Phew…..

What a hot month we are having here in the UK, yes I shouldn't complain, but I will, the sunshine is fabulous but the humidity is just so bad, it makes me feel ill, sickly and drained, we are in need of a major thunder storm to freshen the air slightly. Every task seems to take twice as long and a nap is required after each one.

Anyway…I have been crafting, enjoying my final 2 months study free time…come October it will be all hands to the pump again!

I’m slowly but surely getting through my LHN Sheep Virtues, I’ve just completed Courage and made it up…

I stitched it on 32 Murano Beige using the recommended DMC threads, I finished it as a hanging pillow edged with iridescent cream ric rac.

I’ve also been busy with fabric and thread…I made this little treasure this morning for the little Miss, it’s for her PE kit, she starts full time school in September, she chose the fabric…yellow is her favourite colour…

2 of my sofa cushions needed a renovate so armed with Stylecraft DK and a hook, I have produced these….

the above cover is the same front and back….the one below has 2 different sides, so I have 2 different looks which i can swap and change..

Finally….I was the lucky winner of Michelle’s blog giveaway last month, she very kindly sent me a monetary gift so I could shop wherever I wanted….I had a great time purchasing my goodies which included…

..this fab book from Amazon full of new crochet stitches for me to master, a bespoke crochet hook, made by a lady on the Open University Craft Group I belong to, she also sent me the handmade buttons too…as well as the above goodies I bought some wool to make scarf and hat sets for the kiddiewinks for the winter and some lovely Cotton On yarn with which I made this…

I saw the idea on Lucy’s blog Attic24 and adapted it to my own taste, this will be for my new bedroom…once decorated…

Well folks that’s all for this time…take care and stay cool!!

Hugs & Stitches

Cushion-tastic!!

Well I finally managed to get a few childfree hours yeaterday to make up my cushions and edge my throw….2 patchwork cushions and 3 crochet….my sewing machine was on overtime…but after 5 hours I have a great ta-da!!

I spent the evening admiring them…and am delighted to how they have turned out….not one to let the grass grow under my feet though…I started this project…the Blooming Flower Cushion which can be found on Lucy’s blog here…I managed the first 3 rounds whilst watching The Duchess, one of the many films I recorded over the Christmas period…

A very bright cool and extremely windy morning…I dropped the kiddiewinks off at school and nursery and have a couple of hours before lunchtime nursery pick up to bake them a treat ( a little treat for mum too if I am being totally honest)! Can you smell it? the house smells totally divine…they are just in the oven…Triple Chocolate Brownies..mmmm, very simple to make…the ingredients are quite costly though, therefore these are an occasional treat…

Well folks on that tasty note I will head off to nursery for pick up…it never ends…have a great Monday!

Hugs & Stitches

Darn You Bugs!!

Yes I think this house has had its fair share of them so far this year, the week before last I had both the kiddiewinks with the dreaded lurgy and then on Monday I was knocked for six by the rotten Norovirus, which lasted four days, on the plus side I have lost 10lbs in weight so a good start to the new year diet! It wasn’t fun keeping going and having to do all the mummy things like making dinner for the kids and keeping on top of the laundry whilst you feel so ill but it had to be done.

I did manage some crafting though…there was a plus side to the illness!

I stitched this freebie design last weekend and finished it just in time for the 200th Anniversary of Pride and Prejudice…

The Sampler Girl Pride & Prejudice 200th Anniversary freebie, stitched on 28c Brittney ‘Antique White’ using Dinky Dye silks.

I have also started work on a baby blanket, a gift for Miss Martha’s teacher who is expecting her first baby in June….it is the palest lemon and green, the wool is so soft and snuggly….

and one more crafty finish…..I made this yesterday and will be definitely hooking up more of these little beauties…

African Flower Crochet Pincushion – tutorial can be found here, I used up scraps of Rico Cotton Aran yarn I had in my oddments basket…I used a 4mm hook but I think when I make more of these I will decrease the hook size so that the flower at the top will be tighter so less stuffing can be seen….

Last weekend Saturday was a definite snowy Saturday…it was so thick…but by Sunday morning due to an overnight downpour it was gone!!

it was the perfect excuse for these to be made….Banana and sultana loaf and Clementine Drizzle loaf….

and beef and root vegetable stew with dumplings….

I also knocked up this delicious soup yesterday….Butternut Squash soup….so simple and yummy for my poorly tummy…note my new crockery…I can’t quite stretch to Cath Kidston at the moment so this cheaper and cheerful substitute from Dunelm Mill is just the ticket, it matches my blue flowery kitchen perfectly….in the meantime, I continue to search charity shops for vintage china….

a cold bright and breezy day here today….we won’t be venturing further than the local shops today….enough to blow away the cobwebs…then back to the sofa…..

Have a great weekend whatever you do…

Hugs & Stitches