Spring stitch and craft show at Olympia

 I was tempted to try a new craft!!

Some of the beautiful quilts on display at the show

 Exhibits from the competition to knit flowers

 I love this one!

 These are amazing too

 More purchases.Beautiful German sock wool

 A selection of embroidery hoops.I love the ones with hanging hooks

 I couldn't resist this material

 or these buttons

This embroidery silk feels so soft and silky and beautiful colour ranges

 loving these too!

I couldn't resist buying this kit as I fell in love with the images and the blue colour scheme.

52 books 16

16.  The Happiness Project  by Gretchen Rubin

This book was one my daughter read. I read it in a day! This book is full of insights and meticulously researched. I loved the way it was written with each month devoted to a different aspect of gaining happiness in your life.As an aspiring blogger, I loved all the included blog comments and the fact that her own search for happiness helped a lot of other people along the way.The insights into clutter and shopping were fascinating. A book to keep and reread.

52 books 15

15.  Citadel by Kate Mosse


I've read two of her previous books and loved the links between past and present, and the sense of suspense and menace and of mysticism .Citadel was set in wartime France and detailed a small group of women's involvement in the French resistance. The pain and carnage of war, love and separation, fear and courage, this was so sad, and even writing this brings tears to my eyes. Kate Mosse is a very talented writer.

Postcrossing selection

 I love this beautiful Japanese card from Germany

 French butterflies

 Not postcrossing but a great view of Verona

 Another unusual card from U.S.A

 swans in the Netherlands

 Kookaburra

 Kyoto

 Kiev

 Lithuania

Beautiful Belarus birds!

lacy cowl

This is a lacy cowl I knitted for my niece's birthday using beautiful noro wool and 5mm needles.I adapted a scarf pattern from the pattern book " Wendy knits lace " which has lots of patterns I'd like to knit! I'm just starting a more complicated lace pattern now. Pictures to follow when completed.