Stitching Challenge, Liberty's Birds, Food Hack, A Little News Too

So what's new at the wooden house. Last weekend our fridge died. It came with the house and is old. I've moved things down to our freezer and the tiny drinks fridge downstairs. And this house came with a cold room intended for wine (our little joke is how ridiculous Tony's monthly box of wine would look in it) but now has come in handy to house most of the fridge stuff. Actually I'm quite settled into a routine of going downstairs with my basket for whatever I need in the kitchen. Logging more steps is a good thing so I've not been in a rush to get a new fridge. And they really would have a challenge getting it up the front steps which disappeared under all the roof snow. Anyway, we have ordered a new one to be delivered in a couple of weeks when, hopefully, most of that snow will be gone. 

I've been stitching on a tiny scale lately. I kept thinking I would like to try higher thread count fabric like so many of my cross stitching idols use. In my new determination to make Sometime Now, I ordered a small piece of 36 count fabric to cross stitch the England Quakers piece. But with the caveat that if I couldn't manage the tiny-ness of the required stitching I would not get down on myself and happily pass it along to another stitcher. So I began with a little trepidation and what do you know, I am doing just fine with it. Here is my first little motif...one I substituted for the St. Georges Flag, the flag of England. I'll see if I can fit that in somewhere else. 

I want to honour the late Queen with her own little pattern and this one features a crown so will be just right. 

I found it in my Brenda Keyes Ultimate Sampler Motifs Source Book which is proving to be very helpful for switching out tiny patterns. 

And I am managing this without eyestrain-so far- thanks to my Ott light and its ability to go to a third level of brilliant light. 

And here is a better photo of Tudor Bee finished. 

This pattern is one of a Tudor inspired series from The Blue Flower. There is a Tudor Ermine, Goat, Swan, Maiden, Hare and Hound. HERE is a link where you can look at these gorgeous patterns. 

I've also been stitching more EPP Stars in yellows, March's colour at the So Scrappy challenge. This was taken from my stitching chair in the tv room. (How many quilty things can be spotted here?)

Tony's spot is at the further end and Ned's is this end, close to me always.

And I've started to make the applique patterns for Barbara Brackman's Liberty's Birds Block 6 which features a bright yellow bird. 

 I saw a hack, as they call them, for how to upgrade Cinnamon Roll Grands so I gave it a try. You just have to carefully unroll each bun and add a mixture of dried fruit and then reroll. I used cranberry, raisin, ginger and lemon bits. It added more flavours and worked well. Will definitely do again with maybe a little butter and brown sugar mixture added too. If you cook for someone who has a sweet tooth, then these make a very quick little treat. 

On a personal note and as promised...five days after Tony's CT scan, we got an email from our family doctor. He forwarded the results which consisted of three pages of examiner's notes. We were both surprised by the thoroughness such a scan can achieve. Every organ had been examined from different angles. The worrisome news-it did reveal an issue in his right lung- a tiny tumor about 1.3 cm. He now has to see the Lung Cancer Clinic folks to determine treatment, if any. Initially we were both naturally upset but then realized we needed to adapt a wait and see attitude because we don't know what we are dealing with of course. And in a way, Tony feels vindicated for complaining so much about feeling tired, an issue that appears to be worsening by the week. Thank you all again for reaching out with kind thoughts and suggestions. We both appreciate it very much. 

So happy to be able to share this post with wonderful linky parties like the one at Kathy's Quilts, Songbird Designs, Quilting is More Fun Than Housework and Small Quilts and Doll Quilts.