I hope at least one is a girl :-)

I thought I would share my industrious last few days with you......

Last night I put the finishing touches to the latest knitting.  I know it's a girly one but I have 5 babies I'm knitting for at the mo and surely one of them with be a girl?....the wool was just so pretty  :-)

Oh and I've already started the nexy little knitty  :-)  I'm on a roll.

 The other items I thought you'd like to see are ones that will be appearing in the shop over the next few weeks.

This is one of 4 pen rolls I've made.  

This is the first ribbon holder I've designed.  I really loved making this and hope you girls like the idea.  I've made it so you can just hang it up on a hook and your ribbons will then just loop through the ring.  And cos I like it so much ......

.....I just had to make a few more  :-)

Now girls, don't forget to pop over to the shop today to see who has won the apron and to put your name down in the next weekly draw with your comments saying what you think of it.  Thanks girls for all your great help with comments and suggestions....they really do give us an insight into what you girls need to make crafting life easier.

7 things about the me of today...

As you will have seen on Wednesday I have been awarded the stylish blog award by several of my blogging friends and promised to have a go at the 7 facts about me so I'm going to write mine about me as of now this minute of my life 
[it changes from day to day in this house :-) ].......

1. I am designing and making lots of new crafty ideas for the shop [with Twiglet's help of course] so keep a look out for the weekly gift at the mo prior to them being sold in the shop.
2. I now have over 1050 customers so am kept very busy with sewing jobs....everything from Gruffalo's outfits to posh frocks  :-)
3. I'm trying to fit some dumfing [see side link to know more] into my week and would like to be able to make some more pictures.
4. At the moment I'm baking granary bread rolls with my new bread maker....can't you smell them?  Update.....Here they are all baked now....Can you smell them now?
5. Every day I do at least 20 minutes of one or other crafts....at the moment I'm knitting baby clothes....hehehe and no I haven't stopped grinning yet.
6. I have a wonderful lot of, what I would call, blogging friends.  They come here on a regular basis and leave me such lovely comments.  They share all my crafty days and excitements in life.  Thank you to you all ..... you know who you are  :-)
7. I'm hoping to have 5 Grandchildren by Christmas [just look at the wonderful scan picture below].......Just in case you are the one person I haven't told yet  :-)   I'm soooooooooo excited......just in case you hadn't noticed.  :-)

I'm fit to burst and can now share the news!!!...

I have had a secret for a while and couldn't share it til today  :-)  My eldest daughter M has just had her first scan and this is the picture......it's twins!!!!!!  I'm fit to burst, am sat here with tears running down my face and have just the biggest grin.  They are not identical so could be boys or girls or one of each  :-)

Also our youngest daughter A told us at the weekend that she is expecting number three....she will have 3 under 3 years  :-) and this will mean by Christmas we will hopefully have 5 Grandchildren!!!!

We are sooooooooo excited and I'm thrilled to be able to share it all with the world.  I am such a proud Mummy and Nanny.  :-)

I want to share some talent with you...

I have just found this blog from a link on Peggy's blog  and thought I would share it with you.  Like Peggy, Tara is a really talented artist.

Tara @ Aquamarine Art is having a giveaway! You only need to leave a comment for a chance to win of a set of  her cards (aren't they great?) and an original painting. She will draw the winner next Monday.

WOYWW....

Hello blogging friends.  

Firstly if you haven't put your name down in the blog shop and would like to be in with a chance to win the first of our weekly gifts then please pop over here and leave us a comment saying what you would use the apron for and why you would like it.  Good luck girls.

Now as you know this week is half term for a lot of schools so I'm sure I'm not alone at having extra company this week.  My table has been taken over by my daughter but it's not fun activities for her cos she is the teacher not the pupil and it's book marking that she has taken the table over with.  It's so lovely to have her company  :-)

On my rail is a fun outfit this week.  I've not made it and only had to sew new fastenings on the front but I thought you might like to see the Gruffalo outfit with it's purple spikes on his back.  It's really brilliant and has been very cleverly made.

The other picture I've taken to share with you is one of the beautiful snowdrops I can see from my sewing room window.  The churchyard opposite our house is full of them at the mo and they are all out in full bloom .  How pretty.

 

Thats all from me today so pop over to Julia's blog and link up with pictures of what you're up to this week showing your creative spaces exposed  :-) .....and don't forget to put your name down over in the blog shop for a chance to win yourself a crafting apron.

