WOYWW

Happy Wednesday everyone!
After my slow start to the New Year, I am feeling a bit better but not quite back to my usual bouncy self!
Annie was looking for extra fabric for her Luna Bunny clothes, so I had a good sort through my drawers - always a good idea at this time of year!!
I had lots of pretty little prints which I passed on to her so she can just dip in and share it.

I also found all this gorgeous vintage linen which had been hiding away for years.

I haven't any plans for it just now but if anyone has any ideas do let me know.
I love all the hand stitching - white on white - some of which is probably a hundred years old.
Most of it will have come from car boot sales etc
I really should do something lovely with it - it deserves a second life.

So here's to a creative year ahead then.

I will look forward to checking out more WOYWW desks this year. It's always good to see what our clever, crafty friends have been up too.

xx Jo

WOYWW

I thought I would share two desks with you today.
Above is the table Maxine and I spent all last week working at whilst lots of folk drifted in and out of our exhibition. We had a totally brilliant week. It was just a most perfect chill out week, spent chatting, chilling and "dumfing".
The little gallery at the Old Bell Museum in Montgomery was just right for us, allowing plenty of room for us to work yet still enable folks to peruse the pictures and other artwork which decorated the walls and tabletops. (See here if you want to see what we had on display!)

The next picture shows my tidy table today with just a few vintage bargains, my bookmarks that I made last week and a "dumfed" oyster catcher which just needs some machine embroidery to finish it off.

Thanks to all who popped into my blog last week and apologies for not visiting your WOYWW blog.
I will manage it this week I am sure. Well, that is unless Annie decides she needs me to help her with her move! Still got fingers crossed here! I am sure she will have news and fab pics on her blog "A stitch in time" so pop over and see what she is up to.

Have a great week.
Thanks for calling.
x Jo

WOYWW

Today -  to counteract the wonderful country aroma left by the muck spreaders - I have been mostly making lavender bags!!

 

Just sneaking into my photo is that little green card and a beautiful little brooch that Neet made for me using polymer clay. I love it and think it is such a clever way to use clay. Annie and I are still pondering how you did it Neet!!!

 

Here is a close-up of the lavender bags.

I used a well worn, vintage, handmade, fine lawn pillow case to make my little lavender outer bags.

It was so lovely that I didn't really want to cut it up. It even had entwined intials sewn beautifully onto one end. Sadly it had seen better days and rather than let it remain hidden in a drawer I decided to give it another life and make little bags stuffed with wonderfully scented Shropshire lavender.

The little inner sachets were made using left over scraps from some voile curtaining.

The other lavender sacks are also made from cotton remants with some hand embroidery from a vintage tablecloth.

I love to re-cycle and hate to throw things out and at least something useful is the outcome of a little afternoon of sewing.

AND lastly......

This is what you can make with a double duvet set and a quick raid into my fabric stash!!

Can you spot

1. a single duvet
2. 2 pillow cases
3. a set of underbed top secret curtains
4. a cushion cover
5. a chair seat pad
6. a useful shoulder bag
7. a note book cover

Oh and a very happy little boy - but he's not in my picture - I will let Caro show you Alex's lovely smiley photo!

That's it for this week.
Thanks for calling by - I will be over to see your WOYWW desk soon - as long as we don't get a power cut or broadband signal reduction!

Have a good week.
x Jo

WOYWW

Firstly today, I just want to say....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANNIE!

 

My little sis is 21 - again!!!!

Have a fab day and a lovely weekend of fun and laughter.

 

 

 My table is  just a complete mess - covered with fabric left over from this week's projects......

Here are just a few of them

 

I made these little lavender hearts with some of my fabric bargains - I love this soft grey wool check and just added a few bits and bobs of vintage lace and buttons from my button box. They are filled with Shropshire Lavender - just follow the link if you are interested. Joanna has a brilliant service from her farm in North Shropshire.

 

These are the lavender bags that I made using my vintage embroidered cloth.

 AND believe it or not...
these little bags are made from fabric left over from my 70's wedding dress!!

Well that is all blogger will allow me to show you today.

I have had a busy week so far with lots of sewing jobs finished, including more draught excluders, a little skirt for Lexi and some patchwork squares for the Children in Need Quilts - see here if you want to know more.

Never a dull moment here and no time to get bored!!!

Have a good week and thanks for popping by.

I will be checking out all your crafty activity later on my WOYWW rounds.

