Here is the News!

Well I have news to share and exciting news to share, (well exciting for me anyway!!) so where will I start? Lets just start with the news!

In my last post I promised you some show n tell from SVQ, so here it is, you may have seen some of these 'lurking' in the Arts Festival pictures (last post)

Sue's Sampler - for her daughter

Wendy's Jacket

and the back!

Lorna's quilt

Carys's Jennie Rayment workshop piece

Visitor - Heledd with her Suede Peacock

and her Leather log Cabin

We had judging for the Funky Chickens made at the workshop in March, this was the members choice, it was won by one of our newer members Pauline with this splendid entry entitled 'Chicken Tikka' I just love her 'Shisha' eyes and all the embroidery, Pauline was presented with .....1/2 a dozen eggs - free range of course!!!!

I had a good time at the Creative Crafts show at Shepton Mallet last Thursday and managed not to buy too much fabric! 

Strange selection but all will be revealed later! Sorry! They are a bit faded out from the flash

We spoke to quite a few ladies on our stand with one lady even coming back to share her fabric choices with us after we had given her advice on how much to buy for her next (and only her 2nd) quilt. 

I saw several friends plus an ex work colleague from my time at John Lewis but unfortunately missed my friend Radka from 'My stitching Journey'  blog (here)  Next on Saturday was a Sewing Day for SVQ on Saturday where I managed to quilt almost all of the Row Robin panels, this was followed by taking down the AF exhibtion at 4pm
It was my ?? Birthday last Sunday and I had a very enjoyable day, I had a lovely lie in then opened my cards after breakfast, (I just love stretching out the anticipation :-))  DH got me some flowers - no surprises there then, he usually  always buys flowers LOL

and despite my 'diet' he also bought some Crystallized Ginger, my favorite sweets (next to Jelly Babies) and something I was introduced to by my Grandmother many years ago, and I got lots of cards...

The larger black one is from Little H, she painted it herself!

After my lazy start it was odds on that my SIL arrived while I was still in my jammies!!! So while I was chatting and ooh'ing over my gifts, 

A sparkly scarf & pretty bead necklace & earrings

DH got the veggies ready for lunch (we always have a 'proper' Sunday Roast)

After lunch I popped round to see Mum, it was raining so hard she would have got soaked walking round here, which is her usual habit on Sunday mornings. I had nice cuppa courtesy of my brother and received more cards and presents, before returning home to spend the rest of the day lazing about. So all in all a lovely day.
So what I hear you all cry is the exciting news?... well I'm getting a new machine. I have been talking about it for 2/3 years, then I spent some money on the New England trip last year and could not justify it. I saw the machine (a Huskvarna Sapphire 875Q) demonstrated at the Show last week, the show offer included the machine, with large extension table plus a days tuition at the shop, and I was very tempted, then Mark from Huskvarna Studio Bath (here) offered me a really good price to trade in my current machine, after a bit of haggling he agreed to add in a walking foot too, then on Friday when I rang to confirm my order he also threw in a Free Machine Embroidery foot! so basically I just had to go for it, it will be delivered in around 2 weeks and it will be really exciting to have it, I'm treating it as a retirement/birthday prezzie to ME.
I will be a little sad to see my trusty Elly the Elna go after 8 years, she has served me well doing everything asked of her while I have been teaching, which included allowing students to practice FMQ on her but I wish her well in her new home.

Goodbye Elly!