat Swap

2010-12-01T11:42:00.014Z

Here is the candle mat I sent to Anita (Anitasiep), she loves batik so I thought she could use this all year round, not just for the Christmas season. I think those colours will be amazing by candlelight!

I sent a couple of extras, including one of my favourite choccie bars and a little needlecase.

And these are the beautiful redwork candlemats I received from Jennifer (Stitchin' Thyme). I am so lucky - Jennifer sent me not one, but two mats!!

She sent me a sweet little mouse ornament and a charm pack. Thank you Jennifer!

Thank you too Michelle, your swaps are always brilliant!

Ros

Healing Hearts for New Zealand

2010-11-29T08:42:00.012Z

Have you a spare moment to make a few heart blocks for Healing Hearts (for families of the New Zealand mining tragedy). Please visit Shirley's blog to find out more.

http://shirleygoodwin.blogspot.com

Here are a few I whipped up and are now on their way to Shirley.

Happy Sewing!

Ros

A Cuppa Tea

2010-11-10T12:39:00.003Z

I hope I enjoy my cuppa as much as Althea does if I ever reach 85!! (She is my sister-in-law's crazy granny).

Ros

Postcard Swap

2010-10-11T12:23:00.001+01:00

Its been a while since I made postcards, so I joined a couple of swaps on Flickr.

I embellished the second one (atc) with little orange seed beads.

Ros

F-R-I-E-N-D-S SWAP

2010-10-10T21:36:00.004+01:00

Heather (Patchwork Heart) and I exchanged our swap parcels this week. Here is Heather's parcel to me - beautifully wrapped and labelled!

F is for fat quarters
R is for recycled treasures
I is for interesting quilting item
E is for edible goodies
N is for needlecase
D is for duo corsage/bag charm
S is for stitchery

And a lovely receipe notecard too! Thank you so much Heather, I loved opening your beautiful parcels. You put so much time and thought into them.

We found we had such a lot in common so it has been a great pleasure.

And here are my parcels to Heather.

Brown paper and raffia, decorated with yoyos and vintage buttons.

To help you with your new garden . . .

And because I know you like eco ideas.

Thank you Khristina for organising this fabulous swap.
Ros

Britain from the Air

2010-09-29T13:32:00.011+01:00

'Britain from the Air'

click here to view some of the stunning photos
www.bbc.co.uk/news

"A collection of over 100 large scale images by Britain's top photographers (curated by the Royal Geographical Society) is on display in Bath City Centre from now until the end of February 2011. The images are displayed throughout the centre of Bath, in the shopping streets and squares and around the magnificent Bath Abbey."

Sophie, if you're reading this, how do you fancy a visit to Bath when I come to see you? I've heard there's a lovely quilty shop nearby too!

Ros

Prayer Vigil in Hyde Park

2010-09-19T23:22:00.002+01:00

Mike reporting on visit to Hyde Park in central London to see Pope Benedict:


Along with a group of friends from our parish I made an early start in order to arrive at Hyde Park well before the gates opened at 1pm. Since I was holding the banner they sent me through the gate first and we all ran towards the arena and managed to get a good spot right by the fence where the Pope would drive past.

(Richard with our parish banner)

The organisers laid on a full afternoon of entertainment and inspiring talks, while we waited for the Pope to arrive and for the rest of the 80,000 people to file in. There was a real party atmosphere, with unusually sunny weather for this time of year. Towards the Pope's 6pm arrival the excitement really started to build, on the big screens we could see him slowly driving from Vauxhall along The Mall towards Buckingham Palace and along Park Lane towards us. People were lining his route and running along to catch a glimpse. This was clearly no ordinary State Visit, the last time I remember an atmosphere like this was Princess Diana's funeral.

As the Pope-Mobile arrived into the arena I could hardly believe my eyes as the Pope stopped just in front of us to bless a baby that someone had passed up to his now open window. It struck me like never before that this gentle and humble man, the 256th successor to Saint Peter, was here to carry out the direct instructions that Jesus had himself given to Peter as he 'handed over' to him and started the Christian Church.

This first ever State Visit of a Pope was poignant in so many ways. We are just a stone's throw from what used to be know as Tyburn, where in the 1500s many great Christian saints, both Catholic and Protestant, were martyred in gruesome fashion for refusing to denounce their Faith. And here the Pope was addressing the modern challenges that Christians face, luckily in this part of the world that no longer includes physical violence. Even so, today's threats such as secular attempts to silence shared faith still risk damaging our Great British society, which owes its greatness in large part to its Christian heritage.

