handmade by Goosey and other people's inspiring stuff

Equipping our young people for practical life

2012-01-27T08:06:00.007Z

I have been giving alot of thought recently about how well we equip our youngsters for adult life. I am the first to admit that in some areas I have failed to teach my children some of the practical skills needed to live a simple life.

I have tried to teach them not to be materialistic and I think for the most part they are not hankering after 'things' and none of them are in debt ( apart from the one who went to University, and he has a job so is paying it back).

When they were growing up I didn't involve them in any of the house cleaning routines which I now regret. It was easier and certainly quicker to do it myself, so that's what I did....but I did them no favours. Thankfully all three of them are now reasonable tidy in their own homes but we did go through a few very untidy years!

I make most food from scratch, including bread but I haven't passed on these skills....shame on me. However, my daughter is an excellent cake maker for our twice yearly sales.

I was taught to sew by my mother who is a skilled needlewoman, at the age of 78 she still makes most of her dresses and skirts, she makes amazing lace and can turn her hand to almost anything practical. My daughter has not been interested in sewing but has made the odd cross stitch picture which I treasure! One of my son's made his girlfriend a pair of pink tartan shorts for Christmas!!!!!( not sure if she treasures them but I'm sure she appreciates the effort involved!) Below is the shorts in progress! I love to grow seeds and plants, a few vegetables......when the children were little they had their own little bit of the garden which they grew easy stuff in, like Sunflowers and Marigolds and were inspired by my father-in-laws garden which was full of produce and stayed like that until he died aged 88.

If I had my time over again I would not only try to teach my children more practically but I would teach them to let go of perfectionism. Everything does not need to be perfect, do it as well as you can but we do not need to have

-a perfect home

-a perfect body

-a perfect wedding

-a perfect car

-a perfect luxury holiday

etc.....

The nicest wedding I ever saw was entirely homemade, dresses, cakes, food and wild flowers on the tables in big jugs, the best holidays we ever had were when the children were young and we couldn't afford anything except camping....I could go on but you get the picture!

Is it too late? Hopefully not, and seeing my children now I can see that they are doing some stuff anyway....maybe they just watched! If I ever have grandchildren I will teach them how to do things like cook and sew for fun. Men also have a part to play, let them help Dad to make something, mend something and learn how to use tools.

Although I have written this in the first person, I was not alone bringing up our children, my husband and their father is an engineer and has passed this talent on to one of our son's who is now an engineer for a very posh and upmarket British car company ! My daughter works in the caring profession looking after children and young people with special needs, not easy at all, and our other son is about to return to the Royal Marines having sustained an injury during training he is about to start again. The Royal Marines taught him to be very tidy and his ironing skills are phenomenal! He is very resourceful and if there was a war and I had to hide in the woods to survive I would want him with me as he can survive outdoors with nothing! Bit of a Bear Grylls type!

Well this wasn't meant to be a rant, just a musing about using the gifts we have been given by God and passing skills on down the generations, not relying on this throwaway society. I get teased about my breadmaking, I don't use a breadmaker just the old fashioned way BUT...there is never any left to throw away, so however much I get teased, I know they like it really!

Quilts with feet!

2011-12-03T11:35:00.002Z

This is the latest quilt to be made, I absolutely love these fabrics and secretly wish I could keep it, but it's an order for someone so it's not for keeping!

If you look closely you will see that this quilt has feet....... they look remarkably like my husbands feet!

Various fabrics have been used, it's machine pieced but hand quilted and hand bound round the edges.

I think when I have completed all the current orders from the sale I shall make a similar quilt for us!

And the result was.......

2011-11-19T20:19:00.006Z

All the hard work was worth it today when we hosted the latest CrafTeas 'n' Cakes at Suzie' s home. The crafts sold well, cards sold more than ever before and the cakes...well they went like the proverbial hotcakes.

Suzie despite not feeling very well managed to get through the day and is seen here setting up the tea and cakes.

At times the lounge was full to bursting but the weather was mild and people were able to spill out into the garden to enjoy their cups of tea.

In total just over £700 was raised to share between the two causes, but that total will raise as we have a few orders to do. So if you came, a big THANK YOU for supporting us and more importantly children in parts of the world who are very needy. Also a special big thanks to my husband Dave who made teas and coffees and washed up for a solid 3 hours!
Now off to lie in a darkened room .......

History of CrafTeas 'n' Cakes

2011-11-16T07:48:00.012Z

Last year I started to have a craft and cakes 'do' at our house to raise money for street children in Kolkata, India. I have been asked many times how and why it began so I thought I would put it here...just for the record! My daughter Amy went on a mission trip from our church, Canford Heath Baptist Church to Kolkata in India, she worked in various areas but the one that impacted her most were the children who live on the streets, under lamp posts, blankets and were just so poor. The Good News School bus picked the children up in the morning and took them to the school where they had a wash, clean clothes, a meal (cooked by the teacher before he drove the bus to pick them up) and gave them an education and some hope for the future. At the end of the day they were taken back to their pavements and so to their families again.

