WOYWW Snippets

Morning, WOYWWers (if you're wondering what I'm talking about, click the button on my side bar - you'll be pleasantly surprised)

Not a lot to show today, other than empty choccie wrappers, that is.

I'd put finished pics of DD1's cushion on the previous post, if you're interested. HOWEVER, DD1 and I did a trawl of Ikea yesterday, and I came back with the makings of THREE new shelving units for the craft/guest room. We're installing them tomorrow, and VERY excited!!) so hopefully, there'll be some lovely pics next week.

Other than dreaming of having somewhere to work, I'm chewing over what to do with this.

My brother gave it me nearly 20 years ago, along with the rest of the suite which went to the tip a long time ago. I found some matching Sanderson print and made a 'mob cap' cover some years ago, but it needs a new lease of life. I'm thinking 'Cath K meets Brambly Hedge' work over, so we'll see.

I've also just started a little waistcoat for our godson who is two, and looks quite like this little chap

Well, that's me for now. I'm off round some other desks here, for a nosey. Hope to see you there!

Have a great week, Chris xx

Home Made Easter Gifts

I hope you're enjoying a great Easter break.

I finished the cushion for DD1 and gave it to her for Easter, for her bedroom - less fattening than a choccie egg, and hopefully longer lasting!

DD2 made gifts for us all, for Easter. She wrapped embroidery threads (soaked in sugar water) around balloons, having put tiny choc eggs in the balloons first.  

Then she popped them on nests of pink cellophane, with more eggs and goodies, and tied up the whole thing in clear cellophane and ribbon. They were so effective - love 'em!!

I'll save the thread eggs to use as decorations, next year. In the meantime, I'm posting this over at Handmade Harbour - pop over to see what else has been happening in craft land.

Easter blessings, Chris xx

WOYWW Past, Present(s) and Future

Hi Everyone - sorry if this is rather a long 'un for WOYWW, Julia, but it's mostly pics, and you can whizz through them.

Before I start, thank you for all the lovely comments last week. I didn't want (or expect) to hear how great I was to help my friend with her blanket - I'm definitely no Mother Teresa, it was no big deal! I just couldn't imagine how cobbled together it was going to look, after so much time, sweat and tears going into something that wasn't going to be at all square, and simply sewn together. It would probably have put her off crochet for life!

PAST

School holidays have a tendency to fly without us doing anything special so, as the weather was so wonderful on Monday, DH and I took Mum to Ann Hathaway's Cottage (Shakespeare's wife, for anyone who didn't know). We had a great time, and the guides were so helpful, making sure that Mum saw as much of the house and grounds as she could. 

Apparently, no matter how many colour tulips they plant, after 3-4 years, they all seem to revert to yellow or red.

The house is beautiful, and very different from the two room home that Ann was brought up in. It belonged to the Hathaway family from the time Ann's grandfather was a tenant farmer (late 1400s) to 1911, and has been added to and updated down through the ages.

The entrance fee of £9 each sounded expensive to me (cheapskate!! LOL) until I realised that it was for a year's pass. We have decided to go back in June, when the 16 little beds of sweet peas are in flower, that they were planting yesterday, and all the other summer blooms.

PRESENT(S)

Nothing spectacular on the crafting front this week - I spent yesterday afternoon in the garden, digging over one of the veg beds. I'll do one each day (four in all) so I don't do myself in.

This afternoon, I just took 6" off the bottom of Mum's dressing gown, so she can wear it without tripping

I finished the back of DDs cushion, having finally decided on a pattern. The first couple of tries came out too thick and chunky for the front, so I ended up doing two trebles above each pair below.

I haven't shown you Mum's finished room yet, so here it is. I just have to put her family photo's on the long wall above the bed.

She's very happy and cosy in there, I'm pleased to say.

FUTURE

Hopefully, little heaps of stuff like this around the house will soon be things of the past, when I get all my crafty bits upstairs, and sorted in my new craft/guest room. Whoop whoop!!

Before I forget, a warm welcome to all the lovely peeps who have joined my little band of followers. It is much appreciated. xx

In the meantime, I hope the sun is shining for you as it is here. Have a great week, and don't forget to pop over to see all the work going on around the globe, via Julia's blog.

