'Tis the Season......

Well hello !

Long time no see :)

How are you? All fine n' dandy and ready for Christmas I hope?

I just wanted to pop in and wish you all a most fabulous happy and healthy Christmas, and a wonderful New Year.

I shall be very glad to see the back of this year! And I'm much more looking forward to 1st January 2013 than 25th December 2012! I know, I know, what a miserable scrooge!! LOL

Funny how we feel a change of numbers helps eh?  :D

I have just discovered some lovely emails in my blogging email address, which are quite a few days/weeks old!  So I apologise profusely to those who have emailed me, and I have not yet responded. As I haven't been blogging, I have hardly checked that account. I'm so sorry, but I shall get back toyou lovely people today!!

Just a quick update on my daughter :

We went to the hospital in Belguim in October. She had a weeks long session of tests and scans which proved very, very interesting. We have yet to be given the official results, but if I haven't heard from Kings College by early January, I shall be chivvying them along!

But I shall keep you all posted when I do hear!

I'm sorry for my long blog break, but alas we haven't had a very good year, and I really haven't felt like blogging, I would have been far to miserable! lol

I have been nosing around your blogs, but have been hiding in the background!!

I hope you forgive my lack of comments lovely people.

Now, you all take care, and have a most fabulous time over the holidays you hear?
It's the shortest day of the year today, so things only get brighter from today onwards... :D

Bless you all,

Donna xx

Thrifty fabric finds & a quilt tadaah..

Hiya lovely bloggers :o)

Hope this post finds you all fine n dandy this Wednesday evening!

Oooo, I'm getting good at this posting lark aren't I? lol.

But I do have to admit that I wanted to write this post Monday. Alas time gets away from me too quickly these days.

Thankyou all kindly for your comments on my last post -the first in my little series of 'spotlights'. I always think it's nice to find out about lovely blogs and people you may not have heard of. I shall be spotlighting another victim  another blogger this weekend. It may even be you :D

I had a little thrifty shopping to do the other day, and I was so pleased to find some large pieces of lawn cotton fabric, and a most beautiful feathered organza that I absolutely adore!  :: 

This is all of them together::

A lovely Aisan style lawn -2metres (£1.95)::

Another 2 metres Aisan style lawn -£1.95::

Five metres of dress fabric I think it's a viscose blend (£1.95)

A most gorgeous coloured, 3 metres of dress fabric that I'm going to make at least one skirt with! (£2.25)

And this most gorgeous feathered organza!! The colours of the feathers are so beautiful -especially with that aqua colour! -3metres £1.50!

So as you can tell, I had a bit of a spending spree!

**********

Here's some pictures of another quilt that I keep forgetting to show you.

I didn't make it to any pattern -which shows! lol-

I quilted in the ditch in the end. That's after free-machine quilting it all first, then not liking what I had done, so I unpicked the WHOLE quilt and started again.

This is the back.

I did actually make this for someone, but I was so un-happy with it, that I didn't give it to them!

Sometimes I do think I'm just a tad of a miserable old bag, 'cos when I look at this quilt now, I like it, and think they would have too!!

I think I was just being picky after being so disappointed at my first go a free-hand machine quilting.

I used my walking foot to stitch 'in the ditch', and it worked a treat.

(I ought to say that my friend didn't go without a gift, I gave her something else!)

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A fun patchwork pillow that I made my son :D

Yes, he is much too old for monster and Mr Men fabrics, but it made me grin, so he got it :D

Well, that's me for today.  I suppose that's it on our sunshine for a while now too :o(   Can you believe it's the summer solstice tomorrow!  Lordy, halfway through the year already!

You have a great week my dears, and take care. xx

*******

This photo is for all of you lovely bloggy friends.  xx

This photo is for Jo and Jennie, who I know are both having a very hard time at the moment :o(

You take care my dearies, and keep your chin up! xx

This message is for 'Trills'!

Dear Trills, thankyou so much for always leaving such beautiful comments on my blog posts. Unfortunately blogger won't let me respond to any of your comments for some reason, so I have no way of contacting you :o(

But i just want you to know that I so appreciate your lovely words (as I do everyones), and they help to make my day.

I'm looking forward to when you get brave enough to blog yourself my dear :o)

Take care down there, and have a lovely week. xxx



'Fabulous vintage rosey' scrap quilt :o) ---1st up :D

Well Hello again!

Two posts in one week from me seems amazing, but I frequently do amazing things (not) lol.

This post is mainly about one lady who IS amazing though!

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Since I have been blogging, I have *met* some of the most lovely people I have ever known.

