Lots more Peg Bags!

When Burnice and Linda came over during the week we had decided to make peg bags. They really liked the ones I had already made and as I want to sell them at Gilly's Xmas Bazaar I made a few more. Burnice was making a green one for a friend and she had enough fabric to cut out an extra one which she very kindly gave to me to add to my little stock! These are the four I made today and I have another one already done so I shall just add a few pegs and they are all ready to go.

Art Journal Weeks 42 and 43

I have taken my time to do Week 42 because I couldn't decide what I thought! It was all about "Coincidence, do you believe there is more to it than just coincidence? Do you have any stories of coincidences? Include some numbers". I just couldn't make up my mind....

Week 43 was about being sociable. "Are you sociable, do you prefer large or small gatherings, can you do small talk? Can you amuse yourself, do you like your own company? Include an invitation". I always thought I was a social animal and hated to be alone with just myself, particularly as a child. But as my days have become crammed full with being a wife and mother to 4 I crave time alone. Now my lot are growing up I get time alone and I love it...just as long as it's not toooo long, a day is enough at a stretch. And I am much more choosy about socialising; I prefer to pick who and how I socialise. Life is too short to spend time socialising with people I don't know /like! Right, it's official; I am a Grumpy Old Woman!

No invite in this however...I couldn't work one in and I was in a painty mood. I also have a social gathering to attend today that I am unsure about so I think that is swaying my choices.

I crochet....

OMG! I did it! Remember that hexagon knitted throw and how it needed a crochet edge? Well when my friends Linda and Burnice came over we were too bust sewing to do it so last night I got a book out and had a bash......

...and I did it! Double crochet all round the edge, two rows deep! Obviously this pic only shows one row but it does finish it off. I know it's very basic but I couldn't be more excited....
...even tho' I think I have done it a bit tight and the blanket doesn't quite lay flat! Hey-ho, it's rustic!

We can see you-hoo!

I am a new addict to Pinterest; guess what I found on there? The pattern for these super cute owls. As owls seem to be "the thing" at the moment I thought these might go down well at Gilly's Christmas Fair. They are very quick and easy to make too!

A Bag for Eliza.

I am sure you remember the couple of 60's style bags I made over the summer. Eliza has been waiting for me to make one for her too but I mislaid the fabric she wanted me to use. Whilst a-rummaging in the loft last week for wool to finish my blanket I found it so finally I did it for her. This fabric was given to me some time ago; I didn't know what I was going to do with it but I knew I would use it one day. I guess it is meant to be nursery fabric but I think it is rather retro and cool and Eliza loves it as a bag!

Art Journal Week 41

This week was "Films; What was the first film you saw at a cinema and who with, favourite film, include some film meomorabilia". Well I wasn't quite sure whether the first film I saw was Dumbo or Snow White. I have very clear memories of going to the cinema to see Dumbo and joining the queue but being sent home when we reached the front as that showing was full and then having to go back later for the next showing. I also remember going to see Snow White and ducking down behind the seats because I was scared when I saw the witch! So I Wikipedia-d both films and discovered that Dumbo was re-released in '72 and '76 and Snow White in '75 so from that I deduced that my first film was Snow White! We lived in a cul-de-sac at the time and I went with a girl who lived down the road called Fiona Avery....I won't say she was a particular friend because she was bigger than me and I remember she pinched me REALLY hard one time when I was playing with her. Still I had the last laugh because she poked her fingers through our back gate (after being told not to), and was bitten by our rather anti-social, uber protective, dog at the time!
Anyway I digress, fave film is really any of the three Baz Luhrman Red Curtain films; Strictly Ballroom, Romeo and Juliet (the one with Claire Danes and Leonardo Di Caprio) and Moulin Rouge. In the end I plumped for Moulin Rouge as I just ADORE Ewan McGregor.....swoon!!!

Patchwork knitted throw

Hmmm well it looks a bit ropey now, but this is what I have been doing over the last few weeks. It is meant to be knitted in very chunky wool but being a meanie I used 2 strands of double knit together and used up some of my stash of wool. The hexagons are in 4 different designs and for some reason the very bobbly ones just didn't come out very hexagonal! Still they went together ok and I think that has pulled them into shape a bit more.

