OK so let's cut to the chase ......

....it's launch date minus one and I simply can't contain myself any longer (but, as usual, that's another story and there's no place for mention of incontinence aids and such like on a blog of this stature.  If however you find this subject is of interest simply Google "Age Concern" they're very helpful - so I'm told).  Let's press on with the first one .....

 

Here it is - Hare Apparent in all it's full glory.  It's got more rabbit than Sainsbury's as we used to say quaintly when I was a child.  I could explain but I can't be bothered and it's pretty boring any way.  And here below is one I creased earlier .....

 

 

Yes, I know, you don't have to tell me, I'm a slob when it comes to ironing but then someone has to set the bar low so that all the rest of you can feel good.  How was that for a cop out? 

 

 

Now here's one to conjure with and no mistake.  What do you get when you cross the opening words of St Luke's gospel in the Book of Kells (he was quite speechless when I showed it to him, by the way) with a 17th century spotte sampler?  No Alice dear, not complete chaos - partial maybe.  Answer - Kell's Kritters, the ultimate in fusion stitching!

 

 

Once more in the flesh so to speak and once more with no apologies for the creases.  You see it can be done and who knows you might even live long enough to get it finished if you start very soon which brings me on to this - the hard sell!

 

 

Now if that crusty old Lord Kitchiner wants you to shop how can you possibly refuse.  If you stare for long enough his moustache begins to move - yes, really Deb.  So you should all know by now what you have to do next, proceed directly to the Long Dog Samplers site (there's a handy link at the top of this page so no excuses) and say very loudly to the nice lady "I should like one of each please".  Remember - happiness is only a click away.

 

 

 

 

How was it for you?

Whoa!  That's gross Camilla and way too much information.  Besides I didn't think that was still possible for a woman of your age, what on earth was he standing on?  What I was actually enquiring about was last week's capricious weather and what it was like in your neck of the woods.

 

After the big freeze last weekend by Tuesday it was clement enough to take lunch on the terrace, without a coat I might add, for the first time this year.  There I was all set to go - green salad, walnuts from the garden and my favourite goat's cheese the "enrobe", a local speciality, when the phone rang ...

 

 

Just another cold caller and just enough time for the "enrobe" to mysteriously disappear - where could it have gone, along with a couple of walnuts, I wonder - answers on a postcard please.  Miss Mouche when questioned demanded to have her solicitor present.

 

 

The weather continued to improve and for want of a groundsman I have been working like a metaphorical navvy in the Chateau Long Dog grounds just tidying up before the grass gets a wiggle on again.  Certainly no time for dancing round the fire casting the odd spell or two and anyway the other two weird sisters are still indisposed after a multiple broomstick pile up last Halloween.

 

I've done so much power lifting these past few days I think I shall cancel my gym membership.  Can women get six-packs by the way because after my exertions there is definately something going on under my thermals - a strange rippling in the old subcutaneous fat.  Moving on .....

 

 

I was absolutely delighted to receive this photo from a lady who I know only as Janice.  Isn't this piece magnificent?  She's taken Sonne Spotte and Beautie Spotte and combined the two with just a touch of Froth & Bubble in the centre for good measure.  I love the way she's added the start and finish dates too - look carefully they're there top and bottom.  You've no idea what a buzz it gives me when someone takes a Long Dog for a walk like this.  Bravo!

 

 

Emmanuelle has stuck to the script for this Sonne Spotte in DMC threads but what an innovative way to display it - and probably much easier on the wallet than traditional framing.  Nice one.  Keep them coming please.

 

 

Today, after a balmy mid-week, we awoke to snow again and the novelty is wearing just a little thin so what better way to cheer ourselves up than with Hare Apparent - creases also apparent for which I make no apologies, I'm far to lazy to get the iron out just for a couple of photos.

 

 

And here's a final crumpled teaser of Kell's Kritters - "Delicious isn't it?" she enquired modestly.  They're both out next Friday so all that remains now for me to do is to leave you in a state of keen anticipation and expectancy and after what you were up to Camilla the latter would not surprise me, stranger things have happened to much younger women than you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When icicles hang by the wall ...

and Dick the shepherd blows his nail .... why all Shakesperian today (Love's Labours Lost Act V Sc II look it up Alice, didn't they teach you anything at that posh school), because I've just woken up to the second ice age, that's why.

 

Witness the Chateau through a web darkly.  Did Asteroid DA14 strike while I slumbered because yesterday was almost balmy and today it's more like Vladivostock on a good day.  However, nestled in an exceptionally protected corner I did find these little harbingers ... of what I'm not precisely sure but their presence did bring cheer even though I nearly froze my socks off taking the picture for you ungrateful band of ne'er do wells.

