pattern cutting

Sunday Sevens #113 10.12.17

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Hello there, I do hope it’s been a good week for you. Thankfully this week has been a bit calmer than the one before for me, the Littlest Postcards had Thursday and Friday off school due to in-service days and a Roman Catholic holiday so that helped a lot with the rising chaos in the run up to Christmas.

Here’s this week’s edition of Sunday Sevens…

Caleta Christmas Craft Fair

It was a beautiful day last Sunday as we headed to Catalan Bay and the Caleta Hotel (the white building on the left – for anyone unfamiliar with Gibraltar). The Hotel hosted a Christmas craft fair last weekend and we popped in on Sunday to visit a friend of ours who makes lovely jewelry with Swarovski crystals as well as painting and sewing.

Sea creatures

I was very fortunate this week to be asked to help on a school trip. The trip was to the seaside to hear the Nautilus Project speak about the sea creatures who occupy the waters around our Rock. It was fascinating and I learned all sorts of new things, like for example; starfish have an eye at the tip of each leg, which means these starfish (above) have 5 eyes each! Apart from the starfish which had a sixth leg (s/he has six).

Drafting patterns

My pattern drawing continued this week at my Dressmaking class and ladies and gentlemen, I have gone a-symmetrical! I am hoping to make a dress with only one shoulder in it. I was inspired by a lovely dress worn by Claudia Winkleman on Strictly a few weeks back. Not sure it will be up to Strictly standards when I’m finished with it, but it’s worth a try!

Charity crafty coffee morning

On Wednesday (my last child-free day this week), I popped into the Arts & Crafts Centre for their charity coffee morning in aid of GibSams (Gibraltar Samaritans). The charity has only been operational for a few months and offers a phone support line Monday – Friday evenings at the moment, although it’s hoped that will be able to expand to 7 days a week in due course.

It was lovely to be able to have a chat, eat delicious Christmas biscuits, pick up a few Christmas gifts and support a great cause at the same time!

Sadly, I forgot to take a photo at the coffee morning but as I returned to my car I caught this view of the Bay framed by the arch of the multistory carpark. I thought it looked rather picturesque even for a dull day.

Another Christmas crochet project started…

A bit last minute I know, but I’ve just started another Christmas present…. will I finish it in time for the last post? I hope so….

It’s up!

I have finally accepted the fact that Christmas is a lot closer than I would like it to be, and we put up the Christmas tree yesterday. I was going to dig out our old artificial one, but Mr Postcard surprised me when he returned from the shops with this chubby beauty. Isn’t it cute?

That’s all for this week’s Sunday Sevens, I wonder what next week will have in store for us?

I’m linking with Natalie at Threads & Bobbins who created the Sunday Sevens blog series.

Sunday Sevens #112 3.12.17

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Hello and happy Sunday to you. Crikey, we’re on the third door of the advent calendar already!!!!

I say this every week, I know, but it has been a busy one this week. As you were short changed a couple of weeks ago with a Sunday Six, I’ve spoiled you with a Sunday Eights this week!

Sunday fun

Last Sunday afternoon we did something we haven’t done for ages… bowling. We had a good laugh, well those of us who don’t mind losing did! I am officially rubbish at bowling and got whooped by one of my off-spring.

A cheery crochet start to the week.

This Monday, amazingly I had nothing in the diary to do while the Little Postcards were at school – what luxury. I did feel a teensy bit guilty about not finding something household related to do, but it didn’t last long as I was able to sit down uninterrupted and do some work on my latest Little Box of Crochet project.

Here comes the rain.

I know it’s all my fault mentioning the rain last week… it arrived on Tuesday and came down like a monsoon on Wednesday. This lovely rainbow greeted us as we set off on the school run on Tuesday.

New sewing project

As I finished my blouse at last week’s Dressmaking lesson, it was time to begin drawing a pattern for my next project – a dress. I find this part of the process the hardest of all. I was pretty brain dead after 3 hours of calculations and drawing.

It’s finished at last!

At my watercolour class this week I finished my painting of town. It’s not perfect or completely accurate but I like it and it was fun to paint.