The main purpose of the Pope's visit is also poignant. The Beatification (one step towards becoming a saint) of Cardinal John Henry Newman, also highly regarded by the Anglican Church which he left, has paradoxically brought much unity and strength to the two great Churches. On a personal level for me it was momentous, having gone to school at the Oratory which Newman founded in Birmingham. It was amazing to see Pope Benedict arrive there to be greeted by Father Gregory, or "Pop Greg" as he was affectionately known in my school days all those 40 years ago!

Mike

For a short video clip of the highlights of the visit:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk

Mass in Westminster Cathedral

2010-09-18T12:51:00.004+01:00

Day three of Pope Benedict XVI's visit.

Entrance Antiphon from this morning's Mass:
I am the Saviour of all people, says the Lord. Whatever their troubles, I will answer their cry, and I will always be their Lord.

Welcome to Britain Pope Benedict!

2010-09-16T17:32:00.005+01:00

Underground Railroad Sampler

2010-09-10T09:12:00.001+01:00

A photograph from the 1880s of Harriet Tubman with some she helped to escape
from slavery, along with members of their families.

My friends over at the PP Forum are just starting an Underground Railroad sampler quilt. Tessa (a Canadian) is leading us through this fascinating block of the month, starting with a Jacob's Ladder block. You can read more about it here.

I don't have a colour scheme in mind, though I thought it would be interesting to include reproduction fabrics from the 1800s. This red/white fabric is a William Morris print which is called 'willow boughs' from 1887.

I have also decided to sew this quilt by hand, to offer it up as a prayer for those who are still held captive in slavery today, that one day they too will taste freedom.

Here is a beautiful meditation on erinsblog.typepad.
(check your sound is on)

Ros

Last of the tomatoes

2010-09-07T16:34:00.016+01:00

This summer has been a good one for our tomatoes, we've had lots of little cherry tomatoes from the greenhouse and the beefsteak tomatoes I grew outdoors in the new raised beds are large and juicy. Now there is a chill in the air at night and the glorious sunny days are disappearing I need to preserve some of these 'fruits' for the shorter days ahead. Green tomato chutney! I remember making pots of this many years ago to go with English Cheddar and Jacob's Cream Crackers for supper treats.

I like the sound of this one from www.allotment.org.uk

Green Tomato Chutney

500g green tomatoes
500g red onion
250g sultanas
250g brown sugar
2 tbsp Salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground green cardamom
500ml Malt vinegar

Method:

Chop everything up, no need for a perfection, and put it in a good heavy based pan .

Bring it to the boil and then turn down the heat , simmer for about an hour until reduced to a thick pulp.

Spoon into sterilised jars and enjoy after standing for a while to let flavours develop.

Enjoy!
Ros

Market Tote Bag

2010-09-02T08:57:00.000+01:00

I love to buy my fruit and vegetables from our local outdoor market. I love the bright colours, the freshness of the produce, and the cheery market stall owners who always manage to put a smile on my face. And the prices are pretty good too!

Here are some cotton tote bags I made (fabric from IKEA) to help me bring home my purchases.

For an excellent tutorial you can visit the Morsbag website here.

Ros

September's hedgerow

2010-09-01T16:02:00.003+01:00

Driving along this morning I noticed the hedgerows were full of elderberries, plump and ripe and very inviting. So what can you do with them? Well, they have amazing medicinal properties (good for arthritis, asthma, colds, digestion) and they taste pretty good too.

Checking on the web I came across some great sounding recipes.

Elderberry Cordial
from This Dorset

2kg elderberry bunches
100g sugar (per 100ml strained juice)
5 cloves (per 100ml strained juice)

Wash the fruit then add to a large saucepan.

Cover with cold water, bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 25 minutes. During the final 10 minutes of boiling mash the fruit with a masher.

Line a colander with muslin and pour in the fruit mix, pushing down with a wooden spoon to extract as much juice as possible.

Measure the volume of liquid then pour into a clean saucepan along with 100g sugar to every 100ml juice and 5 cloves to every 100ml liquid. Bring mixture to the boil and keep boiling for 10 minutes. Remove the cloves with a metal tea strainer then pour the cordial into sterilised bottles. Store in a cool, dark, place.

Elderberry Jelly

elderberry jelly from Simply Recipes.

Have fun!

