Strawberry Envy

Lots of you are harvesting your homegrown strawberries now.......I'm not and I'm jealous!!

I think this is the first year my next door neighbour has grown strawberries and look at these lovely red berries .....(hope they didn't see me taking that pic, they'll think I'm even stranger!!!)This is how bad it has got - zooming in my camera on my neighbours plants lol

I have grown strawberries every year in pots with reasonable success, I have planted in hanging baskets this year and look at this sorry lot

Check this freaky specimen out......what has gone wrong????

( lovely newly painted green shed in the background)

Looks like I'll be relying on the PYO or Mr Tesco's supply this summer....

a winner....

or two!!!

My glamorous assistant assisted, and the first name out of the hat (well woods ware jug!) was Elaine.

And as he was helping so nicely, and enjoying himself that he drew another name, which was Lissy Lou.

So if you'll both let me have your addresses, I can get your teacups off to you.

Thank you everyone for commenting. I really am still loving blogging, there have been a few moments of flagging but I think thats a time thing...oh for a world where all the jobs get done, you can sew what you like and you can immerse yourself in blogland round the clock!!!!

I'm still bit torn about how much to share, I'm not a secretive person, infact I'm a bit of a blurt!! But I do have to remind myself that this is the www and not everyone is as nice as us lol!

Back to the teacup pictures....I have been thinking of making them to put in a blog shop.....but I don't know if

a) I have the time to commit to making or

b) My makes are good enough...

So I think I will shelve that idea for the time being!! Its one of those long term plans for when I have more free time, the baby starts nursery in 18months ;) and thats not such a long way off!!

Seaside

We have had a lovely weekend. Some weekends pass by in a whirl - but this was one of those action packed yet stress free type ones!!

My brother and family came to stay, so that meant lots of cuddles with my 6 month old niece.

Lovely husband and my eldest then went to watch Madness in concert with my brother, whilst sis in law and I caught up on some Big Brother on the sky+!!

(I wanted to see Madness too, but decided that a boys jolly would be good for them!!)

The weather was great.

Lots of sunshine equals lots of seaside.

Our own seaside......

And much nicer up the coast Southwold seaside.........

Somebody had a great time digging a big hole...and I don't mean the boy in the photo!! We unearthed a large collection of spades....I took 10 to the beach with us and there is still a bag full of the things in the shed!! I think its because I am disorganised and never take any out with us so we end up buying more.....

( Also I shamefully realised that the baby had never felt sand on his feet until Sunday......shameful as I live 5 minutes from the beach!! More beach visits whilst he is awake are in order I think!!!)
(and 'the baby' isn't so much of a baby any more!!)

LOTS of seaside swap inspiration in Southwold. So hoping to get busy this week :)

one year

During my blogging break I missed celebrating a whole year of blogging.
To be honest I really didn't think I'd stick at it this long, but I have. Mostly because I enjoy being part of a fab community of strangers who are friends! Its a bizarre situation and almost unexplainable to people who aren't involved......I'm sure you know what I'm talking about!!!
Also I noticed at the weekend I had 50 followers...now 54.....its lovely to think people want to read my blog :)
I must apologise though that I haven't visited everyone who has become a follower, not because I don't care, just that old chestnut 'time' again!! I do appreciate you visiting me :)
Over the past year, it has been fantastic to share things with people who 'get' it!! Where else can I take a pic of something frivolous and pretty and people actually want to look at it. Just as I love to visit other blogs and nose at all your crafting, pretty new purchases and beautiful homes.
I've probably said before that blogland proves that there are people left in the world who are nice! Swaps are proof of this, I have been overwhelmed by the generosity of people, and I just love choosing and making for somebody who you just know is going to enjoy opening something handmade just for them...
So in honour of my sticking at something for a whole year and as a thank you for encouraging me to sew and craft more than I probably would, I shall have a giveaway.
I am making some more tea cup pictures - a bit like the one below that I made for bibbitybob.....it'll be the same...but different!!!
Just leave me a comment if you would like to take part and I'll randomly pic out a name in a weeks time.
Don't be shy, even if you have never commented before, say hello!!

friends

This is a thank you post!!!!
I took part in the FRIENDS swap that Beki hosted and was very lucky to be partnered with Natasha.
The rules were you send 7 gifts, each starting with the letters of the word friends......

