I've just finished making a very quick bag for mum to use at Gemma's wedding. She is wearing lilac and 'heather' colours so this tones in well. She doesn't suit hats so i've managed to persuade her to wear a fascinator (?is that how you spell it?). It was white but i've dyed it lilac and green to match the bag!!
The wedding is getting very close now - 9 August! I'm beginning to get really excited and am looking forward to seeing Antoinette and Gemma together for the first time in ages! After the wedding, Sam and I are going to Derbyshire to look after Gemma and Tim's cats whilst they're on honeymoon in Croatia - i'm visiting the quilt show at the NEC - should be good!!!

It's Bordeaux Methodist Church flower/singing festival this weekend to celebrate the centenary of the church - I have been helping fetch and carry flowers/ pots/oasis all week but I am not a flower arranger and left that part to the experts - the church looks lovely! Sam and I went across this morning and listened to the choir. Gemma, the junior choir sang 'In his time' - I cried as usual - must get waterproof mascara for your wedding! Muriel was in charge of the flower arranging - so the church will look just as beautiful for your wedding. below - do you recognise (from the left) Bridget, Shirley, Lauren, Joanne and Jo.

The photo below was taken whilst they were singing 'In His Time'!
Lauren sang a few songs - her voice was lovely - it's matured a lot - lovely to listen to!
Joanne sang beautifully too - some lovely songs - over the rainbow and songs like that!
Had to take a photograph of the pulpit fall, of course!
Four weeks today will be Gemma's wedding day - I must not panic! Can't wait for Antoinette and Gemma to arrive to keep me calm - Diane will help too. In the meantime - lots of walks, swims and eating healthily so that I can still fit into wedding outfit - oh, and I must try to learn how to walk elegantly in my high heels!!!!!!

France

These photos are in no particular order - the top photograph is of the finished bridesmaid's bags. Are the handles what you wanted, Antoinette? I enjoyed making them and even found the right colour velcro to make a practically invisible way of keeping the top closed. The embroidery below was entitled 'What a tangled web we weave!'. I knitted two reels of hemp. increasing and decreasing at random and then layed the ecru colour over the green on a linen board with a layer of gold mesh material to give an added dimension. The hemp was then embroidered in buttonhole stitch - I love the 3D effect and intend to do a series of them - one is underway as I speak!

The farmers who use part of our land in France have been hay-making - our garden produced 3 bales!!!

Grandad, Sam and Grandma on our afternoon walk around the block!! It was very hot and I had just had a swim at Val Andre - the sea is a lot warmer in Brittany than in Guernsey although it's not so far away! Sam and I went over for the weekend to buy wine for Gemma's wedding and even though we had to pay the duty, it was still cheaper than buying it here. Having said that, with the boat fare it was really an excuse for a weekend in France. Mum and Dad joined us and have stayed on for 3 weeks - lucky devils!

The lanes near us are lovely and we see a lot of wildlife - there are beavers near here in a petit etang and we have seen hares running across the fields - even a baby deer. There are wild boar also though we haven't seen one - thank goodness- as they have been known to attack!!
Lose up of one of the bags - the embroidery is meant to represent seaweed and the shape of the bag is shell-like.
Hope these photos keep you happy, Ant. Have a lovely time in Thailand and keep posting photos on your blog. See you in 4 weeks!!!