Country Girl

I'm Back

2007-08-30T05:29:00.000-07:00

I've been on holidays and it has been lovely. Firstly we went to St. Ives to meet up with my brother and his family who were over from N. Ireland, unfortunately this was at the time of the floods and the torrential rain and hurricanes (not good when you're in a small dome tent!) I'll tell you about it one day, I think there may even be some photos!!

Then we went over to Portugal. We go all the time because my husband's family are all there, they live just south of Lisbon and it feels like home from home to us. Very nice indeed. Great weather, ate too much, drank too much but hey we were on holidays!!!

and so it was back to work this week. YEUK....

Our daughter starts her Secondary school next week, so we had the 'new shoe experience' which to be fair wasn't too bad this year - just the one shop produced the two pairs of shoes we needed.

Just before we went away I was busy making some Christmas samples which I had been asked to produce (more of that later - but if you can keep your fingers crossed it would be helpful thanks) - what do you think?

These are wheat & lavender bags.

I know they are in red and green but I tried to make them so you could use them all year around......

and then there are the Christmas cats. again their hats are removable so you can use them all year round....

and then my favourite Xmas stockings - I'm really pleased with how these have turned out.

There are a few more almost finished things on the table which just need the final touches and then they'll be ready to be photographed.

I've also got quite a few things on www.tuggle.co.uk which has gone off-line for a couple of weeks to have a revamp, but I'll be loading more stuff in the next few days and you can find all my products (a lot of which are one-offs) if you do a search under Lesley De Matos.

more will follow soon, and thank you for those of you who mailed me to find out where I was.

Lesley

Busy Weekend

2007-06-27T06:40:00.000-07:00

This weekend we visited the National Patchwork Championships at the Sandown Racecourse, it it always something I look forward to each year and I have taught myself to go with a list of things in mind to buy which then controls the spending (yeah yeah).

This little selection came from Creative Quilting. The blue ticking is for a little doll bed which I am currently refurbishing and have made a nice vintage fabric quilt for it, and I thought that a matress would be good in traditional ticking. The stripe fabric next to that is for a project I have in mind to make for the edge of my table, I've seen them and I want one, it has a heavy pin cushion square which sits on the edge of the table and then hanging from it is a fabric box shaped thing into which you can put all your little cut off bits of thread and stuff. The pink pattern next to that will probably end up as lining for one of my denim bags, and the blue bit on the right I have no idea what I'm going to do with but I bought it because I liked it.

I couldn't resist this. It is my favourite Lecien fabric (I bought a few of these because you never know when you might need one!) and this little collection is going to be made into a little japanese style bag - brown on the outside, floral on the inside , lovely carved coconut shell button as a fastener and I might even do a little flower style design on the side, we'll see.

Then I saw these and thought they may be useful in brooch making, perhaps contrasted with some nice fabric. Note how I keep the info from the stand with the product and the bag, this is the only way I can keep track of where I got things, in case they turn out to be the best thing ever and I need more....

Oh and then there was a huge decision to be made, there was a japanese book which I really really wanted but at £25 my mummy head kicked in and said no, just take the ISBN number and perhaps ask Santa for it. There were so many lovely books, and I was attracted to this one (perhaps because I have some nice linen at home) and it is so fresh looking...

I recognised this because of the Panduro Hobby supplies mailorder catalogue, this is the Tilda range and I think normally it is in Swedish but this is an English translation version and has some lovely patterns and pictures and ideas. See what I made on Saturday night, just needs the final touches and then I have a nice little bunny.

I have started working on a new selection of miniature pictures and am currently adding curtains to this one

On Sunday we went to IKEA and I finally got some shelves to put next to my sewing machine so I can then clear up a bit!!!

I have signed up to put my craft items on a new webside called http://www.tuggle.co.uk/ , there are a few other bloggers already there as well so it's quite a little community. Apparently there is going to be a feature soon in the Daily Mirror (?) and Country Living are also going to be doing something.

TaaaDaaaa

2007-06-06T23:22:00.001-07:00

Erin and Susan, thank you very much for your advice and assistance. I finally got my pictures against the white background - well at least it was close enough for jazz!!! They're still not great, but they are better than the first batch.

More to follow.......

excuses excuses

2007-05-31T02:22:00.000-07:00

I've been busy finishing some more pictures and tonight I plan to frame them and take pictures, so there will be more to see in the next couple of days promise.