Ros

Ice Cream Colours

2010-08-01T18:23:00.000+01:00

I'm feeling so pleased to have my bento box quilt finished and bound! This quilt started as a swap here when the ladies at PP exchanged strips of ice cream coloured fabric. Can you spot the flavours? Strawberry, mint, tuti-fruiti, blackcurrant sorbet, chocolate, vanilla, orange . . .

I've backed it with a lovely turquoise batik, so I'm thinking it will make a lovely picnic mat.

My lovely friend Jane has the most glorious garden which yields the most fantastic fruit and vegetables. She invited me to come over and pick some berries. These giant fruits are Jostaberries, a cross between a gooseberry and a blackcurrant which grow on a tree (with no thorns!!).

And these are red gooseberries (which do have enormous thorns!) but are delicious.

Jane's receipe for these two fruits is to cook equal quantities together in a large pan, puree and sieve out the pips. Add a little sugar and whipped creme freche and you have a wonderful summer pudding.

Hope you're enjoying the weekend!
Ros

Needlecase swap

2010-07-24T10:30:00.003+01:00

My Swap partner (Anne from The Netherlands) has received her needlecase, so its safe to show you now! She asked for a colour scheme to suit her love of repro fabrics. These were the colours I found on her blog. Luckily I had a few pieces of soft wool and embroidery silks to match.

She was thrilled with the little needlecase and has taken it away on holiday to Italy for a spot of summer sewing.

I managed to find a little vintage button in just the right shade.
And a little extra, some William Morris fabric from Makower.

And here is the wonderful parcel I received from Aubirdwoman. Thank you Sheila!

Ros

Graduation Day for Sophie

2010-07-18T11:00:00.004+01:00

Wills Memorial Hall, Bristol. All seated ready for the graduation ceremony, it felt a little like going to a wedding with wonderful organ music by Bach filling the air. Friday's graduation was for Musicians, Historians, Archaeologists, and Dentists!

Sophie, we are really proud of you!
What an amazing experience the last three years have been.

We can't leave without saying goodbye to the bronze lion outside the Victoria Rooms (music department)! Don't worry Mr Lion, she will be back again in October for post-grad studies in Early and Medieval Chant.

Strawberry Swap

2010-07-09T15:59:00.010+01:00

Monica at Stampinmama emailed to say that my parcel arrived today, so now I can share my pictures with you. The swap rules are: five strawberry items - one of which should be hand made. You will find the Flickr group here and Pixidust's blog here.

First of all I made Monica this table-topper with a beautiful strawberry print from Makower - which I hand quilted in a dusty green thread.

Then I put together this little package for her (strawberry paper napkins, semi-dried strawbrries, wild strawberry growing sticks, spectacle case and a lovely summer receipe book).

And this is the beautiful package I received from Monica! Strawberry socks, necklace, growing kit, garden sticks, hand made receipe book, gum, incense, picnic plate and notebook & cards. What a joy it was opening this beautiful parcel! Thank you Monica so much for your kindness!
Strawberries have got to be my favourite summer fruits. They always remind me of my grandfather - he grew mountains of sweet juicy berries every year. Then my grandmother would make them into jam for us to enjoy the rest of the year. We always had the most wonderful jam sandwiches for our Sunday teatimes (always more jam than bread)!

Granny and Grampy circa 1964!

I hope the sun shines on you this weekend!
Ros

Congratulations!

2010-06-20T13:35:00.006+01:00

Well done Sophie on finishing your music degree and the wonderful result of a 2:1. It only seems like yesterday when you went off to uni (three years ago) and you've changed from a shy 18 year old to a really confident young woman. We are all really proud of you!

Well done to Tim for completing all your GCSE exams this summer and all the coursework which was beautifully done and handed in on time. I'm sure you will have done well when the results come through in late August.

Didn't they do well!

A Winner!

2010-06-19T23:02:00.005+01:00

I asked Tim for some help with my giveaway.

Well done Jan, you're a winner!
Your voucher will be on its way to you early next week.

Ros

English Gardens

2010-06-13T21:11:00.009+01:00

Last Sunday we spent the afternoon in a small village named Askett, only 20 minutes from here, and which I never knew existed. What a well kept secret it is! Its like stepping back in time, not just decades but several lifetimes. A musical friend of Tim's moved here recently and invited him to play at their charity open day (which they hold every two years).