One story that shocked me was that during school one day the children made little shakers out of plastic cups filled with rice to shake and make a noise with. When the bus dropped the children off, one of the mothers of the children tore open the cup and got the rice out, ....it was food for the family that night. The team were wishing they had filled the cups up to the top when they saw this

Well, all this got me thinking about what I could do and thinking about using the gifts God has given me. One thing I love to do is to sew and be creative. As Dave and I travel around I am constantly scribbling ideas down, sketches of views and vistas I see and wanting to make a picture of them so it seemed a good idea to use this and so the first sale came about in 2010 just before the team went to India to raise money for craft stuff to take with them and use in the schools. We bought puppets for them to do puppet shows with (they loved them so much, they were left out in Kolkata in the school!) lots of other stuff was taken too.

The first sale was on my birthday at the end of May and was supposed to be a garden fair but had to be hastily regrouped indoors as it poured with rain the whole time! However we made £358 which was so much more than I thought we could make! If you look back in the blog to May 2010 you will see pictures of it.

The cakes were as popular (if not more so!) Family and friends got involved with cake making, washing up, etc..
As Christmas approached I felt it would be good to do another sale and was joined by my very good friend Suzie. Suzie and I are both Christians, we used to go to the same Church and we work together as palliative care nurses in a local hospice. Suzie has a special interest in summer camps in Romania for children and this is something I believe her church supports, I will try and get Suzie to write about it on here one day! So it was decided that we would both make and create and divide the proceeds between the two causes.

The Christmas sale was held in Suzie's home as she has a bigger lounge than we do and made £745 which was a staggering amount, it was divided between the two causes equally. (See blog entries for November 2010)

In June 2011 we had our 2nd garden fair...and yes, it was in the garden this time with blue skies! Suzie had other things she was involved with at that time, so it was just my stuff on sale but Suzie still helped me on the day. (Pictures in blog in June 2011)BMS India were given the proceeds which came to £650 which included some which went to Freeset which is also based in Kolkata and gives ex prostitute women a job making bags and gets them off the streets and gives them an income for them and their families.

So, in a nutshell that's the story so far. God willing, Suzie and I will carry on although we do probably need a bigger venue soon!

Amy, my daughter is praying and talking with various people about sometime doing more work out in India. Suzie and I are continuing for now with sewing, making and baking.

I would like to thank all the people who make this possible and give their time and talents freely, My husband Dave, who puts up with my fabric everywhere, sets the tables up and washes up and does more than I could ever say, my children, Amy, who makes amazing cup cakes. Will and Ed who help at the sales when they are home, Kat and Naomi, the two girlfriends who also get involved in selling. My mum who makes beatiful hand made lace items. Dr John and Mary who serve tea and cakes and do endless washing up, and others who willingly provide cakes, wash up and do so much . THANK YOU ALL!!!!

Well the next sale is on this Saturday at Suzies home so watch this space...right...off to make some cakes now! Malteser cakes I think................

Crafts and Cakes

2011-07-08T21:13:00.002+01:00

About a month ago we held another Cake and Crafts day in the garden in aid of 'The Good News Schools' in India. It was a great day, sunny and warm (unlike last year when it poured all day!)

The roses were in full bloom, lots of willing helpers in the shape of the family and some friends too.

The crafts were finished,

Lots of cakes ready and iced....and we made £650 in total with Freeset bags too. Fab!

2011-04-03T19:57:00.002+01:00

How good is this! I love this mosaic that is in the wonderful Farrington Gurney farm shop cafe just south of Bristol. we stopped there yesterday having dropped one son and two friends at the airport. Below is a wider view of the cafe and the mosaic. If you are in the area , visit it, the food is fab and the place great fun.

Doodling across the generations!

2011-02-28T17:29:00.002Z

When I was a student nurse in the 70's I had this doodle art poster stuck on the wall of my room in the Nurse's Home, and I used to invite people to colour bits in and then sign it round the edge or somewhere.

It got quite competitive as you can see if you read the comments of my friend Jan! (Click on the picture to enlarge it)
Well, I found it again whilst de-cluttering the other day and have stuck it up on the kitchen door and guess what....the next generation have started to doodle too!

I'm going to leave it there with a box of felt tips on the kitchen table and maybe I'll frame it when it's complete and enjoy the memories!

Living a bit more simply

2011-02-10T09:48:00.003Z

I have been giving alot of thought recently to living more simply, as a Christian I feel I have a duty to tread lightly on God's creation but I don't do it well I think. As I was reading my Bible the other day I happened to read a verse that jumped out at me..."Teach us to make the most of our time, so that we may grow in wisdom." Psalm Ch 90 v 12. In the Message version of the Bible it reads ...."Teach us to live well! Teach us to live wisely and well"
I saw this as a call to live more slowly and more deliberately. I do quite alot of home/hand-made stuff already but feel challenged to do more.
I can cook, sew, knit, clean, but although I have been taught or have learnt to do these things I don't use them enough and I'm not an expert in any of these skills. I only work 2 days a week now although whether they are day or night shift they are 12 and a half hour shifts, which is pretty tiring sometimes.
So....I made a list of things to do myself and therefore hopefully be less materialistic and less consumer driven.

