Top 10 Songs of the Summer ! (#7)

Hello,

I have no IHSW to report on this week as I didn't stitch! My mojo hasn't gone but I have been reading a little and as I can't do both I gave books a turn. Just like stitching they steal time, you think you will read/stitch for an hour and when you think you have been it turns out it was three hours! Eek!

The last topic for Septembers Top 10's are songs of the summer as Autumn is now officially here. In all honesty I haven't listened to much music which is weird for me. So my choices are less songs of the summer and more songs that have been released this year that I like!

Before I start on that I have October's theme and topics ready :)

The overall theme of October will be Autumn/Halloween. For those of you (she says optimistically hoping that some more people will join in the fun) who aren't fans of Halloween then feel free to adapt what you write about to more of an Autumn feel and vice versa. As for me, I love both, and my birthday is in October so its always a time when I need distracting from all the candles on my cake!

So without any more waffling...

6th October: Top 10 things I love/hate about Autumn.

13th October: Top 10 Halloween/Autumn themed charts.

20th October : Top 10 Scary Movies/Books.

27th October: Top 10 Fancy dress ideas.

And here is the Top 10 Songs of the summer (or 2015 so far!)

1. Shut up and Dance by Walk the Moon


I just think this song is really catchy and when I am walking to work it gets the blood pumping! :)

2. St Jude by Florence and the Machine

I love Florence and the Machine, her voice is mesmeric and so powerful.



3. Lips are Movin by Meghan Trainor



Isn't summer all about cheesy pop?

4. Take Me To Church by Hozier



This is a video made by a ballet dancer and I just love it.

5. Love Me Like You Do by Ellie Goulding



Even though I have no desire to read the books or see the film, I do like Ellie Goulding and I really like this song.

6. Hold Back the River by James Bay

Every summer needs a little folk music.



7. Cheerleader by OMI



For when the sun is shining!

8. King by Years and Years



9. Elastic Heart by Sia



10. See you again by Wiz Khalifa


Now I am off to check to see Tiffs and Keebs choices :) Why not join us?

Top Ten Cakes to make you bake! (#6)

Todays theme: Cakes to make you bake.

I have chosen to simply post you pictures of ten of my favourite cakes (cake'ish) that always make me salivate. My tastes are pretty simple and don't get too fancy. I don't actually bake but it is something that I would like to try and do more of over the coming year, so if I can bake one of these then I will consider the next 12 months a success! The jam tarts have to have the softest, buttery, crumbly pastry..mmmm...ok....I want some now! lol 

Don't forget to visit the links to Tiffstitches and Keebles World on the left-hand side and please join in too! 

Later today or tomorrow I will also be posting Octobers Top 10 Tuesday themes.

1. Sticky gingerbread

2. Raspberry almond shortbread cookies

3. Iced buns

4. Strawberry jam tarts

5. Victoria Sponge 

6. Red Velvet cupcakes

7. Classic vanilla cheesecake

8. Lemon & Poppy seed muffins

9. Triple chocolate cake

10. Lemon drizzle cakes

p.s I did read somewhere that 'The Great British Bake Off' is being shown in the US on PBS as something like The British Baking Challenge?? 

Ready for IHSW? an early finish

My plan was simple...devote IHSW to stitching for the Christmas Ornament SAL...and then this happened...

I couldnt resist starting him and well....he ended up finished...and he looks so happy with his friends...

Which means this weekend I have to decide...more work on an existing project or something new! Decisions decision!

Next month the theme is angels and I will be stitching the angel roly-polie that is part of the set.

Top 10 things to do near here (#5)

This was a tough one as I wasn't sure if I should keep the places as those within my town or if I should venture further afield. What I think of as near might not be for you and vice versa. For me an hours drive away covers a lot of places (benefit of living on a small island) and for those in America for example, an hours drive would be nothing! So I am going to show you the places within my Town and County, although I do need to confess to not having visited all of these places. I am going to try to though within the next year as it's embarrassing that I haven't! Lol

Lets see....off the top of my head...

