WOYWW 566

TIS THE GIFT TO BE SIMPLE, TIS THE GIFT TO BE FREE....

The Shaker Song sprang straight to mind when thinking of a lyric today - because it is the simple things that are making me happy at the moment and hoping that the time when we can be free to do what we want isn't too far away. Hope you're all keeping well and safe.

The JanCave:
I have been in and out of here crafting when the mood takes me...

I've actually finished some UFOs - woohoo! *happy dance*  Betty was wearing this red silk scarf when I came in this morning, she's a bit of a floozy I've decided......

A couple of days ago I finished some more personalised bunting.

I saw on Attic24's blog that she's coloured in the centre of white crochet daisies to save time and I wondered if I could do the same with this trim, it worked really well!

This is all packed up and ready to send to Tilly, the new Granddaughter of an old friend and colleague.

Then I thought I'd face my fears and have a go at some patchwork - lol! It's for the WI competition that will be held later this year but it's good to be in hand. These are the fabrics that stood out:
They're probably a bit samey tone wise, I'll see if I can find one lighter, one darker to help.

It surprised me how many of you enjoyed the tour around my top shelf last week (oo-er missus) Anyway, as promised, here's the one below!

My best ever trophy, when I won Musician of the Year at my old band, the little dragon is from Twiglet, the box and WOYWW 10 pieces are by the lovely Debbie Rock, the butterfly and music in the box frame was made by a dear friend Helen from Hungerford. The WOYWW 10 bookmark at the back was given out at the Crop but I'm ashamed to say that I've forgotten who the maker was. But I love it and that's why it's there!

Pan right and here we find a small piece of Diana Taylor's collage magic (on the easel), the friendship frame with the pic of herself and me is by Debbie Rock, the trophy is for winning the WI Craft competition with most points last year and the gorgeous stitch markers are from my dear old mate Lynne.  All things that make me happy!

There's still the sides to see so that'll be next week's thrilling installment, lol!

And I'll finish by raising a glass to you all - gin with pink grapefruit tonic, it was delicious. Just the thing to do after a hard day's gardening :-D

CHEERS!

Keep well, safe and happy all you lovely crafters around the world. xxxx

35 comments:

Helen said...

The gin looks pretty! Your next shelf looks great - the bookmark is from Mrs D (well I have one that I am using and it's signed on the back) unless more than one desker had them.... Love the bunting for your friend. Happy WOYWW stay safe. xx Helen #?

Neet said...

If the sun shines today I will be in the garden with a rhubarb gin and will salute you my lovely.
Love the shelf tour, lots of loveliness on them and what a lot from Debbie - she is a gem with that medium she uses.
Oh Jan, the bunting, it is gorgeous and deserves to be shared with a wider audience (hint hint wink wink). It's almost worth getting pregnant again to have something like that to hang in the nursery. Perhaps that is a bit extreme and I should just think about being a gran! Never going to happen so I will just enjoy your photos.
Love your Jancave and especially like seeing Betty (for some reason I keep thinking of her as Betsy) but I think she could be floozier than that if she really tried.
Hugs - you stay safe and well - Neet 2 xx

Lynn Holland said...

I spotted Diana’s piece straight away as I have one too and display it in the same way.
Tilly’s bunting is beautiful. They are sure to be pleased.
Stay safe dear Jan.
Lynn xx

craftyani said...

Your Jan cave looks very tidy and bright. Don't drink gin but have some tonics and pick grapefruits in the garden perhaps I could juice them and add to the tonic. That bunting is beautiful I still love the old fashioned pink and blue colours for new borns. Have a good week. Ani #12

sandra de said...

Gorgeous bunting and very clever to colour the centre of the daisy.... makes it much more personalised. Always lovely to have a peek at your shelves, so many gorgeous little works of art. Love how the Gin and Tonic co-ordinates beautifully with your bunting and Betty. Stay safe.
Sandra de @13

Lillianb said...

Happy WOYWDW

Love the bunting and know it will be loved, good luck in the competition later, great shelves and love the look of the pink Gin,

Stay well and safe

Lilian B #11

Sarah Brennan said...

Love the latest shelf instalment Jan. The gin looks interesting and refreshing. The bunting is so pretty and fresh. Stay safe and happy WOYWW. Sarah #5

BJ said...

I'm Back and what a delight your room is. I really need to source some nice fabrics love seeing yours. I used to have a tailor's dummy when I did my O-level Dress and Design back in 1980! Sadly a family house fire destroyed all my stuff from before Uni, I only had left the sparse things I had with me at uni. Anyway your shelf is a delight as well what lovely keepsakes. Hoping I can manage to keep up with posting now I'm back again. Thanks for your lovely email. BJ#19

glitterandglue said...

