It's been a while and I'd like to plead pressure of work but, actually, I've been out and about doing pre-Christmas things. We spent a night in Windsor on the way back from a business meeting. The Travel Lodge is right in the town centre so we had a lovely meal (arrived mid-evening) and shopped the next day. Then went and walked along the Thames - great weekend.

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I'll draw a veil over the lunches with various groups, suffice to say that I'm on a strict diet! Yesterday I went to London to meet up with two friends and we took in the Columbia Road flower market. It was wonderfully colourful, as you can see - love the leaves on these cyclamen. Great design source. I can honestly say that I have never been so wet - it rained, it hailed, it sleeted and we were wet right through to our underclothes. And frozen! When we got back to friend one's house we had to borrow clothes while ours were put in the dryer. Lovely to catch up with everyone's news.

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These are photos of the birth of a lake. It is sited next to an existing lake very close to our house. Although so close we only discovered it fairly recently as it is well hidden and seems to be kept a secret. We see exciting birds there - great crested grebes, widgeon, tufted ducks and lots of herons and cormorants. they are making an enormous new lake next to this one.

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Here is the stage they are at with the new lake. It will be filled in January if the rain doesn't beat them to it. I'll take pics when it is done.

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Tomorrow is exciting as it is the first issue of the new, combined, Workshop on the Web and Quiltwow mags. Here's a pic from Jan Beaney's article - she's got some great ideas.
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Having a catch-up day at home today.

HDD - It was a little mall linking the main road with a back road leading to the big West Quay development. Don't know the name but it was really pretty.


Pauline - I shall have to find the loo app. Need that one to go nationwide. My favourite one is 'Sleeps to Christmas' (always reminds me of Doreen). As well as playing a carol and counting down the sleeps, it also plays sleigh bells when you shake the iphone.

Thanks to all for mentions of Harrogate on blogs.

Back to normal at last with Broadband. Boy, do you miss it when it's gone.

Heather – Yes, I think Sue Rangeley’s work is wonderful. Her drawings and fashion sketches are so very good and we’ve angled the book to show how she moves from inspiration, through studio work to sampling and finished pieces. Then there is a section to show the techniques in detail. There is an excitement about Isobel’s book too, but I will wait until I’ve met up with her next week to tell you about that.

Had such a giggle about the book on the Amazon, JP. Hope it had enough in the way of pics to be an inspiration.

I’m still enjoying card making for the WoW gift subs. Sometimes the simplest things work really well – this one is just a hand stitched strap made from silk carrier rods with some couching and a metallic leaf.

Thanks for the good wishes. I'm much better now. New Sue Rangeley book out in January and we'll hopefully have one from Isobel Hall, too. There is a rumour that she might do free classes. Fingers crossed.

I've not had a good week. A gum infection left me crumpled on the sofa for most of the week and not only was it painful but I looked like something from a Sci-Fi film. Half human, half hamster!