Daydreaming

Well it's been a bit of a week really.

We've been house hunting for some time, but it looks like we might have finally found somewhere. We've been in rented since last summer and whilst its a nice house it's not like living in your own, especially when you are a creative cafty sort of person. I won't say more than that for fear of jinxing us but when things start moving I'll spill.

I also decided to write to one of my favourite mags and see if they might be interested in printing a pattern for my owl doorstop. I was so chuffed when I heard on Friday that they are. Have got to package one up and send it off for a photo shoot and I've no idea when it will be published but the whole thing is quite exciting. It's got my head buzzing about all sorts of ideas.

So between thinking about a new house and crafting I am probably spending a little too much time day dreaming right now, especially when I've got 5 major birthdays and mothers day to think about this month! Still sometimes when you're busy everything begins to drop into place that bit easier.... I think its called momentum. I am also determined to try and finish the stock I have been making for a new etsy shop and I'll keep you posted on that too.

But in all the excitement and day dreaming I did manage to finish the mushroom that I'd started last week so here's a pic of it with Caits toadstool. We're both really pleased with them.

Angel

I took these photos earlier and want to share them. I think they're great. I made the dress for Niamhs christmas show, which due to the weather they only performed once and it was the performance I couldn't make! As there weren't any performance shots to keep for the future I persuaded her to dress up this afternoon. I'm glad I did, she was in a lovely looning mood.

Owl No.2

Thought I'd have another go at making an owl. This time out of an old sweater and felts. What do you think? I'm wondering if I might make this in to my first tutorial. I always think it's lovely when you find a tutorial to inspire you.



Cait and I are working on felt toadstools and mushrooms at the moment. They are quite fun and I'll let you see them when they are finished.

I've had a few days off this week what with it being half term, and with typical half term weather there were plenty of excuses to do some crafting. Cait made a skirt out of an old jumper which turned out really well and we made necklaces, brooches and hairclips! Girly Girly Girly. Niamh helped choose the buttons which was great and they were dead simple with a little help from a glue gun.



So we've all had a lovely week, Mr BB had time off too, and from tomorrow it's back to the normal routine. Still, I've got a few projects on the go to keep me busy in the evenings and after being introduced to Six Feet Under (you may have seen it on Channel 4 a few years back) there's even something to unwind to - now that I've bought the five series box set! Not normally a telly monster but sometimes I do enjoy a bit of sofa loving. Oh and we're house hunting with fresh impetus so I don't think I'm likely to be bored.

Ta da!

Well I finally got myself organised to buy the cushion pad and then I had no excuse not to finish it. It didn't take too long to make up, once I'd decided what fastening I was going to do and I found the perfect button in my button stash!




I have also decided that I may try to perfect the owl doorstop and have another on the go... will keep you posted on the progress... this time I'm using an old jumper and some felt. May even do a tutorial.

And speaking of felt I bought some lovely scraps at a craft fair at the Brighton Centre last weekend. Lovely shades of blue and green... So I got busy and made a new home card for my in laws who have just moved up north. I can't seem to work out how to rotate the piccie and the card's been sent so you'll have to see it sideways! I've never had much success with french knots but this time they seemed to work for me so there's a white rose growing up the outside.




And as mummy was busy with the camera Niamh felt the need to be too so I'm pleased to introduce Butterfly the white cat and Mittens the grey kitten!!!



And this is Niamh the fairy making herself very helpful in the kitchen!

Sneaking a moment

If you are ever down near Chichester you really must visit this store. When I visited last summer it was an alladins cave of treats, with things round every nook and cranny. Now they've moved and found this wonderful location it's a feast for your eyes the moment you walk through the doors. It was heaven. Welcome to The Eternal Maker.










It had this lovely tree display inside from which, on the day I visited, hung loads of lovely examples of their work to inspire you on. And no, I didn't take these photos... merely pinched them from their own blog and I hope they don't mind!








They had so many lovely fabrics and trimmings and buttons.... lots and lots of buttons. I promised myself when I walked in that I would only treat myself to a few things and I think I did quite well. There were some lovely japanese fake patchwork fabrics which really caught my eye......






.......some patterned fabrics that looked quite unusual but would be great for embellishing and then some spotty fabrics. I do do spots! And I couldn't resist getting a bit more of the jumbo ric rac. I used it on the cushion that I made for Cait and have never seen it anywhere else.

Mr BB and I are off for a weekend in Cambridge, just the two of us. I shall have to remember this indulgence if we go near shops whilst we're there!!!!

Cheat Street

Well clearly this blogging is going to keep me on my toes. Two weeks on and that half finished cushion cover is ... yep you guessed it...... still half finished. I've not been idle, as I've now quilted it and added a yoyo to the front but I've been a little busy elsewhere.

I had the most wonderful time sledging with Niamhy and Cait in the snow, whizzing down a hill screaming at the top of your voice is so very therapeutic, and for the very best in sledging you really must try lying on a body board face down! Fantastic.

I've also had two weekends of catching up with friends which is a real buzz at this time of year. Met up with an old work colleague in London and took the opportunity to hunt out one of my favourite bookshops. Full of visually stimulating books and I couldn't resist buying this lovely gem.



It's a fab book of wonderful prints to inspire your creative side and the best bit is is that they all come as image files on an enclosed CD so you can print them off again and again for all number of crafty creations. Wish I had found out about it ages ago. Every year for Caits birthday I decorate the house. It's at the end of November and a great excuse to start lifting the spirits ahead of Christmas. Of course 9 years ago when I started the tradition my decorations were far simpler than they are today! Still now I've got a good companion to help inspire me.

As I've been a tad busy over the last two weeks I'll show you something that I made just before the mad Christmas rush, when I wanted a little project to keep me busy during the evenings. Cheat street I know. I had loads of fun making him from some scraps I had left over from a cushion that I'd just finished making for Cait. Cait has a great eye for colour and pattern and I was asking her opinion as to what colour the eyes should be ..... she that had the great idea of making them odd and I loved it. So I'm pleased to introduce my latest doorstop creation.



And it wouldn't be right to overlook the cushion that I made for Cait. She's real blue and green girl and I was dead chuffed when I gave it to her and she loved it.



So I'll challenge myself to get out this week and buy a cushion filler and then I'll have no excuse not to get my log cabin creation completed. I'd like to... I'm ready to get creating something else now.

My First Post

So, I've been trying to work out what you write in your first post. An introduction to who I am sounds too cheesy so maybe I'll just show you a photo of what I've been doing with my odd spare moments whilst we've been snowed in.



So you've guessed it I like sewing! I like all sorts of crafting and having poured over numerous books and blogs for several years now I thought maybe I should join in, have somewhere to chronicle what I do.

I guess because it's christmas and I've just had time off from work to indulge myself that I've got a real drive for making things right now. I had a great christmas this year and had nearly the whole week off leading up which gave me loads of time to indulge myself making things with Cait (12) and Niamh (3).

Paper chains were first.....



And then there was the marathon task of a gingerbread house! I wasn't convinced that we'd be able to pull this off as novices... but have to say it worked quite well. Making it was fun but deocrating it with all those sweets even more so!



And in between all that fun I decided that my friends with little people should have a handcrafted crayon roll. It's lovely to make things but even more so when you can try to pick the colours and look that you think that person might like....





I love red and green at the moment.

I also made a necklace for my best mate and some lovely bunting for my two year old nephew but I forgot to photo them!

So I think that's all I say for now. I've finished quilting the cushion cover and have made a yoyo to go on top so maybe I'll finish that off over this week and show you the finished article later. Meantime..I'll add on some of my favourite blogs.