1. Bletchley Park

Bletchley park is probably the only place that non Brits might instantly recognise from the name and I would say is likely to be the only place on the list that you will.

It is the home of the code breakers or at least was and for TV lovers is where the TV show Bletchley Circle is filmed (parts of it) and also The Imitation Game film starring Mr Cumberbatch. 

What is very common here in the UK are large houses famed for one thing, maybe a resident or an event, which are managed by a trust or heritage and people visit for that reason and maybe tour the grounds etc, visit the tea shop and all that. I know this is the same the world over but I would guess that the UK has an abundance of such places. 

2. Roal Dahl Museum

This is located in Great Missenden and is a actually the former home of the author. The site describes it as;

Visit our great little award-winning Museum, situated in the Buckinghamshire village where Roald Dahl lived and wrote for 36 years. 

The Museum, aimed at 6 to 12 year olds, features three interactive galleries. Boy gallery looks at Roald Dahl's school days while Solo gallery houses his original Writing Hut. The Story Centre puts your imagination centre-stage with fantabulous activities to inspire the writer in you.

I have not been here but my sister took my eldest niece when she was about 7 and she loved it, my sister enjoyed it too, so for those children who are of reading age and above or lovers of Roald Dahl.

3. Gullivers Land

This is an amusement park and Americans may scoff at that due to its size, but it's quite nice and ideally suited to families with young children up to about 11. There is a splash zone and now additional activity centres attached that would suit over 11s. It is also situated opposite Willem Lake which gets a mention further down the list.

4. Woburn Safari Park

Woburn Safari Park is part of the Woburn Estate which includes Woburn Abbey and Gardens (Woburn Abbey has been the family home of the Earls and Dukes of Bedford for nearly 400 years and is currently the home of the 15th Duke and his family. The Abbey houses one of the most important private art collections in the world with over 250 works by artists including Gainsborough, Reynolds, Van Dyck and Cuyp) and the actual Drive-thru Safari Park or there is a foot safari.

Having been here a few times as a child I can definitely recommend it! Check out all the details here.

5. Big Rock Climbing Centre and Snow Dome

These are just some activity centres, but as with most places there are more, you can go to bounce and...erm...bounce on multiple trampolines, or take your kids to activity play areas of which there are a couple or if you want to join the Beckhams you can drop by Airkix and fly. There are a few bars, restaurants, a football stadium, nightclub and casino and for the most part its not too unsavoury. There is also a Theatre and The Stables arts venue, and ice skating to do or ice hockey to watch, pretty much whatever you fancy we sort of have a variation of - but think small and only the one! lol

6. Willen Lake & Peace Pagoda

As mentioned above Willen Lake is located opposite Gullivers, what may surprise you to know is that its a lake...oh, well maybe not that surprising! hehe. Again if american then think pond?? You can go on the lake or walk around it, there is a play park, outdoor arena & a bar and restaurant.

It is very popular with walkers, runners and families and especially so when the sun is out.

Also beside the north part of the lake is a peace pagoda and temple. Here is a better description from the Parks Trust website:

The Peace Pagoda was built by the the monks and nuns of the Nipponzan Myohoji as a symbol of world brotherhood . Above it, cherry trees commemorate the victims of war, while prayers and messages of hope decorate the nearby One World Tree.

Alongside the Pagoda is the distinctive Buddhist Temple, where the public is welcome inside or to visit the grounds with their Japanese and Zen gardens.

Drawing on Native American culture, the stones of the Medicine Wheel are aligned with the earth’s energies so that thoughts and wishes expressed at its heart may be ‘amplified’.

At the north end of the lake you’ll find The Labyrinth, and Willen Hospice.

 

7. Stowe

Stowe is another large house and grounds (i have not yet been there) and reading this on the website makes me want to go and have a look...especially as I like gardens.

The scale and beauty of Stowe have attracted visitors for over 300 years. Picture-perfect views, winding paths, lakeside walks and temples create a timeless landscape, reflecting the changing seasons. Full of hidden meaning, the gardens were created as an earthly paradise, and still cast their spell today.

