Needlecraft

As promised, I am back today with something not made from paper - shock, horror

A few weeks ago I went to the Exeter Craft show with my good friends Gillian and Sue, both of whom were looking for knitting/crochet supplies

I went for papercraft supplies

But, like when you take a trip to Sainsburys for a pint of milk and come out with a barrowful, I went in for card and ink and came out with bags full of much more than just card and ink !

I am NOT a knitter, nor am I a needleworker, and yet I came home with balls of wool and a pattern, and a needlework kit !

This gorgeous little bookmark was always intended to be a gift for my mum. I was going to save it for christmas but decided to send it early when she was under the weather.

The bookmark was made using a kit from Sue Hawkins ( who very kindly said, even me, a complete novice would be capable of finishing this dinky little project )

I am not going to lie, I did have to concentrate, I did have to make sure the light was good ( so many teeny tiny stitches ) and I did take about a week to complete it

But, I loved doing it, maybe it was because it was for mum and maybe it was because it was something completely out of my usual repertoire and therefore a challenge

But one thing for sure was the wonderful kit made it almost idiot proof

Sue does an excellent job of photographing all the steps, there are lots of handy tips and tricks, incredibly thorough instructions and easy to follow charts

If I can do it, then anyone can do it !

Both ends are created the same, the top one being finished flat and the bottom one being humbug shaped

You can find Sue's website HERE

Love and little stitches

Tracey

xxx

Magical creatures

There has been much happen since my last blog post

I have not quite got the hang of blogging everyday occurrences and tend to only think to blog if I have crafting to share. I must rid myself of this habit as my crafting is much less prolific now

We have been to a couple more gigs, we saw The Cadillac Three in Cardiff and then more recently The Temperance Movement in Plymouth

We have enjoyed lots of beach days with the dogs

And we made a much needed flying visit back up country to visit family and friends before christmas

This last few weeks have seen copious amounts of crafting as I needed forty christmas cards, six birthday cards, an anniversary card and a commissioned card had been ordered 

Going back to November, this is the card I made for Amy for her birthday. She is currently enjoying all things unicorn so I set to work trying to find a way to make one from my trusty punches

It was a case of trial and error. My first couple of attempts looked farcical rather than magical, but, I persevered and I think the final version turned out rather cute. Amy loved it

The next couple of cards were for my lovely neighbours Mary and Colin who both celebrated birthdays at the beginning of December

I must apologise for the poor photos, the pictures were taken in bad light and don't show the true colours as they should

They are a very special couple and have taken me and the family under their wings since we moved here

So, the lights, tree and trimmings are all up, the gift shopping is finished, the cards have been made and mostly delivered, the house has been spring cleaned and we have almost completed the wrapping, I don't think I have ever been so organised and I must admit to feeling rather relaxed and ready for the festivities to begin

All the girls from work got together for the christmas meal last week, we met at The Britannia for a delicious and very festive 3 course meal, a little tipple and many laughs, so the christmassy feelings are in full flow

I will love you and leave you as Neil and I have one more small pile of presents to wrap and I will be back tomorrow with some more craftiness to share

Love and unicorn sparkles

Tracey

xxx

Still here

Hellooooooooo

We are still here, although you would be forgiven for thinking we had fallen off the planet

FIVE months on from my last post, much has happened and not much has happened if you know what I mean

In a nutshell

*      We have been up country to visit family

*       Friends and family have been here to visit us (Mum and Dad, Tony and Carol, Kev and Jackie)

*      We celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary

*      Amy and Robbie finished uni

*      All three 'children' are now working

*      Amy has had a tonsillectomy

*      Robbie is learning to drive and has his first car

Some of these events will be blogged in more detail later. I have just finished editing all the photos from the last five months, 700 photos, two hours and three coffees later I have decided there is far too much to wade through in one blog post

And in other news

We had an unexpected little windfall, so bought ourselves this fab little campervan, we have been away in it a couple of times already and are planning our first trip away with the dogs soon

The dogs have had a wonderful time in the woods, on walks and especially on the beach

We have had some gorgeous days out, exploring our stunning county, sometimes just the two of us, sometimes with friends or family and often with the dogs

I gave up trying to cover the grey and have been gradually adding more and more highlights, I am really happy with the results and my hairdresser is fantastic, Paige has the patience of a saint with my stubborn hair

We have also had some amazing days/nights out, we have enjoyed some fantastic gigs this year, local and further afield, found a couple of new festivals, added a few new bands to our playlists and generally broadened our horizons musically ( much more to come on that in future posts )

And yes, I have still been doing a little crafting, much much less than I used to. I toyed with the idea of giving it up and freeing some space by getting rid of all my craft clutter  stuff, but the feeling didn't last long. 

It may take me a little longer to actually get started, but once I have all my pretties out on the table, I remember just how therapeutic it is to have a craft and play session

This is my most recent creation, a card for my lovely friend Sue

I know this is a bit of a 'mixed bag', but you know what it is like to have so much to catch up on that it is difficult to know where to start

A very sensible person once said "just start", once you get going, the fear of the blank page disappears and the rest is much easier, how true this is. Now I have a million ideas running through my head and rather a lot of photos on my hard drive, no excuses then !

Back soon

I promise

xxx

Birthday Girl

 Happy birthday Amy

Today saw my beautiful daughter turn 22, I know I say it and think it every single time a birthday comes and goes but I honestly have no idea where the time goes

Amy is staying with my mum and dad for the week so her card and gift were sent and I am saving lots of hugs and kisses for when she comes home at Christmas

This is the card I made, Amy is a massive animal lover and her favourite of all living creatures since she was a baby is the rabbit, she cannot resist anything at all bunny

And the most recent photo I have ( stolen from Instagram of course )

I hope you have had a wonderful day sweetheart, I know Granny and Grandad will make you feel special

We couldn't be prouder of our daughter who is as beautiful inside as outside

Love and birthday kisses

Mum 

xxx

Annie Sloan Altered Drawers

Before moving house, my friend Carole and I had a little craft shopping spree, our local 'The Works'  were selling some beautiful scrapbook papers at a very reasonable price, I also couldn't resist this little set of wooden drawers, the whole unit measures approximately 12 inches square

Along with many a bargain, this small unit ended up being stored away semi-forgotten, until I needed a 'trial run' kind of project to test-drive my Annie Sloan paints

I used the white and the French Linen with the clear soft wax over the top

And the finished drawers - et voila !

They now reside in AJ and Rob's room, housing all manner of teenage boy treasures, as they match the much larger pieces I have since completed

I was really happy with the washed out, beachy look and they perfectly complement the boys room, but I must warn you - this shabby chic, Annie Sloan phenomenon is dreadfully addictive, I find myself deliberately looking for ugly or unloved furniture just so that I can perform a mini-makeover.

Love and a lick of paint

Tracey 

xxx