OH, THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS FRIGHTFUL,
BUT THE FIRE IS SO DELIGHTFUL,
AND SINCE WE'VE NO PLACE TO GO,
LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW!
Well, there's been very little crafting going on Chez LLJ this week! And what I have made, I can't show you :-) But, for what it's worth, here's the desk.....
Taking a leaf out of Kyla's book, I'm going to patchwork up some fabric to use for a tote bag. There's not enough of each bit, so this seems the way to Bust my Stash.... That knitted bauble is a present from Denmark, from the lady I made a bag for! I thought I recognised the pattern and construction - it's by two Norwegian blokes who featured on last week's Kirsty Allsop's Christmas crafts programme on TV - coincidence or what? There's also a crochet flower I brought up to find a button for.....
I can show you this though - a covered notebook for Rhys' tutor at his sixth form college, who has been very supportive of him. I still have to have those stripes horizontal though, lol!
Even though I haven't got much of my stuff to show, I can share some other's work instead :-)
This gorgeous butterfly picture was made for me by Helen, a friend from the accordion orchestra I've been playing with recently. Isn't it fab? I love the colours and the music paper background!
And this fun Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle bauble was made by a friend of another mate, also called Helen, for her son! Isn't it great? It made me smile!!
But the main reason for not having any time to craft is this........
As you can imagine, the brass band I play in has been very busy recently! We're at Tesco in Marlborough here, helping to raise money for a local Community bus service. This is about a third of the band and yes, we were cold!! Simon, on the right, was playing his new P-Bone...a bright red trombone made of plastic...it weighs hardly anything. Very funky!!
And I made myself and my bass as festive as I could! Fairy lights were twined around my music stand and the instrument and my bunny ears also flashed. Fetching, doncha think??
Just two school carol concerts to play piano for and four more band engagements, then I'm done. All good fun though....just as well I adore carols, isn't it?? Lol
Have a great Christmassy crafting week xx
38 comments:
Indeed it is Jan..adore carols too... and really cracked up at last image what brilliant idea to add lights etc to your music stand and bunny ears very fetching as you say... love the knitted ornament and the book covering too Shaz in Oz.x No number yet.
I wish I lived closer so I could come and listen... Your music stand and ears look fab! Love the gifts on show, very pretty! Helen #1
Love your book covering it's sewn so perfectly and your ornament made me laugh once I realized it was a mutant turtle lol Hugs Nikki 3
I love a good old sing song to carols too. So nice to see you in your festive gear and doing such good deeds too.
Love all your makes as always and I adore that bauble. I remember Denmark and it's decorations from years and years ago - a place I must revisit some time.
Hugs, Neet xx and Marry Christmas (22)
Those pink fluffy ears reAlly suit you you should wear them more often. Your band is certainly in demand so it must sound fantastic..... Can we book you for the next crop
Janet @12
Hope you were well supported. Love your productive desk. Have a wonderful Christmas.
Loving the colour combo for your patchwork bag - the pale blue/deep red/white/kraft combo is a new favourite of mine, land that knitted bauble is so sweet, love it! Must see if I can get Kirsty on catch-up. You look very fetching in your band outfit with the ears :o) Happy WOYWW Annie C #28
You certainly look the business - I love the ears and twinkly lights! You must have a lot of puff to play that - my nephew is learning the flugel horn and I've never managed to get a sound out of it - and that's with a fairly substantial chest! I love the Christmas decoration - I wonder how easy it would be to knit one. Oh and I nearly forgot to say thank you very much for the WOYWW christmas card from you and Julia. I hope you have a lovely festive week and a good turnout at your last few concerts.
Diana x
Nothing like brass band carols to get you in the festive mood! I love the knitted bauble (another on the to-do list haha!) and the covered notebook is a great idea. Hugs, Chris # 8
Loving the knitted bauble. I have seen something similar in a catalogue recently, but can't remember where.
The notebook and other projects are fab.
Hope you have a happy WOYWW
Sue #34
Well look at you and the big brass band! Fab - as is your card, thank yo very much. I had to laugh at the LLJ production note on the back :) Love the notebook, and I have been SO tempted by the crochet balls I've seen in a number of places. Not Kirstie' show I'm afraid, the DVR messed up (or DD decided her show was more important and cancelled it LOL!) but I just HAVE to find time to make at least ONE. Will hunt up a pattern if I can. It'll be perfect while I sit, awaiting the arrival of any one of abut 20 deliveries we are expecting. Ho Hum, and curses to you for even THINKING about snow - I saw those lyrics. No No NO!
Have a great week, full of music and fabric and all things seasonal. EXCEPT snow!
:)
Happy happy WOYWW!
Mary Anne (2)
I just HAVE to try again :) I got the strangest verification - a WORD and a NUMBER and it said Type the TEXT. It seems new so I have to try again and see what happens :) I can read it so it's an improvement over the usual and if this works I can carry on commenting. I am SO EXCITED :)
MA again
and popping back in to say no, it i back to number only. I wonder ....
Hi LLJ, haven't been visiting you for some time. Nice to see you are busy with your band! First time I've seen you make a journal too! A blessed season! patsy
I'd love to give colourwork a go one day, looks really complicated though, but then again I said that about socks and then cables and then lace, but once you give it a go! I like the fabric explosion too and I recognise that fabric on the left, my notions bag is made of that! Beautiful butterfly from your friend and I love the bad photos. Hope the shoppers appreciated it! Thanks so much for the card, I forgot to thank Julia though, will have to pop back. Have a fabby Christmas, see you on the other side.
