Been busy, busy, busy...

Tidying,  so things now look like this....

Much nicer to look at than it was. I had a lot of plates on there but have out them away underneath.  They are mostly cups that belonged to grandparents and great-Aunts, I love them all.

And I have been sitting here

(check out the 'old lady' lamp - I am practising!)

making lots of these :)

I also  watched this young man in his school production of Treasure Island

I assure you it was Treasure Island and not Hair!!!  Still refusing to have it cut but I told him he might have to tie it back at school soon so he is contemplating a 'trim'!!

More later...blogger is not letting me upload photos very easily and it is taking ages :(

Busy.....with my hook...

Starting to make this Ripple Blanket courtesy of the very talented Lucy from Attic 24.  If you like crochet, you MUST look at her blog, it is amazing!

I am doing 4 rows of each colour and have now started my fourth colour...it is so easy...or maybe, more likely, Lucy has made the instructions very clear.

A mahoosive granny square that now had the green border finished...

which will become a cushion cover.

I can't believe how many years I have wasted thinking I couldn't crochet!!

I've started.....

So I'll finish!  Eventually.  I made several of these blocks quite a while ago when I was on another 'use it, don't buy it' mission.  I made a red one into a stand for my tea pot the other week and finished these this morning. They are lined with insulated wadding so they are excellent for putting hot things on.  If I ever get round to it I will put them in my shop.

Now, I said I would get back on here to talk about selling knitted Jelly Babies for the Milton EACH where my lovely nephew William goes.  I have knitted 3 and am starting another but haven't sewn any up. I will get them sewn up, stuffed and photographed at the weekend.  I would like £5 each for them and all of that money will go to the hospice :)   William is currently back in hospital due to lots of fits at the weekend and they are trying him on new drugs. I really hope he can come home tomorrow.

Manic Monday....

Teaching a lot this week so have to cram everything into 2 days.  This is one of our new designs that will go on a bag.....

I also have a sewing table that looks like this......

And I keep forgetting to show this present from my lovely bestest friend, the Kazebo...she got me several things for christmas but this is the one that made me SQUEAL with delight.....

Mini milk bottles...in a mini crate!!!!!  How cool are they!!!!!

I LOVE THEM!!!

Jelly Babies

Emma asked yesterday to see the purple jelly baby.  Unfortunately, this is the state it is in at the moment.....

The other arm is actually finished now and I have finished the arms of a lurid green one but I have the dreaded 'sewing up' task. I find it frankly bizarre that the one thing I hate about knitting, given that I am a self confessed sewing addict, is the sewing up.  Am thinking I might knit all the bodies for 5, sew them up, knit all the arms, sew then up....you get it.  I don't have a picture of the 2 I previously made as they were for my rather delicious nephew, William (who is now a star of the screen but I shall leave that for another time).  I think one was orange and one was possibly green too.  Am thinking a whole load to sell to raise money for EACH where William goes so will be mentioning all that in another post.

Here is what they look like when they are finished.  It is a Jean Greenhowe pattern.  The photo is taken from her site, hence the link back and why it is a bit grainy...I love her stuff but SO much sewing up.  I have knitted a fair few of her patterns and I love them. I once spent hours knitting the topsy turvey Cinderalla doll for my niece and each of my boys have a couple of Robin hoods and the like but these Jelly Babies are really quick.  Mostly because they don't have separate legs and you just stitch them up.

I did get a photo, albeit rather rubbish, of the cushion though.....

The fabric is from the same collection as previously. Emmabear wanted to know.  It is Shangri-La by Moda.  I'm sure it's all from that same collection but I might be wrong.  It is a few years old now so probably not that easy to get hold of.  I LOVE IT

Here's the back..... It's 'vintage' Laura Ashley, don't you know :)  The fabric was my parent's bedroom curtain's about 30 years ago and then they became  our dining room curtains in our old house...and then I mercilessly butchered them and used them.  I had no idea it was vintage until I was looking for some online.

I feel a terrible headache coming on.  Mostly due to over indulgence in food, last night,  that Gertie Gallbladder does not like.  I am away to lie down in a darkened room for as long as I think I can get away with it!

I'm on a roll....

