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