Nativity or Belen

I have just finished putting up my own version of the nativity, in the spanish tradition. I have enjoyed making up the pattern s for the figures and knitting them over the course of the year.
Merry Christmas everyone :)

Life in Competa

Yesterday dave and I changed the plant pots outside the house. They looked very nice in the sunshine. Then I went to our sewing group meeting. I had the key as my friend had been away last week.
We were a mixed group too.. spanish, german, dutch, and English all enjoying sewing our projects.
Today I went to play our fortnightly scrabble game... and managed to win twice. :)

Draught excluder

Dave and I went to Torre del Mar on Friday to get our permanent spanish resedencia certificates.  We had an early start to the day,  six o clock to get the bus.  Anne from the Assessoria made the process very easy and quick.
I am making a draught excluder and have decided to machine applique some fish on the front. It is going to be a quarter circle shape to minimise the draught underneath the door. Here it is so far...

Sewing group

We have begun a little sewing group here in Competa. We met last week but the sevillana class were using the room so we have changed our day to Wednesday.
It will be interesting to see what people bring to do...
:))

Finished kindle cover

Here is a couple of photos of the finished cover for my kindle.
We are now looking forward to seeing our daughter and her fiancé.
Dave and I have also booked a holiday for next year... the first one we have had since moving to Cómpeta.

Patchwork kindle cover

I have begun to make a cover for my kindle.  I have made the front and back sections and will buy a zip at the local hardware shop tomorrow to match the colours I have used..
Looking good so far..
Today is a bank holiday here in the village so it is a bit quiet. No school or knitting club either
The weather has begun to slowly change to autumn too.

Oil painting

I have just finished a painting in oils which has kept me occupied for a while.  It is quite large 19 1/2 x24 " and I may call it 'waves"
It needs to dry for a few weeks now.

Patchwork shopping bag

You may have seen the scrappy patchwork I began the other day to make a new shopping bag.
Tah dah!! It is now finished... quilted, lined and has a pocket for my phone and glasses.
Sadly tomorrow is Sunday so it will not have a trip to the shops until Monday morning.
I found a brilliant tutorial on pinterest for making sturdy handles with rope inside.
It has been raining overnight and showery this afternoon, but the forecast for next week in Competa is sunny...

Magnetic draught excluder

We have a metal front door to our home, which over the course of several years had warped with the heat. We found it hard to close and had it fixed. This left a gap in between the two doors. .
Thinking we would have to get stick on draught excluder did not sit well..
Dave suggested that I made one, using magnets, and I came up with the idea of using magnetic handbag closers to fix it in place.
I measured the edge, cut material with 1/4" seams, attached the bag closers, 5 spaced evenly, filled it with kapok and sewed it closed.
Result!!!!! The draught excluder fits perfectly and we are waiting for a bit of draught to test it out.
Also today is our 32nd wedding anniversary. .
Thank you Dave for putting up with me love you loads xxx

Patchwork and a bit of cloud

Because it has been cloudy here in Competa today with a bit of a shower, I got the sewing machine out. I made some teeny 1 inch four patch blocks from a small bit of my scrap material collection.
I spent the afternoon sewing the blocks together with a dark navy sashing.
Here is the result, the back and front part of the new shopping bag, sitting on the ironing board.

Carpets and a shepherd

Using some bought t shirt yarn, and a size 10 crochet hook, I have made two carpets for the side of the bed. The colour matches the wall in the bedroom. No more putting our feet onto the cold floor...
I am also excited as I have ordered a full set of crochet hooks from e bay.. all in a case :)
Meanwhile I have made s shepherd to go with the Nativity set too.

Birthday party

Last night Dave and I went to our friend Ron's 80th birthday party which was held in the Museo Del Vino here in Competa. Ron was my first Spanish teacher who took the time and trouble every morning to try and help me.
As Ron is bilingual, so we enjoyed the company of several nationalities of friends, along with traditional Competenian music and flamenco dancing.
Ron and I enjoyed a dance too.
He has hung the oil painting (which I did for his birthday present) of his two dogs Buddy and Osito in his hallway so he can see it everyday.

