Nearly February!!!!

Can you believe it!? February tomorrow! Let's hope it's not an end to my spring cleaning momentum as I'm actually enjoying it. Did I say that? I don't generally enjoy this cleaning lark but at the moment I am, so I am embracing it while it lasts. My bathroom is all but finished to how I would like it (I'm just hankering after a free standing towel rail now), and my bedroom.... my bedroom is amazing. I can see all the floor. There isn't a single thing at the side of my bed, and hubby has sorted out his bedside cabinet too. I can get into the wardrobe without having to move anything out of the way, my chest of drawers only has the things on it that are meant to be on it. And, the biggest revelation....windows are shiny when cleaned!!!!!!!! ;o).

Anyway, enough of this cleaning talk. At home ed group last week I'd organised the lady with whom I'd previously done a felting workshop to come and do a session with the kids. Well, us big kids had a play too, and made a felt ball that we then cut in half. We were all very impressed with them. We'll finish them off this week with some ribbons and beads.

Can you feel spring yet? I certainly can here, it's making me tingle. The birds are starting to sing more, the snowdrops (although later this year) are getting ready to burst into life, and there's just that feeling in the air. I've still not done any crafting. I think I need to force myself to at least finish the valentines cards that I've got half ready for the shop. Ho hum...back to the cleaning/sorting while it lasts ;o).

:o)

Well hello. Before I get onto other stuff I just want to thank you all for your comments on my last post. That moon seems to have played havoc with many people, but it is past now...we are heading to the new moon so all is well. Above is the item I was going to show weeks ago, but as I'm still in tidy/sorting-the-house-mode, not much crafting has been going on. My word for the year in rainbow colours. I have sewn a ribbon on it so I can hang it up properly but I don't like it so it is pegged on our art string in the living room. When I get my crafting mojo back again they'll be rainbow words in the shop too :0).

I did have to do a little more crafting for an order - 3 crocheted headbands. Apologies for the piccie but I had to get them photographed before I parcelled them up but the light was appalling.

Hope everyone else is managing to do something they want to do, whether that be crafting, cooking, or housework. xx

Come back please

This full moon has been particularly hard, messing with my emotions, letting insecurities creep in and mess with my head, making me feel flat, then up and down. I look at the above picture and wonder where that woman is?.... she looks so carefree, giggly, happy....! Hopefully she will be back soon as I don't like feeling this way...the way I used to feel when I was younger and less confident, questioning my hubby's feelings for me, questioning, head whirring into places it shouldn't go! Right, off to do some positive crafty things to try and shoo these insecurities away.

Hello

Well hello :o). How are you all? I sure hope you are all well and not suffering too much with the January blues. We've had a few days away at centreparcs so I'm feeling a little more refreshed but have definitely had some flat feelings. It seems that everyone is urging spring on, and the snowdrops in the garden have definitely got a spurt on.

I've not done much crafting lately - been more in the sorting and clearing out mood but I just wanted to show you my christmas present from my lovely hubby. The only thing I would have liked was my laundry/cloak room finished to that's what hubby did for me. Nothing exciting to most, but for me it meant that there was a place for things that were scattered about the house, a place to fold clothes that wasn't my bed, and a place for all my soaps. So here's a little tour (above picture is the wall with the coats, with shoe racks underneath) ......

the drier with worktop for folding clothes and the bargain belfast sink we got off ebay,


the other end of the wall with the washing machine, worktop space and re-purposed nappy bucket which holds the bulk washpowder,

above the worktop are the shelves which hold my soap equipment and soaps, then other household odds and sods.

Now, to go with my new laundry room I needed to make some new bits and pieces...above is the new carrier bag holder as my other one was falling to pieces. We also needed something else to put our hats, scarves and gloves in so I made us each a bag to hang on our peg - note how manly they are (hubby certainly thinks so ;o) ).



And lastly, the old poopy bag holder we had was too small really and needed a handle so we could hang it on the peg with the lead, so I made this too. It has a pillow case type opening on the back so you can get a full pack of bags in without messing them up, and then you can pull them out the front as you need them.

I might attempt a small blind for the door window, and I'll definitely make a bag for the rags too. I do love my new room :o).

It shouldn't be so long between next posts, and I do have a little bit of non-practical sewing to show you once it's finished. Sunshine blessings to you all.

Shop Update

Just a quickie to let you know I've added the headbands, the choker and the ylang ylang soap which I had completely forgotton about. Really need to take better, more professional looking pictures, so if any of you have a tips I'd be really grateful. Thanks very much.

Hello again

Just popping back in to show you a couple of things. Above and below are different chokers I crocheted the other night. The above one needs finishing and blocking. Loving these flowers.

I've had a few orders for the crocheted headbands with flowers on too. Hoping to get some in the shops later. I would like to make some rainbow crocheted star bunting to go in the shops too - got some yellow and blue done already. I've got soooo many ideas for things that it feels like my head will pop :0). Few for christmas cards too, so I'm either too late or reaaalllly early ;o).

I've added a new section on my sidebar as well. My Mum always had a pile of clothes that needed repairing on top of her sewing box, so I'm starting my own make do and mend pile. I got a couple more socks darned the other night and these are the ones that still need doing. There's also a sheet with a tear in it, some bargain curtains I picked up at the charity shop that still need shortening, a cardigan that's had a button missing for I-don't-know-how-many-years, and my coat that's had a button missing for a year too. Anyone care to join me?

Hope everyone is having a good day so far. xxxx

Welcome 2011

Happy New Year to everyone :o). It's a bit late I know but I was woken just an hour into 2011 (we were in bed at 10.30 as hubby was at work at 6) by a small boy being sick! So we've had a slow couple of days with a poorly boy, although I have managed to catch up with alot of laundry and sorted through my wardrobe and drawers.

The above snowman is the season swap gift I forgot to show you - see his coal-like eyes? arn't they just fab. He's sat on our season table watching the snow which is trying to fall outside.

I was going to look back at 2010 but I'd rather look forward instead. I will just say that the word that would sum up 2010 for me is acceptance - acceptance that my mum died, acceptance that my dad is who he is and he's not going to change. My word for 2011 is embrace - embrace the things my kids love (even if I don't), embrace who I am, embrace my choices fully, embrace life. My mood in general is very positive, which is great, and such a relief. In fact, since I stopped taking agnus castus (which I was taking to try and regulate my periods) I've felt much calmer and my periods are now fully in tune with the moon :o).

I may see you again later as I've got so much to show and tell, but no photo's. Happy, happy new year again xxxxx

Stargazing

Go stargazing - it's amazing.