More spring colour :)

Am trying hard to convince myself that spring is really close - the weather even hinted at it yesterday & today when it didn't rain all day!!  There are bulbs in the garden bravely forcing their way through the soil and I look forward to them bursting into colour when the sunnier days arrive.

In a bid to brighten things up I've treated myself to some new fabric FQ's & ribbon - for making eggs & a raggy doll for myself;

I quickly made a small egg this afternoon using the green & yellow fabric - quite pleased with it, definately a better size.  It & the book are coming with me to S&B tonight as I know a few others want to trace patterns out of there.

I've mentioned that I've been plodding on with my knitting - now have 25 squares finished and sewn together - am definately improving - no more dropped stitches or ones added in ;) Its not perfect by any means but not bad for a complete beginner.

Have now started on the  24 squares that will make up the next border - am loving these colours together;

Right off to pack my stuff for tonight - I wonder how much knitting will be achieved this week?

xxxx Vicki xxxx

Springtime

Well a girl can dream can't she?  Saturday was a lovely spring day - blue skies & a strange yellow blob that made your eyes hurt if you looked at it.  I left MrVV with little son (big son had gone off with friends to play badminton) whilst I headed out with my parents to a greenpeace/craft fair in Southwold.

2 of my sisters had a stall there - one selling cards & the other bags & purses - all gorgeous but no pics as I forgot my camera :(  A friend had a stall there too selling a range of handmade items - from clothes to decorative items.  I'm a sucker for anything with Russian dolls on it and I couldn't resist this rather pretty lady who has come home with me & now lives in my sewing room;

Sunday was definately not spring like so the only thing for it was to stay indoors in the dry & warmth & craft :)  I manage to finally sew together all the squares I've made so far for my blanket - can definately see the progression of ability!! (pics another day).  I was also keen to try something from a book that arrived last week;

I thought I'd make some of the fabric eggs to hang on my easter tree.  I though it might be easier to start with the bigger one - except it appears to be more ostrich size than chicken! So instead I've added a bunny face and it can hang by itself;

Think when I can get some more springlike fabric I'll try the smaller size & hope that ends up more normal egg sized.  This is the 2nd book I've got recently which has pictures of eggs & easter items hanging from branches cut from the garden.  This lovely book has a similar idea;

A lovely idea and one I'll definately be doing again this year - this is the only pic I can find of last years - wish I'd taken another when the twigs began to burst into leaf & when the jug was filled with daffs;

Well I've seen the forecast for the rest of the week, more rain and wintery stuff so I guess I shall be spending more time sewing & knitting - something positive to come from all this wet, cold & greyness.

The boys were back to school today, only another 5 weeks & 4 days till their next holiday - lets hope spring is truely with us by then.

xxxx Vicki xxxx

Watch out there's a monster about ;)

What do you get if you mix a bored 12 year old, Mum's felt drawer & sewing supplies with 5 eyes choosen from the haberdashery shop?

This;

(note the 5th eye on the tail poking over the shoulder)

From this picture;

Little son drew his own pattern and raided the felt stuffed drawer to find what he needed. He did most of the cutting out himself and almost all the sewing. He also realised that some of the original design was too complicated so was able to scale it back. My role was to untangle any knots in thread and to machine sew the 2 colours for the body together.

He's rather proud of it & rightly so and is now planning on making one for his little 5 year old cousin.

Off to watch the celebs embarass themselves @ dancing.

xxxx Vicki xxxx

She's finished :)

Oh yes Raggy Dolly is finished and I've fallen in love with her :)  I think I shall have to make one for me now as otherwise my niece won't be getting hers!;

her rear view;)

When the postie came today there was a very interesting thump as the post hit the mat.  When I went to investige I was excited to see an Airmail label on one of the envelopes AND it was addressed to me.  It was my magazine from Megan as part of the magazine swap organised by Floss.  Thankyou Megan - it looks great & you're right some brilliant receipes in there :)

Now this afternoon I'd love to be upstairs sewing however my space has been taken over. Small son has decided to make himself something using my vast collection of felt - all I've had to buy has been some eyes! What is he making? Hopefully I'll be able to show you over the weekend ;)

Till next time

xxxx Vicki xxxx

WIP, Vintage Cath & a hint of crafty stuff

Good afternoon

How is half-term going for all those with school people?  So far so good here - though the awful weather (except yesterday) has meant the boys have been indoors more than I really like.