Convent Christmas craft fair

It was the annual Convent Christmas Fair on Thursday and it didn’t disappoint. One of the new stalls this year was by the education team at the Alameda Botanic Gardens. They had made these beautiful Christmas decorations out of reclaimed wood. The Convent Christmas Fair is a major fixture in the social calendar on the Rock, you can read about previous years’ fairs here and here.

A pretty Christmas pud

My lovely group of girlies went out for an early Christmas dinner on Friday night. A great evening was had by all (some even danced a bit). I had this pretty Christmas pud which was eyed enviously by my panacotta eating neighbour!

Another weekend, another sunny match

Can you feel the heat of the sun off this photo? 😉 It was so lovely and warm at yesterday morning’s football match, I had gone dressed in several layers of clothes because first thing in the morning we are down to single figures on the thermometer (I know that sounds positively tropical for those of you up North – but it felt cold to me!). I ended up having to strip off mid match! (Perhaps I should rephrase that – I took my coat & scarf off!!)

So, that’s it for this week. Another week closer to Christmas  – eek!

I’m linking with Natalie at Threads and Bobbins for this weekly blog series.

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Sunday Sevens #85 28.5.17

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I can’t start Sunday Sevens without mentioning Manchester, I was born and brought up in Greater Manchester and like everyone was shocked and deeply saddened by what happened on Monday night. My thoughts are with all those affected.  I am so proud though, of the way Mancunians have reacted to this atrocity. 

Gibraltar stood in solidarity with those who were affected with a minute’s silence on Friday and flags have been flying at half mast all week.

Now, onto the rest of this week’s Sunday Sevens…

Breakfast al fresco 

On Monday morning I got the chance to do something I haven’t done for a very long time; a breakfast date with Mr Postcard. It was a beautifully sunny morning and we sat outside to enjoy our eggs – it was delicious! 

Back to the drawing board


Now my dress has been completed at my dressmaking class, it means pattern drawing time again. It doesn’t look much like a blouse yet, but who knows where I’ll end up! 

How many boats?

I spied this out in the Bay this week. That’s a heck of a lot of boats having a piggy back on a big boat!

Seashells 

The summery weather we’ve been enjoying this week inspired us to paint some seashells at watercolour class. I really enjoyed painting these. Sometimes you try really hard and make a mess and other times you relax, go with the flow and it just works. 

Summer’s here

The sunny weather meant a trip to the park  one evening. The Little Postcards were full of energy so we went to play an early evening game of football before bed. It was grass stains galore but they had fun. The sun can only mean one thing; it’s almost time to unleash my pasty white knees on the unsuspecting public. Apologies in advance…

I’ve voted!


My postal ballot paper for the U.K. General Election made it over to Gibraltar this week. I was so happy to be able to mark my X in the box of my choice. If you want to have a say in the result, please vote! Women died so that I could have the chance to vote.

Sunday Sevens is a weekly blog series created by Natalie at Threads & Bobbins.

Sunday Sevens #50 25.9.16

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My week began admiring a sand sculpture on Sandy Bay Beach and ended back in my childhood bedroom exhausted from the excitement of visiting Yarndale for the first time…

Sandy Bay sand sculpture 

On Sunday we took a detour down to Sandy Bay beach to admire a new sand sculpture which had been created to raise funds and awareness for Prostate Cancer. 

We arrived once the work was completed and shortly before Miss Gibraltar 2016 and her Princesses emerged from their make-up tent for a photo shoot. 

The sculpture was of the Nautilus and giant squid from the Jules Verne story; 20,000 Leagues under the Sea. It was really quite something and admired by the beach goers.

Med Steps the return


On Mondays morning I felt guilty seeing all the keen fit mums in Lycra on the school run. I had been planning to return home to laundry, vacuuming and general boring stuff and thought sod it, I’ll get my trainers out… It was the perfect morning, cool and overcast. I hadn’t been up the Med Steps since early June, so I seized the moment and did it. 

I was very pleased with myself, I completed the climb only 15 minutes or so slower than my fastest time during Med Steps 5 training. I think it was rather unfair though that extra steps were added and the gradient made steeper over the summer holidays 😉 (if only that were the case!).

Sunsets


September is definitely the month for sunsets in these parts and we’ve had some belters this week. I got a phone call on Tuesday evening from Mr Postcard to look out of the window to see the pink and purple sky (I was already out on the balcony taking a photo when he called!).

