Bad Bad Me!!!

Hiya All,


Yes I am still alive!!

I know , it has been soooooo long since I last blogged. I have no excuses, no illness that left me at deaths door, I just couldn't be arsed to sit and type... terrible i know.... but hey ho, that's how I get occasionally.

I haven't left all crafty things aside, in fact I have been doing quite a few crafty things. Pics of which are here.
There has been fairy cake making with my son, lots of card making, sewing a set of 3 cupcake felt trinket boxes and making a bracelet, which I think I have made too big so is probably best worn as an anklet.

I have also been knitting and sewing. 1st project being a scarf, this is mainly cos I can cast on and knit, but not sure how to cast off... maybe this will be an everlasting scarf! Heehee!!
I have sewed a cross stitch card that my mum had stashed away, and I knew my mum wouldn't get round to doing it so I said I would. I kinda cocked it up by sewing it too near to the edge so my sis in law kindly took it away and made into a wonderful card, see before and after pics......

So, what else have I been up to for nearly a month and a half.. well my Dad's 60th birthday party went really well. Everyone loved the cake made by my friends Jayne who has her own website. Everyone also loved my idea for party bags which contained sweets from my Dad's childhood. Overall top success!!

When I went home (back to Doncaster) for the party I finally got my lovely huge parcel of card making treats from my crafty friend Claire. They are totally fab! There was that much stuff that I went halfers with my sis in law who is also into making cards cos I knew I would never use it all and I like to share the joy! Claire also had a giveaway on her blog page a few months ago and I won, amongst other things, a violet brooch that she made. Here it is in its new home on my favourite hat!

It has also been my birthday, for which I got the crafty bits that I mentioned before. I templated the trinket pots so i will be able to make some more. I have already bought more felt and have decided to sew buttons on the top instead of the pompoms as they were a tad fiddly.

Other things going on... hmm.. went on my sons first school trip. That was fun spending a day with 30 3 and 4 year olds!! Actually I quite enjoyed it. I'm determined to do as much as I can with the kids while I don't have a job (still looking just bugger all in the current economic climate!) We spent a day at a country park which has a place called the House of Objects, basically a place that is trying to teach the kids all about recycling and re using things. They made things out of bits of wire, clay, old cardboard and wood, oh, and had a whale of a time playing outside in the ponds and streams which are specially made for them to play in, although it was a mammoth task getting all of them out their wet clothes and ready for lunch!! After lunch we went for a long walk and it was obvious that a lot of the kids were tired, well, they are only used to being a nursery for half the day, and quite a few fell asleep on the bus on the way home!

And I think that is about it. Things happening in the next few days. I'm going to Leeds for my ex bosses leaving do. I'm so looking forward to it as its not often I get time on my own. I'm driving down to Doncaster then getting a lift from Doncaster to Leeds with one of my old workmates, but she has to be back at work in Doncaster for half 8 in the morning, so I have booked myself a train ticket so can go back at my leisure, I can hear Harvey Nics calling!!!

Right, I best be off as I have for the last week been going to bed after midnight and I need to get some sleep before the night out on Thursday because I am very out of practise!!

Have Fun!!
Cxx

Ten blue balloon weights standing on my table......

Hiya!

Once again, I haven't blogged for a few days, I really must make more of an effort!

Ok, so to go over what I mentioned in my last blog, I didn't end up going to Salsa on Wednesday night because my dance partner had to work late and I was pooped cos my darling boy had been up since 5.30am, I went to the Psychic night only to find by the time we got there it had finished, and I haven't made my Dad's birthday card yet!!! So not much went to plan really!

What I have been doing over the weekend is a bit of baking. It's my brother in laws birthday tomorrow (star wars day, May the 4th - husband's joke, not funny!) and he has a bit of a sweet tooth so decided to make him some yummy treats! I made some millionaires shortbread, some flapjack and some gingerbread (it's cake but in the Bero book it's called bread). I then put them in an old Maltesers bucket which I wrapped in blue foil paper to make them all pretty. Here's the pictures of them.

