Spring is on the way

I started this post as it was a lovely day with the sun shining even though it was cold.  Now it has turned very dark and grey and the ever present rain has made another appearance and then it even changed to snow (which is very unusual here).  Ah well we can but hope.

Spring seemed as if it had made an entrance as the wonderful crocus had started to peep it's head up along with the daffodils and even though it had been very cold in the mornings and evenings  when I was travelling to work and home again, the sun had made it's presence felt during the day and the mornings were getting brighter earlier and the evenings were getting shorter.  I will be positive (after all the flowers need the rain).

I have been catching up on reading the blogs that I follow while having a break from studying.  I am studying for the TMITI (Tax Technician) exams which take place in mid April.  At my age it is very hard to get back into the whole idea of classes and study along with trying to work, keep the house going and the most important thing (as far as everyone else is concerned) make sure that there is plenty of food in the house.  This leaves very little time for sewing but I try to take a half hour most evenings to help relax.
I've been feeling tired lately and put it down to studying and everything else it takes to keep going but have just gotten the results of my annual blood tests back and my iron levels are way down again (this is the third time in 18 months) so it's back on the iron supplements and maybe more tests.  Hopefully the supplements will give me a boost in a couple of weeks so that I can get the 50% I need to pass each of my exams.

To try to keep my mind on sewing I've signed up for two swaps, one is a Rainbow mug rug swap  which I've started on.

This was a coloured glass pattern that I decided to do as an english paper piecing project as I can manage to get a bit done during my half hour sewing in the evenings.  I'm going to make a striped rainbow back and try to get it finished this week.
The other swap is an english paper pieced small bag (around 5 inches).  I have to wait to see who my partner is and what they like before I start this one but I have some ideas bouncing around already.
Can you see a theme here? Yes you guessed it, I love english paper piecing, especially hexagons and I have several books on it.  I've signed up to follow the Milliefiori that Katja is doing as I had already purchased the book but will have to watch from the sidelines for a while.
I've also bought the Millefiori book that Quiltmania have after seeing it on several blogs and sites.  Again this will be a "to do" project.

What I have managed to do are the kalidescope blocks which I'm still working on and some prairie braid batik columns.  I enjoy these as they are nice hand sewing.

If you get a chance please check out Julie's  blog for her visit to a festival in a nearby town (she lives in Japan and writes such brilliant pieces about life, the culture and festivals there).  I love reading her blog as she takes some great photos, is very informative on the flowers that grow in her garden and around her and makes great use of very small spaces where she lives.

That's all for now.  We have a big festival coming up in a couple of weeks, St Patrick's Day (or as we call it Paddy's Day) so I am going to try to take some photos of our local parade.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

A long time between blogs

I know it's been a long time since my last blog entry.  It's taken me a couple of months to get back into the daily commute to work each day.  My organisation skills seemed to be non existent and it's only now that I am able to have dinners, clothes and everything else setup for the week.  After working for fourteen years from home it's been a big adjustment for us all to the changes that we've had to go through but we've survived.
We've also had two graduations, eldest from secondary school and youngest from primary school.  We've had leaving cert exams and got through them, now we just have to wait for the results in August and then for the CAO (college/university offers) the following week.  We've also been shopping for a debs dress.  Hubby has had to take over as the taxi run for school, exams and appointments.  He's also taken over dinner duties so dinner is ready when I get home from work.   It's also sailing season so the boats are back in the water and he has his sea fishing competitions.
Because the schools have finished for the summer, it also means that our patchwork group are on a break until September as we meet in the school staff room.

I'd signed up to a few swaps before my work changes and I found it hard to get myself motivated in the evenings but I worked through it and I'm glad I did.  I promise to try to make an effort to keep up with my blogging even if it is only going to be once a month and I'm also going to commit to getting at least one hour a week for myself to just sew.
I'll leave y ou with  a few photos of some of the things I've made and swapped.  Have a great weekend everyone.

Linda

 mug rug swap

 needle case swap

pretty little pouch

mug rug swap

 pretty little pouch swap

coffe cosy swap

 apron swap (I made mine reversible)