weekend workshop

nice meal here

On Friday Hubby and I celebrated our 16th Wedding Anniversary.

We decided no fuss just a meal out and a card. Then Hubby came home with some flowers for me (naughty!) and we also decided to buy an iPad to share as a present to ourselves

.
So the drive home from work is now in the dark and pretty soon it will be dark as I drive to work too.

The School playground as I left on Friday evening

Then on Saturday I attended a workshop organised by Lynn (read her post about it here)
Lucy Bishop (lefthandedcrafter) was wonderfully helpful and explained the art of lino cutting to us.

I have always wanted to learn how to do lino prints. 
Lynn had seen my list here and very kindly invited me along to the workshop she had organised with Lucy last Saturday.

I had so much fun.

as you can see I had Christmas cards in mind.
but I did have a go at a more adventurous lino print

I was a bit disappointed with the final print as I took too much lino off and one of the golden rules is to take off a bit then check and you can always take off more if you need too. The block did look promising but I don't think it printed well.

 I have decided I will definitely have another go at lino printing though.

Today we have had a very lazy day.

My mother in law bought me some vintage knitting needles
aren't they lovely?

What a week (part two)

First let me show you a brooch one of my year 5 children made for me.

For Halloween.

So where was I?
oh yes, my half term week. 
Tuesday.
I was very excited as I had arranged to go horse riding. 

all saddled up and ready to go

A friend has two horses and asked if I wanted to go out for a couple of hours riding. Now I have to say I have not been on a horse for many years but I did have riding lessons for many years from about the age of 11.

It was a bit scary at first but I soon got into the swing of things and was loving it. We went along a nearby bridleway.

I went home and told Hubby I wanted a horse! My bottom hurt so much the day after though, so I went off the idea!

Wednesday

Hubby and I went to Liverpool.

I wanted him to see the new museum on the waterfront.

a meal on the dock

As you can see though, the weather was not as nice as my recent visits with Diane or my mum.

Thursday
Another grey day. Hubby and I went to Manchester.

To look around the Manchester Museum.

It has been a long time since we looked around and they have made some improvements.

with information about the displays at the touch of a button.

I loved this display for 'Peace' using a thousand paper cranes.

They even have some creatures living there.

The sun came out on Friday.

But we had a lazy day at home.

as you can see autumn arrived and turned the leaves.

21st October 

27th October

And now the wind has blown most of them off!
We had friends staying on Friday and Saturday and had a lovely meal in a local restaurant and a good catch up and before I knew it....it was Monday Morning and back to work!

what a week! (part one)

Oh My what a week!

Making Christmas presents

My half term week has whizzed by and I am back at work tomorrow although I know some areas of the country start their half term this week!

Pelagoniums in the greenhouse

Let me give you a run down. 

Get yourself a drink of your choice and make yourself comfy...this could be a long post! 

It started last Saturday when I met up with Lynn from One I made Earlier at Touchstones in Rochdale. 
First she made me feel very welcome at her lovely home then we went to Rochdale.

We had a lovely day. We had lunch and spent so much time talking we nearly missed the artwork in the exhibition. (read Lynn's post here)

We were inspired by an exhibition by Adam Kerfoot-Roberts so much, we tried our had at photographing the register office on the way back to the car.

Ripponden Garage

Then on Sunday Hubby and I took advantage of the gorgeous autumn weather and went to Rufford Old Hall in Lancashire.

It was such a lovely sunny day we enjoyed the grounds and after a delicious lunch a walk around the hall. 

extension built in 1662

You are allowed to take photos in the oldest part of the house too.

Such a beautiful place.

Autumn crocus in the lawn

Hubby had taken the week off work which was lovely so we went to Manchester on Monday.

A grey drizzly day but Hubby treated us to a meal at Jamie Oliver's Italian restaurant.

The building is an old bank with many of the fixtures still in place.

and the food was delicious

We then walked around the Whitworth Gallery and headed home.

The rest of the week will have to wait as I think this post is long enough. I don't think there will be much going on next week so I will have time to catch up.
Now I am off to read a few of your blogs before we eat and settle down to watch Downton.......is it only half past five?