Where has time gone to?

Yesterday I

finally managed to get round to taking some pics of the pinnies I finished a few weeks ago. I love the blues in the patterned fabrics I have used. They work perfectly with the plain cornflower blue. The ties at the back of the pinnies look gorgeous. I think my favourite is the one with the large navy flowers. It has a fabulous turquoise that reminds me of crystal clear waters of Leonidion (Plaka) on the Peloponnese in Greece. They are obviously giving me a summery feeling!!! Which is your favourite? These pinnies are now also available to buy on my online shops in my Etsy shop, and also in my new Folksy shop.

Little Birdies

I do love making cards for people, but sometimes feel the pressure when I am really busy. People expect to be given one of my cards, and I feel that I should come up with new designs, particularly for family. My dad text me a few days before my mums birthday to tell me he wanted a card for her. Aghhh I thought, she has already seen most of them, now two new designs were needed. I am really pleased he did as this is what I came up with, and with a bit more beavering they are now for sale in my NEW Folksy shop.

Machine Embroidery

As I mentioned before I have been having a go at free-style machine embroidery. Although my machine doesn't like this approach to stitching (or I simply don't know what I am doing) I did manage to do some pretty flowers. I had been doing a bit of erratic stitching in turquoise, and then got the pink out and went all girly. Although the turquoise stitching is bad, the colours work perfectly together. I was so impressed with my handy work I thought I would cut them out. I frayed the edges a bit and then created a lovely card for my mums birthday. Looking forward to finding some time to do a bit more now.

Beautiful lamp

It has been my mums birthday over the weekend, and my sister-in-law found the perfect pressie for her.


What a pretty lamp. It is by a designer called Hannah Nunn who is based in Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire. She cuts the design in paper and then laminates them to strengthen them. You can see more of her work here.

Chasing my tail!

At the moment I just seem to be chasing my tail. The past few weeks have been frantic, but this week has in particular. Yestrday I spent a few hours in Drumcroon Gallery in Wigan.

'The Drumcroon policy is to give all young people, irrespective of age, their teachers and the Borough's communities access to the range, breadthand variety of the visual arts. Exhibitions by contemporary makers are organised to provide challenging opportunities which widen horizons and embrace change. To give further insight and understanding, the centre provides its visitors with opportunities to engage in related practical activities. Each exhibition is placed into a contextual framework by demonstrating process and excellence through resident artists and through the use of secondary source material which has the potential to range across time, place and culture.'

This is an excellent resource, the artists working with them do workshops in the gallery, but also go into schools. Wouldn't it be great if every borough had access to something similar. There was a group of children in the gallery whilst I was there and all seem to be thoroughly absorbed by it all. I just wish I'd had the time to see them creating their own master pieces and to commit to having a studio there myself. It would be an excellent place to create. Inspiring....

Off to create... Hope to post creations later in week.

Happy weekend everyone

A recipe for some lovely pinnies

This week my sewing machine has been frantically trying to keep up with me. I use an old (probably older than me!) Singer 237 that I was brought up with, and that I have always used. My mum thinks that I need a new machine, and for a few moments this week, I would have agreed. However, it has helped me produce some lovely pinnies this week.

I took some of this.......

>
then I added a little .....

a pinch of these .........


and a number of hours, of vibrating floor and clattering machinery ( I am surprised my children sleep!), later, I had some of these.....





I still haven't had chance to have a proper photo shoot with 'Bob' (?!!!! - my little boy named it) my mannequin, but as soon as I do, they will be up for sale.

Sunshine Award

At the end of February I was awarded the Sunshine Award twice in the same week. I am really please that you have liked what you have seen so far. Great to see that I am doing something right.

It has taken me until now to decide who I am actually going to pass the award onto!!!! I am new to all this blogging lark and to be quite honest, wasn't actually following that many people. All that has changed thanks to Ali at Ali's Craft Studio and Rainbow Fizz. I must say a huge thank you to them for opening more doors to me in this craft cyber world!!!! I have learnt sooo much and found some fantastic information. I am hooked!!! I wasn't sure whether I could give the award back to you, as you both deserve it for spurring me to delve deeper. Also, I know that the rules say pass it on to 12 people, which is what I am going to do, but just 12. The awards were given within days of each other and I really can't come up with 24 just at this moment in time.

The sunshine award is awarded to bloggers whose positivity and creativity inspires others in the blogging world. The rules for accepting the award are as follows:

Place the logo within your blog or post.

Pass the award onto 12 bloggers.

Link the nominees within the post.

Let the nominees know they have received the award by commenting on their blog.

Share the love and link to the person from whom you received the award.
So here are my 12 nominees:
1. Vintage Inspired Lovelies
2. topcat76.blogspot.com/
3. Nifty Knits
4. Plookiss
5. Not Just Handbags

6. Noodlehead
7. Incy Wincy Stitches
8. Handmade Mommy
9. Flossie Teacakes
10. Feeling Stitchy
11. Craft Blog UK
12. Charlotte Hupfield Ceramics

Thanks to all the people mentioned above for brightening my (already colourful) days!!!!!

Time to Start a Pinny Revival

My mum sent me this, thought it was just up my street. The History of 'APRONS' I don't think our kids know what an apron is. The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, because she only had a few, it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and they used less material, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven. It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears. From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven. When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids. And when the weather was cold grandma wrapped it around her arms. Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove. Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron. From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls. In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees. When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds. When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the menfolks knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner. It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes.

I don't think something else needs to be invented, we just need to have a pinny revival, bring back the pinny! They are an essential item and deserve a place in our homes today, okay..... maybe not the ones modeled by the lady above!!! Check out my Etsy shop here for some beautiful examples from Pukka Pinnies. More coming very soon!

Pukka Pinnies

Samlesbury Sunday

Yesterday I had a stall at the Farmers Market and Craft fair at Samlesbury Hall, nr Preston, Lancashire. Unfortunately it wasn't a good day for those of us who were up at the crack of dawn setting up stalls. It was pretty quiet throughout the day, and those that did arrive, weren't doing much spending. I

suppose

I was one of the lucky ones, as I

did have a few sales. Some didn't even

manage to make the money back for the cost of the stall. One the plus side, it is a beautiful Tudor building, and I can think of

plenty worse places to spend my day. I also found that I had sold a number of items in the gift shop there.....hoorah.... I'll have to

get some more stuff in!

Whilst I was there, I also got chatting to a local jewelry designer.

She has some gorgeous items for sale and is in the process of

setting up an Etsy shop with her work. I will keep you posted on

what she is up to.