-cook from scratch
-make bread
-make cakes/biscuits
-make jams/chutneys,etc..
-make dog food
-Use up left overs
-Sew stuff to sell for India
-Volunteer
-Make cards
-Do garden for 15 mins a day
-Declutter
-Compost
-keep Chicken
-Shop less
-Use library
-Source firewood free/cheaply
-Make tablecloths/tea cosies/bedding/curtains/dish cloths/clothes.
-Stop landline phone and use a mobile
-Watch less TV
-Store water for the garden
-Put up solar panels for hot water
-Use slow cooker more
-Ditch dishwasher (I hardly use it anyway)
-Never buy a tumble dryer
-Don't buy newspapers and cut down magazines
-Think small, don't need a BIG house, BIG TV, BIG holiday
-Make menu plans and only but what you need
-Don't buy snacks or bottled drinks
-Repair stuff
-Have a 'No-spend' week
-Have an 'Eat out of the freezer' week.
-Walk more
-Make Christmas and Birthday cards
-Grow vegetables
-Grow flowers for cutting
-Grow/sew and make gifts for presents.

Well I know I won't achieve all that and indeed my better half may not agree to some of them, and to be fair I already do quite a few of these things.....but I will try to live more simply.
Last week I spotted this painting of a dog on a gate to warn people I presume....so perhaps I'll try to paint Wrecks on our gate! !!!!

Doodles

2011-01-22T09:08:00.002Z

I have recently found, quite by accident a thing called zentangles. It is drawing shapes random or a set shape and doodling in the shapes. Rather like we all did as children, drawing a scribbly shape and colouring it in but instead of colouring you do repeating patterns in each shape.
I don't go for "zen" stuff but I do like the art work, so if you fancy a go have a look at it here!

2011-01-03T15:59:00.003Z

This pattern for soft padded bags came from the wonderful "Sew Hip " magazine. I have tweaked it a bit, but the idea is great. I made these for Christmas for my daughter and my son's girlfriend

These were made for friends too in the fabric of their choice. They are fun to make and very useful too.
The cup of tea is optional, or in my case essential to the sewing experience!

Last makes of the old year

2011-01-01T15:46:00.003Z

I treated myself to a book in November and this pegbag pattern was in it, I must say I don't know why I made them, but amazingly have sold three already!

Also made a few Christmas stockings, which also sold well.
BUT...in the creativity stakes God beat me hands down, there is so much beauty in the detail of creation.

"Suzie and Lyn's Home-made Fair"

2010-11-21T17:30:00.008Z

The day of the "Home-Made by Suzie and Lyn" has been and gone and we raised an amazing £745 so far! Half will go to BMS India and the other half to Romanian Summer Camps for children. We sold lots of cards like the ones above, quilts, Christmas stockings, bags, serviette holders, and numerous other bits.
We reckon if we feed the husbands with cake and tea/coffee thier wives are happy to browse and spend the money! So lots and lots of cake was made......and consumed! I spent the previous evening icing 120 fairy cakes plus 3 victoria sandwiches, 2 lemon cakes, 2 fruit cakes, 3 mini cakes and 200 biscuits.

A few bits and bobs on a table

And more stuff, people just came and seemed to enjoy the home-mades.

Cards sold well,

and the little bags, but not the pincushions. People from both our Churches and the Hospice where we work and neighbours came too. We still have a few orders to complete which will bump the overall total up.

I am so tired now....I need to lie in a darkened room for about a week I think!

Excuses for my absence!

2010-11-14T21:44:00.004Z

This is why I have been away, I am having another sale of handmade stuff next Saturday and these are some partly made cards for it.

I have been making pictures, quilts, cards, potato sacks, tea cosies, serviette holders, bags, pencil rolls and numerous other bits and bobs. This time I am not alone, the friend above and I have joined forces to hopefully raise more money for the causes. Last time in summer the end total was £4oo, so I aim to beat that. The money is again going to India, in particular Koltata where my daughter went in summer to work with the street children in a school.

I have alot of sewing to finish off this week and alot of cakes to bake for the day, I'm on holiday this week but sadly have 2 funerals happening, one is my Aunty and the other a friend, both to cancer. Not the way I saw my holiday! Anyway here's hoping next week will raise alot of money to make a difference in childrens lives.

Inspired by Kaffe Fassett...but not as good!

