• Shadows over the Spanish Sun
    What I'm reading

    Shadows over the Spanish Sun (review)

    May 25, 2021 - By 

    Today I’m taking part in a book tour for Shadows over the Spanish Sun by Caroline Montague. I’ve always enjoyed historical fiction and loved reading this book. Shadows over the Spanish Sun Spain, 1936. Leonardo’s only connection to his past is the half medallion he wears around his neck – a painful reminder of his origins, and of the man he must fight to become. As the shadow of war falls over his beloved country, Leonardo is drawn into a desperate, forbidden love affair. But risking everything for love is a dangerous gamble, where one mistake could destroy everything… 2019. When…

  • Monday Happy List
    Monday Happy List

    Monday Happy List {Week 345}

    May 24, 2021 - By 

    Starting the week by writing the Monday Happy List  is something I’ve been doing for a while. It’s a chance for me to sit down and reflect on the things that made me happy in the previous week, as well as to record some of our family adventures. It’s a post I always love to write. Monday Happy List {Week 345} Last week I went to my first sewing class in months. I headed off into London to Ray Stitch for a beginners sewing machine course. It was a great refresher for me and I ended up with a gorgeous Japanese knot…

  • Perfect on Paper by Gillian Harvey
    What I'm reading

    Perfect on Paper {review}

    May 23, 2021 - By 

    I’ve really been enjoying reading over the last year. To me, reading is perfect escapism and I love having a couple of books on the go. I was recently gifted a copy of Perfect on Paper by Gillian Harvey and today I am taking part in the Perfect on Paper blog tour. Perfect on Paper Clare’s life might look ‘perfect on paper’, but she’s ready to shake things up and put herself first for once… A fun and uplifting novel from Gillian Harvey, author of Everything is Fine. It’s time to shake things up a little… Clare Bailey’s life is perfect. Successful…

  • Liberty heart banner with kantha stitch
    Crafts for adults

    Liberty heart banner with kantha stitch

    May 22, 2021 - By 

    My favourite craft is anything which combines using beautiful Liberty fabrics and English Paper Piecing. Earlier this year I made a sweet EPP Liberty heart and framed it in an embroidery hoop. I wanted to make something similar in different colours so I could try decorating it with kantha stitch. What is kantha? Kantha is an ancient form of hand-stitched embroidery which originated in India. The word kantha means “rags” in Sanskrit, reflecting a tradition of using discarded clothing or garments to recycle into something new, such as bed coverings or clothes. Kantha can also refer to stitching fabrics together…

  • Exploring Chenies Manor and Gardens
    Buckinghamshire - Family Life

    Exploring Chenies Manor and Gardens

    May 21, 2021 - By 

    A few weeks ago we managed to book tickets to visit Chenies Manor and Gardens in Buckinghamshire. This was a place we had wanted to visit for a while, so booked tickets for their special open gardens. Chenies Manor is a gorgeous Grade 1 Tudor mansion house with lovely gardens. Exploring Chenies Manor and Gardens We pre-booked our tickets and drove the short distance to Chenies in Buckinghamshire. The village of Chenies is very picturesque and you drive right past the front of the house to get to the car park. The House is currently closed but we were able…

  • knot bag pattern
    Crafts for adults

    Reversible Japanese knot bag

    May 20, 2021 - By 

    Every year I watch The Great British Sewing Bee and it makes me want to try dressmaking. With real life events starting up again I thought I would explore my options and look for some in person classes. I discovered a fun sounding set of workshops at Ray Stitch, a modern haberdashery on Essex Road in north London. They offer a few beginners courses so I signed up to the Introduction to Machine Sewing Part 1 course to give myself a little refresher (this was also a pre-requisite for the dressmaking course). Reversible Japanese knot bag The Introduction to Machine…

  • The Dream Weaver book cover
    What I'm reading

    The Dream Weavers {book review}

    May 18, 2021 - By 

    Sometimes I read a book that stays with me for a long time. I was recently gifted a copy of The Dream Weavers by Barbara Erskine to read. I love historical novels and this was a great story, set in Anglo Saxon Mercia and the modern day. The Dream Weavers by Barbara Erskine Mercia, 788 AD In the grand Saxon halls of Mercia, King Offa rules with cold ambition. His youngest daughter Eadburh is destined for an arranged marriage, but with reckless spirit her heart is taken by a Welsh prince, a man she can never be matched with and…

  • dog at garden centre
    Monday Happy List

    Monday Happy List {Week 344}

    May 17, 2021 - By 

    Starting the week by writing the Monday Happy List  is something I’ve been doing for a while. It’s a chance for me to sit down and reflect on the things that made me happy in the previous week, as well as to record some of our family adventures. It’s a post I always love to write. Monday Happy List {Week 344} My daughter and I both got our first hair cuts in 6 months! It felt so good to visit the hairdresser again and have a good tidy up too. A few years ago I bought myself a Signs of the Sewdiac…

  • Sashiko table mat
    Crafts for adults

    Sashiko table mat

    May 15, 2021 - By 

    Although I’m meant to be using up my craft supplies this year, I couldn’t resist Box 8 of Hoop Club by Cotton Clara. It’s been a while since I stitched any sashiko, but I loved the sashiko panel I bought a few years ago, and was happy to do more. Hoop Club by Cotton Clara Hoop Club by Cotton Clara is a monthly embroidery box and you can subscribe at any time. I don’t need any craft kits but I couldn’t resist Box 8. Not only was it sashiko (not even requiring an embroidery hoop!) but the stitched panel was…