Made these just before Christmas:

Beaded Gift tags


















Bundle of Long Slim Gift Tags















Christmas Pudding Slider Cards

Long Slim Beaded Gift Tags

Felt Letter for Niece Bethany

The Run Up To Christmas

December 28th already and this is the first time I feel like adding to the blog, I have been busy but the times I haven't I have just crashed in front of the TV and dozed - I must have needed it!
I actually got to Chrismas Eve this year and for the first time ever did not need to do any last minute shopping for gifts that I could not make my mind up about. I am very indecisive - a procratinator? But sometimes I amaze myself with fast decisions.

Since the last entry we had a family night out at our local Italian, Mezzaluna, for Richard's sister's birthday. Here we are all 'dressed up' and ready to go............but thats all because we forgot to take the camera with us!!

Christmas Decorations:

Was feeling a bit fed up because I was desperate to have a real Christmas Tree this year......I love the whole "going to buy it, untying it and it pinging open, decorating it experience" and the smell of a tree is Christmas. Last year we went for a white theme just for something different and though it was pretty I like 'traditional'. However cost cutting, we decided to bring out our old green tree.......

Christmas 2007

Snowman

Father Christmas
Gingerbread Boy on Reindeer

Christmas 2008 Tree - The very first tree we had when we bought our first house together- I can remember it being quite expensive at the time and when we dragged it down from the attic and unboxed it this year we felt rather disheartened, but once up and decorated it was 'my traditional Christmas' just the real tree smell missing!

We had our staff Christmas party on Saturday 22nd Dec, and it felt very festive, normally we have it the first week in December (because we are late organisers and that's the only date left!)Arrangements were made for the girls to sleep over at my Mum and Dad's so Richard could take me and, bless him, come out for me at half one in the morning so I might have a drink this year, though it is funny to be the only sober driving person and watch drunken antics! Had a great night.

Black Ice Bright Sunshine

Beautiful bright morning but deceivingly icy. Took Tilly out down the lane and nearly ended up on my back several times, avoided the cars sliding down the road and watched apprehensively as a van narrowly missed hitting my garden wall!

Got my sewing machine out to have a tinker with it because it is still not sewing smoothly and ended up making these pretty trees from a pile of scrap felt pieces - just need to add a few sparkley beads!

Just pondering how many I could have made if it was sewing properly!

Got to venture out to town soon to meet my husband in his lunch hour and try and pick up a few gifts without our daughters - hope the ice has gone before I go.....

Coldplay Sheffield 29 November 2008 Viva la Vida

Had a fantastic evening, my Mum and Dad had the girls over night, while we went to see Coldplay kick off their UK leg of the tour at Sheffield Arena.
Can't find words to describe their performance........simply brilliant.......absolutely one of my favourites.
This was the first of four concerts we have booked over the next few months...............don't see anybody for ages then loads at once.........costs a fortune, but worth it! I'm glad we live so close to the Arena, I hate travelling home after the concerts.
Still got Simply Red, Keane and.........................er The Ting Tings......my husbands choice, that said I have been listening to them and I am looking forward to it.


http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=cLQA0QsyE2w

Christmas Orders!

Another wet start to the week, this was actually hail / sleet, but I was cosy warm inside ..........stitching of course!!




I finished some desk calendars which can also be hung up too:






And I finished these three letters off for my friend at ('proper' paid) work, which are Christmas gifts.







Thats all for now........ooh sold a felt cake on ebay.

More Spending (Investing?!)

A Beautiful rainbow of buttons purchased on ebay, I think I got a bargain, they are so much lovelier than I expected!

These cream wirework baskets and racks I got from TK Maxx, kitchen ware but fantastic for displaying goodies at craft fairs!

The green distressed photo frame will be perfect for stall name or info on products.

FREE P&P FOR ONE WEEK ONLY IN MY ETSY SHOP!!!

Have a look here

Offer ends midnight Sunday 23 November!!

Felt Supplies have Arrived!!

I've been spending online this week and most of my orders have arrived , which is good and bad. Good because I am really pleased with them but bad because my mum and dad had told to me to order something I wanted to put away for Christmas, but now I have seen the wool and scrim. I also bought a felting kit I want to use them NOW!!
I got these from rosiepink there are links here to ebay and etsy site where these products are sold:




Beautiful, beautiful colours!

So I thought I'll just sneak a few bits out of the packs to have a play around with, which I did and now I want it ALL!
So do I keep it and quickly order something else thats gorgeous or control my urges and pack them back up....................I think I will be on Etsy for ages tonight looking for something else!!

It is also my hubby's 39th birthday today (and Prince Charles' 60th, my husband was born on his 21st, and my friend's daughter's 18th, she was born on my husbands 21st...weird!...Happy Birthday to all three)
I was quite organised for it and all I had to do yesterday was get a couple of birthday cards, which I did, then as I was driving home I had one of those horrible realisation moments when I remembered I had left the cards in a drawer of my desk.............so I had to call back in today on our way to the Mexican restaurant......better late than never...... he was thrilled with the surprise tickets I got to see the Ting Tings in Mar09.
I will remember EVERYTHING weeks in advance for his big '40' next year!!

