Happy New Year......

I was really quiet last year as I wasn't too well, with my asthma and I have been in hospital a few times and I am still waiting for more tests.

The family kept me busy, having grand children is the best! I went to see Maisie in her nativity at playschool, she also won the angel competition at the mother and toddler group, apparently they had never seen so much glitter on an angel - I think she gets that from me, and she was awarded a prize and certificate at the Chris Dingle service which I had never been to before. We also took Ellie and Maisie to see Father Christmas, which was lovely.

At Christmas I had a full house again and cooked a goose, as my son Nathan fancied it, a turkey and a leg of lamb, as Kirstens partner is a kiwi and doesn’t eat turkey or goose! It was a lovely day with no kitchen disasters! Here's Maisie 'helping' Eloise open her presents....



I have still been working hard and have had some very good classes. I have been teaching City and Guilds Machine Embroidery and City and Guilds Patchwork as well as my day at Snaresbrook art project. I also started attending a jewelry making class in Romford with a girl called Di. She is brilliant and has a shop in romford (www.dizzydi.co.uk) the classes are £10 for a two hour session and you get all the materials too!!!!!!!!!!

Here are some of the things I have been making, as you can see i've got a bit addicted....



I have been working on bits and bobs as Kirsten and I have been selling our work, most of the time I have been working on things that sell rather than on exhibition pieces.

My husband and I have been going to Barleylands on a lampwork course, making glass beads, it has been really nice to do something together and after the class we go for lunch, another added bonus. Talking of Barleylands, I went to see Linda Monk of Purple Missus on Sunday Craft Arena where she was signing her book and had all the samples on show, I have done a class with Linda and she is brilliant so needless to say I bought her book. I also bumped into Sharie from Sharne's Bit 'n' Bobs and Jill from Vintagerockchick. So needless to say I felt very inspired when I left everyone so watch this space I think I will start a piece for an exhibition...

Sharon

Good things come in threes.....

On Saturday morning I got very excited after finding found out that I had won a giveaway from Maggie Gray's blog. Then at the Romford Embroiderers Guild, on Saturday afternoon, I had another stroke of luck by winning the raffle! They had a great speaker, Libby Smith, talking about the work she had been creating over the last year which was very interesting and inspiring.

After the Guild I met my daughters in Romford and from talking about my two lucky wins it was decided that I should buy a lottery ticket, something I never usually do! So I tuned into the lottery and with baited breath waited for the numbers to come up, at this point I had practically convinced myself that I was going to win, however all I got was one number!!

So this morning I was sitting, wondering what the lucky third thing would be and I realized I already had it. On mothers day my children came over to cook lunch for me. When I walked in the door I was hit with the smell of good food wafting through the air, a mountain of cook books filling every available surface and lots of laughter. Nathan was on the starter, Kirsten and her partner Paul were on mains and Chloe was in charge of desert. We had a lovely day and I also got some material for my latest patchwork obsession which they got from Tylers Patch at Barleylands.




Clare and Nathan became parents last June so it was Clare’s first mother’s day. It was such a privilege to share Clare’s first mothers day with her and granddad was pleased to look after Maisie. So Clare and me sat back and relaxed with a glass of Champagne just before being served a lovely meal.

I have the best three c hildren (and their partners) in the world.