 

x Jo



WOYWW

 Good morning to all our WOYWW blog buddies.
Just look at the pretty bits and bobs of vintage linen/embroidery heaped on my table today.
(Its covering  another heap of fabric scraps left over from the projects below)
I really do need to have a big tidy up before I start to work this morning!!
I am going to make some little lavender bags so I cut up some vintage linen and found ribbon and tape to go with them. Hopefully, I will have some finished to show you next week.

Below is a little cushion that I made to go with one of our draught excluders. I have had fun with Maxine designing them and just to prove I had actually learned from her tuition, I designed and made the cushion all by myself!!!

Then, because I needed a little card for a special new baby, I got going with my free machining and designed this one. Cute isn't he!!!

 Well, that's my show and tell for today.
I hope you are all well and enjoying your crafty activities. I will pop round the desks in the next few days - I really enjoy seeing your workspaces and all the things you are busy with.
Thanks for dropping in here and leaving your kind comments - you are such a nice bunch.

x Jo

WOYWW

 

My work desk today!

It's too warm in my craft room at the front of the house. (How often have I ever said that!!)

So I took my paper crafting tackle into the kitchen - big mistake - far too much room and I seem to spread out everywhere.

However, it is certainly cooler and I really need cool when I am trying to do what you clever paper crafters do.

I am hopeless at the careful measuring and folding so nothing is quite as it would be if you clever folks had tackled it.

BUT...

I am pleased with how it all went.

Here is my finished tag flap book - I just copied the design of the one Jo (Jozart) so kindly made for me. Except of course, I couldn't resist using fabric and embroidery for the front and back.

I even used my Cuttlebug for the tattered fabric flowers too!

What do you think?
Not bad for a first attempt by a real papercrafting amateur.

I don't think I will be making more but I certainly loved making the covers so I might make a few notebook covers that way. Thanks for the inspiration Jo - you certainly helped me get out of my comfort zone!!!

Hope you are all enjoying the sunshine and that the odd thunderstorm hasn't spoilt your fun.

I hope I can get around a few more desks this week - I am not tempted to sit at the computer when the weather is so gorgeous.

Join in the fun over at Julia's Stamping Ground and see what everyone else's crafty workdesk looks like today!
Have fun.
x Jo

WOYWW

Good morning to all our WOYWW followers.
I hope you are still all with us after the Google Reader panic.
I am still unsure what it was all about but we signed up to Bloglovin as a belt and braces precaution.

Today I have put all my little ATCs into the beautiful little tag flag book that Jo made for me.
The photo shows all my little beauties before I popped them into the book.
It really is a fab way to store them as they are all visible and safely stored so they don't get damaged.
Now Annie and I don't really do much papercrafting - although we do have quite a mountain of stash between us! Jo's booklet was so lovely that Annie decided to make another, following Jo's design, to store last year's ATCs. So I guess she will be blogging hers today AND I know I will have to have a go and see if I can make one- it might have to have some white linen and hand stitching on it though!! lol.

Just to reinforce that thought - below are my latest car boot cale purchases.
A pair of huge pillow cases with a monogram and beautiful satin stitched edge.
They have pretty little mother of pearl buttons and hand stitched buttonholes.
I love them and I know they will be upcycled into something soon.

 And below are the super bits and bobs that I bought for Annie's toy box for her grand children.
They were all in perfect condition and a great bargain.
Needless to say the little twins loved the dog and cat puzzles - new to them on Monday - they had them sussed by Tuesday!! I now need to find something a bit trickier for them.

Well that's it for this week - I hope I can get to visit a few more of you this week but maybe not today as I will be playing with my twinnie friends.
Join in our blog hop over at Julia's Stamping Ground.

Have a great week
x Jo

WOYWW

I know we all say it BUT ...
I can't believe it's Wednesday already!!
Where do the weeks go?
Here we are again joining all the other WOYWW bloggers who enjoy a good snoop round other crafters work spaces. You know who you are and if not, then pop over to Julia's Stamping Ground and find out more!!

Another tableful of vintage linen bits and bobs on display today.
My bunting and ring cushion are also on the posts below - so scroll down for a better snoop!

Some of you might recognise the pink and blue bits.
I took photos of my ATCs before posting them and have tweaked the photos to make little "Thank you" cards. I have printed them on canvas paper and I am quite pleased with the result.
I think they will look good mounted on some cream card.

I think I shall make a few more little stitched pictures as I really enjoyed making them and I have lots of scraps of vintage linen to use up.