Lots of love,

Chris xx

WOYWW Bits and Pieces

Seems like a lot of activity this week, without much to show for it.

Work continues on the back of the cushion for DD. I'll hopefully finish it to give her next week, for Easter, and will post a pic then.

Meanwhile, the saga of Mum moving upstairs continues. I'm doing it a bit at a time, partly to help her adjust to the idea, but also because I haven't the energy I used to have, and there's lots of swapping furniture over, etc. Yesterday I brought down the contents of her wardrobe, and today DH and I shifted her dressing table and contents. Tomorrow will be the biggy - a bed settee to go up, and her bed to come down - not looking forward to that bit! At least it will all be finished then, and I can get to the  fun bit of putting the craft/guest room together.

The other WIP - a friend has just learned to crochet, and wanted to make a blanket for a boy she sponsors in a Ugandan orphanage. Looking at the pile of 'squares' ranging from 3" to about 7" and nary a right angle between them, I offered to help out, when she said she was just going to sew them together.

I've evened them up by putting white borders around, and have mixed and matched singles, half doubles and doubles, to end up with three sizes. I did re-do a couple that were too mis-shaped, and am quite pleased with the result.

I'm waiting for the next batch, and will then help her to assemble it when there are enough. She wants to back it with fabric.. I think it will look quite cute when finished, and I'm sure the little boy will be delighted with his pressie.

I'm looking forward to this afternoon, when DD2 is coming over (on hol from work this week) and bringing a DVD for us to watch while Mum has her rest.

Don't forget you make yourself a drink, put your feet up and meet all the other crafters over at Julia's place for WOYWW.

Hope your week is going well. Love for now xx

Handmade Monday

Not an awful lot of crafting over the weekend as I've been gallivanting. Yesterday, I enjoyed a great day out with some lovely ladies, at The Hop Pocket, an hour out of Worcester on the Hereford road. Lots of gorgeous crafty ideas, as well as a yummy cafe - what more could a girl ask for?!

Today DH, Mum and I went to his sister & brother in law's for lunch, and were spoilt with a delicious lunch of roast lamb.  I could get used to being waited on, after all this!

I have managed to complete the front of the cushion that DD1 asked me to make, and I've started on the back (which will be plain, striped grey). She wants this to go on her newly decorated bed. Like I said previously, I apologise for not crediting the designer of this, but I only had a finished photo to work from, with no link.

Some members of the household haven't had such a busy weekend!

Hope your week goes well, and see you with the other peeps, over at Handmade Harbour.

Grace Abounds

Hi there - well, a quick touch of botox and other facial surgery and I'm ready to face the world.

My new Mum loves me

and Frank reckons I'm the bunny's whiskers.

Have a great weekend! Love from Grace xxxx

WOYWW 252 - Where's the week gone?!

I only blinked and another week's passed, and another sad one, too. We said goodbye to Ann, a leader of our church and former colleague from my days in the church office, before I retired. She had battled valiantly against cancer for two years, and was finally called home on Friday. My heart goes out to Graham, her two girls, and her Mum.

This lovely pic was taken at their daughter Beckie's wedding two years ago. A difficult Mother's Day for them all, this year.

I managed to make Mum's pressie for Mother's Day without her noticing. A couple of years ago I made Frank for her. Here he is, with his brother Sam (I can't believe I'm sad enough to write all this!!)

Anyway, meet Grace -

Yes, I know she doesn't have a face yet, but my embroidery threads are lost in the piles of craft stuff waiting to be unpacked onto new shelves in the craft/spare room once Mum moves downstairs to her new room.

Frank seems quite smitten

and doesn't seem to mind that he can't stare into her eyes yet!

Having got that project out of the way, I've started on a cushion for DD1. She saw a picture on the net, and asked if I could make one like it (sorry, I don't know who to credit for it - I only saw a pic of the finished item).

Watch this space.

I don't care if you need a new ball of wool - I'm not budging!

Anyway, DH is out for a curry with the lads, Mum is settled to watch Murder She Wrote, Rosie has found another bed than my wool basket

And me? I'm going to crack open the Mother's Day Baileys, put my feet up and carry on with a little hookie.

Have a good week, see you over at Julia's  xx