10 on the 10th !

What could my subject be for Shimelle's first - 10 on the 10th Blog Challenge than to say ten of the reasons it has been over a month since I last blogged - so here is my ode to my poor neglected blog !!!

Reasons or excuses - I'll leave you to decide !

1. I've spent many hours at the sewing machine making the 1st Quilt I've made in years ! In fact the centre panel of this was started in 2006 - the next border added in 2009 & now I have made a mad effort to finish it for our new house in Spain - just the binding to stitch & the label to create & add (and a big cushion with Angel applique planned to accompany it !!)

2. Artsy Crafty Weekend - a fun weekend covered in the new Paperartsy Fresco paints learning lots of paint techniques - really pleased with the

shabby chic & shading on my project - been hankering after this look but didn't know how to achieve it - so a good lesson learnt !

3. Journalling - may not have been blogging but have been having some fun in my Art Journal - as always more "journal" than "art" - but it's for my eyes only & I'm happy with the way it pans out - so it doesn't matter a jot !

4. The garden is at it's most verdant & rampant at the moment - so everyday is a constant battle with weeds !!

5. GYO - growing my own veggies is proving good fun & I have been more organised & disciplined about pricking out & planting & checking everything - so a better crop than in previous years - but all means no blogging time !

6. Ironing - I am trying to save our pennies by saving the ironing lady for dire emergencies only & tackling the weekly heaps of ironing myself - that's another non-blogging evening a week !

7. Reading stuff ! Sometimes after a day at the computer at work I really don't fancy logging on at home - so reading one of my magazines or my Kindle gets priority !

8. Work - just all those 10 & 12 hour days stuck in the office don't leave much time or energy for blogging once I finally get home !!

9. Travelling - a crazy couple of months for travelling - Spain on holiday - then Cologne then Dublin, then Cork - then back to Dusseldorf next week & back to Spain the week after that !! Poor old passport is just on permanent standby !!

10. Time together - with all the office hours & then travelling just spending time with Rich is the biggest priority - from trying to snatch meals in the garden on the occasional warm sunny day - to our afternoon on Pendine Sands last Saturday - weather being what it is - we need to make the most of any sunshine !

So my 10 reasons - or excuses - for my poor sad neglected blog - and full of good intentions to be more attentive & active in the coming weeks !!