Below are the little snakey hand puppets that I made for the twins this week.
They love the snakey puppets on CBeebies so I found a couple of my left over socks from sock dolly making and made two tiny snakies which just fit nicely on a little hand.

That's it for this week - see you next week!
Thanks for calling by.
Hope you are all well and enjoying the sunshine.
x Jo

Handmade ring cushion

I decided to make my linen crazy quilt square into a little ring cushion.
It is a neat 20cm x 20cm square made with vintage linen and decorated with hand stitching, beads, a mother of pearl button and satin ribbon ties. (Ring not included!!)

Here is a close up of some of the detail.

I have really enjoyed the hand embroidery that I have been busy with recently.
I have now finished 3 lengths of white bunting made with vintage linen and decorated with vintage crochet and lace plus my own embroidery (here if you are interested)

I will probably put them in our Sisters Crafty Creations blog shop or ebay but if you are interested in the meantime, you can email me.


Thanks for popping in - I hope the day is a bit drier and sunnier for you than it is here!

x Jo

Finished by Friday and a smile.

Just a couple of photos of my white bunting that I finished this week.
It is made with 7 flags of vintage linen decorated with vintage lace/crochet/embroidery and my own hand embroidery stitches.
It is attached to 3 metres of white tape so is just enough to go across the top of a double bed and fasten securely at each side.
Here is a close up of one of the flags . There are several different flag designs.

 

I shall probably pop it in our blog shop (Sisters Crafty Creations) later - maybe in the wedding section.

 

Now for my happy story.

It certainly made me smile.

 

Yesterday evening, just as I started eating my tea, a young woodpecker (probably the one I showed you last week on my fence!) flew into my window. I think it was being chased by the sparrow hawk.

It tumbled down and landed right outside my patio door and lay panting, wings outstretched.

Then the panting stopped and it was still.

I was sure it was dead.

I know you are supposed to just leave birds in shock alone so, I just kept an eye on it whilst I had my tea.

It lay completely still, spread out across the patio.

About half an hour later, as by now I was conviced it was dead, I thought I would go and have a look at its beautiful feathers, take a photo to show Annie and then dispose of the little body.

Imagine my shock - as I opened the door-  it took off and flew to nearest oak tree chirping away as it went!!

A little miracle I am sure. I was so glad to know it was alive and well and had not been another casualty of the hawk or my windows!!

 

There now I bet you are smiling too!!

 

For more smile, pop over to Annie's blog " A Stitch in Time"

 

Have a great weekend.

x Jo



WOYWW

Good morning all!

I hope you are all well and that you are making the most of the occasional sunny day we have been having.

Today my table is awash with white linen bunting.

I started making it last year and even sold one or two lengths.

Yesterday I found it lurking in the bottom of my "needs finishing" drawer.

I thought I might add hand stitching to each flag - a bit like my crazy quilting square on the left.

Then I am going to sell them.

 

At the back of my photo is this little picture.

 

Maxine made it for me and I decided to pop it in a box frame to go in my sewing room.
I love it and it has a lovely message inside so worth saving and making something special with it.

And lastly - below is my latest LillyBo quilt for Jo's "LillyBo quilts for poorly children scheme". (see here)
Annie had all the fabrics, so it was just a case of using bits and bobs creatively!
I even found enough to make a matching tote bag and little bear.
I think someone will love them don't you!!

Short and sweet today.
Thanks for popping in here.
I love to know what you think and so many folk leave kind comments.
I will try to visit as many desks as I can - but I have a day with the twins tomorrow - great fun - so will maybe take a while to get round this week.

Have a good week.
x Jo

WOYWW - 4th anniversary

 Ta- ta ta ta ta ta - ta!!!

(Imagine trumpet fanfare)

Congratulations to Julia Queen of Snoop for the 4th anniversary of WOYWW.

Such a simple idea - to get a few crafters to show their desks each week- which has snowballed to nearly 200 crafters posting desk pics and chatting about crafting activities of many varieties each Wednesday.

We see tidy desks, messy desks, desks loaded with crafty bits and bobs and wonderful craft work made by the desk sharer.

So - to Julia and all the crafters who join in each week and then blog hop around as many desks as they can leaving comments and messages- thank you for making this little crafting group such a big success. So many happy friendships have grown up around WOYWW - even though we may never meet - we have shared all sorts of events and activities- and supported each other too.

Long may it last and a big thank you to all!!!!

 Above on my table is the crown pin cushion that I made for the first WOYWW anniversary, surrounded by a few of my WOYWW4 ATCs. I have already posted a few and saved one for my pass it forward to the next person on Mr Linky whoever that may be!!!

