WIP

Said I would show you the other bag I started - it's a brown bag with a tree on it. Just got to finish the trunk, maybe add some embellishments and then line it with the green patchwork material.

Good Friends

Made the birthday card for my very good friend's birthday yesterday. She came today for lunch and it was lovely.

While sitting on my bum yesterday I also managed to sort through some more magazines my MIL had fetched for me.. Not as much inspiration in these as there was in the others that she brought. Good for recycling now.

And in the post today was a lovely parcel from another very good friend. Although we have never phsically met she knows me very well - buttons and ribbon for my hoarding addiction!
Thank you Claire - I'll get on with another 'designed by shell' item.

I've also started on another bag. I'll hopefully post more on that later.....

Finishing bits and bags

Stitched some fabric Cars badges onto a bag for Ds3 this afternoon. He wanted a bag to keep his cars in so this is great even if it's a little big for him. Made the lining for my bag this evening as well - it's gorgeous. I've got to finish a card for a good friend's birthday tomorrow. Luckily for me (as I had to finish that lining), she's out all day so I won't see her until Tuesday.

New Bag

Actually done some crafting today. Stitched some leaves and a flower onto a cotton bag. I'm going to line it with the green paisley fabric as well, as I love it.

Wow, what a week (enough sarcasm?)

Well, on the way back home from town this afternoon we passed my Dad, him driving a coach and us in our very distinctive car, and he completely ignored us. It seems we are not wanted/needed anymore. As he has already alienated all of his friends and now my sister and I, I'm really worried about him. He is only speaking to my brother and his brother - that is it.


Still not really in the mood for crafting.

Catch up

Blimey, it feels like an age since I was actually in the mood to do some crafting. Situation is not resolved with my Dad - he doesn't want to talk to my sister or I as he feels we are ignoring him, not helping him, not ringing him when he wants us to ( we ring when we can, do what we can but he won't ever stay anywhere more than 5 mins, won't go to the doctors, etc). He is still speaking to my brother so there is a small connection.

But anyway... I have just about finished the penguins - I just need to add the eyes. I can't believe how long they have taken me - definitely not been a good crafting week. I got my copy of Simply knitting the other day and I treat myself to Country Homes and Interiors today. This is the one I meant to get last month but ended up with Country Living. I also found a pressie for a lovely friend which shall be posted tomorrow - I do hope she hasn't already got it.

Explainations

Think I should explain a little bit - My Mum and Dad divorced in 1986, he later married the 'other woman'. Everyone got on fine years later - don't really know how my Mum did it to be honest. Dad's wife died last July (aged 59), some days he's alright some days he's not, he won't go and see the doctor about it. Today is a day he's not coping so he sends his family texts telling them that nobody cares about him, to leave him alone, he'll manage. He's sent messages before and we all try to help but he won't really let us. Today I got angry, rang straight back - he ignored it so I left a very upset message telling him that I'm angry, that I love him, that he's not the only one suffering. He sent a text back saying typical dad, he shouldn't have sent that text today of all days.

Sorry to offload here but I need to do something as it's going round and round in my head, I'm so angry and hurt. This week is the 2nd most hardest week of the year with regards my Mum's death, I've finally been to the doctors this week to sort out my anxiety/depression so I don't need it anymore from him. Doesn't he realise? Actually, no, he's never realised where I'm concerned. Never was that precious to him.

Went to the cemetery yesterday and visited my Nan as well. Today had not been too bad until I got a hurtful text of my Dad. Aaaaaaaaaaaaargggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....can't take it today of all days. He's not the only one suffering.


Started the penguins.

Cards

I've managed to make 3 cards today. The first is a birthday card for my nephew who will be 12 next week. He's into skull's so hopefully he'll like this (it's done with my watercolour pencils again). The second is a card for my Nan for Sunday. We always go and see her on Mother's Day because she is missing a card from my Mum, so I like to make sure she gets some flowers and a card. Lastly, is the Mother's Day card for Hubby's Mum. This was a rubber stamp picture which I have sat and coloured using my Mum's inks. Just got another birthday card and an anniversary card to do now for this month.

I have actually posted my season table swap makes today, but because I drafted them at the end of february I think that's where the post is - must go and look. EDIT - just found it if your interested.

GP Season table swap

Here's my swap items I received from the very talented Ali. Thank you so, so much - we have been truely spoilt. There's a rain cloud gnome for April showers, an earth gnome with his bag of corn, a spring lady holding a bunch of flowers, a felt sheep, some wooden stick-ons and a spring card.

It's not fair

I hate this time of year so that's why I've not been around much. March holds my Mum's birthday, which I can just about cope with, but it also holds Mother's Day, which I definitely can't cope with. All the adverts, the cards in the shops, the flowers (she so loved her flowers), more bloody adverts, everyone else getting to spend the day with their mum (I know, very selfish of me) and I can't spend the day with mine. It's not fair.

Just a quickie

My fabric labels were on the door mat when we arrived back from the beach - I'd forgotten about them so that was a nice suprise. I've spent the last 2 evenings going through and cutting up the magazines given to me by MIL. Just need to find a scrapbook to put all the clippings in now.

How much longer?

Don't think I can wait any longer, the green parent forum has been offline all afternoon for maintenance - starting to have palpatations waiting for it to come back online.

Fit for a prince..

Started making the felt crown from Living Crafts magazine last night while watching Comic Relief (£57m raised - fantastic). It took me ages to cut it out, and I've made this one without the centre piece of felt as the pieces I have arn't big enough. Sat and finished it this afternoon.