Today is the first day since Christmas that I haven't sewn!  I have made a tea cosy, a tea pot stand, a cushion cover, a quilt top, 3 small pieces to go on the wall, 2 huge other patchwork bits made from scraps, on of them half the size of the bed, 2 messenger bags, appliqued designs on 2 other bags...err..I think that might be it...but I may have done more.  I don't know what's got into me!?!!  The weather has been so dull, rainy and windiferous that I haven't taken many pictures but I will...I don't set myself very high standards with photography but it is nice to see what you are actually supposed to be looking at! Plus, Blogger is really giving me a headache adding pictures at the minute and I have no idea why.

Hoooo-blooming-rah!!  Finally, his has only taken 15 minutes to add the photo. This is on of 3 that I made form stuff I had.  Was thinking of maybe a runner by joining them all or table mats, have to make another, but decided to back them and bind them and display them on the wall going up the stairs.  It is a large expanse of boring magnolia (previous owners) and it desperately needs some colour.  I love my house but it is dullsville in the colour department and we don't really have the funds spare to decorate.  Our old house was full of colour so I do feel like we are all washed out here.  Never mind.....one day.....We'll get it done eventually....Mr Chops needs a new bedroom carpet first.  Life will still go on, even with magnolia walls.....unlike the very shallow moment I had when the dishwasher broke down the other day...but that is another story :)


I did knit this morning though.....a purple jelly baby :)

Finally...

finished Mr Chop's messenger bag!  I think he had given up hope of it ever being finished.  It is to match his pencil case.  The annoying thing is that it was simply the fact that I never got round to doing it.  It was all cut out and then this morning, following my post-Christmas craft and create burst, I finished it in under 30 mins :).  Here it is.....

I have several more photos but Blogger is deciding to be temperamental tonight and won't let me upload any more.  Wonder if it will let me post one of my teapot stand....

There it is...matches my tea cosy :)   That is a small tea pot, by the way, not a huge mug!  The teapot belonged to Mr C's Nan. I love old cups and saucers and teapots and always use them.  they feel 'proper' somehow.  We even have tealeaves.

I have also made a cushion cover, quilt top and them some proper 'patchwork' but on the machine.  Basically I went through my scraps and have been machining like a mad thing. This is the only thing Mr C regards as quilting/patchwork.  He doesn't understand why you would buy fabric, cut it up and then sew it back together again - philistine! I now have a piece half as big as our king size bed so maybe it will be done soon....  I have also made 3 placemats or 1 runner, depending on how I decide to finish them.

Busy day today then.  Sewing, fish pie making (disappointing!), hoovering and getting the tree out and entertaining lovely friends.  I have also, finally, reached the bottom of the washing pile and now am back to only having one days worth in a pile to be done.  It will all go to pot once term has started but for now I am allowing myself to be slightly smug about it.

I am sure that none of this will last once we get bogged down in term time and school.  With 4 of us running to that timetable things quickly pile up and get out of hand.  I won't be as busy as before Christmas though when I thought I might meet myself coming back...it was hectic.

One more day of the holidays.......

Here it is...

Don't know what happened there.  Clearly Blogger was disgusted with my lack of effort in the blogging department!  Lets see if I can find a pic of it in pieces.....

I made a quilt top yesterday, after the mammoth effort of making William's last week for his Christmas present.  I had forgotten how fab the pattern was, from the Buttonberry girls (google stashbuster quilt), and how quick it was to make (mind you, binding it took hours!!).  So in the last couple of days I made another using all my red fabric.  It's too dark now to get a pic but will show tomorrow.  Then, with all the leftovers, I did one of my favourite things, just stitching them all together and trimming as I went along.  I cut the pattern from 2 bits of this 'proper pathwork', 2 lining pieces and 2 pieces of themal fabric.  Got the pattern info from this months Simply Homemade.  It's really easy. Just a bit of measuring and then draw your own pattern.  Think I may make some more and put them in my Etsy shop.

Here's the quilt I made for William...

Right, off to find some tea, me thinks......also, I promise this year to be better at checking for typos...I have got a bit of a reputation of fb for typing, pressing enter, and then checking!!!

