WOYWW 514

YOU GOTTA HAVE FRIENDS...

It's been a week full of returning sons and friends, whizzing around, gardening and general shenanigans!

After a rather random conversation with a banding friend about her favourite animal (giraffe), I thought I'd make her a specs case and found this fabric on ebay:

Fun huh? It's made a really good case with a black spotty lining.

I also got this Cath Kidston fabric - blooming pricey though, I won't be doing that again...
I'm sure it'll sell well down at the Harbour Cafe.

The main event this week has been Julia coming to stay - hooray!! We've had a lovely time catching up with each other's news. I took her to Narbeth, a small town in Pembrokeshire which has reinvented itself over the past few years and now features lovely shops and a very nice Spanish deli/cafe, which is where we hooked up with Ali Wade for lunch and a chat.  I forgot to take any pics, so rest assured we had a lovely meal and a mooch around a couple of very chichi shops!  I did take this earlier on though:

Some people are just too clever for their own good! The best knitted cakes I've seen yet.

The WI Craft Club was scheduled at my place yesterday - needle felting was this month's try-out and of course Julia joined in too!

All that stabbing is strangely therapeutic! 

I like this pic a lot - my besties from farthest back (Helen on right has known me since we were 11), Julia needs no explanation (9 years of friendship) and Mary (who has become a firm friend since we met at WI)

Helen really enjoyed needle felting (just don't mention beading in her presence...long story!) and was making a sheep which sort of morphed into a dog!

She's yet to felt the legs, a WiP indeed!

Julia went for bright and bold colours and was embellishing her brooch.

This photo is on its side! I'm in the middle of making a brooch too.

Evelyn is an accomplished and knowledgeable gardener, who is still running her own veg allotment in her 80s - she made an apple that looked very realistic.

And Mary made this bird - what a character!! I found a bit of kindling out of the box which she used as a base. I love it!!

But I shall leave you with this pic - all I'll say is that Helen made them to go on her sheep/dog and they never got used. I wonder why......

Hmmmmm.......... ;-)

We had a grand time!  It's a busy week ahead with training on the electronic tills in the new RNLI shop amongst other things pencilled in the diary. Dunno how much crafting is going to get done. Ah well......

Have a great week everyone!


27 comments:

Helen said...

Oh what a lovely week you've had.. Love the giraffe fabric, but your felting experiments look to have been a lot of fun. just not sure what to say about the final pic.. silence is golden, may be the best route! Julia is looking really well. Helen #?

Neet said...

Fab photos and fab friends by the look of the happy faces. What a lovely productive time you all had with your needle felting. I must learn how to do something like those little animal figures. I've only done 'flat' felting as I call it (like the brooches you two were making but not as complicated). In fact I must find it - it is a wall hanging I was doing for some reason with a group of friends - a bit like the corset that I don't know what on earth to do with. Sorry, I digress.
Love the cakes, as I scrolled down I honestly thought they were real, it was the pink and white one that made me realise but the top tier ... well! Glad you got to meet up with Ali - do hope she is ok for the crop.
Guess Julia is setting off now on her way back home (not at this early hour but by the time you read the comments) and you will be missing your mate already. Lovely that you got to spend time with her. Hope the weather was kind.
Hugs as always
Neet 3 xxx

Tracey@Hotchpotchcreations said...

What a lovely time you must have had, so refreshing to meet up with friends for a chin wag and craft along. You all got so much done!!
Fab fabric's and those fat free cakes look delicious. Thanks for sharing all the loveliness.
Happy WoywW Tracey 5 x

Lynn Holland said...

I wanted to jump right in that photo of you all and give you all a big hug. How lovely to see everyone, it’s a lovely picture and it sounds like you had a perfectly happy creative time.
Lynn xx 13

Annie said...

Such lovely pics of love and friendship....Priceless. Love the felting...its' been a while since I did any but I ceretainly have spent many happy hours converting myself into a pin cushion.
Hugs,
Annie x #10

Sue said...

Hi Jan, Well thank you very much. I just spat coffee on my monitor when I saw the sheepdog balls:) LOL

Glad you had Jan staying and that you met up with Ali W. Looks like the WI ladies had fun with the felting.

Love the two fabrics.

Happy WOYWW
Sue #13

Glenda said...

What wonderful photos of everyone! It looks like you guys are really enjoying yourselves! Happy WOYWW! Glenda #9

shazsilverwolf said...

Hiya Jan, fabulous pics! You all look to be having a great time. Aren't those knitted cakes amazing? Laughing at those needle felted balls, rofl!!!! The pieces all came out looking great, the Robin is fab.Did make me smile, I thought exactly the same thing about that one embossing folder. Also reminded me of quilted dressing gowns.
Not long now till the Crop, looking forward to seeing everyone. Love and hugs to you all, Shaz XxXxXx

Marit said...

Oh wow ladies, that sounds and looks like big time FUN!!! I love what you all did with the needle/felting/thing... wish I had been there to see how it's done. Happy woyww and a big hug from Holland. Marit #17

Christine said...

I'm glad you had a lovely time and I hope you are now feeling relaxed ready to take on the world .... when it comes to new tills I suggest a little black book to take notes! I remember using my first electronic till ....have fun!
Love all the felting.
Have a good week
Christine #20

Anonymous said...

