Blink and you'll miss it

That's what happened to April- I must have blinked! Seriously things have been hectic (I am mistress of the under-statement!). Firstly I am VERY behind with my City and Guilds work. I have however had all of my counted thread work signed off, the last being this canvas work sample taken from a collage I made for my 'colour' module. I am still enjoying the course, when I can suppress the panic.
I have a list as long as your arm of things to be done but book reviews took a massive leap up the list when this beauty dropped into my hands this morning and quite literally made me gasp. Actually Anna has mis-heard someone saying OMG, (which I HATE) and now says OMCheese, when stunned. It is infectious- so I said OMCheese while I leafed through this beauty- I want to knit it all.
I feel I need to further justify my absence- hectic just doesn't seem to express it- this is the view in my tiny back yard. We have had some building work done and now the garden is getting the treatment, I cannot recommend builders sand as a floor covering for any room in the house- but I can recommend our gardeners who are simply lovely.

I have also been trying to keep up with supplying the charity shop with bunting. I do love making it, it is a very naughty distraction.

Finally I want to show you what I made on a residential weekend organised by our Embroiderers Guild branch. I spent a weekend making this seascape with Carol Naylor. I loved it. Carol's technique is to wind a heavy thread onto the spool of the machine and work upside down to effectively couch with the machine. I am terrified of machine embroidery, actually that should read I was terrified. I seriously loved this technique and was really pleased at how well my darling machine coped. I have a much more colourful design mapped out to play with- when I get time- which I plan to cut up for a cuff and some earrings. If only there was more time! Add that the wedding is only three months away and I have decided to make myself some jewellery and bouquets for myself and Anna and I think that there may be some more 'Aprils' to come. Let's just hope I don't blink and miss the wedding!