Monday Hand stitchery Link Party

Hello friends, old and new, hope you are keeping well!

I am linking to Super Mom - No Cape for her Vintage Embroidery Monday and Hand Stitchery Link Party.

Also linking to Esther Aliu's WIPs on Wednesday linky party.

Not really had much time for stitching over the last couple of weeks but here's a little bit of hand stitching that I did manage!

Cocoa Sampler:

Previously my sampler looked like this and, after some frogging:

For a little more cross stitch why not pop over to see me on Friday Frolics and see my Tatty Teddy progressing, and perhaps you would like to visit some of the other stitchers there!

Mini Thread Catcher/Mini Needlecase:

Oops, only noticed as I added the photographs, they are a little dark - something to do with the time of year, and maybe my untrained photography!

A quick recap, in case you are new to my blog, this patchwork project started life as a threadcatcher, but almost immediately became a Mini Needlecase, although maybe I should have called it a sewing pouch? But I've kind of gotten used to calling it my Mini Needlecase!

Anyway, I digress, the Needlecase is approx. 4" tall, 7" including handles, has four pockets for: tape measure, pencil, seam ripper and one to hold my needlethreader; a small tin of pins sits nicely in the bottom, and there is space for a cotton reel and my fold down scissors

Deciding on a lid for my Mini Needlecase.

Another option!

I'm going with the second option, as this is the same fabric I used for the pockets.

The patchwork square wasn't big enough,
so back to work to make it bigger!

More hand stitching!

These fit nicely in my Needlecase.

Not sure why one picture wasn't enough!
But ... wait, it was probably because my
original version wanted to be in the picture
 too! 

It might look crowded but it keeps everything
handy for travel stitching!

... and tucks nicely in my little handbag!

I intend to finish the closure and pincushion for my Mini Needlecase by next week!

My knitting, although it is almost finished, has been sadly neglected whilst I've been deciding how to finish my Needlecase!

Hope you are getting more stitching done than I am!

Thank you for popping by, and don't forget to go and have a look at the amazing stitching of the other bloggers who have joined Super Mom - No Cape's link party.

Have a great week!

Hugs!

Barbara xx

Five on Friday

Hi there!

Thank you for your lovely comments on my blog last week, and I hope you won't mind me taking you on another walk around our wonderful Common. There is something different to see every time we visit!

Linking to Amy's Love Made My Home, my Five on Friday are:

1. Gliders
2. Gates
3. Ancient woodland
4. A possible WWII bomb crater
5. Old R Whites lemonade bottles

This Friday we had another cold but bright day here in SE England, and DH and I made a point of taking a refreshing walk, while the sun shone.

The gliders were flying again today!

There are so many different gates, and this well worn track is the route the Commons' Rangers' use when transporting the sheep and cattle that are kept here.

Leading to the old airfield.

We walked through some trees where volunteers have been clearing the shrubs to improve conditions for this Ancient Woodland. Bluebells are already beginning to sprout from the leafmould.

This tree could be growing out of what we
 consider to be a  bomb crater
- other bomb craters are visible elsewhere.

The woodland is situated at the end of an airfield which was heavily bombed during the Battle of Britain (in WWII).  The worst occurence happened on what is known famously as "The longest day", when the air raid was particularly severe.

The volunteer group has been really busy.
The log piles are being left
for beetles and other wildlife to live in.

How old this tree must be! 

The bottle on the left could be
an old milk bottle.

In amongst the trees we spotted these old bottles.  On the one on the right (green one) we could make out R WHITES.  It looked like someone had been trying to dig them out. DH had a go at pulling them out too! They were stuck fast. I think the tree roots must be growing into them.

Once back home, I googled R Whites' bottles and found a blog with some information on the bottles and then wondered how old they would be and whether anyone was selling or buying them. I found them on eBay but they are only worth about £2, in good condition, and then depending on whether they were clear or green glass, and this one looks green.

The writing says "WHITE"

Another old bottle, can you see how thick
 the glass was? Possibly 6mm!

Then it was one gate after another! ......

..... leading us back home!

Thank you for taking the time to visit me today, and if you haven't visited Amy's, Love Made My Home yet, I recommend that you take a little time to pop over and see what others have to say on "Five on Friday".

Maybe another week you might like to join in too!

I wish you all a Very Happy Weekend, and I hope to see you again soon.

Hugs!

Barbara xx

Winter's walk - Five on Friday

Hello Dear Reader,

I'm afraid I'm late as usual! But I wanted to congratulate Dear Amy, of Love Made my Home, on the first anniversary of her very successful "Five on Friday"!

There is still time, this week, if you would like to join in, as Amy is keeping the link open until 7pm UK Time on Thursday 25th February, 2016.

She has crocheted a lovely heart garland giveaway for this special link-up!

You can read how Amy's link-up works here.

**********

Without further ado here is, or should it be are, (?) my "Five on Friday":


These are a few photographs I took this week at the end of a gloriously sunny, but extremely cold day.

All pictures were taken around the edge of our little local airfield.

The glorious view that met us at the summit of the hill 

As we were admiring the view a glider had just taken off -
not easy to photograph, when the target keeps moving!

There are always plenty of dog walkers around,
enjoying the freedom of the open space. 

Just managed to catch the last glider of the day landing!

Still trying to get that perfect shot!

I took lots more pictures, but I think "Five" is probably just enough to show what a lovely afternoon/early evening it was!


Here's wishing you many more "Five on Friday"'s Amy! Thank you for running your link-up!


And for any stitchers amongst you, I hope to be back here tomorrow, if the light is good enough for some photos!

Hugs!



Barbara xx