Your visit starts at the New Inn visitor centre outside the gardens. This fusion of modern and restored 18th-century buildings was where visitors of the past were welcomed to Stowe.

Stop by the light and airy café for delicious fresh food and the shop for unique products inspired by the gardens. The sheer size and space is perfect for those who love the outdoors and enjoy walking. A short walk or a ride in a buggy from New Inn takes you into the gardens, where another world awaits.

 

8. Historical Market Towns nearby (Newport Pagnell, Stony Stratford, Wolverton & Olney)

My town was designed by an american architect and this is very much laid out in the grid style, it is young too at under 50 years but was built between the four towns mentioned in the brackets above. Each is famed for something....erm...Olney and its pancake race (I really like this one!), Wolverton and its long history with the Royal train and the railways in general, Stony Stratford and its coaching history dating back to the 11th century (coach and horses) and Newport Pagnell and its iron bridge and vellum manufacturer! Who knew? lol The river ouse also runs through Newport Pagnell and you can follow that much the same as you can cycle beside the canal. All these towns have existed since the domesday book along with the following entry on the list....

9. Stoke Bruerne

Stoke bruerne is for canal boat lovers! Its actually quite a nice day out, looking at the folk art and canal painting, at the Stoke Bruerne canal museum. This is the Grand Union Canal that runs from London to Birmingham. 

Looking at the picture above it really doesnt do it justice! You will just have to trust me on this one.

10. Whipsnade Zoo

If you werent sold on Woburn becuase of the potential risk of damage to your car or a big house really wasnt doing it for you then there is always Whipsnade Zoo.

Here is a snippet about the history of Whipsnade zoo...

Almost 100 years later, Sir Peter Chalmers Mitchell (ZSL Secretary 1903-1935) was inspired by a visit to the Bronx Zoological Park to create a park in Britain as a conservation centre.[6]

Hall Farm, a derelict farm on the Dunstable Downs, 30 mi (48 km) to the north of London was purchased by the Zoological Society of London in 1926 for £480 12s 10d. The site was fenced, roads built and trees planted.

The first animals arrived at the park in 1928, including two Lady Amherst's pheasants, a golden pheasant, and five red junglefowl. Others soon followed including muntjac, llama, wombats and skunks.

Whipsnade Park Zoo opened on Sunday 23 May 1931. It was the first open zoo in Europe to be easily accessible to the visiting public. It was an immediate success and received over 38,000 visitors on the following Monday. The brown bear enclosure is a surviving feature from the earliest days of the zoo.[7]

The collection of animals was boosted in 1932 by the purchase of a collection from a defunct travelling menagerie and some of the larger animals walked to the zoo from Dunstable station.

 

Its only when you examine your home and what surrounds you for posts like this that you realise that you aren't making the most of it. I really do need to ...

GET OUT MORE!!!!

And if these ten things above don't make me feel guilty and ignorant enough there is always this to remember!

If I capped it by distance and said within 50 miles (an hours drive) then there is:

Harry Potter Studios, Marston Vale Forest Centre, Silverstone racetrack (F1), Wrest Park (French style mansion and historic country park), Buckinghamshire Railway Centre (Steam trains), Santa Pod Raceway (Drag racing), Waddesdon Manor (Renaissance style chateau containing 18th century art), Shuttleworth Museum (First 100 years of flight), Althorp (Spencer family home and resting place of Princess Diana), Wicksteed Park (Amusement Park), Blenheim Palace (Birthplace of Winston Churchill), Oxford, Beckenscot (apparently the worlds oldest model village), Cambridge, RAF museum, The Cotswolds and if you go an extra 5 miles you can include Warwick Castle & Stratford Upon Avon and also Birmingham & London and anything in between!

Are there any places near you that you always intend to visit but haven't gotten around to yet?

Sunday catchup!

Hi All!

Well, I thought I would have a little catch up with you all.

