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???

Pamper Swap

I signed up for the pamper swap over at Michela's blog.....I thought it was a lovely idea and as it involved no makey business, I was all for it!!! 3 makey swaps on the go together are enough for anyone lol!!
You can see the swap 'rules' here...I chose Floral and Spice..with my faves being Rose and Ginger as I couldn't decide on just one...indecisive? me?!!
My swap partner Kelly has sent me the most lovely and generous parcel of pamper goodies......




I absolutely love everything, thank you Kelly, I'm ready to pamper myself after the last few weeks, and what better way?? xx

(Don't forget the giveaway...still time to enter....I'll announce the winner tomorrow xxx)

Colour Swap Partners

Here are your partners ladies for the colour swap. Hopefully the links will work (let me know if not) and you can make contact as soon as you can with your partner, and swap info, addresses etc....
**(sorry I have had to do a bit of jiffling, hope this doesn't cause too many problems x)**

Shannon (RED) swaps with Tammy (PURPLE)
Made with Love (GREEN) and Dotty Daisies (BRIGHT GREEN)
The English Teacup (RED) and Bekimarie (PINK)
Mary Poppins (PINK) and Jozen (PINK and BROWN)
Mrs Yappy Dog (MINT GREEN) and Chez Sophie (PINK)
Groovy Moon Child (PINK) and Miya (GREEN)
The Vintage Gardener (ORANGE) and Crafty Helen (RED)
Ticking Stripes (GREEN) and Lissy Lou (PINK)
Born to Sew (DENIM BLUE) and Lalalibaby (GREEN)
Vintage Vicki (RED, GREEN or PINK) and The Madhouse (GREEN or PINK)
MitMot (RED) and Lemonade Kitty (PINK)
Dawn (PINK) and Della (YELLOW)
Flutter (PINK) and Country Girl (BLUE)
Blingabonga (PURPLE) and JoJoDesigns (GREEN)
Dolly Dollop (GREEN) and Laura Gladwyn (PURPLE)
Mad about Bags (GREEN) and Fairly Girly (GREEN or PURPLE)
Contented (PURPLE)) and A Mermaids Purse (RED)
Little Gem (PINK) and Sew Scrumptious (BLUE)
Kate (PINK) and Lexiloo (PINK OR GREEN)
Little Bear Stories (PALE BLUE) and Vanilla (RED)

And as Seranata is in New Zealand until after the swap ends, I'm going to have an additional swap and we will be partnered for a late finishing colour swap!!
Seranata (BLUE) swaps with Dolly Dollop (RED).

(The list is now closed, however I am waiting to hear if someone still wants to join in, so there may be another pairing later!!)
Quick reminder of "the rules"...

You will send minimum of 5 items to your partner..themed round their fave colour(in brackets next to your partners name)

At least 1 handmade item, the others could be thrifted or bought

Post so that your partner recieves by 31st March 2010.

(any probs with this please let me or your partner know as soon as possible x)

So, in the words of Shania Twain...lets go girls!!!

Happy Swapping xxx

ps I've set up a flickr group here for all the pics of your lovely makes :)

Colour Swap

*LIST NOW CLOSED *

Well, it was a definate yes to the colour swap.
Thank You for helping me out by voting!!
So...who wants to take part in the.......
Rules...so to speak.....are:

1) Let me know your current favourite colour when you leave a comment to say 'count me in' for the swap.
2) You will send 5 items to your partner..themed round their fave colour.
3) At least 1 handmade item, the others could be thrifted or bought.
4) Post so that your partner recieves by 31st March 2010.
5) Open to oversea's bloggers too, so please also let me know if you are not able to send overseas, so I can work this when sorting partners.
6) Pop the 'colour swap' button on your blog.

Leave me a comment on this post before next Monday, the 22nd, when I'll put your names in a hat and partner you up!!!

Hope everyone who celebrates had a good Valentine's Day. We don't indulge chez dollop, but I did buy a packet of heart shaped jellies which I shared with lovely husband...well I say shared....he had 1 or 2 ;)

It is half term in these here parts of the country, I like to start the week with a pyjama morning, doing not much at all...but it hasn't been too relaxing so far!!! Hope its not going to be a long week!!

I have taxi duties to perform this morning but this afternoon is all about me and my sewing machine, I have a little something to finish for Lissy and more string patches...After laying them out on my large dining table, we discovered that I need 21 more to have enough for a small quilt for the sofa!!! Good job they are quick, fun and addictive to do!!

Time for a Swap?

I've been having a few thoughts about swaps. A few of you said you'd be interested in taking part in a swap, and as I have nothing better to do (ha!) I thought maybe I could host my first ever one!!
But indecisive me needs your help...I have a couple of ideas, but I figure that if I'm the only one who likes the idea, it'll be a very boring swap!!!

So there is a poll on the sidebar, to see what you think about

• Step into Spring Swap

All things Springlike...spring colours, flowers etc.

• Colour Swap

You tell your partner your favourite colour and the swap parcel is themed around that colour, something made, bought, thrifted...

My making mojo is back, so I hope that some of you will want to join in!!! I'll leave the poll open until after the weekend.

magazine swap

I was really excited to be taking part in Floss's no strings magazine swap, at the thought of feasting my eyes on a non English magazine...
I was partnered with Juanita, and received a package from her at the weekend.

