Another productive May is over ....

I have been busy sewing again this month, so the cold Spring here in the UK has it's advantages as I can sit at my sewing machine in my studio without that nagging feeling of guilt - maybe I should be gardening?!  In this cold wet weather - no way!  But on this, the last day of May, the sun is shining and there is a feeling of warmth in the air down here in Devon - fabulous!  Maybe it is time to start planting those geraniums!
Earlier this month I discovered these beautiful blue and white fabrics:

And this is the end result:

I have to say that I am totally "in love" with this quilt!  Just the border to finish and then off for long-arm quilting:  it is 90 ins square, so really big.
My friend Joy was kind enough to quilt my sampler lap quilt, and I am just so thrilled with how it has turned out:

I have also cross-stitched yet another wedding sampler, and finished my "Noah's Ark":  that is now at the framers and I will show you the finished framed result next week when I have collected it.

It was actually my birthday last week, and I had some amazing gifts:

you may be able to spot a wonderful new Scarlet Letter sampler among my goody pile:  my fingers are itching to start this glorious piece, and as soon as I have finished the current WIP I will begin "Country Life".  These birthdays just come along too fast!  But so many friends remembered, and the children spoilt me too so altogether a lovely day - I just wish I could go backwards in age!
Yesterday was such a glorious sunny warm day (at last!) - so my dear friend Lyn and I had a wonderful trip out:  we drove over to Dartmouth and visited two interesting National Trust properties:  "Greenacre" - the holiday home of Agatha Christie overlooking the River Dart:

and Coleton Fishacre which was built for the D'Oyly Carte family back in the 1920's:

Both houses were really interesting although totally different:  and the gardens and views were glorious.  We certainly picked the right day to visit.  I have just re-joined the National Trust and am determined to visit as many places as possible down here in the West Country and when I go on my travels up to Nottingham and or Surrey.  We are so fortunate here in the UK to have such a wealth of historic buildings and beautiful gardens.
Well it is June tomorrow, so lots to look forward to.  I am having a trip down to Cornwall to visit a friend, and then up to Nottingham to spend some time with my dear old Mum, and then the Wimbledon Tennis Championships at the end of the month - always a wonderful fortnight.
And of course it is the 60th anniversary of our Queen's coronation this weekend.  This historic day is my first childhood memory.  I can still picture myself sitting with my parents watching this amazing event on a TINY black and white television:  and many of my parents friends coming to watch with us.  What a wonderful day.

And now as the day is sunny and warm I am off to plant up some pots.

Thank you for visiting my Blog - your comments are so much appreciated and I wish you all a wonderful happy and hopefully sunny weekend.