At Last...

I've made something!

It seems so long since I had the desire to create anything but this week it seems to have come back.

I made these two yesterday and managed to finish off this pillow today.

And I made this trifle last night for after tea. Chocolate swiss roll, and red cherry pie filling topped with lots of cream.

Just off to finish off the left overs!

Busy Weekend!

We have been quite busy in the garden now for a while, our old wooden gates gave up on us after 9 years so we decided to have some metal ones made. This lead to a new brick wall being built, new side gate and railings! Having the new front wall built has led to us having a space to create a bin and garden tool store area, at last the rubbish will be out of sight, well once the plants have grown up in front of it! Sunday saw me and hubby working all day in the garden, I unload a tonne of soil from the back of his van and my arms and shoulders are aching today!

Front Garden

We've grown our own strawberries this year

We've been given some chilli plants and a Brussels sprout to have a go at growing too. They seem ok so far but I'll have to find a spot for the sprouts in the garden. Think that'll be my job for tomorrow.

Daisy's are my fave flower. Just had to take a photo of this yesterday.

It's Been A While..

But hopefully my making mojo has come back. The last few months I haven't really felt like sewing at all. I made a few items to wear on holiday but that is it. Today I was home alone for a while so I decided to make a present for my aunties birthday, I hope she likes it.

Well I've got lots of catching up to do, you bloggers never give up, and I must say most of the blogs look full of lovely new makes. Will be back layer in the week (hopefully), Jo xx

Colour Swap

I received a few weeks ago my swap form my swap partner Linda, she was on the ball and I got my goodies a couple of weeks before the date they were due I'm afraid I was on the last lap as ususal.

I love the cushion cover she sent and also the bunny heart.

Here's what I sent to Linda, here favourite colour is purple.

Union Jack Cushion

Tote Bag

Chicken

Make up bag

I managed to make a few chickens to give out to family members for Easter. Hope you all enjoyed your Easter break.

Check out Flossie and Don

Finally took the plunge today and opened my blog shop Flossie and Don.
Named it after my Nan and Grandad as it was my Nan who taught me to sew.
Pop over and have a look. Hopefully more items will appear during the week.

Lazy Saturday

Well I have to admit we haven't done a great deal so far today. I managed to finish off my cardigan, it took me quite a while to stitch around the edges by hand. This is the second cardigan I have made from this pattern but this time I made the shorter version and think I will wear it more.

Seeing as I 'd got someone else to take my photo thought I'd show you the apron I made just after Christmas. This is a lovely bright pink flower, unlike in the picture and as it's reversible, I made the other side out of fushia pink and white polka dot.

This 20 minutes a day crafting is certainly making me get stuck in. Now what shall I make tomorrow? Got some green wool material left so think I make have a go at a jumper. Will let you know how I get on.

Oh forgot to say I have done the ironing and put it away!

Doesn't Time Fly When Your Having Fun!

I had a lovely day yesterday doing things I wanted to do and not things that had to be done. I had an appointment to have my eyebrows waxed and new that the girl who does them should be moving into her own place soon so I managed to make her a cushion and a card before I went. I surprised myself how quickly it all went together as I had to be out of the house by 10.30.

The shop where I go for my eyebrows is right next door to a charity shop so I can't help but have a browse inside. It was my lucky day today, I got this lovely cream vase, this little dish which matches the china dinner service I started to collect before we got married and now we only use for Christmas lunch! And my favourite item was this double sheet and two pillow cases for £1.50. I love the pattern, how many bags can I make with this?

After this shopping trip I made a quick Visit to the Merry Hill Centre to take back a necklace to M&S that managed to break the first I wore it. Instead of having just one necklace in place of it I went to Primark where I had quite a few things for the same price. I also got some lovely pink flowery tissue paper and some cup cake wrapping paper. It's so cheap, only £1 a go.

This has to be my favourite!

These were reduced to £2!

Looks like I'm sorted now for shoes and jewellery for Spring just got to make the clothes to go with them.

Well I'm off to do my exercise now on the Wii. Hoping for a weight loss next week.

Not Much Making, Just Mending

Well it seems like ages since I made something from scratch so I have managed to put together this hot water bottle cover from an old jumper I had stashed away up the loft from a few years ago ( don't think I could wear stripes now!). It only took about 20 minutes so that took care of my 20 minutes crafting for today. All I seem to have been doing for the last week is altering things for friends and family. I didn't mind altering hubby's jeans from boot cuts to straight legs but the skirt I had to cut off and turn up for a friend was a nightmare! It was a Per Una skirt that was cut on the bias and  was made from different pieces of fabric sewn together. To get this hem level had me nearly in tears, after unpicking it for the second time (the bottom seemed as wide as the M1) I managed to get it hanging level.


The next item I had to do was my Nan's nightie. It needed to be open all down the front as she can't lift her arms above her head now to put it on. My machine took a total dislike to the jersey material it was made of even though I used a ball point needle. I was going to put button holes down the front but eneded up sewing pieces of velcro on instead.