Knitted Nativity

I have been keeping busy knitting some more caracters for the Nativity scene.
I have had to revamp the Virgin Mary, Joseph and two of the three kings as they were unable to stand up . I did try knitting some feet, but this didn't work, so I knitted a circular base for them.
The manger is made from string and a bit of esparto grass. I still need another king and some shepherds.
Dave and I are looking forward to Ron's Birthday party tomorrow. We have a present for him but cant post a photo until I have given it to him tomorrow.

Patchwork bag

I have been making a patchwork bag with the left over material from the large bag we made in our patchwork group.
It has a pocket in the side, is quite roomy so I can fill it with the things I need to. I managed to bind all the edge with a continuous strip of bias which I made too. 

Knitted cardigan

I finidhed knitting myself a cardigan in the sparkly wool I bought over the Internet from BlackSheepWool.com
Who provide alltypes of wool and other craft items at a very good postage rate.
It was very easy to make up from a Sirdar pattern. It will also be handy for parties in the winter, where a bit of warmth may be needed.
The button was a bargain at only 20 cents in the local hardware store.

Purse

I have been getting a bit of a head start with this year's Christmas presents making another cute little purse to go with the other two I have already made.
It is a pattern from a kit we originally got in our patchwork group, and I havr altered the rabbit original to make a cat this time.

Day of the triffids

It has been a busy week for Cómpeta.  Night of the wine on Friday brought our village hundreds of tourists. They all enjoyed the local feria, celebrating with lots of local wine and migas.
We had lots of people taking photos of our front door too.
Today however thanks to Marilo in the florist, Dave and I managed to repot and wind a very long plant, tying it round a moss pole. It looks a lot better in its new guise.
Here are before and after photos.

Finished cushion

I finished the second of the two cushion covers we were given to complete as projects in our quilting class. We were given the choice of designs for the centre, and of course the stitchery colours and the quilted borders. I drew the heart shapes to echo the slightly deco border design. The colours of the cushion were chosen for us, so there will be a few of them in the village..
We have a high temperature alert today 40 degrees, so we are staying in the shade.

Bracelet

This afternoon I have been making myself a bracelet using up all the odds and ends of seed beads. Iam making it in a type if patchwork design. It is also very pleasant sitting in the breeze on the terrace.

Watercolour boats

Our neighbour Patiencia has arrived from Barcelona with her family for the summer. We have known them for several years now, and she was telling me on Friday that it was her 34th wedding anniversary. Dave and I congratulated her and gave them a watercolour painting of the church tower as a present. She told me that she loved it and it will take pride of place in the dining room in Barcelona so she can see the pueblo every day. Wow!!!
This encouraged me  to paint this picture of a couple of boats as I have not painted for a couple of weeks.

Quilting another cushion

Yesterday I finished my ironing from our mini holiday in 30 degrees. This was in the cool shade of the kitchen. Phew!!
Despite not liking stitchery I am also finishing the second of the two cushions we were all given in our patchwork group. I have just begun to quilt the borders.
Here is the progress so far!

Mini break

Lucy and Matthew left yesterday and will be back at work this morning. We all had a great time at the hotel Mainake here in Torre del Mar here are a few photos. This is our last day here :( but we will be back home in Competa tomorrow :)

Tapas on the terrace

Here's a picture of the tapas Lucy, Mathew, dave and I ate on the terrace tonight delicious. The aubergine and pepper supplied by our neighbour Carmen too mmm

Hot hot hot

The temperature here in Competa is getting hotter every day. This afternoon it is 32 degrees.
I also got a surprise gift from one of my Spanish friends yesterday, an infusion mug set for making tea. Thank you so much! I love it!
Tonight Dave and I are having a couple of friends round for drinks and tapas on the terrace, and to show our appreciation as they will very kindly be watering our plants while we are away next week with Lucy and Matthew for a few days.

Watercolour experiment

Here is my latest watercolour painting. I have experimented with the use of negative space to outline the subject of pomegranates. I had to stop myself from over painting and muddying the colours.
I will definitely use this technique again. At this time of year the paint dries really quickly due to the heat so I had to keep the paper wet.
Any comments would be appreciated thanks.

Watercolour paintings

Today after we had been shopping in the local market, I painted some frames that I had bought earlier in the year gold, which really covered the old brown plastic.
I then put in two watercolour and ink sketches I finished yesterday and changed the  frame of the one I hung up the other day to  match.
Here are a few  photos of the results.