Update....I would really like to thank some of my blogging friends who have awarded me with the Stylish blog award.  This is one I have received before so I will have to have a think what I can share with everyone about me that you don't already know but thank you so much to the writers of these fab blogs for thinking of me.....Pams space, It's an Alien Life and Maggie's Crafts.
 

Don't miss out being in with a chance to win the crafter's apron

For those that missed reading yesterday's post I just wanted to remind you to pop over to the blog shop and leave us a comment to be in with a chance to win this lovely pocketed crafter's apron.  

As stated yesterday.....

It will only be bloggers that leave comments over in the blog shop that will be in with a chance to win the apron and we would really love to know what you think of the apron and what you would use it for in the comment you leave us.

Come on girls what do you think?

We had a fabulous response to our request for ideas for crafty items which you might find useful in your work area, for storage or for carrying your equipment.  Twiglet and I have been really busy [so what's new?] designing and creating [and having lots of fun].  These are the items we have made so far but there are lots more in the pipeline.

We had such a lot of ideas, either on our blogs or in emails, that we have decided to put a different item up for a gift each week.  This will be posted in the blog shop and to stand a chance of winning the gift you need to leave us a comment telling us why you would like it and how you would use it.  Each week we will do a draw and post the result in the shop with the news of the next week's gift.  

We are hoping to get a bit more feed back from you so we know we are on the right lines then in the next few weeks we will be uploading them in the shop for sale.

These are the items we have made so far.....

Baby wipe cover, pin cushion, needle / pin case.

Green with chicken print.

 Baby wipe cover, pin cushion, needle / pin case.

White with strawberry print

Baby wipe cover, pin cushion, needle / pin case and ribbon holder.

Red / white stripe with poppy embellishment.

Pen / pencil roll.  Holds 17 pens / pencils

Pink / burgundy cotton print.

Crafter's pocketed apron with tie fastenings.

Grey / white print with 6 pockets.

This will be the first item in the shop blog draw so pop over and leave us a comment if you would like to win one.  Only comments left in the shop will be entered in the draw.

The latest Mr Tumble...

This is my latest 'ta da' moment.  I'm pleased to say I have cleared my 'to do' rail and have now been able to finish my latest Mr Tumble.

Here he is sitting in my chair with his spotty bag waiting for approval from his new owner and then he will be sent first class to make a little boy smile  :-) 

He's such a well loved character by all pre-school children .

....if anyone else wants one making just email me for more details.

Both Twiglet and I have also been working on the new designs for the blog shop so keep a look out girls.

All in a day :-)

As you saw yesterday I planned to tackle making my next order for a Mr Tumble doll.  

As they say..."all the best made plans...."

This is as far as he has got.  The basic doll is made but as yet he has no face, hair or shoes.  I managed to sew stripes on his trouser fabric, make up his trousers and make his top and bow tie.  But thats it!

What kept me? I hear you say.  Well, it was this lot coming through my door!  I had a steady flow of customers [one of which sat herself down for a 3/4 hour chat....not a problem though cos she needed my time more than I did].  I had yet another 2 more new customers amongst all that arrived and between them they managed to fill my 'to do' rail!  I now have 1058 customers!  Of course while I'm doing fittings I'm not sewing and Mr Tumble will now have to wait a day or two to be completed cos I have deadlines to keep with a lot of this other sewing.

We finished off the day with a visit to the cinema to see The King's speech.  If you haven't been yet then make it a must.  It's a brilliant film and well worth seeing.

WOYWW....

Happy Wednesday to one and all.  It's that day of the week when a lot of creative folk share what they have been doing and what they have on their desk today.  Julia really did start something didn't she?  I can't thank her enough....and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

 

As you will see in yesterday's post I have now finished the special puppet I was asked to make and he will soon be winging his way off to his new home.  I have now been asked to make another Mr Tumble doll so today that is what you can see on my desk.  Here you can see I have sorted out the fabrics needed.

 I have got out my 'old faithful' doll making book and have cut out all the pieces I need for his special clothes.

Here you can see all the body parts cut out and ready to sew so you can guess what I plan to be making today.

I would like to say a huge thank you to all who made suggestions on last week's blog.  Twiglet and I have done a lot of planning using some of the ideas and over the next few weeks I'm sure our plans will be put into production.  Watch this space as they say.