Bloggers are in the main, the most inspiring, friendly, genorous people there are.

I have been friends with a few people for a few years now. We have exchanged gifts and cards, support, help and advice. You all reading this know who you are.

So I thought over the next few weeks, (and to encourage me to get back my blogging mojo) I thought I would do a little series on bloggers I know who are extremely inspirational, talented, funny, sad, happy, colourful..... you get the picture.

So ahead of time, I'm warning you that if I comment on your blog, if your blog makes me smile, inspires me, or I think you're amazing, I shall be writing about you here. I make no apologies beforehand for putting you in this little spotlight (and it is little, so don't fret dearies :D) and I won't be telling you individually beforehand either, you will just tune in and here you are. This is your warning :D

I do however, hope you like it, and take it in the way that you are meant to, in the fact that I think you are amazing for one reason or another, and this is my way of thanking you for helping me along in one way or another over the past few years.

So here goes and first up!  :D :D.

********

The lady on todays post is the owner of the first blog I ever saw/read.

I used to do an enormous amount of fabric crochet. And one day when I was googling it on the web like you do, I came across a selling site called Etsy.

And right there was the most amazing rag crochet I had ever seen!

Oh boy, did I aspire to be as good as this lady, and I was amazed that you could actually sell items that you crocheted. (Yes I've led a sheltered life! lol)

SosoRosey is run my my best, best friend Jennie.  I *met* her about four years ago now on the web.

In that time I have come to realise that Jennie is one of the most talented, professional people in the world.

Not only does she run sosorosey, but she also sells vintage items in her shop sosovintage.

The range of vintage items are awesome, and one of her specialities are vintage sheets!

These are cut into fatquarters, or charm packs (or whole if you need that much fabric).

Out of these packs, she often has scraps left which she sells as scrap packs.  I bought a scrap pack not so long ago to make a little project (just $5 -around £3.25) and this is what I made for just £3.25.

I made this little scrap quilt-as-you go raggy quilt.

A bit unconventional in shape, and measuring nearly 3ft square (although obviously it's not quite square). It is so soft and cosy and my two teenage girls argue over who's turn it is to cuddle it and take it to bed. I just wanted to show you what can be made with just a little pack of scraps. Bear in mind that had i not 'quilted-as-you-go' this would make a 6ft x 6ft quilt top -easily as I have some left. That is an absolute beautiful bargain -a quilt top for $5 or £3.35!!

The vintage fabrics are awsome:::

(A $5 current scrap pack -photo shamelessly stolen from Jennies shop)

The crochet is awesome::::

(This photo has been shamelessly stolen from Jennies shop too !)

And now, Jennie has opened another amazing, original shop::

sosofabulous!

She adores vintage fabrics tremendously. And not being a sewer (although secretly I don't believe this, and think she would be a fantastic sewer) she has come up with the idea of stiffening her fantastic vintage fabrics, and making beautiful treasures with the stiff fabric-just like paper!! -Genius!!

I have stolen more photos from her shops!!

Just look at these!

Beautiful wedding favour boxes!!  ::

Amazing cupcake picks ::

Little treasure box ::

I mean can you believe that these are just made out of fabric with NO sewing?

I truly admire Jennie. She works tirelessly with absolute professionalism. Now working on three shops as well as being wife, mother, and daughter.

So, if you haven't met her, pop over to her blog and take a peek at all she does.

You too will be amazed at this lovely lady :o)

************

Well, I hope you like the start of my little series. As I said, I just want to introduce you to others in the world, so they can see how amazing you are as well!

So look out B, G, J, L, V, S, G....to hint at a few, as you never know, you might be next week :D

Take care lovely people. Have a great enjoyable Fathers Day/weekend, and will speak to you next week. xx

P.s. I never knew that I knew how to steal photos, so I'm quite proud of myself at these little 'thefts' !

:D :D :D

Ta-Daah! :o)

Goodness me, over a month has gone by without any sign of a post from me!

Is anyone still there?

If you are still about -HELLOOOO!! hope you're fine and dandy, and the world is ok with you :o)

I've been a busy bee.

I've had a birthday! A lovely day was spent shopping, thrifting and crafting. I do have some thrify finds to show you, but I want to make them over first so's I can show you the before's and afters.

My son had a 15th birthday too. Goodness they grow up so fast. I'm now officially the shortest in my little family of five as well!

~~***~~

Do you remember the quilt that me and my eldest were making for her Teaching Assistant?

Well, it's finished and handed over!

