Swaps!
14th December 09
Well, I’ve posted my secret santa - I really hope my swapee likes it, I think she will. I really, really enjoyed putting it together, it is so much fun creating something for someone who you know appreciates the thought and enjoys handmade. And on the plus side, I too received mine - SO EXCITED!!!
Also the craft neutral bauble swap I was doing is finished, Emma of Paddymade received mine and loved it! And I received hers and really loved it - look
And this is what I did Emma, she said she had a liking for black tinsel and I thought the pink would go nicely!
A massive thank you to Elaine of cup of tea for organising this - it really was a great idea, a simple bauble swap- beautiful in its simplicity like all the best things are.
Another swap!
3rd December 09
I’ve signed up for another swap - I know i’m a muppet, but I do love a swap and this one is a quick and simple one, and its Christmas decorations and who doesn’t love handmade dec’s?!
Eileen, over on her wonderful blog came up with this fab idea of making a decoration from stuff you have already, with a little edible pressie if you want, see, simple!
I’ve been partnered with Emma who does some amazing origami, (and has a great taste in men!) I can’t wait to see what I get!
I’ve also been busy on a new idea I kinda got from my mum, handwarmers, that i’m going to do as a set with the scarflettes, so I’ve been playing with different ideas. If we get some sun here in Wales i’ll post some pics. (Don’t hold your breath)
19th October 09
This is from my (small) stall at the craft fair in Dinas Powys last Saturday, and to be fair, the set up didn’t change much during the day - but ever the optermist, I nearly finished another scarf while I was there! Also, a lovely lady with a gallery in Pontyclun loved my stuff, and might be stocking it soon, so, every cloud eh!
Also, Gemma, my button swap partner finally recived her parcel, only 3 weeks to get from South Wales to London! I can finally post some pics of what I sent now. I tried a new idea for the necklace and I’ve been dying to know what she thought … she loves it! So I’m going to explore some variations of it that have been brewing in my mind, so here are some pics, I’m off experimenting - have a good week all!
As well as the jewellery, I sent some white chocolate (her favourite) a handmade notebook, some vintage fastenings, beads, some brilliant stickers that really reminded me of her work and of course, some relaxing tea!
Busy, busy, busy!
8th October 09
Just a quick post as I’m off to work in a minute, but I’ve just finished a new batch of earrings and brooches for a craft fair next Saturday, (in Dinas Powys if anyone is in the area!) that I’m really pleased with, so much in fact that I had to make an extra pair of the green earrings for me!
I have to thank my good friend Rita really for the inspiration for these. She went back to Hungary in the summer and brought me back lots and lots of gorgeous crochet cottons, and when I finally started tidying up the spare room, (note - started, not finished!) and I sorted them all out into a box, they looked so lush , all those vibrant colours together, it just got my mind racing… and here are some of the results
Also I got my part of the fabulous button jewellery swap organised by incy of incywincy today, from Gemma of Jimjamsandwich. How lucky am I, I love the vintage button brooch, it goes perfect with my jacket, the chocs are yummy and I have several ideas already for those extra buttons!
Busy, busy, busy!
17th September
I am rubbish at this blog keeping aren’t I, could you imagine if I kept a diary? The diary itself would be a beautifully handbound book with lots of inviting crisp white pages, I would sully it with enthusiasum on the 1st of January, probably with a list of what I intended to document, and it would go downhill from there…
However, I do have valid excuses, the boys are back at school so its getting into the routine of clubs, I only got the time of 2 of them wrong, 1 by an hour, the other by a day! And I have just finished a hugely exciting, though for the time being very secret, project that if it comes off will be FANTASTIC!
The other project that has been keeping me busy is also secret, though for a different reason! I’ve signed up for another swap over on incy wincy stitches blog
and I am very excited! Ive been partnered with Gemma from jimjam sandwich and her stuff is beautiful! I love her use of fabrics and delicate embroidery, look at these
and she has a 15% discount in her folksy shop for National Cupcake week, I’ve got my eye on that blue one!
I’ve had great fun making Gemma’s jewellery, her favourite colours are teal and cerise, and i’m really pleased with what i’ve done. Its an idea i’ve had trundling through my head for a while, and I think i’ll do some for my shop, but I can’t post any pics, it’ll spoil the supprise!
A world without computers - part 2
31st August 2009
We are back from our wonderful holiday in France, where we discovered secluded coves and snorkeled over oyster beds, explored old romantic ruinous castles, sailed on the salt marshes, ate mussels by the sea and drank wine by the bottle! It was wonderful, and if my camera hadn’t colluded with the computer to delete all, yes all our photos, I could have shared them with you…
But, onwards and upwards, we have our memories! I got a lot of crocheting done, I completed the cushion I was making out of the squares I received from the Granny Swap, all have been sent and received so I can show some pictures of what I set and luckily the ladies liked them!
I can’t show you the pictures of the ones I received unworked, as the camera (not me obviously!) lost them. But off Ali as I mentioned in my last post, I got the gorgeous blue and cream squares, along with a beautiful button that i’ve made into a necklace, I’ll post a picture another time, and some delicious chocolate. The other squares in the perfect blue, green and orange colours (I swear Marie must have been through my things as the colours are what I would have chosen) were off Marie, along with a fantastic parcel of matching corsage, mini bag containing tea and chocolate and an already utilised notebook. As you can see the squares went beautifully together and I didn’t want to spoil them when I joined them. So after much thought, I crocheted some miniature granny squares to join them. I think it really works, I hope the original creators do!
It goes perfect on my favourite chair! (If you click on the images it will make them bigger).
A detail, showing how I joined them.
Before this post becomes a ramble, and before the boys really do break something upstairs i’ll sign off, but i’ll be back with more pictures and ideas in a few days, when serenity rules again, and the boys are back at school.
Patchwork a go-go!
Well i’ve kind of worked through last weeks to do list…
I’ve finished the bag, using those fab handles. I tried a few swatches of chunky and aran type crochet stitches, but none seemed quite right. So I got all my wools out (and let my mind luxuriate in all the colourful beauty of it) then, because I obviously have patchwork on my mind at the minute, I came up with this:
I am really pleased with it, the colours and textures go together well, and it was fun to do, almost like painting. This is definatly a direction I want to explore further.
I’ve lined the bag in brown cord, and vileane so that it is quite solid, with a magnetic snap closure. Unfortunatly the weather here is wet and grey, no good for photos, so I took a couple for here, but will take some better ones for the shop, hopefully soon!
I’ve also finished the squares for the granny square swap,
I’ll post some picures when Sam and Izabella have recived them, I really hope they like them!
Finally, I experimented with the Silver Egyptian square, but I need some silver wire, the colours I have don’t go, so I had a little play with what I intended to experiment with at another time, combining buttons, seams, crocheted edgings and fabrics.
The fabric is off a top I customised, and the buttons are made from bits in my fabric box. The edging is called a Double Shell Trim, and is really simple to do. I’m quite excited about the posibilities with this, i’ll keep you updated!