Floss spoke recently of 'swap anxiety', I relate to this emotion. I have taken part in quite a few swaps now both in blogland and over at SCC and each time I feel anxious that the swap is ok'! My theory on the subject is that we all see our own crafting with different eyes to our partner! I know I am very critical of my makes.

Anyway, serious case of SA when I opened my parcel last week!!

F was for Flower Mini Book

Natasha is a scrapbooker and as I told her I am totally cack handed with papercrafts, so I was thrilled to get a pretty book with sleeves for pics of my chicks inside :)

R is for Retro Fabric

Wow! Natasha has obviously done her research. I love it! I can't use it yet obviously, looking and stroking for a while longer!!

I is for (you'll love this one lol!!!) - I couldn't decide so went for CK!!!

Fabulous take on the letter I (it was a tricky one, I struggled a lot!!).

E is for Earings

Gorgeous! I LOVE them :) x

N is for Notebook

This pic doesn't do it justice, this notebook is stunning, I am fighting the urge to be precious and never use it!!

D is for Daisies

Fabric daisies, I am going to attach these to a cushion I think.

S is for Shopping Bag

CK again - fabulous :)

I'll post what I sent another day.....but I really enjoyed making/finding things for this swap, it was such a great theme - even if I struggled with I and D!!! Thanks Beki for organising and thank you so much Natasha for my lovely lovely swap :) I hope you liked yours as much as I loved mine xx

Crafting

I'm loving making these fabric pictures, the houses for Debbie in my last post and one for me. But inspired by this - I made a piece of scrappy patchwork (those CK samples are good for this kind of thing!), cut out a tea cup shape - template found online as my freehand skills are very limited!!).

I have another cut out ready to applique one for me. I think I enjoy painting the frame just as much!!! (this one in LA duck egg).
This one was made for the SCC kitchen themed swap for bibbitybob.

I made a carrier bag holder, and reversable tea cosy in co-ordinating fabrics. I like the panel effect of the holder (so much I now have one!!)

Bibbity did ask me what fabrics I used (sorry it took so long to get back to you), the stripe is Globaltex Lulu stripe which I got from here.

The floral is globaltex too, from Dunelm, I will try and find a link for you, but I bought a while ago in store...

I'm glad you liked what I made and I only stalked you a little bit to discover your kitchen colours lol!!

Freestyle Swap

Hello....remember me?? I had a non planned bloggy break due to yet more tedious computer problems (2 new laptops both carking it after a very.short.time) anyhoos fingers crossed its 3rd time lucky and I'm back. I have a long list of 'things to blog about' so hopefully I will catch up soon. I have done quite a bit of crafting and received some fabulous swaps. The first one was from Debbie who was paired with me (lucky me x) for Silkie Sue's Freestyle Swap.

My parcel arrived one Saturday morningI waited til I was child free to enjoy opening my goodies.....

I absolutely love Debbie's cards that she makes (there are tons more examples on her blog)

She made me some fabulous things - beautiful bunting that has bead detail on. And a lovely heart with buttons.Now I did have a cafetiere cover on my list of planned projects (and we all know how quickly that would have got done lol!!!)
Don't have to now!! And I would never have made one as brill as this one:)
I now have a fab mobile phone charm too......(you knew my phone would be pink didn't you??!!!)

A fabulous family album...Debbie like me has been blessed with 4 boys and has used fab boy themed papers for my album. What a great idea...in use already....there is geography homework outstanding at the minute!!Currently on the bedside table for bedtime inspirational reading a gorgeous housey book.Thank You so much Debbie - I LOVE everything. And thanks to Sam for organising the swap.

I made Debbie a fabric house picture.....

and this fabric storage bucket with a union jack pocket on it.

(and more pics over on Country Heart and Home)

Back soon with more swap goodness :)