Dressmaking


My dressmaking course continued this week with more pattern making and cutting ready for our first sample top. Fabric has been bought and sewing should begin next week.

Comedy in a cave

This week the comedian, Mark Steel, brought his BBC Radio 4 show to Gibraltar. Each episode he does a show in a different town after spending a few days there learning the history and soaking up the atmosphere and character of the place.

He recorded his show in St Michael’s Cave in the heart of the Rock of Gibraltar to an audience of local residents and many stalactites. 

It was the first time Mr Postcard and I had been able to attend an event in the cave plus it was something we were very interested in so we jumped at the chance to go along. The show was really well researched and at times, hysterically funny.

If you want to listen to the show, Mark Steel’s in town (Gibraltar edition) is being broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on Wednesday 12th October.

The Rock at night 


I had never been on the Upper Rock after dark until Thursday, when we were watching Mark Steel’s show being recorded. It was absolutely beautiful to see the town lit up below us. 

Being so high up gave us a great vantage point to see the street lights in Morrocco across the Strait of Gibraltar. The height also meant we’d escaped light pollution we experience down where we live to be able to see a clear sky of twinkling stars – it was really special.

Yarndale


Wow, what can I say about Yarndale? Well it was all I’d hoped it would be and more. I’m still a little overwhelmed by it all after spending the last three years admiring it from afar. 

A late flight from Gibraltar on Friday and an early start yesterday to get across the Pennines mean I’m still a bit tired even after a lie in this morning. 

So much happened yesterday and I met some really lovely people too. There was Yarnbombing of a scale and quality which astounded me and so much yarn in so many colours and types that they boggle the mind.

When I get back home to Gibraltar I’ll be posting loads of pictures and promise to tell you all about it.

Here’s another (larger) photo of Shaun the sheep knitting on a Thirsk Yarnbombers yarn bombed bollard for you to enjoy – isn’t he amazing?


Sunday sevens is a weekly blog series created by Natalie at Threads & Bobbins blog.

Sunday sevens #32 22.5.16

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Hello there, I do hope you’re having a good weekend. Well summer seems to have arrived here in Gibraltar this week, Thursday saw the hottest day of the year so far, with highs of 26 degrees. The flip flops are out, the toenails are painted and we’ve had our first barbecue of the year!

Sunday Sevens is a weekly blog series which features seven photos from the last seven days. It was devised by Natalie at Threads & Bobbins blog. Pop over to her blog to find out how you can join in.

Sunday = rest day!

After the exertions of the Med Steps 5 Challenge last Saturday, Sunday was a rather quiet and stationary affair. We did manage a walk to the botanical gardens and a trip to the supermarket but mainly it was spent at home. We made a pleasant discovery on our balcony when we found that this flower had opened without us even noticing the bud had formed. I do love my hibiscus.

Watercolour class

This week we continued our study of orchids. I finished off last week’s attempt and worked on a couple of other styles too. Still more work to do on these though…

Dressmaking class


I have done absolutely no sewing at all in my dressmaking class for the last two weeks – it’s been exam time (well sort of). In order to test the knowledge we have gleaned so far, we were given a series of skirts to make mini paper patterns for. It was just to reinforce what we already know and to push us a little to experiment and consider how other styles we haven’t yet tried are put together. 

The first few were relatively easy. The last two though, my word – my brain hurt! (The one above was one of the tricky ones). I had to go outside and have a walk to try and process what I was trying to achieve. I’m pleased to say that with a little gentle pushing in the right direction by our lovely teacher, I got there in the end. I was a bit of a zombie for the rest of the day though – I only seem to have limited brain cells available these days!!

Town scenter florals


Town scenter… do you like what I did there? No? Sorry, I won’t do it again! Walking through the new park in the centre of town this week I was overwhelmed by the beautiful scent of Jasmine. The old wall, the entire length of the park, has been planted up with Jasmine and they are in bloom right now. They look beautiful against the old brickwork and the smell is amazing. 

