Its Nearly Christmas!

Well, its nearly here isn't it?  Every year we say "its ages till Christmas, why do folk start so early?"
Then every year December arrives and takes us by surprise and we all start rushing around like headless chooks. The same goes for our customers. Every year, I get the panic e-mails asking if there is any way I can get items to their various destinations in time for the big day. I have also lost count of how many times I have explained to the menfolk in my house why shops, crafters and Mums start thinking about the festive season so soon. They just don't get that as the provider you need to well ahead of the buyers or there is nothing for them to buy from you when they need to. Men!

I myself am having what we would have to call a very frugal Christmas and mostly a handmade Christmas.  That means I cannot right now show off many of my recent makes but you can look forward to post festive posts for that.

Things I can show off are the new stockings I have made for the etsy shop

Some old favourite designs

And some cute cute mini mittens for your tree.

Get in quick as if you are in the US Canada or Eastern Europe, its got be in the post on Monday10th December.  Western Europe, you have a bit longer with the in the post date for you being Wednesday 12th December. UK peeps you have the last in the post date of  Thursday 20th December, but if I were you I would do it sooner.  Please also remember when ordering from any online seller, last posting date, means just that, not last ordering date. You need to allow enough time for packing and getting to the post office and that you order before the post office closes.

Happy Shopping Folks

Where am I?

I have to apologise to all the folks arriving here for the updates on the monthly makes.  We have had a bit of family drama and I needed to be there for the family, so have asked Kandipandi to help me out. I am sorry to have bowed out at this point but it couldn't be helped. Things are improving slowly so normal blogging will resume in due course, I hope.  In the meantime, do visit the group to see what each other have been up to for the remainder of October, and try to keep warm folks.

First Weekly Roundup of October Monthly Makes

In case you missed my last post, I am the guest caretaker for the October monthly make challenge over on flickr. We are up to 19 group members at the moment but there is always room for some more. The more the merrier.  We can be found right here.

So here is a round up of the lovely makes by our members this week.

Kandipandi has made a very detailed historical Sampler cross stich

A stunning button bejewelled lampshade

Read more about her crafty exploits at http://kandipandi.blogspot.co.uk/

The Crafters Apprentice has produced these pretty appliquéd bookmarks

She has a blog you can have a peruse through too at http://thecraftersapprentice.blogspot.co.uk/

Celtic Thistle Stitches has constructed a fab button necklace

You can visit her at http://celticthistlestitches.blogspot.co.uk/

Silvia of Slow Lane made has shown us her transformation of where she crafts.

She has a blog at slowlaneblog.com

Laura of Blue Giraffe Crafts has cross stitched this great little robot mobile phone case.

Her blog is at http://bluegiraffecrafts.blogspot.co.uk/

There have also been some very cute felt designs by Rosa Lily and Jumbleberries.  Beautifully detailed bag, apron and cushion from gillthevintagegardener.  some fabric flowers and a cute cute rag doll from Ali Bee.

My Hungry Hippee has made lots. There is a cute dress in owl fabric, some halloween bunting and a floral bag.

Gilly Thompson of Rosie Dosie has done some rather arty emboidery, some cutwork and an appliqued cushion cover.

I havent been able to show you these ones but please do go look at these ladies fabulous work on the flickr group page

Lastly, here are my offerings for this week

A patchwork blanket  for a customer

 A wee bunny I am making stock of for this fab new online boutique which I shall tell you more about very soon.

And lastly, after a friends request for a couple of fabric hearts, I got a little carried away.

These can be found in my new etsy shop if you would like a peek.

I am looking forward to see what the groups members come up with for next week.

Monthly Makes for October

Hello dear friends. Now, you may have seen me post things that I have made and posted in a monthly makes challenge. This month it is my turn to host the monthly makes which was originally set up by my dear friend Annie Browne over at The Felt Fairy. Now this year she is a wee bit busy and doing a bit of recuperating so we in the group have each taken on a month to lighten the load for her.  Its not too late if you would like to join in. Its all a bit of fun and no pressure at all.  You can join the flickr group over here and upload as many of your lovely makes as you would like. I myself have a few to pop in that might have made it into September but just haven't. But that's ok by me and I don't suppose anyone else will mind either. See newcomers, that's how light hearted it is.

