Sewing times and Thrifty finds :o)

Good evening people :o)

I hope this post finds you all fine and dandy on this 4th July :o)

Happy Independence Day to my lovely bloggy American friends :o)

D'you like my lovely old Singer Sewing machine? (above)

She's a beauty isn't she?  

I've had her now for about 9 years.  And we've done quite a bit of sewing together.

I adore the gold printing on her, and the grape vine front plate..

It's so pretty isn't it?  but old things generally are aren't they?

Well, I've made a start on my daughters quilt.

Below are the first fabrics that I cut.

They were my first 6" squares.

And below is my first 'block'

 :o)

I've decided to make her a seperate Dolphin cushion.

I'm quilting the dolphin panel (for the front) by hand.

And it's so enjoyable. Trouble is it's so s...l...o...w.... too! LOL

But the actual quilting has come up even better than I imagined.

If you look at the big dolphin above, you can see it just starting to show in the 3d  around the nose that quilting does...

That part of it always amazes me.

It's so simple, yet so effective ;o)

I've been slowly sewing it when my eldest daughter isn't going to catch me.

I took it to do today when she had her first days work experience. But unfortunately her work experience didn't happen :(

We got there early, but almost as soon as we were at the hotel (she's working there for the week) she started to have a humungous seizure, so I had to give her her emergency medication and bring her home :o(

But we don't give up easily! We're going back tomorrow to try again :o)

So wish us luck!

****

And look what came in the post for me!

How spoiled am I?

I've lusted after this bag for ages and ages now, and it was finally in the sale at Cath Kidston.

reduced to £35.00

Oooo, I so love it, and I know a certain Rosey bloggy friend will love it too!

Trouble is, there appears to be lots of imitation Cath Kidston about at the moment.

It makes me want to stick a big label on my bag stating that it's a real one LOL ;o)
****

I finally started picking our runner beans yesterday.
Only a few, mixed with some of the french beans, but steamed over the new potates they were delicious :o)

This is our first hibiscus flower this year. isn't it gorgeous?

It was positioned there in the sun just like that.

Waiting for it's five minutes of fame on my blog ;o)

Other lovely flowers in the garden...

Above is my first courgette flower, although it does have a courgette on it too.

Our tomatoes are all reddening up.

This photo was taken last week, and I've now got 14 cherry ones going red, and about 7 big ones, and 4 plum ones.

Here's some of our blueberries this year.

last year we only had 4 berries on them:(

This year we have loads (theres another plant too not in the photo )

Yummy water melon (no, I didn't grow this :o)

And here's the little courgette growing below the flower that's now out

(sorry, i should have put these in order shouldn't I ? )

And here's my most bestest thrifty find of the year.

40 vintage sewing patterns for £10.00!

Yep, 40!

I was so excited when I saw these in the charity shop I can tell you!

Once I've finished my daughters quilt I'm gonna make a start on one of these little beauties.

I'll show it when the time comes.

Some of them I don't like/wrong size and I'm going to try them in my Etsy shop -which I have sadly neglected all through June :o(

But once this work experience is over I'm going to be listing and sorting it out.  I have to park and stay near the hotel where my daughter is in case of/when she has seizures so I can administer her emergency medication.

It's classed as an 'unlicensed' medication, so only me/dad or medical people can administer it, not her teaching assistants who are with her on her work experience and at school.

So fingers crossed she'll be having some work experience tomorrow, and I'll be doing some more sewing :o)

That's it for me tonight folks.

Oh, did anyone else have internet connection problems at the end of last week?

Half of our town and a couple of others around had no internet connection. Did that happen to any of you?

Just thought I'd ask, as you know how nosey I am, and so far no one (not even the service provider) has any answer! 

Anyway, you all take care now, and have a fabulous sunny (fingers crossed) week.

Love Donna xx



Fabric & Plans

At last, I can show you my recent -ish fabric purchases and set some plans in writing to make sure I carry them out.

I've now got my new camera, it's a sony cybershot and very smart even if I do say so myself!

But all these photos below were taken with my old camera before the lead disappeared and before he stopped focusing :o)

The ones below are all fabrics from Fabric Land along with the pompom edging which is so 'in vogue' at the moment.  

This below, is a beautiful piece of embroidered fabric netting which I got from the charity shop some months ago now.

I've saved it for special makes as I know I won't find another piece as beautiful as this.

Honestly, the embroidered roses are gorgeous.

Below is more fabric land fabric.

I bought some muslins when i purchased this, withthe intention of making some items for my Etsy shop..

You'll have to watch this space for those ones, as I want to know what you all think when I've finished them.

These organzas were from the Range. These I bought about a week ago as all their organzas were on offer at 80p per metre!

Some of them are two tone which my old camera didn't capture very well. But maybe my new one will when I make up some bags and put on here.

This fabric is from a pair of curtains from a charity shop. I jsut couldn't resist them when I walked in and they were just hanging there. They are enormous, and were only £5 the pair.

