catching up

last week

Aswell as receiving my 2 fabulous swaps, I actually managed to send my swaps out to my partners....you can see what I sent here and here.

Loving what Sharon has done with the garland I made...I did send a disclaimer with it....it was an experiment inspired by an easter garland I bought in TK Maxx (to be blogged about later!!).

(I am becoming a one trick pony with the UJ cushions...must leave my comfort zone!!)

I did some sewing ..... some more UJ brooches and these made using this tutorial (thanks lacey xx) - very very addictive!!

the weekend

Yet another one where we haven't done anything 'nice'....this house has taken up A LOT of our precious weekends over the last almost 4 years (wow 4 years- time flies and all that!)

sorting out my workroom - one shelf is tidy - its a start :)

another bag of fabric sorted (being ruthless with stuff I have accumulated that I know I will never use). One of my sons teachers has taken it off my hands for art/textiles lessons. Recycling at its best eh!!!

We are on the home straight now, our bedroom is nearly finished......

(ooh very crumpled linen!!!)

Still need the curtain pole in the bay put up and therefore the curtains!! We have the other curtain up though....but no tieback!!!

A shelf (already purchased) up above our bed.

The light needs fitting...a LA bargain...can't actually remember what it looks like, it was bought last November!! Its chandeliery I think!!

And general pretty making needs doing :)(looking very sparse - and those things won't be staying on the mantelpiece either!!!)

I stood and ironed last night whilst watching Lost (never missed one yet I still haven't a scooby whats occuring lol!!! Just when I think I've 'got it' something happens to throw me off the scent!!) and Desperate Housewives...actually emptied the basket for the first time since Christmas, my lovely new husband made no mention of the fact it was all his stuff at the bottom of the basket that gets left :)

Hoping for a week filled with doing...my 3year old has started Easter hols...so I'm not hopeful!! And my new CK catalogue came....thats my evening sorted!!

another swap.......:)

2 parcels in 2 days - how lucky am I?? I recieved my swap from Bex yesterday, the Spring Swap organised by FairieNuff......Bex is a very talented lady, and makes all kinds of gorgeous creations (she has an etsy shop too !) How gorgeous is that ribbon?? That will be put to good use. Bex has made me some fab jewellery, a gorgeous purse and sent me some chocs and chicks for Easter :) And a lovely card too.

Lovely button earings and a pearl and button bracelet (wearing it now x) A lovely purse with spring coloured patchwork top - And check out the fab brooch - button heaven!!! (apologies for my fuzzy pictures, think the camera is about to conk out totally, still haven't looked at new ones!!!)

Thank you so much Bex, your parcel will be posted today...I put the finishing touches to things last night :) I hope you will be pleased - my stitchery is nowhere near as good as yours x (I could blame the very basic machine - but methinks its likely down to my skillage!!!).

Thanks to Fairienuff too for organising this swap, it was a great one to do, with lots of room for own interpretation.

Heart Swap

I was very excited to recieve a parcel yesterday from Sharon, my swap partner for MollyCupCakes heart swap.

Thank You so much Sharon for my lovely and thoughtful hearty pretties :)

(will not be sharing my chocolates!!!)

2 lovely pink - do I spy CK :) - hanging hearts,

a lovely goose heart (this is going in my kitchen)

A gorgeous framed picture - which will be going next to by bed - I love it thank you :)

I emailed Sharon to thank her and told her that I thought she was very clever for making all these lovelies, but even more clever for the next gift!!

She chose me this gorgeous hanging heart picture frame .....why is that clever......look what I bought for myself before Christmas, waiting for the decorating to be done!!(recognise these Emma! xxxxx)

How flipping fabulous is that!! And just a teensy bit spooky too lol!!!

Fingers crossed you should receive your parcel today, Sharon. Thank You so much again and thank you catherine for organising the swap :)

weekend crafting

We are on operation "decorate our bedroom" here chez dollop,the last room of a large renovation/building/decorating project so our mojo has been lost a bit!!!

I left Mr D to the crappy jobs - painting etc etc (let me know when you want the new duvet cover putting on dear hehehe!!!) and took full advantage of the fact our 3 year old was with his grandparents....

*bedroom still not finished but I am very hopeful that I should have something to show after the weekend *

I started and finished some swap items, (not showing you those just yet!!)

Half finished a birthday gift, made a new baby gift for my friend whose baby boy is due this week.

(love this fabric with the turtles on!!)

made some fat hens

(currently flat hens!!)

And continued my obsession with all things union jack - making loads of these brooches, some still works in progress!

Some are being worn, some been given to people, so not in the photo!! I was on a roll!

Back to normal this week where I get frustrated at not being able to do any sewing inbetween school runs 4 times a day and following the baby round while he empties out cupboards/bins/bags etc etc!! (though thats a post for another day lol!!)

menagerie

I've been doing quite a bit of crafting this week - some for swaps and some for me..and some just because I can!!

I tore this out of a magazine last summer and it sat on a pile of papers until the other week when I rummaged through and thought 'I could do something like that'....

So I drew a shape freehand (gulp - I can't even draw a stick man!) And had an experiment...

It only took 2 goes for me to be happy, here's the 1st one I made...

I tweaked it and made a few more....

This one is made from my favourite tshirt the baby wore last summer, I was going to keep it but thought it would be nicer to keep in bird form!!

A couple are winging their way(!!) up country to special people, and I thought I'd make some more as easter gifts - instead of chocolate...

Its the weekend again...2 weeks since we got married...Mothers Day weekend...as my new husband is decorating I don't suppose we will get far or anywhere nice.... (he is decorating the last room to be done in our house - shall I wait a while before I tell him the first rooms we did desperately need a freshen up???)

This box of goodies was posted to my mum, she has it safely, and is being very good and not opening until Sunday. I have got her the LarkRise series 1 DVD - she never watched it and I know she'd like to, and a few little pretty bits.

Thank You so much for all your comments..I am not making it back to all of you at the minute...but I am trying. XxX

Making me smile this week - part 2!

Wedding China...

I didn't have a wedding list but I did send a link to a relative and a friend watched me drooling over the CK catalogue...and I ,oops I mean we!!!, were very lucky to receive 6 place settings of the lovliness, aswell as a teapot, milk jug and my much coveted butter dish.

I am going to add to it, some bowls I think. And we are going to use it. I have decided it is too nice to just look at, once a week we shall use it for a special weekend meal...

The saucers are so sweet...look at the spray flowers hiding under the cup!!

I've had a shifty about on my dining room shelves, .....but now my kitchen shelves look a mess!!!

I have a freecycled dresser waiting to be painted so I think I'll hurry up and do that so I can find everything a home!!

atrocious photos.....I am going new camera shopping this week...not helped by my waiting til dusk before taking them though!!!

I'm almost back in the real world, we are decorating our bedroom so we are a bit topsy turvy with that...I have some crafty ideas for the swaps I've signed up for...now who has hidden all the hours in the day lol!!!

edited to say...thank you for all your comments...I'm not making it round everyone at the minute but I'm lurking a bit!!! Also I should add that the bestest husband is not always so thoughtful with the gifts - this was a HUGE shocker!! I think I've used up a few years worth here!!!

Why I have the bestest husband in the world....

This was my gift for organising our wedding.

I LOVE him (and my mixer!!)