2010-08-29T09:23:00.006+01:00

I have long been inspired by Kaffe Fassett and his wonderful colourful designs, and while on holiday this year I picked up a book of his in a second hand shop called 'Glorious Interiors'. There is a chapter about mosaics and I had an old garden table that was crying out for something to revamp it. I had a great time doing it...but I think I have made it into a useless piece of furniture!

It's not grouted yet but it's so bumpy and uneven you will never balance a cup or plate on it again! I have even put cup handles upright on it...click on the pictures for a better look!

My son's girlfriend suggested I saw the legs off and hang it on the wall as a piece of art, and I might just do that!

If you click on the label 'mosaic ' on the side of the blog you can see the original I was inspired by!

Finger painting

2010-08-14T07:51:00.002+01:00

Last week we had a "Family Fun Day" at our Church. About 90 children and their families turned up and I was hosting a table doing finger painting. I had done a few sample ideas but once the children started there was no stopping their creativity......I loved the dinosaur above!

I had done a catapillar as an idea but isn't it funny how children leave gaps between each red fingerprint where the original was joined to each other!

Mum's had a go too and as you can see face painting was also on the menu! There was chess for the adults, a quiz, musical instruments, origami, skipping contests, and tea and home-made cake for the adults to enjoy.

Windmill flower cot quilt

2010-07-29T07:09:00.002+01:00

Here's a picture of a cot quilt that I completed last night. It's an order for a baby due in September, I was given a free rein on what to do so here it is. I am trying to make sure I take a photo of all completed items now so I can keep them for posterity!

In the past I have made and given away alot of stuff that I have made and have forgotton what they were like!

I didn't enjoy this pattern very much and probably wouldn't do it again, I think my favourites are strippy quilts.

2010-07-26T13:03:00.003+01:00

Here , is the little kingfisher I had for my birthday this year. It's hand made by a man who lives on Purbeck. He made the bird from Yew and the base from Oak, my two favourite woods. We went to pick him up from Knitson where he carves them and he looks very handsome in our lounge I think. (the bird, not the man!)

Next to his famhouse is this old barn and it just shows that creativity can anywhere, even in a rural working enviroment. The cows, cat and churn are all painted on the wall. Click on the picture for a better look.
This is just a peek at the latest quilt I am making, it's an order for a new baby that is due in September.

Stained glass in a old fashioned shop

2010-07-04T17:11:00.004+01:00

There is a shop in the small town of Portmadog in North Wales called Kerfoots. It's an old-fashioned type shop with a bit of everything in it. For the millennium they commissioned this stunning stained glass dome in the center of the shop which you see as you climb up the stairs, if you look up and try not to fall back down the suspended staircase! It depicts the local area and shows the cottages, mountains and landscapes of Wales....Oh...and they serve a very good meal at lunchtimes too.

We have just had 2 weeks holiday and the first week was spent in North Wales, partly to visit the Welsh side of the family who are Welsh speaking and partly just to have a break. Fantastic weather and a cottage to stay in that was OK but not as good as we had hoped. The second week in Derbyshire, however was much better, cottagewise!

Spent a bit of time sewing, alot of time reading and walking too.

Little house cards

2010-06-15T18:32:00.002+01:00

This is one of the cards mid way through it's making, some done on the machine and some hand embroidered. If you look in the bottom left hand card in the next picture you will see I had added roses round the door and a window in the next-door house.

Click on the picture if you want a detailed look.

This wool is so nice and just right for it's earthy colours and will be used on the landscape cards and pictures, it's mohair so it feels very soft. I have used the white bit of it for smoke coming out of the chimney pots.

Finished after 5 years!

2010-06-10T09:51:00.003+01:00

This quilt was finished this morning. I cut it out about 5 years ago for no particular reason except I liked the colours! Recently I remembered it and have just the person to give it to, so I got on with it.

It's quite basic and just the few 9 patch squares to give it some softness.

Now I need to start on a cot quilt which I have been commissioned to make.
This is how the next lot of 6 cards start, I haven't embellished them yet. I will add smoke from chimneys, nests on chimneys, flowers and pots, doors and windows, birds and anything else that enters my head! One of my family has suggested making it into a long picture which I must admit would be quite nice.

2010-06-05T23:21:00.004+01:00

This is quite a bright and bold quilt that I recently finished. It's not to everyones taste but I do like playing with colour and it's entirely made from scraps which makes it a bit cheaper! Most of the quilt is hand pieced and it's hand quilted too so it took quite a while to make.

What NOT to do when you have a craft fair in your lounge!

2010-06-04T13:26:00.003+01:00

1. DON'T put a card near a candle...or this happens, as in the photo!
2. DON'T bake too many cakes!
3. DON'T choose a rainy day!
Actually I never did like the card in the above picture as I'm not keen on the painted flowers on the card! I think I can save the embroidery and sell it as smoke damaged!

I sold a lot of cards so have started restocking again. as it's summer I'm well into beach huts and summer scenes.

Garden Party...indoors!

