Dark clouds on the horizon...

...in more ways than one...

The window company has made yet another mistake... The openings on the bays in the middle have been reversed.. They open on the top, instead of the bottom and building regulations dictate you have to have a means of escape in case of fire.. besides, this is how it was ordered and as the other windows do not open at the bottom, we would be totally hemmed in there with non opening windows... NOT what we have ordered...

So now I am left with all rooms still in disarray, no curtains in the bedroom (on the street side)and a boarded up window (where they did not get the glass right...) ... dark clouds indeed....:-(

update: the team has turned up with temporary measures.. work is going to be done today ... phew....

For Jodi - what's growing on top of the cliff?

These are the plants you can see on top of the cliff. The white irises and the purple ones are called 'red valerian', a plant that specifically thrives at the seaside and in habitats near cliffs.

Cooler, not so sunny..

...but that is not a bad thing when trying to fit windows... A new team has turned up and redone most of what went on before.. The back now nearly finished and hopefully finally starting the front bays now... Trials and tribulations... severe test of patience and endurance...

Will I make it to the end of the week with my sanity in tact?

(ps.. mum and dad kestrel both out on the cliffside after not seeing mum for weeks on end... does this mean the eggs have hatched...?)

DeeRoo has a smashing giveaway!

Look at all the yummy goodies!

and she'll have five... yeah FIVE winners!!



They are Vlisco Véitable Hollandais Dutch Wax Prints so veeerry special! Hope along to DeeRoo's place and have a look!

Smooth like a mirror...

the sea is today... not a breath of wind...



awaiting another hot day, dad kestrel is dozing on the cliffside



The window news? Day one.. they did not come (overran on another job), Day two,... they realized mistakes were made in the manufacuring, wrong seals, mismeasured windows.. most of the day was spent waiting for the surveyor.. Day 3 (friday, the day the were meant to finish!) They finally started. Yay!

However, rather than doing one room and finish it, so I can get things straight in the room they have done, they have put the windows in so far in the back, but not finished them (brickwork still showing..) and are proposing to take the front windows out on monday, then finish the rest starting tuesday.. which means I cannot unpack anything at all, and they are working in all rooms at the same time... In short? Nightmare...

I keep thinking that in a weeks time it is all over and I can unpack and sew again.. All keep your fingers and toes crossed for me it is going to go ok from now on....

Off to pack up the lounge!

Muggy, hazy, sticky....

Into the light..

A little tease....

Looking in my bird book, I think this little bird is a water pippit



Every morning, along a particular stretch of beach, it greets us, and proceeds to tease Rafael.

It sits just out of reach and stays there until he charges, flying up at the last moment, then settling down only a few yards away. If we are on the beach, and Rafa does not see it, he (she?) will fly over his head and sit down, taunting him and willing him to follow. It is not that they are attacking defending a nest site.. They (there is a pair of them) will follow him to the waterline and onto the seaweeds only just laid bare by the tide.. It is as if they think this is a good fun game.. Something to get the feathers exercised early in the morning... a sort of bird aerobics ...........

From this....

To this....



I'm rethinking the layout...now it's all piled up in the corner... I could put it back any way I like... right? ...

Finally... summer has arrived...(or has it...?)

now only hoping it stays a while! The promise of a great sunny day this morning, quite hot on the beach, even at 5am! that really surprised me! (took a jacket, did not need it! but after all we have had the longest day of the year so the sun should be strong early on - if it is shining, lol!-)

The window people did not finish their previous job in time so are not coming today... On the one hand this is putting things back... on the other hand, it will give me more time to clear some more things out of the way for tomorrow, when they promised they WILL be coming (fingers crossed..)

Hope you all have a good day and for those in the UK I hope for all of us that summer has finally arrived...

Morning all..

A glorious morning and sun forecast for today 17 - 19 degrees celsius.

This is good! We need dry weather for the painting. Last day of preparations.. the windows are coming tomorrow! Wish me luck!

White irises have appeared on the cliff..

Rollers...

Some pretty big waves rolling in from the Channel this morning and rolling in (and breaking up) into Louisa Bay, Broadstairs..



The fearless and the brave are undaunted..

London - St Pancras Station

A grey start

It was grey, even more blustery and cold this morning but breathtakingly beautiful..



