Saturday 29 June 2013

moving

I hinted a few weeks back that we had big news- well, you may have already guessed from other comments I have made that we are moving house.  The house has been up for sale for quite a while and we were talking abut not selling at all when, we found a buyer.  3 weeks on and there's only 3 weeks until we need to move- eek!  Packing up the house with a newborn and 2 other children under 5 whilst looking for another house, school and possible job 90 miles away has it's challenges! Then this week, my husband's Grandad has fallen ill and he has had to go to the Midlands to be with him and family.  Alas, I have little time for crafts.
I have to accept that this blog and my project 52 must be put on hold for a little while- boo!  I still have a few completed things that I haven't written about yet and will try to post about them when I get a few minutes.
For now I will share what I had for breakfast: Scotch pancakes and British Strawberries- soooo good.

I also hinted that I might think about face painting as one of my challenges which I have since practised on my children.  You can see the unfortunate victims on the project 52 page!

Friday 14 June 2013

Kitten ears or Cat's whiskers?

Just a short post to encourage you to look at the project 52 page for the last make this week.  I have a friend who is a dance teacher and has a show coming up with the younger dancers.  She asked me to make 10 sets of Cats ears and here are the results:


I am visiting family in Worcestershire this weekend so we're all off to a carboot in the morning.  I hope to have more bargains to share but it may be next week when I'm able to post next.  Whatever you're up to this weekend, enjoy it!
x o x

Wednesday 12 June 2013

More tablecloth galore

After my post on the car boot booty I purchased, I was reminded that I had committed to uploading pics of some of my vintage tablecloth collection.  Packing and clearing gave me the perfect opportunity- although I didn't iron them as they have now gone into storage.  So you can't appreciate their beauty fully as they are not crisp and flat and I din't have chance to dress them properly : (  Ideally, I would have showcased them on a table in a long grassy field somewhere with wild flowers in makeshift vases and a vintage cake stand with scones and then a mismatched tea set.  The perfect setting for summer days with ladies who lunch.
Alas, I do not live in an Enid Blyton book or within the pages of a craft magazine!  Here is my dining table, modelling some lovely hand embroidered pieces purchased on a shoestring!


 This tablecloth with 8 napkins was given to us by my husband's step dad (along with all the aprons if you recall).   The silverware was also given to us shortly after we were married but is in need of some TLC which I keep promising myself I will get round to.

Another large tablecloth purchased from a charity shop for £2.50.  It includes 8 napkins which are also decorated with beautiful peach flowers .  Not the car boot bargain price of £1 but I'm not grumbling


 I can't recall where I bought this one although I know I bought a load from another charity shop at £1 each and suspect this was one of them.


These are a combination of carboot bargains and gifts.  The blue and red check at the top is very large and was from my mum who knows I love gingham and tartan.  The middle blue check one is also quite large and from my husbands step dad.  The other two were in a suitcase at a carboot 3 for £1 so 33p each!  Ridiculously cheap.  I want to make a supersize picnic blanket from these with bunting to match.


This was also a car boot beauty at 50p and I hope to upcycle this into a quilt with this being the centre panel.  It may even be a wall hanging.  I like the idea of doing a bit of free hand quilting in the corner section and then green and yellow alternate patches around the edge as a border.  I may introduce another colour- petrol blue perhaps or brown....hmmm decisions decisions.


This was the tablecloth that drew me to the £1 box in the charity shop when I was able to pick up 6 table cloths and 8 tray cloths for under £10.  I initially wanted to sew a channel through the top or add tabs so it could be a little blind but it didn't fit the window I had in mind and so got put with the other pieces.


 It can't be seen properly here, but this is really thick linen and the embroidery is heavy/  I love the folky feel it has with the heart corners and thick border.  Another one I would like to upcycle rather than subject it to juice, gravy and wine stains!


