Tuesday 30 April 2013

Bootsale Bargains

Sunday is car boot sale day. It was a lovely morning the sun was shining. Now the weather is warming both the local car boots near me are in full swing.
 
I was quite restrained for me. I think because we showed up late most of the great buys had gone....you have to get there early I think for the real bargains.
I bought two books.
 
Lovely Laura Ashley living room book and a vintage crochet book.

The crochet book has some fab patterns.

Some are quite dated but with a change of colours they could be great.

Check out this outfit crochet chic hehe.


The Laura Ashley book has lots of inspiring photos.

This garden room is beautiful like having the outdoors inside.
Now I just need some time to read them properly!
I have a pile of magazines and books waiting for me to read them.
 
 Do you remember me telling you about the hanging birds I made for the rehabilitation centre....Well there they are on the craft stall at the centre, my partner kindly took a picture for me to see.
The centre staff liked them so much they made a special stand for them! Eek very exciting hope they make some money for new activities for the people who use the centre.
xx


Saturday 27 April 2013

Hooking in the Sun

 
Hello to you...
I have a confession to make I've still not finished my stripy blanket. My problem is I keep changing my mind as to what size to have. I think I will keep going until my yarn runs out, then I don't have to make a decision hehe. 
 
I think the colours are blending well.
I like the loose ends I'm tempted to leave them ....

I actually got to sit outside and play hooky yesterday the sun was shiny and I thought why not.

I'm thinking by mid week next week I should be finished.
 
Now for my bargain of the week....
50p from my local charity shop I'm really pleased with them.

There a good size, quite small so perfect for a quick cuppa. I love the folksy design and colours.
My daughter and I had fun making peg dolls today. Her dolly was so cute and creative it even had a parasol.
Hope everyone is having a lovely weekend.
xx
 

Thursday 25 April 2013

Daisy Daisy give me you answer do...

Hello to you.
Hope you've been having a lovely week.
Just a quick post today, inspired by daisies.
I spotted this little pretty in my mum's lawn....I think there over looked sometimes when you look closer you can see the fresh as a daisy colours.

It's hard to do such a pretty flower justice.

I was inspired by the beautiful natural colours in the daisy,

A slight wonky grannie square! with a pretty daisy middle.
I like to look to nature for colour ideas I find sometimes the natural colour schemes are the best.  Thank you for indulging me in one of the things that makes me smile.
xx


Tuesday 23 April 2013

Watch The Birdie

Hello hope everyone has had a lovely sunny day...
It's been a lovely sunny day here in north wales. The garden is starting to spring to life, the flower beds are filling out nicely and colours are breaking through. I've noticed today the large flowering cherry is popping now with lovely white blossom.
It always makes me smile to see the little leaf buds starting to burst open showing the beautiful fresh green new leaves inside.
I've been having a sort out in my sewing room today and discovered some forgotten birdies I made last year.
Here they are hanging from the lilac tree in the garden.
A tree full of birdies.
Some of the birds have dried lavender inside and smell wonderful.
This bird is made from vintage dress fabric.
A box full of loveliness.

Twit too hootie owls!

Lavender heart hanger.

I enjoyed making this vintage pin cushion I used very old Laura Ashley fabric from my Grannies collection topped off with a vintage button.
 
So the plan with these is to donate them to a local rehabilitation centre where they work with people who have mental and physical disabilities.
They have a craft table where they sell wares to raise money for activities and up keep of the centre.
If they sell I will keep donating in the hope that doing something I enjoy helps.
 
Anyhoo on a different subject my daughter and I had some visitors to the garden yesterday we were so excited to see them....
  Here they are having a nose around the veg garden! My daughter and I couldn't resist giving them a cheeky slice of bread they seemed to enjoy it.
My guess was they were looking for the perfect nesting place....so fingers crossed for some ducklings soon.
I spotted these pretty narcissi that have opened over the last few days. I love the two tone yellow.
The hyacinths are out...and smell wonderful the breeze keeps wafting the aroma down the my favourite sitting spot.
Hope everyone is having a lovely week
xx 
 
 
 


Sunday 21 April 2013

A Sunny Weekend

Hello all hope you've all had a wonderful weekends.
I've had quite a busy time this weekend spending time with my family is always something I relish.
Just relaxing and being around the ones who never judge me, just love me.
 