Luckily a ray of sunshine broke through the clouds eventually..



...and before you think it's all paradise here... (which in the main it is!) we have, like everywhere, our fair share of vandalism...



...someone has cut off the victorian oak beams of the seat, set fire to them in the corner, and had a beer whilst spraying some graffiti..(not necessarily the same person, lol!). There is another side to everywhere!

Fresh and Blustery

This morning there was a fresh, blustery NE wind. The prevailing winds in these parts are SW, but often turn to NE winds, which bring much colder weather. The sun now gets up a long time before we do, but early morning on the beach is still a magical time.



A lot of big waves, white horses (waves with a foamy head on them when curling over) and breakers near the shore;


Many blooming poppies got blown away and just the seedpods are remaining...



And more mysteriously... something has been sleeping in the middle of a clump of poppies... at the cliff edge.. behind the railings!!



I suspect it to have been a fox.. it was certainly a bigger sized animal, judging from the way the poppies have been bent sidewards, and even more telling, Rafael went totally mad with the scent... wanting to get over the railings (which thank goodness are high enough for him not to want to try!!) and only reluctantly walking on after returning there time and time again...

Question remains...does one sleep comfortably on a cliff edge?? that close?? even if you are a fox???

I have ordered the DQS9 fabrics!

and I am working on my design.. (just after I finish the studying... such wrong timing this DQS launch!! - or is the exam the wrong date....mmmm...)

I ordered a half yd bundle of these (Sandi Henderson, Meadowsweet);



Peony Plaid in Blush
Chain flower in Blush
Paper Snowflake in Banana
Strawberry Fields in Yellow
Splashy Rose in Citrus
Grand Foliage in Blush

(image courtesy of So FUn Fabrics on etsy. http://sofunfabrics.blogspot.com/2009/11/pre-order-nowsandi-henderson.html where I also ordered these)

Dragonfly for breakfast..

This morning, amongst the sparrows, I found this little chap, having just caught his breakfast. he was hard to catch, very shy, and never long in one place!



I am not sure what he is (apart from not a sparrow!) and exactly what he has caught to eat.. but it does look like a big dragonfly to me..

To my DQS9 Partner

Hi Partner! Did you just hear you have drawn me? I don't know whether you are an experienced quilter or a newbie, but have no fear!

Important rule number one:

I am thrilled you are making something especially for me and I am sure to like what you make just BECAUSE you have made it for ME and put a lot of love and effort into it. So don't fret!!

Number two (and so on...). I am sure (if you are like me...) you are trying to figure out my likes and dislikes and make something I would like. Again, surprise me! I might like something totally different I personally would have never thought of! But to make it a little easier, I have made favourites of the doll quilts in previous rounds that caught my eye. The quilt I received in DQS8 is amongst them and I love that one!

I think in the space the mama's gave for likes/dislikes I allready gave you an idea. I like soft pastel romantic and also Kaffe Fassett glorious colour together. That is quite a wide range! I love art quilts, but also like pieced quilts and applique so again, don't worry too much, I would like it if you enjoy making my quilt rather than do something you think I might like and hate doing...

Not too much into the thimbleberries, civil war repro's direction. I did once upon a time but more into modern quilting at the moment. Websites in that direction I enjoy are Oh Fransson, Red Pepper Quilts and Film in the Fridge.

I also totally love Fig Tree fabrics and Joanna Figuerra designs. Amongst other favourite designers are Heather Bailey, Anna Maria Horner, Sandi Henderson, Joel Dewberry and Echino.

I haven't made a mosaic yet because, as you will see from my blog, I have an exam coming up and the windows are going to be replaced so I am somewhat snowed under (and it would take a bit of time to find out how and to do it...which I haven't got at the moment...).

My favourite colour is turquoise/aquamarine (isn't Hunky Dory darling?)and love the blues but lately also turning to brighter colours and working with reds and oranges. Not too keen on purple or black/white.

I'm not a very experienced quilter myself so you don't need to worry I am expecting perfection, I am not!

Just relax, enjoy the process, and be happy making my quilt. I am so excited you are doing this for me and cannot wait to see what you have thought up!

Best of luck and speak to you late August/beginning of September!

I miss you guys!!

Hey everyone, I am doing well, if slightly going mad with the too much to do, too little time syndrome!