Too tired to think of a title

I should probably wait until tomorrow to post this lot but I know my head will be whirring if I leave it, so....

Here's the owl I made last night. Very quick and easy.

I won! I won! I frequent the paper-and-string blog where Sarah holds a give-a-way once a month - well I won this month, so thank you very much Sarah, it's gorgeous.

My Mother's Day present arrived today (and, yes, I have it early). I am sooo enjoying this TV programme - full of great things.

My MIL was sorting through her stash of magazines and asked if I wanted to look at them first. So here's a years worth of Country Homes and Interiors from 1998! I'm hoping to find some different inspiration in them.

Last, but by no means least (and the reason for my tired, tired person), are my charity shop bargains. My sister and I spent an hour browsing the 2 in my local town and I came home with a few things - buttons (of course), an embroidery hoop, pure wool (for penguins), tape measure, press studs, and a straw bag for carrying wool projects.

There were a couple of other things too, one being a must have book for me, no the kids, oh alright me, on Ivor the Engine (blushing). I'm sure this is the reason I love trains .... right, that's enough confessions, I'm off to bed.

One down, four to go

One card down, four to go. Not one of my better ones, but as it's already late (she's been on holiday) so it will have to do. I really don't like it when I have to settle for something when I'm not entirely happy with it, but needs must.

From bits and bobs, to books and buttons

I realised yesterday that I hadn't put up pictures of some bits I'd got from our GP Lets. The chick in the egg came from Michelle and the caterpillar came from sundog. They're both fantastic and are now sat happily on the season table (when not being played with). It's soo nice to get things that other mamas have sat and made with their own two hands.

For a bit of inspiration I got Country Living magazine the other day (wasn't actually the one I went in for but that's my own fault for not ready the title properly). There's a few good bits in it though so not a complete waste.

And from the postie today, from another lovely mama who make it herself, was this wonderful bracelet (which is a birthday present for someone) and and this gorgeous picture for me from her lovely daughter. It's amazing how nice people are even though we've never met, so thank you so much Claire and Phoebe.

And lastly is a book, The Children's Year. I've heard so much about it, and seen many things made from it, so I thought I would get it. I know, I know, spending again.....but it is an investment isn't it ;-).

oh, oh, oh, before I go....it's not just me who likes buttons - Soulemama directed us from her obsession to another obsession at button it up!

Whirring

I've got so many ideas running round in my head I can't seem to concentrate on anything else. When I got up this morning I wrote it all down so I could use my brain for something else (like internet browsing :-) ). Anyway, last night I managed to update my Etsy shop, so both shops have got the full stock in (ooh, just listen to me).

This afternoon I've been looking for small cotton labels so I can stitch them onto the fabric items that I make. The ones I went for are here. I have to say that price was a factor in my decision as I would have prefered some organic cotton ones but they would have had to have from the US at $350/1000 plus postage. Anyway, we shall see what they look like when they arrive.

On the beach....

An idea popped into my head last night so I got right on it. Quite pleased with how it turned out.

Storage can

I started another can cover last night for a 330ml tin. I got all the fabric stitched on (from the lovely Sarah), then stitched the buttons on, then checked the measurements around the tin before I finished the edging off.......it didn't fit! Although I'd measured for the felt, I only measured the cotton fabric against the felt and not the tin - felt stretches, cotton fabric doesn't

:-(. So I left it last night then started again this evening. I had a pilchard tin which is smaller so I unpicked all the stitching, cut it down to size then re-made it again. This is to go in my shops when I've taken some better pictures - think I need to play around in different light to get it right.

After I finished the 2nd lego/toy mat yesterday afternoon Ds3 told me he wanted his 'road' mat. So I've cut out some strips of black cotton and pinned them on some old material. I'm going to add some greenery and brown cord (for ploughed fields!) and some blue for a pond. I best go start stitching that now.

So exciting......

I didn't expect them to arrive so quickly but here they are.......

They are just the most gorgeous dainty things you ever did see....even more so because they've got pictures of things I made on the front of them.

Toy Mat

Here's the toy mat I made yesterday. It's about a metre square, which is hemmed around the edges. Then I made for handles (Rectangular piece folded in half length ways, then stitched to make a tube inside out. Turn the right way then close the end.) and stitched them on the four corners...easy peasy. Now they can tip their lego in the middle of the cloth and when they've finished then can pick it up with the handles and tip it all back into the box. Wonder if they will actually do it ;-).

Purse ('Designed by Shell')

Well here it is - my first commissioned piece. I had no other brief other than a purse with a zip for cards and coins so this is what I came up with. A simple purse but 2 parts stitched together. I really enjoyed making this, and I've got enough zips to make a few more.

Lego

Anyone who has lego in the house will know what a pain in the bum it can be.....so my job for this afternoon is making a start on 2 toy/playmats that have handles in the corners so that it can then be picked up with the lego on the inside. Hopefully this will keep the lego off the floor for when the space is needed for other more mundane things like getting across the room or getting into bed!

'Designed by Shell'

The fabric for this item arrived this afternoon so I got right on it. I sat with it for a couple of hours and then finished it this evening. I'm not going to post a piccie today as I want Claire to see it first, but I will tell you that it's 'a purse with a zip to hold cards and coins'. I have to say I'm very nervous as I've never made one before, and I don't think I've ever added a zip to anything, so we'll see.

I have fallen down on my buying nothing this month (how many blogs do you read that say that ;-) ), although I am definitely blaming Claire for this. She mentioned Moo cards to me so I thought I'd go and have a look - 15 mins later I've uploaded 14 photos, edited them and paid for them........mmm, never mind eh - next month maybe?