Red Colour Swap

Lorraine at the Balancing Kiwi went back to her NZ roots whilst the colour swap took place..and as she really wanted to play, we agreed a later finish date and her and I did a little extra swap.

Yesterday I got a lovely box of goodies from Lorraine, all my chosen colour Red themed....
She has made me a massive and gorgeous tote bag..perfect for the beach, and a tea cup candle which I have already had to wrestle my mum for!!! The candle came with a covered box of matches, which didn't get photographed as I put them out of little fingers reach and forgot to put in the pic!!)
She has also made me an owl, a heart, a hanging bird, a pin cushion , a needle case, a brooch and a fab scented pot mat...you rest your teapot or pan on the wheat filled smelly pad and it releases lovely aroma (that was in case you are as uninformed as I was - I had never seen one before!!!)
I also opened a fold up shopper for my handbag, which is in a personalised case..it tells me that Claire is self assured and calm...my family laughed. A lot!!!
Also a great Keep Calm and Carry On book.

(you should be able to click to enlarge)
I really thought the box was bottomless - the goodies kept coming, Lorraine thank you so much, I love everything you chose for me xxxxxxxx
I have already lost the owl to the little boys (I wish you could hear R say owllllllllll and see him actually, its hilarious, the big boys have him on repeat saying it!!)
I have been offered a table at a craft fair, thankfully its for Patch not me, so I don't have to get sewing, however I do have to measure cut and fold a lot of ribbon!!
I'll be back soon, with more craft fair news and also a link to a great little sewing project that has been brought to my attention. xx

patch fabrics and haberdashery

*****FABRIC SHOP NOW LIVE*****

After a very traumatic day, I have managed to get the delicious fabric loaded on to the website.

We are all systems go now!!

But let me tell you it wasn't easy...there was a problem with my pics...a problem with my cookies...a problem with the web hosts techy stuff...typical on the day I was child free and excited to do the boring part of the shopkeeping lol!!!

Anyhow..3 phone calls to some techy people, one takeaway tea for my boys, lots of sweary words, very sore fingers from tapping and a headache from screen gazing......I am there!!!

I know I have said before but the site is very much a work in progress, I have more techy stuff to do to make the home page easier to use (some links and pics)

Bear with me!!!

There is more fabric coming soon...some I have made available to order as I know its on its way..and there are new designs coming in June, July, August etc etc!!

I'm off now to lie in a dark room!!!!

Enjoy x

A spotty giveaway!!!

There is another giveaway over at Patch blog.....
(there will be 2 winners if the followers on the blog or on facebook reach 100!!!)

Spotty ribbon anyone????
I am working through the fabric...I think we are looking at it being the end of the week before its available on the website.
My new cutting table is working well, I'll share some pics of Patch HQ (lol) when lovely husband has finished the flatpacks and put some shelves up at the weekend.
Hopefully I'll have time to craft again soon - and finish the swap I have outstanding...
(apologies lorraine xxxx)
I haven't signed up for any of the fabulous swaps that are in blogland at the moment so I can not get swamped under!!
Ok back to the fabric!!!!

popping in.....

Thank You so much for all your lovely birthday wishes for Cam...I did pass them on but I think the concept of bloggy friends is a bit much for a 5 year old to be dealing with!!!
He had a great birthday tea....and the cake went down very well!!! I only had 1 slice as I am back doing Slimming World again since my Wii Fit told me how much weight I had put on since I got married 13 months ago (1 stone 4lb if you are interested!!). Although I knew I was larger, the actual figure on screen was enough to shove me back on the diet wagon....
I have been doing a teeny amount of crafting...nearly finished my nieces quilt...
its finished the quilting in no time way..the backing fabric cut out larger and folded over to bind.
(excuse the creases...)


I am a little behind with my final swap of the 4 I signed up for all together (note to self..do not do this again!!), I shall be sending a grovelling email very soon to Lorraine!! But that crafting is allocated to my next bit of free time!!

I have also been getting over excited about fabric. Patch will be stocking some gorgeous fabrics very very soon.......I have had a delivery and am going to be working hard getting photos done and adding the fabric to the shop.

We have company this weekend, so I had already planned to take a weekend off, but ooh very bad timing lol!!! I am eager to put it in the shop for you to see :)

I have had surprise post from this lovely lady...
How did she know my treat tin was empty???

(only 3.5 slimming world syns each lol...yes I checked...but only after I had greedily eaten one as soon as the parcel was opened!!!)
And how did she know that the hanging chicken was exactly the same as my chicken hook thingy?!?!?

Thank You Beki, for everything...especially the brooch to match my cuff xx
Cam has helped me pick the winning name out of the pot...(well 2 actually!!!) over at the Patch blog.
There will be another giveaway next week, aswell as fabric in the shop by the end of the week...yippee!!!

FIVE

Happy Birthday Cameron!

Our 3rd boy is 5 today...I always think 5 is the absolute end of toddlerhood... :(
The birthday bunting was put up last night - the cake was made by big brother W (the family cake expert) and decorated by everyone........

Cards and pressies have been opened - noise has been made!!!
(the guitar and mic stand were all he wanted so whats a mummy to do!!! They can always 'run out of batteries' later!!)
The handmade element of his gift has been made ...

the sun is sadly not shining, so we are going to play at home today, there are 3 friends coming for tea (no party this year...jaded mum I'm afraid..I just couldn't stomach the organisation!!) and daddy is getting home midweek so we can put candles on the cake and sing Happy Birthday!
(help me tidy up more like!!)
I will be spending the day wondering how on earth 5 years went past so quickly!!!


don't forget the ric rac giveaway over at Patch....

