Cheeky chalk paint

I love this stuff - no surface prep required, slap it on and play around to your heart's content.  

Secret Christmas present goings on aside, the main event was the refurbishment of a chair that had spent several wet winters under my Ma's oak tree - my lovely husband firmed it up with a spot of glue on its aching joints and then it was on with the paint, waxed up and re-seated - and now I have the perfect chair for my crafty corner.  Very happy!  And rather comfy too.

Boot sale bargains and projects on the go

I don't think I have ever known a summer whizz by so quickly - but I just managed to get to the last local boot sale and snap up a few bargains ...

... some for me and some for upcycling into beautiful (in spirit if not in appearance) Christmas presents.  The tortoise now lives in his own special corner of the garden, the candelabra is polished and glam, the cardigan now my very favourite peice of clothing.  Which leaves the wooden hangers (watch this space), flower press (ditto) and knitting needles which I am ITCHING to pick up - but am committed to first completing the never-ending quilt, which, by the way, has been progressing quite well, just miles of endless border to finish stitching.

Last but not least, a teeny tiny little salt and pepper set for my dear little caravan (currently holed up ready for her beauty sleep over the winter, waiting patiently to be beautified in the Nova Scotian spring sunshine).  She's just a perfect excuse to buy anthing small / colorful / quirky / vintage.  I adore her. And one day she will be dressed to the nines and receiving admiring glances as we travel the Maritimes selling my crafty wares.  One day.  Just you wait and see.

Crafty Corner

Not so much as a stitch on my (everlasting) quilt for months now, but I have been a wee bit busy moving house and trying to tame the new garden.  We moved from the countryside to the outskirts of a city, to be closer to the now-teenage step children for a few years - perhaps not quite so pretty but this house has SPACE - so much that I now have a) almost all of my fabric stash in one place and b) a lovely little corner where I have commandeered an old desk to store all my kit.  I know the summer will whizz on by so am looking forward very much to rainy days while the garden sleeps and my trusty sewing machine creaks back to life - happy crafty days to come.

Blue Peter stylie

With birthdays inconveniently placed in the post-Christmas-austerity period, I thought I'd try a bit of paper collage instead of the fabric I usually go for - I sort of like the result but as I'm not very neat it's a bit Blue Peter-ish I think.  I need to invest in some thicker card as a base as it goes a bit wonky when the glue hits it. But quite pretty nonetheless, so not a total disaster.  The enevelopes were another story: when will I learn that a little time spent measuring and planning  properly makes a world of difference?  I still kid myself I have an eye for a straight line - apparently not, but with a good slap of glue they made their way through the post safely enough.

Back to business

Well here we are very nearly in a new year after a busy happy Christmas with my lovely family and a rather long break from making anything at all - I seemed to spend way too much time browsing at Christmas fairs and not enough time at the sewing machine.  I'm ashamed to say that I made only one present this year - a cushion for my very dear niece Kate's new bedroom in her lovely country farmhouse.  It's a bit wonky - I had forgotten the perils of stitiching on crushed velvet, it has a life of its own, but I hope she'll be happy with it.

I did do a little festive baking with the delightful mini cake tins that I got for my birthday and although my icing-all-over made them a bit too sweet, the edible glitter and fresh cranberries made them look very pretty.

My most pleasing Christmas creativity was inspired by Country Living magazine and was much enjoyed by the local wildlife - I'm going to plant it in the garden and do this every year!

Now I'm brimming with ideas for things to make in the new year, which is a pretty good plan as I have a) no money and b) cupboards bursting with fabric just begging to be used.  Back to business with a vengeance!

Nova Scotia stylie

On our recent holiday to our home-away-from-home, I thought I would take a pic of some cushions I made for the 'boys' room - a cheery little nautical number and a lighthouse typical of a Maritime shore. I rather fancy a series of natty nautical niceties...  but, as usual, too much to do, too little time.

Cat in a Bag

So, I thought... what would a little girl like for her Birthday?  A bag perhaps?

 But maybe that's a tad dull... how about a little pocket.... with a mouse in.  And how about a little cat to hide in the bag and leap out on the unsuspecting mouse?  Good idea.  It all went swimmingly until it came to the cat's facial features - however, young Eleanor is reportedly delighted with the mad-scary-eyed-pig-cat - children can be so forgiving :)