And this....ahhhh, I love.  The centre detail is of little people holding hands and the colour and decoration are quite autumnal.  I bought this from a vintage and antique material shop in France last year for 15 Euro.  It is excellent quality linen again and I bought it with the plan of hanging it in my living room.  It was too big for the wall I had in mind but I also quite like it as a rug but am still deciding on it's use.

It was my turn to share a skill/craft at the Monday group I attend, 'Parent's Voice' where I showed 6/7 mums how I make little tote bags.  Not that I'm a whiz at sewing but I think because it's about having a go and developing confidence to try new things.  Most of the mums are my age (30) and older and haven't used a sewing machine since school if at all so were delighted with their makes.


You will no doubt recognise the material from the hen night goody bags.  The fabric was already cut and so saved time.

Here is the lovely Liz who is currently enrolled on a dress making course so was already comfortable on the sewing machine.

Lastly and currently, I am working on my challenge for this week which is 11 sets of kitten ears for a children's dance performance.  My friend is a dance teacher and asked for my help and I'm nearly there- 7 1/2 down!  Pics tt follow tomorrow hopefully on the project 52 page, along with last week's make which was also for this group- salt dough for a dozen kids.  Fortunately we didn't have to do it for that many in the end but I will upload what we came up with.

Monday 10 June 2013

Mommy by day Crafter by night: A Very Scrappy Trip Along... FINISHED!

A few months ago I wrote in a post that this was my favourite blog.  If you didn't understand then well, I hope you do after seeing this amazing quilt!  I recommend you have a good read through previous posts too- she is inspiring!

Mommy by day Crafter by night: A Very Scrappy Trip Along... FINISHED!: I finally finished my Field Study Scrappy Trip Along quilt! What a relief!   I used mostly prints by Anna Maria Horner's newest line: F...

Saturday 8 June 2013

car boot booty

Last Saturday we took a trip to Southport with my parents to have a picnic on the beach and fly a kite in the glorious weather.  En route we took a small detour to a car boot for some bargain hunting.  Despite being determined not to buy more linen, I couldn't say no when they were between 50p and £1!  Here are the spoils;
 2 small embroidered square tablecloths, one large tablecloth with 8 napkins for £1, 2 cushion covers, including 1 cushion for £2,  cross stitch sampler for 50p, and a table runner also for 50p


I love, love, love this tablecloth.  So much detail; birdies flowers and clouds.  So much technique and skill with oodles of time spent getting all the little petals right etc.  It shall be appreciated by its new owner!


 Another small square, embroidered tablecloth with slight colour variations in each beautiful basket.




 This is the large tablecloth with napkins and I couldn't be more pleased with the embroidery and lace work; an absolute STEAL!

A little table runner with some crochet lace detail at either end.  It is very delicate and the border lace is coming away in places which i will have to fix my hand but another steal.


Possibly my favourite item bought was this sampler.  I have been working on a Noah's Ark theme for Michael with a rainbow wall hanging and bunting above his Moses basket and cushion cover nearly completed (to be revealed soon).  I have also passed some feeding time looking on Pinterest at clouds, rainbows and kites.  Seeing this was a very pleasing find- especially since he was born in May, which has also been so sunshiney this year.  Now to get a suitable frame for it.


Monday 3 June 2013

Visitation overload

I mentioned last week that we were expecting family members to visit to meet our little boy.  My parents were the last to leave yesterday but we had a lot of very pleasant traffic over the half term break.  I was exhausted yesterday though and slept for 3 hours.  I admit that I haven't quite factored in the interrupted nights of feeding Michael alongside early mornings with the girls, and still suffer with the elastic time thing (thinking I  can fit everything in!)
We also had viewings on the house and the future is looking good- but different; more on that soon I hope.  I  also have a new battery for my computer so I should hopefully be back to posting a few times a week.  I have 2/3 new makes to share as well as some car boot bargains.  Here are a few sneak peaks and some pics of our family moments last week.

Up-cycled Jeans- short dungarees

 Salt Dough creations



Fun in the Sun at the Seaside