I've also been getting some stuff together because I have joined Tuggle (www.tuggle.co.uk) they are launching next week. More info when I get it......

I'm struggling to get photos of my things against a white background, I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but any hints would be appreciated.

Also, I've been moving all my sewing stuff from one room to another. Can you believe I'm trying to work in this mess!!! I'm hoping the light will be better in the conservatory and at least I will be out of the way.....

Once I get my covered board up on the wall and sort some shelves out and get organised so I can find things when I need them then it will all be lovely.

yeah yeah yeah. I've heard myself say this before.......

Lesley

WIPS and things

2007-05-02T06:02:00.000-07:00

I am really pleased with this little embroidered picture.... it is only approx 8cm square but it really works well in this box frame. you can't really see, but there is about a 4cm gap between the glass and the picture which really draws you into the frame.

So having done one little house, I thought that it might be nice to do a row of them, so here is my first WIP, and I'm hoping to finish this in the next few days. I am planning a 'finish all the things sitting around all over the place' type of weekend , oh yes, and 'don't start anything new til you do'. yeah yeah yeah.

And there's more......

2007-04-05T03:04:00.000-07:00

And here are a couple more which have now been framed. The Mary Mary quite contrary is almost my favourite. We were on the beach last summer at Meco in Portugal and my husband and daughter had gone off for a swim and I was just noodling in the sand when I noticed that there were loads of tiny white cockle shells all around so I gathered a little bag of them and thought they'll come in useful one day and sure enough here they are.......

The boat one is made with antique linen and also some old bits of trim which had been my mums so it's nice when I can use bits and pieces which had been hers, and it makes the piece that little bit more special.

and the little squashy things were just a bit of messing around really but I quite liked them, and then they needed little quilts as well. I could make those all day, but then what do you do with them all??? suggestions on a postcard.......

I'm looking forward to the weekend. My Dad came over from Belfast last weekend and has taken our daughter Lucia to Portugal to visit my in-laws (did you follow all that?) and they are back on Saturday night and then we have some friends coming for Easter lunch and we will fit in a couple of mega car-boots in the middle of it all. My favourite car-boot is in Ascot opposite the race-course and I am hoping to find some tray cloths and vintage fabric this weekend.

I'm taking the pictures to Sarah in Cocoa-Bean in Windsor, she has expressed an interest in them for the shop and I have a couple more to finish. My husband has said that if we have time over the weekend he is going to start doing my web-site, how exciting is that, I've got as far as setting up the www.countrygirlcorner.co.uk bit but at the moment it doesn't go anywhere, but keep watching because one day it will........

Country Living Fair

2007-04-04T07:37:00.000-07:00

SO, having been inspired by the things I saw at the Country Living Fair, I have been really busy putting together some pictures using my lovely stash of antique linen and scraps of vintage bits and pieces.

My daughter has been trying to convince me to get a stall at the next Country Living Fair and thinks it would be a great idea (she was also asking if she could take a couple of days off school so she could come and work on the stall as well!!)

There are more in the WIP stage, so more pics will follow soon.

This is as well as some little squashy things I've been making and some cats and some sock creatures, needless to say the workroom is looking a little 'lived -in' at the moment........

more to follow

Boxes of Presents

2007-02-09T07:46:00.000-08:00

I made these little Doll Quilt Kits for my friend's kids at Christmas. There is everything in the box to make the quilt including wadding, backing and 42 squares for the top oh yes and instructions. As with my other patterns, there is a good photograph on the front of the box to make it easier to see what it's supposed to look like.

All the dolls have the best quilts!!!

And then there were the bigger girls, so I had to make something for them as well. I wanted to make something that when you opened it and took something out, you could put your hand back in and there would be something else, and something else and more and more kind of like a lucky dip at a fair.... and so this was born. (I would have really liked one of these if I had been given it as a gift!). The box contained a lavender bag, a fabric backed handbag mirror, a bead book mark, a brooch, a mobile phone charm and some oil cloth covered magnet pegs for the fridge. What do you think?? The stuff in this box was made with hand dyed antique linen and some mother of pearl buttons, very nice.....

Happy Happy Birthday

2007-02-01T03:08:00.000-08:00

So, I'm another year wiser.....

