just a few things ....

I wanted to share with you!

A pretty brooch found on one of my little jaunts,

The fat quarters I took to Oxford sold really well last week, so I have been cutting lots more! This pretty vintage candystripe sheet goes on forever!

I love this 1950's fabric too, in fact anything with roses on I seem to be attracted to!

I have popped a few of these Here too!

I love this pretty Colclough china I found at the CS, but I am torn as whether to keep it for myself or pop it on my stall

The cute Westie dog is a little gift for my niece!

These little Scottie brooches have sold well at Oxford too, I love to stitch them, so relaxing.

I hope you are all having a lovely Easter holidays and are making the most of the sunshine, tis gorgeous here!

TTFN

Rachel x

On my list today...

1. Do the washing



2. Empty the dishwasher



3. Take Wilson for a walk



4. Make son's lunch for 6th form trip



5. Go to charity warehouse to source more fabric



6. Go shopping



7. Pack shopping away(I hate that bit)



8. Finish making cover for hall table

I'm pleased to say I've managed to do the all by lunch time except No.8, that is still a WIP, do you want to see?

The dress I was going to use was stitched in panels so I had to rethink. Idecided to make a patchwork cover and mixed it in with other fabrics. The beige rose fabric is the dress. I also used an offcut of my daughters curtains, a pillowcase and leftover cushion faric I've had for a few years!And do you know what, I'm really pleased with it so far! I need to add 1 more panel, back it and then add the pompom trim!

I'm off to make myself some lunch while Wilson has his little nap(tired from his walk)

Rachel x

Thank you for the Strawberry love ladies!

Bellaboo was very close! She thought I was going to make buting and it is, sort of!

I have made a Strawberry Garland and some strawberry keyrings so far

It was a swap that I'm taking part in that inpired me!

I did want to plant up some pots today but it's soggy and wet outdoors!
Hopefully it will be nicer tomorrow!

will you be gardening this weekend?

Rachel x

A Bunting Making Day

Yes today has seen me making lots of bunting whilst waiting for an important phone call, which hasn't materialised yet! Isn't that frustrating!

I even had the phone in my pocket outside taking photos of my bunting!

The Lilac smells gorgeous . This actually grew under the fence from our next door neighbours. What a wonderful freebie!

I have taken some pictures indoors too, so that you can see the colours more clearly.

A bit closer

I shall be popping some into my RubyRed Tiny Shop too!

If you'd like to snap some up it is 2.5 m long with 13 flags and costs just £9.

Hope you have been enjoying the sunshine!

Rachel x

Snippety snipping

Been snippety snipping at the Ikea quilt cover

I've made 3 of these!

I've made lots of hearts too! These will be made into a heart garland.

I'm off to bake cakes for when Sonny Jim gets home from school. He's got his appetite back.BIG TIME!!

Rachel x

p.s I cried my eyes out last night watching Married, single, other!

How about you?

Sweet things!

I made my cupcakes!

Pink butterfly cakes with REAL butter butter cream

Very naughty as one is never enough, in fact I'd better not mention EXACTLY how many I have eaten!!

Do you like my little jug? I love it! It was one of my Christmas presents from my sis! So pretty!

The last two evenings have been spent making Peachy bunnies. I bought a vintage Witney blanket at the boot last summer. I was going to dye it, as I couldn't think what to make.Bunnies popped into my head on Wednesday and so I've been busy stitching since then!

As this is my 100th post!! (I thought I'd never get there to be honest) I thought I'd have a little giveaway.The giveaway gift will be a Peachy Bunny and some handmade cards (which I've yet to make)

If you would like to enter the giveaway, you just need to leave a comment on this post! Yes, it really is as simple as that!Overseas ladies are very welcome to enter too! I wouldn't want to miss anyone out!

Have a fabulous weekend, hope the sun shines on you!

Rachel x

What I've been up to...

little Russian doll keyrings. I like to make these while I'm watching TV in the evenings

In fact I can't watch TV without a bit of crafting, it makes me feel lazy!

I've made 12 of these little ladies, some for my stall and I shall pop some in my tinyshop later this evening.

What do you do whilst watching TV?

I'm off to make cupcakes for my boys now!

Hope mine look as good as these!

Rachel x

Surprise gift, Brighton and pincushions!

I was having a bit of a feeling down kind of a day, when a parcel arrived tthrough my letterbox. I assumed it was for Hubby, as he had ordered some stuff online.But I was wrong, as I turned it over I realised it had been sent all the way from Italy! Well I was so excited, inside was the most thoughtful and special gft from the lovely Michela at Little Secrets From My Garden

Isn't it gorgeous! A sweet little purse in red leather! I love it Michela I really do!

What a sweet lady you are!

Michela sent a lovely little note saying that the purse was a thank you for the brooches I had sent when she won a giveaway of mine!

Really,there was no need to send me a gift Michela, but it was a very kind thought and I REALLY appreciate it!

It takes pride of place in the bag I had from Hubby from my birthday!

