I needed to prepare the area, change it from being a border to and area where a bench could sit. We visited Dobies garden centre last week and we almost bought an arbour instead of a bench but once home in the cool light of day, and with so much in the garden already, I felt an arbour would be too much and a lot of work to keep looking good with all that wood - especially in our climate. Anyway we decided against it.
We went down to B&Q on Wednesday looking for compost and other bits and pieces never thinking we would pick up a bench there but we did. It's beautiful, teak and just the right size and on offer for just over £150. We packed our purchases and drove home so that Norman could put the trailer on the car (a Mazda Rx8 or MX5 just won't carry much) and we went back to get the bench.
After a bit of work removing and repositioning plants, laying some new turf and treating the bench it was in place in it's new home.
It's really nice and is in such a beautiful spot especially in the evening. Once I pack away the table and chairs and cover them it's sometimes too much of a hassle to uncover them if we decide to sit out with a glass of wine in the evening - now we can with no hassle - perhaps just taking the cover off as it will keep it looking good for longer especially after the amount of rain we have had these past few days - it looks like we will have more rain today.
Although we dropped into the garden centre last week the reason for the visit was so that I could get some fabric for a new project I am about to start. I love going to Kaleidoscope, they have such a wonderful selection of fabrics and the books they have has to be seen to be believed.
This is the fabric for my half square rectangle project.
This collection is for another leaf design I plan on doing using markal paint stick. I have other fabrics similar to these but I needed some additional ones.
I bought Jan Krentz Lone Star Quilts and Beyond book some years ago and have loved teaching from it. I had the privilege of meeting Jan when I attended the C&T Teachers Seminar in Moraga, California a few years back. She had just designed her first range of fabrics which I got a preview of. I couldn't resist this new one of Jan's when I saw it on Amazon.
I have a fascination with numbers and so when I saw this at Costco I just had to have it. It's such fun reading about numbers and their uses.
Patsy Thomson has a new DVD out (a double one). Those who have followed my blog will know I have worked through Patsy's other DVDs and loved doing so. I have watched the DVDs and once I have my class samples worked through my treat will be to work through these DVDs - I can't wait. I bought the software from Rio Designs, Lawrence is such a wonderful man and so very helpful and normally delivery is next day.
Norman was looking to buy me a new book at Kaleidoscope but with the collection of books I have it was hard to find something new so he bought me the Dear Hannah software I bought the book some years ago when it first appeared. It is written by Brenda Papadakis who wrote the Dear Jane book. I love having the software as I can resize the blocks and make some changes to personalize them.
Whilst browsing Rio Designs website I saw Amy Butler software and thought I would try it. It's something different for me but I thought the projects would be interesting. Unfortunately it's not for me but you live and learn. 
The weather was dreadful yesterday and so I wasn't tempted into the garden so instead I went into the studio. I made this quilt top earlier this year and thought it was time it was finished. I added the border and plan on layering and quilting it over the next few days. I wasn't sure what kind of border to add but I think what I have done works well.
Many thanks for dropping by.