 

We made a label to sew on the back too. We called the quilt 'Bloom' as thats what the TA has helped our eldest do since she'd been at that school, and we used some fabric from one of my daughters old toddler dresses in the roses as well.  The lady in question cried when we gave it to her!

Oh it was so lovely to see her appreciate it. (I don't just mean cos' she cried lol)

I think Teaching Assistants are mostly amazing people and they don't get no where near enough credit for all they do either!

As you can see by the photos, we had some beautiful sunshine here during May didn't we?

Oh, I do miss it now!  I went walking in the rain last night with my two daughters, (we're getting thin n' fit :o)  and I had to wear thick clothes and my woolly hat as it was so cold - I was walking fast too!

I have lots to show you, but I'm (again!) going to try to post more regularly with smaller posts, so as this is the first of many over the next few weeks, I shall keep todays short and sweet! :o)

You take care now, and I'll speak soon.

Love Donna xx

Needlework Fiesta

Hello lovely bloggers :o)

Hope you're all well and happy?

Goodness, May already!  Where does the time go?!

Well I spent some time at the weekend visiting a local needlework fiesta. It was in Brockenhurst in the New Forest.  I took loads of pictures to share with you, and I did wish that several of you lovely ladies who read this blog were there with me!!  I just knew that you would have loved it, and appreciated it!

But anyway, I took some photos for you to share!

Gorgeous felt balls. Someone had been really busy making dozens of these things!

A most beautifully embroidered mirror.

This quilt represents the trunk of an oak tree. It measures 12 x 12". it won the quilting competition!

I did like this one better though!

A beautifully embroidered 'Fay Maxwell' cushion..

