The Blood bank

Good morning! (just)!

Hello peeps and sorry for not blogging in a while. Still off sick and have just returned from the hospital for blood tests (6 vials in total, convinced they are selling it)!! Doctor thinks I might have had glandular fever as am still so exhausted. Best thing is rest which I am finding very hard to do. Things are getting better and I do have more energy, but am still taking it easy. If I do too much it floors me for a couple of hours and I have to have a nap. Me asleep in the armchair a la 'old man', is a regular sight!

I have been busy (not in a run-around-flat-out kind of way), making a few bits and pieces this week.

I started with a tea cosy and managed to finally work out the best way to applique letters!



I love the daisy fabric which I bought from Quilters Dream along with lots of other designs I have spent far too much money on. One of which was this Japanese woven cotton, which I made into a crayon holder -



and the inside -




Continuing with the daisy theme, I made a small iphone case (I will get mine eventually)!



On the way back from the hospital, I popped in to see Ricky (hello)! and picked up more 'traffic print' to make a few more crayon rolls. Seemed a shame not to, as it was kind of on the way home. Needless to say, I picked up more that I ought to as always. I do have lots of nice fabric to make a few more rolls. All will be sold at the craft fair in September, if I get a wiggle on.

I sold a bag to the lovely Sarah last week. She saw it on here (the grey bag with white leaves hanging on my door). I added a padded gingham heart as I try to do with everything I sell. Nearly ran out of them, so made another 20 or so this week.



I need to finish them off with a loop of embroidery thread, so they can be hung up and then I'm done. That is a job to do when the tv is on and I can sit and sew.

Time is ticking and I wish I was feeling 100%, as I have so much to do. The garden is a jungle, well covered in creeping buttercups at least, and needs a thorough weeding session. The weather was great until yesterday when the heavens opened. At least my water butts are full again. We have 3 and need a couple more. The outbuilding and garage both need guttering and then we can have another 2 butts. 5 should be enough.

The veggie garden is looking quite lush, with raspberry canes coming up like triffids. The onions have gone to seed, so need digging up, but the radishes are being consumed (by me) and have planted more. The greenhouse is nearly empty (not that it is a huge Kew gardens affair) with just a couple of pumpkin plants to go out and the swiss chard to find a home for.

I discovered a chickpea, couscous and green lentil salad recipe and am eating it all the time. Soaking chickpeas overnight and then boiling them is a faff, but the salad is lovely. Add a few cubes of feta, some raw cashew nuts and a creamy dressing and you are practically eating a health food. Nearly. Taking of which, my chickpeas are ready, so time to get lunch organised.

Have a lovely week everyone and will post again soon with more pictures.

C x x

P.s The Girls are all fine. Getting 2-3 eggs a day, but once again Cornelia is only laying when it suits her. When she does grace us with an egg it is a whopper, so mustn't grumble.