I love having my birthday just after Christmas, because I always ask for whatever I didn't get, if you know what I mean. and I got some lovely things but my favourite was this picture that Lucia made for me.

I also got Stupid Sock Creatures, it's a lovely book and kit and on Sunday Lucia and I both made a silly sock monster. Mine is neater but she choose the best eyes for hers and I think her monster looks better. I am now looking at socks from a completely different angle ie would it make a good creature..... regardez

New Year New Plans

2007-01-25T08:45:00.000-08:00

OK so things have got off to a bit of a slow start. I blame Celebrity Big Brother but it finishes on Saturday so hopefull normal service will resume next week. I've promised myself that I will post a blog once a week (to see how I get on) and will therefore start next week with some pictures.
I'm going to Stitch in Time on Saturday to do a one-day class with Linda Miller (www.lindamillerembroideries.co.uk) and my efforts will be shown next week. It was also my birthday on the 23rd and I bought myself 'Stupid Sock Creatures' so we're going to have a bash at those, and I also have a beautiful picture that my daughter Lucia made me for my birthday to show, so lots to see next week. Promise.

Lesley

Lots of Pots

2006-11-21T06:54:00.000-08:00

I work quite near Nottinghill and a few years ago I was visiting the Cath Kidston shop in Clarendon Cross and there was another shop there and I think it was called The Gallery and they used to have beautiful pictures from Lucy Art (check out www.lucyart.com) and also beautiful flower pots and soap dishes and candles from Jane Hogben (check out www.janehogbenterracotta.co.uk). I bought a couple of the soap dishes as presents (one for myself of course which I use as a bedside dish for my watch and rings and things) and I just thought they were absolutely beautiful and then one day I was in Cocoa Bean in Windsor delivering some of my bags / wheatbags/ pictures etc and I saw that Sarah had some of the lovely pots in stock. I checked out the web site and saw that Jane was going to be doing the Country Living Fair, I also noticed a little piece that said that she did one day courses, so last year at the CL Fair, I met Jane and asked her about the courses and left her my details.

A few weeks later Jane phoned me to say that she wasn't going to run any courses because they were too busy at that time getting ready for Christmas etc but if I would like to come up for a day and she would show me around and I could make a couple of pieces. WELL!!! So indeed I went up to the workshop which was in the most idylic setting near Pinewood Studios and Jane and her husband Edward were fantastic. They showed me all around, and were very patient demonstrating how they made the pots and bowls and window boxes and candles and cats and all the beautiful things. It was an absolutely brilliant day and I absolutely loved it and Jane and Edward were so generous with their time and knowledge it was an absolute pleasure.

I went up recently to pick up the pieces I had made and they were so beautiful, I am so pleased with all of it and now everyone who comes round to our house asks me where I got them. I saw Jane at the CL fair a couple of weeks ago and took my Christmas list with me and chose some lovely candles and hearts for some of my special friends.

Once you have seen Jane's work you would recognise it anywhere and it is so lovely to touch and to hold, and the colours are soft and simple and it was a real privledge to be invited along.

Thanks Jane and Edward......

Hello

2006-11-15T03:37:00.000-08:00

So I've been busy doing other things but hopefully now I should be able to focus on my crafts.

Our daughter Lucia has been doing her 11+ and it has been a very difficult time all round.
This is an exam the kids do in year 6 here in Berkshire (and also next county Buckinghamshire) and if they pass they can go to some brilliant schools in the area and if they don't pass then they go to one of the other schools!!! The results are out on 24th Nov and 6 Dec so we are still waiting!!! Once the results are in and the school has been allocated then I think my husband and I will be writing to the local papers to warn the parents of next years' year 6 children what exactly they are letting themselves in for. The tests themselves are soooooo difficult and we were surprised at some of the topics included (subjects which aren't taught until Year 8 etc) and the other day we had a leaflet through the door advertising 11+ tutoring from YEAR 3, yes Year 3, so it's not exactly an even playing field.......

anyways, we just have to wait now and hope for the best and be prepared........

On a more interesting note, I went to the Country Living Fair last weekend and LOVED IT.
There were so many lovely things and some really inventive gifts and I did a load of Xmas shopping (for MMMMMEEEEEEE).

