SILVER BELLS, SILVER BELLS....
Hi everyone, thanks for all the lovely birthday wishes last week - I had a fab day, with lots of beautiful cards and some awesome prezzies!
These two lovely pieces of glass are now on the JanCave windowsill - the beach huts are from Rhys and the little vase from my mate Helen, they're in the perfect spot to catch the light coming through the window.
My dear friend Lynne sent me these sashiko samplers and I treated myself to a snap popper kit with tools as I intend to make some little coin purses for the Stitch n Bitch fundraiser soon. The book is full of lined/gridded pages for you to design your own sashiko pattern and was from Lynne too. I started having a go:
and am enjoying it - it's like having a stitchy meander through fabric, there's no right or wrong way, just whatever you decide at the time. I'm glad I'm having a practise on this first before attacking the jacket (I'm not as brave as Marit, who did just that!)
I've done some other crafting too this week as being back in the JanCave is wonderful!
I had a long strip of the cute elephant fabric which was eked out with some linen from my stash to make two little drawstring bags....
...and I used some of the toppers that Elizabeth sent me to run up a few cards for the WI - they're very basic but I enjoyed making them!
Hopefully they'll raise a bit of cash!
But the thing that dominated the week was taking part in the National Eisteddfod of Wales in Cardiff. The brass band competition was held in the Millennium Centre, a magnificent building - I didn't get a pic of the outside but here's the auditorium:
What a venue to play at!! It was a great experience. We didn't win, our programme was very contemporary, maybe too much for the adjudicator but that doesn't matter, it was taking part with my brilliant bandmates that counted.
The ladies of Crwbin Silver Band, all lovely and great friends - we're a good team :-D
Have a great week everyone!
31 comments:
what an amazing interior to the building! well done for taking part; shame you didn't win. Your birthday gifts look wonderful. Helen #?
What a lovely photo of you and your friends in the band, well done too on entering, its all about taking part, not the winning. So they say. The auditorium looks wonderful at the venue,very plush.
Love your makes, you are getting this card making under your belt in a big way - so many cards for the WI to sell and the bags are adorable.
Love the glass pieces you got for your birthday. Such pretty colours.
s for the sashiko, well, your stitches are so even - I can see your sampler will be beautiful as will the final piece you make. Lovely to look at and delightful to wear is what is ahead for you.
Hugs, Neet 1 xx
ps nearly crop time .....
Morning Jan, your birthday gifts look amazing on that windowsill. Please take care though that the sun doesn't cause a fire by focussing through them onto something flammable. Cute draw string bags. I bought three lots of fat quarters this week in Aldi as I couldn't resist the patterns on the fabric, so my sewing machine might actually get an outing on my desk. I've never seen the inside of the Millennium centre before; what an amazing building. Glad you had fun taking part. Happy WOYWW. Saarh #8
Any team team with you in it is a good team. Love the interior of the building, my word isn’t it grand! How scarey. Trying to get a head start this morning before I have to whizz off, I feel as busy as you! love all the cards, generous gift of toppers. We may have to have a session so that you can inspire me.great gift from Lyn, your stitching is damn near perfect missus!
Happy belated birthday Jan, looks like it was a good one. You and Annie always amaze me with how busy you both are.
I love the glass beach huts
Lynn 11 x
What a great post, Jan, so bright and cheery - thank you!
Happy WOYWW :)
No.5
Hi Jan you are so right it is the taking part that counts, lovely photograph and the venue looked fab.
The Jan Cave really is helping you produce fabulous things, looking forward to seeing more of the Shashiko.
Happy WOYWW Tracey #6
P.S fabulous glass ware, positioned perfectly x
What a wonderful time at the Eisteddfod - what a beautiful place. Love the beach huts and the other glass. Love the needlework and the array of lovely cards you've made ... busy, busy. Thanks for sharing. Hope you have a good day - Hazel, WOYWW #15 x
Wow, what an amazing experience for you to be at the Eisteddfod - my fried has sung there a few years. Incredible. Those lovely pieces of glass are simply gorgeous and the elephant bags are adorable. Thanks for sharing. Have a lovely week. Caro x (#14)
Hiya Jan, good to be back in the Jan cave, I bet. Love the cards, fab. Some gorgeous pressies,that glass with the beach huts is amazing. Love that sashiko practice you're doing. Would make a great panel on a tote bag. Ankles feeling much better this morning, I put a support bandage on it after I did it yesterday, and it seems to have helped a lot. Haven't got the faintest idea how I managed to do it, lol. Love and huge hugs to you all, Shaz XxXx
Happy WOYWW. Lovely glass gifts for your birthday, and that embroidery is just my sort of thing. I watched a programme on the craft channel once and it is now on my list of crafts that I want to try - that is a long list! The doggy cards particularly caught my eye - I bet they will sell quick. Never been inside the Millennium Centre. I had not realised until I actually watched the Wales News yesterday that the Eisteddfod was in Cardiff this year. Makes a nice change from the usual marquees in a field! Ali x #16
I'm so glad you had a lovely birthday - the glass is absolutely delightful, what gorgeous little beach huts. As always your sewing is perfect and I love the way you say you eked out the elephant fabric with some linen - it looks very carefully and beautifully designed - anything I eke out looks definitely like I ran out of stuff half way through!
