Little things

Wow - I didn’t expect to go quite that quiet for quite that long!

Where have I been?

As well as wallowing in many of the lovely craft blogs out there, I also gain a huge amount of encouragement from reading blogs that are just about “Life” - you know, with a capital L. Life with kids and everyday domestic drama. I am often left in awe of the wonderful women (and men too) who cope with the most amazingly challenging circumstances with humour and love and matter of fact valour. They keep their heads up and their eyes on the big picture; the picture that is made up of an infinity of little things.

Well, you know that we were moving, of course, and with a family that is never a little thing. But in the overall scheme of a life, it is just a blink. And the fact that we ALL came down with a nasty virus immediately before hand (with almost all of us succumbing to secondary chest infections and/or bronchitis) - well, that would form part of the explanation for where I have been all these weeks, but I won’t even remember that it happened this time next year, because we all recovered in a reasonable period of time with no lasting effects, except for a short lived appreciation of the joy of feeling well. In the scheme of potential health problems it really was just a little thing.

And the fact that when we turned the computer on following the move it didn’t - turn on that is - well, that was a set back. But with a genius husband, a very modest financial outlay, some hard work on his part and faith on mine, that became a little thing too.

Does that explain the absence a bit?

The rest of the time has been filled with the innumerable wonderful little things that are the pleasures of living with a husband who truly blesses me, and with three boys who are growing up before my eyes and becoming such a joy to me. And with the considerably less numerous opportunities to craft and create and enjoy the processes and the products (one day!) So, the big picture is not just “all good” - it’s all great.

Does ironing count as a little thing? Not in my life! So when the ironing board needed re-covering I went to my stash for a rummage. As I often do, I picked up and admired a smallish piece of rather old Laura Ashley print, kindly donated by Lis when I was busy making bunting for our wedding nearly three years ago. The print was a bit too big for bunting to do it justice, so I saved it for something else. But it was too small for most things, too big to “waste” on others. And it did have a faint mark in the middle. I wondered what I would ever find to do with it and put it to one side to continue the rummage… duh! Why shouldn’t I have a beautiful ironing board? I spend enough time staring at it!

Ta da!

‘Cos it’s the little things, right?

I’ve been in the garden……

Hence not doing much at all re crafts etc.  That seems to be what I’m always saying at the moment !!

The weather has been great and I’ve been  sorting out various flower beds and veg beds.  It’s very hard to stay indoors when gardening is something you enjoy and the weather is just right - not too hot, not too cold.  But its raining now, right on cue for the bank holiday weekend.

I have been wearing my hat that I made a couple of months ago for sunny days.   Very much a floppy sun hat, does the job for garden and beach.   I’ve based it on a pattern that my grandmother had from the 1960’s.  It is a work in progress at the moment - I did the first one and the crown was quite high!  Made, I think, to allow it to be perched on the head with a beehive hairdo!  That’s what the picture on the pattern sleeve looks like.   My other hat is also a work in progress.  I use this one for evening times, its great for keeping off the midges and little flies which do enjoy munching me.  

Roll on the sunshine again !!!

Lis

A Walk in the Woods

I am no photographer; in fact it’s the element of blogging that I find the hardest. Having said that, I still want to share with you what I am enjoying on my walks with Millie at the moment. Spring is the season to be in Pembrokeshire. I dare say there are places in the world as beautiful (I see them on your blogs) but I honestly do not believe there is anywhere on earth MORE beautiful than right here, right now.

I love wild flowers best of all and the hedgerows have been full of primroses for weeks now. Apparently the relatively cold April we have been having has kept them coming for longer than usual. Gorgeous. I’m afraid I don’t have any photographs to do justice to the banks of them that I see as I’m driving around, but I did find one clump in the woods, along with lots of other delights that are only just starting to peep through to welcome the new season…

primrose Primula vulgaris

bluebell Scilla non-scripta

harts tongue fern Phyllitis scolopendrium

violets Viola riviniana

marsh marigolds Caltha palustris

wood anemone Anemone nemorosa

wood sorrel Oxalis acetosella

greater stitchwort Stellaria holostea

herb robert Geranium robertianum

cowslip and germander speedwell (plus daisies!)

Primula veris and Veronica chamaedrus

Flowers from along the coast path next time!

Rachael

And the winners are…

I’m very happy to tell you that the winners of our little give away are Sarah at Anyone can Quilt, Lisa (1) at Celebrate Creativity, and a bonus winner, Lisa (2) at Periwinkle. All lovely blogs well worth a visit.