2010-05-31T08:27:00.006+01:00

The garden party day arrived after days of cake baking and chaos in the kitchen! The cups and saucers were ready, the gazebo up, garden tables laid with embroidered cloths and jugs of wild flowers on the tables.....and then the rain came down! So we had to hastily regroup, move furniture around and have the party indoors!A bucket of flowers by the front door.

The lounge became the craft table, ably manned by my son's girlfriend and the dining room had the cakes.

Despite the awful weather we made £328 and money is still coming in for the poor and street children in India where my daughter will be going to do some voluntary work in the summer. I had aimed to make £200 so my target was well exceeded. Just as it ended...the sun came out!!!!! Grrrrrrrrrrrr!

P.S. Since I wrote the total has risen to £358!

Losing sleep about tomorrow!

2010-05-28T06:56:00.002+01:00

HELP...why ever did I choose to have a garden party to raise money for an Indian volunteering trip my daughter is doing this year! Am I mad!
The crafts are made and ready, 200+ cakes are made and waiting to be iced....but the weather forecast is awful............
Major panic...my house is not big enough so it will have to be in the garden, please pray for dry weather!

Charity shop bits I meant to buy...and some I didn't!

2010-05-18T15:57:00.008+01:00

I went purposely to the charity shops today to look for embroidered tablecloths and china tea cups and I found these. They are for a garden party I am having in 2 weeks time here at home. I will be selling tea, home made cakes and hopefully my textile landscapes!I blogged about the idea back on March 7th 2010 on my snowgoosey blog . Anyway, as you see I found a couple of nice little tea cups and saucers, a nice plate and a beautiful tablecloth that I got for £2! It's sad that something that has taken someone so long to make ends up in a 2nd hand shop for next to nothing.

This, if you squint and look carefully is one corner of a linen tablecloth with the crinoline ladies on each corner. It's a bit faded but there is enough left for me to embroider it. I love this design.

A cushion cover, again printed ready for me to sew!

A large piece of linen, I shall remove the blue bit and reuse it for something else and use the linen as I need it. Linen is really expensive so this is a good way to buy it.

So, a bit more spent than I needed but the summer evenings are taken care of with all that sewing to do!

Beach Hut themes!

2010-05-12T10:10:00.002+01:00

I seem to be on a bit of a beach hut thing at the moment....summer must be on it's way! The first two pictures are works in progress both pastel and bright.

The next one is a completed card, the stripy fabric was from a pillowcase and the white bit which is the roof came from a charity shop....I got a bag of lace and trimming and there was 139 metres of this one....all for £1! I have given some away and swapped some as well.

This quilt is a work in progress too, I'm onto the quilting bit now so sit in front of the TV in the evening quilting away.

Lastly this is my very good friend, Sylvia standing in front of her art work. We went to a private viewing last night at a local Arts Centre. I have never been to anything like that before and was a bit unsure about it as I was sure I would not be making intelligent comments! However it was fine and we really enjoyed it, catching up with friends and seeing Art in a very different way.

Latest textile pictures and a late Christmas present!

2010-04-16T11:04:00.004+01:00

This is the latest completed textile picture, inspired by a photo of a sunset. Completed by hand yesterday evening.

This morning, a fresh start. Even though it isn't very warm I feel inspired to do a beachy summer picture! This is only a start and I will no doubt change this alot before the final result.

At last, it's arrived! The postman knocked the door, Wrecks went crazy but my book is finally here!
My son gave me a book token for Christmas but the book has been a long time coming but at last it came.
I ripped the packaging off, ......but didn't open it until I had made a cup of tea, went into the lounge with the book and a cuppa, sat by the window and lost myself in all the gorgeousness of the book.

Back to this blog!

2010-04-09T22:22:00.004+01:00

I have ignored this blog for ages but have just decided it's a good way to keep a record of things I have made and given away! I have made about 50-60 of these landscape cards ready for a sale I am going to do at the end of May in aid of India. My daughter is going to work with the street children there in August for a few weeks and they want to buy bits for the children like clothes and craft stuff.

This is a picture I started whilst on holiday in the Isle of Harris last year. It is the view out of the cottage that we stayed in over the sea. I did the basic shape there and brought it home to sew it together and add all the embellishments. The grey rock in the sea and the dark green hill are made from Harris Tweed that I bought there and the little sheep on the rocks in the foreground are made from sheep's wool I picked up there. I loved doing this picture as we had such an amazing holiday there and it has great memories.

We decided that we would frame it as it will hopefully be a permanent reminder of Harris and the Outer Hebrides. It cost quite alot to get it framed but I am pleased with the end result.

Unusual art.

2009-08-20T15:51:00.003+01:00

Last weekend our church had it's annual day out and BBQ at Holton Lee, which is an old farm which is now used for retreats and a special place for those with disability's to be creative and chill out a bit.
It's a wonderful place in the peaceful backwaters of Poole Harbour. What caught my eye was this sculpture of the British Isles made out of bits of wheelchairs. It's so good and decorates the wall outside the toilet! I believe there is a lot more art work to be seen but we were only using a small part of the centre.

