WOYWW - Happy Halloween!

Blogger is playing up this week!
I have tried to write this post several times and it just isn't happy!!!


Happy Halloween!
I thought this little spooky pumpkin face was perfectly carved by Maxine's fiancee so I am sharing it with you all!
Scary too isn't it!!

My work table is a bit cluttered today - mainly because I tidied out a few of my craft project boxes and found 4 pairs of pink snips, 3 pairs of scissors and my pinking shears. Tools of my job which I can't do without but which seem to hide from me occasionally!

Also I exposed my little sewing/knitting aid which lots of you mentioned last week. I think I picked it up at the car boot sale and haven't used it yet but it seems a handy little item.

The box in the front is full of dolly bits that need putting together to finish off my batch of little dollies.

Now below is a lovely tidy rainbow coloured drawerful of threads. These are the sets of 3 that I need for my overlocker. Doesn't it look neat - it won't stay like that for long.

The next pic is of utmost importance - I can now expose my sister's little weakness. She is now a member of the I B P society.

I can't imagine why she needs a cover for the cover on her ironing board! Do you think she only brings it out when I am there with my Bondaweb on a Monday?!!

OK folks - if you want to see the crafty items that I made last week then scroll down to the post below.

If you want to see the little frocks and slippers I have made this week then pop back on Friday to see my "Finished by Friday 3" post. I have had lots of crafty fun this week.

So - let's go and see what  our blog buddy Julia has been up to and then we can take a spin round all the other WOYWW desks and have a good snoop!

Have a great week

x Jo

Finished by Friday - 2

Welcome to Finished by Friday 2!
This week has flown by.
I have had a busy time but managed to squeeze in as much crafting as possible.
I have to admit to a new addiction....

 








These are my little scrapbox dollies that I have been making for Christmas.
I found the idea on a lovely blog called Flutterby Patch
They are supposed to be tiny dollies made with oddments from your scrap bag.
Well, mine have sort of evolved into quite fancy little dollies.
They have smart little costumes with arms and legs made from co-ordinating beads.
Each one has a ribbon hanging loop so they can hang on the Christmas tree - or anywhere else where a little dolly would look cute.
I still have a few more to finish and then I will decide what to do with them.
Maxine suggested displaying them on a painted branch.

My other little makes were for the twins.
I found a pattern for little slippers so made a pair for each of them.

And then I made a cosy little frock for Lexi - unfortunately it turned out to be too large so I am now making a smaller version. She will grow into it soon, so it won't be wasted!

That's it for this week - see you next week.
Thanks for calling in - I love to hear what you think.
x Jo

WOYWW

 

 Good morning all!

Oh so many bits and bobs for you to snoop today!

Click on the picture to enlarge it if you really want to study the contents of my workdesk.

I am afraid I just dumped everything in here after an evening of hand sewing in front of the tv last night.

Can you spot...

• the neat chrome toast rack that I bought for 30p from the car boot sale. I want it for our craft fair so that I can stand mounted pictures for sale in it.
• a box of junk beads that I am using for my little dollies arms and legs
• a box of half-made dollies (pop back on "Finished by Friday" this week to see them properly)
• a clever knitting and sewing aid that I found in a drawer
• lots of ribbon and bits and bobs - all beautifully colour co-ordinated by Maxine - it's her stash but I have been raiding it for the dollies
• a pretty little tin that came from Mum's - strangely it has a little label inside the lid that says... Ann P 1Z so I guess it was once Annie's school sewing tin!!!

AND here is the beautiful card, folder and tulip bulbs our lovely friend T gave me yesterday.
The card is printed but it looks like a fabric collage with buttons and hand stitches. It has a perfect little comment printed on the back - Born to Stitch by Philippa Phipps:
"All lovingly stitched by hand at the kitchen table with friends, a lovely cup of tea and a slice of cake".
And that's exactly what we three were doing yesterday on fun day Monday.

I tried to visit a few extra desks last week and it was fun to "meet"  some new folks and their desks so I will do the same this week. If you want to join in our mad Wednesday blog hop - then follow the link to Julia's Stamping Ground and see what we are all up to.
Have fun
x Jo

Finished by Friday!!

Handmade crafts

 "Finished by Friday" is going to be my showcase for all the little items 

that I have hand crafted during the previous week.

I usually have a "show and tell" on my WOYWW post each Wednesday 

but I decided I would really stretch myself and do two posts a week!! lol

 

So - here goes.......

Hand knitted baby cardigans

Above is the latest little sleeveless cardi that I have knitted for Lexi.

It should fit a 20" chest and has hand embroidered lazy daisy flowers and knots with little, floral buttons.

Just a cosy extra layer for the cooler Autumn days.

Below are the three tissue box covers that I have made for our craft fair.
I am also putting them in our blog shop - Sisters Crafty Creations.

For those of you new to my blog -  Sisters Crafty Creations  is where my sister Annie (Wipso - A stitch in time) and I put all the items we have made in order to sell them online.

So, if you are interested then follow the link and then check out all our "shelves" in the shop by clicking on the links down the left hand side of Sisters Crafty Creations.

