I'm back

Well, I'm back. You may have guessed that. And here's the sum total of all the work I did while away - one 4" watering can block (paper pieced). It's part of a garden themed block for the birthday block swap - I intend to do 4 x 4" squares, sashed as necessary to make up the total required size of the block (can't remember if she wants 12" or what, at the moment). I think the other three blocks will be flowers or flowers in baskets, but haven't decided for certain yet. I took my Carol Doak book and enough supplies to do all four blocks, but didn't get to it. Didn't do any cross-stitch, either, just read and helped around the house and played with the kids. Kind of relaxing, really - not that I'd want to do it TOO often, mind you...

On the right, two lovely birthday blocks from Nell, for my birthday month in the swap - I'm really pleased with how these blocks are turning out - they are going to look great together, I think. Lord knows what I'll do with them all, as I am going to have tons of them - perhaps I will tackle a double sided quilt.

These are some postcards I thought you all might enjoy - while up at MIL's house, we went to Snibston Discovery Park, which is essentially a kids museum type thing in an old colliery, but in addition to the interactive sciency-displays and displays on the history of coal mining and transport in the area, and an excellent outdoor play area (which it was too cold to really enjoy on this trip) they have a very good gallery on fashion - in some ways, I prefer it to the V&A - they don't have quite so many really old dresses, but they have an excellent variety and the blurbs are very good. They had a super display of various types of corsets, and the temporary exhibit at the moment was from a local, extensive scarf collection, some photos of which are below.

Will post new goals list and giveaway winner shortly.