Saturday 27 March 2010

My first Award!


I'm so pleased that Rachael from Made With Love has given me this award! Thank you!

The rules are I must list seven things about myself and pass it on to seven others, so here goes
1. I love interior design but am ashamed to say my house could do with a makeover! The trouble is that I am very indecisive. One day I'll like one wallpaper, the next another, so I think if I choose one, I'll get bored with it too quickly! I love cosy country styles, anything Laura Ashley, shabby chic and Cath Kidston but can't decide how to mix them all!
2. I am always dieting but never successfully because I love cooking and have a cupboard full of cookery books.
3. I am addicted to buying fabric even if it's just to look at.
4. I love my daughter and I love being a Mum.
5. I am useless at sticking to one thing, I have a huge ammount of half started crafts that I haven't completed and an enormous ammount of craft equipment/tools that I don't have time to use!
6. I'm scared of flying.
7. I love pickled onions!

So now I need to pass it on to seven lovely bloggers, who are
Silky Prudence
Donna Flower
Petit Filoux
Little Cotton Rabbits
Country In The Town
Tea Rose Home
Everything Neet

Congratulations to you guys, you deserve it!

Thursday 25 March 2010

Rainy Day

I bought some blank cards a few months back with the intention of making my own greetings cards, but they had been lost in my sewing room along with everything else. So as Saturday was such a dismal rainy day I thought I would retrieve them and give card making a go. I had some of the little patchwork squares left from Little one's skirt and started off with them

a mini bunting birthday card




then I made a wedding card with a cute little wedding dress


I must say it was quite addictive! It certainly brightened up a very dull day!

Monday 22 March 2010

Patchwork Skirt

I love fabric and can't resist buying it in any shape or form, fat quarters, by the metre or even tiny 3" squares. It's so addictive! Whilst trying to tidy up my sewing room the other day, I found these Patchwork squares.



I had completely forgotten that I had bought them! (I know I have some more somewhere with butterflies on them) So I started to sew them together and made Little one a new skirt. There seems to be a lot of patchwork around for childrenswear this season, there are some lovely dresses in Next with crochet bodices and patchwork skirts. I'd love to have a go at making one of those!



After three weeks of waiting (un)patiently, my seeds have germinated! I know I should have really had them in a heated propagator, but mine is underneath everything in the shed! Anyway, on the south facing kitchen window there was obviously enough heat to get them through.


As you can probably see from my home made label, these are Aubergines and Peppers


and these are Artichokes. I tried these once before, they came up well but when I planted them in the garden I put them in quite a shady spot and they didn't really grow much bigger, so I think these will need a sunny position. If you want to have a go at growing them, got my seeds from Sarah Raven, her site is great with lots of information about the plants and seeds she sells.

Thursday 18 March 2010

Summer Skirts

Spring is well on the way, so I've been thinking ahead to Summer and making some children's Summer clothes. I love designing and making childrenswear and have wanted to have my own range for a while now, but as it takes so much time to make all the patterns and the sizes etc I just haven't got around to it. So having a spare few minutes recently, I thought I would start off with some simple little skirts. You know, really pretty little designs that can be dressed up or worn as they are. I found some beautiful floral fabrics in my local fabric shop and have made a couple of designs.



One is a simple skirt with elasticated waist and pretty ribbon trim.


The other is a tiered skirt with ric-rac braid and contrast topstitching.


They are listed in my Etsy shop and I'm hoping to do Custom Orders for them. I love making clothes for Little One and she gets really excited when trying on my new creations! I just have to hide the ones I am selling otherwise she would take them all to put in her ever growing wardrobe!

Saturday 13 March 2010

Mother's Day Gift

It's been very Spring like today and we have washed out the Greenhouse. That's a good job done and one I've been avoiding it for ages! I really need to start off my seeds in there soon, so I couldn't really put it off any longer.

Thought I would also show you a gift I made for my MIL for Mother's Day.





She loves her teapot, so I thought she would love this too! Have a lovely Mother's Day!

Wednesday 3 March 2010

Second Quilt

Spring is here at last and I have planted some seeds! Tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, chillis, artichokes and onions are all sitting happily on my kitchen window sill and I am waiting (not very) patiently for them to grow. I also have a lovely pot of hyacinths by the back door, which I think smell gorgeously of Spring.

I have made a second quilt and listed in my ebay shop to see how it goes. I did a bit more applique on this one and trimmed it with gingham ribbon and pink ric rac braid. (Not sure you can see it that well in these pictures though.)



It is made with a mini pink polka dot fabric, embroiderie anglais in pink and cream, red gingham, Laura Ashley Polka Dot in Eau de Nil and Cath Kidston's Little Rose, which is a really cute fabric.


I'm pleased with this one, the colours have come out well. I might try a boy's one next to make a change from all the pink!