A Busy Weekend

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This weekend has disappeared in the blink of an eye. Little Miss Bossy-Boots was invited to two birthday parties and I don’t know how it happens as they only last for about two hours but they eat up half the day. She had lots of fun, though, and that is the most important.

On Sunday, we dropped Little Miss Bossy-Boots at her auntie and uncle’s for a couple of hours so that we could do a spot of shopping. I wanted to pop into the local fabric shop and just very quickly pick up some fabric. Well….

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Ballet Bag

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As promised yesterday, here’s the ballet bag I finished the day before:

I made a ballet bag similar to this one for the daughter of a friend of mine last year. Imagine my pleasure when Julie came up to me and asked if I could make a bag “like Florence’s” for her daughter Evelyn. Of course, I can. Sadly, I don’t have a picture of Florence’s ballet bag to show you. I forgot to take pictures, doh. On Julie’s request I made the bag a little bigger as Florence’s really is on the smaller side. I also closed it with a flap rather than just a button to make sure things don’t fly out when the bag is thrown about.

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Crafty Chatters or Chatty Crafters?

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I can never remember what we actually call ourselves. By “we” I mean a few of the lovely village mums and I who meet up on a Monday evening to do some crafting. Or not. I believe I’m the worst at taking any projects out of my bag to work on them. Rather, I end up eating cake and drinking decaf coffee. Oh, and chatting to the girls. And admiring and stroking other people’s fabrics.

Monday night came and went without getting my WIP (work in progress), another “I’m in the Garden” sign, out again. I’m trying to stock up on a few things to sell on Etsy. So far I haven’t been very successful at making up stock as I keep giving away things that I make quicker than I can make them. Business woman? Moi? Definitely not. But I’m working on it.

However, I finished the ballet bag yesterday. I’m really pleased with it and am looking forward to sharing some pictures with you tomorrow. The light was gone by the time I cut the last thread so it’s picture time later!

I hope you have a great day! Little Miss Bossy-Boots and I are off to the park to slide on the big red slide and eat ice cream… I might even bring my WIP for some fresh air.

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In the Garden

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Little Miss Bossy-Boots has been a teensy weensy bit trying lately and I haven’t been able to get to the sewing machine as much as I should. I don’t like sitting around doing nothing so I thought of a small project I could move around with me: A “We are in the Garden” sign for our front door.

It has happened to me a couple of times that people have called but I haven’t heard them because I was in the garden with Little Miss Bossy-Boots and Aron our dog. It’s never a problem when Aron’s in the house as he barks at every one walking to our front door. I’d been looking at signs stating “I’m in the Garden” a few times but have never been tempted enough to actually buy one.

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A stack of loveliness

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Aren’t these fabrics just gorgeous? They are Kona solids in baby pink, pomegranate, amethyst, purple, spring and delft. I was in a trance when I ordered these and in the process forgot to order the Kona tomato which I need as well. Oh, well. I suppose that means I’m going to have to place another order soon… Life is so hard.

These lovelies are going to be turned into three swimming bags and a ballet bag.

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A bag for Isabelle

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Little Miss Bossy-Boots has a pink bag I made for her which she takes to her pre-school. In it is a change of clothes (we’re still at that stage although accidents are now few and far between) and sometimes a small toy or some jewellery. I whipped it up very quickly the day before she started and it hasn’t stood up to the use (and abuse) too well. I didn’t use interlining or fusible interfacing but in my defence I have to mention that it was a very quick job and that I had run out of interlining. She still uses it although she has said to me on numerous occasions that she would love a pink and sparkly bag. I have a few projects to make before I can sit down and sew a sparkly bag for her but I’m really looking forward to it.

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the date

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I was going to show you the bag I made for a little girl’s birthday today but I think I will keep it till tomorrow as my mind is on something completely different today.

