the house in the clouds

We have been here today, for a half term trot up the coast. It was very pretty and very cold!! This is the only photo as both sets of batteries I took with me were flat as a pancake!!!
On the way there...
me: we're going for a drive to see a house thats in the sky
(pause for significant time with puzzled look on 3year old face)
cam: houses don't live in the sky they live on the floor.

On seeing said house....
cam: its not in the sky its just a high house.

Mmm...can see I may not have the easiest time convincing him of the magic of christmas!!!

Even though we've seen it before - us grown ups were impressed lol. The history behind it is here and is very interesting. If you are feeling strong - check out the rental prices!!

House Porn

Today this plopped on my door mat....

After I finished hyperventilating, I noticed that the nice people at CHI had sent me (and I'm sure everybody else) a 2009 calendar full of lush Laura Ashley room set pictures.

My patio is sure to look like this in July!!!

And this will be my lounge in November......

And my back door in January 2010!!

So I'm now going to give the bathrooms a quick flick so I can sit down and enjoy!!

preparation week1

For Christmas.

Its almost half term, the time when my festive planning begins with a vengeance!! The lists are being made - the carrier bags of bought already gifts are rescued from the back of the wardrobe, and even (don't all yell!!) starting to get wrapped up!!!

Last years preparations were hampered by my being heavily 'with child'...and being really quite poorly with it. So between hospital visits, bed resting and hospital admissions, I did a lot of my festive shopping on line.....it was great - a process I am repeating this year without the big belly as an excuse :)

The cake is made and wrapped in foil - waiting for its next 'feed' with alcohol :)

And how fabulous is my advent calendar I bought yesterday???(WHSmith)

Do you think I can persuade my boys that this is better than the tacky Bart Simpson chocolate affair they are sure to demand lol!!!

one trick pony!

When it comes to sewing etc, I've noticed that I find something I'm comfortable and confident making - then I do it to death!!!

Like the strawberry cushions from Sew Pretty.

Here 's the latest strawb -with babies!!!

These (I think.....) are for a cousins Christmas pressie.

And today the postman has brought me some more of the fabric so I'll be able to make some for me!!

Gift Bag Tutorial

Sorry for the delay........here's the bag tutorial......

First of all gather together all your gubbins - you'll need a box (cereal used here - but any box will do, i used a lightbulb box to make a weeny gift bag -just depends how big you want your bag), paper of choice (wallpaper, brown paper, good quality gift wrap), pencil, scissors and bone folder (if you don't have one its not vital just gives a crisper folded edge).

You'll also need some tape (I use the invisible type- though invisible is pushing it - its not quite as obvious as sellotape...but then I did buy it in poundland lol!!), a glue stick, hole punch, and ribbon of choice.

Next, open up the box flat (like so!!), and draw round the edges onto the paper.

Cut out the template

FOLDING

This bit is really self explanatory as you start...you need to fold in the same places as the box was folded...basically the folds need to be where the notches are. Use the bone folder to crisp the folds as you go - To get the bag to 'sit' better and look more professional - when you have done all the folds, put an extra crease in the side panel (shown below) ASSEMBLY

Start with the side seam, run a glue stick along the edge shown below and attach as shown. I have had limited success with just the glue so I used invisible (ha!!) sticky tape on the inside.

Now you can close up your bag so your gifts don't plop out of the bottom.....:)

Fold in like the pic below

Above shows what your bottom should look like(leave it angel!!)...I used the invisible sticky tape to hold this at the bottom.If you are using it for something heavy - I would recommend covering a piece of cardboard with same paper to fit in the bottom of the bag for extra strength.

Fold over the top flaps and tape down.

Thats it basically done.

Use a hole punch to make holes for the ties. A single if you just want a tie.

A double if you want to make handles.

Easy and Peasy as my 3 year old would say lol!! I hope that was straightforward and useful. Phew!!Off to bed now - happy bag making. Xx

Applique

This is the wallhanging I made for my friends 40th birthday...she 'gets' the handmade thing. So many people I know don't!

It is a variation on the cushion I made for the autumn swap (pics on Marys blog here..)

I really like it and struggled to part with it lol!!! So next on the list is one for me!!

Tagged Twice

I'm so tardy that I've been tagged again whilst getting round to responding to the 1st one!!

Mary and Jo tagged me and here are the rules:

1.Link to the person who tagged you

2.Mention the rules on your blog

3.Tell 6 unspectacular quirks about you

4.Tag 6 following bloggers by linking to them

5.Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger's blogs letting them know they've been tagged.


As I'm about a month behind the times here I think everybody has been tagged so I'm cheating again :) and invite everyone to join in...

But here are my unspectacular quirks.....

.............blimey this is tricky.......................



1) I can't use crockery or cutlery in holiday accomodation until I have scalded them with boiling water.

2) I'm really good at giving birth :) My longest labour was 5 hours. My babies are delivered in between 2 and 4 pushes!!! My smallest baby was 9lb 2oz.

3)I can't sleep with the bedroom door shut - it has to be ajar at the very least - I prefer wide open!!

4) I file my household paperwork as if I work in an office - this includes spreadsheets for finances. I even have a christmas spreadsheet!

5) My car is like a dustbin on wheels - I promise the OH after he has cleaned it (love him!! ) that I will keep it clean and tidy but it never actually happens.

(I sound really scussy now don't I - its only my car thats squalour honestly!!!)

6) I can't wash up in lukewarm water, the feel of it on my hands turns my stomach! - it has to be really hot and I never wear gloves either....I'll never be a hand model!!

So there you go - I'm sure I am really odder than these quirks suggest!!


photos have been taken for tutorial - hope to write it up this weekend.

making

I've been a bit more productive than of late over the past few days -

It was my friends (significant) birthday today - so she has this from Laura Ashley in a handmade bag. And I made her the peg doll fairy too. I was going to make her a cake - but decided she could have one for each of her years instead!!!

Another friend's daughter is 1 at the weekend....so she has one of my obligatory pinnies!! I sewed this when I was tired so my machine control could have been better - but its cute and I'm sure my friend will like it.

And after 7 months of this book languishing on the shelf...I finally made something from it. Surprisingly easy. Except the bit where it said fold in seam allowance - tack - stuff - gather. The thread snapped 3 times whilst gathering - so I used embroidery thread in the end...sucessfully.

Sussed

I sussed the bag thing!!

I dismantled the LA bag - highlighted the folds with a felt tip pen...and totally confused myself, so...remembered a bit of the google tutorial I found which used boxes as a template.

So this....

became this.....

I then did another with sharper folds(used a bone folder) and extra folds on the side panels so it sits better. Like this...

If anyone wants a tutorial let me know but its so easy even I can do it :)

I plan to do all my christmas gift bags - brown paper I thought.....