Transatlantic community quilt

Well this is lovely! My first block for the transatlantic community quilt since long covid, it was fabulous working with liberty again ♥️

July look back

So! What's been happening in July? Mark got me some physical magazines, blimey they have gone up in price but it was nice to sit and read a physical magazine for a change

I made myself brekkie!

And i had a gin 🤣🤣

Mark was away so i watched my first film, Logans run, its still as good as ever

Had a lovely catch up with my sister

We haz new Lampshades! 

Mark went walking with Rocky 🥰

Plus unexpected satellite engineer visit 🤣 but all good

One last addition! Beautiful late birthday gift from beautiful Jacky

July furtle 2026

My first finish of July! Cross stitch by Emma Congdon blogged about here 

My obsession with needle minders continues 🤣

Yes i know I already have the book one but it's a favourite and it's in constant use so thisnis my archival one 🤣

My blocks for last months siblings, that's an intention from last month ✅️

Yes ... more needle minders 🤣

Mark brought this down for me, i got this bag in Paducah in 2015, I use it to keep my usable scraps of wadding in, I need these for a current sew along the Hollygon wreath SAL

Siblings blocks for this months another intention ✅️

Another pick a petal block

Awww so happy about this one, it's my block for the transatlantic community quilt, so chuffed to be doing this again and sewing with liberty! And its another intention ✅️

Progress on the Halloween SAL

And last but not least my first block for the Hollygon sew along hosted by Craftapalooza

Totally out of my comfort zone with teeny needleturn applique but quite enjoying it! One down 9 to go!

So that feels like a good month! Lots  done a few intentions from last month ticked off and some are more progressed but not yet ticked off so that's good too!

Intentions for this month 

°transatlantic community quilt block (carried over from June) ✅️

°cut and sew on borders for 2nd siblings quilt (Carried over from June)

°2x siblings blocks from June ✅️

°2x siblings blocks for July ✅️

°sew on binding for Alice Caroline SOS quilt

Intentions for next month

°cut and sew on borders for 2nd siblings quilt (Carried over from June and July)

°sew on binding for Alice Caroline SOS quilt (Carried over from July)

°August siblings blocks

°Finish Halloween x stitch

July seasons

Sooo I swithered and swithered about what i should take a picture of for my seasons in 2026. I then decided to take an overview of each side of the house, we will be moving in a few years and I want to capture the house as it is. 

OK July is a bit miserable to be honest! So grey and damp but humid 🤷‍♀️ set for another heatwave this weekend 🤦‍♀️ garden looking lovely roses are blooming but my carnations are floppy 🤷‍♀️ first time out on balcony fot a week, a bit of a crash but I think im coming out of it 🤞

January right

February right

March right

April right

May right 

June right

July right

January left

March left

April left

May left

June left

July left 

Reading and storygraph mid year review

So lets have a mid year wrap up shall we? What's the overall look? OK almost 10k more pages which averages 186 per day but less audiobook listening I think this reflects me sitting up more plus just being a bit stronger

Moods? Some slight jockeying for position here but apart from that its pretty similar 

Some slight differences in slow and medium pace but again not a huge difference 

Again not a huge difference in page number i like a short book!

Audiobook length? Pretty similar pattern there 

Ditto fiction vs non fiction!

A few changes in genres. More children's in 2026 and historical takes over from crime in second spot 

Ahh now some changes in tags, although this doesn't seem to represent all my tags? I was still reading KU for 2 months of 2025, in 2026 I finished my trial in the preceding December so no KU in 2026 so far. Plus I added inbthe little Sheila tag and rereading one.

Not much change in format 

Ah now you can see where my challenges affect the stats. All the top authors for 2025 and 2026 are from my reading challenges

Star ratings are really interesting. I think the KU trial really affects my star rating. Im afraid more liable to take a punt on something that might not be my thing. But in 2026 when im pulling only from my own supply of books im less likely to pull out a dud.

So let's look only at the wrap up for 2026, it looks fairly even overall which is nice

Well that was great fun!