Sarah and Lisa (1) have provided such stalwart support to our fledging blog that I am really pleased to be able to give them a little something back in return. And it was great to welcome Lisa (2) on her first visit with a little gift.

The cards will be on their way soon…

Rachael

So Busy

Unfortunately three weekends of various visitors has rather put back my crafting bits and pieces. Last weekend saw seven adults, two toddlers, one baby and two Labrador dogs visiting. Absolute mayhem but lovely to see everyone. The weekend before was two adults and one parrot (named Looloo). Molly my Newfoundland dog was very good and just curious as was Looloo, who hadn’t really come across dogs before.

Now that normality is nearly restored I can get the sewing machine back out again. I have at the moment some dressmaking bits to see to. I’ve nearly finished my winter coat(I know, a little too late - I started it last year as well !), just the hems to finish and buttons to put on. The pattern was adapted from two patterns I had and, even better, the material was free. It was bought by my late grandmother who never got round to using it. I just had to buy the lining.

My other dressmaking project is a dress that I’ve taken apart, circa, I believe, late 50’s early 60’s. It’s a lovely style, lots of panels with a full skirt but the material was perishing/ripping (it is some sort of tafetta). It is my size (just) so I’ve traced the pattern pieces and made one up to see about adjustments. Not fully put together yet but pictures when I finish and decide what to sort of material to use.

I haven’t seen Rachael for a while with one thing and another but the crochet looks lovely. She did show me the balls of wool when she’d just bought them and they are so soft and such beautiful colours. I’m always slightly envious of knitters and those that crochet as its not something I’m very good at. I did knit a sweater once but it was so loose that it fitted my father ! (he is not small either) so after that I gave up and concentrated on the sewing side of things.

Time to get back into the swing of things !

Lis

Afghan WIP

The first blocks have been completed. As you know, the design and layout of the afghan are in development… and developing as I go along. The ideas are starting to take a somewhat firmer shape in my own mind now. The larger squares shown here were completed before that firming up began. I am going to go back to them and make them larger again so that they are easier to combine with the smaller squares (which by accident rather than design are all roughly the same size.) This will hopefully make the final piecing a plausible reality!

This flower square design is my favourite so far. I like the way it adds extra dimension. I’ll have to beware not to go overboard on these or the end product might be a bit like one of those old flowery swimming caps… know the ones I mean?!

Progress on this project has been slowed down by the need to work on curtains for the house move that’s coming up, but I would love to get this finished before we go so that it can grace my new bedroom. (Like that’s going to happen!)

The little give away

In my last post I promised a little give away later in the week. Well, it’s a little later in the week than I intended but, here it is!

Set 1

I am giving away two pairs of cards that Gareth and I have made depicting vintage fashions. They are designed in the style of old pattern books and are individually finished using pretty print fabrics and gems, ‘cos we all love a bit of sparkle! The cards are printed locally on good heavy card (300 gsm for those of us who like to know that kind of thing…) They are blank inside, making them suitable for all sorts of occasions and we have been using them within the family and among friends for a while but have not put any in the shop for sale yet. I plan to make up a new batch to go in our shop soon, but you could be among the first to get some - and for free!

Set 2

You know how this works … leave a comment and you’ll go in the hat. You’ve got until 26 April, so go on - delurk!

And yes, I have started the afghan project and I think it’s going pretty well. Just waiting for the gift of some time in daylight hours to take and process some photographs and then I’ll show the first few squares. Maybe this weekend…

But we are now getting snowed under with preparations for moving house at the end of May so posts could get a bit few and far between for a few weeks. Don’t give up on us, we will be back!

Rachael

Ta da!

I’ve finally finished the crocheted cushion cover I promised to complete before starting “the great afghan project.” This was my first serious attempt at learning to crochet and wasn’t a very planned project. I basically picked up some left over yarn and a very old book and started making granny squares. Then I made a bigger one, started arranging them and a cushion cover was born… at least in my mind!

Because this was learning piece (OK, what piece isn’t?!) you can definitely see the imperfections/mistakes. I have learned that joining pieces is probably easier and neater if the outer rounds are the same colour. I think I like the back better than the front…

Generally, I think it’s OK, and it marks an achievement - I can crochet, albeit not terribly well yet!

I can now start on the birthday project with a clear conscience, but I must confess to feeling quite daunted by the prospect. I have searched for and found lots of lovely patterns but I can’t imagine myself making any of them. I originally conceived of the afghan as being a sampler piece made up of lots of different medallions, somehow pieced together with fillings where necessary. I’m not at all sure that I can pull it off - it seems almost arrogant to attempt it as a novice, but I do have the excuse that I want to explore and learn as much as possible at this stage. I also have a shamefully low boredom threshold and I am hoping that this approach will mean that I will actually finish the project! So I think maybe I will go with Plan A.