Patch Giveaway

There is a giveaway over at Patch....details are here....
I am having a couple of 'waiting' giveaways..whilst we wait for that fabric to arrive!!!
This week its ric rac!!See you over there!!!

spring

It is officially spring today....I am wearing A SKIRT!!!
I'm not going out anywhere as my legs have only had one coat of fake tan so are not fit for public viewing yet but...its a skirt!!!
I am working today...obviously ;)
Mum has 2 teeny boys so I can get on with 'patch' work....I do feel in limbo until the fabric arrives...and I'm getting excited about its arrival!! Not looking forward to writing the mahoosive cheque perhaps..but i may disappear for a day while I lock myself away with it!!! I am still getting the 'office' ready, we ordered from Ikea online for the big bits I need (popping to Ikea for me is a good 5 hour round trip!!) which will get us nearly organised before we can get to the shop in person for the essentials they don't deliver (like tealights and fabric lol!)
Anyway I have some boring paperwork to get through today, so I shall break it up with some nicer things...like.....
rosali bedding!!
Someone very very kindly offered to pop to Ikea to get me a rosali bedding set as I had heard a cheeky rumour the design was back in the UK...

she got me not one but 2 sets a blue and a pink/white :D
I am so smiley...now I don't claim to love rosali as much as this lovely lady...but *sigh* .......I keep looking out of the window at it blowing on the line!!
Now my intention was to cut and make but now its here...not sure I will be able to make that 1st cut!!!
Thank you angel cake for being such a lovely friend xxx
Now I need some green fingered advice..is it too early to plant out sweet pea plants???
I have started them off in loo rolls (better roots by all accounts) on the windowsill....and they are now getting too big....do I need to harden off before whacking them in the ground??
They are healthier looking plants than the ones I have previously bought in the garden centre, but any help for my next move gratefully received!!

swaps

I was lucky enough to recieve 2 swap parcels today...my colour swap from laura

and I received green goodies like the lampwork bead bracelet on my wrist below and the necklace above, also green fabric, ribbon and buttons and beads. (not forgetting the green choccie eggs that I forgot to put out of sight after photograph taking, so had to share with eagle eyed boys!!!!!!)
don't know who put the old lady hand at the end of my arm :( - note to self ...more handcream!!!

And my flower swap, from anilla..

love the scandanavian folk style fabric at the front..I have just the project to use it for...and the tissue holder is embroidered so beautifully...my pic does not do it justice....there is also a sarong tie, a pretty pink shopping bag, some lavender bags and summer flower seeds , a make up bag and rose scented bubble bath.
Thank You ladies for my great gifts and for being great swap partners.

Thank You also to all of you with well wishes for my easter illness!!
I am now feeling better - I left the house today, apart from a half hour sea wall walk on Sunday, I've been inside!!
On the plus side, I started my nieces easter gift...they are not visiting until next week so have a bit of breathing space...more on that tomorrow (ie I forgot to take pics and now its dull!!)
I also started and finished this book.....

it was fabulous..love love loved it....
Today I saw this movie...

I started sniffling about 5minutes in and didn't really stop lol!! So inspiring and well.... just lovely!!
Tonight I shall be working...patch business so its not horrible work!! More 'patch packs' to be made up. Patch is now on folksy too....at the moment the ribbon packs are listed aswell as thhe velvet ric rac..the patch folksy shop can be found here.

Colour Swap

My partner for the colour swap (organised by moi!) has received her swap now so time for show and tell!!

I was partnered with Laura , and her colour of choice was purple.

Its not a colour I use much of in crafting however by the time I'd finished..I am fancying myself some purple about the place!!

I made a cushion - log cabin stylee - with denim, which I think worked well with the purple fabric.

I love this purple baby cord fabric...and I made a cafetiere cosy (now need one for me!!)

I also found some purple things, laura said she liked sparkly, so a sparkly bead heart, lip balm in a purple butterfly, a VERY strong smelling purple yankee candle, and some Patch ribbons and cords in purple colours!!

Easter was very accomodating and made a purple chocolate bunny available and I made a bunny from the lovely cord.

I've uploaded the photo's onto the flickr group which you can find here. Have you uploaded yours???

Happy Easter

Happy Easter!
I am starting the weekend with a very bad cold :(
So a sit down with some fabric and hexagon paper templates is in order for the rest of the day.
So I shall leave you with some of my Easter decorating .............................................

(The tree lives in my front window..but it is VERY hard to photograph!!! I doubt it will be green and leafy for Sunday as I only went to get it on Tuesday...so it will be staying out an extra week I should think!!!)

(I did this last year also...as the easter stock comes into the shops I collect lots of different easter shapes..then mingle them all up and add fluffy chicks and the boys have one or two after dinner..they will last till...oh Sunday if we are lucky!!!)


.....................and wish you all a lovely weekend x

Flower Swap

I have now sent off my flower swap package to anilla. And as I know she has received safe and sound I can show and tell.....
Now I did promise anilla that I wouldn't overload her with too many flowers, as she isn't as flowery a person as I am!!! But obviously I had to include some!!
The rules of the fabulous swap were to send a FQ of flowery fabric
a packet of favourite flower seeds (sweet peas.....and herbs too as I heard anilla likes to cook!!)
A lavender bag.....
A denim and flowery softie (made from the meet me at mikes book)
Some bunting made from vintage embroidered linen.......


A rose scented candle, a flowery paper lantern, CK flowery tissues, a notebook and a flower ring too.A huge thank you to Sew Scrumptious for organising this fab swap xxx