I shall be doing a weekly roundup of the groups photos here on the blog and  look forward to seeing you soon.

So do join, do have a look and comment on everyone else's goodies. I expect lots of them will be halloweeny and possibly a bit festive as its getting to that time again isn't it?

Click here to take you to the group.

And please stroke the cat, she loves it. If you put the sound up she may well purr.

Tuesday Tallies (on a Thursday)

Ooops! Bit late but better late than never. I seem to have been so busy this week and its not showing any signs of letting up. So any way this is my tally as of Tuesday evening. Please excuse rather dull picture. We are at 68 hexagons now. That's way more than I ever achieved with those knitted hexipuffs, I can tell you. I am a good knitter even if I am blowing my own trumpet but those things didn't seem to progress the way I would like, so I have donated them to my daughters bag full. Crochets hexagons are the hexies for me. I may not have many more to show next week as I have lots of other knitting and sewing that has priority over my own projects. Never mind. it is good to be busy.

I do like to show off my floral exploits too (sorry) and with the nasty days of weather imminent, I rescued a few roses from the garden that would have been obliterated by the rain and have a small arrangement on the kitchen table. I really love the way the flowers are different all through the year.

Perfect Things and a Perfect Friend

For simply ages I have been looking for a vintage jug for some silk daisies I have in my bathroom.  They currently reside in a mug which whilst colour wise works, was never quite what I was happy with. I am a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to these things.  I haven't been successful in my quest.

I was at my friends the other day and she says to me. 'Oh, look what I got at a car boot the other day'. She then produces two old jugs which she says she bought for a pound each.  I obviously admire both because as you may already be aware, I love vintage china.  One I innocently with I swear no agenda remark that one of them would look brilliant in my bathroom. My naughty but just lovely friend insisted I had this jug and after lots of no! yes! no! YES! and my fearing it would go on the floor if we pushed it back and forth on her coffee table any more ended in me agreeing and being so grateful.  I have insisted on making her an item she was thinking of buying in return to make me feel less guilty of relieving her of such a beautiful find .

So here we are.

This is what the daisies were in

This is the picture I have in there that I fell in love with from this lovely shop that has all the colours I recognised in said jug of loveliness

  This is my prized CK towel again with the lovely colours

And this is the jug holding the daisies. Perfect match or what?  

Tuesday Tallies

I thought this week I would take the photos in the afternoon when the sun is actually out. So, my tallies are now going to be what I have completed up to Monday evening. This does show the colours a bit better. I realised my dark taupey brown was not all that great in quantity so have rummaged in the stash and added another caramelly brown into the mix. Quite pleased with them so far.  So my current tally of complete hexagons is.......ta da da daaaa!
                                                      42
Plus 10 more middles. I like to do five a night if I can so got loads of middles done at the weekend.

So yesterday, I decided that it was high time the grass was cut. I havent done it for weeks. Its not my favourite gardening task so I put it off.  In the front garden, I managed to convince myself to trim back the manic bushes, grasses and have a general tidy up. I ended up with 4 more bin bags full of garden waste to take to the tip. This I can add to the four and a tv I hauled up there at the weekend following another impetuous tidying session behind the oil tank. I have been meaning to do that in so long it got to the point it looked like it couldn't be done. However with the wind in my sails on Sunday I have it licked in about an hour. Whilst I was manically clearing yesterday, I discovered a hypericum which is actually my neighbours, but such as the borders are on our properties, its more on mine. Cue, more flower arranging. A few stems of the delectable hypericum 'berries', three strong stems of sedum and the last remaining flowers of lady's mantle, made a delightful autmnal display.

Here are links to more Tuesday Tallies
Deb at 'A World Of Imagination'

Shelley at All4meggymoo

KnitKnatKnotUK

Wannabe Scrapbook Addict

Tangled SweetPea

A tale From Toadstool House

mareelovescolour

Ruffs Adventures

Big thanks to Carole at Gingerbread Girl who inspired me in the first place.

Tuesday Tallies

So, last week I started a new project and decided to log my progress each week in the Tuesday Tallies.  In case you missed my last post (why!!!???), I am crocheting a blanket in autumnal colours.  Anyway, here is this weeks tally as of last night which was Tuesday. Bit dull photo but it was nearly midnight again. A grand total of 23 completed hexagons and 5 part ones, but they don't count do they?

