WOYWW and a busy week.

I've had a really busy week, full of all sorts of crafting.

I finished the skirt I had cut out, and it fits. I decided against the blue cotton trim, but I quite like it as it is.

I received another journal to complete a page in. The background was done by M for J. So this is how the background looked when it arrived. 

The theme this time was Beach, so I decided I wanted to have a mermaid on my page. 

I used one of my new Santoro stamps. 

I actually really like this page. I have done the same page in my own journal but it is currently drying so pics next time! 

Also decided to make abit of a start on some Christmas gifts ... The start of bunting? May need a little work!

Woyww and new fabric!

I had ordered some gorgeous tartan patterned wool online which arrived at the weekend, and I just had not found time to sit down and make anything with it.

I got 2 metres of blue tartan and 4 metres of red ... Now if anyone has any idea's of what I can make with red wool blend tartan that would be great! 

I fancied the idea of a wool pencil skirt for winter so I searched Pinterest for a few ideas (of course!) and have to say, I found more than a few that caught my eye. But I ended up raiding the bookshelf in the spare room and came across my copy of the Great British Sewing Bee's 'Sew Your Own Wardrobe' book my Aunty bought me for my birthday - which of course has a pattern for a pencil skirt! 

I saw a tweak on Pinterest, adding gorgeous colour filled pleats to the bottom, so I may try this. 

Just not too sure if it would only really look good with a plain fabric rather than patterned. Also, the plain blue is cotton (it's actually a pilow case - I buy packs of pillow cases in all different colours and patterns, as when you open them up you have alot of fabric, more than a fat quarter for a much lesser price) so not too sure how this will work.

 Anyway, I opened up my pattern ... 

There are so many patterns crammed onto one page! Went to find the tracing paper or baking paper ... We have run out! 

So in an attempt not to ruin my pattern (and to be impatient!) I folded here there any everywhere to give myself something to work with and so I ended up with a parcel paper pattern :) I was far too tired last night to cut into the fabric, so that is getting put aside for another evening.

WOYWW & Art Journal Swap

I love Art Journalling, but seem to spend alot of time looking for inspiration and not very much time actually creating.

I needed to really get myself back into it, but needed some help so I appealed to my craft friends and an idea of a journal swap with a difference was born. 

There are 5 of us taking part in this swap, with journals of different shapes, sizes and materials. We all created a background of our own and posted the pages off to the next person. Then the next person finished off the page, working on a theme we had decided before. 

I painted my background up and also made myself a duplicate in another journal. 

I used lots of green and yellows, which are colours I usually would not have chosen. First gesso'd my pages to prepare them, then used inktense blocks to add colour. Then ripped strips of paper for a little extra texture and smudged some acrylic paint in my chosen colours. 

For the first time in a long time, I was actually happy with a background I had created. 

My journal was posted off and I received a very beautiful background in the post. 

I ended up creating something that I actually like. The prompt was flowers. It took me a while to come round to the fact that it was finished, but I'm glad I left it as it is. And I did the same work on the page in my own journal. 

I like that these pages look so different, yet they are so similar. 

On my desk tonight, I have created the background to be posted off to my next friend for her to complete. 

Again, I did one in my journal so I get to keep one. I am really enjoying this challenge. 

WOYWW Catch Up

On my workdesk at the moment are lots of papers and other craft related items, ready to take over to my friend at the weekend so we can personalise a dolls house for her daughter! Fun!

Abit of a catch up on things I have been working on since the last entry -

We have my dress! I love this style - the pattern was a magazine freebie and this will be the 3rd dress in this style. I just totally love this fabric.
The fabric was a bargain at Hobbycraft, £3 per metre and this dress only needs 2 metres of fabric, so a new dress for £6! Plus, I had the fun of making it. 

My huge granny square blanket is slowly growing.
I'm not too sure about the multicoloured wool now, I would have preferred this if I could have made it have the same colour for 2 or 3 rounds, but hey! This is 4 balls in out of 10, so a few more to go. It's going to go in my craft room when it is finished as sometimes I get chilly in there. 

I have completed the patchwork blanket for my cousin, made from the babygrows and outfits her 3 daughters wore. The backing is a blanket she gave me, I presume they used that too.  I had a few issues with the sewing machine not liking sewing through fleece - although it has before. The thread kept snapping and just would not sew at all. The needle isn't blunt, so i have no idea what the problem was! 

