Free Jigsaw Download - Enjoy

I was really pleased that many of you emailed to say that your favourite post was the jigsaw! I hope the weather is so nice for you this afternoon that you will be out and about enjoying Spring. If that is not the case, I hope you enjoy this latest free jigsaw. However, sadly, this is not going to work for Mac users. Instructions: Click here next Click Open, then click the .EXE file name and click Run, when you see the jigsaw puzzle, click Play Too many pieces? Try clicking on Trays on the top tool bar to create any number of resizeable trays to sort your pieces ........ you can also click the Cheat button and watch the puzzle solve itself! The software is by David Gray designer of Jigsaws Galore - the powerful jigsaw player and creator for Windows.

Yellow is for Spring, Sunlight, for Egg Yolks, Chickens.....

Spring has certainly sprung here and it is so beautiful, our trees are in blossom, violets invade the lawn and goodness knows what will be next to hatch! I was so taken by these lovely folklore mittens, I just had to show you. Although winter seems past, there is still a nip in the air and I do feel that some hand covering, perferably very decorative, is just what is needed now.

These wonderful creations are by Randi of In My Mothers Name.

And if you would like a pattern to zip up a pair of your own, do visit her Etsy - click here.

The Frisian Sampler Mystery and a Sad Day

I am so fortunate that I have so many happy days and always I wish I could share that good fortune with others. Today was a sad day because our postmaster of many years died on the village green. Tony was a very special person because he battled for years to keep the village post office, a very important life-line for many, open, long after he would have liked to retire. Only the other month the village came together to buy out his store so he could retire and enjoy the fruits of his labours and enjoy a life with his wife he had been looking forward to for so long. God bless you Tony for the work you did for our community, and God bless all others who work for their community also. You are true heroes and will always be remembered.

Do you remember the Douwe Egberts commercial in which a Frisian sampler could be seen? The original can be found in the Zuiderzeemuseum in Enkhuizen Holland. In the 1970s the pattern of this sampler was sold as "Frisian sampler 1786 by TM". The sampler hunt continues: we are interested in original look-a-like samplers of the Frisian sampler 1786 of TM in order to find out more about the region where TM stitched her sampler. We're also looking for reproduction samplers stitched from this pattern. We'd like to see your sampler and know anything you can tell us about it: who stitched it, if anything was changed to the original pattern and if so, what. If you bought the sampler, tell us where you bought it and why you were attracted to the sampler. If this sampler was stitched by a dear person, tell us about it.We would even like to know if you have the pattern but never got round to stitching it, or managed half of it,  or left it for what it was. Let us know! The story continues on Berthi Smith-Sanders blog - click here for details.

Cherry Blossom Viewing Time

Your may remember that some weeks ago, Kathy Bungard of Gracewood Stitches offered us a free chart called Sanctuary for Japan in return for a donation to Japanese Tsunami and Earthquake Relief. Here you can see a finished example - with a very special twist. Sophie from Canada has taken as her inspiration some beautiful Sakura blossom for the central panel.

This is the time of year when Japanese families take picnics and go to the parks to enjoy all the beautiful cherry blossom, now appearing. For some in Jpan, this year, this looked forward to event will not be the same. We are hearing of another severe earthquake in the north of Japan.

If you missed Kathy's chart the first time round you can download now. Please, please, please make a donation to your local Japan Relief Charity in return. Thank you for your generosity and thanks to Kathy again for her kindness. Click here to see more Gracewood Stitches Designs. I hope the Book of Condolences and Comfort is a little more friendly now I know a bit better how it works. Your words of support do mean so much. Thank you.