Ralph! So much for my Thornton chocolate pennies that I was going to savour with a nice cup of coffee!
He has been a bit of colour since he over indulged……
Ohpps! Got a bit a carried away with my ideas and Sharne had to reign me in……..
Only allowed to decorate fabric at this stage, no stitching or layering up allowed!!!!!!!!!!!! Need to read the instructions more carefully.
After fabric had dried I decided that there was still not enough contrast so sponged white acrylic on it and then ironed on half my stars in a random fashion.
Then had to decide how to print the words on, wish I was in Sharne’s room so that I could use her ‘Big Foot’ to cut myself a stencil to sponge over, but wasn't, so spent the next hour looking for the rubber alphabet that I had bought years ago (that i couldn't live without – but never got round to using!) But eventually found it lurking at the back of one of the drawers and set too with printing (very slowly) appropriate words. Obviously, European Union, because that is what it is about, but also, respect, diversity, equality, difference and celebrate.
Then it was off the Stock Brook Manor for my posh training….
Luckily Stacey is practicing making cakes so bought a sample in for us to test. These set the day off to a very nice start and with the promise of coffee and chocolate ones tomorrow what more could we all want.
Then it was college, learning how to give good feedback even if you need to suggest how learners can improve, bit strange as our training was teaching us how to deal with difficult situations. Good News, Bad News, Good News.
Fortunately Stacey remembered the coffee and chocolate cakes, I had to try both of course! Also, the training was superb, and we were given lots of goodies too, each of which relate to an aspect of the training, it was all very professional and clever, but more importantly useful. Had to write a difficult email tonight and I think it helped me convince someone to do something that they were against considering, fingers crossed I have helped them a little.
Then tonight I concluded a good day with a lovely long walk over the fields with Ralph and ironed the rest of my stars on my piece of fabric.
And tomorrow we have a Benefits Take Up Campaign in the Eastgate Shopping Centre.
If it is one thing that Swan likes best at the moment it is training, we are off for another two day course, this time on Customer Care, the training providers http://www.marygober.com/, impressive or what……………. so hopefully after this you will have a new and ever pleasing Nick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Down side is that we will have to suffer another two days at Stock Brook Manor, lunch by the log fire, gosh what a hardship!
Yesterday Millie Mai came for lunch, really enjoying having a grandchild so close, cant believe how quickly she grow though. Her smiles come ready enough for Rob and Mel but think I will have to wait a little while longer before I am allowed one….
Sunday is my doing day, sun was shining and wind blowing so decided to risk the washing on the line.
Mounted my quilted barriers picture, now just need to make a frame for it.
Then did some college work .
And then as a reward thought I would start playing with the Round Robin challenge. Not such a reward after all – Europe – mind is completely blank, could only come up with the European Union and that did not rock my boat………….
But, the union is about creating equality amongst nations, offering opportunities for poorer nations to build sounder footings and celebrating diversity, sounds a bit more appealing like that anyway.
So found some blue fabric that had shapes on it that represented building blocks. It is a bit boring so have sprayed it with white, turquoise and Prussian blue paint. It on the line drying at the moment
Then I plan to cut 12 random shaped stars out, not uniformed shaped one like on their flag but all different shapes so that they represent the diversity of the nations. These will be embellished into the fabric.
I then will probably lay a sheer over the top and free machine some rivers in, or mare accurately the Channel as it is the Channel that has kept us separate from Europe for such along time. If time permits, might get some words printed on it – well that is the idea any way!!!
Oh yes, forgot to say that Ralph decided to help too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ……….and cobwebs, well they were found after clearing up the mess that Ralph and I had made!!
Woke up to a cold crisp morning, didn’t know what to do first, take Ralph for a walk or rinse out my picture! Settled for a compromise, put picture into soak whilst I enjoyed the fields with Ralph.
Right choice, a good start to the day. Then rinsed out picture.
Then applied a bit more bleach…………….
Think I can work with this now, not quite what I had planned but hey ho! Bit of emulsion and then repaint the bits that have fallen off, and you never know might even need a bit more bleach!
Just got this email from Sharne, cant imagine what her random number generator looked like – perhaps we need a picture of it on the blog! :-)
Hi All
Well it's the 1st March............drum roll...........
The Round Robin starts today.
This month:-
1. you have to make a piece of fabric, a fat 1/4 in size. You can stamp, dye, print etc. You all have a theme to work to, and you can use architecture, culture, clothes etc as your design source.
2. Your fabric must to be passed onto the next person BY the 31st March, with your design source/image to show that person where your ideas are coming from.
Using the random number generator this is what you have got-
1) Nickie-Europe
2) Margaret-Asia
3) Di-Australasia
4) Deb-Africa
5) Sharne-America's
I will email you all on March 22nd with info on who to pass your fabric onto.
Please post photo's on your blog of what you are doing with the challenge.
Any questions- don't ask me-( only joking)-this is supposed to be for FUN!!!!!!!!
Enjoy,
Sharne
Well, you know I said I couldn't wait last night, well this morning I wish I had.
Unfortunately I didn't take a photo of it when I had carefully unwrapped it from its polythene bag. But suffice it to say, this is the 
result after copious amounts of bleach has been pasted over it!
So, that didn't work….. so I’ll share my next cunning plan…….. shove the whole lot in black dye!
Well I have absolutely nothing to lose, and maybe something to retrieve, I’ll let you know :-o
So, to continue the saga of patience not being one of my strongest points, ages ago I decided that I needed to so something about my car, she was getting a little worn out, so ordered a bright new red one, think that was about October……… and finally, today I collected it
I was surprisingly sad to see my little silver go but the new one has a wicked radio and the brakes also sound like they might work!
So, that was my morning, then it was off to work
Christened new car by dropping egg sandwich in it!!