The last two weeks I have been in my new job and after a slow first week I finally feel like I am settling in a bit and the work is ok, it helps that the people are really nice.

The first week there I took the Indian Lady to work to stitch on at lunchtimes and a little in the evening if I could but my hours have changed and I am still adjusting to the evenings and how short they are now!

Anyway, I was really pleased with the progress and continued to enjoy stitching on it but I did decide that the next week I would switch projects.

Here is an up date on where I was when I announced I had started the Indian Lady:

 and here is where I am after a week of stitching on her:

As you can see I didn't do too badly!

Then last weekend was the first of my BWABWA weekends (Party of 1) and I spent most of it umming and ahhing about which book to read - next month I shall be reading Middlemarch by George Eliot so feel free to join me or stop by the monday after to compare views.

I ended up not stitching at all but I did download an audiobook 'Pretty Girls' by Karin Slaughter. I like thrillers but this book has been difficult to listen to, the point of view switches (and voices do change) but its distracting and the reader has a very droll sounding voice which can be hard to absorb what is being said. However, I do intend to persevere and see how I get on, quite possibly I will use it to listen to on my way to and from work.

So last week I took Faces of Faery 66 with me to work in the hopes of stitching on it and then didn't get the opportunity. There is no need to show an update as there was only the addition of about 100 black stitches.

Then on Friday I decided to check my stash for something quick to stitch and came across this chart with charm that I bought a month or so ago in a sale, you may remember it:

Angie from Miamina's Musings very very kindly sent me some fabric remnants when I was rebuilding my stash at the start of the summer and one of those was Polstiches Cinderella.

So,  as my middle niece is the only family member who has not had something stitched by me I stitched this for her, I framed it too but it is a little squiffy but I hope she likes it. I absolutely loved stitching it, maybe because its love, I don't know and I changed the border so it would fit in my frame and used slightly different shade of red for my hearts ad green for my vines.

I don't often say this but I would definitely stitch this many times over before getting bored of it, it took about 3-4hrs from start to finish and I am happy with it...what do you think?

I actually had gone in search of something Halloweeny or at least with pumpkins but found nothing suitable...but I have literally just remembered that I do have a Halloween booklet that might have just what I need!

What do I need? Pumpkins! A couple of weeks ago I wrote a poem about pumpkins and thought I would stitch it with some pumpkins, I am still deciding on how, and now that I have a pumpkin pattern I may just try stitching that today....so watch this space!

Here is the poem:

Plump

Stretched

Full

Beheaded

Scooped

Scraped

Carved

Ignited

Aglow

I wanted something that (I hope) is a little creepy.

I might take Faery 66 back to work again this week and see how that goes, I am actually looking forward to next weekend and stitching the next ornament from Joan Elliots Roly-Polies.

And I can't believe that in two weeks my blog is having a birthday! I think it's four...or five? Why aren't I a millionaire blogger already? hehehehehe I only discovered last month that I share a blog birthday with Keebles and all this time I thought her blog was a week or so older....I will definitely be thinking of a way to celebrate so be prepared!

Well...I guess that is all I have to update you on...I hope you are all having a great weekend whether it be busy or taking it easy.

I will catch up with you all on Tuesday when it's time to get to know the best ten places near here!

Top 10 dream destinations! (#4)

Roll up, roll up, come gather around! This weeks Top 10 Tuesday is 'Dream Destinations' and to make it even better our good friend Keebs at Keebles World is joining us! You have to go and check out her blog as I am sure there will be some great places on her list and don't forget Tiffany from Tiffstitches who is my listing partner in crime :)

You can join in any time too just let me know in the comments and I will add your link so that people can find you - All links are on the left-hand side above the upcoming Top 10 schedule.

OK, so are you ready? I said ARE YOU READY? I do apologise, the Foo Fighters were performing this weekend at an open air venue in my town and I could hear them from my garden so I am still a bit rock.

Once again I have gone off track so lets start this list!

