Long awaited news

My oh my, I can't believe it's end of June!!! Yes, I'm still here! As always destiny does its own thing, paying no attention to us mortals and our wishes. Life just rolls on and so must we. So I did.

The holiday was long been and gone, had a lovely time seeing my mum and family. Weather was disappointing, it actually snowed on Easter Sunday!!! Ha! This is how long I have not posted!

Plenty of rest, lazy days of couching (yes, just sitting on the sofa and doing not much) and late nights spent addictively watching telly. I found this great channel Home+ and Kitchen+ and I swear to you all I did is watch people build houses and cook! That was amazing!

Getting back to reality wasn't easy, we had ups and downs at the shop but we are still going. I mean this recession MUST end soon, right? It can only get better, I'm sure.

I must admit, I have not done any patchwork lately! Just don't seem to be able to find time...:(

However trip to Malvern was oh-so-amazing! Are you all spent? Cos I surely am! Broke in fact... Will post my goodies at a later date.

And last but not least: the long awaited news:

Let me introduce to you my baby: Iza Faith Gardiner, due 13 November 2012:)

This is the real reason I was silent for such a long time. Just felt  HORRIBLE all the time and was a nerve wreck till my 20 week scan yesterday.  But all good and I 'm happy to say we are having a perfect, healthy girl.

Anyway. How is everyone???

Ola

xx

A bit more fame:)

OMG! Where does the time go? Feels like just been two minutes since I blogged (wow, new word here!) last time. Happy to see the weather improve, I love sunshine! Plane tickets are booked and I'm off the 27th:) Will be so lovely to see my Mum and family and all my dear friends.

But meanwhile I must share this with you! I have been featured in a magazine again! The article was "Beginners guide to wedding stationery". Challenge: teal and brown! Well, not for me, my two favourite colours! 



So this is what I created:

Remember I wrote about this fun knitting project we got involved with? It's called Yarn Bomb Knitting and apparently big thing around the world. So we went to our first meeting (in a pub, hehhe, we received few funny looks!) and that's my result... Well, I only know the basic stitch but love the yarns. I thought I would put to test the yarns we got in the shop and mix and match. I do like to experiment! Knitting ribbons? Oh, yes!

And now it turned into an exciting event: we will be making jumpers for trees in our Market Square:) It is suppose to involve youngsters into other things than just Xbox or Ds. So we are working closely with The Unit (a place where young people aged 16-19 can find their way of living). And the nice thing is few local businesses work together in order to do this! Nice.

Happy knitting! x x

Very busy week

Hello there!!!

Well, it HAS been busy! First of all, an update on my green blackwork: I am rather excited about it! And it's not even halfway there:)

Practise continues on crochet:) Pink and purple and it WILL be a cushion cover one day... Maybe even two, so each girl can have a cuddly cushion. 

Scraps of fabric that seem to grow more and more.... Lovely picture frame!



And another one with some sequins sewn on. I am running a workshop on these and already excited about the outcome! Imagine everyone using different fabrics and creating some fab frames! Roll on Tuesday!

Just got my free papers with magazine, collection of Nitwit papers! So made up few gift boxes. Me thinks: perfect for little chocolates for both my Mums on the 18th:)

Changed the window display in the shop. It's very sweet, used my e-craft well machine to cut flowers, butterflies and bees! I have gone really mental!!! It looks like spring in here...





And have been to very interesting meeting last night. Bomb yarn!!! I will be knitting:) Stitchery clubs starts tomorrow and I am thrilled! We will be covering blackwork, cross-stitch and other forms of needlework. Uff, have my hands full:) But very happy.

Till next time!

 x x

Ideas....

Last few weeks my head had been buzzing with ideas. I have far too many and not enough time to do it:( Oh life is so hard... Not!!!

Blackwork pattern not so black:) Saw this stunning piece at friend's and knew gonna HAVE to do it. It's quite big and this is 1/5 of it:) Chose green as it might be  agift for my mum for her b-day.

Always fancied trying scrapbooking. This lovely book was STARING at me at Paperchase, begging "buy me" so you understand I had to buy it. Not very traditional album for scrapbooking as I found out since but who cares? I am just being creative:)

First page of my scrapbook: pics from my Big Day. I love it, but should I really take another hooby on?

Hat pins... I knew I shouldn't have gone to town. Oh Fabric Land! Not sure yet what I am gonna do with them:)

Aaaa! Just few fat quaters! Love these colours. Possibly join my passion for patchwork with the blackwork (green actually) cusion.

Sweet paper roses. Fancy that... Gift box perhaps?

