WOYWW 308

                                     I'VE STILL GOT THE BLUES FOR YOU....

Look....I've actually done some crafting this week and have a desk to show you! Woohoo!










I'm making a bag - the first for absolutely ages - and really enjoying it. It's for someone who likes bright colours; the quality of the fabric is gorgeous, it was quite expensive for half a metre but is so worth it. 

I already had the blue polka dot, there was just enough for the lining.
Lovely cheerful colours....yum :-)

And then I was asked by a friend to make a small across-the-body bag for when she goes dog walking. 'Just large enough for a dog lead, pick-up bags, phone and keys' was the request. I had just enough scraps of the Botanicals fabric that I love so much....



I've just finished top stitching the edge and attaching the handles. I've got to get a strap adjuster so that Sally can make it the right length for her - I'm going to pop into a shop in Marlborough after I've done my volunteer's stint in the Oxfam bookshop so I can get it finished. Sally and I met at a University Open Day when our respective offspring were having a look around. We got on so well that we're meeting up in Salisbury tomorrow...in Fabricland....kindred crafting spirits eh?!


Sally gave me this lovely selection of goodies as a little present...aren't they gorgeous? I know for a fact that the lace and buttons will be used on some personalised bunting very soon :-)


And look, Sandra De...you have inspired me to get out my watercolours again.  I have been painting some ATCs...you have been warned..... ;-)

And finally, that Julia and I managed to grab an hour out of her mad schedule and went to Marlborough for a coffee....the same cafe as last time but a different sign outside...
Groan........

Have a great week everyone!

WOYWW 307

COME BACK AND FINISH WHAT YOU STARTED.....
(part two!)

Hello lovely WOYWWers...I'm back!  There's been a lot of stuff going on backstage and there was no crafting or desk to show last week.  Actually, there's not much to show today either, but here I am to show the lovely, concerned folk who got in touch with me that I'm ok and bumbling along :-)

But I did achieve something, yay!! The Bitsa Blanket got sewn together and edged - I used up a whole bag of small odds and sods of yarn that a friend passed on to me. I wouldn't say I enjoyed making it that much, but the overall effect is quite cheerful. I'll put it aside for when the next Crochet for Kidneys event takes place.
See, bitsa this colour and bitsa that!!

I took the pics of the blanket underneath the tree in my back garden.  He is my absolute favourite thing out there, with my greenhouse coming a close second. The blossom is quite restrained compared to the blowsy pink variety - I prefer it a lot more. I wish I had taken a video because all you could hear were insects buzzing and humming...it was wonderful!

Rhys, my younger son is 19 today...Happy Birthday! (of course I don't look old enough, do I ??....cough...) We went to Winchester a couple of days ago to celebrate with a yummy Sunday lunch and a walk. There was an Arts and Crafts market up the main street with lots of really great stalls. But this one caught my eye...I adore glass and this lady had some really different stuff.....
She's called StudioZo...find her shop here....she is self taught and had some wonderful ideas.  I bought a couple of things there and will definitely be back for Christmas presents. I could easily live with that large trees picture, it was against silvered glass and glowed in the sunlight...absolutely gorgeous...as were the items in my favourite sea blue green on the right.

Thanks for putting up with the lack of desk this week...normal service may resume next Wednesday. Well, as normal as it ever gets around here ;-)

xxxx

WOYWW 305

COME BACK AND FINISH WHAT YOU STARTED.....

You know that moment, when you realise that it's only 6 weeks to the Crop and the amount of things that have got to be crammed in before then? Aaaarghhhhh!  I might even have to make a list............snigger.......

Like this, for example....
I'd promised to make some bunting for my teacher friend Sue to hang around the outdoors story hut at school....she asked me ages ago and I forgot :-(  Too many other things washing around this little brain at the moment... Anyhow, I finally remembered and dug a few scraps of brightly coloured fabric out of the stash and tessellated those triangles with a vengeance!  You can also see my pile of sewing and quilting books plus the tin, which is full of lavender that I picked and dried.




I bought this pattern ages ago and can't remember why! It may come in handy one day, so I'll hang onto it!


I'm still making the little preemie hats and sewing up the crochet squares but haven't taken any pics of those!  What a bad blogger...... But I've got any amount of stupid photos I've taken so I'm going to show those instead!!  
This beautiful art glass was a present from my boys at Christmas. It's by a local artist, Jeannette Therrien and shows the Uffington White Horse, the Bronze Age chalk carving near the Ridgeway (see here for more info if you're interested.)  Terry Pratchett, my favourite author, described it as 'not what a horse looks like, it's what a horse be'. Perfect. This is by where I sit at our dining table and the sun was just so beautiful streaming through it, I thought I'd share :-)

Random Pic No 2:  The Family LLJ were walking along the Kennet and Avon canal, when Owen spotted these teeny beetles at the side of the path. They were bright, iridescent blue, only about 6mm long. That was good to see :-)

And finally, Random Pic no 3.  My village, on the surface, is a small, friendly, unassuming kinda place...but there is someone with a fantastic sense of humour who just does things to make you smile. There was the infestation of garden gnomes in peculiar places a while back and then this appeared at the weekend....
Lol! I haven't seen any yet ;-)

Sorry about the lack of desk-i-ness, I don't know when normal service will be resumed, so you'll just have to bear with me!

WOYWW 304

ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE!

The sewing mojo has been defunct this week...it has ceased to be, it has shuffled off this mortal coil and joined the choir invisible...it is an ex-mojo (with apologies to Monty Python!) There's just too much other stuff going on at the moment.

But it's not like I've been sitting, twiddling my thumbs all day....
There's been sOwing, not sEwing....I've done all my beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, chillis, peppers and salad leaves :-)

This is the downstairs craft desk, next to the sofa. What a tip - can you tell that there's a few projects on the go at the moment? lol
I'm sewing the crochet squares together,bit by bit, while I'm watching TV, but my butterfly mind saw a new project on the UK Handknitting website - little hats for premature babies. I knew I had some spare yarn lying around (no, really? Well, THERE'S  a surprise!) and so the knitting has taken precedence over the crochet. It takes me 30-40 mins to complete one of these diddy little hats.....
They're so small!  I've got a few more to make before sending a parcel off.












My cat Ron has taken to sitting on top of the wicker basket in which I keep my sheet music...I don't know if it's a hint to stop playing or whether he's practising his camouflage technique!

And finally, d'ya remember the Cinders/Cinderella doll?
Well, here's a lovely pic of Chloe holding her!  Thanks to my mate Helen. Chloe's mum, for the pic. Helen,by the way, is very crafty and should be showing her stuff in WOYWW too!!

Have a great week :-)

WOYWW 769

 WE'LL MEET AGAIN.... I'm going to take a break from blogging for a while - please don't worry, all is ok! - think I just need a...