Highland Pottery puchases

2009-08-07T09:09:00.002+01:00

Finally I am getting around to blogging again! These are the two bits that tempted me in the Highland Pottery, it is very expensive so I'm afraid both of these came from the bargain bin! They have a flaw on them but it's not immediately obvious so I'm not bothered!

They are reminiscent of the area we stayed in so have great holiday memories.

I have done no sewing for weeks now, my family have all returned from Uni, Marines, etc..(with a huge amount of STUFF!) and the house has become full of clutter and I just feel snowed under by it all and don't want to cause more mess with my stuff being out too. My machine is still being mended after a wheel/cog broke inside it somewhere but when it comes back I think I will put it away until there is space again! Meanwhile I will enjoy looking at what others are doing.

Highland Stoneware and Kaffe Fassett

2009-07-07T15:43:00.012+01:00

When we visited the Highland Stoneware pottery in Lochinver I knew it was going to be good as soon as I saw this wall on the way in! It's all made up of broken bits of pottery that are no use for anything else. I'd love a wall like this round our house, sadly D is not convinced..

There are brilliant mosaics all round the building and already I was thinking it was like a Kaffe Fassett design, when I saw the bit in the picture below with his and Brandon Mably's signatures on it!
They have used all bits of stoneware, even the backs and teapot spouts, handles and lids.

These rocks were covered too, you need to click on the picture to see it in all it's glory!

Even a car in the car park, all done in broken pottery.

This settee was huge and they are making an armchair next to it at the moment. D gamely stood next to it to show how big it is...doesn't look very happy about it does he! He's not very into pottery!

Of course I came out with a couple of bits which I will put here another time and have informed my family that it's OK if they happen to drop any china and break it...just put it in the designated box for my mosaic collection!

Harris Tweed and Hebridean holiday.

2009-07-05T19:43:00.003+01:00

I have just returned from 2 weeks holiday, the first of which was on the wonderful Isle of Harris which is part of the Outer Hebrides. (If you are interested click here onto my other blog and you will see how beautiful it is) All these tweeds are made in peoples cottages (or Crofts as they are known there) and by hand on a loom. It's quite expensive to buy but I did buy half a yard and some offcuts too. The sheep that provide the wool are on every hillside, road and any bit of grass, they are very hardy as the life is very tough up there.

Most of the colours are earthy and the fabric is very warm and quite thick. Very expensive jackets are sold in London made from Harris Tweed and they are much sought after.

This wallhanging was in the ferry waiting room and is made from Harris Tweed and is of the landscape. I have other stuff that I took pictures of when I was there which I will put on the blog another time.

Ta Da!

2009-06-11T13:47:00.004+01:00

I got up early this morning and finished the binding on this one. I think this is the one I have enjoyed doing the most, I let myself get completely carried away on embellishing the sea using old ribbon, my late Mother-in law's lavender bag, selvage edges of satin fabric, etc...
I have noticed that I only tend to make a card or textile hanging of the season we are in, I have no interest at the moment of doing any snow scenes or autumnal pictures. At the moment my head is full of beaches, beach huts, seaside houses and country meadow views.
I am on holiday before long up to the West coast of Scotland and the Outer Hebrides....plenty of inspiration there I think!

Just a peep!

2009-06-10T09:10:00.004+01:00

This is just a peep at what I am working on at the moment, it's very nearly done and is a beach/coast view.
This afternoon I get together with some other creative friends and we spend time sewing, chatting, giving each other ideas, drinking tea and eating home-made cakes or biscuits. Hopefully I will complete this wallhanging this afternoon.

P.S. Update, I didn't finish it, in fact I hardly did any at all, we all chatted, laughed and the afternoon just whizzed by!

Inspiration and buttercup fields

2009-06-07T20:52:00.002+01:00

I think this lovely field may be my next inspiration for a landscape fabric picture, the colours are so nice . I think there are more meadows around now than there used to be and they all look beautiful. My Mum made these little mini purses for my daughter and I. They are supposed to be hung in the car to hold change for car parks. They are really nice and made in satin fabric.

This is a quilt for a baby that I made for no particular reason, just fun.

Completed!

2009-06-06T08:32:00.003+01:00

If you look at these pictures you can see what has been neglected as I spent time doing these wallhangings instead.....the garden!
I have so enjoyed making these and will start another one today hopefully with some of the fabric given to me for my birthday last week.

I finished sewing the binding on this one during the 10 O'Clock news last night....it was a welcome escape from all the depressing political news at the moment.
Well, off to mow the lawn now!

Vintage and Handmade Fair & landscape pictures

2009-06-02T18:51:00.004+01:00

These three are the latest works in progress, I'm trying to get all the machine bits done now so that I can take them on holiday in a few weeks time and do the hand embroidery there.