OTHER NEWS…

Juliet has joined Pippa and Iona on Etsy. A sweet country girl and dear friend to Pippa, she is a little shy, occasionally mischievous, and very home loving. A very faithful companion.

We have also listed some more of Lis’ creations from vintage fabric finds, this time in the form of aprons.

Nikki at Tea Escapade very kindly featured one of our tea cosies over on her blog this week. (How exciting is that?! Thanks Nikki!) She is a tea addict and has a talent for finding fabulous tea accessories - I was drooling!

A big thank you to all of you who have found us, particularly if you have left a comment. It means such a lot. As a small token of appreciation I will be having a little give away later this week. Watch this space.

Have a great week!

Rachael

(P.S. My older two boys have graduated to having their own cards for the library and leisure centre. Look at these fab card holders they made to keep them safe!

Don’t you just love birthdays?!

I don’t really go in for Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day (though heaven help darling husband if he doesn’t bother at all!)

I love Christmas but the pleasure really lies in making it nice for everyone else, especially the boys. I love making a big fuss over their birthdays too.

The only day I expect everyone to make a big fuss of me is MY birthday, and they did me proud on Tuesday! Look at these beautiful flowers that my boys bought me (with a little help from Gareth who, incidentally, also painted the gorgeous peony in the background for me a couple of years ago!)

Pink seems to be a bit of a theme this year - take a look at the collection of beautiful yarns given to me by Gareth and my Mum and Dad. I’m going to make a throw (or afghan, or “lapghan,” I may run out of yarn/sticking power!) I am a complete crochet novice but I know that whatever I do it cannot fail to look beautiful in these colours from Sublime yarns, 100% extra fine merino wool. I didn’t order the wool from the company on this link, but it was the best overview of the range I could find on line. I bought mine at Jane’s in Fishguard, a wonderful craft shop that I have only just discovered but is well worth a visit if you’re in Pembrokeshire. I prefer to buy yarn I have seen “in the flesh” as I’m concerned that it’s a lot of money to spend on something that may not be the colour/texture you want. Do any of you have an good or bad experiences buying yarn on line?

I’m not allowed to start this project until I finish the cushion cover I’m working on, but as you can see I couldn’t resist a tiny play on Tuesday evening. Well, it was my birthday… The yarn is so soft!

I initially missed my pressie from my sister-in-law, Liz, as I was vacuuming and didn’t hear the postman knock… that’ll teach me to do housework! So I hotfooted it to the depot to collect…

…these fabulous silicone muffin molds from habitat. Now, is it just me or are these just BEGGING to be filled with CHOCOLATE muffin mixture? Oh, yes, I think so…

Rachael

(p.s. The tea cosies are in the shop - go see, they look so pretty!)

Spring has sprung

Hooray! the blackthorn blossom is coming out. One of my favourites for spring time. Ours always seems a little later than some but certainly makes it seem as if the warmer weather is just round the corner. I enjoy gardening and do a bit of veg growing. I’m planning the usual this year of lettuce, tomato, runner beans and broad beans. Runner beans are such value for money. We always have loads to freeze which is nice for getting out in the winter time. I also enjoy herbs although the beds need sprucing up and some plants replacing as I’ve had them for a while and they’re looking a bit woody. Last year I did a flower bed for the first time with poppies, larkspur, stocks and snapdragons. Borage did creep into it as well as this seeds itself everywhere. Borage flowers are so pretty though and great for having in your Pimms on a summer evening! The bed looked lovely even though it was a rubbish summer and I will do again this year.

My two dwarf rabbits enjoy the sunshine. Minstrel (male - chocolate colour going to caramel in the summer) and Smartie (female - pure white) go in a cage (with a hutch attached) for the daytime and then get put in their main hutch next to the house for nightime. They escaped the other day from their cage and my mother noticed two bunnies happily hopping around the garden. Unfortunately our garden is fairly large and open and so they do need to be corralled. Plus Riff-Raff the cat from the stable next door was lurking in the undergrowth. Luckily the rabbits hopped in the direction of the main hutch and my mother was able to herd them in. They were then confined to barracks for the rest of the day. We have only had one other great escape last year, so not bad going. This time it was my fault in that I had forgotten to secure the gap between cage and hutch.

My mother is also doing a bit of spring cleaning. I came home from work the other day to find the dog’s soft toys had been washed and hanging on the line drying. I couldn’t resist taking a photo.

Lis