I have of course been walking the dog and taking my camera.. and I know some of you are missing me too..

So especially for Maria who told me so (thanks Maria, so glad you are looking forward to my pics!), here is an update of the last few days.

Sunday, a lovely sunrise again but very chilly.. I put the heating on! after the sun disappeared, a grey day..



Saturday, bright and sunny though a little chilly at times



Friday; torrential downpour. The rain washed the chalk of the cliffs making 'milky' puddles on the beach...



Not promising to keep this up mind... but hey... it's sunday.. time for a little break! Hope all your weekends are going well.

Disappearing into the fog for a while....

This morning it was foggy again (it often is here..)



It seemed an appropriate moment to tell you I am going to disappear in the fog for a while...

I have really enjoyed updating you every day with the daily weather forecast but the next few weeks are going to be extremely busy (new double glazing to be installed for one plus the spring cleaning after!!), so I will have to be blogging (and mailing and answering comments and commenting, and surfing etc etc etc...) a little less...

I will miss you all and will be having a peek now and then but really need to concentrate the next few weeks or things will not get done in time!! (you see how sternly I am speaking to myself here.. this must work! Lol!! )

So I will see you.. but less... Good luck with all you have on at the moment everyone, and will see you a little inbetween and hopefully a lot more when I am fully back online!

Liberty

Today, I had to be in London, and, as I know that many of my readers just LOVE Liberty, and are collecting Liberty fabrics, I thought you might want to know what the store looks like..



Inside the main entrance, you immediately see the main atrium with it's many floors and magnificent wooden panelling;


Beams and pillars are repeated throughout the store..


Ornamental carved doorway,


leading to impressive stairways to the upper floors;


The fabric department is bordering on the rug department and rugs were displayed over the banisters;





There was a wall of Kaffe fabrics (with separate part for free spirit and amy butler);



And two entire walls like these with Liberty Tana Lawn fabric.. The fabric falls like butter through your fingers and is abosolutely divine... 136 cm wide and £19.95 per metre... (that's $29 a metre...) (in Aus $ 35 - thanks Suz!) ( a metre is a yd plus 3").



some of the tana lawn fabrics...







A look through to one of the other atria;



and for some unexplicable reason, a zebra in one of the corridors!



One last look...



and homewards I went.. (no, I didn't buy anything... it is ALL so tempting but also all very pricey....)

I hope you enjoyed seeing the home of that fabulous fabric we are all coveting!

ps.. apologies for the bad quality of the photos... I wasn't sure about taking photographs but as there was no sign that forbade photography I thought it was ok. Still, before anybody could tell me to the contrary, I snapped away.. so you won't see my usual quality but at least you see the inside of Liberty's!!

The poppy location revealed...

Some of you have asked me how I could photograph the poppies so close to the cliff edge and whether I could get a micro close up. Answer is I can't as there is a fence between me and the poppies, however, with zoom, you can get lovely photos fairly close up and without the fence (leaning over).

From my first photo of the one lonely poppy a while back, there is now a whole lovely bunch of them!

The Quilt Shoppe keep going !!!

You probably know I enter giveaways.. you probably also know, that I seldom blog about it.. I think that if I blog about just any giveaway, this blog would result more in a meandering advert than a blog. So I don't very often, but....

Can you believe it, just after I posted about the wonderful Martinique two posts ago (and other prizes), the Quilt Shoppe have done it again! This time on Cluck Cluck Sew... And it is Whimsy!! Another line I have been coveting..

So once you have been to Julie's (Jaybird Quilts) visit Cluck Cluck Sew ... I LOVE your fabric choices Lani!! Here's hoping and keeping fingers crossed!




and of course go and have a look at all the lovely fabric in the Quilt Shoppe itself!!

Grey this morning, bit of Easterly wind..

A working boat just having left the harbour and powering up to Margate

The Quilt Shoppe Giveaway

Martinique and a whole host of other prizes on Julie's blog Jaybird Quilts!!



Go have a look, lots of chances to win! Keep your fingers crossed for the Martinique for me...

Have you seen this bike?

Number plate T805 ASP



This bike was stolen on Thursday 3rd June in East London, it belongs to a friend of Ferret's (see my previous post on her lovely talk)and they are naturally devastated.

If you see it anywhere, please report it to the police.