Friends Challenge Completed, Ta-daa!

Gosh! It's been a funny old day weather wise. We started off with blue sky and sunshine and now we're ending the day with gale force winds, snow, hail and rain! Brrrr, one things been constant though, it's been freezing all day.

I did manage to take some photos of my finished Friends Challenge while the sun was out though.

I've completed two curtain tie backs to go with the pelmet.

I can't tell you how pleased I am to get something made for my home.

For someone who sews and crafts, I seem to have very little in my own home that I have actually made.

It's a bit like, when someone asks you what you have done all day, and you don't really have anything to tell them, but you know you haven't stopped all day long! Strange!

Anyway, Lesley and Sarah I'm looking forward to seeing your tie backs at the end of the month ; ) No pressure then!

Now then, I think we've had enough texture and tone over the last couple of posts, so lets have some colour.

Here are my little crochet squares for my granny blanket.

I think I've got enough of these now.

I'm just working on the larger squares, and they seem to take a lot more effort. I'm definitely a little square kinda gal!

It's not going to be a huge double bed blanket, just a snuggling on the sofa size.

Did you guess what it was?

Ok. No more teasing. I shall reveal what I've made with all those treasured pieces of French lace and crochet doilies. Although I must tell you, I did enjoy your comments, you did make me giggle!

Just to explain first, this months friends challenge was set by Lesley. The challenge is to make a curtain tie back, using anything we liked, fabric, felt, wool, yarns, beads, tassel's, wire, melted plastic etc etc.

I sat and pondered. I didn't really need or want any tie backs. Maybe I could make some for my bedroom curtains. Then inspiration hit me. When we moved into this house, well over a year ago, I bough some very cheap (£4) cream curtains. I didn't have any old ones that would fit the new windows, so these would tide us over until I had the time and money to do the job properly. I had to shorten them quite a lot and decided to make a pelmet with the fabric I had cut off. So I stitched together the lengths of fabric, but that was as far as I got, the barely started pelmet was consigned to the loft.

This is what my bedroom window has looked like for over a year. Yes you can plainly see a pelmet rail, kindly put up by my lovely Dad, waiting forlornly to be dressed. It has looked very unfinished until now.

Here's my sketch book page with my idea for a lacy tie back, which as I'm sure by now you have surmised, has turned into a lacy pelmet.

What do you think? I'm a little miffed that the light shines through and shows the seam up the middle of the pelmet, but it was either that or have two seams either side. Apart from that though I'm thrilled with the outcome.

All the vintage French lace and most of the crochet doilies came from a box purchased at our local auction, for £8.

I've decided that although I didn't want tie backs, they really would finish off the window. So I best get cracking.

Thank you Lesley for setting this challenge. I started off not wanting to do it and now have a unique window dressing and one of my many unfinished projects finally completed into the bargain!

Hello. How are you? Good? Yes, me too. A bit of a stiff neck, I must have slept funny, but nothing to complain about.

I have the day off work today. Hooray! So I've been out and about this morning down at our little market. Eight stalls outside lining the main street and three in the Market Hall. I know, it's all hustle and bustle here isn't it? Two of them were selling slippers and one, walking sticks, not exactly everyday necessities but we do have a rather good veg stall and a little van selling fish. In the summer there are far more stalls of course. Now though, in the middle of winter we are happy with the few stalls we have, especially when the weather is bad and you think of how far they've had to travel to get to us.

The photos are of my latest project.

This is a long over due project.

It was started probably well over a year ago.

It was this months 'Friends Challenge' set by Lesley that made me forage in the loft to retrieve it.

There has been much placing and pinning.

Lots of sewing.

Some embroidery.

And the odd swear word.

And in my best Australian accent, "Can you tell what it is yet?"

New Fabric and Hearts.

Well, my house guest went home today. We've had a lovely week. Lots of chatting, some shopping, a visit to Farfield Mill at Sedbergh, Lakeland at Windermere, and my favourite Embsay Craft Mill near Skipton. Oh yes, shelves and shelves of fabric, sewing notions, yarn, embroideries, paper crafts and the cherry on the cake... it's own little cafe! What more could a girl ask for?

I made a couple of purchases. Well I couldn't come away empty handed and disappoint you all, could I?

This is my favourite. Not sure what I'm going to do with it yet. A little applique maybe?

This one comes a close second.

Just had to have this fat quarter.

And some embroidery threads.

Yep, there's definitely some applique and hand embroidery on the cards.

After all that newness, I would like to share one of my recycling tips with you.

Keep your eye out for cheap bags when your in the charity shops. This one cost me a £1.75 and after I'd butchered it with a pair of sharp scissors;

I've gained a zip, a magnetic fastener and two little clippy things with matching D rings! What a bargain!

Shopping is all well and good, but I got down to some crafting this afternoon. We've been thinking about Valentines Day at work, and need something eye catching to advertise our Valentines Day disco.

A piece of underlay fibre board, cut into a heart shape. It was very easy to cut and it's also very light.