Hey there young lady. What a lovely post. I'm with you 0- it's the small things. They come to mean a lot! Gorgeous bunting - and a lovely walk along the shelf. That's our daily exercise for today?? You have some special items made specially for you up there - and that is precious. But, oh my word, whatever does G think of that floozy in the corner? Is he at all worried by her brazeness?!
Take care of yourselves down the in the South. Stay safe. God bless.
Margaret #4

Shoshi said...

I always love visiting your sewing room, Jan, it’s so bright and pretty with all the gorgeous fabrics, and now, of course, Betty ruling the roost in there. She looks very splendid with her floozie scarf on!! Thank you for sharing more of your treasures with us. I just love things that have so much meaning. Congratulations on the two lovely trophies, too! A lady of many talents.

Thank you for visiting, and I’m glad you enjoyed my mandala quadrants! I hope the coloured ones will improve once I start colouring them with my Tombow pens. I’m going to try another run of them, this time without the mistakes!

Keep safe and well, and happy WOYWW,
Shoshi #17

Crafting Queen said...

Good luck with your patchwork. Your space looks so tidy, love it. Stay safe and well. Hugs Anesha

Shoshi said...

PS I meant to say how absolutely delicious those drinks look! So pretty and just the thing for a warm sunny day!

Shoshi x

Twiglet said...

Well it shows what good friends we are when you show us your top shelf and then down below too!! Loving all your little treasures Jan - they make me smile too - so many little memories and lovely arty items. The bunting is gorgeous - you really have the knack of making it crisp and beautiful. Cheers m'dear! xx Jo

Zsuzsa Karoly-Smith said...

Your Jan cave is so delightfully bright and creative! Thanks for the tour of the lower shelves - must check out your previous post for the top one! Your garden cocktails look tempting and wasn't your Facebook Disco fun LOL! I keep thinking of more songs to add. Keep safe and thanks for visiting! zsuzsa #16

Marit said...

Great idea, to colour the flowers to save time! I loved to see all the things (and their stories!) on your shelf. I stick to cool, white wine at the end of the day but CHEERS to you too! Have a good day, stay safe! Big hug from Holland. Marit #23

shazsilverwolf said...

Hiya Jan, lots of fab things to look at! Love Debbies stuff, I too have a box and a crop picture by her.The bunting is so pretty, and what a clever idea to colour the flowers centres.The Pink Grapefruit mixer sounds fab, just up my street. Unfortunately, thanks to either my blood pressure meds, or the Cholesterol one, can't remember which- I can't have grapefruit, which I find most inconvenient, as it's probably the only fruit I actually like!Have a lovely week, Stay safe, Hugs to you all, Shaz #10 XxXxXxX

Christine said...

What an interesting shelf! Lovely memories.
I think that Attic 24 is a breath of fresh air, love all her walks as well the the banners. The colouring certainly worked on your lace, it's a beautiful banner you've made.
Have a good week. stay safe
Christine #25

Sue Jones said...

OOO that Gin looks nice - I have a bottle of pink grapefruit gin - its lovely. Your room looks so fresh and sunny and very inspiring. The banner is so pretty . Take care and Keep safe . Soojay #18

Annie said...

I've really enjoyed my visit today Jan...everything seems quiet and relaxed over at yours. Enjoying the simple things in life is something we will all learn during our isolation.
Hugs,
Annie x #21

Tracey@Hotchpotchcreations said...

Raising a glass to you too Jan, it's so nice to see you enjoying life to the full still making for people to raise a smile how lively that bunting will look when hung up in the wee bains room. Thank you for sharing more delights on your shelving like a mini museum all of your own.. precious makes from precious creatives. Easter blessings & a very Happy Woyww hugs Tracey #24 x

My name is Cindy said...

Hello my lovely! I am developing some serious cave envy - your space always looks so serene, whilst mine is reminiscent of the morning after a good night. Love your display shelf, particularly like the box from Debbie. These lovely light days are encouraging the gin bottle out in the late afternoon aren't they? Oh well, you won't get any argument from me! Thanks for the earlier visit, Stay home, stay safe, stay well, Happy WOYWW Cindy #26

Belinda said...


