WOYWW 436

RIDING ALONG ON MY PUSHBIKE HONEY

WHEN I NOTICED YOU....

It has been another crazy week - five band rehearsals, a contest, catching up with a long lost cousin, stuffing Ferrero Rochers into knitted Christmas puddings etc etc. (more later) I wish this week coming up would be quieter but it's not.

The girls at Knit Stitch and B*tch asked me to make some more felt Christmas decorations so that's what I've been doing when there's been a spare five minutes here and there. I stopped at Hobbycraft in Swansea last Friday because I was running out of lace trims, white embroidery floss and ribbons.

Festive colours!

A close up of my new stash - I'll enjoy using these, especially the tartan, I'm really into it at the minute: it must be the after effects of meeting Elizabeth at the Crop :-D

I met up with the Knit Stitch and B*tch mob last Thursday in a local cafe where there was a mass stuffing going on, lol!! The girls have knitted about 400 mini Christmas puddings and attached a loop to hang them - there's just enough room inside in which to stuff a single Ferrero Rocher choccy. These will then be sold at a stall in the local hospital in December - all profits are going to the Breast Care unit and another women's ward. I've made felt decorations, doggy bandannas, mini stockings for the cause. 

Here's a piccy of the girls...

A happy bunch - they're great fun!

...and the stuffed puddings!! Local businesses have donated all the chocs and the yarn was from everyone's stashes, so it's all profit! We sold £42's worth whilst in the cafe. They'll have to knit some more now :-D

One evening G and I walked down the harbour, it was a beautiful evening and we just fancied stretching our legs:

I do love living by the sea again!

Have a great week everyone xxxxx

WOYWW 435

YOU GOTTA HAVE FRIENDS....

After months of planning, the Crop shot by in a whirlwind! No sooner were we driving up than we were heading back home again. Margaret played an absolute blinder in organising everything and worked so hard on the day - Thank You just isn't enough.

I have posted an extensive photo report of the day here if you're interested!

On the way up, Julia, Gordon and I stopped in the small market town of Machynlleth to stretch our legs and grab a bite to eat. There was a small community gallery there - click here for details: Julia and I homed in on these beautiful little felt, embroidery and beaded duckponds, set in vintage china teacups...

They were sooooo pretty - we thought one would be perfect as a thank you for Margaret. They were all gorgeous but one stood out in particular, it's the one at the back with the red flowers. The lady behind the till was the artist (Mo Couper) who'd created it and she was really pleased that it was a gift for a crafter!  Luckily Margaret loved it too :-D

The Crop was full of giveaways and ATCs - as you know, my papercrafting skills are non-existent so, remember my painted stones from a couple of weeks ago? They became these:

Fun, huh?!  I really enjoyed making them and they seemed to be acceptable in place of an ATC, so that was good!

Back home, I was contacted by a crafting friend who told me that the things I'd made for the MacMillan coffee morning had flown off the table and had contributed to a total profit of £1000! She asked if I could make some more things for the charity stall at the local hospital so that's what's on my desk today.

I'm really making headway using up my Christmas fabrics, it's really pleasing. I'm doing some Festive doggy bandannas....

That's the last of all those fabrics shown - yee haw :-D

But nature abhors a vacuum and when the stash boxes are approaching emptiness, well, there's only one thing a gal can do.....go shopping!!

These are from an amazing fabric and yarn shop in Machynlleth, just around the corner from the gallery. I could have spent a lot more but just got these. Love the colours, I think I was inspired by the autumnal hues driving up through glorious Wales :-)

It was so lovely to meet a few online friends in reality - I was especially looking forward to meeting Neet, Fab gal, she's a real babe with her funky punky hair and clothes. The overwhelming feeling was of love, support and friendship...I'm so happy to be a part of it.

Roll on the next one!

xxxxxx

WOYWW - CROP 2017

DIDN'T WE HAVE A LOVELY TIME

THE DAY WE WENT TO LLANDUDNO....

Well, it was a few months in the planning but Crop '17 finally took place on Saturday. Margaret Glitter and Glue had taken up the gauntlet of running the day and by gum, she made a cracking job. Thank you Margaret, you made it all seem effortless (though we know how much hard work you put in) 

The venue was very spacious with lots of room to spread out - we were fewer in numbers but the volume of chatting was no different to normal!  We were fortunate to have a few different faces this time, which was one of the nice results about changing location. The only folk who couldn't make it on the day were Shaz and Doug Silverwolf, much to everyone's disappointment. Shaz was still in too much pain after her fall and they decided it was too far to drive. We missed you both terribly but completely understood.

Doddy (David, husband of Annie aka Wipso) was helping to set up her Dumfing corner - he's showing my other half, what the various bits and pieces do!

LLJ and Wipso - we've met many times before but this was Annie's first Crop, she was sooo excited to meet everyone in real life!

