busy busy busy! and challenge 52 week ten

Its been a busy time here.  It is No 2 sons 18th birthday today.  I cant believe how fast the time has gone!  It seems all my boys are growing up and away in the blink of a eye.   No 2 likes Tarzan and its kind of a family joke so for His birthday I made him two Tarzan and Jane teddies!   He was very happy with them.

Teddy Tarzan and Jane!

I also managed to find the time to make Princess a couple of skirts

Ive also made my niece one of these for her Birthday

I love the different flowers in the fabric

And I finally finished the patchwork quilt for the baby expected in May.  

The quilt has a double lining of wadding in so will be super cosy in the winter

So although Ive been busy I have plenty to show for it! 

Its now the start of the car boot seasons. we went to two this week and I managed to get some lovely patch work fabric for 50p!  Bargain!  I also bought a tea set for my dresser,  Unfortunately Mr CM managed to smash the sugar bowl and one of the cups before we got home!  Oh dear!  I forgive him!  (plus he has promised to get a replacement!)

Princess loves car boot sales and always comes back with a dolly or two.  She soon wont be able to get in to bed for all the dollies! She especially loves little dollies that will fit in her dolls house.  She also collects care bears so there are a fair few of them here as well!

Well until next time. Thanks for reading

Last post of the year 2010

So its the last post of the year, I'm sat at home just my doggie and I to see in the new year.  After caring for the family for the Christmas period and nursing them all through the flu virus they have all had one after the other since Christmas Eve, eve.  I caught it myself!  S they have all gone off partying and poppy and I are curled up with a Irish coffee and a book I treated my self to with a little Christmas gift I received

The-Complete-Book-of-Patchwork-and-Quilting
its a really good book and the price is great!  if you buy from play.com you don't pay postage which is great!  this book only cost me £2.49 brand new!  its great for a beginner and has plenty of patterns to work through.








I also bought this book  home made gifts

Again a simple book with some great ideas.
I have 30 nieces and nephews and have decided to hand make all of them something for their birthdays next year.  Its a big challenge  but I'm determined to do as many as possible. Its part of my bow out to the consumerist society that we live in.  I reached this decision while shopping in our local Tescos on December 26th and there were Easter eggs and Valentine gifts on sale!  Madness!  What was even worse was that people were buying them!  There was one lady who must have had at least 10 Easter eggs in her basket! I refuse! to bow to the pressure of " buying" and "having to have" any longer

Part of my new beginners this year is to make a simpler life, a Handmade, homemade life.  Getting involved with a Eco- friendly lifestyle that up until now i have been half heartily attempting.  Do8ing my bit to make the world a safer cleaner environment.  One of my projects is to reuse bags.  To refuse plastic bags at the counter and make sure I'm always carrying a reusable bag so it cuts down on pollution.
Wow now i read that back it all seems so much but it isn't really.  little changes in my life to help everyone.  Its not much of a sacrifice is it?

Have a great new year what ever your plans
have fun
Hales xx

its finally finished! (and tree decorations!)

About a year ago I started to make a patch work quilt.  This is the first time I have attempted to create something as big as this but I really wanted one!  Now after twelve months work on and off I have finally completed this project!  Its not a moment too soon with all this snowy weather. perfect for snuggling under with The Princess! (although Last night Mr and our doggie  poppy were tucked up under it!)

I also made a couple of cushions to go with it,

As promised yesterday here are the tree decorations I've been busy working on too! 

Some will be given as presents and the other are for our tree.  All in all I'm feeling very pleased with my self and christmassy!

crafting in the snow!

Well as the weather has been so cold I decided to hibernate and work on some crafts!
Ive been pretty busy!

Frstly I made some needle cases

Then I finished a wall hanging that I've been working on for what seems likes months! This is a gift from my family to our church.  They have been very supportive to us and I wanted to show how grateful we are.

I also had time to make a cat patchwork cushion and  a glasses case

and finally I made a heart mobile.  I love mobiles and had some left over material so I thought why not!

Tomorrow I intend to make some tree decorations.  we are hoping to put the tree up this weekend and decorate the house so some I shall keep to use and The others will be up for sale.  CHRISTMAS!!!!! only 24 days away!

patchwork cushion or quilt?

hi!

i have just started working on a patchwork piece. im not sure what i want to do with it yet. my first thought was to make a quilt for The Princess' bed. then when i had finished the main body of the quilt i thought it would look quite good as scatter cushions for Princess and a friends daughter. i cant get to the fabric shop till monday for the things i need to finish it so i guess i have till then to decided! Anyway! heres a photot graph of my work in progress!