I enjoyed it so much that today I took my neighbour to another village nearby, Meadle, which was open for the same charity. We enjoyed even better weather and yummy lemon cake and tea, though the musicians were busy at home revising for exams tomorrow!

Hope you enjoy the slideshow!

Ros

Summer Giveaway!

2010-06-10T00:20:00.005+01:00

The lovely people at CSN Stores have kindly offered to sponsor a giveaway on my blog. They are very generously offering a £50 voucher to spend as you choose at any of the CSN on-line Stores! Here is a selection of items which really caught my eye.

Pop over to their website here and check them out for lighting, cookware and furniture. Then come back and leave me a nice message on this post and I will include you in the giveaway.
Giveaway ends on Friday 18th. This is for UK only.

Good luck!

Ros

Green, green grass

2010-06-09T20:14:00.009+01:00

Just look at my new grass! One week old turf, lots of sun and rain, and its looking this good!

Here are the raised vegetable beds going in. This is a one ton bag of top soil which I was hoping would fill the bed but it didn't go very far. I shall be adding lots of compost and other smelly stuff to get the plants off to a really good start.

Here are some of the plants I am impatient to dig in (when the rain stops).

Ros

Fabric Sale

2010-06-09T17:51:00.001+01:00

Doughty's Road Show came to the village hall
in Great Missenden on Saturday.

Cotton fabric at £6/metre.

and batiks at £4/metre!

I had a glorious morning soaking up some of this colour.

To check out when its next in your area, click on this link for their calendar. If you are local they will be in Chalfont at the end of November.

Ros

Birthday Club

2010-06-09T15:17:00.002+01:00

My lovely friends over at the PP Forum sent me these packages for my birthday last week.

Inside every one was a lovely hand made card.

and a 12" square of blue fabric.

Thank you ladies for making my day extra special!

And I can't go without showing you this lovely hand-made card from Tim.

Ros

A quick update on the garden

2010-06-07T21:09:00.000+01:00

I love how my garden is growing so quickly!

Ros

Almost there!

2010-06-02T17:55:00.002+01:00

The finishing touches are coming along nicely. At long last the end of the project is in sight. I just couldn't resist taking this photo this afternoon - the weather was glorious for a change!
Ros

Its been a while!

2010-05-25T00:10:00.001+01:00

My life has been a bit topsy-turvey for the last few months. At long last the building project which we started in February is coming to completion. Here are a few photos to make you smile!

Take one perfectly good house (garage and garden)

and then bit by bit demolish it!

Thankfully, it no longer resembles these photos! The builders have promised they will be finished the end of next week. Then with any luck I'll have some more photos for you!

This is a beautiful parcel I received from Annie, The Felt Fairy, in her monthly give-away.

A parcel of beautiful embroidery threads! Thank you Annie, you are so kind.

If you are quick you will just catch Annie's new giveaway for this month.

Catching up on the friendship swap from Popular Patchwork here is my block for Brenda. She asked for an oriental theme with red fabrics.

Jytte asked for appliqued tulips.

And Margaret asked for hot summer colours in a contemporary style.

Thank you for not giving up on me during my long absence.
Ros
x

Congratulations to our new Prime Minister!

2010-05-12T06:40:00.004+01:00

Click here for full story

An extended break!

2010-05-02T20:43:00.007+01:00

London at night - click for details

Its been a while since my last post and I've been missing my blog! I had a wonderful holiday in Devon during Easter week, but thereafter I've had a really lousy time. First of all I had the flu for two weeks, then tripped and messed up my right arm and both knees. Luckily no broken bones but still feeling rough nearly a week later. While I wait for inspiration for my next post I will leave you with this amazing photo of London at night I came across while surfing the web (please click to see a larger photo).

Ros x

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T08:49:00.000+01:00

Luke 24:1-12

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.' " Then they remembered his words.

When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

A very Happy and Holy Easter to you all. I shall be away for the next week in North Devon at a Charismatic Renewal Conference so I shall be full of the Holy Spirit when I next see you!

God bless,
Ros

Good Friday

2010-04-02T11:41:00.013+01:00

click here to read

The Passion
John 18:1-19:42

+++

Words of life in the moment of death,
Words uttered with parched tongue,
Words from aching body, in agony of heart,
Words that still speak to our hearts today.

Jesus of Nazareth!
You are one with us in our sufferings,
You who wept over your people,
You who cried out in fear and trembling.

King of the Jews!
No earthly monarch
Was ever crowned as you were,
With thorns and derisory taunts.

