About Me

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Hi, Welcome to my Blog. I'm an eclectic kind of crafter delving into many pots. I am just about managing to keep up my Scrapbooking Diary (usually about 6 months behind), plus any cards as required. I have a new found love of Watercolour and Bible Journaling plus recently Faith/Art Journaling too. I've challenged myself to make an art journal page a day for this my 60th year. Previously I've also dabbled in ATCs, Tags, Altered Books, Mixed Media, Décopatch, Knitting, Crochet, and Embroidery amongst other things. I live in Surrey, UK with my husband, our son has left home now. For exercise I usually play Badminton and go Ballroom and Latin Dancing. I also like walking/Geocaching and sometimes do a bit of Bouncing on my Rebounder (mini trampoline). I have been learning to play the harp for the past 10yrs. I am now officially retired. I am a born again Christian, currently worshiping at my local Vineyard Church.

Wednesday 26 April 2017

WOYWW #412 - Joining the Dots



Gosh what a week!

Made my first flat jellyfish for a premature baby but have yet to do the eyes.

Mum sent me some more yarn so I will be able to do those now.
Mum has loads of yarn left over from her shop so said she could donate to the Octopus for a Preemie charity so I arranged for her to meet up with the South Wales coordinator.

I have just joined a new church and went on their church weekend away last weekend. What a wonderfully uplifting time we all had.

I took my embroidery so I could keep up with my 1 year of stitches too.

I got the Bic Cristal pens on recommendation from one of the girls there as well.

The swan was a late arriving Easter present from my husband.

The money from a badminton club for buying shuttlecocks for them.

Lots of doors seem to be opening for me and as the medication seems to be doing the trick I am able to say "yes" and not worry about being housebound each month!

God is Good

Joel 2:25 "I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten"

Happy WOYWW Everyone.

Thursday 20 April 2017

ROWAN - Yarn Test

There are quite stringent rules for making an Octopus for a preemie, the type of yarn being one of them.

They have an approved list of yarns but my Rowan cottons aren't on there so I have done a test wash at 60C but am unable to test in a drier as I don't have one!

I have used:-

Rowan Cotton Glace - Orange - 100% Cotton

Rowan Handknit Cotton - Pink - 100% Cotton and

Sirdar Pure Cotton Double Knik - Black - 100% Cotton as a control as this is on the approved list.



I also tested my Coats Polyester Filling.

So I stuffed them in a sock and popped in a 60C wash.

All the yarns were slightly longer when wet (above) but returned to original length after drying (left)

Hoping they get approved as I have quite a supply from my Mother as she used to have a wool shop and has quite a store of yarns left over still.

Wednesday 19 April 2017

WOYWW #411 - Octopus for a Preemie

I seem to have been taken by the need to make an Octopus for a Premature Baby.

So I joined the FaceBook group, Octopus for a Preemie UK and have been researching the requirements as they are quite stringent.



I have a sock stuffed with my stuffing and a few lengths of my yarn as they aren't on the "recommended" list and certainly don't say whether you can wash at 60C either! We'll see.

Other things I have been up to.

SWAP card using peel-offs.






Peel-Off Journal page as I discovered a lighthouse and have been wanting to do a lighthouse page in ages.




I did a scrapbook page inspired by a lovely WOYWWer although it isn't a bit like the original, I was inspired.






And here's my latest embroidery photo





Off to the dentist to have a broken tooth/filling seen to. It broke a month ago and it was not right for a while before that so looking forward to eating on both sides again!

Happy WOYWW Everyone.

Monday 17 April 2017

Embroidery - Week 6

Picnic Time is coming along nicely, I finished the picnic blanket and flowers.

I followed that by the water and ducks.

Although I seem to have a ninja duck - can you spot him!



I'm now on the final straight.

I don't need to move my hoop again and just have the 3 children to finish.

Pondering what to do next now.

Wednesday 12 April 2017

WOYWW #410 - Painting!

So my husband got sick of all my flower things in his cable tie tube so he made this for them.

I laughed and said I'd have to paint it!

Woke early and decided to do just that!


It started life a piece of cardboard tube hot glued to a wall tile.











Still doing daily embroidery too. Weekly update here. I even stretched and finished my colour wheel embroidery so now have my large hoop to work with, much better.

Happy WOYWW Everyone.

Sunday 9 April 2017

Embroidery - Week 5


I have made a good start with the "Picnic Time" Kit.

I did a search on the computer to see if this kit (P751) still exists but couldn't find it anywhere.

It is by Penelope of Wm Briggs & Co. Ltd. originally of Bolton Lancs. UK. which seems to relate to Coats now!


I started with my next largest hoop which is 6" (seem to have 2 of those) but needed to keep moving it so did a bit without a hoop. By Wednesday I decided to take my colour wheel piece out of my only 10" hoop and stretch it properly. I edged it with black braid.















I keep forgetting to photograph "Picnic Time" each day, probably because I am doing it downstairs in the sunshine of the conservatory and tend to put it away when the light fades, hence I forget to take a photo!

Anyway here are a few days work up until Saturday evening (above).
 

Wednesday 5 April 2017

WOYWW #409 - New Embroidery Project



I think I finished my colour wheel free-form embroidery last Sunday.

That makes 28 days/4 weeks worth or creativeness with colour.


My husband has cut a couple of MDF circles for me to stretch and mount it but I haven't dared take it off the hoop yet.


As we have been having some lovely sunny days I have decamped with my next embroidery project to the conservatory. The natural light is better in there so all my bits are in a basket.

If you wish to see the whole picture and backstory, pop along to my Many Moons Ago previous post.

And to add to my love of colour, some new socks. I have such wide feet that buying shoes is a nightmare, if near impossible so I buy lots of socks instead!

Happy WOYWW Everyone.

Monday 3 April 2017

Many Moons Ago

Many Moons ago
(approximately 444 )
I did a lot of embroidery.

I stitched kits of Victorian Children in various scenes.

The first three scenes were, "At the seaside", "At the Station" and "Feeding the Ducks."

My Mum has the first three but I gave the fourth away to the mum of my current boyfriend at the time as a Christmas present. It resides somewhere in France now, who knows as I said that was many moons ago!

My Mum was always sad that I'd given the fourth, "Picnic Time" away but I must have bought the kit again sometime in the distant past as it has been sitting waiting for such a time as this.

So my project for this month, or however long it takes, is to stitch it again.



The kit comprises of a printed design on a background of hessian fabric. A printed chart of what colour/stitch goes where, all the cotton threads required, 2 needles and a stitch glossary.

That ought to keep me busy for a while.

Sunday 2 April 2017

Embroidery - Week 4

Well my son thinks it is finished, so I added a bit more!!!







I guess I could keep adding a french knot here and there for a long time.






So what do you think, is it finished yet?