January Blues

Is there anything more depressing than taking down the Christmas decorations?  Well, of course there are plenty of things but you know what I mean!  Plus, lots of dust which was lurking under baubles and cards and tinsel is now revealed which means the dreaded housework must be done straight away.  Bleurgh.

Still, it’s Valentine’s Day soon and hearts and flowers will be everywhere.  Today’s Saturday Selection – as this is not just a post about moaning and whingeing – is the beautifully named  ChezSucreChez where you can buy lovely little cross stitch items which have been made by them or kits for you to do yourself.  As you may recall me saying in the past, cross stitch drives me crazy and, as I don’t need any help in the frustration and eye strain department, I leave it well alone and marvel at the skill and patience of others.  However, Madamoiselle Tialys, the elder, has discovered a liking for the craft and I am busy collecting supplies for her so that she can make things for me for a change.    I have ordered this great little kit from ChezSucreChez so that she can make this one to give to her ‘petit ami’ on Valentine’s Day.  Her friends’ nickname for her is ‘squirrel’ (or ‘ecureuil’ as we are in France) so I thought this would be appropriate.

On with the dusting and vacuuming now – well, maybe after lunch…….

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‘M’ for Merci!

I don’t know whether anybody remembers but I decided to make a patchwork quilt for my daughter’s 18th birthday (memory jogger)  How horrified I was when looking for the post and realised I started it last July! And how I laughed wryly when I read my own words and had written something like ‘oh, it’s a year away, no worries’.  Well, it is no longer a year away, it is 4 months away.  Not only have I only done about a third of the top but they’ve discontinued the fabric and I am having one hell of a job trying to find somebody with old stock.  EEK!!

I decided that there are too many distractions at home so, when I go to the ‘atelier’ (sewing group) on Saturday afternoons, I have started to lug my sewing machine with me so that I can get a few blocks sewn while I’m there.  Of course everybody has to yell at  me above the whirr of my Janome and, as the main reason to join the group was to improve my French converstion skills, I’m kind of defeating the object.  However, I can now report that shouting loudly at foreigners doesn’t make them understand you any more easily. 

In an effort to encourage me (presumably) one of my lovely new friends, Marie-Jo,  asked me what my daughter’s name was and produced this beautiful monogram for me to incorporate into the quilt.  What a lovely gesture.  She must know I can’t bear doing cross stitch – far too fiddly for me and a sure way to see me institutionalised.  How lovely is this?  Merci Marie-Jo, bisous x x (she may read this post, well, that bit anyway as she doesn’t speak any English)

'M' for Megan

I wouldn’t mind but, as soon as I’ve finished this one, I’ll have to start another as there are only 18 months between my two daughters and now I know that’s probably how long I’ll have to allow to make her one.  Must remember to get fabric that’s not about to be discontinued too.