Word made flesh whose flesh suffered so,
Lifted up on the cross
You draw us all to yourself,
From every nation on earth, every tribe,
Every race, every people, every culture,
You reign over every sovereignty,
Lord of all, of the living and of the dead,
My Lord and my God.
Amen.

The Prayer Trust

Holy Thursday

2010-04-01T21:00:00.001+01:00

Holy Thursday ends Jesus’ preaching ministry and leads directly to his Passion. A great number of events happen in one day’s time. They tell us much about Jesus and his love for us. Despite what he knew was going to happen, despite the fact that he knew he was going to be betrayed, and not just by Judas, he instituted the priesthood and gave his closest disciples his very being in the Mystical Supper.

“Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, ‘Take, eat; this is my body.’ And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.’ And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives” Matthew 26:26–30

Reconcilliation

2010-03-31T07:41:00.012+01:00

The Prodigal Son by Rembrandt which hangs in The Hermitage in St. Petersburg.

A reflection by Henri Nouwen:
"Often I have asked friends to give me their first impression of Rembrandt's Prodigal Son. Inevitably, they point to the wise old man who forgives his son: the benevolent patriarch.

"The longer I look at 'the patriarch', the clearer it becomes to me that Rembrandt has done something quite different from letting God pose as the wise old head of a family. It all began with the hands. The two are quite different. The father's left hand touching the son's shoulder is strong and muscular. The fingers are spread out and cover a large part of the prodigal son's shoulder and back. I can see a certain pressure, especially in the thumb. That hand seems not only to touch, but, with its strength, also to hold. Even though there is a gentleness in the way the father's left hand touches his son, it is not without a firm grip.

"How different is the father's right hand! This hand does not hold or grasp. It is refined, soft, and very tender. The fingers are close to each other and they have an elegant quality. It lies gently upon the son's shoulder. It wants to caress, to stroke, and to offer consolation and comfort. It is a mother's hand....

"As soon as I recognized the difference between the two hands of the father, a new world of meaning opened up for me. The Father is not simply a great patriarch. He is mother as well as father. He touches the son with a masculine hand and a feminine hand. He holds, and she caresses. He confirms and she consoles. He is , indeed, God, in whom both manhood and womanhood, fatherhood and motherhood, are fully present. That gentle and caressing right hand echoes for me the words of the prophet Isaiah: "Can a woman forget her baby at the breast, feel no pity for the child she has borne? Even if these were to forget, I shall not forget you. Look, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands."

During the Service of Reconcilliation last night, we were asked to quietly reflect on this parable. It was so beautiful I thought I'd like to share it with you.

Ros

Palm Sunday

2010-03-28T09:59:00.004+01:00

Today is Palm Sunday and the celebration of Our Lord's triumphant entrance into Jerusalem, where he was welcomed by crowds worshiping him and laying down palm leaves before him.

Matthew 21: 1-11

For further reading:
Click here for Marcellino's reflections on Palm Sunday

Friday Night Sew-In

2010-03-20T21:23:00.002Z

My Friday Night project was the broken dishes border for my Sampler of Psalms quilt. Half Square Triangles - nothing to them, or so I thought!! I needed 28 of these little blocks (6") and I made a good start on these last month. I've been adding to them over the past few weeks and last night I decided to put them all together. I'm sorry to say that some I had trimmed down to 2 and a half inches (and some I had not) so none of the strips matched another. I spent quite a lot of my evening unpicking, trimming and reassembling the blocks. Finally, I ended up with this stack of triangles.

Which when stretched out and ironed looked like this.

And when placed alongside the centre block start to look quite impressive.

All ready now for a couple of borders. The pattern suggests a navy blue inner border and then a mustard outer border. Seeing them spread out on the white lino, I'm rather tempted to put a very plain cream first border as I think it looks rather fresh.

Ros

Quilts 4 Hearts

2010-03-18T12:18:00.006Z

Here are some jolly little friendship blocks which were fun to make. They're now on their way to Robyn for QUILTS 4 HEARTS.
Ros

* * * * *

QUILTS 4 HEARTS

makes and distributes quilts for kids in need...
Kids with heart disease...

hence the name, "Quilts 4 Hearts".
We make.. and accept donations of.. quilts and quilt blocks.

Quilts 4 Hearts was started in 2004 to provide hope to children (and very occasionally adults) who have Heart Disease. Our hope is sent in the way of quilts and bears.

