Scotland is conquered and I'm off to Ireland!

A mountain covered in heather and Douglas Fir later, I have completed the Scotland portion of the Trip Book cover.   Wasn't it amazing that the Anchor blue ombre thread so kindly formed a cloud for me ?!   This has been fun to do - even though my eyes are rather tired and I may have developed a semi permanent squint!  And so I need to go back to Ireland and finish their castles!

I have made an appointment to visit the optometrist next month and will get new "ordinary" spectacles as well as new "embroidery" spectacles.   From past experience I know this will be fraught with all sorts of difficulties - how can I choose frames well when I haven't got my spectacles on to see them?  Then there is the wait!   My lenses are made by Zweiss in Germany and take forever a long time to arrive back here in New Zealand, by which time I have forgotten what the chosen frames look like and there is always a moment of dismay when I try the completed spectacles on and think "did I choose these?"

My canvas work is progressing but I am no more in love with it now than I was at the beginning.   However in saying that I am pleased I have made the effort to try this technique - even if I never repeat it.  Working with wool and with a stiff canvas is proving hard on my fingers and thumbs so I am not able to speed along on this one.   I tried out a different colour in the top left corner but I don't like it so out it will come.

While prodding plodding along on the canvas work, I had an inspiration on what to do with the "two sides" I had made of Judy O'Dells Jewellery Box.   Judy decided midway to call a halt on this project, so I was left with two pieces and no inspiration till now.   But I only need a zipper, some doctors flannel, some suitable lining fabric and some time and voila this will be another finish.  Watch this space.

In the weekend I have promised to take the HD3QBEM shopping but hope to find time to do some sewing as well.  The bottom half of 'The Dress' needs to be done and I have two lengths of fabric to make into skirts. Ah -  so many projects so little time!  The floral piece will be a basic skirt to wear with a cotton T shirt but I am undecided on how to treat the striped silk.   I bought this fabric in Adelaide 8 or 9 years ago and have never been able to decide on what to wear with it. Perhaps this time I have the solution as am knitting a lacy cotton top in the turquoise/aqua but am keeping my eyes open for a duponi silk to match the wine/plum stripe.  If you see me lurking in fabric shops with a scrap of silk you'll know why!
And as I have a good book to read, I am off to soak my aching muscles and curl up in bed.   Good night all.