I've been busy...

clearly!!!  I haven't blogged for 2 months and I have been completely snowed under in making and selling things...but I shall start with the most recent.  Today I made a tea cosy :)  I have taken several photos but, for some reason, blogger is not playing nicely and won't let me out them on here...off to investigate........

Imitation.......

Is it really the most sincere form of flattery or is it just a downright cheek?!!!!  I have read other people's blog posts before where they have posted about people stealing their ideas and always wrinkled my brow on their behalf and agreed that it is wrong.  A bit of me has thought though, fairly I think, that they are only so many ideas in the world and sometimes you can give people something and they will end up  making similar things...that is life.  But when you make something and you have put your own twist on it....it is your style, it reminds me of you, it really is your design.

Like these......

from Paper and String website

http://www.paper-and-string.co.uk/userimages/procart115.htm

These lovely boxes are made by the lovely talented Sarah from Paper and String.  The way they are constructed make me immediately think of her...I think they are unique.  I saw some somewhere else...'Oh,' thinks Me, 'they have got those wholesale from Sarah.'  No, they haven't, they have just stoleC her design. I won't buy from them.

celebrate your own work and style...don't nick other people's!!   Oooh I am cross!!!!!

Funny old few weeks

My poor in-laws have had 2 funerals in 2 weeks.  My FIL's mother and my MIL's step- mother died within 2 days of each other.  The first funeral, for Grandma was in the States, Cole Camp MO, so they flew out there for a week and then came back to go to another funeral which was yesterday, in Frinton.  Nan's service was lovely.  Short but lovely.  I though the vicar type guy did a really good job.  It was lovely to see all the family who could be there and meet Sophie, the newest member.  Sadly no photos although FIL took some so I will probably get those emailed to me.

So, sad in lots of ways, we now have no reason to go to Frinton but phew....it is now half term and we can relax...cue sore throat, headache and bunged up nose!!!  I guess if I am going to be ill then half term is a good time as Mr C is also home from school  so I can feel ill without feeling guilty!!

We did have a new addition to the family....Mr Chops saved up for a hamster, so Rocco joined our zoo.....

He's very cute, 9 weeks old and looks a bit like a miniature brown bear :)

He lives in this palatial space station.....

Please note - the floor now looks MUCH messier!!!

9 eggs later.....

This is what happens when you let your 10 year old loose in the kitchen.....

Tasted good too!

For Lottie.....

2 happy bunnies :)

First dates.....

http://lucymadethis.blogspot.com/

more coming :)

The first workshop peeky.....

Check this out... I am very excited :)

http://lucymadethis.blogspot.com/

I also have 3 or 4 christmas fairs coming up and will post details on the Lucy Made This blog

I'm sitting on the doorstep......

while my children cycle round the block.  It is something I have very mixed feelings about.  They should be out playing, cycling round, enjoying htemselves and being children but I can't help thinking that something bad could happen to them.  I know I am not the only one that thinks like this...lots of my friends do.  And yet, when  was their age I used to spend hours in the woods across a busy main road (busy for 30 odd years ago) from our house.  Just my brother and I, not mobile phone.  We may have had a watch  and been told to be in at a certain time or just told to be back for tea, I really can't remember.  What I do know is that I'm still here, nothing happened to me.  No one approached us and asked if I would like to see their puppies or go back for sweets, despite the fact that Charlie from 'off the tele' met with danger every time he went out (thank goodness he had that sensible cat with him!!), so why are we all so paranoid now?  Come to think of it, my mother never made me wear a helmet (they weren't invented for bike riders) and I didn't have any lessons teaching me how to ride a bike...I just got on with it. 

Totally as an aside, Mr Chops has just asked me if I am writing my will!!!!  This is the same child who once asked me what I would do if someone phoned me and threatened my life...and I think I worry too much!!