Below is the piece of white crazy quilting that I made last week.

I am quite pleased with it and think I might frame it. It is a 12 cm square, so quite small. It has hand stitches, beads and lace decorating the quilted together pieces.

 The other two pics are my latest car boot bargains.
Vintage linen - runners, table and tray cloths.

 Several pieces of pretty cotton prints - not sure what to do with them but I know I will think of something!!!

 

So that's it for this week.

Enjoy checking out the 4th anniversary workdesks - I will try and visit as many as possible.

x Jo

WOYWW

 Happy Wednesday everyone and an especially happy day to Annie and her hubby for their wedding anniversary. Below is the little card that I made for them. 

I used snippets of vintage embroidered linen, lace, buttons and beads.

It doesn't seem long since their happy wedding day when my little one was toddling round in a little smocked dress and pink coat. This week that little one will be a beautiful bride herself - where have all those years gone?!

As you see, my table - above - is back to normal and my lace box is overflowing onto it.

I have been making little card toppers or maybe ATCs using snippets.

I have a spare day next week so I will try and make a little bundle of ATCs ready for the WOYWW 4th anniversary swap. Follow this link for Julia's info.

OK folks - busy week this week so I will dash.
I might not get round all your desks this week but will do my best.

If you are following my Friday Pheasant saga - pop back next Friday for the follow up - it's amazing!!!
Thanks for calling.
x Jo

WOYWW

 

 

Just a quick snap of my table before I start making my next LillyBo quilt.

Top left hand corner - my free machined label made to attach to my quilt.

Top centre - my jar of pearly buttons.

And then a pile of cards that I have finished.

I used lots of little snippets of lace/fabric/vintage embroidery and linen to create tiny collages for these sets of cards.

One set went off to my good friend in Yorkshire as a little birthday gift.

The rest are waiting in my sewing room to show Maxine and then maybe I will pop them in our Sisters Crafty Creations blog shop.

 Here are just a few of them!!.........

Click the picture to zoom in!

 

Today I have a very busy day planned so may not get round to checking out your desks till later in the week. Join Julia and her gang over at The Stamping Ground.
Hope you are all well and keeping cosy in this chilly weather.
Thanks for calling in - scroll down to my last post if you want more pretty stuff!!
x Jo

WOYWW - long flight for little owl

Good morning all - Happy WOYWW!!!

Just before I show you my work table today let me show you the little character waving from the creeper.
He has a long flight to Oz ahead of him so he is soaking up the sun before he sets off!
He is about 4 inches tall and made from a recycled and felted Laura Ashley woollen jumper. He has hand stitched feathers and beaded claws and beak with little button eyes. Cute!!





Next - a quick look at the really lovely ATC that Sue H made specially for me. It has a beautifully embroidered flower head, worked in silver thread and beads. I love the colour and the stamping, sentiment, embellishment - well everything really - it's fab isn't it. Thanks lots Sue.







And lastly lots of gorgeousness on my table today!!!

• Pretty hand embroidered napkins and tray cloth - car boot finds
• Little dumfling cards that Maxine has made - each one is a tiny dumfling with a miniature scene of hand embroidered flowers. 
• Tiny seascape dumflings waiting to be mounted
• Framed pics on the window sill are now in the blog shop - click here if you are interested.
• My favourite magazines -  Stitch and Quilting Arts 

 Ok folks short and sweet but plenty to snoop!

Thanks to all who popped in here last week and for all your positive comments - you really are a lovely bunch. Now let's get over to see what our good buddy Julia has in store for us today!
x Jo

WOYWW - vintage lovelies!

Good morning all!
My table today is full of vintage loveliness.
I found these tray cloths and crochet mats at the local car boot. They are so fresh and pretty.
I was going to chop them up for my crafty activities but I might keep one or two as they are in excellent condition.

This week I made some tiny silver/white hearts for daughter M. She wants to decorate her hallway with them.








My other bit of craftiness produced this cute little hoodie for baby S.
They will be well dressed babes won't they?!

Short and sweet this week.

If you are looking for little Christmas gifts you might like to check out our blog shop...

Sisters Crafty Creations - we have lots of pretty stocking fillers and special gifts which are waiting to be posted out at short notice!

Have a great day everyone and if you want to join in our mad WOYWW bloghop, then follow me to Julia's Stamping Ground and see what all the other crafty folk have been up to.

Have a great week.

x Jo