As always, a pleasure to snoop around your craft cave. You better establish some rules for Betty or you might find an uninvited guest one day. She is rather flamboyant with that lovely red scarf. Your shelves are really fun to look at. Your buntings always come out nice. I wish I knew how to sew. I think they would be fun to make. It's rainy here today so no sitting outside for me. We are all well just waiting with the rest of the world for this to pass. Stay well.
Belinda #29

StampinCarol said...

Betty, a floozie? Well, as long as she doesn't get out at night... LOL!
Beautiful bunting! I actually got out my iron and board yesterday to help with some mending. First time in 10 years....
Love your shelf memories. And what lovely drinks!
Happy Easter!
Carol N #28

Caro said...

The shelf is gorgeous and the bunting is so pretty. Cheers! Enjoy your drink. I hope you are staying well and safe. Happy WOYWW. With love and God bless, Caro xxx (#20)

Felix the Crafty Cat said...

It's great to have chance to look round your workplace, it's so well organised. The bunting is brilliant and I'm sure someone's going to love it. Your gin looks lovely, I'm sure you enjoyed that. Wishing you a happy woyww and lots of crafty thoughts to keep you busy, Angela x15x

Heather M said...

Hi Jan, thanks for the shelf tour, everything always looks organised in your Jan Cave. I can't believe I have accumulated so much stuff in less than 5 years of crafting! The bunting is gorgeous, what a lovely present to give. I'm not a gin fan myself, although my daughter has somehow acquired a taste for it since she moved to Leeds! Good luck with the quilting - I really do need to finish my grandsons' quilts! I am so bad!! Have a lovely week and stay safe, hugs Heather xx #27

Mrs.D said...

Hi Jan, that bunting is beautiful and I am pleased to see the WOYWW bookmark on the wall, it looks like the ones I made. I love your draig goch, he's super.
Chris #8

Crafting With Jack said...

What a lovely assortment on your shelves. Lovely art work and a cute dragon. Betty looks well dressed and the gin drink looks very refreshing x Angela #35

Dorlene Durham said...

I love peeks at shelves and other parts of the craft rooms. I love the idea of coloring in the center of those daisies. So pretty. Hope you are staying safe and healthy. Take Care. Dorlene #22

Julia Dunnit said...

It’s a slippery slope you know...an end of day gin and tonic. Soon you’ll be having one after a hard day of enjoying the garden!! I can see my dad, in the kitchen, looking at his watch....it was 10 to six and his rule was...not till six!! Nice shelf tour, I must say, that’s a very handsome prize from WI. I must say that Betty’s dress is perfect...great fabric for it. Not sure about the erm, flagrantnessness of the scarf! great tip on the colouring of the daisies, now you can tie it in to pretty much anything. Tilly. What a sweet name. They’ll love the bunting!

lisa said...

Hi Jan
Didn't manage to post myself this week, the day ran away with me somehow but thought I'd pop round anyway to see what you've been up too. I think you're going to have to take Betty in hand, she's getting
a big big for her boots there, lol. We all need a red scarf kind of day at the moment don't we.
Well done for braving the patchwork, those are lovely colours, just ones I would choose too. I've been doing a lot of it over the winter, made Freya a quilt to take to Uni. I find it really relaxing.
Cheers, you gin sounds the perfect thing for this amazing weather.
Have a good week and stay safe.

Hugs Lisa x

Lindart said...

Hi Jan! Love the tour of the shelves and memories! Tilly will cherish her bunting, I'm sure of it, and that gin looks absolutely delicious! It's funny, I love Gin and Tonic but never remember to order it! Now I will have to make it - I wonder if it would go with Grapefruit Perrier? Have a lovely Easter, keep busy, stay safe! Lindart #29

Sylvia/LittleTreasures said...

Thanks for the visit. I don't do any fancy sewing anymore, so I don't mess with changing needles. This little machine does good for being a cheap crafting machine. My new machine is only for fabric and I have a heavy duty I love new but OLD style quick and sturdy. Your blog post photos are all lovely and I like the tip on coloring the center of the flower. The best photo is the GIN glasses as I am very thristy. ! May you and yours enjoy the Easter excitement.

Kyla said...

ooh some lovely gifts on display at yours too and those trophy's too deffo need to take pride of place, well done.

LOVE the fabrics for your WI competition, especially the black background seed head one.

cheers
kyla

Eva said...

Dear Jan! Thanks for sharing! I'm sewing face masks all the time. In Austria it's duty to wear face masks when we are shopping and in the bus, the train and so on........
Duty for the bus is beginning tomorrow.
It's not funny to sew them.
Stay well and take care of you and your family.
Eva from Austria

WOYWW 769

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