For me, me me!!

I decided that after the frantic making for craft fairs and Christmas presents over the past few months, that in January I would just make stuff for me, and for our house.....

I announced this, and immediately lots of requests were made for things that 'we really need'!!

So, I am half way through making a 'scooter bag' for those trips out when it gets too tiring to scoot anymore, and  the scooter needs to be carried.... should be finished tonight.

And, (about 12 months after the rest of you) I have got into making baskets.

Me and Louise had a sewing evening and made these from the pink penguin tutorial

I am going to make one in more masculine colours so that Mark can keep his wallet, phone and ipod etc in one place rather than scattering them around the house!

I've made two round baskets for the bathroom to keep things organised!  Using this fab tutorial for round baskets..... so simple, and great fun to make.

And, I have been wanting to give these birds on a perch a go for ages, since I saw a kit for them in the Summer.  I'm not totally sure of my fabric choices, and they do have a tendency to nose dive - so I need to perfect my technique of getting the driftwood right!  But I am hoping to make more with all the driftwood I collected when in St Andrews.

 

 

A reminder that we will be 'stitching it together' again in January, and everyone is welcome.  I need to work out some paper piecing for us to have a go at..... I'm thinking star burst blocks or scrappy pot holders - any views on those???

 

 

“Stitching it Together”

We are meeting again on Wednesday 9^th January 2013, 7pm onwards.

Last time we had lots of fun when Hannah taught us how to crochet.  There has been talk of us tackling a paper pieced block next time…..

Or, if you want to bring something else you are working on that is fine.

There will be cake!!!!

Hope to see you there,     Tanya x



Phew..... that's that for another year!

All that build up!!!

 

Christmas was quiet, my brother and his girlfriend couldn't join us for Christmas which I think meant there was an air of emptiness at times. 

 

The children enjoyed the magic of Christmas - and I enjoyed seeing it through their eyes.

 

There was the usual stress, too much time spent altogether, children who get up far too early, and over eating!!

 

I am ready to get back into a routine again now.

 

But, not before I reveal the secret Christmas gifts................................

 

 

It was a year of cushions!!!  I made 6 wonky long cabin cushions and an owl cushion.

 

 

 

 

And for the kids it was toys.......  little babushka dolls for Eden, all tucked up in their bed.

And the princess and the pea for Hope...........

I think I want to learn to make more toys this year (might make it my challenge to make all the presents for the children's friends this year???)

Merry Christmas

 

OK, so it's time to wish you all a very Happy Christmas

 

 

HipBee block done early

 

 

Stash bee blocks done

 

 

 One quick sneak preview of the pressie I have made for my eldest daughter

 



 

It's a princess and the pea set...... from the Mollie makes magazine pattern, I am thrilled to bits with it (and really hope she is too as it took days and days to make!)

 

All other home made gifts will be revealed in due course.

 

For now, it's time to unplug, switch off, leave the screen, and spend quality time doing family stuff.

 

 

Merry Christmas

 

 

x

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



What Christmas looks like in our house

Thank you to all, young and not so young, who have handmade special items, forraged mistletoe, and gathered together old treasures to make us feel festive.

Exciting post - crafting it forward

A small brown parcel arrived for me yesterday, and I had no idea what it could be, didn't recognise the handwriting and certainly wasn't expecting anything. I looked at it for a while trying to guess what it was and who it was from.

 

I don't think I'd have ever guessed, and curiosity got the better of me and I opened it pretty quickly!

 

Inside, was this.....

 

Just the most intriguing box, wrapped beautifully, with a message from Charlotte who blogs at displacement activity

Inside the box were the prettiest and most tasty handmade peppermint chocolates I have ever seen. 

This was part of Charlotte's 'craft it forward'.  Charlotte thank you so so much, what a fabulous surprise and it came just at the right time as I have been in bed all week with the lurgy.... so have just nibbled one delicious piece of chocolate, and am saving the rest until my throat is better.

And so now it's my turn to offer you guys out there the same opportunity. 

For the first 5 people (with blogs) who comment below to say they would like to join in.....  I will send you a crafty something (not sure what yet), within the next 12 months.  In return you must commit to blogging about whatever goodies I send you, and then pass it on and craft it forward to 5 other people. And so it goes on.  Interested?  Sign up below.

x

This little elf has been busy!

Having felt relatively calm about Christmas, and how low key we keep things, which means not too much buying, cooking and over doing things.  I suddenly went into panic mode and realised that time is running out to do all the secret stuff that needs to be done with everyone else out of the way!

So............... I engineered a day off work (owed from lots of working beyond midnight) and am feeling pleased to have ticked lots of things off 'the list'.

It's finished

This is my table runner for my Mum, I followed this tutorial and really enjoyed making it.  I am hoping there will be lots of laughter and shared moments sat around this eating yummy food this year!

And santa has done his bit and wrapped all the gifts for inside the girls stockings..... he wants to keep them warm this year, lots of ear muffs, hats and mittens have featured!

And, all the rest of the gifts are wrapped.....  It's a Nordic theme....

I find this time of year very stressful, and try and enjoy spending my spare time in the lead up to Christmas doing Christmassy things with people, rather than spending it preparing for just one day.

So, this year to keep things simple the adults in my family have agreed to give just one present - names have been picked out of hats (you wouldn't believe how much discussion and debate that took), and the only gift I have had to buy is for my Mum.  There is a price limit of £25.  She asked for a skirt, so I had to cheat a bit with the price, but found a beautiful skirt in the white stuff sale.....

This has meant wonderfully little shopping, and more time for spending time with friends.

