Sunday 17 January 2010

springish clean

Something has happened to me, I'm not sure when or how it transpired but I have been cleaning, I mean real chuck out all your crap cleaning, paint over the mucky patches cleaning -something which I am not normally accustomed to do. I do tidy round a bit and hoover if someones coming, if its the parents we yell "action stations" to the boys and we all run around the house like idiots, when they arrive we usher them into a room we have tidied and make sure the other doors are blocked by a human so they can't just "pop in" to them. But this tires me, in fact I hate going to other peoples houses that are all lovely and tidy because it makes me feel guilty.. guilty that I spend too much time sewing, baking, reading, playing games, reading blogs about other peoples houses, gardening, going out on trips, just living really, but then as if by magic something came over me, it started with my sewing/dining/computer/home school room. Since Christmas was over and I didn't have the excuse of being in the middle of present making something had to be done, I spent 2 days- yes you read that correctly TWO DAYS cleaning, sorting, faffing about with it. I was so happy on the third day I came down to put breakfast on the table and it was a joy to go in because I kinda just for a moment forgot it was tidy, its lovely. I wanted to share my best bits, 1. because I love it, 2. because in the future if I lapse I can look on here at how tidy it was and 3. because for just this once someone else in blog land can look at my blog and see a nice tidy room. My sewing corner, taken at night but it isn't that dark in real life, I can see to sew.....

here it is in daylight, my CD collection is right behind my chair so I don't have to get up to swap them and out of shot at the bottom is my vinyl collection, my BF built the shelves bless him....


another corner that has oodles of buttons, jars, card toppers, ribbon, craft books etc...



My collection of suitcases, the bottom one was my dads from the war years, they are full of either stuff made and ready to sell or embellishment and lavender, my inspiration board sits happily next to them....





our table, again its not this dark, just think I'm a bit naff with the camera, so glad I started this clean up, I keep putting my stuff on free cycle and taking bags to the charity shop and trying to get over the thought of "ooh it might come in handy one day"!.
Must go and get ready for knit and natter group which I'm loving , ta ta for now x





Saturday 16 January 2010

Haiti help from crafters

We have all seen or heard about the terrible earthquake in Haiti and if like me you felt quite helpless to help but really wanted to do something, anything really then you need to go to this wonderful site, http://crafthope.com/ I am donating one of my love kittens and a knitting roll, its only a small gesture but together as a craft community we can make a big impact.

I have copied this off the site for a little info for you:

craft hope for haiti shop

The Craft Hope for Haiti Etsy shop is now open! There are some amazing handmade items in the shop. Please support Doctors Without Borders by either donating a handmade item or shopping in our Etsy store.
Our Etsy shop will benefit
Doctors Without Borders, with 100% of the proceeds going to them. The medical need in Haiti right now is acute. The Doctors Without Borders existing facilities are so badly damaged, they are no longer functional. Post-earthquake medical care will be from tents. So far they have treated 1,500 people – 500 of them need immediate major surgery. There are no facilities to do this in Haiti currently. An inflatable hospital should be arriving in Haiti today.
The shop will remain open as long as we have donations to fill it up! Thanks to everyone for spreading a little hope to those in Haiti.

Wednesday 13 January 2010

A crafty little house

It was my lovely nephews 1st birthday, so after reading this ladies blog and finding her pattern for making a fabric house, I gathered together some felt and got cracking....


Embroidered flowers and really big buttons, a felt tree and some super stitches from my Christmas present ( a brill sewing machine) on the roof....


four little friends, inspired by this fab book (another pressie) .......



lined with robot material, from a local shop......





a pull out felt garden complete with tree, flowers, cabbages and carrots and a little pond....




a little man and a bed complete with pillow and duvet cover for him to snuggle up in after a hard day gardening...


It all opens out flat as a play mat to play on. I had loads of fun making it especially the animals, it has inspired me to make all different ones, I have had requests already off my youngest for one for him.
We took the house to our nephews party and he loved it especially the fox who he kept kissing!
This week I also caught up with a lovely friend who I have not seen for 2 years, we had a fantastic catch up and much to my surprise and joy she has started crafting, I have encouraged her to start a blog to share her things, so when it is up and running I shall share it with you .
More cakes baked, more knitting club and a new pattern to follow, more games played and hot drinks in front of the fire and the snow has all but cleared here now just a few patches of ice and the odd flutter, spring is on its way and I am eager to get planting but the ground is still frozen, take care and keep warm x

Wednesday 6 January 2010

fun in the snow and more yumminess

Today was the day we planned on staying home and having a good spring clean - a bit early I know, but with the sun out and snow on the ground we got all wrapped up and took a big plastic storage box to the park for some down hill fun, on the way we passed the graveyard and the snow looked all powdery and inviting so we had a go in the sledge box, it wasn't very good though as the paths are old and uneven,

I had a go but no one took my photo, they were too busy trying to push me!!, the oldest kept telling us about the physics of it all and how he knows how to bob sleigh ( after playing on the Wii), it drove me mad, I just wanted it to be fun, then there was cries of how cold it was - and a snowball fight that ended up with my littlest man sat on a tree stump really upset, I had to take a picture because he looked like a little pixie surrounded by the berries on the trees and the snow. We went home after this with me ranting about "why can't we just have a nice outing without all the fuss".

On returning home I did what I love to do - bake, another recipe out of the hummingbird bakery book, this time a healthy option - yeah right - Carrot cake, it was meant to have a cream cheese frosting but as we are dairy free I made a vanilla and cinnamon frosting, which was yummy. One slice is about the whole days calories but who cares, it is by far the best cake I have ever made, so sweet and moreish, I wish this blog was smell/taste o'vision so I could share it with you - you would probably have to fight me for a piece though hehe.

Now I'm off to play Lego in front of the coal fire with the littlies before bed - I'm very ready for it as it's been one of those days x

Friday 1 January 2010

Hope every ones new year is a really wonderful one, thank you all for making my last years blogging experience a lovely welcoming one xxx