Crochet crazy


Wednesday was rather pleasingly filled with crochet loveliness. First, I had a lovely response to my Med Steps Crochet wreath post. The highlight being that Lucy from Attic24 who had inspired me to have a go in the first place said on Instagram that she thought it was lovely! Hurrah for that – it made my day 🙂

Secondly, I went to the post office to collect my latest edition of Simply  Crochet magazine which contained a kit to make a bright flower brooch. I had intended to crack on with my spring cleaning, but got ever so slightly distracted 😉

Med Steps… a return trip.


I did say in my last post that I would stop going on about the Med Steps but it would appear from many of your lovely comments that you’ve become rather attached to them. Well I guess I have too, as on Thursday morning I took a walk up there again. It was a lot quieter than last Saturday and it was a lot hotter too. I think I may have to stop the morning walks there as the sun’s beating down on you at that time. An alternative route will be found and Med Steps will soon have to become an afternoon or evening destination.

I was thrilled to find out this week that the Med Steps 5 Challenge raised over £7,000 for the Gibraltar Cancer Relief Centre. Our little gang of girls who walked up the Rock together managed to raise a fair chunk of that, over £1,700, which is utterly amazing to me. Our lovely friends and families have been so generous as well as a few lovely ‘blogland’ friends too. (I didn’t ask for sponsorship through the blog as I don’t like to, but a handful of lovely people actually contacted me and asked if they could support our efforts). Thank you all for helping us to help this wonderful cause. Xxx

He’s back!


Our eldest arrived back safe and sound from his week away in England with school. He had an amazing time rafting, canoeing, quad biking and learning archery among many other exciting things. I know he and his friends have made precious memories which they will cherish well into adulthood. Thank you to the teachers for looking after their precious cargo so well and bringing them safely back home to our families.

It’s been a busy week here chez Postcard, I wonder what the next seven days hold in store? Until next time, thanks for stopping by…

Sunday Sevens #22 13.3.16

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Sunday Sevens is a weekly blog series inspired by Natalie at  Threads & Bobbins blog. If you fancy joining in pop over to her blog to find out more. 

This week, we’ve had company…

Cake!! 

 Remember that lemon curd I made a couple of weeks ago? Well the last of it was used to fill this sponge to celebrate a visit by my Mum & Dad this week. Mmmm it was yummy and it was so lovely to have a visit from these very special people. The little Postcards do miss out on ‘grandparent time’ by living so far away from them, but we have absolutely made the most of our time together. 

Pattern creation for a new skirt.

There wasn’t any sewing to show for my dressmaking class this week. After last week’s triumph of completing my full circle skirt, it was time to embark on the latest adventure and that is a panelled skirt which will flare out from the hip. I have still got a bit of cutting and sticking to do for my homework adding my seam allowances etc, but I’m looking forward to doing some fabric shopping soon and getting cracking at my next lesson. (My home furnishing class didn’t yield anything exciting either this week but hopefully I’ll be ready to reveal my current curtain soon!)

Freesias

 One evening this week, I attended a function at the Rock Hotel. When I was walking up the path to the front door I was struck by the strong scent of freesias. I love freesias – both my Mum and myself had them in our wedding bouquets. I couldn’t understand why I was smelling them though as I was walking along outside until I spotted these unassuming white blooms. If only I could convey the gorgeous smell that was in the evening air at that moment – it was so lovely!

A sunset swimming lesson  Normally my mid week early evening routine involves taking children to after school activities. This week however, as my parents were over visiting I didn’t need to drag the non-participating children to their sibling’s activities. This meant that I was able to spend that time appreciating  the surroundings and having a few moments to myself. While watching a little postcard having his swimming lesson, I spotted this fab view and sunset.

The blanket border has begun: After 15 months of making my cosy stripe Attic 24 blanket I’m on the border… The end is nigh…

 Bunny update Bunny was a bit off colour last weekend but he’s back in the pink and eating his way through his fair share of carrots and red peppers! He’s really enjoyed watching a bit of late night TV and having evening cuddles this week.

Boat trip  We had a beautiful day yesterday. It’s a long weekend in Gibraltar this weekend as it’s Commonwealth Day tomorrow. We thought we’d make the most of our time off and decided to hop on a boat and take a trip out into the Bay. It was glorious and I promise I will tell you all about it soon…

Thanks so much for stopping by! Until next time, bye for now.