Happy Crafting!!! x x

Porton Lace School

Phew... Porton Lace School has finished! And here are the results:
This is my intake on buckspoint lace (bright red as I mentioned before). Not that you can see much apart from pins.

Our group: Christine, Bev, Sally, Jan, Liz and Margaret. Al working very hard:)

Margaret has nearly finished Jan's new pattern: Christmas Fan. Only 150 bobbins....

Liz is making torchon tea coasters.

Louise meant to start on Lady Isabella before she got called for on duty...

And then we had a bit of this:)

Sally makes this pretty pattern which was adapted from an old embroidery pattern.

Bev making Milanese lace.

Close up on my pillow:) Pins, pins and more pins!

On the other hand, shop has new window display. I spent hours stitching felt flowers and used my "new baby", e-craft, to do the paper petals. Oh they look cute. Will update you on my flower making craze soon! Till next time then!
 xx

One year older:)

Uff... It has been busy couple of weeks. First of all: my birthday treat: a day out . We went to Bath to see the Costume Museum and it was amazing. Fantastic displays of Sports and fashion, glamour and gloves through centuries. Let's not forget their regular display of fashion. Here is me trying on corset and a crinoline. Why did women ever got rid of these? I loved it! Nice waist and really femine look thanks to the wide dress. Oh, I should have been born in 19th century:)

Followed by a visit to famous patchwork shop (The Country Threads) and cream tea:)

Nice, thanks Rob. And just day after my birthday another excuse to indulge ourselves: Valentine's Day. Disappointed by out of stock Ben and Jerrys had to "force" ourselves to buy and eat Hagen-Daaz. Mhm... :)



And the girls room is ready. When they came to stay for the weekend they wouldn't leave their bedroom. We actually had to go in the morning and get them for breakfast. Bless, they were just happy there, playing. Good kids really:) We slept till 7.30!

Proper princess palace. What can I say, it HAD to be pink.

Discovered new skill: I can make window nets. A short visit to my favourite Fabric Land ended up in buying this lovely pink net with small gems on it and some pink lace ribbon.

Cut it to form the half circle at the bottom, add the lace and done! I am well pleased with it. It does look very cute.

 And of course it would not be complete without the pink linen. One is with butterflies and the other with hearts. Well, we had two very happy kids for the weekend.

Woodmouse 2

Good morning!!!

As promised I am sharing with you my woodmouse 2. It looks very sweet, I really do like blackwork:) Have I mention that already?:)

We will be holding a blackwork workshop at the shop next Tuesday and I can't wait!!!

Carolann promised to come up with a design of her own, I understand it's going to be a bookmark!!! As I am a keen reader that will come handy won't it? Unless I end up giving it away as a present (like most of my work)!

 

And Saturday it's a lace day!!! All day of thread and bobbins craze!!! There are two ladies coming from Cheshire which reminds me of someone nice I meet on a blogger:) Will be thinking of you Diane!

Till next time!

Happy crafting!

x x

Cardmaking craze

Hello there all my crafty friends!
Today I am sharing with you some pics of the cards my groups made.

This one is for Diane Crewe:)
Violet as you see, one of my favourite colours. Just got my free papers in a magazine (Hot Of The Press, OH HOW WE  LOVE them!) And couldn't resist, had to make a card!!! Simple concertina flowers add interesting texture to it. I hope you like it:)



These were made by Debbie who from a customer turned into a very good friend. I love how crafting brings people together!!!

Valentine card workshop went very well with TWO groups!!! And of course the never-be-bored-with Nit Witt Collections Paperes. This pretty card was made by Darren, yes you read ok, it was a man! Came to make a card for his partner whom he knows since childhood (they are both in their fifties) and even though they live miles away from each other their love is the real thing. Wow, I mean, he travels for three days a week about 150 miles to be with his lady:) How sweet:)

Cards made by a girl who is very new to cardmaking and very shy. I have known her for few years now and I am very proud of her as she is coming out of her shell:) She has got so much to offer. I am thrilled she chose to come and cards with me:)

Debbie yet again turns my designs into "her" own thing. I love it!!!

Workshop on felt stitched cards was great as well:) We used a lot beads and fab glitter and metallic threads. I managed to convince few ladies that you CAN use fabric and felt on your card projects!

I am so privileged to have such a wonderful job that allows me to combine hobby with supporting myself financially:) And I am very lucky to meet these fantastic people!!!

Finishing touches:)

First of all, thank you ladies for popping in and leaving your supportive comments:) It's like having our own little crafty family:)

I have managed to add a little frame in lovely copper fabric but now me thinks it needs another green one around it. ?