Well the blanket is growing slowly hopefully by this time next week it should be finished and ready to be used.
Morris Minor for sale outside my favourite vintage shop oh to be rich I would have to have it!
I love the blue colour it suits it perfectly.

More vintage suit cases.
We actually had some proper sunshine this weekend so with out hesitating I was out in my Mum's garden clearing beds and being general dogs body!
Here are some sunny photos of pretty things a found between working.....
Beautiful spring blossom on the Japanese cherry.

One of my favourite spring flowers grape hyacinths.

Rip van winkle daffodil I like the delicate frills.

Sunny yellow daffodil

Chickens enjoying the sun

Very nosey girls!

Forsythia looking wonderfully spring like with the blue sky behind it.
 
Another step closer to my dream camper! One day I hope but for now a lovely present from my partner.....definitely puts the joy into reading! 
 
 
Now I have a bit of a confession to make....I'm not a computer wiz in fact I'm pretty rubbish when it comes to computers!
I just about manage to do emails and write blog posts sort of!
So I hope that Lindsay Fultz Jei Crochet and Sarah Jayne will forgive me for not being hugely un computer savvy...
I would like to thank them all for the
 
Thank you guys for thinking of me x

Saturday 20 April 2013

The Great British Sewing Bee and a Sneeky Peek...

Hello just a quick one today.
Went on the weekly shop this morning it never fails to make me irritated spending so much money on food and essentials but hey it's got to be done.
So imagine my joy when I got to the book aisle and spied the Great British Sewing Bee book!
I've been an avid viewer of the programme on at 8pm on a Tuesday on bbc 2 and was so disappointed that  it's going to be the last one next week it's gone so quick! Wish they could have squeezed some more episodes.
Not being one to spend frivolously....I had to make an exception and buy it.
It did help that it was half the cover price and my partner insisted and kindly treated me to it.
 So I think there will be some sewing projects on the cards very soon. It's packed full of ideas and tutorials although it only comes with one pattern I'll forgive it! very excited about delving into it properly later when I have some quiet time after my daughter has gone to bed.
The sneaky peek is the crochet blanket I have started at the top of the photo. I wanted to do something colourful and not very complicated so I've started single crocheting a row at a time.
A nice a project that doesn't take too much concentration and can be picked up and put down.
xx
 
 


Wednesday 17 April 2013

Spring Is Springing and The Latest Crochet Cushion

It's been a busy week so far with one thing and another. The week started with my partner having a surprise day off whoopee! So it was decided to spend some much needed time together.
So we jumped in the car and had a wander around a local market town sipped posh coffees and munched on one of the best carrot cakes I've tasted, it was a lovely day.
We took the scenic route home and spotted lots of beautiful houses that looked like they were straight from grand designs! and spring lambs jumping in the fields it was a perfect spring drive.
Market Day in Mold
 
Unfortunately I was having so much fun I didn't take any photos! Here is one I found on the web credited to Eirian Evans copyrighted.
 
So on to the latest crochet cushion. In the evenings I've been hooking away this is what I've made this week so far......
Yes granny square again!

All 9 squares joined together

 
and here it is this morning in the garden all finished!
I enjoy making cushions this way, it doesn't take me too long so it pleases my impatient mind!
I used Glacier, purple, violet and magenta colour yarn all from the new fashion range I like using this particular brand because they have a huge range of colours and are really reasonably priced.
I thought the bright colours worked quite well together for a real colour pop!
 While I was photographing the cushion in the garden I thought I would take some photos of things that caught my eye.....
The beautiful crocuses that my auntie bought me for my birthday way back in October. Poor things had been covered in snow for weeks.

Pulmonaria with its speckled dotty leaves

Grape hyacinths just peeping through almost ready to flower.

My bargain from the Tesco reduced counter, winter flowering pansies 10p for a pack of six more than worth it!

Tete a tetes looking sunny.

skimmia  that hasn't had the chance to flower yet.
 
 
 
I saw my first one of these today I adore butterflies so I had a real smile on my face when I saw my first of the year in the garden (I have seen them in  the zoo) but you cant beat seeing them in the garden. I didn't take this photo by the way wish I had! The one in my garden was moving far to fast!
 
Hope everyone is having a lovely week so far...
xx