My friends dad painted the green man onto these stones for us. This toadstool needs staining at the bottom and then I will be painting and varnishing the toadstools themselves. 

Green Fingered

I never was one for gardening. At the old house, we had a medium sized garden and a large patio area. For me, the entire thing could have been patio'ed. I was once bought a herb wheel, thinking I could keep it alive, but no :( I kept the pot though, as I will re-plant something in it.

Mr H likes being in the garden, he loves a good BBQ in the good weather. 

At the new house, I decided I would like to become more green-fingered. We are lucky, as we have moved to a house where the previous owner appears to have loved the garden. There are lovely plants popping up everywhere. So, I planted my veggies. I now have a variety of veggies growing in my kitchen, waiting to be transferred to the greenhouse Mr H built for me. 

I haven't photographed my Chives and Rocket, and the Potatoes, Raspberries and Blueberries are still waiting to be planted - Needed to wait til after the last frost. 

I love to read, and at the moment am really enjoying Annie Groves books, which are all related to the war and how people lived then, with rations etc. I already have a love for vintage/retro - 1940s and 1950s. I spoke to my Gran who says she can recall her Mum growing vegetables in the front garden of their cottage. It's lovely to think that I may be able to grow vegetables in the same way that my Great Grandma did. 

I love all seasons ... I love the colours that Spring, Summer and Autumn bring. I am enjoying seeing daffodils popping up in the garden, and have had 4 bunches in the house now too. 

Craft wise, my cousin gave me a bag of her 3 daughters babygrows, to be cut into squares and made into a patchwork quilt, so I have been cutting them out. I need 36, have 17 and have run out of babygrows so I am waiting for her to give me some more. 

And I have bought some more wool, only 4 balls, they only cost £4 and they are tweed, 100g each. 

Now I just have to think of something to crochet! 

Weekends

My workdesk is currently buried under piles of craft related-ness, which all needs to find a new home in my new craft room.

So until I can get to it, I have been crafting on the sofa. Just a little bit of crochet. The grey and red blanket for my little dog is coming on nicely, and I bought myself some new wool to make myself a blanket for the craft room. 

The stripey one is for me, I love it! Can't wait to see it grow and grow. 

The white with blue and green I bought for my wool stash ... It was 50p a ball! How could I resist!? 

My tomatoes are going strong, I have added cucumbers, garlic and basil to my windowsill, along with chives, rocket, chilli peppers and sweet peppers.
Tomatoes, Cucumber and Rocket all growing nicely.

I also bought a raspberry plant, blueberry plant and some potatoes to plant when the weather turns. 

I will soon have a real little veggie plot going on. 

Slimming World wise, I have been good and sticking to the "lifestyle" (not a diet) as much as possible - had a couple of nice meals too! 

I tend to try and have fruit for breakfast, but once I get to work. Lunch is usually a sandwich or homemade soup and evening meals vary from fish with rice and veg, curry and rice or good old spag bol! Even had a trip to Pizza Hut :p 

Baking is crafting, right?! I made plenty of biscuits this weekend, to use my new cute cookie stamp - Home Made stamped straight into the biscuit! How awesome! They taste good too :)

New Year, New Start

New house, new year, new start and all that.

So this is my first blog post of 2016 and yes, I say it regularly but I really, really am hoping to blog more this year! 

This year so far has been a busy one. We moved to our new house just days before Christmas day so we have lots of things we need to do in our new house but most exciting, I now have a craft room and a garden big enough for a little veggie patch. 

So first things first, I have planted myself some Tomato seeds and I have been pleased to see them grow much more than I expected in the first 2 weeks.

They are currently living on my kitchen window sill and I am hoping I can add other fruits and veggies to the Tomatoes. 

I finally finished a little pink crocheted blanket I made, for Mum's dog to sit on, on the sofa.  

And now I am on with one for my own dog. 

A few of my Slimming World meals - 

These are like mini omelettes, easy to make the night before with any leftovers in the fridge, a couple of eggs and half an hour in the oven. The more veg you add the better, they are nice and convenient for microwaving for breakfast at work. 

One big pan of veggies makes 3 days lunches of Leek and Potato soup, for around £1.50 too. 

And one of my fav tea's - Slimming World chips, with baked egg and pepper.

Craft wise this week I need to try and finish the grey and red blanket and I could do with working on my Christmas blanket (that was supposed to be finished by last Christmas but wasn't!)