£5 didn't seem much for such a vast amount of Toile style cotton fabric.  I just love this light blue. And I thought the fabric would look beautiful as cushion covers or tote style bags.

What would you all do with it?

And these below are some fabrics for my 'BIG QUILT PROJECT' as I call it. lol

My eldest daughter is 16 in August. (How we got here so fast i don't know!) And as some of you know she also has a few medical problems.  Well, we are being referred to Great Ormond Street hospital to see if they can help us, so i had the (what seemed like at the time ;o) good idea of making her a 16th Birthday quilt so she could take it to hospital with her too.

Well.....ermm......I've never made a quilt before, but i have done patchwork, and made quilted covers for pillows and little projects. But I'm gonna give it a go.

I'm making it from some of my special fabrics. Ones from the childrens clothes from childhood/toddler/baby stages. Ones I have bought especially for the quilt from lovel Jennies shop.

All the ones in the photo below came from Jennies shop..

Just look at the gorgeous vintagey-ness of them..

My daughters favourite things are dolphins, blue, asian, gothy (yuk, -to the gothy -sorry lol) type things, and butterflies!

So quite a mix.

As you can imagine, the quilt is gonna be a big mish-mash of it all,

(the two on the right underneath are from Jennies shop too)

But as long as she likes it, and knows it's made with love what does it matter?

I'm gonna add a few flowery bits cos' shes a girl right? And all girls like flowers :o)

(Oh, she also like skulls and the likes!) lol

And the piece of fabric below is from her very first dolly push chair that I saved when the chair broke.

She adored this chair to push her dolls and teddies around in, and doesn't know I saved the fabric from it to make her something when she's older.

There's also  a few trims to add..

And I'm gonna incorporate a dragon or two!

I'll keep you up to date with the progress. I'm hoping to start cutting this afternoon.

So wish me luck ;o)

***

Below are a few quilt covers that I bought brand new in the sales.

They were so pretty, and only £4.50 each!

And I thought £4.50 for all that fabric isn't bad is it?

Hey WAKEY, wakey ;o)

Still with me are ya? LOL

The fabric below is a gorgeous dress length. Again a charity shop buy. Four meters for £1.95!

And the last one is my favourite.

I got this fabric below from Jennies shop as well, when i got my daughters.

I just fell in love with it straight away. The roses are divine, and this picture by no means does this fabric justice!

The colours are so bright and fresh, yet it's vintage!

Gorgeous!

Well, that's it on all my recent-ish fabric buys.

Now I've just gotta get making!

I'm going to post my quilt as I make it, just for my reference, but feel free to offer any advice (much appreciated!) and any criticism (again appreciated as that's how we learn!) .

***

Below is a picture of q quick tin make over I just thought you might like to have a nose at.

It was a plain heart tin, that needed a nice cosy inside for storing delicate stuff.

So I put a felt bottom on the base, then covered it with fabric using my hot glue gun.

I think it turned out really pretty, and works a treat!

Well that's it from me today.

I'm off to do a spot of gardening inthe sunshine and then some cutting out!

Hope your'e all fine and dandy this sunny day.

Speak to you soon.

Take care, Love Donna . xx



Can you believe it !! LOL

Guess what?

Even I've got to laugh at this one!

Well, after having a sulk and a tantrum last night about my camera lead going missing -No, i still haven't found it!  I think hubby's posted it with some of his electrical stuff, but that's just between me and you ;o)-

My camera has stopped working today!

Can you believe it?  LOL.

Honestly, it's just stopped focusing altogether, and I've had it less than a year.

Luckily it still comes under the guarantee, so I can get a lovely new one to take lots of gorgeous pictures with. But it means any blogging/etsy pictures will have to wait for a while now :o(

I bet you're all really sad about that aren't you ;o)

Anyway, my little pink camera went when I was photographing two gorgeous vintage/thrifty finds.

A vintage Irish Linen table set -still in it's original packaging and never ever used!

And the most gorgeous honey pot by a company called 'Heron Cross' pottery.

Has anyone ever heard of them?

I know that my honey pot was sold a good few years back by Fortnum and Mason, but other than that I can't even find anything out about the backstamp unfortunately.

Maybe a phone call to the pottery will yield a few results...

Anyway, I have got a couple of photo's already on my computer that I want to show you (Now come on, stop groaning :o)

When my little lovelies are at school I used to pootle around on my little pink scooter ;o)

Yes, i've even got a pink fairy crash hat!  LOL

But, last Friday I had to sell my little scooter...well you see, it wasn't being used. My eldest daughter is just part-time schooled now, and her seizures are getting worse, so when the school called me when she had her 'biggy' seizures, I was having to go home, swap the scooter for the car, then drive to the school, and the ambulance always beat me there! (which is good!  :o)

But now I just drive our little new car, I can beat the ambulance there! (like today!)

So some good has come out of saying goodbye to it, and I know it's gone to a good home :o)

Anyway, I'm gonna leave you with a few more photo's of beautiful Compton Acres.

So if you've kindly read this far :o),  and you don't like gardening, I suggest you click onto your next blog now.