Happy WOYWW. Needle felting is a definite theme this week. I look forward to starting my new kit. Tempted to just forget all my 'jobs' for today and relax in front of the tv, but I will be good and get some office stuff done/cleaning/a grocery shop etc done first. It is lovely and sunny here, so a drive over to Fishguard to visit the Co-op supermarket is not too much of a hardship. I should get some gardening done, but will see how my energy levels are later. Feeling a bit wobbly this morning. Wonderful to see you and Julia on Monday. A trip to Narberth is always a pleasure. We are very lucky to live so close. Must get that visit to Llandeilo in the calendar, as I haven't been there for ages. Ali x #22

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

Wonderful work there Jan on everyone’s part hard to pick a fav. Love giraffe material and puppy dogs glasses case. Brilliant felting too glad to see your besties, I’ve more than one too, one each place I’ve lived 😊
Happy WOYWW, Shaz in Oz. #15

{Wonderful Words of Life - Shaz in Oz}
{Calligraphy Cards - Shaz in Oz}

glitterandglue said...

Morning Jan - well, what a fantastic week you've had! All those friends around you. That's beautiful. I imagine G was kept busy with his camera!!Great makes with the needle felting - I love doing it - although have yet to try 3D stuff. Oh well, maybe that's something to take with me when away... what do you reckon?
Take care. God bless.
Margaret #1

Felix the Crafty Cat said...

Hi Jan, that Giraffe fabric is a wowzer! Those knitted cakes are brilliant and Oh my they bring back memories as I used to do a project like that with some of my classes years ago, the children loved it and even got the boys knitting! Oh my the needle felting....another thing I need to get back to! Happy woyww, Angela x16x

Zsuzsa Karoly-Smith said...

Lots of colour and smiles this week! Felting is something that has passed me by - never tried it and have no idea how it works! Loving the bright colours in Julia's project and the homespun feel of yours. The little animals look cute too. I find making cake out of non-edible materials a bit cruel LOL! Thanks for your visit Jan! Happy #514! zsuzs #21

Eva said...

I enjoy visiting your blog, see what you are sewing, love your specs cases. Have fun with your friends, wish you a nice week. There are always new things to see.
Eva from Austria

Stacy Sheldon said...

Ooh Jan, I am grinning from ear to ear these are such fun shots of you all. the felting always looks like magic to me when I see finished pieces :) thanks for sharing, ~Stacy #28

StampinCarol said...

Enjoy seeing all you together felting! Fun putting faces to names. And what fabulous projects though the last one for the dogs does have me puzzled. Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful week!
Carol N #24

MaggieC (Silvercrafter) said...

Glad you had such a good time with Julia. I tried needle felting, but decided it was too dangerous for me after a few attempts to felt myself. xxx Maggie (Silvercrafter) #27

Sarah Brennan said...

Still smiling from reading your post as I comment Jan. I hadn't thought about how therapeutic all that stabbing could be lol. Love what everyone has made so far. The knitted cakes are much better for you than the real thing although I wouldn't like to try eating one by mistake. Happy WOYWW. Sarah #4

Twiglet said...

Oh Jan - your posts always make me smile - and often laugh out loud - this was definitely the latter!! So glad you had a great time with the Queen of Snoop, our WOYWW leader. AND - needle felting, well now you're talking our language! All those little items are gorgeous - I will show Max - I am sure she will be impressed. xx Jo

Shoshi said...

Ooooh Jan, I laughed out loud at this post - that was definitely a sheepdog lol lol lol!!! And where were those felt balls supposed to go, or don't we ask? Hahaha! It looked as if you all had a brilliant time. Those knitted cakes look good enough to eat but I'm not too sure about the texture and the flavour would probably leave something to be desired... I love that fun giraffe fabric. What a find. The expensive stuff is gorgeous too, and lovely little glasses cases you made. This is a really fun post! Thanks for visiting, and I'm glad you found your way to my new blog and were able to see the photos at last. Can you see me in the role of a jester? Well, the slippers are a start, I suppose! Perhaps I should add some bells to the embellishments while I'm at it!

Happy WOYWW,
Shoshi #23

Shoshi said...

By the way, Jan, I meant to say congratulations for being the first person to comment on my new blog!

Shoshi x

Anne said...

All looks such fun! I thought I'd posted on here but cannot see it. Head is in a bit of a spin! I am giggling again at the bits for the dog photo! Lol Anne X 14

Belinda said...

Oh Jan, you are totally spoiling us with your words and photos. I love it. I love the picture of the 4 of you. You all look so happy. Isn't that the beauty of crafting with friends? I have never felted before. I wish I lived near you so that I could have given it a try. I think your sheep/dog is so cute. Thank you for popping by to see my happenings. Have a blessed day my friend!
Belinda #25

Lindart said...

Looks like you are all having a great time felting, I tried it once, really enjoyed it, bought stuff for it, and haven't touched it since! Oh well! the creatures and fruit and brooches are all beautiful! Have a wonderful time with Julia, thanks for your visit and have a great week! Lindart #29

Elizabeth said...

Lovely post, Jan. Those happy smiles say it all - felting is fun! You all made lovely projects - got to love the sheep/dog destined to be forever confused about its identity. Hugs, Elizabeth x #26

WOYWW 769

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