Ronald the Elephant

I've had less time to sew now Faye's medication is kicking in and she is beginning to feel better and have a bit more energy. In fact last week we went to Suzhou, a canal city on the outskirts of Shanghai for a few days in a rather nice hotel. It feels as if life may be returning to some normality for her and her husband, which means it's time for me to go home!  I will of course be very sad to leave her, especially as we don't yet have all the answers to why she became ill but my DH is missing me and I am missing him and the dog!

That means I will have a long flight home (via Madrid this time which is a bit of a drag) and time to finish Ronald and hopefully do some more on my black work project.

In the meantime here is Ronald almost complete! I will link up with Kathy for some Slow Sunday Stitching

Have a lovely day.

Slow Sunday Stitching

I thought I would start off with a photo of these gorgeous bright happy sunflowers!  They were given to my daughter from her work colleagues and I just love them.  One of my all time favourite flower!  And the yellow and purple just look amazing together.

I started a new project while I was in France.  I've always wanted to have a go at Blackwork and this free pattern by Elizabeth Almond just appealed to me.  This one is called Pandora's Box and you can see more of her work, with lots of freebies at Blackwork Journey.  Blackwork should ideally be done on an even weave fabric but I find that really hard on my eyes and the pattern gives instructions for both even weave and Aida so I have gone for the easy option of 14 count Aida.  All I had to buy was five skeins of DMC thread as I had everything else!  I will link up with Kathy's blog for some Slow Sunday Stitching where you can see what other people are stitching today!

Shanghai!

 My posts have been few and far between. We had little internet connection in France and whereas in England and most other parts of Europe you can go into a cafe, order a coffee and use there internet, in France you have to pay quite a few euros and its not cafes but tourist information, not quite the same!  That aside we had a good time. Unfortunately it was cut short because my DD was back in hospital, three weeks on from her last stay. I didn't rush out last time she was in but a second time was too much for me to stay away. So here I am back in China! She came out of hospital on Sunday and has lots of appointments lined up and me being here means her husband can go back to work and worry slightly less!  That of course means I had another 12 hour flight to spend sewing and we've done lots of resting, chatting and of course more sewing!

Seeing elephant (for some unknown reason he is now called Ronald - no idea why) I realise how magnificent he it (and very pink!) Ive not much more to do on him but fortunately I have another project with me for when I do finish him!  If you want to see what Faye has been sewing since coming out of hospital have a look HERE