That must have been one amazing experience playing at the Millennium Centre - what a fabulous if not slightly scary place to perform - the modern design is beautiful, which is something that can't always be said of modern design!
Have a lovely week,
Hugs, Diana x #13
You have had a great week. Love the bags you made. How wonderful to take part in a competition like that. Hope this week will be great as well. Hugs Anesha
Jan, Those cards will sell quickly.
What a beautiful place. Glad you enjoyed it.
Happy WOYWW
Sue #7
You make me always glade, when I can take part of your life!
Thanks for sharing.
Eva from (hot) Austria
What a wonderful experience with the band. The beach huts in glass are wonderful-lucky lady. I like the drawstring bags-I’ve just taught myself from U-tube, and some moral support from Annie, to line bags. Why did I wait so long?? It makes a world of difference to the bag.
What a fun post...Awesome photos of beautiful things. I love colored glassware in windows I just unpacked some blue and decided it's out of the box for display. Your drawstring bags are precious and I love the cards you put together. WOW you accomplish a lot. Wales looks like a great place to visit. !
Hi Jan, lovely post. The photos of the venue and you with your bandmates are lovely. The glass on the windowsill is beautiful too. Glad to see you're enjoying your time in your JanCave - your sewing projects are lovely. Glad you've found those toppers usable and that they make oodles of cash for the WI. Have a great week ahead. Hugs, Elizabeth x #26
Oh wow, happy birthday (late as usual). FB did remind me but even that doesn't sem to work these days. How exciting to be at the band festival. Love the bags, the cards, and most of all those lovely glass pieces!! Big hugs, Happy Wednesday Cindy #20
At first your Silver Bells header made me think of Christmas but then the end of your post said otherwise! Great looking group of gals! The 2 glass pieces are gorgeous!!! And I love your elephant bags! Hope you have a fabulous week and thanks for popping by!
Carol N #19
Super makes Jan and what a fabulous week you have had.
Toni xx
Oh my Jan, I love your glass pieces what great gifts. Love those little houses so much. The theatre looks like a great place and your band mates too. Thanks for the visit to mine, have a great woyww and a happy crafty week, Angela x12x
Hi Jan. Great post. Cute little houses. You received some lovely presents. The Millenium Centre looks amazing! Must have been wonderful to play there. Have a lovely week Heather x #33
Hi Jan lovely to see your crafting again. I love the glass you had for your birthday. The Eisteddfod must have been an amazing experience!!
We have the bathroom being done in a few weeks :-(
I don't think I photographed the window very well, it is not a little room but a little balcony. There is usually great big pottery jug on there that we bought on Skye a few years ago. It is hard to get a photo to show how it really is. Anne x #4
You always make me want to take up sewing again! I love the drawstring bags, and what a great present to yourself! Happy Belated Birthday! Thank you for your visit, have been to the Falls so many times now I don't need to see them, so many other fun things to do! The menu for the dinner was awesome, although I wasn't sure at first for some of the courses, but they all ended up incredibly delicious! Have a great week, Lindart #25
Great photos as always. Happy belated birthday! Dorlene #23
What fabulous photos, Jan. That auditorium is amazing! What an experience it must be to go. I simply adore that glass piece with the beach huts... I am a real sucker for glass, and combined with beach huts which I have a passion for, too, well, that's just perfect! So glad you had such a nice birthday. I love all your beautiful projects - so lovely all of them, and some great cards, too.
Happy WOYWW,
Shoshi #32
The National AND stitching! wowee! a very busy week. PJ and I have promised to go to the National as he found out one of his Greats was a winner .... back in the day....
Love the photo of your band ladies.
Have a good week
Christine #35
Belated Birthday wishes! Lovely gifts there too! What a treat playing in such a spectacular place! Sorry you didn't win! Hugs,Chrisx 24
Your glass pressies are gorgeous Jan -the beach hut one is so clever! You always manage to use your fabrics so beautifully - I love the little draw string bags. What fun to be playing in that wonderful venue too! x Jo
Sorry - I forgot! Belated wishes to your Birthday! Stay well and enjoy all the things you love♥.
Eva from Austria
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