Happy doodles

 

Today was spent mostly finishing off these: 

A whole bunch of cheery little embroidered flowers - to be turned into brooches

I tend to do them first thing in the day, to use up scraps and to 'warm up' to doodling with my machine! 

They go out on a 'thank you' tag with every purchase from my shop - a little extra something for everyone who buys from me :) ....

...and of course - a happy way to start my working day!

Anyone still out there?......

Hello!  (peers nervously around the corner....) is there anyone still out there? It's been three years since I last blogged so I'm not sure if anyone is still following.

Things are a little different around here - we have moved from The Hague to a small village near to Maastricht and are in the process of building our own house.

We have gained a dog! Madelinetosh - a Cyprus poodle rescued from a pound in Cyprus. She is amazing and we love her very much!

     

The kidlings have all grown beyond belief. Three of the four are now taller than me and in September there will be three at High School - how did that happen?!

I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia

Some things are the same though - I'm still knitting

sewing

thrifting

baking

and dabbling in lots of other crafty things!

Life here in the south certainly has a slower rhythm and we are so enjoying the hills and landscape that surround us. We are so enjoying this new place even though we have only been here for six months and it feels like a breath of fresh air. While we loved living close to the centre of The Hague and made some deep, long lasting friendships (waves hello!) there were few relationships that really were not good and which left me doubting myself, my gifts and my value. I lost my confidence and my voice and it really affected my creativity - I just couldn't design or find the motivation to make, and lost the excitement of sharing my creations on my blog. I know that I shouldn't have allowed myself to listen, should have walked away, but it was so subtle that I didn't realise it until it was too late. It's only really now that we are out of the situation that I realise how much of an effect it had on me and it just feels so good to start being 'myself' again without fear of being criticised.

So that's it, the story behind my absence. I do hope there's still a few of you out there and that you'll forgive me for disappearing.. Please stick around while I dip my toes into blog land again! 

Early arrivals

Today ( and the following day or two) I shall be frantically crocheting the rest of this snuggly blanket




- for a teeny tiny little girl who arrived a little earlier than expected!




Made using the very lovely Quince and co Chickadee. Fantastic yarn - so soft and squooshy and great to work with. Bought here.
See you soon! X

The best kind of delivery!

 

Now this is the kind of delivery that I really like the postman to bring!

 

 

I have lots of plans for these

 

 

but if I never actually get around to those plans

 

 

I'm more than happy to just look at them

 

 

as they sit in their jars

 

 

on the shelf above my desk!

 

A paper pieced flower patch!

 

As I mentioned in my last post, it took me so long to finish  my crochet blanket, that we moved house in the middle and it no longer fitted with the new colour scheme.

 

So I began a new project.

 

One I'd never done before.

 

It's become a bit of an addiction.

 

And slowly my flower patch is growing,

 

one hexagon at a time!

 

I'm hoping this one will be finished before we move house again,

 

so that it can sit at the foot of our bed,

 

- but who knows?!

 

Cath Kidston fabric paper pieced hexagon flowers, surrounded by white vintage sheeting. All sewn by hand...

Once upon a long ago....

 

... I began to make a blanket. Then to be precise!

 

Over the years it became my project of choice for journeys and has travelled with us all over Europe!

 

 

It has been left neglected for months at a time

 

 

but finally, finally - this week it was finished.

 

Yay!!

 *It's HUGE! - you can see it on our 220 x 190 bed, for which it was originally intended. But it took so long to make, and we moved in-between, so no it no longer fits with the scheme ( I love my dotty wallpaper!...)  But do not fret - it will have a loving home in our guest room ! *

Inspired

These have been on my Pinterest page for aaaaaaaages, and with a little time on my hands, I made my own version.

I love how bright and cheery they make my window look :)