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

OK folks - sometimes a girl has to have a Spring clean in the sewing room!

My table is empty and my shelves are all dust-free.

And while I had a bit of clear space I put my craft fair items out. This is about all I have - so - if I want to fill a table at Montgomery Summer Craft fair - then I think I need to get crafting!!

You can see better pics of them all in our blog shop if you are interested.

Sisters Crafty Creations

 These are my latest little knitties for the "Fish & Chip babies". I just couldn't resist adding a few lazy daisy flowers to the one set.

And these are the last three dresses which I made with the fabric the lady at the carboot sale donated for the cause. That's three more little girls who will get a frock via the "Dress a girl around the world scheme". I only have a few small pieces of fabric left now so I guess I shall have a rest and stock up when I spot anything suitable.
Short and sweet today but very colourful!
Have a great Wednesday blog hop - I am off to Julia's Stamping Ground to see what you have all been up to this week.
x Jo

WOYWW

Happy Wednesday to all.
This was my desk with sunshine (yes! sunshine!) beaming through my wiindow, yesterday afternoon.
I just couldn't resist a photo - we have had so many gloomy days it was lovely to see the sun - if fleetingly.

On my desk are a few of my carboot bargains.

• A lovely lady gave me this fabric when I explained that I would be making frocks for the "Dress a girl around the world scheme" with it. So many kind folk out there!
• Also you can see the pretty little "broiderie anglais" mats  and lovely vintage Irish linen hankies that M bought to craft with. Not sure what she will make with them but we just couldn't resist them.
• I also got 3 circular knitting needles - always useful for little shrug knitting.

Just a few of my week's makes below.....

Two tiny waistcoats for my friend's grandsons to wear to their uncle's wedding.

A random patchwork draught excluder.

Lastly the latest little knitties for the "Fish and Chip" babies.
I posted a parcel with 16 little jumpers and matching beanie hats to Dawn yesterday - 13 sets from me and 3 from Annie. I still have plenty of wool scraps so will continue knitting for a bit longer.

Join in our WOYWWednesday blog hop by following the link to Julia's Stamping Ground - so many busy crafty folk to snoop on!!!

Thanks to all who visited me last week  - I really appreciate your thoughtful, kind comments.
x Jo

WOYWW

Good morning all!
It's so gloomy outside that my desk photo looks a bit cheerless too.
In fact, it's a busy little space with lots going on.
The pile of pretty fabric will be used for little cover ups and maybe a dress or two.
First of all, I have two little sillk wedding waistcoats to make. I drew up patterns from the one on my table and cut them out in lovely blue slub silk with proper waistcoat lining fabric to complete them.


 Oh and can you see my tin of vintage buttons - I think I will be selling them as they are surplus to my needs.

Next is a little display of the 10 beanie hat/jumper sets that I have finished for the "Fish & Chip" babies.
I will put them together with Annie's and get them in the post to Dawn who is collecting them.

Lastly, after fun day Monday when Annie made 5 pairs of shorts and I made 3 little frocks for the "Dress a girl around the world scheme" (see post below and Annie's blog), I decided to help Louise reach her target of 50 pairs of shorts.

I raided my store of old T shirts and jeans. I always try to recycle fabric and hate throwing useful things away.

So the legs of the jeans proved just big enough to re-cut and make shorts. Having made 404 dresses we thought we should do something for the boys.



I think we have made a total of 14 at the moment -  I don't think we will reach anywhere near the dress total but who knows!!

Ok - I need to get busy sewing.
Have a great day everyone. If you want to join our happy blog hop, then pop over to Julia's Stamping Ground and see what we have all been up to this week.

Thanks to all who left lovely comments last week - nice to hear from you.
x Jo

Pretty in pink!

It's been weeks since a I made a little frock for the "Dress a girl around the world" scheme.
Today was fun day Monday and the lovely Di had sent us a pretty, pink, floral duvet and toning pink sheet. So whilst Annie was making 5 pairs of shorts for the boys, I made these three little frocks.
I made three different sizes and trimmed them up with little lace and crochet flowers on the pockets.