These children would never see such a thing as their quilt. They are all in need of operations to save their lives, which they can't afford, as their families are very poor.

Our quilts are a small way of giving them Hope by knowing that there are others thinking of them and who are aware of their situations.

Our quilts are distributed through Heart of Hope, a missionary organisation who are working with these precious children and their families in their communities.

Quilts 4 Hearts is volunteer based and non - profit and we accept donations from Quilters (or non quilters alike) from all over the world to donate in whatever capacity they can....one block at a time! One block can finish a quilt for a child.

Many people (or few, depending on who is available) help in making blocks, assembling quilt tops, then quilting tops to become quilts. At this point most of the children we support are based in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and surrounding areas. Hong Kong has now been added to Heart of Hope's program as well.

Heart of Hope runs programs in these areas, funding and raising money for kid's operations where they can and providing much needed follow up care with food programs and much much more. This is a very worthwhile cause and we feel making quilts for these kids is important. It is something especially for them and something they would never see or hold otherwise. Their beautiful faces tell the story. IT GIVES THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES HOPE.

To find out more, click here

Black & White Challenge

2010-03-18T12:00:00.001Z

A quick update on the Black & White Challenge. I decided on black sashing eventually - I like the strong contrast which it gives and it made the quilt top a little larger. I am thinking for the border a white with black print - and then maybe, just maybe if I have time, a little applique in the orange?

Ros

St Patrick and an Irish Blessing

2010-03-17T11:18:00.018Z

Patrick was born around 385 in Scotland, probably Kilpatrick. As a boy of fourteen he was captured during a raiding party and taken to Ireland as a slave to herd and tend sheep. Ireland at this time was a land of Druids and pagans. He learned the language and practices of the people who held him. During his captivity, he turned to God in prayer. Patrick's captivity lasted until he was twenty, when he escaped after having a dream from God in which he was told to leave Ireland by going to the coast. There he found some sailors who took him back to Britian, where he was reunited with his family.

He had another dream in which the people of Ireland were calling out to him "We beg you, holy youth, to come and walk among us once more."

He began his studies for the priesthood, was ordained a bishop, and was sent to take the Gospel to Ireland. He arrived in March 25th 433, at Slane. One legend says that he met a chieftain of one of the tribes, who tried to kill him. Patrick converted the Dichu (chieftain) after he was unable to move his arm until he became friendly to Patrick.

Patrick began preaching the Gospel throughout Ireland. He and his disciples converted thousands and began building churches all over the country. Kings, their families, and entire kingdoms converted to Christianity when hearing Patrick's message.

Patrick preached and converted all of Ireland for 40 years. He worked many miracles and wrote of his love for God in Confessions. After years of living in poverty, travelling and enduring much suffering he died on March 17th 461 where he had built the first church.

Patrick used the shamrock to explain the Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) and has been associated with him and Ireland since that time.

Patrick was a humble and gentle man who was completely devoted to God. He feared nothing, not even death, so complete was his trust in God, and of the importance of his mission.

Click here to listen to an Irish Blessing
sung by The Priests.

Happy St Patrick's Day!
Ros

Quiltie Swap

2010-03-08T16:39:00.011Z

Angela (Angela's Quilts) made this beautiful Tyvek butterfly for me in a one-to-one Quiltie Swap. She is a very talented lady and friend I met through the Popular Patchwork forum.

This is the little Quiltie I made for Angela, using varigated thread and a black and gold bead. Just in case you're wondering what a Quiltie is, its just a quilt in miniture - in this case 6" square.

I wanted to keep mine very simple so I left off the binding. If you're interested in how I did it, here is a quick run-down.

I pieced the top and quilted it onto the wadding only.

Then I made a sandwich of all three layers and sewed around all four sides. I cut a slit in the back layer and turned it inside out.

So then it looked like this.

I made a little hanging sleeve.

And turned it right-side out using this rouleux turner.

Then I sewed the hanging sleeve over the slit.

Ready to hang!

The real beauty of this method is that you can use any shape, including curves, and you always get perfect lines.

Ros

Black & White Challenge update

2010-03-05T01:40:00.000Z

All twelve blocks have been completed - I can't believe how quickly they went together. Do I add sashing (plain black or something else?) What do you think?

Ros

PS Sorry for the quality of the photo - because of the building work I am very restricted to wall/floor space. I was standing on the furniture to take this shot and couldn't keep my balance very well!