My Swap items from Kim

After having spent ages looking on my phone for these pictures I discovered that they were actually on my camera!

Kim managed to "stuff" an amazing amount in her cracker swap and put me to shame really.  I will need to brush up on this skill for 2017!

Several handmade felt tree decorations which will be added to my special box of felt decorations that i have collected over the years through blog swaps such as this.

Sewing needles which I am in need of .  A candle which we have have already used and it smelt lovely. Some sewing threads which I shall keep for a special project.

Great polar bear fabric, ribbon to wrap it all up in and a knitted cowl/snood in lilac.  Lovely gifts all in a kitchen roll!

Many thanks Kim and this is definitely a swap that I shall do again. 

XX

Merry Christmas! 2016

Merry Christmas everyone!  For some around the world it might even be Boxing Day!  Hope you  have all had a lovely time and I hope to be around more in 2017.

I will be taking some time off work which will hopefully give me some timme to create and blog about it!

More on that another time.

Take care all.

XX

Cracker swap 2016 - My Swap to Kim.

Cracker Swap 2016

This year I decided to sign up for just one swap and thought this one would be a fun one to try and I hadd not done it before.

Firstly I needed to intercept a kitchen roll before it was squashed in to the recycling!

I was then pair up with Kim and set about making and finding some lovely Christmas items to fill the kitchen roll.

I do not seem to have any other pictures but the one below of the items that I sent.  However, it inlcuded a stocking, felt decoration, book mark, ribbon, tissue holder, mini torch keyring, chocolate, Eden keyring, Eden pencil and some festive bell earrings!

I manged to keep all of the contents together by wrapping round some fabric which I hope Kim will be able to use next year!
 It has since arrived and if you would like to pop over and seee Kim's blog then click on the link
HERE.http://thishappyhomemadelife.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/christmas-cracker-swap.html#comment-form

Next post will show what Kim sent me.
Take care and Merry Christmas everyone!
xx

Locked Out.....But back again.

Typical......had time over the summer to blog more so I get locked out of my blog and have to try and fin the original passwrod etc.

Got it done and thought you might like to see a little video that I took at the beach in Seaford this summer.

First time I have added a video from my phone to not sure if it will actually wwork properly but lets give it a go!

xx

OPAM June and July and a little bit of August 2016

I have been busy trying to complete items and make new ones but not so good in actually blogging about them.  Workshop dates and the end of the school year does play havoc with the memory and time so here I shall post what I made during those two months.

JUNE:

My first make in June was this crochet bag but I wanted to move away from the Granny stitch which I have used rather a lot.

It was going to be cushion, but after putting shall it be a bag or a cushion question on my FB page everyone said a bag so I added some handles and lining.

The other side is good old Granny stitch.

I then decided that I wanted to celebrate the 10th anniversary in my current classroom with a splash of colour and make a set of bunting for the new school year.

Some of the fabric is from my fat quarter collection and much of it is left overs from other projects or given to me over the years.  I put it up in the first week of the holidays ready for next term then thought...............yep I need another set!

JULY:

A friends birthday who is a Marvel fan so a handmade card to start off.

Handmade pencil or gadget case.  Sorry can not swing photo round.

Handmade removable journal cover to use at meetings etc.  She loved them which is why I like making gifts when possible.

For Sophie I recycled a pair of out-grown PJ trousers to make some shoe bags for our holiday this year.  While I was making these Sophie was altering some jeans to shorts.  She also took these on a school trip to Spain.  I made 4 bags in total.

Sophie's trousers to shorts.

Finally for July is my second batch of bunting which only took two sittings unlike the 4 weeks for the first set.  The day job really does get in the way!

AUGUST:   so far

So... I have been visiting my SIL in Sussex this week but I did manage to get August off to a good start....

A felt strawberry purse for my Swap partner.

Using up some left over cotton crochet yarn to make a mandala doily mat.

My first basic one without following a pattern and having to work out the counting myself.

I am going to make some more for stocking fillers this year.  Yes I am starting now and I have already started a secret drawer of bits for Sophie.  Well it sneaks up on me every year.

I will try to be better at logging what i make this month but I hope that you  have enjoyed seeing what I have made over the last couple of months.

Take care

xx

Been absent but busy.................Mono printing Workshop

Been busy with my teaching job and workshops since I last posted.

My first Mono printing workshop went well and there is room for improving it as there always is but the outcomes were really good.  Also had a 13 year i=old sign up as well.

All beginners and a small group meant that I could help everyone.

Included a bit of Gelli plate printing as well which is very addictive.

Love printing on brown paper too.

Been busy with other workshops this month but taking a little break as it has been full on with a full time job as well.  Wish I had the nerve to go full time with my private adult art classes but with a mortgage and the way things are at the moment.................but hopefully one day.
Have a good weekend everyone.
Do pop over to my Face book page and if you like what you see then please  LIKE the page as it does help with the number of people who can find me.  You do not have to sign up to anything.
Sew with Indigo Blue Workshops.

Best wishes
xx

Blooming....all over the Garden

 

I promise not to bore you too much with my fixation on my apple trees, but the other two decided that they too wanted to burst into flower as well.

 

 

These apple trees grow along a fence which makes them ideal for smaller gardens.  The ones shown here are the cooking apple trees and has grown nearly along the whole of the fence!  looking gorgeous.

I am hoping for a bumper crop this year so that I can do a swap with a friend for some of her tomatoes in the weeks to come.

 

There, promise, no more blossom pictures until the apples are starting to grow but I have nurtured these trees for about 5 years and you do get sort of motherly about them.

What do you grow in your garden?  Really would love a veg patch, just a small one as there si only 3 of us.  What do you find quite easy to grow?