Now, enough from me,  please pop over to Julia's blog and check out all the other creative spaces that are being exposed today.  Thanks for visiting and for all your wonderful comments.

Just my luck...

I've been knitting a really cute little jumper in a gorgeous blue / turquoise wool I bought from Suz.  I am just a couple of rows from finishing it and I have run out of wool!  Just my luck eh?  I have text Suz and hopefully this picture will be near enough to a true colour so she can send me another ball of the right colour.....I'm so thankful to the Internet and my wonderful blogging friends.  

Thanks Suz.

p.s.  If any of you want some of this gorgeous wool then it's well worth giving Suz a shout.

School boy puppet...

I have now finished my commissioned puppet and as promised I am here to show him to you all.  

The lady who asked me to make him is the proud owner of McPuppet who I made a few years ago.  She received him for a special birthday as a gift from some very special friends of mine.  He has a kilt, sporran and even a Tam o' Shanter hat.  Here's a quick snap of him.... the photo quality is poor sorry but I think you can see what he was like.

I've never met this lady but she tracked me down to make a special puppet for her son to leave behind him as he leaves his primary school.  We chatted over what she wanted and she offered to send me a sweat shirt to cut up so he was dressed correctly as a little school boy  :-)  I really love a challenge and I have spent this morning putting the finishing touches to him.  I hope she likes him as much as I do...he's quite a character.

Onward and upward for me next  :-)  I have now been contacted to make another Mr Tumble doll :-)  It's such an exciting job I have....I am soooooo lucky.

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day to one and all.  I hope you have all had your cards, flowers and chocolates.  Or am I living in cloud cuckoo land?  Do men like that really exist?  They certainly don't here.  I'm married to a "It's all a commercial racket" sort of man who "tells me he loves me every day so why should he put money in someone else's pocket?".  I really wouldn't swap him for the world.  :-)

If you still haven't picked up my little heart logo from my side bar then today is the day to copy and paste it to your blog and spread some love to all your blogging friends. 

I'm showing you a little more spring today to brighten up your Monday morning.

Gorgeous crocuses.

Little Primroses emerging.

My pussy willow opening out.

Also I wanted to show you this really special card I had Saturday morning as a Thank you from Di for her pay it forward gift.  Thank you Di, I love it and you really have made me feel very special but designing it with this little sewing lady in mind.

Here's hoping you all have a wonderful Funday Valentine Monday.  Go and spread some love.

Can you help? We are looking for ideas....

Twiglet and I have been researching ideas for new creative ventures using the skills we have.  We have come up with several between us and will be having a play with our new ideas, as and when time allows, so watch this space as they say.

What I wanted to ask all those paper crafters out there is...

Is there any storage problem that you have that could be answered by a clever design in fabric?  

I can usually see in 3D when it comes to solving problems like this but neither of us are really paper crafters so really don't know what you folk need.  If you have any ideas we really would be interested so please leave us a comment and I would be more than happy to get back to you via email.

There may well be a little gift for the most successful idea  :-) 

Today's Update 

What a lot of lovely friends we have.  You are all so kind and helpful.  I should have said of course there will be a thank you gift for the best idea but it will go to the one who suggested it first  :-)

Oh and possibly you might get a first design to trial it so if you can really think of something you would like and we think it would work [ or rather...if we can work out how to make one! ] you might just end up having your idea made for you.  Come on.....put those thinking caps on while you are busy crafting and let us know what you need.

Perfect little treasures...

I was one of the lucky three to leave a comment on Jennie's blog for the Pay it Forward fun.  For this I had to promise to send a little gift to the first three that left comments on my Pay it Forward which of course I was really happy to do so.  It is such a lovely way of spreading a little love around the world [one of my gifts was posted to USA....the world is a smaller place eh?].

Yesterday morning my postman carefully carried a little box marked FRAGILE to my door and inside was the most gorgeous little jar that Jennie had made into a pin cushion for me.  She had also filled the jar with the most special little treasures.  My first challenge was to open the jar [arthritic hands just don't grip as well as they used to]  :-)

This is one very determined little critter and I am rarely beat so off came the top and I started ooing and awwing at all the beads, buttons, sequins etc etc I have snapped it all to show you......

The beautiful little pin cushioned jar is just 4 " high but Jennie has managed to get so many lovely little treasures in it and she sent it with a really pretty hand made card.