I have managed to cut myself out a cardigan out of the wool fabric I used to make my jumpers for Christmas. I'm hopefully going to sew this together on my over locker so it should be quicker than my machine. Will let you know how I get on.


Still doing my exercises with the Wii but no weight loss last week, 1.5lb on! Too much picking in between meals I think. Will have to try and be good this week.

More Birthday Presents

Well it's been a while since my last post but I have managed to finish a few items. January is a busy month for Birthdays for me, a couple of friends (made aprons for these but forgot to photograph them before I wrapped them) Mom, and Niece.


Here's what I made Grace.

I had to pick her up from school a couple of days after her Birthday and out she came running with her new bag in tow. At least I knew she liked it!

Since my last post I have managed to read all the Twilight books! This is unbelievable for me as I don't usually read only on holiday! Once I started I just couldn't put them down. Now I know what my daughter meant when she was reading them.

We have had an offer on our Villa in Spain so it looks like we will be holidaying elsewhere this summer. This thought made me realise that I need to do something about my weight, usually it's me and hubby in the pool, now it'll be a few others too and I have a few rolls to hide! For the last two weeks I have been exercising each morning on the Wii and I have lost 1/2 a stone!! I haven't even been dieting properly, still had a few chocolates every day and a glass of wine.

Well I'm off to do my 20 minutes crafting, Moms friend is going on holiday in a weeks time and needs a skirt shortening, not my favourite job but I'll have a go.

Oh I forgot I managed to make this owl out of an old pair of jeans and a scrap of material I had left over from my bunting.

New Year Sewing

Well this is the first of my New Year makes, my Mom's Birthday present. I got this Moda fabric some time last year and it's been sat in the cupboard with loads of other fabric waiting for the right project to come a long for it. Due to our lovely gloomy weather the colours don't look as good as in real life! This was the first time I used this pattern out of Bend the Rules Sewing but it wont be the last. I loved the finished look and wanted to keep it for myself.

I made a matching make up bag and wallet to pop inside.

And a matching card too!

I have always applied heavy weight iron on interfacing to the back of my fabric to make my bags sturdier but this pattern used flannel, I had no flannel so used an old flannelette sheet instead. It worked a treat! Perhaps not as rigid a finish a I am used too but the style of the bag was much more suited to this. I've now found a great way to use up old sheets, before we just used them as dust sheets when decorating.

I've decided to join the 20 minute crafting a day challenge (have a look in my side bar for details) to see if this can spur me on to use up some of the fabric I have accumulated over the years. My 20 mins today has been spent cutting out so hopefully tomorrow I can sew it together. I'll let you have a peek once it's finished. I spent the weekend making a present for my Niece's Birthday, more about that at a later date.

 

Today saw the first day of my keep fit challenge! I spent 40 minutes on Wii fit, I can already feel my arms and shoulders aching! I need to loose a few pounds and tone up before the summer comes otherwise it's not going to be a pretty site lying on that sun lounger! I'll keep you posted on how I'm doing.

Oh No More Snow

I couldn't believe it when I looked out of the window this morning...snow again! We got up early as hubby had to go to a job in Warwickshire but one look out of the window and we knew he wouldn't make it. He managed to do a few local jobs after a late start.


It's my Mom's birthday at the weekend so I spent the day making a couple of presents for her. I'll show you the pictures once she's opened her presents.


I've been tagged by Tracey to list 10 thing I like that are free so here goes.


1 Walking. Hopefully this is going to help me loose a few pounds before the summer arrives!


2 A day out at RAF Cosford Museum. This will keep the whole family entertained.


3 Spending time with my hubby and the kids.


4 Sewing. Making things, not mending I hate this!


5 I love to be the first one to get up and have the house to myself for a while.


6 Looking at old photographs.


7 Blogging


8 Gardening on a warm sunny day.


9 Snuggling up with hubby on the sofa infront of the fire watching Larkrise to Candleford.

10 Getting up fit and healthy everyday!

Have left these reindeer in the garden since Christmas. They look at home in the snow!

He's Not a Teenager Anymore!

Yesterday Jack turned 20. Where did those 20 years go! I got married when I was 20, how times have changed, it seems to be nearer 30 now before they get married.

I baked his cake and Soph decorated it.

I had a session making Birhtday cards with my embroidery machine on Wednesday. This year I'm hoping to be more organised, not making the cards and presents on the morning of the persons Birthday! I'm also trying to use up a lot of my fabric stash, I'm only going to buy the bits and bobs I need to finish amy items off like zips, buttons etc.

Edward Cullen

Couldn't post about this before Christmas as Sophie reads my blog sometimes but this is the cushion I made for her. I used the pattern from Sew Sunny Homestyle by Tone Finnanger and was quite pleased with the outcome.

Happy New Year!

Soph on guitar!

Can't believe how quick this week has gone by! Hope you all enjoyed your Christmas and New Year celebrations. We let  the New Year in at my Moms. We all had a great night, plenty of singing and dancing. In between getting the food ready yesterday I managed, at about half past five to cut myself out a top and get it sewn up in an hour ready for the party!

Not too bad for an hours work!

This is my Mom & Dad in the front of the picture.

Jacko was in charge of the music.