These will be posted to Louise of Sew Scrumptious who has co-ordinated the collection of frocks and shorts ready to be distributed to Africa and India.

She has collected over 1300 frocks so far, plus a few pairs of shorts. She would like to collect another 50 pairs of shorts before June - hence the pairs Annie blogged about today.
If anyone thinks they could help out, then follow the link and have a go - it is a simple pattern and quick and easy to make up.
I came home and found a T shirt and 3 pairs of jeans, which I will cut up to make more shorts - waste not want not!!!!!

Thanks for a happy, busy funday Monday Annie!!
x Jo

Little frock update

Just a little frock update for anyone who is following the progress of our little dresses that we will be sending to Louise of Sew Scrumptious for the "Dress a girl around the world scheme".

I have finished making all the frocks that were cut out and bagged up (see below).

However, we do keep saying that its been a bit like the story of "feeding the five thousand". We started with the generous gift of fabric from a few and with that we have made over 360 dresses between us.

Yet still I have a table full of fabric left over - how can that be!!!

I spent an hour or two yesterday sorting it and putting little multi coloured packs together using just the scraps that were left.

AND - I now have 25 more dresses ready to sew!

If you want to know how to create a simple frock from just odds and ends - I will show you in  my next post  so do pop back if you want to try it.

 Thanks for visiting and for all your lovely comments - x Jo


now do scroll down to have a quick look at the latest little frocks............

WOYWW

Good morning all!!
My table looks a bit too tidy for me - Max's little grey chenille/button heart cushion, my rainbow stickers and my "Montgomery in stitches" postcards.
I have been looking through my books for a bit of inspiration
Such cold frosty weather over the last few days - I have enjoyed being cosily tucked into my sewing room making little frocks. You will see from Annie's blog competition/give-away that we managed to cut out 88 frocks just over a week ago.
Here are the 25 frocks that I have made since then. My time was a bit limited as I had to spend 3 days waiting in at daughter M's for her plumber/Waterboard to sort out her low pressure on her system. Anyway - all done now so I can fit in a bit more dress making.

 I think the check frocks would make a good school uniform - do you recognise the pockets from last week?

I posted a parcel yesterday, to Louise of Sew Scrumptious containing the 40 dresses I made before Christmas. I think I have lost count how many I have made altogether now but I guess it's over 200.
I hope Louise has plenty of storage space! She is doing really well in finding folks who are happy to take them out to Africa so I am sure that soon, lots of little girls will enjoy wearing these pretty little frocks.

Thanks to all for popping over here and commenting so kindly.
OK - follow me to Julia's Stamping Ground and see what all the other WOYWWers have beeen up to this week.
x Jo

WOYWW - just a bit late!

Happy Wednesday everyone.

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas.

Ours weekend was spent with daughter M and was really great.

Thanks to all of you who sent beautiful Christmas cards - you are such a clever bunch!!

Not much going on in my craft room this week. I seemed to have been so busy up to Christmas that I am finding it quite a treat doing other things for a change.

The picture above shows all the gorgeous lace, braid and fabric sent to us by Rebecca for our "Dress a girl around the world" frocks. A huge parcel came along with Christmas stuff. I unpacked it and showed it to Annie and packed it away ready for the New Year when we will start again with our little frocks. So a big "Thank you" to Rebecca - it will all be put to good use.

Below are a few "dumfed" cards that I made as gifts for my Yorkshire friends. When I lived up there, they all loved to dip into our card box for special occasion cards so, I like to make sure they still have a few now and again.

I think I like this set best. I used an idea in my latest Stitch magazine and made them in a range of colours.

Well folks - short and sweet today - and late!
So a quick dash to Julia's Stamping Ground to link up with you all and I will be round to see what everyone else has been up to.

Enjoy your New Year celebrations.
Best wishes
Jo

WOYWW - all neat and tidy!

Good morning all.
Its been a wet and windy few days but quite mild for November.
We have lots of oak trees around here so the colours have been gorgeous but now the leaves have been blown down and keep filling my flowerbeds. That's Autumn for you!