I love the lovely touch on the envelope - a felt stamp..genius....I love it!!!

And inside, Living &More.....Not a mag thats available in the UK (or if it is I've never clapped eyes on it!!!). I knew from the cover I was going to love it!!

Juanita hoped I would find some inspiration from this magazine....I'll let my favourite pictures answer that one!!!
this is lovely husbands favourite..he's a sucker for a woodburner shot!!!

I am in love with the crochet..the colours are fabulous.

Valentines food..heart shaped eggs or heart shaped courgette and mushroom pastries for tea!!

spring flowers and a crafty idea for displaying spring flowers.

I love this little girls bedroom..the LA wallpaper with hot pink bedding.

sigh* look away now if you are prone to shoe envy...

Thank You Juanita, we have had a lot of pleasure out of looking at the pictures in the mag and I hope my package gets to you soon.

Christmas Stocking Swap

One of the plus points of Royal Mail being busy busy during the festive season is Sunday parcel deliveries!! My parcel from Beki was delivered at the weekend, we were partnered in her Christmas Stocking Swap.
I had been holding out so I could take pictures in good light but as we have had snow and are expecting some more - its practically dark all day!!! So I'm making do and blaming the weather rather than my skillage!!!

The excitement kicked in as soon as the brown paper was torn off.

beautifully wrapped pressies..in MY colours!! With lovely tags that have been reused on my tree!

Except this one - how fabulous is this..its a nail file!!

Love my christmas stocking its now hung on the fireplace.....

lovely scarf...which hasn't been taken off yet!!!sweeties - gone gone gone!!!

snuggly socks

christmassy tissues, candle and lovely pink smellies...

beautiful button heart and cute scented sachet...and fab bunting which will be hung in the bay window in the New Year.

I love love love everything xxx

Thanks Beki for being a great swap partner and a great bloggy friend xxxx

Handmade Christmas Swap

I mentioned yesterday that the postie had brought me a parcel from Pat. Her side of the Handmade Christmas Swap. The rules being send your partner a handmade christmas card, decoration and gift.
You know every swap I take part in I say this but wow! there really are some talented people out there....
First up I opened a package for my boys - Pat had kindly sent them some sweeties, fab christmas lollies and candy canes and footballs. They are very pleased that they were thought of. Chocs for me - that escaped the picture for some reason and they have gone now!!
Next up was a smelly bag (in a very good way), yummy yankee candles and a christmassy bath melt.
When I trimmed up my tree, I had a bit of a cull of decorations and only kept the red white or green ones...that left some gaps...Pat has now filled some gaps..... and here is how they look on my tree.... I love them they are fabulous and will grace my tree for years and years to come..
Also continuing the red and white theme, a lovely heart now hanging in the hallway....
And prepare to be wowed..look at my new bag!!! And the detail...I was speechless..my poor photo's really don't do this beautiful bag justice...and I have to admit very pleased that I had wrapped up Pat's swap and put in the car to take to the Post Office and that I am very short of time otherwise I would have started again with my makes!!!!
It is very very me...thank you so much Pat for a fabulous swap (your 1st x) and I hope you are as pleased as I am x

paper bag swap

I was nervous about this swap after signing up...actually having to take the scissors to somebody elses fabric *yikes*!!!

But I got over it lol...and what I made for Rachel can be seen on her post here.

Yesterday I had another parcel opening session - complete with sighs and oohs and ahs again!!

lots of parcels to opening, very exciting!!

Rachel is a very talented crafter, and I did do some little screams when I opened!!!

I love this patchwork stitchery that I am going to wall mount, and I will be following Rachel's advice hehehe!!

I love the addition of the recipe card and am thinking this is an idea I may adopt, its a great idea to pass on recipes and can't wait to give this choccy brownie recipe a go!! (love the card with the good enough to eat pic on too!!)

Now I embarrassed myself with this beautiful patchwork item...when I opened it I placed it around my neck..and thought what a lovely scarf....then I thought..hmm actually I think its a runner....so placed on my bedroom chest (thinking all the time that it would look lovely on my newly painted dresser...when its done....)

So I email Rachel and say thank you...and guess what!!! Rachel meant it as a scarf *blush* but has graciously told me I can use as I like!! (probably thinking what a numpty lol!!!)

Its gorgeous and if I use as a scarf it will crease!! On my dresser it won't and I can stroke it as I walk by...but if I use it as a scarf I can look at it all the time...hmm decisions!!!!

Some Christmas lovliness, wooden candle holder and a cute robin decoration...Rachel's stitching is perfect.....This pretty brooch is on my pink cardigan already...jellybeans are in my tummy :)

And a fab pincushion sitting next to some bath fizzers that smell of sweeties - yum :)

Thank You so much Rachel, for my fabulous makes and for organising the paper bag swap. Its been fun..once the worry passed, I enjoyed making for somebody with their choice of fabric.

Hoping for a bit of sun tomorrow so I can take pics of my purl purchases....also hoping for some time to use some!!!

The countdown to Christmas starts here for me...I plan to do some wrapping this weekend...I'm usually done by now...and I want to put the boys advent calendar together with chocs and activities.....not many sleeps now!!!