I have been making quite a few things recently, some may possibly end up as Christmas presents (okay so I STILL haven't worked out how to get the photos all the way down here in my post - but I'm sure you are OK to scroll back up for another look). The rabbit is filled with rice and lavender and the quilt is backed with minkie so it is really soft...
next thing is my little rose mirror - I have been getting creative with my badge-a-minit and am using fabric instead of paper..... pretty eh

OK hopefully more later.....

Lesley

Recent creations

2006-07-28T03:05:00.000-07:00

Where to start?

OK, here is the picture of my very messy work desk with my purchases from Sandown. The lovely Japanese book has been a great source of inspiration and I have made a few brooches already and I think I may take a little handful of fabric with me when I go on holidays to make lots more, they are a bit time consuming but hey, they look great. I was in Muji yesterday and got a little tape measure and there is a picture in the book for making a fold 'n flip patchwork pig and the tape measure is inside and when you pull its tail...........
Oh and somewhere on a blog I saw a picture from some other Japanese mag for a wire bird cage thing which looked lovely, so I made a couple of those to hang around the house, they're very cute.
And I made a new bag and this is the proto-type, I am going to make another sample and am currently doing the pattern for it so it will be joining the Country Girl Pattern range soon.
I'm so pleased with it. I wanted a really big, stuff it all in type of bag, you know the sort that will hold a cardigan or two on holidays as well as the sun cream and all the important things you have to drag around, and so it needed to be really strong to hold a fair weight etc etc and so I have made it with as much strength in the handles as I could and last week I took it out for a trial run (we went camping in St Ives with my brother) and the bag was excellent. It was stuffed full and still kept its shape and held everything beautifully.

My friend is expecting her first child in Sept and I bought a piece of minky fabric and am going to put together a little quilt using this as the backing, so that's on the agenda for this week.
Minky is lovely isn't it,,,,, I had heard about it but it's only when you pick it up and have a feel that you ACTUALLY feel how lovely and soft it is. I'm very impressed if not a little late on that particular band-wagon!!

OK so I still haven't worked out how to get the photos to go nicely in between the text, but hey that's what the up and down arrows are for!!!

Busy bee

2006-07-14T02:02:00.000-07:00

Well, I had a really nice time at Sandown had although I had seen most of the stuff before hidden around there were some really lovely things. There was a lady who had some kits of cushions and quilts which were absolutely beautiful, they were made from shirting and white cotton, imagine pink and white stripe/checks/ginghams squares patched with crisp white cotton and then hand quilted, there were pink/white, red/white, blue/white etc etc very nice indeed. Can't wait for someone to have a baby so I can make one.
I got a Japanese book with loads of ideas but no-one was selling the magazines so it's back to the internet for those. The button lady was there and I got some really lovely mother of pearl buttons, and I picked up some nice fabric which I had never seen before......

I've just had my brother and his family over staying with us so the house has been full but just before they had arrived I had been doing lots of craft things and hopefully I will be able to get my photos to load tomorrow, so watch this space.

Happy days

2006-06-29T06:50:00.000-07:00

I'm looking forward to the weekend because I am going to Sandown racecourse for the National Patchwork Championship show. I have a list of things I am going to look for ie Japanese magazines Cotton & Paint, tiny mother of pearl buttons, beautiful things that I haven't seen before and anything else that takes my fancy. I am going to set aside a budget and then try my best not to go over too much, ahhhhaaaa

Kylie from Antique Angel will have some of my patterns on her stall oh, and I made myself a new bag specially for the occasion..... it's a really big bowling style bag in the pink seaside rose vinyl fabric and hopefully it should be big enough for all my purchases......YEAH!!

I have been making quite a few things this week: the new bag, a cheque book cover in the normal cotton version of the seaside rose fabric, a tassle thing to attach to the zip for easy access, a nice pink quartz crystal necklace, a wire bird cage thing that I saw in a picture and liked, and I will take pictures over the weekend and will post lots on Monday.

Lesley

Bags

2006-06-06T04:41:00.000-07:00

I have been making bag patterns for a while now and here are a few of my bags. Kylie at Antique Angel has taken the patterns to the quilt show at Malvern and is also going to have them at the Sandown Racecourse Patchwork show.

