Baby Blanket

Hi all!  Welcome to all new followers over the last few weeks, and thanks for following!  :o)


Thanks to those who left lovely comments on my last post!  I gave the PE bag to my friend on Thursday and she was over the moon!  I have to say that I find making lined drawstring bags a bit of a pain (not sure why really, but I seem to be very slow at making them!) but when my friend was so pleased and excited with it, it made it all worthwhile!!  She really was delighted!  It made me feel very proud!  :o)


As I have mentioned before, I am due to become an Aunt this Christmas!  My brother and sister-in-law's first baby is due on Christmas Day!  They recently found out that they are having a boy, so I have started making a baby blanket for my little nephew to be!

It is going to be made up of crocheted heart squares, bordered with white.

I will block the squares, to make them all neat and even before crocheting them all together.  (The yellow square isn't actually as misshapen as it looks in the picture!)

At the moment the colours I am using are the yellow and the mid-blue in the photos, plus a baby blue.  I am thinking of adding more colours, however... maybe some more different shades of blue... but I'll see!


I hope you all have great weekends - I'm off to a wedding today, of a friend I've known since infant school!  I'm glad to wake up to a bright sunny day for her!

Finished Work in Progress!

I've just given a random guy a good laugh!  I was driving home from work, listening to the radio.  Michael Buble 'Everything' came on, and I started singing passionately along, complete with dramatic hand gestures, and even a bit of closed eye moments (I wasn't moving at that point, due to traffic!).  I suddenly looked across to realise the guy in the car next to me was watching and laughing!!  Ooops!


Oh well!  :o)


The project with the cupcake is now finished!!  It took hours, I honestly don't know what takes me so long!  Thanks for all the nice comments about the cupcake!  And as for how I got the stitching so neat, Becky, I have no idea!!  I had cut the cupcake shape out and ironed it onto the white fabric with bondaweb... then I came to machine stitching the zigzag around it... and I was convinced that I was going to ruin it!  I honestly have no idea how it came out looking so neat!  I couldn't believe my eyes!  A fluke!!


So, here is the finished item:

It's a cupcake drawstring PE bag for my friend's daughter who starts school in September!  It is also lined in the same pink polka dot fabric, so no raw edges to be found!  It has a fuchsia pink polka dot ribbon as a hook, for hanging onto her peg.

I cross-stitched her name and zigzag stitched that onto the front of the bag - you can't even see those stitches in white against the cross-stitch material, which I was pleased with!

All in all, I'm quite pleased with it.  I jut hope my friend is happy with it!!

Work in Progress Update

A couple of posts ago (here) I showed you a glimpse of some fabric I was using for my latest work in progress, for a friend.


Here is a glimpse of the project so far...

The pink polka dot fabric will come into play soon...!!

Giveaway at The Fluff Pot!

Just a quick post today to tell you about a giveaway!


The very lovely Becky, at The Fluff Pot is currently running an amazing giveaway!  Now, I don't really want to tell you, as it will decrease my chances of winning, and I really want to win!!!  But... I'm going to be kind and give you all a chance to enter too!


Look at what you could get...

Head over to her giveaway post here to see in detail all the amazing things you can win!


Becky is such a lovely person, and this giveaway is so generous, with such gorgeous handmade delights!!  I'm keeping my fingers crossed!!

Work in Progress and an Award

Hi!  I'm currently working on a project for a friend, which involves these materials below...

All will be revealed in time!  Hopefully I can do a good job of it... feeling a bit of pressure!!  Also, I'm making a very slow start, so need to get a move on as it needs to be done fairly soon!

I have also been nominated for the Versatile Blogger award again!  Thanks to 2 Little Birdies!!  Go over and check out her blog!  Always feels lovely to get an award, thank you!  :o)  I received this not too long ago - so my answers and nominations still stand - you can see them here.  (Sorry for not doing new ones - lazy me!!!)

RSVPs

Hi everyone!  Thanks for the lovely comments on my African Runner progress, and on the teeny tiny hearts!  I appreciate all the kind words!  :o)


I have a day off work today - yay!  I am meeting up with teacher friends later, who are off work for the school holidays.  But this morning I have been trying to get back on track with things.  This year seems to be passing in a blur of chaos and big life-changing events and I have been very disorganised!!  Time to get on top of things again...


This has included (finally!) RSVPing to a couple of upcoming events - a christening and a wedding.  (I have actually told them in person that I'm coming, but wanted to make it formal!)

I designed and printed these RSVP cards this morning, and I'm really pleased with them!


I'm usually really good with RSVPing to things - I'm not usually one to keep people waiting.  But what with The Breakup (5 year relationship came to an end) and the redundancy announcement at work, and a suddenly manic social life... I'm all over the place!


It is time for a return to organised Maria!!!  :o)  (Well, we'll see!)

Teeny Tiny Hearts

I've been making some more teeny tiny hearts!  As per the first one I mentioned in my post here.

Lots of ends to sew in, and more to make!  Trying to do lots of different combinations of 4 colours... not sure if they really go or not... I'll see when I've done more...!

I'll string them up into some mini bunting eventually - to go somewhere!

How is the African Flower Runner coming along..?

Well... not too well, really!  I have to admit I've not touched it for weeks!

This is how far it has got:

I really need to pick it up and keep going!!  I'm sure once I start up on it again, I will get a bit more motivated...

I want it to be the length of this coffee table (cheap Ikea one which I've had forever!) so I have a way to go:

I want to start work on a baby blanket for my niece or nephew (due on Christmas Day!) so I need to get this runner done and dusted!

A Folksy Sale and a Hen Weekend!

Well, hellooo everyone!


Exciting news for me - on Friday I had my very first sale to someone who isn't one of my friends or family!  An actual 'stranger' wanted something I'd made!


It was very exciting to get the notification through Folksy on Friday, that a set of my magnets had been bought!  I wasn't expecting it at all!  My customer wanted a set of the 'Brights', and here they are...

(It was bright and sunny outside when I took this photo... but not in my flat of darkness!!  So the picture is a bit dark, sorry!)


I've also been away in Bath for a hen weekend, from Friday night to Sunday.  I had such a fun time!  Much drinking and laughing and dancing was done!

I had false eyelashes on - my first time!  We all decided to buy and wear false eyelashes for the big night out... I felt a bit like I had mad scary eyes at first... but I got used to them!  Although, not sure I could ever put them on without help... fiddly little blighters!


Hope all is good in your worlds!

Back from Weymouth!

Hellloooo!  I just want to say hi to all new followers, and thanks for all the comments that have been posted recently - I read and enjoy them all!  Sorry if I've not been good at responding, things have been very busy lately!  Just so you know they are all appreciated!  :o)


I've just spent 5 days away in Weymouth with my lovely sister-in-law.  My brother was on a stag do, so we went away to have some fun ourselves!  As she is pregnant, we indulged in eating, rather than drinking!  These were rather delicious:

Mmmm wish I could tuck into one of them right now!!  


As for crafting... I really need to pull my finger out!  (How long have I been saying this for?!)  But what I do have is a picture of a tiny crocheted heart I made the other week:

It really is tiny!  Only about 3cm tall, and just over 3.5 cm wide.  I got the pattern from Julia Crossland - her Teeny Tiny Heart Bunting.  I plan to make more of them and make them into some bunting for somewhere... not sure where yet!  It was very quick and easy to make, so why I only managed one I do not know!  Useless girl!


Bye for now!

What I Won!! Unbelievable!

Well, here goes - my camera is charged, and I've been busy snapping pictures of my many many lovely treats from Sue at The Krafty Cupcake, after being soooo lucky to win her giveaway!!


Unfortunately the weather is not on my side, dark and raining, so I hope the pictures look ok...

Peach smelling cupcake keyring - so cute!

Lovely cotton reel buttons

Cath Kidston badges

Cupcake pins - how gorgeous are these?!

Cath Kidston mug

Lovely buttons

Gorgeous pin cushion - love those wooden heart buttons!

Cute cupcake brads

Beautiful hummingbird lavender bag

Look at that lovely hummingbird detail - makes me want to do some cross-stitch!

Cath Kidston Kids bag

26 (yes 26!) different coloured felt sheets (you can't see them all here)

20 squares of Tilda fabric - so pretty!

Marian Keyes book - already started reading it as I just finished my last book the day before!

Amazingly detailed beautiful fondant cupcake toppers - such talent, I am stunned!

This is only a small selection - there were loads!!  I didn't want to unwrap them all and risk damaging any!

Can you believe all that???!!!  I am completely overwhelmed!!  Everything was so beautifully wrapped, with lovely little tags giving a clue to each gift!  The handmade items are made so perfectly.  Honestly, I can't believe how lucky I am to have won, and I really want to thank Sue so much for her amazing generosity!  What a talented and kind lady!  I can truly say I absolutely love each and every item!  (And I'm not surprised Sue that you nearly kept the cupcake pins, I'm not quite sure how you managed to be parted from them!)


THANK YOU!!!!!  :o)

Thanks to The Krafty Cupcake!

I would like to thank the lovely Sue from The Krafty Cupcake for two things!!!


First, the award she has given me:

How exciting!!  It is so lovely to receive these awards, and so amazing that anyone would enjoy reading the things I write!


So... 7 things about me.  Here goes:


1.  I am quite short - 5 foot 2 inches tall.  All the best things come in small package, eh?!  :o)

2.  I can't sing in tune.  My singing is terrible.  When I was 7, I wasn't even allowed in the class choir with the rest of the class.  I had to go and sit in another room with a couple of the "strange" kids while everyone else did choir practise!!  I was devastated!  I kept going back to the teacher, saying that I think I could sing now.  She would plonk away on her piano, making a few notes for me to sing.  I would have no idea how to replicate them so would just make some odd noises that I hoped might sound like the notes... and no choir for me!  I am over it now, and have accepted my lack of singing ability!  (How harsh, though - who would care if one little girl in a choir of 7 year olds was singing out of tune?!)

3.  My favourite colour is aqua (I think!  A bit of pink thrown in wouldn't go amiss either!)

4.  I have just finished reading all the Harry Potters from beginning to end!  I'd read them all before years ago, but decided to read them all again in a row - excellent!  I'm off to see the last one at the cinema soon too, but I'm not that fussed about the films.  I don't think they are a patch on the books!

5.  Here is picture of me, as I am really running out of things to say - my brain is not working today!

6.  To read more "exciting" bits of information about me, you can see this post from when I won the Kreativ Blogger award.  (Sorry, that was a bit of a cop out!)


7.  Yesterday I won The Krafty Cupcake's giveaway!!!


So, that last fact about me brings me nicely on to the second thing I want to thank Sue for!!  Yesterday I found out that I won her amazing giveaway, and I received the package at work today!!  So quick!  Much excitement was had in opening all those wonderful goodies!!  I can't believe I won!!


This is the picture from her giveaway post:

All of the above are now mine!!  I am so lucky!


My battery has run out on my camera, and I'm currently charging it now.  So, my next post will be a proper tribute to all the wonderful treats I received from Sue, with lots of photos for you!!  Be prepared to be jealous, though, because Sue has been incredibly generous - I can't quite get over what I've won!  I keep looking through them all again and again!  THANK YOU Sue!!


Oh, I need to nominate 7 blogs to pass on The Versatile Blogger award to.  Here goes...

1. Annaboos House
2. Cherry Heart
3. The Fluff Pot (Becky, I know you just got this award, but I'm giving it to you again anyway! You don't have to give facts and nominate again, as you've just done it!)
4. Kandipandi's Pad
5. 4 Lil' Girls
6. Sew, Ray, Me
7. Unravelled

If any of you have already had this award, or don't like receiving awards, then please feel free to ignore this!!!!  I won't be offended!  :o)

Giveaway Winner!

Exciting day... it is time for the results of my Giveaway!


The prizes are below:

I have put the names into a hat, and picked a winner...


............


...and the winner is.....

Rosa Lily

Congratulations!!!!

Let me know your email address, and I will contact you for your postal address, so I can get your prize posted to you soon!

Hello

Sorry that I've been so quiet lately - another busy week!  Sorry for the lack of posts, and the lack of comments I've left on your blogs - I've had trouble keeping up with it all!


"Hi!" to all my new followers, it is lovely to have you following, and I apologise for my quietness lately!  I must do better!  :o)


Thanks for all the comments on my Giveaway Post.  I'm chuffed by the responses!  You still have until 8pm tomorrow to enter, if you haven't already!


Let me share with you a couple of purchases from last weekend.


New hooks for my keys, as I'm bored with my old one - this is far prettier and girlier!:

(Not the best light for the pic, sorry!)

And some new teatowels, from good old Wilkinsons!:

(How many pictures of one set of teatowels does anyone need to see?!)  ;o)

Also, the lovely Sue from the Krafty Cupcake has very kindly awarded me this award:

Thanks Sue, I really appreciate it!

I'm supposed to tell you 7 things about myself, and nominate 7 other blogs.  I will do all that another day as I can't think of 7 things right now!

Hope you've all had lovely weekends...

50 Followers Giveaway!

Well, here it is at last!!  Finally I have reached 50 followers, so it is time for my giveaway!  Yay!  (Thank you Emily, my 50th follower!)


Here is what you'll win:

We have...

A bag of delicious caramel nibbles (not sure how I'm parting with them!)

The cute little apple tin from Tiger

A crocheted flower brooch with coordinating button (made by me)

Fabric covered mini buttons (made by me)

A lavender felt hanging heart (made by me)

Buttons and Brooch

Lavender Heart

Apple Tin

To be entered into the draw to win these goodies, all you need to do is become a follower of my blog (if you're not already) and comment on this post (I must be able to contact you via your comment).


If you add my giveaway button (below) to the sidebar of your blog, with a link to this post, (and let me know you've done it) then I will give you an extra entry into the draw!  (Feel free to blog about it too!)  ;o)

Closing date will be Monday July 11th at 8pm!  Good luck!  :o)