I am excused, Mr C has just come and relieved me of my sentry duties...just as well as the battery was going :)  I am cheating a bit really.  It is my birthday tomorrow and my parents have got me a laptop...I am using it now...all shiny and wi-fi enabled...I should have waited really but I could not.  I have, however, shown remarkable patience in waiting for my pressie from the in-laws.  Back in the Easter holidays, when we went on holiday to Southwold, teh time of the great Ruby Port panic, we went into Anne Brewsters and they were having a Cath Kidston sale...what joy shall fill my heart.  So I bought a purse and MIL got the bag for me, to match, and I have had to wait until now to gaze and admire it (I am not always this shallow)...and now the time is here...what a beauty :)

So, some pictures.....I don't seem to have downloaded them from the camera yet...so another time.  Am still getting used to this new keyboard...I go to hit SHIFT for some capital letters and end up hitting the print button.  I have absolutely no ides what most of these buttons do either so lots of exploring will be needed...off  to find out.....

Bunnies......

Bit of a bunny day here yesterday.  We are looking after some friends bunnies while they are moving and sorting themselves out.  Ours and theirs take it in turns to have the run of the garden.  So Magic (when he can actually be bothered to come out) and Diamond are having a fine old time tormenting ours and then Samba and Barley torment them when they are out.  Really, it's like having 4 extra children.  Magic, the cutest rabbit I have ever laid eyes on who would just fit in your pocket and looks like Yoda Bunny, had to have his bottom cleaned yesterday.  Here he is in all his laid back glory.......

I'll try and get some of him lolloping around...he has the cutes ears - one up and one flopping around!!!

And then we noticed that the Barley Boy had a sore on his neck.  he's either scrapped it on something or samba has had a go at him :(  So off we went to the vets.  came back with anti-biotic/inflammatory cream.  we have to make sure samba doesn't lick it or we'll have to separate them.  As they have only just got together we don't want this to happen so Barley is now sporting a rather fetching 'muscle top' to cover the cream area.  He is not impressed but he was an absolute angel having it put on...just a little star!

One very unimpressed rabbit!!!

Let's hope it clears up quickly!!!!

Just gorgeous......

I love the Flower Fairies and Beatrix Potter because I loved them as a child...but for the life of me I don't know why I love Humphrey so much.......

He is just so cute!!!!!

So chuffed.....

As you may have noticed, if you read this blog regularly, I  get a lot of lovely stuff from here - Ribbon Girl . Mary and Andrea have lots of lovely stuff and their service and delivery are fab.  We all know that crafter's can't wait for anything so this is muchos important.  Well, today I had an email from Mary asking if I minded that she was putting some of my stuff that I have made with some of their stuff on their blog!!!!  Mind???????  I was whoopdedoop excited and very flattered.  Here's the link :) I now a lot os people will think this is a big 'so what' but for me thing is a big yippee :)

Busy week this week.  Tomorrow I am having a Pampered Chef party run by my cousin.  I am so glad that we had a good clear out in the summer because it has only taken me most of the day to get sorted!  I have also been working on my Christmas designs and visited DaisyChain to take in some more of my hair grips.  they won a rather amazing award recently and the article in the paper had a picture of them...with my stuff in the background!!!!!

Today has also brought a couple of commissions, including a grizzly bear brooch (have to get my designer onto that and another flower brooch for autumn.  Also today I have been asked to speak to an 'A' level textile/art class on what I do!!!!!!!!  That is a serious OH MY LIFE!!!!!  they have been working on materials and design.  Given that I 'employ' Mr C as my designer it could be quite interesting but they are my ideas and I do feel strongly about choice of fabrics and things like that...I'll let you know how it goes.


No pictures...i'll have to do something about that.....

it's a bit old but a haircut is long over due and this one looked good!!

Hair cuts are booked for a week on Saturday...Mr B is NOT amused...his hair is getting very long.  2 people on holiday referred to him as a girl.

We'd also like to send lots and lots of love to Grandma in Kansas City...we are thinking of you and praying for you xxxxx

A few cards...

Don't often post pictures of cards on here and not really sure why.  They are nothing spectacular but they're okay.  I must have been having a 'flower moment' with these....  

leaf stalk cut on the cricut, flowers punched with a woodware punch and phrase stamp (as all the others) is Waltzing Mouse

 I love Waltzing Mouse stamps, particularly the phrase stamps that Claire does...they are perfect.

They are not the most innovative ever...but I like them :)

Talking of cards...tenuous link...only 14 days to my birthday...and a Cath Kidston handbag will be in my sweaty (!!) grasp...I have been waiting for it since April when MIL got it for me...it has been torture.......but eh wait will soon be over :)