Leisure Pursuits.........

......new ways to eat strawberries.  Apparently, according to 6 year-olds, they're delish smothered in chocolate spread but it mustn't be the 'fake' stuff from cheaper supermarkets, nothing but the real deal will do!

Yep, gets my seal of approval!

This artist's work was recommended to me so I had a scout around her website and settled on these two cards. one for my sister's birthday in August and one for a very dear friend (you know who you are!). They were despatched from the artist extremely quickly in this pretty envelope (Barbara Anne is my given 'Sunday' name - no Beach Boy jokes, please!).

Time for my lace-cap Hydrangea to make an appearance. Some blooms are pink and some are a gorgeous lilac colour and it's probably growing in the wrong place but I would be wary of lifting it now and moving it. It's seems happy to be where it grows.

I found the quilt in my Mum's sewing room last week and had quite forgotten that I made it about 30 years ago! I recently gave it to her to put a backing on and bind it for me. Sometimes I amaze myself at the amount of patience I used to have to make stuff. I have another cot quilt stashed somewhere that I started for my niece when she was born. She had her 29th birthday in April! Might keep it as a keepsake for her when she gets married! I'm knitting for the new baby. A little sweater with the Tree of Life on it and I made him a pair of 'diaper soakers', which is what the new, modern Mummies are using for their babies at night time over their re-usable nappies. Once the soakers are knitted up, you soak them in 'lanoliser' which gives them a waterproof coating and reputedly keeps everything dry.  I'll let you know the results once they've had a trial run! Personally, I think they look like those old-fashioned bathing trunks that people used to wear in days gone by and which, after a good soaking in the sea, stretched to the size of a pair of trousers! Hope these fare better. I bought the 'duck egg blue' to make baby an Aran hoodie for wintertime but I have a feeling I'll need more supplies, he's growing at the rate of noughts.

I ordered 'American Dirt' from the library before lockdown and got a notification last week that my local library was opening up but just for collection of requests and drop off of overdue books (no fines which was a huge bonus).For those who have never heard of it, it is quite a 'heavy' book to get into but it's incredibly well written and what a story. The 'Shetland' book is much lighter, though it's a murder/mystery, a genre that I've never really been a great fan of but my sister recommended the series and I'm actually enjoying them (ably helped along with the image of 'Jimmy Perez' in my mind while I'm reading).

A recent acquisition from a lovely lady who lives in the Scottish Borders and who trades under the name The Border Tart. She travels to India a lot and gets loads of inspiration there for her shop which is chockful of lovely stuff. She only uses natural ingredients to dye her yarn and her favourite colour is Indigo. Pop over to see why. 

Source - Sirdar Cheeky Chinos Pattern Book 

Last but not least, adding some little knitting projects to my 'Winter Leisure-time Portfolio' because I have a feeling I will have more than enough time to make one or all of them.

xoxoxoxo

Think that's enough to be going on with. 

xoxoxo

I would like one little piece of advice. I'm trying to set up a 'household finances' spreadsheet-type thingy (better late than never) and wondered what was the best app to use, preferably free, so all recommendations gratefully received.

xoxoxoxo