This one is based on a place I saw when on holiday in Wales last year called Abereron, the houses were all different colours. My family says it looks more like Tobermory on the children's TV programme! I have still to do the borders on this one.
The last one is a bluebell wood, I have used different colour netting and fabrics and wools to make the texture. I will do a tree canopy in wools and chiffon I think.

These are fun to make as no two are ever the same.

Changing the subject I went to the Vintage and handmade Fair in Chipping Sodbury on Saturday, it was lovely although very crowded...but that is good for the stall holders! The teas and cakes served on delicate vintage china looked wonderful but we didn't try any as the queue was long and no seats so we had another look round instead!

I was very restrained and only bought a couple of magazines and some very pretty ribbon. I hope they all did well as they had all put such alot of effort into it.

A quilt for how much...!!!!!!!

2009-05-20T18:39:00.002+01:00

I happened to visit a charity shop the other day and picked up this lovely dish for only £2.00, I think it's a very shallow fruit bowl, but I shall use it for fairy cakes.

But....today I found this quilt for only £7.99p, it's hand quilted and very pretty. I know it is one of those quilts sold for a lowish price in the shops, but not that low. I have washed it and it smells and looks wonderful. My Great Uncle who is well in his ninety's sent me £5 for my birthday so with a little added to it I bought this.

I am so pleased, I never usually find bargains but for once I did!

Sheep on a hill teacosy!

2009-05-16T19:41:00.004+01:00

I don't know why I made this teacosy, I have plenty but this design just made me do it! A friend at work showed me what to do and off I went home and did it. It's meant to be sheep on a hillside. It's fun anyway.
I have decided to buy the Bernina as it is very good value for the make it is, they are known as the workhorse of the sewing machine world.

2009-05-14T11:22:00.004+01:00

Nearly finished but not quite!

2009-05-13T17:51:00.006+01:00

This is the picture I put on the blog a week or so ago, and it has changed quite alot. I changed the bottom two fabrics and framed it. Put embroidered flowers in the fiels at the bottom and changed the fields round a bit. I'm quilting it now as you can see from the pins. I can see lots of things I would change and as this is the first time I have done one of these textile pictures I shall use it as a practice piece.

It's still meant to be Kimmeridge in Dorset although next time I shall just do an imaginary place to allow more freedom.

I still think the headland looks like a hedgehog and I think the sea may be going uphill!

Below is the picture as it was before I fiddled with it.

Village quilt

2009-05-05T13:32:00.003+01:00

Yesterday we went for tea in Wimborne St Giles village hall (if you want to see more click on my Snowgoosey blog on the sidebar).
This lovely quilt caught my eye. You can see by the size of the people how huge it is but I have got alot of reflection in the picture sadly. However if you click on the picture you can get a better look. It's of the village and appears to be very accurate. I would have loved to have asked someone about it but the ladies were so busy I didn't feel I could bother them...another time maybe!
It has alot of applique and embellishment too, a real work of art.

Inspired by Kimmeridge

2009-04-23T19:34:00.004+01:00

I have been working on this wallhanging, it's about A4 size and based on the picture below of a coastal village not to far from where I live. I haven't yet put Clavel Tower on, which is the small building on top of the hill. I started to embellish the sea but am having second thoughts and may change that and embellish the fields in the foreground of the picture instead. I'm slightly worried that the hill jutting out into the sea looks like a hedgehog!....but hopefully I will be able to change that with a bit of nifty sewing! The thin green hedge is made using a bit of an old chiffon scarf and the sea is satin with netting and fancy wools on top. You can see more if you click to enlarge the picture. I will put it n again when I have finished it.

This is the inspiration for the picture, it's a beautiful area which we have walked many times. If you are looking on a map it is on the Purbeck coast in Dorset between Swanage and Weymouth.

A much better cake!

2009-04-21T08:27:00.004+01:00

A couple of blog entries ago I put on a cake I had decorated for my son's birthday but I wasn't that pleased with it compared to the picture I had seen originally. Yesterday my daughter made this beautiful cake for her colleague at work, helped by our lovely neighbour over the road who is a bit of an expert cake decorator.

I think A may do a course in cake decorating now, she has so enjoyed creating this work of art. I have tried for years to get A to be creative but she has shown no interest in sewing, art or anything like that but now she may have found her niche!......By the way A, don't forget my birthday is next month!

Smoothie hats!

2009-04-12T21:19:00.002+01:00

I know this is very sad / mad / or perhaps both! I was told about this idea by someone and decided to make all the young people in this house a mini hat for Easter! The two fluffy ones are for the girls, my daughter and my son's girlfriend who is staying with us this weekend. The bobble hat is for my middle son and the green one with the badge is meant to be a green beret of the Royal Marine Commandos which my youngest son has been in training with recently. Just a bit of fun!

