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Thursday 31 July 2014

H-A-P-P-Y

Late on the eve of Middle B's first birthday I decided to make a 'quick' bunting spelling HAPPY BIRTHDAY.  Quick it was not.... HOURS later and without a pair of pinking shears or adequate time I produced this:  





I was reasonably pleased with it at the time.  I'm never delighted with anything I make.  I'm a perfectionist when it comes to my sewing projects but I never plan them properly so they will never be perfect or quite turn out how I envisaged them to.  


I used quite a few Cath Kidston fabric samples that I had requested, retro football themed fabric that I was gifted years ago, several fabrics that I had left over from a pram quilt that I had made Middle B and fabric from a shirt that he owned.  I still have the remnants of that shirt... 


I had always planned at some point in the future to properly attach the string, as I had only tacked it on at the time... and I also wanted to tidy it up.  but 10 years later it is still going strong...it is a bit wispy around the edges but it now hangs proudly at every family birthday, young or old, boy or girl.  I love it.  I love looking at the fabrics and remembering how I came across them.



Every time I hang it up I feel H-A-P-PY!


Before I say ta ta for now....one last reminder.  Giveaway ends tomorrow at midnight.  Click on the Giveaway post and follow the instructions to find out how to win this beautiful hearts and buttons bunting.




Much love 

Claire x 

Wednesday 23 July 2014

Thank you gifts for teachers on the cheap!

I know most of your children will have broken up for the summer holidays by now, but I thought i'd show you how I put together some little gifts for pennies for Middle B's teachers.

I bought buckets from Poundland:


Scented tissues, fudge/biscuits (a break time must), headache coolers (for THOSE days), a four colour pen from Poundland:



And finally using Boots 3 for 2 offer on holiday sized toiletries I used my points to get some lovely bath goodies:


I packed them inside some tissue paper, tied them with string and used tags that I already had at home and voila!  Useful, funny, sweet gifts ready to go.




(excuse the boxes in the background - I have started to pack the house up!)



I hope that has given you some inspiration to create gifts for people that you don't know well, but deserve a little thank you.

Enjoy the holidays my friends.
xxx


My two favourite things in my garden: shed bunting and my palm tree!

xxx

Tuesday 22 July 2014

Picky pickers

My children are city kids.  They are not fazed by the underground tube, dirty litter strewn streets, chicken shops on every corner and people being unfriendly.  


My children are city kids.  They are fazed by insects on fruit, rotting fruit on the ground being eaten by all manner of creatures.  Oh deary me!  What has become of my children?  What have I done to them?!

We went fruit picking earlier this week at a Pick Your Own farm (a first for Big G, middle B and myself).  





At first I was mortified - both of them were squealing - ohh there is a hole in that cherry, why won't the flies go away, none of these cherries look very nice, I'm not eating any cherries that have touched a rotting cherry..it went on...




... and so did I.  Ooooh look at this branch, it is heaving, aren't the insects here lucky to have such delicious food to nibble on.  





Thankfully after about 10 minutes both children forgot their city ways and were squealing with delight at the fruit they were finding and picking.  Do you know they haven't got on so well in years.  



We came home with cherries, blackberries, plums and courgettes.  I think moving out of the city is going to have a far greater positive impact on these two than I first anticipated.  


I'm excited for them.  


We have been going back and forth to the seaside for months now, looking for the right primary school for middle B and perfect sixth form for Big G.  We have now found them.  The children are now excited and looking forward to moving out of London and starting their prospective schools.  

Looking around a school only takes an hour or two - the rest of the day is ours to do with as we pleased.  And pleased ourselves we did.  




Drying out my birkies after a big waves caught me unawares.











Inspecting his haul.


Middle B with sun baked starfish - he proceeded to hand these out to eldery people walking on the beach - so funny, they couldn't refuse his gift!




 Big G has started a driftwood collection.



Comparing finds.


This one he kept.


Post abandoned.


Who remembers these?



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I think it is going to be difficult to get out of holiday mode when we move!

Thanks for popping by and reading my blog.  I will hopefully post soon with a Ta-dah!  

Don't be shy - enter my giveaway before time is up!  

xxx



Sunday 20 July 2014

Diamonds are a girls best friend

Hello all

I recently sat down to look and admire some quilts on Pinterest, I gazed at many, and thought about how wonderful they were and what skill and time must have gone into making them.  

I have blogged before about my love of quilts and in particular this beauty that I snapped up, well I say snapped up, I practically dived on the item when I saw it at a car boot sale one Sunday morning last year.  I could not believe my eyes.



Why would anyone NOT WANT THIS?



How could you bear to part with it?



How could you let it go for £6.  







Obviously I'm delighted that said owner did not want it, did not care for it or appreciate its beauty as it is now in my, full to the brim, linen cupboard.  Actually its in the hot press (as Mr J would say) as there is no more room in my floor to ceiling linen cupboard.  That cupboard makes me happy. It makes me go all gooey inside.  



 My favourite part of the quilt - I love the blue flower, so delicate. 

Anyway, back to the point - sitting at computer, lusting over quilts, when I decide that I am going to make one.  Yes I know I haven't finished Big G's one...



and I have still to finish this one...



 Its too plain...


there is something missing...


cannot decide if buttons are the answer...


...I'll let you know...

but the urge to make one was overwhelming.  I googled how to make a hexagon quilt, found a brill tutorial on you tube and then set about looking for a hexagon shaped object about the house.

A stressful, near tearful hour later, NO HEXAGON shaped objects to be found.  Quite unbelievable considering the amount of stuff I own!  Anyway I was not to be dissuaded or put off, so I changed shape.  

Ummmm...yes!  

A diamond.

That'll do.

I have a diamond shaped thingy, it is a regular shape, it can tessellate, and it only has four corners to grapple with.  

One dismantled and cut up cereal box later, I had tacked some material to several diamonds and sewn them together - ta DAH!  





A star is born.  Ooooh how pretty I thought, so I kept going, and this is the quilt, thus far!




As usual I didn't actually think the project through.  I should not have made a star (but how could you not) because I now have to keep adding to it, I cannot start another star and add it to what I have put together already as it doesn't fit!  

It was at this point that I thought - maybe I'll turn this particular project into a cushion!  

Making these little diamonds is so easy, quick (once you've cut out the templates) and a super duper way to use up scraps, I knew this of course, but I'm amazed at how little material you need for a diamond.  

I ordered a hexi paper punch last night as I am going to make a hexagon quilt in the not too distant future.  Cutting the shapes out is the dodgy bit, I'm sure my diamonds are getting bigger...must keep an eye on that!


And so a new found love for hand sewing has been born.
xxx

Thank you for popping by. It is always lovely to hear your comments, they are read and cherished x
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