Honestly there was just so much to see, and I took dozens of photos.

~~~***~~~

My eldest daughter had a friend round to do some cooking at the weekend too.

They made this lemon and almond cake totally between them..bless 'em...

It was delicious. (Yes Jennie, I naughtily had a tiny slice! lol)

And the quilt for my daughters Teaching assistant is still a work in progress.

The trouble is that as my daughter is the one doing the actual 'hand quilting' on it, she is also at the same time finishing off her textile art GCSE coursework. So obviously that was the priority.

But that all has to be handed in this Friday, so I'm hoping that she'll then crack on and get this quilting done.

I also have two more quilts on the go at the moment!  Talk about biting off more than you can chew!

Oh, and one thing I'm excited about is my eldest daughters prom in June. She has said all along she isn't going to go, but we had a shopping trip on Monday, and whilst there she decided to buy her prom dress!! I was so excited that she wanted to go! And her dress is really pretty. I'll show you in a few weeks.

As most of you know, she has epilepsy with seizures day and night. This means that she never ever wears dresses which I think is the reason she didn't want to go to the prom. But this dress (without ANY encouringing from me I promise!) just caught her eye, so I was just so pleased she's decided to take the plunge!

(I will be there hiding a corner of the prom room to look after her, so will make sure she is safe and covered if she has a seizure  -bless her!)

Anyway, that's it for me today.

You lovely people take it easy and don't let this grey weather get you down.

Take care everyone.

Love Donna xx

Quilting and a winner

Hello lovely bloggy people :o)

Hope this post finds you all fine and dandy!

Thankyou so much for all your kind 'welcome back' hellos. It is lovely of you all to leave such kind comments and make me feel all warm inside. :o)

Now, I've been a bit cheeky with this post title, as the winner I have mentioned is ME!!

Yes, me!  I've won something else beside the Harry Potter tickets that I told you about last post!

I have won a blog giveaway. But it's one with a difference. My prize is a years subscription to the brand new vintage magazine called Pretty Nostalgic.

I won the giveaway on Niki's blog, and was absolutely astounded when she emailed me to tell me I was a winner!  I had to hotfoot it over to her blog to check that I really had won before I believed her!
But I'm really pleased to have won this. Honestly i was so excited, it felt like Christmas!
When I get the first issue on 1st May, i'll show you all what it's like ;o)
But from the blog, it looks to be something really lovely, and it features Nikis shop in it too :o)

***********

Anyway, what have I been up to this week?
Well, I've been trying really hard to get a quilt finished...

It has lots of applique roses on it (you know, those -what I call- William Morris style roses...)

And it has embroidery stems -which i have to admit, the embroidery was quicker to do that those roses!!  And I have discovered that I badly hate quilting with linen!!

But I'm getting there. When it's all been stitched together, I'm going to get my eldest daughter to hand quilt it. It's a present for one of her helpers at school, and I thought it would be nice if the helper realised that my daughter had shed tears over it, as well as her mum!! lol.

********

And, I've been pigeon sitting!!  Now, I know you're all thinking what an ugly creature this baby pigeon is, but i just think they are the most cutest things!!

When I was little my Dad used to have great big pigeon lofts, and have racing pigeons. And I do miss them a lot as I always used to be down in the lofts with him.

But then when we moved here, we met an older couple who live near by who breed 'fancy' pigeons. And when they realised they had met someone who wasn't scared of pigeons, and actually adored them, they asked if I could look after them for them when they go on holiday and the such, and I just love it!!

So whilst I was there, i just had to take a photo of 'Neville' (I named him/her -don't ask how I thought of Neville lol) as i just knew you lot would like a little looksie!  He's one of the first babies out this year !

My neighbours also have the most beautiful garden.

I just love this apple blossom -I think it's prettier than my apple tree blossom...

And just as luck would have it, when ever I went in the morning to feed, the sun was shining beautifully, even though it's been pouring and hailing  for about two weeks now....

I thought this view was a bit surreal with a mediterranean palm tree, and our english ,native holly bush in the same picture!

And I loved the shadows of the palm that played out on my neighbours, neighbours (does that make sense?) house wall...

I mean how nosey can one woman get, not only taking photos in her neighbours garden, but taking pictures of her neighbours, neighbours garden lol.

Bet you're pleased I don't live near you!! :D

Anyway, that's me for today lovely bloggers. Off to have a nose around blogland :O)

You take care now, and I'll speak soon.

Love Donna xx

EDITED TO ADD::

Oh my word!!!   I have just found out that I have won another prize!  Can you believe it? Cos' I can't !    I shall be buying a few lottery tickets this week, but I'm not sure it works like that, and this is my third win already - so maybe I'm just being greedy! :D

Happy, happy week folk. xxxx

Hello, Hello, Hello :o)

HELLO lovely people :o)

How are you?

Oooo, it's lovely to be back :o)

I've had a really lovely break, and I'm pleased I backed off for a little while. It made me realise just how much of my time is spent on the computer, and how little is spent creating and 'home loving' !

Anyway, i'm hoping that I've learnt enough to make things a bit more even now.

It was my youngest daughters 13th Birthday a couple of weeks back, and I was lucky enough to be a winner (yes ME!!) of some tickets to the pre-launch of the Harry Potter Warner Brothers Studio Tour.

So on her Birthday we whizzed up the M3 and M25 (motorway roads in case you're wondering:o)

to Levenden where they filmed parts of the Harry Potter films...

The model castle was magnificent. Shame about my crappy photography really, otherwise you would be able to see it better :o)

Obviously we had to have a glass of Butter Beer (no alchohol) which I have to say was delicious!  I shall be trying to replicate this during the summer months as I can still taste it now..Mmmmm

There was loads to see and do, even though it hadn't yet opened 'proper' to the public. We won tickets to go on 17th March, and it didn't officially open until 31st March.

I'd say it's a brilliant attraction to any Harry Potter fan, and my eldest daughter and husband aren't 'into' Harry at all, but they really enjoyed it too.

Just one thing to remember if you do go though.  I know generally the souvenir shops at places are expensive, but the one at the studios was extortionate in my opinion. It was really expensive as things go, so just be ready to take your credit card, cos' you'll need it!

~~~~~~

The garden has been popping out all over the place. My forsythia bush has been flowering since before Christmas (which at the time I have to admit had me a bit worried as to what would happen to it in the spring), but now it looks divine!

And we have frothy blossom everywhere, although i'm still waiting for my apple blossom :o)

And I've been getting on really well with my makes.

I'll be opening my Litte tiny stitches Etsy store again today or tomorrow, so it'll be good to pop my new makes in there :o)

All sorts of patchwork has been happening here,

which has been making me happy.

And I see that this super lady has had a gorgeous patchwork quilt made by one of her customers from the fabrics from her Etsy store which sells the most fantastic vintage, soft and cosy fabrics.

And I see this super lady is making the most gorgeous patchwork quilt too!  And as well as that, she does the most fantastic crazy patch blocks which are to die for!! 

Just pop over and have a look at these two lovely, brilliant people. I admire them both tremendously :o)

Well, that's it for me today lovely bloggers.

Pop back in a few days, as I'm gonna introduce you to my 'thrift store'.

Happy happy week to you all.

Take care now,

Love Donna xx

Sun, sea, sand n' stress......

Hello my dears, hope this post finds you all fine and dandy this March morning.

I'm just popping in to let you know that I won't be about for a while.

I'm having a wee break.