I have also been gearing up for my dads 60th birthday party of which I am chief organiser. Tonight I have been mostly wrestling with foil wrapping paper making balloon weights (hence the title of the blog!) Actually I'm quite impressed with them, I think they have turned out pretty well if I do say so myself! Here is an example of one......

Righty ho, I reckon I'm off to bed. We have had a lovely family day out today at Kielder but all the walking has got me pooped!

Just to mention, my next mission is to learn to knit. I have got me some knitting needles and am gonna go round to my mother in laws armed with them this week! Progress report on this current crafty fad to come!!

TTFN!
Cxx

Candles, candles and more candles!!

Hi everyone,

I'm very aware that I have been quite lax with my blog this past week, probably because I have been very lax with my crafting!

No reason for this, just the day to day toll of having 2 small children!

So what's happened since last Wednesday, well, I went to my weekly Salsa class last wednesday evening. We were all gearing up to shaking our bootays down at the Toon's one and only Salsa club on Saturday night - class outing. I was really looking forward to it, but once Saturday came I got vertigo (dam my dodgy ears!). I tried everything to get rid but by 5pm I gave up and called my friend to say I wouldn't be going. Boy, was I not a happy bunny... just ask my husband!

Anyway, there was a slight upside to me not going out on Saturday night, I wasn't so exhausted that I could get up and go to the local car boot with R and the kids.

It was a beautiful morning, so much so that I think everyone else in the North Tyneside area had the same idea, either selling or buying!

Having watched Kirsty on Thursday evening I was inspired to look for all things to do with candles. I found some lovely colourful glass tealight holders selling for 20p each or all 9 for £1, so I bought them all. I also found a lovely set of 6 cup and saucers that cost £3. I'm not sure whether I want to go with my original thought and make them into little candles or keep the set for myself as it is so pretty, although I havent really got anywhere to display it so candles I think it will be! Here are pics of the 2 purchases!


I also purchased 5 small scented candles and some big plain ones to melt down to add to my collection of old candles R found under the bed! To semi quote a line from Disney's The Incredibles, we have now officially moved in because the box of candles hadn't been unpacked since we moved here over 3 years ago! The alchemy may take place this weekend!


Hopefully, I will be also making some cards this week too as it's my dads 60th birthday coming up, but I've just been thinking, I'm not gonna have a chance to make any until Friday now, as it's Salsa tomorrow night and Thursday I'm going with my 2 sis in laws to a psychic night at a local pub... that should be interesting! I will report all in my next blog!

TTFN!
Cxx

Summers here!!! (well kinda......)

Hello everyone!!!

The sun is high in the sky which puts me in a very good mood!! Not a lot of crafting getting done, but still....

Im still revelling in the fact that after 2 looong weeks off nursery my son finally went back yesterday - hurray!! I can finally get stuff done in the house without him pestering me. Once I have caught up with all the cleaning I may even get round to making a card or two!

The last couple of days have been spent thinking about what other crafty projects I could get started. One idea has been to buy some calico bags off ebay and either dye them and sew designs on them or just leave them plain and sew and stick things on them. I hope no one out there already does this as i'm not one for plagerism, so let me know if you know of anyone!!

This is one thing that I can be doing while waiting to obtain a sewing machine as the designs can be hand sewn. Think tomorrow afternoon may be spent at the local haberdashers purchasing some coloured thread as the only colour we have in the house is black... not very exciting at all!

Right peeps, I'm off to water the tomatoes that are sat on our kitchen window sill... i dont know why they aren't in the greenhouse as it has been hotter out there for the past couple of days, but think the husband (R from now on) said something about it getting very cold at night so they have to stay in the house. I hope all the other stuff he has planted (potatoes, carrots and spring onions) survives. We are hoping to grow most of the veg we need this year. Last year we had carrots, potatoes, tomatoes and peppers, and of course herbs, but this year we are looking to add lettuce, courgettes, brocoli, pumkins and chillis. Fingers crossed....