It was Neet's first Crop too!  I was very excited to meet Neet in person as we've been friends for ever online and get on really well. Let me tell you - Neet is an absolute BABE! She's so glam and very funky indeed (loved her biker jacket, skinny jeans and assymetric hair)

Neet had bought quite a lot of stuff with her - you'll have to ask her yourselves if she used any! ;-)

The dumfing machine, felt, bags of wool roving and yarns - Annie had brought loads so that we could all have a try at dumfing.

There was hand dumfing too - it was really interesting to see how much detail Annie could achieve, but then she's an expert!

Sarah Brennan (Sarah's Craft Shed) was also a newbie to the Crop - she even gave up her ticket to see her footie team Stoke, in order to travel up and join us. That's dedication for you :-D

I love this girl!! Christine (Bishopsmate) is a regular Cropper and it was just fab to see her again. She's a naughty gal, lol!

And makes us all want to join in! Christine was crocheting blankets for preemie babies and had already completed one whilst travelling up - way to go, Missus!

Julia welcomed everyone to the Crop and explained how the day would pan out - nothing much different from the previous Crops...chat, cake, cake, chat, cake, craft, cake chat. You get the drift. 

Sarah and her friend Eva, who we've known as the 'Friend on the Other side of the Desk' up til now as I'd only ever seen her hands and craftwork on Sarah's blog. They're both funny, chatty women who really joined in the spirit of the day. We're trying to get Eva to start her own blog and join in WOYWW - Sarah is on the case :-D

Two other newbies were Anne (CopperBeech) and Chris (Mrs D). Again, it was so lovely that they made to effort to attend, especially as Chris was still recovering from the very nasty fall she had recently.

We've wanted to meet for so long - Neet was just how imagined her to be, really funny and interesting to talk to. We chatted for ages!

Then it was my turn on the electronic dumfer. I really really enjoyed it and was quite happy picking the different wools to have a go at making a flower. In fact, I snuck another piece of felt and had another go afterwards. Sorry Annie :-D

This makes me laugh! There's a good bit of gossiping going on there, don't you think?! Elizabeth (Silverscrapper), another Crop newbie, had travelled from Scotland to attend - she and Annie are particularly good mates online but this was the first real life meeting. 

Dolores (Cardarian) was the furthest travelled, having driven across the whole width of the UK from the south east to the North west! 

As is often the case, the time just galloped by and before we knew it, lunchtime arrived. Julia thanked Margaret for all her hard work.

All laid out ready for action. Adrian (Mrs D's other half) was a great help in the kitchen.

Julia presented Margaret with some gifts from all the attendees.

After lunch, Alan (Elizabeth Silverscrapper's EM) made use of the pool table!

Eva tried her hand at dumfing - Annie is a good teacher :-)

Look! Some actual crafting happened :-D  I'd taken some crochet to do, easy to carry around the table whilst nattering. This was the first time I'd not done the catering - it was a lovely change to be able to relax.

Well, I say crafting - more like Chatting whilst Holding Wool in all honesty :-D

Anne and Neet were heads together over a card!

The venue was very spacious - great choice Margaret!

Ermm, is anyone doing any crafting??

Julia was!! Woohoo, well done gal :-D She'd taken some stamped images and Copics. 

I think Annie's doing some palm reading here :-D

And Margaret finally had the chance to sit down and colour a bit too - I remember well the relief of having successfully delivered lunch too! I think that's a well deserved cuppa by Margaret's elbow.

Dolores had a go at the machine too...

..and produced a really good flower! I think she's got the knack :-)

You may notice a new WOYWW badge on Anne's cardigan, Julia had brought them to dish out.

I sat and got to know these two a bit better and to admire what they were doing...

Eva was doing some beautiful watercolours...

Sarah was doing parchment work...

Dolores was making a poppy for the Women's guild group she's joined in Kent..

Margaret had promised to show Neet how to do a ribbon weaving card...

They've got more patience than me, that's for sure!

It must have been six years since Elizabeth and I last met - there was lots to catch up on!

Great friends - and just think, our paths would never have crossed had it not been for WOYWW. 

Gradually the day came to a close, the cake was depleted but enough left over for the Church meeting the following morning.

Julia had brought loads of stamps and stash from her mum's collection so everyone had a good pick of them...

The obligatory group shot!

Back row L-R: LLJ, Eva, Elizabeth (Silverscrapper) Annie (Wipso) Sarah (Sarah's Craft Shed) Neet (Hickydorum) and Julia

Front row L-R: Dolores (Cardarian) Christine (Bishopsmate) Margaret (Glitter and Glue), Chris (Mrs D) and Anne (CopperBeech)

What a cracking bunch - and so generous too. The day made £150 which will go to the charity picked by Margaret. It's run by her church and helps fund food, clothes and schools for a community in Uganda.

I'd like to leave you with a last pic of some stamps that just encapsulate everything that's wonderful about WOYWW:

Looking forward to the next one already!