In other news, we had a lovely weekend in Brighton, visiting my daughter at uni .We had a little trip out to Devils Dyke in the South Downs.We Watched the handgliders and people doing this sport, although I don't know what it's called.It was a beautiful clear day butVERY cold.We had a very cozy pub lunch there too!

My daughter and I had a fit of the giggles watching one poor chap trying to take off.He kept trying to run off the edge of the hill but got knocked down by the wind The poor chap must've been knackered by the time he took off! Luckily he was out of earshot so he didn't hear our giggles!

This week I have been working on some new patchwork pincushions . Quite big ones too!

They are made from Hexy patchwork on both sides and I shall be popping them into my Tiny Shop later today!

I just love Hexy patchwork, so relaxing! I love picking the colours and fabrics too!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Rachel x

Christmas Giveaway!

Although we are in December, I still quite can't believe it! It maybe due to the fact that Hubby was away working in Egypt for the WHOLE of November and I was left on my own with my boy! Now recently my boy has gotten himself a good social life so I was alone. A lot.In fact even when he is in, he's a boy of few words!(he's 15)

For example" How did work experience go today? " Good"

What happened then?" "Stuff"

The upside was that I had lots of time on my hands to make 'stuff 'and make 'stuff 'I did! Lots of handmade Christmas presents and working on new design ideas.Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy time on my own, but a whole month is just toooo long especially when it's only meant to be for 2 weeks!So, to get me in the full festive spirit of December thought I'd have a little giveaway!

It will be a little parcel of goodies including, one of my Christmas fairies,

A little bunny made from vintage Witney blanket,

And a gingham heart,there will also be a few surprise gifts! They will be held in one of my heart calico bags!

All you have to do is tell me about one of your Christmas traditions in your home and I'll enter you into the draw!

One of my traditions is wrapping presents next to the lit Christmas tree, with a Baileys coffee and a mince pie, listening to my CD of all the old crooners!Especially Bing Crosby singing Drummer Boy, you know the per u pa pum pum song! Love it, hubby isn't keen on that CD though ,he prefers the Mariah Carey Christmas CD!

Can't wait to hear about yours! I'm off to have a slice of homemade flapjack , still abit warm and crumbly and a cuppa, hope you all have a lovely weekend!

Oh, the draw will close on Wednesday, to give me enough time to post it off! Overseas ladies are very welcome to join in too!

Rachel x

Blimey, it's hard to photograph velvet!

Hello Gals!

Well this week I have still been yo-yo'ing, it's a great little stash buster!

My favourite one so far is the velvet. Now usually I wouldn't use velvet in a sewing project, as it's a bit difficult to work with, but for hand sewing it's been great!It's so difficult to photograph though! I took this one on my knee!

It feels beautiful so soft and it's a beautiful deep red( not my knee ,the brooch) I shall definitely be wearing one on my grey winter coat too!I have made some for Christmas stocking fillers too!

This one is made from a linen mix.

In fact I have been so addicted to making yo-yos I have some brooches going into my little shop later today!

Hope the sun is out for you, it is here, although it's very cold, fresh shall we say!

I shall be having a Christmas giveaway on Friday too!

Rachel x

Yo-yo mad!

What do you get when you cross a pair of palazzo pants, a skirt lining, gingham and a few shirt buttons?

Ta-da!

A Christmas yo-yo garland!

This yo-yo malarkey is addictive you know!

I've made a bracelet too and I love it!

Whoops, that one's a bit blurryThat's better!

This lovely lady has been yo-yoing this week tabiboo/.blogspot.com/

You can find lots of links if you'd like to make yo-yo's yourself!

I'm off to do some more!

Have a lovely weekend!

Rachel x

A cozy evening in

A spot of hand stitching by lamplight,hearts on calico bags.

A delicious cup of hot chocolate, orange peel and cinnamon flavour, as recommended by this lovely lady! tabiboo

I didn't have cream on mine but I did have 2 Brazil chocolate cookies, yum!

Yep I'm definitely cozy, warm and relaxed!You have a cozy evening too!

Rachel x

Away with the Fairies

Well I have been for 2 days! Making a pattern for them ,deciding whether they need hair or just a bow, decisions, decisions.Once I'd finished the first one I got a little bit addicted, I love stitching them together whilst snuggling up on the sofa and watching Coronation Street! Talking of which, poor Roy, do you reckon he's a gonna, is Tony going to get his come uppance or not?
Rachel x

Today I'm loving...

listening to the new Robbie Williams CD on Spotify! It's fantastic!Especially love the track You know me.

My new pins, so colourful, little things please little minds and all that!

Bunting in progress, I have made 10 lengths of bunting this week as I have 3 events, Thurs, Fri and Saturday

Browsing images of kitchens,especially love these two.Our kitchen is smaller than this,but we are hoping to knock down a wall and have a kitchen diner after Christmas

Image from McKeown Kit

Image from Country Living





A girl can dream....


I'm off to stitch Gingerbread men next!
Rachel x