Loving....Bargello!

 I was in the book shop the other day and noticed a new Cath Kidston on the shelves called Stitch. As you may know I am not a great fan of all her stuff but do like her reintroduction of certain colours and items in the vintage style. Anyway I digress.......this book is of much more interest to me as my original love was for needlepoint and tapestry especially Bargello and she has included some Bargello patterns in the book.......this form of needlework has not been popular lately but maybe Miss Kidston will change all that.

If your new year crafty resolution was to try something new.....give it a go.....all you need is a tapestry needle, some canvas and the tapestry wools(I use appletons). Its really fun if you like playing with colour and patterns and there are so many designs in blogland if you look. Some of mine are copy's and others are my own or adapted. I have started a group on flickr so would love to see your stuff on there if you give it a go.

ps most of the finished items were given as gifts so I only have these pics to show.....

I have a new love for 2011

Inspired by certain blogging pals in the UK and down under, I have taken up patchwork with gusto. Unfortunately my stash of fabric does not match my enthusiasm nor indeed does the bank balance, but its coming on a pace and I have invested a little online....will show you when they arrive. 

Meanwhile on a little trip to Cambridge to return H's Christmas jumper from us three girls(he hated it!), I spotted this absolute bargain in John Lewis. Orla Kiely bedding. 

Maybe not the most exiting bargain to some but I love her designs and it was an absolute must have for the price. Luckily H liked this purchase but cannot believe that I would post a picture of it on the bed nor that anyone would be interested!.......ha ha he just doesn't understand 

 This is  a new cushion that may be on its way to the Netherlands, it just needs a bit of blocking and making up(and the ends sewing in of course!). I have used merino wool so it is lovely and soft

Finally we have just put eldest on the train back to uni with all her bags......will miss her dreadfully......am just off to clear the mess she has left in her room .......

Happy New Year everbody.....

I have made some lovely friends through blogging, who have offered much appreciated words of support during the year....with my girls growing up and leaving home or about to, I have found that I have been able to fill that gap in my life with rediscovering a love of making stuff and talking to and enjoying other people lives in various parts of the globe. Its fun and interesting and encourages creativity and it has become an important part of my life. H and I are busy creating the next chapter in our lives and I am no longer dreading it.Thank you x

what was that i said......

about the snow disappearing.....we have had so much of the stuff that i have been pretty much house bound for a week......good for the bank balance and finishing off crafting bits but a bit stressful all the same. On Saturday we just managed to pick eldest up from the station as it started in earnest, but we were due to go to a friend in London for her 50th celebration dinner and of course we couldn't make it. I was bitterly disappointed (and a bear with a sore head for the rest of the weekend!)

As you can see we have a camera so I have taken a few snaps of our jolly snowman ......hes 6 days old today and has lost his nose and is sinking but still hanging on. Me thinks it will definitely be a white Christmas here in the small town

the tree is twinkling , candles lit, is that the sherry bottle opening?........ and young un's blanket all finished...and very pretty it looks too. (this is the link to the pattern as so many people have asked about it.....enjoyhttp://www.artoftangle.com/snowflake.htm)

All that's left is to wish you  a very happy Christmas....thanks for the comments and support this year .....and enjoy!

we have lift off.....

Two offers for a university place next year ....hurrah......Christmas has come early here in the small town.
We are all overjoyed, probably out of proportion but I don't care! Friends are telling me it was never going to be a problem, but after last years fiasco I couldn't assume it was in the bag. So she may be on her way to either Sheffield or Southampton.(I favour the north but am keeping it buttoned)

The craft fair came and went, on the day we had our biggest snowfall so the turn out wasn't great........I really enjoyed the experience but didn't sell as much as I'd hoped, but that was true for all the stall holders.
All my scarves went and just one cushion so now I am left with rather a lot of the little babies. ho hum. I think I may do some giveaways in the new year.....I can hardly give them as presents can I? as everyone knows I made them to sell.................and lastly no pictures to adorn the post as my camera has broken and I don't feel able to replace it until the new year, what with Christmas and all.

Am enjoying all your snowy posts but personally am glad its disappeared.

My, how time flies.........

when you are so busy making stuff for a Christmas fair, working , having a birthday, cajoling a prospective uni student, being a friend(or trying) not to mention a wife etcetera, etcetera (as Yul Brynner once said). But hey nothing bad so am not really complaining.
We have at last pressed the button on the ucas application for youngest for next year. This has been causing me oodles of stress and  is what has been preoccupying my mind practically 24/7 . But its done now....in the lap of the gods.......all we need is one little offer.

Of course its even more important now that the coalition has decided  that it is in all our best interests for university fees to be nearly £9k a year, meaning the average student living away from home could incur debt of £50k more or less and this from a bunch of people that in the main received  free higher education. I could rant for ever but to no avail really.....just one little offer please.

On a much more positive note we had a lovely weekend in Bath staying with friends who are renovating a large house to open as a B & B. They are the most generous hosts and despite building deadlines took a couple of days out  and we finally got to see the Roman baths......so much more to see than that main pool and it was a very interesting couple of hours, all moody atmosphere as the light was fading. I love anything about ancient Rome thanks to a very inspiring classics teacher at school. We also saw the wonderful Castle Coomb (we were sure it was really a film set for Harry Potter, no aerials, phone wires and wispy smoke from every chimney!) and Cirencester . Bath is the most wonderful place and if you have never been perhaps I could recommend a little B & B I know!

......and of course I have been beavering away at the stuff for the Christmas fair NEXT week.......have made 10 scarves which I would love to show you but my camera has died. (as these things do near Christmas just hope its not the boiler next have an odd feeling)...........

Lastly I wanted to share this picture with you.....isn't it fabulous ?........this, I am convinced, is the bed in the book Heidi, that the grandfather built and I so craved as a child.... Enjoy x

I've been busy.........

 I know I've neglected my blog and I do miss catching up with all you folk, but it had to be done.....the Christmas craft fair is fast approaching and I'm getting nervous as to how to fill the stall...so I had a really hard push and finished off these cushions, which you've all seen before in their unmade up form but here they are finished.....(testament to that is a very stiff finger and sore wrists!)...one more to go then I'm turning my attention to some scarves and embroidery.

as I've never done this before any ideas about pricing would be helpful.........