Maybe you would like to take part in the Tuesday Tallies. Pop on over to Carol's Blog, The Gingerbread Girl  to find out what its all about.

A Turning Point

Summer of Contentment

Well its been a little while since my last post. I have been working hard on custom items and samples for possibly wholesale orders. The end of the summer does bring with it both a return to the day job (I really haven't minded this time) and the start of my favourite season, autumn! Its lovely and warm still and I am still hopeful that my lovely green tomatoes will turn red and yellow after all.  There has been long walks, garden pottering, blackberry picking, jam and jelly and cake production and little time for blogging. So there's my excuse folks and I am sticking with it.

I am also at a bit of a crossroads with my critters. I am taking a break from making them for the time being and potentially there will not be any more. Many of the ones in my shop are dramatically reduced as I could do with the space and a clean sheet with whatever direction I decide to take. Will keep you posted on that.  One thing is for certain. I shall  not be disappearing, just altering course potentially.

So, I find it damn near impossible to sit of an evening (or a Sunday afternoon for that matter) and just look at that box in the corner. I do have to do something. So as I was catching up on my favourite blogs on Tuesday, I found this delectable post. Well, eureka moment for me!  I love this blanket and knew right away I had to make one. I only learned to crochet last year but I absolutely love it!  I have been through the 'stash' and have the intention to try and use up all the acrylic I have accrued over the bunny knitting years. There is probably enough for at least three!  As it is autumn, I have picked out some lovely rusts, yellows, greys and browns.

So, this was my first Tuesday Tallie when I went to bed at smidgeon into Wednesday, but that's allowed isn't it? I have done more since but will pop that on next Tuesdays tally. I do hope my enthusiasm doesn't wane like autumn inevitably will as I have some lovely brights I want to do next. Not to mention the nautical cotton which I anticipate being nicer to crochet than it was to knit.  Hurt my hands as it didn't give a piggin inch!

More New Things! Hold Onto Your Hats

Good grief what has come over me. Items finished, photos taken, listings done and 2 blog posts in one week! What on the earth is going on?

First we have Roseanna, one of my larger bunnies. Those shoes have really made me smile. Mind you, I am a bit of a shoeaholic and I do rather like Mary Janes.

Then, this little miss, Bridie.  She is a small bunny in some different colours for me, inspired by a custom request. I did a slightly different colourway for that one and this was one of the choices I put together for that. I liked it so much I had to knit it up and see.

Some New Quilts in the Shop

I have been finishing things up this past week. I don't know about you guys, I start off guns blazing on things and then nearing the end I get bored/distracted by new ideas and then end up in the infamous UFO section. My UFO's where getting silly so I made it my mission to get some if not all of them sorted. I am not done by any means but some progress has been made. I have finished 2 bunnies (no pics yet but the sun holds promise today). That means actually sewn them up! They were knitted ages ago but as usual, I shied away from the finishing. I use all sorts of excuses to my myself. The stuffing bag will make too much noise whilst the family are watching telly, the ends will go all over the floor and I hoovered, I need to start that idea I had or I will forget! These are ridiculous reasons, but I have a feeling there are folks reading this will empathise quietly if not admit to it. There is one more rather large quilt and I don't think I have a backing piece  large enough so that one will have to wait.

For now, I sorted these 2 and the first pic of each will take them miraculously to my shop where I have actually managed to list them too! Don't fall off your chairs people!

Zig zag quilt (started about 18months ago) finished and laundered on Tuesday

Also this purple pink crochet lap blanket which I made last winter I think but never quite got around to weaving in the ends (still have a few to do TBH but they will get done before someone receives it. I am getting the crochet urge again now. Mind you, I have all manner of creative urges and not enough time to do them all. This is how the UFO's occur isn't it.

I also updated this patchwork blanket's pictures as the old ones were not really doing it much justice. These fleece backed blankets are a joy to make and to own. You may remember this one I made some time ago. I never listed it. I loved it so much it became mine. It comes out as soon as the weather gets cold and I snuggle under it whilst I knit in front of the TV. Really cosy. The buttons look so cute too. I have thought it would be quicker than quilting. Its not you know. 70 buttons take a while to sew on I can tell you.

Now, that sun is breaking through so I off to find my camera and get those bunnies ready for their publicity shots.