We entertained this weekend, and had my lovely friend Dave to stay..... which featured good food, a trip to the football (him not me) the X factor final, fish pie and seeing all his photos of the Olympics. Then we had another family over for Sunday lunch, and 8 of us squeezed round the table in our dining room, there was more fish pie, chocolate brownies and a visit to our local Christmas tree festival in the church where our friends were married and their children christened. It felt like how weekends leading up to Christmas should be.

x

And the winner is..............

It's time to draw the random winner of my sew mama sew give away.

I have been quite overwhelmed  by how many people entered, and have loved hearing all about your sewing machines (amazing how many of you have more than one!).  I will go through all the answers properly at some point, but it seems that Janomes and Berlina's are the top two at the moment.  Funnily enough, no-one had the same sewing maching as me - click here to see why!

The random number was 16

supersara203 December 2012 19:39

"I have a Kenmore, it is very basic but I love it. Not sure it is still made though. "

So well done to Sara - I have e-mailed you, so let me know your address.


It's been our town Christmas fair this evening, so we've seen santa (well several), handed out mince pies, won teddies we don't need on tombolas, and my feet are like blocks of ice!

x

Christmas give away

Hellooooo - over here for the sew mama sew give away.

 

 

welcome to my little blog..... I'm glad you popped in.

 

 

Over the last few months I have been going pouch crazy, and so simply had to include one of my wide mouthed pouches for you to win.  And I know that people like to win fabric that they can use to make things themselves, so there are also four fat quarters of fabric..... and some zips - so you are kind of winning your own make a zippy pouch kit!  For good tutorials for pouches try this link.

 

 

So what do you need to do to enter?

Please leave me a comment telling me what make and model of sewing machine you have, and what you love about it. 

I am starting my research to buy a new sewing machine next year and would love to hear your recommendations (or models to avoid).

I will post internationally so the give away is open to everyone. 

I will pick a random number on Friday 7th December to choose a winner.

Nice seeing you here!

Tanya x



Fresh sewing day

Every month I mean to link up with Lily's quilts fresh sewing day..... every month I must be super busy on the 1st day or something, as I've never managed it, and this month I have decided to link up and can't show half the stuff I've made as it's secret pressie stuff!

 

Anyway, now I'm actually here..........

 

Today has been one of those days when I thought I would get more sewing done....... instead there was a rainbow birthday cake to be made.

Candles to be blown out (everybody blow....)

And when I finally sat down to finish off the bag I was making, everything conspired against me..... I pricked my finger, had to clean blood off fabric;  bobbin ran out at inconvenient moment; thread snapped three times.....

which reminded me of this birthday card from a friend at work

 In case its too small to see it says "Never let a sewing maching know you are in a hurry", and that will be my motto for December.

 

x

Swap shop

Just a quickie....... have just got in from the crafty swap at Newark library.  Me and Louise popped in, donated some wool, zips, buttons, stampers and oddments of fabric, and came away with some good swaps.  I got the fabric below

and some wadding - which will be used in my Christmas table runner (if it ever gets finished in time)

 

Louise got lots of baby pink and baby blue fabrics for the bunting she has been making.  No photos of her fabric swaps I'm afraid, but here is the baby's room, with the bunting we made together, and the button picture I made for her wedding present.

 



For some reason you will all have to lie on your sides to see it - whatever I do I cannot manage to rotate this picture - sorry (a good excuse to have a nap while you're down there!)

x

Quick bread

I love libraries....... there is always treasure to be found.  This weekend I stumbled into the cookery section rather than the sewing section for a change.  This was what I found.......

So, I have made courgette and cheese loaf - which was scrummy.....  there was only this much left by the time I remembered to take a photo.

And today I have made a butternut squash and fennel seed loaf.......

It has been frozen in portions for school lunch boxes (otherwise it was in danger of being eaten in one go!)

Whilst on the subject of libraries..... if you live near enough to Newark, then you might be interested in this.

What a great idea.


I have also been given a fabulous new book

So this week I will be venturing into the world of cake pop making...... we have a 2nd birthday party to prepare for!

x

My name's Tanya and I'm an addict

 

addicted to............ A5 spiral notebooks!

 

I take them everywhere, I have one at work with lists and reminders of all the things that need doing, and at home I have one on the go all the time with a variety of lists (things to shop for at the supermarket, things to make, things to make lists about - you get the idea).  Phew I feel all purged now I've got that confession off my chest.

 

So, imagine my absolute delight when my parcel from the scrappy swap arrived....

 

 

Sheila from bluepatch quilter was my partner, and she stalked me so well.  It felt like a best friend who had known me for years had made my parcel.  The green scraps were wonderful, so much yummy green goodness that I have enjoyed stroking and admiring, and putting in my green scraps section..... need to look at the list of things to make to decide how to use them.

But the best part of the parcel was the notebook cover, complete with pen and A5 spiral notebook.

 

 

I really love it, and it is in use already.  There were also chocolates in the parcel, but strangely they didn't make it into this photo!!!  So thank you Sheila, I have enjoyed getting to know a new blogger through this swap.

 

 

x

Right up my street

When I was reading Judith's blog the other day, I was intrigued to see this

Vintage fat quarter swap.......

For more details check out the flickr group

Now, most of my fabrics are reclaimed or recyled in some way or another...... so I had a hunt to see if there was anything that I could use to join in with this swap.  Got a wash on, and left everything blowing in the breeze while I browsed the flickr group.

I have come up with this little collection.  Which I hope fit the criteria.  I love these strawberries, and hope someone else will too (I do appreciate that vintage fabrics are not everyones cup of tea)

To quote from Jude..... "There is still loads of time to join in if you fancy having a swap! You can join the flickr group here and post pics of your vintage fqs you would like to swap. There are also some lovely inspiration pics in the group of what you can make when you get your fqs back!"

I promised a photo of my shelf.....

It makes me feel like I have a little sewing corner of my own!

x