Shabby Chic Memo board

This weekend i did a 2 day craft fair at Backridge Farm near Clitheroe.  This is the second time i have done this venue and the people are lovely.  This time there were some new cake ladies who had made some amazing cakes and bakes!.  I had taken a mix of items with me but ended up selling out of sock monkeys in the first half an hour. I then spent saturday night finishing off half made ones to take on sunday and those sold out just as fast!!.  Overall it was a good weekend and although it wasn't constantly busy i did rather well overall. 

I have made a number of new things recently but didn't get chance to photograph them before the fair at weekend and most have now sold!.  However i do have a picture of a pin board i have made that i didn't take at weekend as it wasn't quite finished.

It was a trial and error experiment but i love it now its finished.  Underneath the dotty fabric is a cork mat (which was a cheap wood noticeboard from wilkinson's originally until i pulled it apart!)  Just need to make some fabric pins for it now.

IPAD COVER

I have had some dotty upholstery fabric sat in my cupboard for ages. It was an offcut that came in a mixed bundle and i was holding on to it to make a nice sturdy handbag. This weekend i decided to change tact and make some IPAD covers from it.  They were dead easy to do and when i get a min i'll post some instructions...

 I made one with a velcro fastening and one with a button fastening.

More adventures with machine embroidery

Anyone who has been following my blog for a while will realise that when i try out something new i tend to become obsessed with it for a while.  Machine embroidery is no different...... Following on from my recent post i have been experimenting and made some lavender scented hanging cushions.  For anyone who hasn't tried freehand machine embroidery give it a go.  Its like doodling with a machine and is so easy. The best bit is it's not supposed to be neat so anyone can do it. 

Baby's first tooth box

Today I thought I’d share my latest make which is really easy and would make a cute gift for a baby.  I started with a wooden box and sanded it down then painted it pastel pink.  Once it had dried I got my gel pen out and added the wording on top and a little heart sticker from accessorise. Then I made a little organza drawstring bag to pop in the box to keep the tooth safe.   That’s it – can’t get much easier.  If you fancy having a go and are looking for small wooden boxes have a look at crafty crocodiles.  They have a fab range of really reasonable priced craft items and delivery is really quick.

Freehand Machine embroidery is the future!

Earlier this year I bought a freehand embroidery needle for my sewing machine but have had hardly any time to have a play with it. Yesterday Mr G took Miss G to Jodrell Bank (the big ear as she calls it!) to look at lots of space and science stuff. I grabbed my opportunity to have a play. I thought I would start with something simple and this is the result….

I made it into a lavender scented cushion for hanging.

After that I made a glasses case

Then I started a snowman which isn’t finished but I’ll post some pics when it is.

Finally I made a bib that my best friend has ordered from me. I now have the bug. I can see a whole load of freehand machine embroidery items making their way to my folksy shop soon!!

Busy weekend,a trip to Hospital and first of the christmas makes!

This weekend Me and Mr G went away for our wedding anniversary for 2 whole night. It was bliss. We stayed at the very posh Lowry hotel in Manchester which was gorgeous and my very thoughtful hubby had arranged for a bottle of Chablis (my fave wine) and a huge bouquet of flowers to be in the room. We did lots of shopping and then relaxed with a lovely meal in the hotel on the Friday. On Saturday we did some more shopping and then met up with friends for a Tesco wine fair at the GMex Centre. After 4 hours of tasting oodles of wine we toddled (or wobbled in my case) off to a lovely restaurant for a meal. A good time was had by all and to top it off Hubby’s favourite football team (Manchester United) were staying in our hotel and were leaving on a coach as we were going out on Saturday so he got to see them – I didn’t recognise any of them!!).

Whilst we were shopping on Saturday morning I got a blister on my foot (bare with me there is a reason I’m telling you this!) from not wearing socks. When we went out on Saturday I put a plaster on it and thought nothing more of it. On Sunday morning it was aching a bit but still not worth thinking about until….. by Sunday afternoon my whole foot , ankle and calf had completely puffed up. I went to bed on Sunday night to find that I couldn’t get out of bed on Monday morning!!. I ended up at A & E to find that after an x-ray I have a chip in my ankle that apparently isn’t a new injury and hasn’t been bothering me at all (no idea when I have done that!!!) but because my foot had become so swollen it was aggravating the chip!. The swelling apparently was from the blister which had become infected!. The doctor ordered me to have it completely rested and elevated for at least 48 hours with minimal pressure for a week -clearly he has no kids then!. I have to say Mr G has been amazing. He made me completely rest on Monday night making tea sorting Lili and even packing her school bag, pack lunch etc.

Anyway on to more interesting things like crafting. I haven’t been able to do much because of being away and then my ankle but I have managed to make a few Christmas Makes. I have been wanting to start for ages but resisted until September. There will be no stopping me now though!.

 I wanted to do a santa stop here sign last year and never got round to it. In the end i went and bought a cheap one from Poundworld - it was one that you stake in the ground it didn't last long!!  This one i have made will hang on Lili's bedroom and i have made an extra one to put in my Folksy shop

 This magnetic calendar note holder is made from a cheap coaster which i have covered with scrapbook paper and added a 2012 calendar and a cute little strawberry peg that i got from John Lewis.  It has a magnetic strip on the back for popping on the fridge. 

Back from the sun!

We came ack from hols on monday night and it has done nothing but rain since :-(. I feel like my tan has evaporated and i'm mad busy at work and with orders and restocking at Btany Bay.  Its like i have never been away.... (but was fab whilst it lasted!)anyway thought i would share a couple of pics from hols and a couple of recent makes with you all. 

 This photo frame is one of my faves and i almost resisted listing it in my shop as i want to keep it myself!