 

 

And now for the more intellectual stitchers (or those who have actually bothered to read today's quote in full) I have to enquire of Joan whether the new shampoo did anything to help with the problem and Marian dear has the balaclava worn back to front eased your suffering just a tad?

 

 

It's teaser time ... here's old Hare Apprent himself complete with Shakesperian nosegay and Richard III crown which they found under a supermarket car park in Leicester along with his bones which had been there undisturbed since his death at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485, but that's another story obviously.

 

 

This little bird is here to tell you that it won't be long before Kell's Kritters will be revealed in all it's glory to an unsuspecting public.  Who said "About bloody time too" - was it you Sharon.  I must find out how to bar these common Essex types from our blog once and for all.

 

 

In case you should ask, this is what I'm up to at the moment.  It's just in the prototype stage right now and your guess is as good as mine as to when it will hit the streets.  What thinkest thou prithee?

 

No, I haven't finally gone mad and started sewing with string, I'm just leading you gently into today's burning question - "How long is a piece of STRING?"  Click on the link at the beginning of this blog to find out.  All I can tell you is that it's much longer than a breirol and without a doubt more diverse and colourful than a pronkrol.  Intrigued?  I do hope so, see you there perhaps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The train now leaving on Platform 1 .....

.... is the trans-continental express to Bightey stopping at the motorway service station just outside Rouen and the shuttle terminus at Calais before a quick dash through the Channel Tunnel to Dover never to be seen again with any luck!  A Pullman service is available for Lilliputians and the vertically challenged only.

 

Happiness is a rail free garden.  Happiness can also be found in a bright, cheerful, replastered kitchen even on the wettest of days.  I do believe that I'm starting to make progress at last.

 

 

There, that's better, but alas no more fry-up's for a while just until the newness wears off.  The words across the fireplace are Gaelic "Ceud mile failte" which roughly translated means "One hundred thousand welcomes".  I had back ache for a week after painting them as the mantle piece is at an awquard height for a Liliputian stenciller like me.

 

 

I do have a sink and draining board Alice but they're hidden behind the pine bar in the front of this picture.  There's even a catflap in the window but look what would be waiting for any poor unsuspecting moggie that poked it's head through this one.

 

 

Geordie the jolly cat mangler and his fine white teeth!  He's got a tatty bit of fur just between his eyes which he refuses point blank to let me get a comb to.  I shall just have to wait till he finally drops off,  then pounce on him with my trusty scissors and surgically remove the tempting tangle.  Eh Deb? 

 

 

Not long to go now 'till the new designs hit the shops accompanied by the usual street riots, water cannons and a heavy police presence outside all LNS's to ensure customer safety at all times.  Nintendo has got nothing on Long Dog once we get launching.

 

 

Hands up who's even got the remotest idea what they will look like yet.  I thought not!  That's quite enough teasing for a Sunday afternoon and I need a bit of "me" time after such a busy week so I think I shall cut myself a slice of the rather excellent lemon drizzle cake I made this morning, brew up a nice mug of tea and see what mindblowingly boring repeats are on the television for a change whilst I wait to see what the next spanner life throws in my wheels will be.  Look away now, I'm going to dunk!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A promise is a promise .....

so here I am Alice, it's Sunday and as I'm always good to my word here are the teasers I promised.

 

As you can see the sun has once again got his hat on and he's coming out to play.  I too have my hat and good humour once again restored - yes Ellie Jane thank goodness for that because I'm not very nice to know when I'm hopping mad.  This is a snippet from the biggie which, by the way, is called Kells Kritters.  I will explain the name at a later date.  I'll say anything to keep you all coming back for more.

 

 

This one's title is Hare Apparent which probably doesn't warrant an explanation.  All right Alice dear I'll talk you through it later when it's quiet.  I wonder who he's going to give his tulip to?

 

 

This has nothing to do with anything in particular - I suppose you could call it a blue herring.  It's just a snippet from one of the designs in Arbre de Noe available from Amazon and all good book stores etc.  Perhaps I was an advertising executive in a former life.

 

 

I'm damned if I can remember where this one comes from but it's still rather jolly and worth a quick look.  That's what comes of taking a whole lot of random snaps and then leaving them on your camera for ages.  The old memory isn't what it was.

 

 

Neither is the old body but every wrinkle tells it's own tale.  I'm the one on the right by the way, I wonder if I can still do that.  I don't however think I shall put it to the test as there's no one around to hear my screams if I get stuck.  Oh well, bottoms up until we meet again.