 

Have a good week!

Take care.

xx



Summer is coming............blossom is opening.

The better weather has encouraged the apple blossom to start to open up.

We need a new fence panel and post just where this fence hugging apple tree is and I have asked Hubby to put off adding it until after the blossom has done its job.

I am now on weather watch because if harsh rain or wind is on the horizon I do go outside and put up an extra large umbrella to help keep those flowers ON the trees!  Mad....I know but for the past two years it has worked!

I have three apple tress which grow along fence panels and I have always had lovely apples from them.  I am not expert and I have had to learn about this and it has been the quirky ideas that seem to have worked the best.

Watch this space for lovely apple pictures and I will watch the blossom!

Have a lovely Sunday.

xx

Gorgeous Sunsets

Been some gorgeous sunsets recently as the seasons are starting to change.

I love the lighter evenings and yesterday, when we got home from school, Sophie and I spent ages in the garden taking lots of photographs in the afternoon sun.  even the cat came to join us!

This week the sun has been shining down and hopefully into the weekend.  I shall be at work for some of it but I intend to be in that garden on Sunday.

Many thanks to those who have started to come back and visit this blog after being away for nearly a year.  It is appreciated.

Enjoy the rest of the week.

xx

Bag Making Workshop

Spent a great four hours with some lovely ladies as we made the aboe bags today.  This was the first time I have run this particular class and I will be tweaking it slightly and offering my own patterns as kits in the future.

typicaally it was a gorgeous day outside but we tried not to feel too guilty about staying in doors.  

Lovely bag made for a friend by Diana who has attended three classes so far.  I think she has the sewing bug!  Diana has made lots if items betwen classes as well.

I made this one along the way to show keyy stages nd how to actually construct the bag.  Do not normally do this but it is often easier and a format I use in the day job as well.

A lovely summery fabric was used by Helen and I have a feeling that her daughter will be after this bag.  After Helen's last class her daughter asked her to make some cushions for her bedroom!

Sadly one lady was ill  and another two have asked to attend since the class finished at 2pm today so another date will need to be organised.

They are great aren't they!?

Enjoy the weekend and thank you for those of you have started to come back and visit.

I was absent for about 9 months due to organising these classes, insurance, tax forms etc.

Will try to post more but do please come and Like my FB page as there is lots on there to look at as well.  No commenting needed.

Take care

xx

My Crochet Photography

I have had  a good week at work so I am going to be positive about this.

Above is a photograph that I took of my crochet, in my garden of a blanket that I was ( and still is ) making.

I contribute to a Crochet blog and I pop the odd post here and there (not regularyly as I am not fast at crocheting) and I think this picture was taken last Easter /Early summer.   I was in the process of adding my stool cover when I spotted this.................took a while to work out the plastic wallet - day job, our weather patio table, then it dawned on me.

My  (cropped) photo in the blog banner.

Bit of a surprise...........I keep telling collagues at work that my photography is not bad.  I teach Art/Design/Textiles/  and............. Photography.

Quite flattered.

xx

Crochet Stool Cover - OPAM March 2016

This has been my latest crochet make to try and make this stool a little more comfortable.  I did not use a pattern but simply started out with making a circle and kept enlarging it my a granny stitch as I started each new row and stopped when I felt it was big enough. 

I just need to get a thin sponge pad which will go underneath the crochet cover and then I am going to tie the cover on so it can be removed for washing.

Quite pleased with this as it was simply an off the cuff make one afternoon.

The granny square blanket is still on going but I do need to odd smaller project to slot in between the larger and more long term projects.

xx

Art Journaling February Challenge - Inspiration Cards

This months challenge over at Jennibellies Art Journaling page was to create 4 inspiration cards of our own choice to add to our art journals at a later date or to simply have on the wall to inspire future work.

I really wanted to try a different apporach and i tthink i may have moved forward with my drawing and painting.

I used watercolour paper for this one and watched lots of Youtube tutorials as I was looking for a more fairytale look with Sproinng coming and some of the books that my daughter and I have been looking at from her younger years.

This is something that i am striving for all of the time and this year I want to try and achieve it on a higher level that i am at present.

Just for the fun of it.............Spring is coming and flowers aare starting to bud and bloom.

One of the reasons for joining this group was to take my art and drawing further whilst still at home and trying to fit it in with my day job.  Also it does give me a chance to drift off  with my paints etc.

Anyone can join this group and you can take part as much or as little as you wish.

Take Care .

xx

Crazy Patchwork Workshop

Now that I have worked out how to sync my photos I hope to follow up all of my workshops with details and images.

We started off the session by learning what crazy patchwork is and how it could be created.  there are many ways of doing this but this was how I decided to teach it today.

We began by checking our machines and then constructing a small square sample using scraps that I had brought to the class.

We then backed them and they all became lovely coasters which can be used at home or at work.

Pictures are on my phone hence the slightly different shape.

We then moved on to deciding what to make next.  

There was a choice and two ladies decided to use the pre-cut Moda squares to make the 9 patch cushion because they had never made one before but would re-visit the crazy patchwork another time.

This is made with lovely Moda fabric and looks a treat on her new sofa which was delivered today!

This is another Moda pack from a new shop in Truro along Lemon Quay Market.  I have yet to visit this shop but I love this colour scheme so I may have to go!

Diana decided to go back to the Crazy Patchwork and make a cushion cover with the left overs from the bunting workshop last summer.

Penny is going to be a Granny so patchwork baby mat was started.

I liked the fact that several different ideas were tackled and as confidence grows I think this will increase.

Thank you ladies for signing up and coming along and i hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

Next up on 12th March is a new group for the Beginners Sewing Class and getting to grips with your sewing machine.

Have a good weekend.

xx