Tissue box covers

Poppies tissue box cover

This tissue box cover is made from cream fabric decorated with panels of recycled vintage embroidery on the front and on top.


At the craft fair I will sell them complete with tissue box - they make a lovely gift.
Online it makes postage really cheap if I just sell the covers without the tissues.
I will package them in a cellophane bag.

White vintage lace n linen tissue box cover

This tissue box cover is made from white vintage fabric decorated with vintage cotton lace with a little lace/buttoned flower on top.

Vintage embroidery tissue box cover

This tissue box cover is made from white fabric decorated with a panel of recycled vintage embroidery on the front with a vintage embroidered flower on top.
















AND lastly
Here's one I made earlier....


This patchwork draught excluder is made from various furnishing fabrics.

It is embellished with buttons and hand embroidery and has polyester filling.

Patchwork draught excluder

That's it for this week ...see you next week!

If you would like to leave a comment, I would love to hear from you. Thanks!  x Jo

WOYWW -

 

Good morning all - just a bit late in joining Julia's blog hop today.

This really is my table this morning - I will need a tidy up before I can start sewing later!

Lots to snoop though - so click on the picture and have a good look round!

 

Below are the gorgeous hand dyed felts and yarns we bought from the Shrewsbury Quilters Exhibition - Maryke of Batik n Beads was a delightful lady. She had the most amazing felt hand stitched books and chatted to us for ages before I found out she lives a couple of miles away from me!! I think I shall be popping over to hers to stock up on more lovely threads and fabrics.

 

Just 3 of the fantastic quilts on display at the Exhibition.

AND - I always have a minibeast or two to share with you each week.......

Look what I met on my way to Annie's for fun day Monday!

Isn't country life wonderful.

I waited about 5 minutes for the entire herd to stroll past me

- they weren't in a hurry as you can see!

 

Have a happy Wednesday all.

x Jo

 

WOYWW - cards fest!

 Happy Wednesday to all who like to pop in here for a snoop at my crafty corner!! Join in the fun by checking out the goings on at Julia's Stamping Ground. Go on - show us your workdesk this Wednesday!!!

I thought I would show just a few of my fab birthday cards.

Annie gave me this gorgeous poppy card which she had dumfed specially for me. She also included a poem - such talent!!
I am going to frame it.


Below are a few of the hand crafted or funny cards I was sent.
How well my friends know me!

 Maxine made this card for me from a real vintage knitting pattern. I love it.
If you fancy the hat and mitts then send me some
Patons Fuzzy Wuzzy and I will give it a go. lol!!!

I made 3 more little frocks for the "Dress a girl around the world scheme", this week.
I bought this lovely green cotton fabric at the car boot sale and trimmed them up with some of the bits and bobs left from our last session. I think we must have made about 410 frocks now.

 These are the little shorts that I made this week for the boys, who must be feeling a bit left out.
I hope they like the fabric - I thought it would be fun.

This monster dragonfly was in our garden this week and obligingly settled on our conifer - it was nearly 10cm long!

AND - specially for Annie.... anything you can do..........
Yep - bread buns!
They are delicious and so easy to make.
This batch was a Wrights bread mix - Parmesan and sundried tomato but I often make my own recipe.

Shall I butter one for you now??

Thanks for all your kind birthday wishes
I had a lovely birthday.
Have a great week
x Jo

WOYWW - birthday, bargain, beastie and bolero

 Happy Wednesday everyone!
Just a few things to share with you today.

Don't you just love my flowers??
Dear little sister Annie gave them me today when I called for coffee - as she loves to remind me - I am her "much" older sister!!
In fact, 61 this week. AND if I say I am 6 years older than Annie and its her birthday soon then you will know how old she is too!!! Ha!

Above is a little pine spice rack that I found at the car boot.
I thought it would make a useful little display stand when we go to the next craft fair.
I have painted it with off-white Annie Sloan chalk paint and distressed it a bit.
Here you are....

Now I know you love to see the view from my kitchen window....
Well this week it wasn't nearly so nice!!

I don't like spiders much and this giant was sitting on the outside of the window frame.
I know it's ridiculous but it kept catching my eye and in the end I had to go out and brush it off gently.so that it could run and play where I couldn't see it!
As Grandma used to say.."If you wish to live and thrive - let a spider stay alive"

 Much prettier, is the little cream shrug that I made for my friend's granddaughter.
I have had a busy time knitting - it keeps me awake when I am watching TV.

Below is the draught excluder I made for Maxine.
It has fabric from her hall roman blind, furnishing fabric scraps and vintage buttons.
I added a few rows of hand embroidery too.
It looks just right in her hallway.
I have lots more fabric remnants, in all ,shades, so I think I might make a couple for the craft fair.

That's it for this week.
I had a lovely time last week checking out lots of your desks - I try to do as many as possible and a few extra "new" desks that I haven't visited before. I do a lucky dip on Aunty Julia's Mr Linky list!
It's great to see what you are busy making and I am always so impressed by the beautiful cards etc on display. What a clever crafty bunch!!
Keep crafting!
x Jo