When I think of dream destinations, I tend to think of places that I have always wanted to go to, so I guess that is a very selfish view as there are many great places out there and plenty I am sure I would love.

1. China

But it has been a lifelong dream of mine to go to China, I have longed to walk part if not all of the wall, and I have dreams of travelling there by train from London-Paris-Moscow-China and yes I will hold my hands up and say that I have probably romanticised the trip somewhat. I love Chinese food! I love Chinese design and I love the history of the country and its culture. It is a big country so I am sure there would be plenty to explore.

2. South Africa

My great great grandfather was South African and in the 1870s he came to England, in the 1880s he met my great great grandmother (a policemans daughter) and they married. It was most likely a difficult time for them and her father did disown her and want nothing to do with her.

My great great grandfather though was from Cape Town and I would love to go there and to just imagine what life would have been like for him before he came here.

I don't have a picture of him but here is a photo of my great grandmother...

She herself has an interesting story and I hope one day to base a novel on my families past but like I said, I would like to go there. I also have friends a couple of hours away from Cape Town who I haven't seen for ...nine years?...is that even possible?? Oh my!

3. Samoa

I am going with Samoa but any island in or around those parts, with crystal clear waters and white sandy beaches...I can feel the sun warming my skin now! Its a recluses idyll and probably not an expected choice for me.

I mean c'mon! look at it! **sigh**

4. Vienna

I have been here, for a day, and it was wonderful and ever since that day I have longed to return! Weirdly I never thought to do that on my most recent trip....but maybe next time...or the time after...or soon! 

Oh! Should I tell you something more travelly about the place....its monuments and historical buildings are pretty huge (but maybe not by american standards) and its just lovely, it gives of such a friendly aura...anyway....have a look...

5.Seattle (and nearby Portland)

I decided a few years ago that I would like to go to Seattle, so I ummed and ahhed and ahhed and ummed and was going to book when I ended up booking New York instead because I wass going to go with a friend who later couldnt come and so I could have gone there but I didnt because well....start this sentence again! 

Then last year I booked Seattle...and the was struck with my illness (RA) and was too unwell to be able to go and ended up changing my plans and poor Keebs had me at her house for an extra TWO WEEKS! The woman is a saint. It is hard to believe that its been almost a year though. 

Anyway, it started off that i just wanted to go there and to also visit Portland because a lot of books I have read are set in Portland and you know, it appealed. But since it has been cancelled twice now I do feel like I NEED to go there. Some people might think its fate telling me not to go there, but I am a stubborn old mule who doesnt like to be told what to do, not even by fate! Hehehehe and so it remains on the list. If I get anywhere near Seattle in the future I will go there if only fleetingly.

6. Alaska

I am drawn to Alaska because...when I was younger I always fancied that I would love it there, all that nature and solitude, how majestic? I may not have done my research back then and in all honesty I haven't now either but I would still like to visit there. Maybe take a short cruise from Vancouver? Which is pretty close to Seattle! lol 

7. Canada

Vancouver maybe? or Toronto? or Prince Edward Island? I am always amazed at how large Canada is (even though great swathes are uninhabited) but I hear only great thinks about the friendliness of Canadians. This is another destination where I would be tempted to jump on a train, what is it with me and trains, and travel from Toronto to Vancouver.

8. Edinburgh

Another place that I have visited but have long wanted to return to is edinburgh. I really have zero excuse for not going except last August I was due to go and my illness made me cancel that trip too  - boo hoo! I went when I was in my teens and that single long weekend visit made such an impact that its held so fondly in my heart and I will get up there. Probably not this year but next year for sure...probably...maybe..definitely if Keebs comes over! 

9. Borneo

You read that correctly, Borneo. I want to go here because I like the sound of the countrys name...for some people that  might not be reason enough but for this crazy lady it is more than enough of a reason. Here's another....

and another...

and one more....

The tenth and final dream destination is proving to be elusive...can it be a Wild Card? i might pinch a locale from Tiffany or Keebs! lol

Well, thank you for stopping by and please tell me of all the wondrous places you would love to visit one day.

