Please keep checking your bank statements/transactions

(Sad face from: http://www.adventureswithwords.com/2014/11/podcast-sad-face/  Angry face from:  http://agk.wikia.com/wiki/File:Angry_face.png )

Here's how I'm feeling today!
I called in to the bank this morning, as I do pretty much every week, to keep an eye on my spending and on my accounts generally. Today, there were some payments on one account which I did not make.  So, I went to the counter and the account was checked for me.  It seems that someone had got hold of my card details from the internet and had been having a lovely time spending my hard earned money.  (Some of the things they had been spending on were just not very nice.)  My card was blocked immediately and I now need to keep checking the account as the payments were pending and until they appear on the account statement, the bank aren't able to start fraud investigations.  I was assured that my money was safe, despite appearances to the contrary.  So, I'll be back at the bank on Thursday to check again.
Please do keep a close eye on your accounts and make sure you know what you are spending and what payments you have made.  It is a really horrible and shocking experience and is awful to know that someone has your card details and is spending your money on whatever they want. I'll keep you posted with any developments.

More experiments

I have been busily sewing more stock for the craft fair in November, which is creeping ever closer.  I am going to get some business cards and postcards printed up soon and then I'll need to get on with the packaging.  I'm glad that I still have a few months to prepare.
I enjoy block printing and was wondering whether I could use my Blockwallah wooden blocks on my felt, to give a different look.  So, I tried, using acrylic paint which can be heat set for fabric and fabric paint.  I had to press the blocks firmly, but was encouraged by the results.

 Some of the images worked more effectively than others.  They have all been heat set, so the paint shouldn't come off.    I also wondered whether a bit of embroidering might add a little something extra, or some beads... I will probably make these into little decorations or bag charms.

 I liked the multicoloured images.  I have now bought some screen printing ink for fabric, which I am hoping will work well (more experimenting to come) and I have lots of ideas floating around in my head for felted backgrounds with printing on top.  I do have some time off in August so will enjoy more experimenting then.

Hydrangeas

It is hydrangea time in the garden and as, in the past, (whisper) I didn't really like them and so did them a bit of a disservice, I feel it is only right to focus on them now.  I have completely changed my opinion of them now and have several in the garden, mainly in pots.  Above is a lovely pure white one, either 'Coco' or 'Fireworks' - I lost the label.

 This one, 'Diamant Rouge' is one I bought last year and haven't seen the flowers yet, so am eagerly watching them to see what colours I get - judging from the name, I'm expecting red.

This is Merveille Sanguine and I like the way the bracts change colour from cream with a hint of green to bright pink.

 This is 'Dark Angel' which is moody and magnificent with its purple shaded leaves.  Again, it has cream and then pink bracts but it also has blue/purple flowers.

 I hadn't really noticed these before but they are stunning...

 Each flower looks like it has been outlined with white.

Finally for now is my favourite (don't tell the others), the only one planted in the border and always reliable, Arborescens Annabelle.  Beautiful, huge creamy white with a hint of green flowers.  I pruned her back (I have to call her, 'her') quite harshly in late Spring, but she has rewarded me by flowering beautifully.

Just stunning.  I enjoy the way that hydrangea flowers fade during the autumn too, so have no doubt they will appear again then.  I am really pleased that I have embraced hydrangeas - I would have missed so much gorgeousness.

Sheep!

Not real sheep, I hasten to add.  I am working on items for a big craft fair in November and thought I could make some little sheep to sit on my stall alongside my other items.  "Surely it isn't that difficult to needle felt a sheep", I rather naively thought.   Well, after many hours needle felting, here is the first of what will be a small flock (I hope).

 For only my third ever attempt at needle felting, I am quite pleased with him.  I do need more practise, but that is to be expected.

He does have a character, doesn't he?  I am going to try to make some more with long fleeces and have purchased some Lincolnshire Longwool, which has curls in it.  I followed Jenny Barnett's book, 'Needle Felting Workshops' which gave excellent instructions, but I have a way to go until my sheep look like hers!