Hugs
Brenda 38
Jan, the beautiful, gorgeous tote bag arrived safely in the USA! Oh the fabric, it's beautiful and so me!! Thank you sweet soul sister, I can't believe I have one of your amazing totes now. I love it, and of course had to feature it in a little poem on my blog today! I am so glad you shared the pictures of your band too, you all look so festive in your reds, and I wish I could come listen! I don't know if I told you I play the violin, but I plan on doing some practicing now that I have a nice holiday vacation coming up. Maybe I'll perfect Silent Night! I've still so much to do to get ready for Christmas, though, and I just need to pace myself! Anyhoo, your happy mail just gave me a boost. Hugs to you dearest! Sandy Leigh #41
Hiya Jan, lovely Christmassy pics this week. that Ninja Turtle bauble is ace! Love you looking so festive in the last pic.Ace Crimbo card, by the way, love it! Not posted this week, think I'm just about hauling my a** out the other side of Feeling-sorry-for-myselfville, trying to get myself ok for next week. On the up, got my MRI on 6th Jan, and my CT on the 9th, so I'll get reviewed in the MDT meeting on the 13th, which means I should get a surgery date pretty soon after that. Huge Hugs, Shaz xxx
Jan you look so cool with your bunny ears! Looks like you had a very good time. That band is so wonderful, people must have loved you! A very nice christmassy blog! Thanks for sharing!
Happy holidays
Gabriele 19
Hi Jan, I love the photos of the band - you do look festive and cheerful too despite the cold. Look forward to seeing your patchwork bag and I love the bookcover too. The butterfly picture is gorgeous and I love the Ninja Turtel bauble - absolutely fab :) Hope you have a great Christmassy week too. Hugs, Elizabeth x #42
That first photo looks full of the makings of lots of lovely makes! I love the scandi knitted bauble. Gorgeous. Thank you for the fab card xx
Fiona #15?
I just love the fairy lights in your thingumy.... Eerr bass... Sorry had to check what instrument it was, you play so many! Ooooh I love carols too, here's to all the brass band players who do a great job in the freezing cold! Have a great christmas Jan xx
Lynda B ( might have had a glass of sherry!) 14
Me again! I just wanted to give you some gingerbread house tips in case you want to give it a go. Here's the secret..roll out your dough on the back of a cookie sheet, have your templates cut out to lay on top of the dough and cut around, and then bake. That way you don't have to move the dough. Then, let it cool on a rack, and completely dry out for a day or two. When all your pieces are dried out and nice and hard, then make a very, very stiff icing with egg whites and powdered sugar. It's your glue. Then decorate all your pieces while they are laying flat. Then let all that dry out. Then use your icing to glue it all together--and I use straight pins while it's drying so it will hold well. Now I didn't follow all my own advice this year, I was in a hurry and decorated it after I put it together, but it worked okay. I got my templates on the internet from somebody named "Mr. Food." Christmassy hugs back you!! Sandy Leigh
I really love the butterfly/music picture your friend has made you. My Mom would really enjoy one such as that. The fairy lights on the music stand..perfect! Happy WOYWW! #25
As always, you make the most beautiful fabric gifts!!
Love to see you in your flashing bunny ears......grin
Happy WOYWW and Merry Christmas!
LLJ you look fabulous in red and brass. Absolutely love the butterfly with the music page. Thanks again for sharing your life and desk with us.
Pat #49
Hello there LLJ,
I love the butterfly mixed media piece your friend made for you. very cool. The knitted ornament is beautiful - we both know how much work is involved in that. Also, the notebook for your son's tutor is great! You are such a talented seamstress (what's an updated word for that?). What a great idea to sew bits of fabric together to make a large piece. I have quite a bit of fabric stash that I haven't done anything with. Fabric is kind of like designed paper -- so beautiful that I MUST buy some..... haaa
Thank you for the card, by the way.
Happy WOYWW
Hugs,
Kay (43)
Gorgeous makes and I love your bunny ears and lights. Anne x 9
Fab makes as usual Jan and I love your photo in the band - what a happy bunch you all are. x Jo
Love your bunny ears! And the knitted bauble is gorgeous! Also like the Ninja Turtle bauble as I've not seen one like that before. Merry Christmas and a Happy WOYWW!
Carol N #39
I loved seeing your Brass band photos Jan, Happy Christmas to you and your Family. x
I'm really late getting round to all my blogging friends today...it's been one of those days :-)
Love the pics of the band Jan...wish we lived closer :-)
Hugs,
Annie x #21
Oh I wish I could have heard the band! Sounds like real fun (even though it was cold). Love you bunny ears....
Your sewing is great as always. That covered note book is so beautiful.
Have a good week, hope it's not too cold when you play your last two 'gigs' before Christmas.
Lisca#18
Yeah, it looks as if it was cold..am fascinated by the plastic trombone...does it sound the same? The covered notebooks are gorgeous..I wonder if the tutor will think Rhys made it for her>!!
hi again.... just to let you know I don't have ALL my Christmas stuff on the desk only a fraction of it......... the rest is on the floor and not shown LOL
janet
Oh my, those bunny ears.... love the lights on your instrument as well. :-)
That TMNT ornament is so clever. Made me chuckle.
Happy creating and happy woyww,
Sandy #30
Happy Christmas and a very Creative New Year
Lynn x
You & the band look fabulously festive ! Hope you raised lots of money ! Wishing you & the family a wonderful Christmas & hope to see you down here in the New Year ! Love Ali xx ~17
What a great idea to string lights on your music stand and your brass! I too am curious about the sound of that plastic trombone. I really admire those who can sew, and sew as well as you do. :) Gorgeous work! It made me very happy to visit you for the first time. I will come back! Thanks for sharing. Nann #48
You are festive with all those lights around the instrument. Hope you have a really good time playing and help people to enjoy the festive season.
Bless you
Happy Christmas
Chris #23
Post a Comment