But i will say the Japanese garden at Compton Acres is supposed to be one of the best in the country, and it was fantastic! Honestly I wish I could have it in my garden! ('cept my whole bungalow and garden would fit in that one ! LOL)

Any way here it is my lovely people.

I'll leave you with the photo's, and the knowledge that I'm going to pick up my old, horrible coloured, cheap, drop leaf table tomorrow for my sewing machine, and I'm very excited!
Hopefully it won't stay old, cheap and horrible coloured for long, but we'll have to see!
And obviously I can't do anything about it 'cept clean it till I've got my new camera, cos' you've all gotta take a peek haven't you!  :o)

Take care everyone,

Love Donna xx

Some of these fish were enormous, the children were stroking them!

The bamboo's were  gorgeous. I so love their pretty stems.

Below is a view of Poole Harbour and Brownsea Island which is a National Trust Estate in the middle of Poole Harbour. It's home to our most beloved red squirrel.

Once when we visited there we saw 11 of them which we thought amazing!

Have a lovely weekend people :o)

Un-blogged!

Well evening lovely people!

Hope you're all fine and dandy this 'longest day of the year'!

Yes, there already.

Anyway, I digress.  I just popped in to say I had planned a lovely fabric-ee post for us all for this evening. But unfortunately, the lead to my camera has gone missing, so I can't up-load any beautiful fabric-ee pictures for us to gaze at :o(

As soon as my lead appears as mysteriously as it disappeared, I shall pop the photo's on, and Bob's your Uncle, a lovely fabric-ee post shall appear in place of this one :o)

Take care everyone, and hopefully speak to you soon.

Love Donna x

Long time no see!

Well, heeellloooooo lovely bloggers!

How are you this wet and windy June evening?

I hope this post finds you all fine and dandy and ready for what life dishes up next!

Honestly, nearly halfway through June already! This year has flown by!

My garden is just bursting with growth and colour. It looks so lush and green too.

The runner and french beans are doing fabulously.

My tomatoes are growing nicely.

And all my dahlias and lupins etc.. that I planted from seeds are coming along a treat, along with all the little flowers I planted in my belfast sink.

**~**

I've been really busy on my lovely new sewing machine too, but I can't show you what I've made yet as the makings are presents, and I know the lovely person who they are for reads my blog and it will give it away:o)

So you'll have to wait a couple of weeks for them.

I have been around blogs, but as you must all know blogger wouldn't let many comments through, so sorry if it seems I haven't been to you a while.

**~**

I had another Birthday treat this week. We went to visit some gardens called 'Compton Acres' in Poole, and they were absolutely beautiful!

I've taken a few (over 400!) photos to show you, but don't worry I won't be posting all them :o)

Here's just a few of the best bits..

This was the Italian garden.
A most beautiful landscaped pond with lovely water lillies..

There were bridges,

waterfalls,

and the most gorgeous flowers everywhere...

HUGE peonies...

And can you guess what flower this is?.....

Yes/no? 

Well, it's the top flower of a foxglove!

I've never seen foxgloves like this, but it wasn't a fluke, as there were dozens of them!

Has anyone else seen foxgloves like this?

It was well over 6ft tall, and I had to get hubby to take the photo of the top flower ;o)

I'll post some more of the gardens on my next post.

Honestly, they're well worth a visit if you ever go to Poole, Dorset.

I can see us going back there. It was a lovely late birthday treat.

And as a reminder, we bought a lovely little blue iris and a black leaf grass to go with our pink sea thrift that we already have.

**~**

I haven't really been doing much, just life you know?

Here's a couple of new foals in the forest.

Aren't they just so sweet?  They're always so inquisitive. Bless 'em :o)

**~**

We have been busy sorting our cars out though.

They've been  a right nuisance, and I hate buying new cars don't you?

(I don't mean new new cars, I mean new to us ones)

I nearly cried when my beloved Voyger went. Honestly, I think the bloke who bought him thought I was a bit loopy or something, as my parting words were " Oh you will look after him and treat him nicely won't you? He's a good car, and if you're nice to him he won't give you any trouble".

He had to go though, as he was costing us about £100 per week in petrol!!!!

Yes, and that wasn't doing many miles I can assure you!

So now I've got a new one, and we'll see how we get on getting to know each other..Fingers crossed eh? :o)

**~**

I haven't even done any thrifting lately to show you I'm afraid :(

I've been a dull girl haven't I?  LOL

Still never mind, hopefully I can get on with things now.

And guess what? That includes buying a table especially for my sewing and crafting!

Oooo, I'm excited about that!

I'm looking for a dull, old fashioned drop leaf table. So that I can keep my sewing machine on the top of it all the time, and just lift a leaf up for doing the sewing.  If it's in too bad a nick, i'll be painting it too, which I 'm kinda hoping it is so I can play :o)

Anyway that's it for me tonight people.

Sorry I haven't been about much, things weren't too good, but that's life eh?

We pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and off we trot onto the next thing :o)

Take care all you lovely people, and lets hope for a bit of June sun this week eh?

Love Donna xx