It's EPP Tuesday!

And I am linking up with Anthea at Hibiscus Stitches for another Piece Yourself Together.

Many thanks Anthea.

Not much to show from this end - the weather has been so awful that I have still not been able to get a decent picture of my Hexathon quilt. I have made my RSC tumbling blocks for the month - it's light and medium blue this month.

I have cut back on swap hexies - just one group now - here is my January flower winging it's way to Australia.

I love this colour combination.

Now, about the weather! After all the rain we now have flooding in the valley. Popped out between showers yesterday afternoon to take some pictures.

OK so back to packing for Spain - hopefully my next pictures will be sunnier!

I am also linking up with ScrapHappy Saturday RSC and
Heather at Books and Quilts for Stitch'n Time

FNSI

After a busy day out yesterday - and an exceptionally delicious lunch! - it was good to sit by the fire with some hand work in the evening. The weather here has not been good over the last week and today we have constant wind and rain - in fact I can not see across the valley at all at the moment. How the little birds manage to cling on to feed on my table I do not know!

So it was good to be working along side friends in the warm yesterday evening. Many thanks Wendy for hosting us again this year - you can see what everyone was working on by visiting Wendy's blog here.

I got out my Lily Pond crochet which I first showed you here and which I worked on while I was away over Christmas. Here is the block I made last night.

And here are all the components I have made so far.

I think I just have 8 more Lily blocks to make and then I can put it all together. I shall be taking this with me to Spain when we go next week and hopefully will come home with a finished blanket!

I am looking forward to visiting all the other FNSIers later today!

Happy New Year and a Craftpod!

Some of you have noticed that I have not been around for a while. Something went wrong with my computer while we were away over Christmas - the dreaded 'Windows update' I suspect. Anyway, although blog updates were coming through on email I was unable to connect to the internet so I was reading your posts but was unable to comment. But, thanks to our local computer whiz, I am back.

So I wish you all a very Happy 2018!

 

We spent three weeks in UK over Christmas and New Year visiting friends and family and had a lovely time. Not many photographs taken, I have no idea why, but we enjoyed a day out at Watchet in North Somerset and I did take a few there. It was a wet and windy day but it was lovely to be out on the beach and near the sea.

 

 

Before we went away I had read about Craftpods, a quarterly box of seasonal craft ideas in a letterbox friendly box. It sounded like a fun idea and so I ordered the winter box. I collected it in UK but did not open it until this week when I had time to appreciate it and enjoy the contents.

 

 

I opened the box to find a welcoming message from Jo, the originator of the Craftpod.

 

 

And underneath the beautifully wrapped goodies!

 

 

And oh yes, there is chocolate!

 

 

Essential nourishment for any craft project.

 

 

There are two projects in the box - one embroidery, the other a linocut stamping project. Everything that you need is included.

 

 

Three linocut blades, a piece of Mastercut which is a lino substitute and easier to cut, an ink pad and some simple designs to try out.

 

 

The embroidery project is of a pretty winter berries design and comes with a hoop for framing your finished embroidery.

 

 

Also included in the box is a sheet of winter themed stickers and a pretty postcard.

 

 

I have been planning to do more printing this year and so the lino cut project appealed straight away and so I soon made a start on my first print block using the pine cone design supplied.

 

 

In less than an hour I had unpacked my box and made my first prints. The Mastercut was really easy to work in to and the design very effective. I cleaned up my block and then used it with a gold pad to print into the sketchbook I made here

 

 

and love the effect I obtained. Am thinking about applying a wash of colour over the page now.

 

I shall definitely be ordering another Craftpod - a little box of goodies to brighten any day!

 

Friday night is the first FNSI of the year - hope to see you there!