The 6th April was my beloved grandmother’s birthday. It is also the date my heart stopped during an operation seven years ago and I had to be resuscitated. I knew nothing about it until the following day when the surgeon and anaesthetist came to my room and told me I gave them “a bit of a fright”. The only thing I knew was that I felt rotten. I’d had an operation two weeks previously; also under full anaesthetic and everything had gone well. I even went home the same day.

Well, when I woke up after the second op I felt really, really terrible. It took me forever to actually be able to keep my eyes open for more than two seconds and I did realise that this operation had taken its toll on my body. However, I thought it was simply because it’s no fun for your body to have two operations under full anaesthetic within two weeks.

Meanwhile, Master was sitting at home not knowing what was going on until very, very much later when I managed to call him. As he was “only” my boyfriend at the time the hospital didn’t contact him to report what had happened. I can only imagine how he was feeling at the time.

Seven years later I’m still here to tell the tale and I’m very grateful about that.

Gratulerer med dagen, mormor!

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Crochet Butterflies

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I was bumbling about the internet looking for a pattern for a crochet bird when I happened upon some lovely butterflies by Little Birdie Secrets. They are so easy to make but very effective and I decided to crochet a few to put on some hair clips:

As you can see I also made some flowers but I think the butterflies are much cuter. I did change the pattern a little (I often do).  Here is my version of the Teeny Tiny Butterfly pattern:

Ch = chain stitch;  sl st = slip stitch;  dc = double crochet

Ch 4; sl st into first st to form a ring.

Ch 2; 3 dc into ring; ch 2; sl st into ring.

*Ch 1; 2 dc into ring; ch 1; sl st into ring*. Repeat twice.

Ch 2; 3 dc into ring; ch 2; sl st into ring.

Fasten off and create abdomen and antennae by wrapping a thread around the middle of the butterfly twice. Tie a knot and snip ends.

As you can see the changes are minimal. I start with one top wing then go to the lower wings making them a little smaller by only crocheting 2 dc instead of 3 and ending with another top wing. I just found that my butterflies became more symmetrical like this.

Little Miss Bossy-Boots loves them and I have made a few to add to a pink and sparkly bag she has asked for.

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Happiness

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Hurrah! I found my camera! This has made me incredibly happy as I feel a little bit lost without it. With most of our family and friends being in Switzerland, Ireland and Norway (with a bit of Denmark and America thrown in) I like to think of the pictures we take as the best way to keep a close connexion with them.

Other things that make me really happy are

– hugs and kisses from Little Miss Bossy-Boots

– watching Master and Little Miss Bossy-Boots playing robots or tickle monster

– spring sunshine

– sitting on my bench in the garden with a cup of tea

– listening to two (or more) little girls playing in the sand pit

– seeing Aron’s smiling face when he’s running around in the woods. Aron, by the way, is our dog.

– being greeted by our two cats in the morning

– finding a beautiful stone

– singing and dancing very badly while doing the housework

– my seedlings

This is a lupin, my all time favourite flower. I believe this one is pink (yep, I ‘stole’ some seeds from my lovely neighbour’s plant). For years I have been dreaming of owning a red lupin but I always seem to miss them at the garden centre. Maybe this year will be THE year…. Hint, hint.

This is a beautiful bright pink hollyhock. Little Miss Bossy-Boots chose these seeds. I’m not sure if they are particularly difficult to get to germinate or not but I planted 12 seeds and this is the only seedling that grew. Maybe it’s just me.

There’s so much more but I’ll leave it at that for now. You might get very, very bored if I continue.

What makes you happy?

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Oops!

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I have been making some things for the stall I have at the Easter Fete this Saturday and would love to show them in this blog. However, I’ve lost my camera and cannot find it anywhere.

I got the camera out because Little Miss Bossy-Boots’ godmother came up for the weekend and it’s been missing since. It looks like I might have to take the pictures with my iPhone but before I turn to these desperate measures I’m going to go on a camera hunt again.

Wish me luck…..

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