I am in the middle of doing a few other bits and pieces but I keep stopping to read other people's blogs, and then I have got sucked into the Japanese world of strange creatures and brilliant bags and slippers and bird cages and before I know it I have to go to bed and the bag my friend wants still isn't made and the fabric picture I'm making for someone is still in bits (It takes loads of time to get these right) and all I've managed is to make a bigger list of all the things I want to make and try out........

anyways, more photos will follow soon.

Lesley

More photos

2006-05-30T08:34:00.000-07:00

And here are Lucia's new curtains. OK so the tops could have been arranged nicely for the photo but you get the idea.

I have also made a quillow in the same patchwork fabric for her bed and it looks lovely.

This is her doll's house. My Dad made it for her a couple of years ago. She liked watching the 'changing room' type programmes on the telly, and I thought I could get her a dollshouse and a pile of wall paper and she could just decorate and re-decorate as she pleased, but then my dad said he would make her one, and before we knew it, there was a full on Irish thatched cottage complete with lighting and sandstone fireplaces etc. We have made curtains and quilts for the beds etc, but I went to take some photos of the inside and apparently it was having a 'make-over' and I was told to come back another day when it was finished.........
So I'll get more photos another day.

But with this and the new textiles, her room is looking very nice indeed.....lucky girl.

She has completed the first of the Stitch Club classes and I will get photos of the different things she has made. She has really enjoyed the class and has come home with all sorts of things and is learning stuff which is the main thing and the girl Alison who runs the class is really good with the kids and it certainly makes it more fun than 'learning with mother'!!!

more will follow

Lesley

Photos at last

2006-05-30T02:19:00.000-07:00

So here are the curtains I made for our bedroom, this is the moda Wuthering Heights patchwork fabric (yes, so I cheated!), but they look great. Then I had a bit left over so I took apart the shade which was in the room and re-made it using my matching fabric, so I'm very pleased with the results.

So, as promised here is the bracelet that I made using the tutorial from Molly Chicken. This one was made for Lucia because her wrist is smaller and I had to move the button along instead of having it at the end. You can't really see from the photo, but the stitching is in the shape of hearts (good old sewing machine) and these look really great.
When we go to Portugal this year I'm going to make some of these to take for the cousins' kids,
and I think Lucia wants one for her friend at the childminder etc, so easy to make and great little 'special'presents.

More will follow in a minute about Lucia's room.....

Lesley

New Life

2006-05-04T04:20:00.000-07:00

So, the house move is now complete. The builders have been in to move a wall and I have now completed the internal decoration and there are now only 2 boxes of spaghetti (computer leads etc) still to unpack. Otherwise it's home. I bought a lovely pine table on e-bay yesterday and my husband went to pick it up this morning so hopefully it will look as lovely as I think it's going to.
We had a small study room off the kitchen and with the wall moved it has now made a bigger room and the idea is that the computer is going to go at one end, and I can have a table with my sewing machine stuff at the other end. So it will be like having half a work room, but still that's better than taking over the dining table all the time!!!

I made my daughter (Lucia) some lovely curtains from the patchwork version of Moda Seaside Rose and they have turned out really well, and they match the 'quillow' I made in the same fabric and she has it laying over the bottom of her bed (just like they do in the magazines!)

I have made some of the bracelets which Molly Chicken had on her blog and they look great, Lucia wants one for all of her friends!! I just want to make more because they look great and it gives me the excuse to use all of the buttons on my sewing machine which I have previously ignored!! (being more of a straight line stitcher generally!)

I am working on a few exciting things at the moment and will post photos soon (once I have found the lead which goes from the camera to the computer). I have a new bag pattern made and another bag made and I'm just finishing off the pattern for it at the moment so these will be available hopefully at the Malvern Patchwork show.

Lucia started at the Stitch Club in Chiswick a couple of weeks ago, it is a club for children from 8-teens. She has been really enjoying it, I'm so pleased because she is paying so much more attention to the teacher than she would if I were to try to show her things, they have made a pencil case, a pin cushion in the shape of a bun and a needle case so far so let's hope the interest continues.

What a lovely sunny day it is here in London, first one of the year really and I can't wait to get home to sit in my lovely new garden. We planted some tomatoes and sweet corn and garlic and french beans the other day (my husabnd said that we could plant things as long as we could eat them - do sweet peas count, I wonder) I

Will post again soon with the much promised photos.

thanks for all your lovely comments

Lesley

Moving Home

2006-04-05T07:02:00.000-07:00

NOT RECOMMENDED. The stress is unbelievable!