(I don't know how to get these photos smaller!)

Ooh.....I also saw one of my photos today on this blog.

Lest we forget...

No rain first thing so took Tilly for a lovely walk down the lane, by the farm and back up the other lane. All the leaves are a lovely golden orange now and the breeze was sending them fluttering down, won't be long till the branches are bare. I tried raking up the leaves in the garden yesterday but it was very blustery and they were swirling everywhere




....gave up when the rain started!

Got home and had a hot coffee and put on the computer as I had already decided to spend most of the day listing items from a pile of handmades on Etsy after having my second sale there - my little frog keyring:




My first ever sale was a handmade card:




I had a crafty weekend after being inspired by some photos by heartfelthandmade on flickr so I made these two pretty letters for my daughters:






The day has flown by - fingers crossed for some more Etsy sales!!

Riverboat Party for Uncle John's 70th

Had a really enjoyable evening yesterday. I finished early at work (Bank) so I could go home to get ready for my Uncle John's surprise 70th birthday party. My cousin had organised a riverboat for the party with buffet meal. This is my uncle and cousin with his wife.






I have never been on a riverboat so I was rather apprehensive, thinking we would be bobbing all over! It was very gentle journey and we had to go through some locks, that was so interesting - I can't believe we have never done it before!





It was a lovely setting through Leeds city from Granary Wharf ( lots of the buildings and apartments had pretty fairy lights - it was quite magical!) and then through some countryside.
There were abount 24 of us on the boat and my cousin had taken some CD's with 'old' 50's and 60's music the stuff they used to play at family parties when we were children - it was quite nostalgic. Delicious buffet and champagne too. We met up with relatives that we usually only see at weddings etc! All in all very lovely evening.......just need an excuse for another one soon!!

Me and my Dad



Me, my Mum and sister Jane



and this is me and my husband Richard



and a few pics of the locks!

Sew Hip - New Magazine - I made these...

I was waiting ages for this magazine to come out and was sure our local newsagent/supermarket wouldn't stock it but YAY they had it on the shelves the day it came out!! I was so excited I embarrassed my daughters with my outburst!

First thing I made was the kitty but I have no fabric so made it from felt.
Then Elenor wanted an owl so we adapted the pattern slightly and hey presto wise owl!






Owl is now on Etsy and Kitty will be soon.

What do you think of 'Sew Hip'?
Anybody made anything from it yet?

Remember Remember the 5th November!

I hadn't even thought about Bonfire Night till today, so we are not going to one....instead we are having all the delicious heartwarming food at home! Jacket potatoes with assorted toppings - chilli cheese beans and lots of naughty butter too and sticky rich parkin mmmm..... I'm relieved we are not going anywhere as it's the first year we have Tilly and I'm not sure how she will react to the noise from the fireworks outside, so at least we will be in to take care of her. We live on a hill so will have a great view of the fireworks from the warmth of our home - it's a wet and windy evening!

I had a horrible morning, anxiety attack, not had one for ages.........if you've suffered one you will know how terrifying they are..... Ended up going down to my Mums as hubby was at work and girls at school and I felt so alone.
Of course it passed like they do but each one makes me think it's gonna be the last one.

I had a better afternoon getting my hair cut and catching up on Etsy etc that I missed in the morning, browsing numerous interesting blogs and before I realised it was time to pick up the girls from school.

I got WW tonight ( before I have all the above scrummy food!! lol ) and work tomorrow (sigh).

Paper*Cakes - Shoppe Now Open On Etsy

This is one of my favourite blogs and the Paper*Cakes Shoppe has opened it's 'doors' too on Etsy. Beautiful work, take a look!

Happy Halloween!

Plushies Softies Stitching & Doodling

Had quite a varied week craftwise, with it being school holiday week I had more time to 'play' without feeling guilty. I got back into my stitching, though I wanted to do some machine sewing but it's not working properly (aghh scream)......I took it to bits and cleaned and oiled it but it still won't go.....hmm. My Mum and Dad got it for me when I was 18 so it is now 21 years old. My husband said why don't I treat myself to a new one for Christmas, I think I would but my lovely (not working) machine has so much sentimental value. I Managed to make a mini patchwork cushion while muttering under my breath though!





















Then went onto hand stitching and I made a little monster plushie/softie and personalised it on the back.































I made a white and gold Christmas Heart felt decoration which I embroidered and beaded.





















Wednesday the girls went to their Grandmas and it was a lovely sunny morning which I spent in the conservatory just doodling and colouring.






















I finished the stocking on my advent calendar crossstitch and made a start on an Angel.