Now I need to crochet an edge.....LINDA!!!! or HELLY!!!! help please! I think that will help hold the shape too. And I have some more ends to sew in but it took me a whole day to sew together so I was bit bored of ends by the time I had joined all the hexagons! Looks a bit of a funny selection of colours in the photo....tis better in real life, honest!

Art Journal Week 40

Yes it is Week 40! This week we are thinking about "Birthdays-do you celebrate/remember them? Have you had any memorable ones? Use a candle on your page." Well at my messy play session at Gilly's on Saturday I did this pinky pink background using shaving foam and cosmic shimmers. I borrowed the candle stamp from Gilly (bless her-I think we thoroughly ravaged her stash on Saturday- sorry) and rescued the cupcake from wrapping paper in the bin! Mounted it on card and added some glitter to it and the edge of the page and another one in the bag! Just 12, yes really only 12, more to go!

My Crafty Day at Gilly's!

I went to Gilly's on Saturday for a "scrapbooking" day. Hmm not a lot of scrapbooking got done. I have had a rubbish week and both are things completely out of my control. So first it was decreed that we needed Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, the Glamour selection of course, supplied by my glamourous friend Helly...

As the winner of the most rubbish week AND a Krispy Kreme virgin, I got the glittery one....

...so pretty! We then spent the day getting messy. We played with Sharon's meltpot, used shaving foam and Cosmic Shimmers, made paper roses and then Helly wanted a go with my gesso. Well it is a bit old my gesso, and a bit smelly so the oh-so-gorgeous-Helly soaked a tissue in geranium oil...

.....well what more can you say! Luv Ya Helly!!!

Art Journal Week 39

Bit late with this one but I couldn't quite decide what to do. Our theme this week was " Are you extravagent? What is your biggest extravagence, use something extravagent". I had all sorts of try-outs for BG but in the end I painted it gold and then embossed the central panel. My extravagent bit was the fancy ribbon with pearls on. Then I was stuck with how to journal!! So this one is definately "less is more". I guess my other extravagence is my Doc Marten boots; I have three pairs so far...

Art Journal Week 38 (I think!)

This was last weeks but I have been doing my LSNED so I haven't had time to blog it yet! Our prompt was "Are you Lucky, material or otherwise, use a lucky charm". Great excitement as I got to do a B/G using a technique I learnt at Ally Pally with Glimmer Mists and cling film. Then I stamped over it with my new brick stamp and I had a nice rub on that had the word "wealthy" that I crossed out. How could I say I wasn't lucky with all these things in my life; I certainly never win raffles or competitions but where it matters, I consider myself very lucky.

LSNED last few days

So here are the last few days. Day 28 and I finally managed to knit a hexagon that I have been trying and unpicking about six times! It's not a new lesson but one I sometimes need to remember from time to time when it would be easier to give up.

Day 29 and I think most of the UK has been enjoying these unseasonally high temperatures. We haven't actually done anything different because we have been choc-a-bloc with pre-planned "stuff" but it has been so lovely to sit in the sun and just slow things down a bit.

And lastly, Day 30. A double-edged sentiment here. I had an unexpected day off so I decided to go for it and try a longer run. The pink route is my 2.5 miles I managed today contrasted with my normal blue route.

I also made it to the end of my album! Here are all the pages ready for binding; don't expect daily blog posts from now on! I have a heap of house stuff to catch up on that has been pushed aside to get this done.

LSNED Day 27

Today was our Harvest Celebration. We walked all the children in Key Stage 1 to a local farm and had it in the open air, in the unseasonally hot, blazing sunshine! They had made bunting which we hung in the trees and we had a decorated harvest table complete with life size animals! The children sang their socks off! This is something the school did for the first time last year but it poured so they were in a barn. I am so pleased to be part of such a fabulous idea...I bet these children will remember their harvests long into adulthood and it is so much more meaningful to be surrounded by all that we are saying thank you for.