A finish and a new start....she says...looking shiftily at the light fitting!

Helloooooo!

So...where to begin...ok, so...you still reading? Good. I shall continue...

I have decided to try an audio book and shall get that downloaded to the relevant device for starting next week and I shall reveal my choice then...its was a very scientific selection process...so...yeah....

I have also decided that I do need to read books more and so I am going to try for the next twelve months to dedicate the first weekend of every month to be my BWABWA. This is where I will try to read as much as I can during the weekend and report in on the following Monday with my progress. Feel free to join me...Oh! and if you are wondering what the catchy BWABWA stands for...

Buried With A Book Weekend...the A is just to make it easier to say...try it? Its fun, right?

Also, yesterday I had the lovely task of deciding what to stitch next, I had a day or two off and was raring to pick up my needle. I recently rediscovered some WIPS (Oooh! Aaaah!) that I thought (hoped?) were lost forever but on the plus side it did mean that I had more choice.

I came across a design that was almost finished..like almost...and decided maybe I could finish that...as I looked at it I remembered all the reasons that I hadn't finished it the first time around and the biggest reason was the composition, yes, the composition really did annoy me.

Remembering it all annoyed me further and so I decided to use this for something positive. I decided to finish it off in my own way and to use it in my yet-to-be-created-smalls-mediums-scrapbook, an idea that Justine mentioned on the Christmas Ornament SAL.

All in all I am happy with how it looks....

So here is what I was stitching originally....I apologise for the quality of the photos but it really brought out my petulance.

I bought this kit two years ago on a whim after seeing some other Gorjuss designs and thinking how cute they were. I was on holiday at the time and the LNS I went into was tiny and not nearly as large as a bathroom. It looks harmless enough, right? And I like it....for someone else...what is wrong with it I hear you cry...so I am hearing things now?! 

It started off ok, I stitched the girl first, everything but the backstitch, and then began work on the trees...then I looked at the picture....and thought....

Why is a young girl standing alone in the woods?

Why aren't the trees in the woods leafy because these look a bit creepy?

Why is she standing in a puddle? Its not a puddle its a shadow I think.

Do you think that she wet herself in fear?

Where are her shoes?

So those flowers are made from net and beads, hmmm, I think they are not so nice..or maybe the are, are they?

As you can tell, I really did read far too much into the picture that I was stitching, but the more I looked at the shadow the more it looked like a puddle and the more I looked at her feet the more I wondered where her shoes were! I began to wish I had chosen one of the other fab designs.

So yesterday when I picked it up to finish it, I remembered all these things, and decided to just wing it! So I had this to start with....

I stitched some back stitch on the hair, around the face and for the eyes and then finished by doing the outline of the dress and legs but I didn't line the socks.

I then added the heart button as a pendant and this is my end result...

I am happy for it to be in my scrapbook and looking at it makes me think that it may have been more of a reflection of my emotional state back then, feeling lost and alone and I really am glad that I now have a better use for it. 

I often see posts of peoples successes in stitching and their fabulous stitching etc. but have you ever had something that didn't go to plan? Maybe a design that you hated for no reason too? 

Before I go...I chose to start my new kit of the Indian lady....I opened it up and it comes with pre-sorted threads, a large colour pattern, 14ct fabric and two needles.

I decided to use the fabric provided even though the count is so high and the fabric itslef seems to be starched and feels almost like stitching on cardboard. I did think about washing it or using a different fabric but I have enjoyed of late stitching on plastic canvas and this is somewhere in between. The stiffness and sturdiness is actually what makes it ideal for a lunchtime work project too.

So here is the final design again to remind you...

Here is what I have stitched so far...

which is part of this corner...

and I almost forgot but the fabric edges have been sealed? stitched? hemmed? you know what I mean! lol

So, I am happy to be stitching this which I will rotate with Faery 66 and I have a skull to finish too! (about 2 years old as well and most likely for the scrap book) with IHSW being reserved for the Christmas Ornaments.

So how has your week been?