Ruby's Button Tin

It's getting nearer the weekend

I keep meaning to blog more often, but this week's been so busy at work I just flake out in the evening and don't get much done at all.  I've been slowly doing the odd bits of needlepoint, like this mainly blue tablemat, and piecing together hexagons for patchwork.  I'm amazed that some people blog every day.  How do they find the time!!?!!  Though I suppose they're just organized and don't fritter away valuable minutes doing Sudoku puzzles and looking at goofy cats on icanhazcheezburger. 

Last weekend was so lovely and sunny I spent Sunday morning up on the allotment.  I'm preparing a patch of ground to grow sweetcorn in.  How well it will do I've no idea.  So far I'm planning sweetcorn, courgettes, beans, some spuds and on the flower front - larkspur, lupins, marigolds and nasturtians.  (I don't think I've spelt that last one properly, but the dictionary's gone awol ...)  This is the view from my allotment patch:

 

On a good day it's a wonderful spot.  You hear lots of birdsong, and it's such a relaxing place to while away an hour or two. 

The only other things I've been doing (apart from scoffing way too many chocolate HobNobs) are reading 'The End of Mr Y' by Scarlet Thomas (weird, good, not sure where the story's going ...), posting more photos on Flickr (I heart Flickr!) and watching Sunset Boulevard again on my ancient video recorder.  Gloria Swanson - fabulous!!  What a gal. 

Just one more image to post, then I'm done for now ...

Another piece of fishy needlepoint in every colour of the rainbow.

Is it Easter yet?

  No, it isn't Easter yet, which is just as well 'cause this cushion isn't yet finished.  But can you believe Easter eggs in the shops already?  Actually I saw them on Boxing Day.  No, really!  Nuts, isn't it?  This cushion cover was purposely made with a limited palette of colours, and I think it'll look okay when I get around to embroidering on the bunny faces and assembling the whole thing.  I haven't been getting an awful lot of sewing done lately.  I've acquired a hacking cough, plus I've been seeing lots of films ('Slumdog Millionaire', 'The Wrestler', 'Che' among them) and reading, incluing 'The 19th Wife' - apologies for not having the author's name to hand, but it's a real eye opener about plural marriages even in modern day America.  So it's been a busy start to the year. 

(By the way, the annoying cough has only just been acquired, so most of the time I've not been the most irritating person in the cinema!) 

Blue and white needlepoint cushions

A couple of cushions mainly sewn with blue and white yarn. The stripey cushion has added sparkle from a silver thread with the alluring name of Goldfingering. This one reminds me of old quilt patterns.