Aaaah...Deep breath in...take in all that lovely fresh air...aaaah.

Hello, I'm stood in the middle of the most beautiful buttercup meadow.

I thought I'd better take a photo quick smart as it won't be long before the farmer comes along to cut the buttercups down, he'll need winter provisions for his animals.

Anyway lets go back to my house as I really am behind with my blog posts, I must have at least 4 or 5 projects that I want to show you. (not all today though, that really would be too much!)

Firstly a bit of colourful crochet.

Can you guess what it is yet? Scrummy isn't it?
I found a picture on the interweb-thingy and just had to have a go.

This is the blog I found the tea cosy on, it's quite simple. I had to do my own thing here and there as my teapot is a different shape, but I just made it up as I went along.
I enjoyed making this so much that when I noticed a friends 'naked' teapot on one of her blog posts I couldn't resist making another.

Next up, lavender hearts.

Twenty to be precise!

A very nice lady from our local posh hotel spotted one in the pretty shop whilst browsing for something else and asked if they could supply 20 to hang in the posh bedroom wardrobes. So with only two evenings to get them made I went into a frenzy of snipping and stitching shortly to be followed by a lavender induced headache. It's mighty powerful stuff in in large quantities over a prolonged time!

I have to tell you I had a bit of a panic when I realised that the fabric pen I use to draw the heart template wouldn't fade in time. There were huge purple heart outlines on every one of them. I had to bite the bullet and soak them all with water to get the ink out, leaving them all to air dry over night in the airing cupboard. This meant I had to fill, stitch up, trim and pack them up, all in an hour and a half early on the morning they were due to be delivered. It was a very close thing I can tell you!

But they did look lovely.

I know it would make me smile to open a wardrobe door and find a pretty, vintage, linen heart dangling inside.

Well thats two projects down, we still have a felt wall hanging to look at, new brooches, new greetings cards and some felted flowers to look at.

Oh! I nearly forgot, I've made some more bunnies too!

We're going to need a serious amount of tea and biscuits!

love Fi x

Lolloping Along

Things here in the MarmaladeRose household are lolloping along at a rare old speed. Well for some of us they are! Others like to take things easy. Can you believe that after 3 unsuccessful attempts at getting on the sofa (she's not allowed) Sneaky Dog winged to go out of the room. I thought she need to go out for a wee but no, she took me over to the furry bean bag in the kitchen and rested her chin on it, meaning 'I want to lay on this!'

So here she is on what is now HER furry beanbag in prime location in front of the fire in the sitting room! Anything for a quiet life.Back to lolloping.
In 3 days time I'm taking part in my first ever craft fair, well actually it's a Vintage and Collectors Fair. By the way, you are all more than welcome. Hence the amount of frantic crafting and lack of blogging of late. (v. sorry)
Yes Friday is D day, and Saturday too as it's over 2 days.
This is a new fair and monthly booking have been made throughout the rest of the year.

So these are my little vintage style brooches; see everything I'm making has a vintage vibe as I don't have anything collectible to sell only my vintage embroidered linens. Is it all slotting into place now?

Good.

This one is my favourite.

Lots of hand stitching.

But back to lolloping...

Hmmmm can you smell it?

I've been making my own bread for the last 2 or 3 months the old fashioned way by hand.

Needless to say I've been eating most of it too.

With lots of real butter.

Well it would be a crime to put anything else on homemade bread wouldn't it!

Back to life lolloping along...

Sneaky dog knows when we're out on a walk she's not allowed through the squeeze gates before me but she just can't help herself. If only you could watch her trying back out of the tiny opening, turn on that narrow top step and then squeeze back past me coming up the steps, it's soooo funny.


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Back to life-a-lolloping

Special events have taken place.
Where does the time go?

#2 decorated the cake, would you believe her first time with the piping bag!
We think she did an excellent job. Hmmm...who's birthday is it next?

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loll op, loll op,

much stitching of... bunny ears
hoppity lollop.

More Springtime bags...

still with a vintage vibe.

limp, limp, lollop.

And lastly...

Hens... getting a bit to daring for their own good.

They've decided to wait in the porch at the back door for us now.

Luckily I spotted them just before I let Sneaky out!

Sneaky would like a hen!

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Yep, life's lolloping along at a rare old speed.

till next time.

fi x

I Heart You Lots!

Another week has flown by and it's time again to share some wholesome hearty crafting with you lovely people.

Look a 'Thank You' heart!
How appropriate that this should be the first one, as that is exactly what I'd like to say to you all.
Thank you for all the lovely comments you take the time to leave on my blog.
I think you must all be super-human, I struggle like mad to find enough time to visit all the wonderful blogs out there that are on my favourites list, (it is a very, very long list though!)never mind stop and leave a comment.
Yes you are all simply super-duper and you really do put me to shame.

I am full of good intentions though, I promise.
I do try to drop in on you all and stop for a chat...
I need a lesson or two in better time management I think.

So here I am telling you all in my own little way, how much I 'heart' our little bloggy community.

These hearts are quite large, about 20cms across and full of lavender and wheat. So they could be gently warmed in the microwave if desired.

Or they could just be hung up to look pretty and be admired!

And to finish a sneaky peek at another bag hot off the sewing machine!

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Till next time

love fi x