Friday Smiles - It's the Little Things

 I've been intending to join in with Annie's meme, This Week's Smiles, on her blog, A Stitch in Time, for weeks now but somehow never quite got there until today. 

I'll try to keep it as brief as possible because it's been a week of appreciating the little things.

I'm finally, after two years of living without, able to set up my sewing machine. After the move I couldn't find the power lead so I finally phoned a sewing machine repair service based in Glasgow for help. Help they did! Even though they don't usually post spare parts out. So thanks to Sewing Machines Direct for service above and beyond expectation. 

To celebrate, I took a trip up to the black hole, aka the shed, where the packing boxes have lain unopened for just as long as the sewing machine has been untouched and found these. Fat quarters. Just the thing for rusty old me to practice on. 

More little things. The October issues of my two favourite magazines - The Simple Things & Happiful - have been delivered. They go so nicely with a cuppa! Happiful has a recipe for Blackberry Banana Bread which, as I have blackberries growing at the top of the garden, I had to try.

Not quite as illustrated but baking is another thing I'm out of practice in. I haven't mastered the new fan oven too. It's all trial and error.

My 'staff of tasters' reported it was delicious and I enjoyed this slice smothered in butter. It will look better next time.

Finally, it's my lovely son-in-law's 60th birthday today. Graeme's had a tough year having lost both his father-in-law and, just a few weeks ago, his own much loved father. Here's wishing him a a less traumatic and happier year to come. 

Hope you've had a lovely week, with much to smile about, and that next week is good too.

Take care Everyone
Elizabeth 

WOYWW 429

Hello WOYWWers, Followers and All

It's Wednesday again ... they do come round quickly ... so the day in the week that I join in with Julia, Head Desker, and What's On Your Desk Wednesday over at the Stamping Ground.

WARNING! A photo heavy post follows.

After our weekend away, and a day working in the garden yesterday, there's not a lot of crafting going on here but I do have a few photos of crafty goodies, some found while we were in the Lake District.

A visit to the Derwent Pencil Museum in Keswick was fascinating. I don't know why I'd never thought of it before but the company Derwent has it's origins in the little town near the Derwentwater, In fact the original factory, now closed, is next door to the museum. The factory has now relocated to Workington, only a few miles away. There's a shop attached to the museum where I was spoilt for choice. As well as picking up lots of goodies for the youngsters in the family I got this pack of waterbrushes - these have been on my wish list for the longest time - and the pack of 12 watercolour pencils for myself. We also took the opportunity to visit the home of Beatrix Potter, Hill Top ... it's been on my bucket list for years ... and I just had to bring back that sweet little jug decorated with Peter Rabbit. It makes the perfect container for what is probably the last of the sweet peas. The postcards were hard to resist too, though I have no idea what I will do with them.

Here's a couple of items that weren't brought back from the Lake district. I found the ATC holder going for a song at our local craft/stationery shop. Sadly, it is closing down due to a slump in sales - too many of us have either cut back on purchases or are buying online these days - and a hike in council rates. I feel more than a little responsible because I'm as guilty as any for buying online. The two fat quarter bundles were ordered from an online source. The members of the craft club I attend has been challenged to make a quilt to be displayed at the Stitching, Sewing & Hobbycrafts show at the SECC Glasgow in October. We've chosen black and white with a hint of red for this quilt and I plan to make a block or two later this evening.

Incidentally, and so exciting, the first quilt we made as a group was voted Bronze Place in the Lewis & Irene, Down by the River Competition. It was displayed at the Festival of Quilts by the organisers of the competition, Popular Patchwork Magazine and will be included in a feature on all the winning quilts in a forthcoming issue of the magazine. 

And now a few more photos taken at the weekend.

Here's DH leaning on one of the largest colour pencils in the world. Measuring almost 8 metres, it is massive. Also seen in the museum is the story of the secret WW2 pencils with hidden maps  - very James Bond!

Beatrix Potter's Hill Top, near Hawkshead, was bought with the royalties from her first few books. She wrote many of her famous children’s stories in this little 17th century stone house which is full of her favourite things.

Characters such as Tom Kitten, Samuel Whiskers and Jemima Puddleduck were all created here, and the books contain many pictures based on the house and garden.

When she died in 1943, she left Hill Top to the National Trust with the proviso that it be kept exactly as she left it, complete with her furniture and china. 

Finally, look what landed on my craft room window one day this week. 

It's a Forest Bug - otherwise known as Pentatoma rufipes. The photo was found online because all I could see on the window was 6 orange legs, antennae and it's underside so had to do a Google search to see what it looked like. Ugly looking creature but apparently fairly harmless - not that I put it to the test.

So that's what's been on my desk, and on my window, this week. I'm off now to see what's been on yours ... whatever it is it's bound to be more craft related, and inspirational too. 

Happy WOYWW and have a great week ahead.