I've sorted and snapped all the little treasures for you too.....

Purple bows / flowers and hearts

Green beads

Little flower / stars / hearts / butterfly beads

Sequins

Turquoise beads

Pink beads

Felted balls and little wooden beads

Buttons

A gorgeous bronze silk rod

Yes folks, I really did sit down and sort out all the little treasures....then I put them all back in the little jar together to oooh and aww over for a while longer  :-)

Thank you Jennie for taking the time to make my gorgeous little pin cuchioned jar and for filling it with such special little treasures.  You couldn't have got it more right.  You really did make my day and you may well see them on up and coming projects....that is when I can bear to part with them [cos of course if I use them I wont have then to oooh and aww over will I?]  :-)  :-)  :-)  :-)

WOYWW...

My life seems to be full of wonderful events to celebrate so I'm making the best of it.    :-) :-)   As you will see in my last posts I've been dog racing for the first time this week and what a hoot that was....and I made a profit too.  You will also see I'm hoping to spread some love to all my blogging friends.  Please collect some love from me in the last post and lets see how far we can spread it.

I've been finishing off several new projects and Twiglet and I spent Monday morning restocking the shop with yummy new pictures, brooches and gifts.  Do pop over here and leave us a comment to let us know what you think please.

We had another brilliant Funday Monday with lots of fun and laughter but I did manage to make a start at new spring dumfed picture.  

I have now finished it so it will be going onto a shop shelf soon.  Hope you like it.  

I will also be making more poppy pictures cos these are flying off the shelf as soon as they go on.  My latest big Poppy picture has now gone into Tina's shop at Montgomery so I'm really excited.

The other exciting news I'd like to share with you today is that I've been commissioned to make one of my puppets for a young man to give his junior school as he leaves to move up to bigger and better things.  The puppet is to have blond spiky hair like my Mr Tumble dolls and is to be dressed in the school sweat shirt.  :-)  I enjoy designing and creating and really love these sort of challenges.

Well folks, that's enough from me for this week.  Please pop over to Julia's blog and go and visit more creative spaces that are being exposed today and maybe spread a little love on your way  :-)

Hugs,
A x

Passing on some love...

It's nearly Valentine's day and love is in the air. 

I would love all that read my blog to pick up a little love from me.  This is a little dumfed heart that my 'much older' sister made for me a couple of years ago and I'd like to pass on some of the love to all the lovely blogging friends that read my blog and leave me such lovely comments.  It would be really nice if you copied this picture and pasted it onto your own blog so that the love can spread to others.  It would really thrill me to see it appear on all the wonderful blogs I read.  

They say that love makes the world go round and I'm certain it makes it a much nicer place to be.  So pick up some love from me and go and spread some love to all your friends.

Weekend celebrations and Knitting....

It was our future son-in-law's birthday on Saturday and we joined them for a night at the dog races in Wolverhampton.  I'd never been dog racing before but was found a first class seat by the window and my darling hubby was my runner for the evening  :-) What fun we had and to top it all I came home with rather more money than I went with even though I was laughed at on several occasions for picking the dogs simply cos I liked their names or they had a pretty face! :-)  Thank you for inviting us old fossils it really was a brill night's fun.

I am still managing my 20 minutes of crafting every day and always like to do something with my hands when I'm watching the telly in the evenings.  Just lately it's been knitting and thought I'd share my latest acheivements with you.

 This was knit with some gorgeous wool my eldest gave me. You can see it best if you enlarge the pic.  I just love the effect the spotty wool gives ....have a feeling she would like it back one day :-)

This little cardigan is knit with with the softest wool and it has a shiny thread through it too so it has made up into a really lovely cardigan.

These are both 0 - 3 months size but they seem to be for rather a big baby so I  think I shall knit some smaller ones next....that is of course when I have finished the one I've knit the back and half the front of!  :-)  I'm never idle.

Poppies all the way...

I thought you might like to see the latest Poppy pictures I've been dumfing.....if you are one of the few who still don't know what dumfing is then please check out the link on the right for a full explanation  :-) 

The first picture I took in full sunlight and what a difference it makes.....roll on sunny days eh? 

This first one will be finding it's way into the shop soon with hopefully a few more if I can find some more canvasses to mount some on.  I love poppies and so it seems do many others as these seem to fly off the shelves pretty quickly.

The last four have already gone on their travels and should all now be with their new owners.