A cure for insomnia?

I discovered a cure for insomnia on Thursday - a visit to the Festival of Quilts! I haven't been sleeping well for some weeks now but after our visit to the NEC I didn't have a problem ... hit the pillow and zzzzz!!!

I loved looking at the quilts but spent the day muttering to myself "mustn't get into quilting..." over and over again. The fabrics on offer were so wonderful that I did want to 'splash out' but managed to restrict myself to a 'gentle paddle' with some batting, a pack of rubbing plates and some 'Inkaid'. (I hope 'Art Van Go' were paying Maggie Grey commission on this as everyone who visited the 'WOW' stand went straight off to 'AVG'. Hope they had more supplies 'in the van' as they ran out just after I'd bought mine.) I couldn't even get close enough to Ruth Issett to say 'hello' as she was, as usual, four deep in salivating viewers.

I also bought some 'Evolon' (this and the Inkaid are for a course I'm going on next week in Chester, run by the CTDG. It's about the 'Big D' - design - which is often the cause of my sleepless nights.) I'm hoping that a computer will assist me and the 'design process' becoming 'bessie friends' - but I'm not sure? Fingers crossed - I'll keep you posted.

I do hope 'Evolon' doesn't join her sister 'Lutrador' in the cupboard marked 'things I'll get round to using someday'. Quite a big cupboard, that one.

I haven't posted for a long time because I've been very busy but I have done some felting this week. Can't post a photo just yet because they're presents for friends.

There's also been lots of 'humming and hawing' about what to make for the Embroiderer's Guild exhibition in October. Can't let you peep at this either because it might all turn out to be a disaster! I've made the felt background for two of the pieces but next comes the 'stitch challenge'. Should I? Shouldn't I? If so, with what - and where? Machine or hand stitching? Do I need this sort of challenge in my life? Obviously I do.

My picture at the top of the post isn't, technically speaking, 'my' picture at all. It's a group embroidery done for an exhibition by Preston branch members of EG. I love it and am 'looking after it' in between exhibitions. (Please also note that I have managed to rotate the picture!) My four-inch square is third from the left on the second row and Jackie's is the same on the bottom row - those mouthwatering cherries!

My next challenge is to put my photographs, etc. on to an external hard drive. When people say "It's dead simple" it usually turns out not to be the case ... watch this space!