2009-04-05T06:51:00.004+01:00

I have been fiddling with this one card for about a week now trying to get it right. I haven't stuck it down yet as I'm still not sure! It was an experiment using netting to denote reflection in the water. I got 7 different coloured nettings to use on the cards to make a misty feel, blues and lilacs for bluebell woods, greens for trees, and I just need to experiment now to see what can be done. Netting is really cheap too and I got half a metre of each so it will last years I think!

Birthday tea

2009-03-30T08:42:00.005+01:00

Today is my youngest son's 17th birthday but we had the tea yesterday with Grandparents etc.. I saw this idea for a cake and decided to try it. It's not as good as I had hoped it would be but it tasted OK!

The lady at the cake shop said I had to put the wires in a little plastic container which you push into the cake or I would probably poison my family! So I did, but I think it wouldn't have hurt to push them straight into the cake!...and would have looked better. It's meant to look like an explosion of fireworks...if you look back on my snowgoosey blog ( or use the link to the right of this) you will see that my boys are quite fond of explosions! They blew up a model house in the garden just after Christmas.

Crafty day

2009-03-28T18:46:00.004Z

I spent this afternoon demonstrating how to make a patchwork Easter cards to some ladies and children at our Church. I had made some kits up and thankfully it seemed to go alright,.

These little hands belong to a 7 year old who came and had a go and she did really well. She was very creative and made a lovely little card as seen in the next picture.

There were other crafts to try, ceramic painting, Hollie Hobbie bags, and two other types of cards.

It's nice to be able to try other crafts that you don't usually do.

UFO...Unfinished Object....

2009-03-26T14:51:00.004Z

I am sorry to say that I started this about 7 years ago I think. I went to the National Patchwork Championships in London and saw Dilys Fronks making a quilt/wallhanging like this. I bought her book and started to create my own version.

It is supposed to be a garden looking through a wrought iron gate, I thought if I put it on here it might shame me into finishing it! The patchwork behind the black is done in a watercolour way as a suggestion of the garden, sky and trees and a path in the middle.

If you are interested the book is called "Enchanted Views" by Dilys A. Fronks. and the quilts are

inspired by wrought-iron designs. This picture is her interpretation of the wallhanging.

Fabric landscape cards

2009-03-18T13:32:00.002Z

I've been enjoying making these little cards lately but if anyone knows of any good online sources about fabric landscapes I'd be pleased to know about it. I'm getting carried away with them and have about 20 done now, I've done them by hand because it means I can be with the family and sew or sit out in this lovely spring sunshine.

The Menopausal, Empty Nest Dish Cloth!

2009-03-14T21:27:00.003Z

It has been noticed by various members of my family that when one of my children leaves home I enter a flurry of making things, so when my youngest son aged 16 joined the Royal Marines out came the knitting needles! Now I am not really a knitter so the dish cloth was a pretty easy thing for even a beginner like me to make and believe me dish cloths have been made thick and fast since he left. I gave them away to friends...did they want/need one?...I don't know but they were kind about it and just shook their heads gently!
They have become known as the menopausal, empty nest dish cloth, problem is I've now started on tea cosies, sort of funky ones that are shaped like pineapples and fields of sheep...but that's another story!

Mair's quilts.

2009-03-13T12:01:00.000Z

These are quilts that I have made in the past, I just piled them up to take the photo and am shocked at how old and shabby some of them are looking now, the oldest one I made 28 years ago! Several more quilts have been given away to friends and family, the furthest away is in New Zealand!

Over time I will take a picture of each one and put it on the blog along with currant works in progress.

This is my favourite. While clearing out my Mother-in-Laws home after she had moved to a rest home I found lots of old embroidered tray cloth's, napkins, tablecloths, etc and as some were a little threadbare I decided to use what I could to make this quilt for her to use on her bed. By the time I had finished it she was in hospital and was not allowed to use it, and sadly she died last Easter Monday never having used it. She had however seen it and loved it.

This was also my M-i-L's. I made this for Mair one Christmas and she did have this with her in the rest home. It's a real scrappy quilt, just made out of leftovers.

Dividing the Blog

2009-03-12T17:41:00.000Z

I have decided that it makes sense to have a separate blog for crafty stuff so as not to bore the folk who look at my usual one for Dorset, Bird stuff and walking. I have been so inspired by other peoples craft blogs and just thought it would be fun to record my shaky progress.
The quilt above has been completed since I took this picture and soon I will put a finished picture of it on the blog.

My aim is to;
-raise £250 (more if I can do it) by Dec 31st 2009 for my favourite two charities, Tear Fund and Compassion UK. Bearing in mind that I have a job as well so will give as much time as I can.
-I aim to have a sale of work in November so will be creating stuff up till then. I make quilts, cards (watercolour and fabric landscape) and odd bits as above with this tea cosy.
- I will be giving the profits to these 2 causes but will keep about 10% to replenish supplies!
- I will endeavour to use recycled stuff wherever I can.

So...wish me luck and here I go!