Today my table looks neat and tidy because I had a mammoth clear up.
I have printed off a few more dumfed robins and doves for some more Christmas cards.
The hankies were a car boot bargain - Bruges lace.

I decided I wouldn't make any more little frocks for the "Dress a girl around the world" scheme until after Christmas. So I have put away the 34 finished ones ready to post to Louise at Sew Scrumptious (She has had over 500 little frocks sent to her so far!!!)
Here are my latest creations.......

Apart from those, I have made the other little hoodie (same as last week) and I am now knitting another in blue and white random wool.

I have made a little check pinafore for baby L and now have similar to make for P & L. as well as another set in pale pink babycord.
My daughter M also sent me home with some fabric to make a tunic/dress for her too.
Never a dull moment in this house!

OK folks let's nip over to the lovely Julia's Stamping Ground and see what all of you have been up to this week.
Thanks for calling here and leaving such lovely comments. I will try to see a few more of your desks this week - I don't know where last week went!!
x Jo

WOYWW - a busy week's worth!

Good morning happy crafters and WOYWW followers.
Lots of pics for you to enjoy today!!

My table is overflowing with exciting items!

• My latest little peace dove Christmas card - I might make a few more of these as I quite like the lace/embroidered flowers etc and the print from a little "dumfed" dove that I made last year some time.
• The calendar is one that I made through Vistaprint - a free offer (well apart from postage)          I just uploaded 12 of my "free-machine collages" to their website and they printed it and sent it to me within a fortnight. I love it.
• At the top of my table you can see my little "Katie Morag" style doll. I had rather a special request for this one and was thrilled to be able to oblige.
• I also have the lovely pale pink babycord fabric that was sent to Annie to make little pinafore dresses for her little grand daughters. She has a lot of work on at the mo so I am going to make  small, medium and large for L, L &P. What fun.
• The check fabric is also for them and today I made a tiny little frock for the tiniest little L.
• On my window sill is gorgeous pin cushion sent as a lovely surprise gift all the way across the Atlantic - from Sylvia. What better gift for a sewing gal like me! Thanks so much Sylvia - it will be put to good use here and it is really beautifully made with a pretty little tag too.

Here it is in close up..

My little knitted item of the week is this little hoody for the latest little boy added to Annie's family.
It's knitted in Sirdar Baby Crofter is is so soft and cosy. I have done my usual trick and have nearly a ball left over so I will buy another couple of balls and make one for little twin S. They are all growing so quickly I am sure he will fit this one soon.

AND just a few more frocks...
I think Louise of Sew Scrumptious says she has a total of 475 frocks collected for the " Dress a girl around the world scheme" now.

Quite a busy week then!

Must go - looking forward to a trip round your desks after my dental appointment!
x Jo

Shropshire hills

Just a few photos to share with you.
We went over to the Stiperstones for a walk and to pick Whinberries (billberries).
It was a lovely afternoon but the fast moving grey clouds threatened rain,
We were lucky. We climbed to the top of Black Radleigh and enjoyed a panoramic view.
I made a little video but the wind sounds like I am munching my way through a massive bag of crisps - I wasn't - honest!!

( I tried to upload but Blogger was playing up! )

I don't think I will win any Oscars!!

.

We picked quite a few whinberries and will be sharing them with Wipso and friends.

Then we headed over to "The Bog Centre" for a coffee.

Here are just a few more pics from a splendid afternoon.

A view from the top of Radleigh to the rocky outcrops on the crest of the Stiperstones.

A carving by the Shropshire carvers of famous sites within the boundaries of Shropshire.

Our farmers rear a wonderful range of livestock - alpacas at "The Bog".

We made it home in time to see this fantastic rainbow.

Wipso texted to tell me to check out Sew Scrumptious' blog. Louise has really done us proud and has blogged all 30 of the little dressses we made for the "Dress a girl around the world scheme".
We have had a fantastic response from some very kind blog friends, who have sent Wipso parcels of beautiful fabric to make more little frocks. So funday Monday will be spent cutting out and bagging up more little dresses for us to sew next week. We are blessed at having such a useful talent and it is lovely to be able to help others and have such a lot of fun at the same time!!