Righty ho, toodle pip!!
Cxx

A Quiet Weekend

Hi all,

Well, as the title says, it's been a quiet one. I have just been trying think what I have done this weekend and actually can't quite remember!

Saturday did a few hum drum things, went to the local farm shop to buy the veggies, (much better than getting them from the supermarket!) D loves seeing the cows and the farm spaniel. I must admit I love the dog too and am gonna kidnap it one day!! *8O)

Today has just been a lazy one as the weather has been quite pleasant for oop north. D played in the garden most of the day and even E had a go on the swing, although as soon as I put her on the grass to crawl around she wanted up, I think the feel was all a bit alien to her, not the usual carpet!



This evening I have been making a few of the massive list of cards I have to make.
The one in the picture above is for my husbands male cousin. Yes I know its a shoe, I was asked to make a girlie card for him as my husband received a 3 year old one for his last birthday, wow I wish I was that funny!

Anyways, I also made a 50th card for our neighbour, one for my brother in law and one for a friend. You can see the pics here.

The two cards that are similar have been made using some lovely retro paper that i first came across when my crafty friend Claire sent me a note on a piece. I asked her where she got it from and she couldn't remember, so I trawled Ebay and came across a stack in a sale, bargain!

Me and my sis in law (who is also a bit crafty, has a degree in fashion knitwear!) had a bit of a brain storming sesh on Friday and came up with a list of things we would like to try and make. Unfortunately I have to wait til I can liberate my mums sewing machine, which is gonna be at least 2 weeks now. I'm raring to go so may have to have a go at hand stitching a few items, not sure what yet tho, suggestions greatfully received!!

Righty ho, must go finish my cuppa, pack my stuff away (I need a dedicated craft room!!) and go bed as the car need to be at the garage early in the morning.... oh the joys!!


TTFN!
Cxx

Kirsty's homemade home

Well I'm back for my 2nd more indepth post!

I wasn't really sure what to write but after stumbling upon Kirsty's homemade home on Channel 4 tonight I have plenty to ramble on about!

Having said I stumbled upon it, I had seen it advertised, meant to put it in the Sky planner, then after a weekend away the Sky went off and had to be replaced with the bright and shiny new Sky+, I completely forgot about it!

Anyways, I digress (as I probably will alot throughtout my posts!), the program was full of lovely stuff. Especially Cath Kidston. I love her stuff...mostly the floral and stars. It makes me laugh, as when I was growing up my mum loved all things chintz and I always hated it, it just goes to show that at some point we all turn into our mothers!

I loved the glass blowing and pottery, I always fancied trying my hand at different arts, but that's probably the Gemini in me, always flitting from one thing to another. I've looked into jewellery making and learning to be a silver smith before, but it has only ever been looking and never acting upon it.

I'm definitely going to try my hand at making some cushion covers tho, once I have either purchased a sewing machine or liberated my mums from her! Watch this space for pictures!

Also, once I acquire a sewing machine, I am going to try my hand at making a shoe bag for my daughter for nursery. I won a giveaway on my friends crafty blog and along with a lovely viola brooch, she sent me some easter material with chicks on and some ribbon so I'm going to use those, once again watch this space for pics!

Righty ho, I think I have probs rambled enough for now.

If you want to see my crafty attempts from the past few months please see my flickr page here. Please forgive me if the pics aren't as organised as they should be, as I'm just getting to grips with that too... so much to learn!!!

TTFN!
Cxx

Hiya!!

Hiya Everyone!

Welcome to my blog!

I'm just finding my feet with this at the min, so bear with me. I've mainly set this up because I was bullied into it by my friend wanting to see my cards I have been making (you know who you are!).

I'm hopefully gonna get a bit more time later on this evening to add another post with some pics of cards i have made in the past, but at the minute, its just a quick post while my daughter is asleep and Pingu is entertaining my son!

TTFN!
Cxx