We finally moved into our new home last week. It has taken us almost a year from the initial idea to the reality of the moving men arriving to pick up our life and put it in the back of a lorry.

Did anyone see the programme on tv a few weeks ago about estate agents, well, we encountered a lot of the tricks and dealings which were mentioned. We lost 4 houses oh yes, and a buyer (who got within a week of exchange and then decided he didn't want the house after all).
Even on the day of exchange on the one we did get, the owner decided he didn't want to move out on the day he had been pushing for, so it has been an extremely stressful time. but.....

WE LOVE IT. The house is much better than we expected it to be and we already feel right at home.

I am going to make some curtains tonight and if there is enough fabric then I will make matching cushions and when they are done I will post some pictures.

I am so exhausted but at least now I have a smile as well.

More will follow

Lesley

Tooth Fairy

2006-03-22T07:59:00.000-08:00

Too much to do and too little time. I could do with another couple of days tagged onto the end of each week just to catch up on all the things I want to do and haven't had the time.
I had a call this week from my friend saying that she is organising a fashion show and wanted to know if I wanted to have my bags included....... I need to finish my two new bag patterns to send to the shops I supply to see if they want to stock them and maybe to add them to the bag of the month club, I need to make more wheat bags , Oh yes, and we're moving house in two weeks (touch wood, fingers crossed) and I have a trip around the world quilt which just needs to have two more squares quilted and the edging sorted and then it is ready for my daughters new bedroom..... and then there are the curtains I want to make, and the house to pack, and all the letters to write for the change of address... hmmmmmm oh and did I mention I work full time as well....

Anyways, I had a funny one the other day, my sister in law in Belfast e-mailed to say that my neice Holly (6) had a tooth fall out on St Patricks day and her little sister Alix (4) said to her that as it had fallen out on St Patricks day then the new tooth that grew would be green!!! It took a lot of persuading to convince Holly that she was just winding her up. Ha!

I have just signed my daughter up to Stitch Club. Anyone heard of it? I saw the sign in Chiswick on the way to work one day. It is a stitch club for children ages 8-teens and having investigated further seems that it is a franchise which they are going to try to set up all over the place to encourage children to learn how to sew etc. I wish I could go.....

My patterns had started as a bit of a project for my daughter, I had been making the denim bags night after night and she was asking if she could sew. So, I devised some easy patterns that she could follow and the plan was that if you were to follow the patterns starting with the really easy ones, then you would develop the skills to tackle more difficult things like quilts etc.
We started with cinnamon hearts (I didn't have any lavender in the house the day we did these!) and then did a 4 patch pot stand, and then an easy one piece doll and a little quilt and so on. The 4 patch pot stand could be increased to make doll quilts and the dolls themselves could also become a little more difficult (the thing with the dolls was that once she had made one, then she said it needed a friend, and then a baby and then another friend, until we had a whole collection of them!). I then took the collection of patterns to Stitch In Time in Kew, and Krys loved them and took them for the shop. After a while I started to make bags as well because it was an extention to the first lot, and were a little more funky and I thought older girls would be more inclined to sew if they had something more relevent to make.

One of these days I'm going to work out how to get the photos to load half way down the page because every time I do it, they go to the top!!

anyways, you've got the gist..... more photos of patterns will follow....soon

Country Living Spring Fair

2006-03-16T04:20:00.000-08:00

I've been really busy this weekend, I took my daughter to the Country Living Magazine Spring fair on Saturday (north London is not the easiest on public transport!!). The fair was wonderful.
I met Jane Hogben who makes the most beautiful pots, her website is www.janehogbenterracotta.co.uk and asked her if she was planning on any workshops in the near future because I would be really interested in going along. I have a couple of her pieces and they are fantastic, and she had a huge bowl in pink with little hearts and flowers and I WANT IT!!!!! I couldn't even ask the price because I knew it was going to be scary!!!
I saw Janet Bolton and her pictures were absolutely beautiful (as usual), the one I really would like was £420 and unfortunately my budget doesn't stretch anywhere near that, and she had some framed signed prints of various pieces for sale at £25 and I was really tempted but...... it's not really the same as having the 'real thing' . She had the original Mrs Noah wall hanging on the stand and I had never seen that in the flesh before and had only ever seen the book of how to make it, and certainly the skill, time, placing, fabrics is incredible.....
the stalls were full of beautiful things and I think my favourite was a knitting stall, two girls from Scotland and their site is www.humesweethume.com, they knit things using kid mohair and I had never seen anything like it, and for someone who doesn't do knitting, I was inspired.....

