Take one a day

Day 7

Penblwydd hapus i fi
Penblwydd hapus i fi
Penblwydd hapus annwyl fi a sewmuchfrippery
Penblwydd hapus i fi!!

And this is where I should be blowing out candles on my birthday cake. Instead Beth the baker and I have been glued to the BBC news channel. We moved away just to buy some nibbles and bottles and the News of the World is no more!!!

I'd like to take full responsibility for this because I spent the better part of this morning filling in petitions. The world is hard enough sometimes without having to endure the intrusion of the press.

I've just jumped down from my soapbox!!

Back to the point....

I've cheated a little today. Well, it is my birthday and I can. I had already sewn some of these lovely green hexagons together and today I've finished by making a scarf. I've used my favourite organic cotton for this.

For a brief moment today the sun came out and having a model at hand I've taken some nice shots.

Today on Folksy I've listed my crochet nesting bowls. They're also on Etsy. They've been made with two strands of blue and green yarn to give a marled effect.

Today's Folksy July Jewel shout out goes to the Dottery Pottery for this dear little, ceramic tile. It's so pretty it should be on Cute Overload.

More love goes to that other birthday girl Sew Much Frippery. Now that I've got birthday money burning a hole in my pocket I've got to treat myself to some of the lovely vintage patterns in her Etsy shop.

Can't stay  - off to catch up with the latest news and open some bottles!!

Take one a day

Day 6

When Rolla saw my Flickr photos of the little mice at number 17 she said they looked like Fingermouse. Aaah, they don't make programmes like that any more. This video brought back some happy memories. Turn the volume up and enjoy!!

The sun is shining right now so I've just rushed to take this shot.

The wet weather has meant a bumper crop of rowan berries. This branch is almost touching the ground. It's also attracting blackbirds from miles around. By autumn there won't be any left if they keep eating them at that rate. It certainly looks like autumn now.

I'm continuing the trip down memory lane by having a moan. Pins and needles!! No, I'm not in pain but suffering none the less. Pins disappear in my house and so do needles. I've recently bought a new pot of pins and also a packet of assorted needles. I can't remember where I bought them because I'd picked up both on separate grocery shopping trips in different supermarkets. If I could remember and still had the receipts I'd be taking them right back to whatever shop they came from.

Pins - I like the ones with colourful glass heads. If they drop on the floor they can easily be found. I like one end to be round and perfectly formed while the other should be sharp so that you can stick it into things. There has to be a fundamental design fault if it doesn't. Blunt pins with misshapen heads I do not want!!

Needles - assorted. What is the definition of assorted? Consisting of a number of different kinds, many, various. 

All the needles in my 'assorted' pack have tiny eyes, are all as thick as pokers, are all as blunt as the aforementioned pins. Their length is the only variation. So when it comes to using three strands of embroidery floss I can't get it through the tiny, little eye of my needle.

Today I have made a pincushion solely to test my pins. Any pin that I can't stick in it is being thrown.

Also today I've listed the pretty, pink, candy striped bag. It's here on Folksy and Etsy The crochet applique is organic cotton.

From Follky's July Jewels I've chosen Colour Me Fun's alphabet crayon set

 Now these really are fun!

Take one a day

Day 5

I'm a bit bleary eyed this morning. Dizzy decided not to come home last night - again. On such a hot and muggy night she was probably hunting small, terrified creatures in the fields around our house. I've tried to warn her about foxes but will she listen!

At 3.30 there was a double thump at the open window of my bedroom. Front paws, back paws and then a 'I'm hoooooooooome!!!!' I had to get up, take her downstairs before she chewed up the carpets and tore down the curtains. It was difficult to sleep after that. First the song thrushes, then the blackbirds followed by the woodpigeons and then the rain. At least the rain meant the temperature dropped and the air freshened enough for me to have another few hours of sleep.

When I checked my sites today I had a pleasant surprise in my Flickr message box. Two of my photos have been shortlisted for inclusion in Schmap London




Spitalfields Market

 





Greenwich Market



I should know by the end of the week if they made it.

Looking back at these photos I don't know why I go to London so infrequently. These  come from a great weekend in Greenwich. We stayed in Devonport House which is so convenient for walks, buses and, of course, pubs. Rolla is down this weekend so I'll try to organise a weekend. Not in July, though, I have other things planned.

Today I've been making mice. I was so taken with Audrey's Cat's mice that I had an attempt at a simpler version. The first one I made was too small. I used some recycled curtain material but it frays badly. Not much good when you have to slip stitch the ends. Plus I sewed his poor, little face on the wrong side. The second was better but I hadn't placed the back seam evenly so he has a lopsided bottom. The third was better.

Ladies and gentlemen I present to you, 'A Nasty Infestation of Mice at Number 17'

Today's listing is the bowl of flowers that I made yesterday. There are 10 caramel and 10 white flowers that are perfect for applique, jewellery, gift tags and 101 other things. They also remind me of caramel swirls. Do they even sell them these days?

You'll find them, the flowers not the swirls, on Folksy and Etsy

I'm finding it harder each day to decide which is my favourite July Jewel. It's great fun browsing through the listings every day. There are so many talented people whose skills deserve to be shown to a wider audience that today I'm going to pick two.

 A set of green polymer clay flower buttons from Averilpam etc

and a sweet, little ACEO from Lilipopo at Glass Mountain

Thanks to all of you for your kind words yesterday. I really appreciate it xx

Take one a day

Day 4

A bit of a weird day today. I've been to my cousin Pattie's funeral. Some funerals I've attended have felt like being put through a spin cycle and then spat out at the other end. Pattie's was calm and tranquil. Her death, although sudden, was not unexpected. She'd suffered from a blood disorder all of her life and had needed transfusions on a regular basis. It was during one of her regular treatments that she suffered a heart attack.

