It's the weekend

It has been a long week!

I just thought I'd catch up with reading a few blogs and share some moments from the past week.

Last Sunday morning Hubby and I went for a walk locally.

It was such a beautiful day.

Blue sky

and sunshine

for a walk in the woods.

Along the path that use to be a railway track many years ago

down the cobbles we went passed the cricket ground at Triangle.

these railings are all that is left to show there was once a church on this road.

And then we were home...home for lunch.

Then of course it was Shrove Tuesday

action shot!

We have had some lovely skies this week too.

Today Hubby and I went to Retro Race at Stoneleigh, just outside Coventry.

I imagined myself looking like this poster

In one of these

Do you recognise the bloke in the photo above?
it was Jamiroquai.....he is into his motor racing in a big way.

This guy was doing a painting....I'd hate to see the state of his studio!

and I took some photos of the sky as we drove home tired.

There was a little package waiting for me when I got home.

I had ordered some postcards from here.

and they were beautifully wrapped (Lucy liked the string)

Monthly Make and the Give-away

January's Monthly make was a watercolour painting of Sammy. Pop over to my other blog here to see it.

February's Monthly started with my Mollie Makes and the cute mice on the cover.

A cheeky mouse eating the bird food in the garden!

As it was half term I decided I would have a go at making one.

I cut out the pieces for the larger mouse using some unbleached calico.
*I would make the straight edges of the two pieces for the body back slightly longer to make it a little easier to sew together later.

* tweezers came in handy to turn the legs and arms round the right way

and a knitting needle!

I stuffed the limbs and attached them to the body. Sew up the back body seam.
* I would make a dart in the front body piece and not a cut

........that way it would look less like it had had open heart surgery!

Make the ears and attach to the head.
*Tweezers needed here again, it was very fiddly!

I put the eyes on at this point. I would use little black beads but I didn't have any so  I did black french knots. Stuff the head and attach to the body.

*I forgot to put the tail on as I was sewing up the back seam so it was just attached to the bottom!

I would recommend lots of nice things to eat whilst making this mouse.

So now to her clothes.....

I made a dress using the pattern from the PDF on the Mollie Makes web site.
And I made her some bloomers....remember to leave a hole for her tail!

Then after a brief consultation by phone with my mum I decided to knit her a cardi too!

After working on it for a while I realised because I didn't have the correct size needles or right type of yarn I would have to start again and make it with half the amount of stitches.

Then she wanted to have a go at some knitting herself!

So apart from the things I have mentioned as I have gone along, I would also say even though the magazine says you could make a handful of mice in an afternoon it took me considerably longer just to make one!

I would also not stuff her limbs quite so much near the tops so she would sit better and her arms could be lowered.
She is not neat and tidy...I am not neat and tidy when it comes to sewing...I would never win any prizes that's for sure and I also have to say that the mouse and her clothes are probably 90% hand sewn.
But I do love her....any suggestions for a name for her?
Now for the results of the give-away

Into the mugs went the names.
Thank you so much to all that entered, I was so pleased so many of you took the time.

Hubby did the honours as Lucy couldn't be bothered....sorry!
And......
drum roll please.......

Isisjem wins the Crafty Goodies and Simone wins the Pet Portrait. (please email me your addresses so I can send the prizes but please be patient. SImone you will need to email me some photos of Gizmo!!!)

I am sorry for the others and really wish you could all be winners, really I do. All I can say is please enter my next give-away and you could be a winner next time....and I promise not to leave it so long before my next one!

Thank you