There was bunting on nearly every stand and there was pink gingham everywhere.
The whole fair was light and airy and it really felt like spring was just around the corner and I came away with my head full of ideas and feeling energised - the first time for a long time.

and then we stepped out into the freezing cold to do battle with the London tubes again.

I came home and started making a few little projects and when they are done I will post pictures, so watch this space......

Self Portrait

2006-03-14T07:35:00.000-08:00

When my daughter was approx 2 years old, they did an exercise at nursery (yes I'm a working mother and had my daughter in the nursery from the age of 8 months!!).

Each child was given a page and at the top it said:-
This is a picture of me
and then they had to do a picture of themselves. It is at the potato head stage, so you get a big head and the arms and legs come off the head!!!
So I traced the picture onto some calico and did a very simple back stitch in black embroidery thread and this is then a permanent reminder of the 'self portrait'

These are proving quite popular for after the hand print and foot print baby things which are available, so if anyone wants any more info, just let me know.

Jeans bags

2006-03-10T06:36:00.000-08:00

This is the latest completed small size denim bag. I really love this crisp white fabric against the denim and should look great with all the new spring colours (aparently white is the new black!)
This bag is made using childrens jeans so it is smaller than the normal ones I make - but these ones look great.

fishy

2006-03-10T03:18:00.000-08:00

... and then there was the fishy collage picture.

I tore strips of coloured paper out of magazines and glued them to an old frame and then varnished over the top. The picture is made of various cottons and felts and shells and beads.

Crafty Things

2006-03-10T02:57:00.000-08:00

Here are a few other things I've made which are around the house - hope you like them.

These are my miniature vintage fabric pictures, the pink one is approx 8 x 6cm and my favourite is the blue one which is approx 25 x 9cm and I still smile when I see it. the white fabric is old Irish linen and the other bits and pieces are from my vintage stash of bits.

Introduction

2006-03-09T04:15:00.000-08:00

OK, I think I am just going to hurl myself off into the deep end and see what happens!!

I have been checking some craft links and everyone has such lovely things and so many great ideas so I thought I might just throw some of my stuff in the pot and see if anyone has any comments.

My favourite places to get fabric are:-

www.antiqueangel.co.uk

I went to visit the Antique Angel recently, Kylie had an open day and apart from having to run out quickly because my daughter was sick, I managed a quick five minutes looking at all the lovely things and all the beautiful fabrics.

www.fatquartershop.com

Kimberley is great. She always seems to stuff my order in to a $9 global express package and so I can get all the latest fabrics from America for not too much postage. The packages always turn up within a few days as well which is great.

www.stitchintimeuk.com

Krys is an absolute star. She has a great shop full of my favourite fabrics from Moda and Amy Butler etc and the best thing about the shop is that she stocks all of my patterns. (more of those later)

I have been finishing off some wheat & lavender bags and have been using some Moda Seaside Rose fabric which is soooo romantic ....

I make these and various other 'bits and pieces' for www.cocoa-bean.co.uk in Windsor, check out the web site or better still go and visit. I send my husband there when it is my Birthday or Christmas and tell him just to close his eyes and pick something, doesn't really matter what it is, because everything is beautiful.

Here are some of the blogs I have been reading which have inspired me to get 'blogging'

www.twelve22.org
http://soulemama.typepad.com
http://www.redcurrent.blogspot.com
http://mollychicken.blogs.com
http://ervilhas.weblog.com.pt
http://baradesign/blogspot.com
http://bookishquilts.typepad.com
http://littlestflower.typepad.com
http://kluckingbear.typepad.com
http://biscottidesigns.blogspot.com
www.ox-hill.blogspot.com

Right, I'm going to post this one and see how it looks and then hopefully if it is OK then I'll add some more stuff.

Bye
Lesley

Country Girl

2006-03-06T06:59:00.000-08:00

March06

I am completely new to blogging but having discovered other 'craft type' people I have decided to give this a go........

I'm going to take a few days to 'read up' on the subject and get a few photos together and then hopefully I will be able to join in.