Her brother had dedicated his life to her. He's never married, never flinched from his care for her. So, there we are sisters - not all men are b*******s.

For today's project, and yes there has been one, I've taken solace in the mundane. Have crochet hook will travel to the Midlands and sit and listen to the stories and reminiscences of the old lady family members.

These little flowers and bowl are dedicated to Pattie. She would have put them on her in hair, on her ice dance costumes, rockabilly 50s dresses, 60s Mary Quant minis and added them to something from every era that she loved her life in.

Before picking up my lovely family members along the route I had time to do my Folksy listing.

Another organic blanket
Organic cotton has wonderful properties. Cool in summer, warm in winter and with the added bonus of minimum pollution. The colour is listed as raspberry tea, an old fashioned, vintage inspired mauve.

This blanket was fun to do but the border was one of the biggest yarn eaters!

Raspberry tea was something I could have done with by the bucketful today. (This is the tenuous link!) The weather in the Midlands was so hot and humid. The gauge on my car measured 28 at one time. This is what I looked like;

This lovely July Jewel, retro dog card has been listed on Folksy by pollypurplehorse I love his little tongue.

xxxxx and hugs to M. It will get better day by day.

Take one a day

Day 3

Hot, hot, hot but I'm not complaining. I need to feel the heat warming up my bones.

There have been complaints today - from Posie. She's one of my two cats. They've been with us for about 18 months now. Tigerlily, our previous cat died at the grand old age of 16. I said no more but then paid a visit to Cats Protection and you can guess the rest.

Posie and Dizzy Rascal, their new names, had been there for 6 months. It was their second stay at the cattery. I'm their third owner. They'd have a fourth but I will not be beaten.

They are destructive, naughty stop outs. Extremely precious considering their background. Posie, in particular, has special requirements weatherwise. No snow, no rain, no wind and an optimum temperature somewhere between 55 and 65.

Today has reached 70+ and this is Posie

She's in the rotten old container I use for weeds with a leave me alone look on her face.


I have been sewing again today. A little house that means a lot because somebody I know lives in a house like this.

Hopefully, it's the first of many. Next time I'll improve the proportions and embellish more.

Also listed today on Folksy - a mauve, organic cotton, baby blanket. Yes, I know it's not the weather for blankets but it's listed until December so there is some sort of logic there. It's also described as being made in a pet free environment. My cats are allowed in only two rooms, the kitchen and utility far from my workroom and any cross contamination!

My pick from July Jewels is a Kindle case/cover from BaggieAggieToo.

Rosie's pieces always look so well made and I love her choice of fabrics.

I'm also spreading the love today to somebody who has stuck to her roots and has relaunched her skills with a new shop Lolly Rotten. It's a creepy perfumery for strange, scary girls. Jody's words not mine! I love the new look and check out some of the names. Good luck with Lolly Rotten. I can only imagine the work that went into its development.


Carpe Noctem





Bite Me



Take one a Day

Day 2

I knew it. I knew that as soon as I started this project the sun would shine and we'd have summer! So there I was sitting in the garden with my crochet hook and organic cotton for the first time since Easter. I love to sit in the garden. Today I had the company of a rather neurotic blackbird who flitted between gathering beakfuls of mountain ash berries and alarm calling. Maybe the excitement was just too much for him!

Back to the important bit. After finishing yesterday's project I had quite a few offcuts of the pink candy stripe cotton. I'd bought more of the pink organic cotton in the John Lewis sale last week. I crocheted the same flower that I'd appliqued on the quilt, knitted a few more leaves with the organic green and appliqued them. From the cotton I made a drawstring bag, lined it and hey presto!!!

a fully lined, crochet appliqued, drawstring bag with a vertical stripe contrast.

I think that's an achievement when any right minded person would have been at the beach.

Today's listing is also an Etsy but new to Folksy today.  A blue and white, organic cotton, baby blanket

From Folksy's July Jewels I have a little gem from Iyobo Designs.  Little sweetheart earrings that are so sumptuous I want to eat them!

 

I'm off to the supermarket now. An evening like this calls for strawberries and a good bottle of wine.

Take one a day

Pinch, punch, first of the month! It's July and for me that means that start of another year. All presents, cards, bottles of wine and bubbles gratefully received by 7/7 please!!!

I spent most of June waiting for summer to arrive but it's been so cold and wet that I've been in a state of hibernation. Now that I'm, almost, officially older I realise I haven't got time to spare waiting. It's time to get my act together and my **** in gear.

Today marks the beginning of a new me. Productive, decisive, a mean, no nonsense go getter. This month I WILL finish a project a day, I WILL list an item a day and I WILL spread the love.

I plan to keep detailed records of everything I make, finish what's been started and, well you get the message.

Day 1
Finished a blanket that I started way back when the sun was shining. I know this because I took photographs of my progress and posted them on Flickr. It's been on hold for a while because I wanted to lightly stuff it. The wadding that I bought was awful, a really fire risk. I did a flame test on it and nearly burnt the kitchen down. No way was I going to use that. But those nice people (I've told you about them before) at Organic Cotton Biz sent me fantastic organic wadding.

So here it is

It's not the best photograph but I didn't promise myself I WILL for that! It's all organic apart from the polycotton candy stripe cover. It still needs to be pressed and properly photographed before I can list it.

Today's listing as part of Folksy's July Jewels.

My lacy, grey, organic cotton cushion cover

It's already listed on Etsy but it's now on both sites. A definite one of a kind.


Today's love goes to Folksy's Audrey's Cat's vintage mouse. I'm really worried that he's going to have an upset tummy eating those gooseberries.

I hope you've enjoyed today's work. I'm going to have a lie down now. If you can think of projects to keep me busy please let me know.