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.