Not gallivanting about or anything, it's just things have been getting on top of me for a bit now and I feel I just need to have some time to take a few deep breaths or so....

Hopefully I'll still be able to get round and visit you every now and then. But i just wanted to ask you not to be offended if I don't, as I just need a bit of time :o)

Thankyou all so much for being such lovely bloggers, leading such lovely, inspirational lives that I can nose into, and for leaving me such supportive lovely comments.

Honestly, I do appreciate you all so much!

Well, Goodbye for a little while, and take care now won't you?

Love Donna xx

Happy Leap Day :o)

Yes, Happy Leap Day bloggers :o)

How are you this fine and dandy Leap Day morning?

Any proposals planned out there?  Ooooo, I do like a bit of a romantic tale don't you? So if you have one, do leave a comment and share with us!

Well my new boiler has just arrived! YAY! The men are supposed to be here at noonish to start fitting it!  And guess what else?  My washing machine started leaking last night! LOL  I have to laugh, or i'll start crying! :)

*****

Some of our pretty flowers are starting to come out now. I was a tad worried about what all the spring flowers would do to be honest, especially after the early arrival of some in December...

But it seems that they are recovering well, if somewhat slowly :o)

I know what I was going to ask you...  Can anyone let me know what would be a really basic site for editing my photos on?  I mean as basic as you can get girls :o)

I feel that obviously my photos were benefit hugely from some editing for my etsy stores, but can't quite work out how to do it..doh.. So any advice, hints and tips on which site would help me best would be greatly appreciated :o)

*****

Well, I've finished both my practice quilts now..

I was a bit naughty with this one!  I'd ordered some special cotton batting to go in the the quilt sandwich, but I was in such a hurry to make it that I went to my local bedding store and bought some plain white towelling, (You know the thin cheapy stuff? ) and used that in the middle.

I mean it would have been ok perhaps on a lap quilt, as it's so soft and drapey, but not on a little wall quilt!

D'you like my little bee? :o)

Now, I didn't realise I hadn't actually taken a photo of the whole finished quilt, so here is the last photo I've got with one of the hanging loops half sewn! 

And it isn't all wonky like that in real life...that's the way it was sitting when I took the picture...:o)

(See? The drapey-ness of the towelling! :o)

And here's a practice at one of those 'shaggy edge' homespun quilts..I only did the eight little blocks..

This is it before it goes in the washing machine..

And this is it after! -See? All shaggified :o)   (I'm having to be very careful how I describe this as i can't think of the real words, and all *kinds* of shaggy words keep popping in my lil' ole' head, so I hope I haven't offended anyone!)

It was really easy to do bloggers, and if you google it, there's lots of inspiration and tutorials out there :o)

I feel that I got a good lot of shaggy style in there even though I didn't use true homespun cottons, I used vintage sheet fabric on the back..

Oh, but make sure when you pop it in the wash to get the 'homspun shaggy style' you put it in a pillow case first to catch all the threads that come off the fabric. I even basted the top of my pillow case so none came out, and it works a treat :o)

(Good job I did actually, or I'd be blaming myself on the leaking washing machine! LOL)

*****

Well, that's about it for me today.

I've got the boiler being fixed this afternoon and tomorrow. Then on Saturday I'm off for a day out girls!!  Yes, me! A full blown day out with lunch, and mooching around charity shops!

A lovely lady whom I know is emigrating to Canada in May (She is so brave!) and I really wanted to spend a day with her before she got really busy with all the stuff that goes with emigrating.

So for weeks we've had Saturday planned.

We're going into Salisbury, we're going to have lunch (OOoo, this sounds posh to me! ;o) and then we're going to have a nice leisurely walk around the shops, then go for coffee later.

I am terribly over-excited about it now its near. And I really feel I need a special day like this after my last few weeks I can tell you.

But i'm so pleased we're going. I can't tell you the last time I went out for a day like this!

Well, I remember last year when I went to the Vintage at the Village Hall fair, and before that I went and had a coffee with another dear bloggy friend. So It's nearly a year then! (Whewie, doesn't time fly?)

But it's all planned, and even if my eldest daughter is having poorly, I'm to go my hubby says!  He is quite capable! :o) ( AND I've saved some spending money ;o)

So, wishing you all a fabulous leap day, and rest of our leap year, and I hope you all have happy weekends too :o)

Take care now 

Love Donna xxx

EDITED TO ADD!  ::

Sorry lovely bloggy people!  Its RAGGY quilts! Nothing to do with shaggy at all! :D

Thanks jennie :o)