Work has continued on my doll and as of first thing this morning she looked like this;

Anyhow back to yesterday - it was a gorgeous spring day here in Suffolk - ideal for getting out & about.  I took myself off out for a few hours & caught the train to visit my oldest friend.  She lives in the lovely town of Beccles.  For once as we'd no children to please we decided to meet in town & have a potter & lunch.  The pottering naturally took us round the shops. Despite the town having a huge amount of charity shops, I found no bargains jumping out at me :(  However it also boasts a wonderful wool shop, a superb sewing shop and a few other great places.  I didn't come away empty handed;

(an EB beaker - currently holding pencils)

(more ribbon, some self-cover buttons & knitted card toppers)

(red, white & pink buttons which were then crying out to be put into jars)

We've busy here again baking as today we've had visitors for lunch - one of my sisters & her 2 children.  Little son appointed himself chief-cake decorator;

My nephew who is 5 rather looks up to both boys but especially big son.  Usually they play upstairs with lego or other delights dragged from the back of the boys cupboards.  Today was different, nephew has discovered Nintendo and the wonders of MarioKart, he was determined to beat the boys at this (amazingly they didn't even notice the camera - though looking at the pic I'm wondering if I forgot to switch the flash on!!);

Last but by no means least, Melmel mentioned on her blog about vintage cath stuff and the wonderful wishing books.  I've had a quick hunt through the cupboards & dragged out the oldest ones I can find - Spring 2005 is the oldest one I have and I've completed lost the 2008 ones - am wondering if someone (MrVV?) has recycled them :(.  Trying hard to rack my brains as to my first CK purchase - think it was a classic rose pinny in the blue colourway.  I always wear a pinny when I'm cooking, cleaning and doing stuff in the house and sadly this pinny has worn out completely - and been replaced with a strawberry print one which is also now showing signs of wear :(

I wonder what others will find and blog about??

See you soon

xxxx Vicki xxxx

Body parts ;), needles & a crafting space

Hello - todays post is a mish-mash of things that I want to share with you. 

Firstly these gorgeous vintage coloured knitting needles that the lovely SewHotMitmot sent me.  As a newbie knitter I've only got a few pairs of needles & have been trying to build my collection via the charity shops.  These will all be used for projects eventually - the very longest pair have been earmarked for my next knitting project (more on that another time).

I've finally got my sewing/crafting space more sorted - amazing what the addition of a shelf can do ;)

Now its like this I've also got my sewing mojo back and I've started on a birthday pressie for my niece who is 6 soon.  I've made in the past for my other nieces a rather traditional ragdoll and was going to do the same for this one until I saw this pattern in last months SewHip magazine;

I've got it all cut out now and have started sewing it all together - have the fun job of turning and stuffing the arms & legs to do in a little while.  It is going to be made entirely for recycled materials - both the legs & body are made from t-shirts that I nearly sent for recycling until I saw the pattern;

I had planned a very picture heavy blog, however the weather today is so gloomy & the light so bad, I've put off taking too many pictures until (hopefully) we get a glimpse of sunshine.

Right I'm off back upstairs to stuff & sew.  Have a quiet house - big son is busy playing with his computer & listening to music, MrVV is out all day and little son has gone to the cinema with Country Girl's son :)

Think I'll manage an hour or so up there until its time to come down and have my annual battle with pancake making!

xxxx Vicki xxxx

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

Ok so slightly less cynical than yesterday - mainly due to the large box of Thorntons chocs that I was given this morning - along with a card. Very sneaky MrVV had managed to buy these yesterday when we were shopping and I'd not even noticed - must have been when little son dragged me into a shop to look at clothes - think they may have planned this!

and yes Country Girl - despite my Facebook status - I have shared them :)

So of course I had to get even in the soppy stakes - so whilst doing the veggies for dinner tonight, I happened to shape a roast potato for MrVV;

Well now thats another celebration almost over - judging by the shops this weekend we've a few more to come over the next few weeks - starting with Shrove Tuesday this week, via Mothering Sunday & my 40th next month and Easter of course in April.

This coming week of course is the school holidays and the boys have several things planned with their friends. On Friday big son went off to a Scout/Explorer camp - we've got the packing for these down to a fine art and really only put the essentials in - changes of clothes for only if he gets really muddy or wet.  The deal is that he comes back and literally gets straight into the bath, stopping only to leave his camp clothes in the garage by the washer. This weekend was no exception - everything smelt of campfires and apparently possibly had a hint of rabbit remains on it.  One activity was gutting, skinning and cooking rabbits (fortunately these had already been caught).  This pic was taken before he left & was all nice & clean - trust me you wouldn't want to see the home coming version!!

Right - off to knit & watch Larkrise. See you sometime during the week - have a few things I'd like to show you. For those with children - enjoy your half-terms.

xxxx Vicki xxxx