Covered both sides with fabric.

Hopefully this will hang in the window and we can pin our adverts on both sides.

I've also stitched together a strand of pink hearts to hang from the ceiling, we'll needs lots of these. I'm not sure I had my machine on the right setting for these, as it didn't seem to like sewing them. Any suggestions?

That's about it for today girls. Oh, the dusty old Singer Sewing Machine. It lives on one of the landing windowsills at work. Quite forlorn and forgotten. As you can see it's in need of some TLC. Well quite a lot of TLC actually as it doesn't work. I'll keep you posted...

Bunting!

Good morning girls. Gosh I'm sooo sleepy today, even though I was in bed early! It's just not fair! Maybe it's something to do with not getting enough fresh air? We had snow yesterday, not a lot but enough to stop the school bus getting through. Needless to say I didn't venture out of doors at all. The children got an extra days holiday, as it should have been their first day back at school, so they were more than happy.

Now on to more important things. Would you like to see what I won in Mel's giveaway over at Country in the Town ?

Yes?

I thought you might.

Isn't it exciting getting parcels through the post. I had to sign for this one. The postie gave me one those knowing smiles when I answered the door. He could tell I'd just jumped out of bed and pulled some clothes on, I think my nightie sticking out of the bottom of my cardie gave the game away.

I cut the packet open and took one little peek. This one looked too good to rush, so I took it back up to the bedroom and got back into bed so that I could enjoy opening it slowly.

Look at that! Almost too beautiful to open! A parcel of pink gingham fabric (how thoughtful to send a parcel wrapped in fabric to a crafter!) tied with pale blue Cath Kidston ribbon. Oh the joy and I'd not even opened it yet! There was also an envelope with a little card, which showered confetti everywhere when I opened it, and a little extra surprise - teatime patterned bun cases. I LOVE pretty bun cases. I can only get plain white ones when I do my monthly online shop, and I can tell you, it doesn't make me a happy bunny.

Aaaaaaah! Bunting, bunting, bunting. One of life's essentials me thinks, don't you? Such beautiful fabrics, just what I would have chosen. I've got to tell you here: I have wanted some bunting for months now, but just couldn't bring myself to buy any when I knew full well that I was more than capable of making it. But as you all know, it just got added to the long list of things I wanted to make.

This one is my favourite, pretty florals appliqued onto a white background. So much work!

I have a guest staying this week. My oldest, bestest friend from school. Yes that is very old isn't it! So how better to mark the occasion than with scrummy apple cakes in my new bun cases!

Thank you Mel for making my day sparkle.

I think I'd like to have a go at making someone elses day sparkle too. Keep your eye out for a future give away!

Love Fi x

Inner Creativity.

Hello, thanks for popping by again. I've had a lovely couple of days thanks to you lot out there, you really are very good to me.

Firstly you've left me some very sweet comments about my patchwork quilt. It really is a lovely boost to a girls creative confidence.

Secondly, I've finally won a give away, so I'm expecting a little parcel in the post and I'm so excited. I shall reveal more on its arrival.

Thirdly and with apologies for my tardiness, I received an award just before Christmas from Mrs J over at Mrs J's Creations.

Thank you very much Mrs J. I'm looking forward to starting up our 'Friends Challenge' again. Now I'm sure this award comes with some sort of rules, but... I blog without obligation here, yes I know I'm very naughty (but this is the only place I am naughty, honest) and I don't do rules. Life's too short! Hope no one minds.

Lastly, on new years day I added a hit counter to my side bar. What a revelation! I didn't realise so many of you popped by! I really must start making more of an effort, a little tidying, plumping some cushions, making room on the coat rack, maybe bake some bickies... come on in, you're all more than welcome : )

Changing the subject; I've been having urges. No, not chocolate, NO not that either!
As I mentioned in my last post, I've had the urge to do some hand embroidery and some applique. But what should I do?, what can I make?, what do I fancy doing? I did what we all do and did a lot of clicking about looking for inspiration. Now the interwebthingy is not short on inspiration, but I do worry that my creative imagination seems very impressionable and all the fantastic ideas I find on my computer fill my head and push out any original creative ideas of my own. In short I'm scared to death of inadvertently copying someone else's ideas! Do you know what I mean?

So in desperation and hope I turned off the computer and reached for my sketch book and pencil. Sitting in the lounge with the family watching telly the stark white page glared at me, daring me to make a mark.

I doodled some flowers, nope that wasn't it.

I doodled some more flowers, that still wasn't it.

I filled the entire page with flowers, (hell! I'm slow on the uptake sometimes) NO that still wasn't going to be it.

Then I looked across at my beautiful 13 year old daughter... and that was it.

We may feed on external inspiration,

but creativity comes from within.

From the things you love.

P.S. Just realised, the close up looks like she has 'Spock' ears, teehee! It's meant to be long strands of hair dangling down the side of her face. Lol!

Back to the drawing board! She'll kill me if she reads this!