Mainly because it won't be big enough for a double bed (B-day gift for Mum). Behind the quilt that is my husband lurking there:) Looking very self-content.



This "little" project was completed two years ago. We were having block of the month in our club and the theme was stars. I really enjoyed it and though full of mistakes I have learnt so much by doing this. Was supposed to go on our bed but we have moved since and the colours of the bedroom have changed....Oh, well, will HAVE TO make another quilt:) Malvern Quilt Show come! Come! 

Happy crafting! x x

Addicted to needlework:)

I just can't help myself. I love blackwork, totally obssesed with it now. Such a lovely pattern to work with. We stock Woodmouse at 7th Heaven and as soon as I saw I knew I had to make it. There is Woodmouse 2 and it's nearly finished, will keep you posted on it:)  All I want now is to have enough ££££ to frame it and put on the wall as a reminder how far I have come:) 

I have also finished my piece of lace. As you might know by now I don't do WHITE lace:) This is an original pattern by my mum-in-law Jan Gardiner, it sat on the pillow for months and I was quite annoyed with it at times. But now that it's finished I'm gonna miss it:) I have used olive green and black thread there and I have arranged bobbins randomly just to see how the threads wiil behave and how the colours will affect each other. Well, the result quite astonished me:) It is the best piece of lace I have done so far. But got fed up with torchon so....

... now I was set with a challenge and got buckspoint lace on my pillow (for those of you who don't know about lace: buckspoint lace is a naughty lace, it's got naked pins!!!!). And the colour you ask? Bright R*E*D:):)

The healing power of crafting...

It's been so busy recently! Had to get the room ready for the girls, it's candyfloss and lilac:) Love it or hate it:) Workshops are picking up so well that I spend most of my time crafting and teaching, oh joy...!

Last night I realised how important crafting is in our lives, regardless what you do. I know I WOULD DIE without my quilting and cardmaking and all the other bits I do. But I am a gig:) Something happened that changed my way of thinking slightly.

A lady came to my class last night, she wasn't on the list and I was surprised to see her. And then she said that something terrible happened in her life recently so she thought she would come in and do a bit of cradmaking. My heart fell into pieces, all I could do is to give her a hug. We made fab Valentines cards and after they left I realised one simple thing: her coming to my class was such a compliment. She chose to come and spent some time with us, wow, that thought is so overwhelming! I am quite astonished. And I feel very privileged to have people like her in my workshops. It's motivating and it's pushing me to keep going! Money is not even that important! I helped someone in difficult times. I thank the Lord for gifting me with my skills for the energy to do this... I hope she feels better soon.

Famous at last!

Well, it finally came:) Fame:)

Little interview in Creative Cardmaking magazine! How cool is that?! Now all I have to do is enter all those competitions and projects... 24 hours of a day is not enough. I need more! Would 36 make the difference? x x

Favourite Christmas gifts

Today has been a great day! I went to my patchwork club, I missed all the girls dearly and it was nice to see what they have been up to:)

And I thought I will share with you my best Xmas gifts: books!

I always wanted to have a go at making my own bag but it was scary! Now with this fab book I might try:) And this sweet little thing is so pretty I just want to sew all the time! As a cat lover I just couldn't resist those images. And as it appeared under the Xmas tree I must conclude that my lovely Robert does listen!

Have you got any cool books for Xmas?



Finished (almost) sewing my quilt top together. One day I will write a story about this quilt, it will be called: "How NOT to quilt." Now just have to finish it off with a nice frame. Copper me thinks...

Brand new resolution for new year!

Well, I decided:
I really need to start finishing all those UFO's I put away. My biggest challenge for this month:

My favourite greens and browns in a twisted version of shadow square block with some plain green frame. And I will try to sew it diagonally! Will post you when I am done! Might be November:)

I quite like this diagonal set up:)

Just finished another piece of blackwork! And again I just couldn't not to add any fabric. Thought little cheerful red piece will work. This one is going on the wall in my flat!!! However there is something I would like: more professional camera!

A bit of lace

Today I am going to post stuff about my other hidden hobby: bobbin lace! Well, having Jan Gardiner (famous lacemaker) for a mother-in-law, I stood no chance. I had to learn how to make lace:) Wasn't quite sure if it's gonna work for me but it did! The problem is with so many exciting interests I really find it difficult to do all. Anyway, here is the project I am just about to finish. It's called Knot Garden, it's a simple torchon lace but I decided to put my twist on and instead making it in white I went for black and olive green. What's more, I put the bobbins randomly, there is no pattern how the colours should appear. And this is what I achieved: