About Me

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I currently live in Birmingham and come from Solihull. I have a love of all things crafty, developed from my mom's love of crafts as I was growing up. I currently work in marketing, but I'm a qualified Aromatherapist, and use to be self employed alongside a day job, might one day return to that. I try to fit in crafts when I can, I wish I had more time and money to spend on it! I enjoy researching my family history and finding out about the past. It can get frustrating, but is really rewarding when you have a break through! I hope to meet people with similar interests as me and swap advice/stories.

Saturday 30 November 2013

Christmas and Winter Art

There's some wonderful artists out there with some beautiful wintery images, just thought I'd share some with you.

Whispers to the old moon
Whispers to the Old Moon
By Karen Davis
Winter
http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/winter/images/23436570/title/thomas-kinkade-winter-fanart
By Thomas Kinkade
CUTE!
Wolves - so beautiful in their element!
Winter King
Winter King
By Karen Davis




 

Tuesday 19 November 2013

The Secret Garden

Well, the garden saga continues...it's a real project and having house repairs to do too means just doing a bit here and there. I think it'll be great when all is done, it's just getting there!


We started on the veg patch...dug up some slabs, found hundreds of stones and all sorts of buried rubbish! But there's a load of worms...soil should be good. Still plan to extend the veg patch a bit more, knock down the shed (which is rotten) and have a larger one...lots to do!

The Chickens...as yet unnamed

Still we have some work to do with the chickens, but they are in a much better condition than they were left in!!!

Next we hope to get a proper roof, we covered them in tarpaulins, which was a great improvement as part of the run wasn't covered and the area is so muddy they were just swamped. Hoping we avoid some wet weather for a while to keep them dry. Next year we hope to get a new coop for them, the current one is a little small for 5 chickens, but if we can keep the run and just mend it where needed as it's large enough for them all. So another on-going project!


Plants
The garden's pretty basic, a lot of hedges, some which will become trees if we're not careful, would like to get some fencing up, but that's a plan for next year. Also we have a large tree right at the bottom corner of the garden and whilst I don't want to chop everything down, we could use some branches being cut just to get more light into the garden, else it'll be a bit dark for the veg patch.

I've got various seeds waiting to be sewn next year and ideas on boarders, but for now it all needs tidying, lot of clearing rubbish and then let it settle over winter ready for spring. I also want to introduce some wildlife areas, I love birds, already have a feeding area, but would like some more areas and a bird bath, though there are lots of cats here - seen at least 4/5 different ones and with the possibility of getting one ourselves it's the dilemma of looking after birds and keeping cats away...not an easy win!



Thursday 14 November 2013

Getting Crafty

Busy week with the house move, but getting some crafting done...

My Downton fabrics in blues and greens



Stage 1 - sew all squares together. I quite like the colours here and the different patterns, now just to work out the next stage for my cushion cover



I have also begun the Christmas shopping and whilst trying to make things myself I always come across some lovely items by others, here is Buttoned Up, she makes lovely items so take a look at her stuff and I can't wait to put up my button wreath - I think may be by the fire place...I was also tempted by the heart button wreaths, but this is more Christmassy! She also makes some lovely button brooches, magnets, cushion covers and items for the home!




I also brought this from buttoned, I was tempted to buy one decorated with buttons, but I had a thought - I'm going to try and paint the roses and perhaps the heart they sit on, I'll have to judge how it looks!

 

Monday 4 November 2013

Downton In Fabric!

After a visit to the Malvern quilt show I came across some fabric I had been waiting to buy online, but it was there and so I brought a little (I still need to get a few more fabrics from this range...)

Downton Abbey Fabrics are here and the ideas are flowing, it's just getting the time...

So far I have made a clam purse - all for myself (for once), this was the first time I had made a clam shell, following a guide I managed to put it together, although sewing all the final pieces together was tricky once they started to curve.

Clam Shell Purse

 
The finished clam shell


I used the main Downton Abbey themed fabric for the centre

I used Lady Edith themed fabric on the outside, mostly the fabrics styled on her are light colours including peach and greens.

My next project... a Downton Abbey Quilted Cushion Cover

I have gone for shades of blue and green for this one, there's a mixture of fabrics based on Lady Mary, Edith and Sybil
 
 
 
 
 I would have tried a full size quilt cover which I saw a kit for at Malvern, but for a beginner it was too much, plus at £45 would be breaking the bank right now, can't justify that, knowing it will probably sit in the pile of 'to do' crafts. I have ideas for a few items to make & sell too...just got to find time and get on with it!!





The fabrics all have lovely designs and colours, I want to get a few more of The Dowagers fabrics which are much darker, purples and black patterns.

So my decision to 'use what craft items I have already got' is going out the window, I now have new ideas which require purchasing new craft bits...think I must have a clear out!!