Birthday

Today is my birthday, I have managed to reach the grand old age of 58!!
Where did the time go???
(I still think I'm 18...)
Anyway, I have so far..
Had a lovely long lie in
A bit of a pamper...
Had breakfast made by the gorgeous hubby...
opened a few birthday cards :D
Received a long phone call from my daughter..
and had lots of birthday wishes on facebook
and am looking forward to a bit of steak and a bottle of wine tonight too..
How lucky am I ???

Sunshine and rain

I finished this watercolour of the church tower.
I particularly like the way the brickwork on this one has turned out.

We had a mixture of weather here last week in Competa,
Tuesday, we had torrential rain, and only three of us made ot to the patchwork class. We decided to call it a day after an hour...

These are made with silver plated findings,
adventurine nuggets and glass beads.

These are genuine shells, with turquoise glass beads .On Thursday a friend called in to see me who I used to work with. The day was really sunny, so we sat in the plaza and had tapas for lunch. Despite asking for a parasol, I still managed to catch too much sun, just on one side of my face... Thank goodness for make up ha ha...

These earrings are gold plated, wire wrapped Swarovski
neon pearls 

 On Friday morning, I went and changed the display of jewellery in the Tetaria here in Competa, where I bumped into a friend. She asked me if I had any photos of my jewellery on the blog....
So many many thanks for the suggestion. Playing with the camera settings on my new phone, I managed eventually to get some shots of earrings...

And these earrings include shell and glass pearls

Knitting, sewing, painting and a merienda...

Friday was international ladies day.
To celebrate here in Competa, the ladies of the village decided to display all of their old wedding dresses, dating from over forty years ago. Previous to this date, we were told that the ladies usually could not afford special dresses to be married in, and usually just wore their 'Sunday best'.
I think that over 30 dresses were modelled by the younger ladies in the village, and the hall was packed for the event.
It was wonderful to see all the different styles of dresses, all introduced by the 'Alcalde' (local Mayor).
This was followed by a merienda, where we were all offered chocolate and freshly made churros mmm...
It was a wonderful photo opportunity, but unfortunately I was at the back of the hall, and my photographic skills with the new phone were sadly lacking...
So I have been practising...
I have begun to knit a lacy cowl for a friend, it has a pattern of a fan and is knitted on a circular needle.
Once I eventually read the pattern correctly, it is knitting up very quickly, using a chart is so much easier than reading instructions.

Here is an example of the lacy pattern

A different view of the church tower

I also started another view of the church tower, but as it has been raining here, I have had to delay if a bit until the light is better

and here is another dog I have made for my friend's new grandson.

Tunisian crochet

Yesterday I went to the knitting and crochet club. Most of the ladies who were there already have projects under way, so I decided to get my trusty readers digest book out and refreshed my memory on Tunisian crochet stitches.
This turns out to be a much thicker material than either knitting or crochet, and I enjoyed figuring out the patterns as it has been a few years since I did any.
Anyway, here is the result of my efforts...

This example shows Tunisian stocking stitch at both ends,
purl  on the  right,  crossed, rib and finally moss stitch

and here are the dogs.. nearly finished Only the green one needs a mouth.. ha ha..

Toy dogs and watercolours

Here is a painting I have begun of a guitarist and dancer

and another of La Casona restaurante here in Competa

They will both need both need to be framed.

I am trying to do a couple a week so I have a bit of stock built up to sell at the Easter market.

I have also been making some toy dogs to sell to raise funds for breast cancer charity.
The patchwork group has been making things to sell so that we can get material to make into heart shaped cushions which are given to ladies suffering from breast cancer
Here are a couple that need some faces sewn on

as you can see the material I have been using was donated from a shop that makes flamenco dresses, and I am trying to make each one different, although I do not want to make too many in case they do not sell.

The post lady also brought a delivery of jewellery findings that I was waiting for to complete an order.. so guess what I will be doing before I go to patchwork class this afternoon??? ha ha

Thanks to all visitors

I would just like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who has visited my blog for helping to attain over fifteen thousand pageviews... I am blown away...
Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to visit from various countries including..
United States
Spain
United Kingdom
Ireland,
Russia
Brazil
Malaysia
Ukraine
and Guernsey
I hope you will all return and visit me again soon
Thanks again
Ann x

Further progress with the window

I have painted a few more layers onto the watercolour painting of the window, so here is the progress so far.

I may have to deepen the shadows more, but as it is raining here today (much needed) the light is not too good and it may have to wait until tomorrow.
Anyway, it did not deter me from buying another block of watercolour paper ready for action.
Yesterday was a stange day, with the funeral of a friend. Following that was the knitting and crochet club, where I was called upon to show a crochet technique to one lady and demonstrate Tunisian crochet to another. Ana's mum had also finished the cardigan she has been knitting for herself. Following last week's crochet hat present, the lady who was given it gave a scarf she had knitted in return, I think we have a very nice group of people there? :D All very talented..
I also got an order yesterday to make some earrings to match a necklace that I sold last year, so I will do that this afternoon before the patchwork class