Block printing for beginners

I've been having so much fun making my christmas cards this year. Look at these yummy stamps from Noolibird. Perfect for cards as they are both nice and big. Although it did take me a while to figure out how to ink them up as they don't fit on my ink pad (roller). I think I like the round one the best. I'm a sucker for anything with antlers, especially moose. Is the heart too cute? I'm not sure.

I wish I'd thought of using them to print wrapping paper too. Well, there's always next year!

Back to the printing press (dining table) for me!

S xxx

Another tick off the list!

The first bit of christmas crafting is complete! A small garland for Piglet's mantlepiece. On with the christmas cards.....

S xxx

Yummy baby fabric

Baby quilts. I love them. They make such a good gift. But the best part is they are (hopefully) quick to make. I have a nephew due in less than six weeks so this one better be! There is more margin for error with the second quilt as the little boy in question isn't due until the beginning of February.

I just have to decide which blocks to choose. This may take longer than I thought.

S xxx

Completion!

Phew! What a relief. It's done. Finished.

Just in time to sneak it into my sister and brother in law's house before they return from holiday tomorrow morning. It wasn't very easy to photograph in this limited daylight. Me being not very good with the camera probably doesn't help. In reality the colours are closer to the top photograph.

As you can see, it has the Piglet seal of approval. She has been trying to chew it for weeks but somehow I don't think a pre-chewed gift would go down that well. No harm in a little rolling about though.

So, on with the list....

S xxx

OMG!

I'm so very nearly finished with my albatross! The giant wedding quilt for my sister and brother in law is nearly done! I have about an hour left to do on it, I'm so excited. I really am going to get it finished in time for their anniversary, with a week to spare too!

Maybe it's the list of christmas projects in my head or the arrival of fabric for two baby quilts (due in January and February) that has spurred me on? Maybe. Or maybe I'm just sick of the sight of it? Whatever the reason, I'm so happy. I feel free, unburdened.

Right then, as soon as I get this baby fed and distracted I'll be back on it. Guilt free crafting is just around the corner!

S xxx

The bare essentials

Well, another lengthy absence from me! I'm not really keeping it together at the moment. The to-do list just keeps growing or is stagnant. I've been spending my evenings pondering all the things I haven't done, not actually doing any of them. Not productive. Worse than that, I stay up too late and sabotage the next day!

But I am getting one important thing done. Although playing with Piglet isn't really a chore, except when she tries to eat my hair! Hopefully the next couple days will be better and the prospect of a long weekend away is bound to help.

S xxx

Excuses and presents

Oh dear, no posts for two weeks. I feel guilty, like not getting my home work done on time. But I've got my excuses lined up. Firstly I've either had two colds or one really long one. Which is not really fair as I had a nasty cold a few weeks ago. Of course when I'm ill, Piglet gets it too. Hopefully it's nearly over, although we are still a bit snuffly. I don't think she's felt too bad, still happy and smiley, but definitely snotty!

I have also been quite busy. A couple of birthdays required a couple of cards to be made.

And cards need presents so macaroons were made. Mmmm, macaroons. I need very little excuse to make pistachio macaroons. So pretty and much easier to make than they look. Maybe that's part of the reason I like to give them as gifts? Probably. I do like praise and these were very well received.

I've been away as well. Piglet and I went to Scotland for a few days to visit my parents. We flew up and she was as good as gold. I was a bit nervous, with it being her first flight and all the luggage (car seat, pram etc) I would need manage on my own without the Husband. It was all fine though. Piglet mainly slept both ways, smiling and laughing at people when she was awake and now I know that I can collapse the pram (and put it back up!) with only one hand.

So, excuses out of the way, more presents? Just the one, to me and from me. I couldn't resist this print from Bold and Noble. Gorgeous. I can stare at it for ages, reading all the place names. I just need to get round to framing it. Maybe in another two weeks.

S xxx

Favourite colours, at the mo

What's this? Ironing completed?! I wish that were true but sadly not (the ironing is taking over the sofa as I type). I've been forced to buy more clothes for my little Piglet as she insists on growing. Ah, I do love a pile a folded clothes, neat and satisfying, even if I didn't iron these particular ones.

I'm loving the colour in these new things. That rich purple and hot pink with a dash of orange. It makes me long for crisp walks through the woods, all crunchy leaves and slanting golden sunlight. Maybe even a sparkle of frost. Delicious. Except, that's not what the weather is doing, it's clearly not in the mood to behave and do what's expected of it. Not a hint of crispness out there. Well I'll be patient, for a while at least, then I would really like to wear my new coat (you listening, weather?)

Green! I love this coat. I makes me smile just to put it on.

S xxx

My albatross

I've been making this quilt, off and on (yes, mainly off) for about a year. I feel guilty just looking at it.

It was supposed to be a present, at the beginning of last December. A wedding present. For my sister (hides head in shame). It's not the first quilt I've made, not the biggest either. But the only one that has been late. At least she doesn't know about it, well I think she doesn't know.

You see, I have a bit of a thing for repeating patterns. I love to find them in fabric, wallpaper, tiles, anywhere. So patchwork? Love it! Putting different blocks together to reveal secondary patterns? Ooo yeah! Actually completing and quilting the thing? mmm....not so much. But I dearly love to draw them out. And colour them in. And again on the computer. And change the colours. Like I said, a bit of a thing.

So what's the problem? you say. How long can it take to make a quilt? And here we get to one of the reasons I made it so hard. I cannot make a small quilt. If your going to have a quilt, I think it should be generously sized. I'm talking lots of over-hang on a king-size bed here. And the other problem; I get a neater finish if I make up the blocks by hand. So now you see; making a 49 block quilt (210 cm x 210 cm) takes time and more importantly stamina.

But I have managed it before, I made 2 wedding quilts last year. Finished and delivered on time. I'd like to think that was the problem, I just ran out of steam. I'm not convinced though. When (if?) I finally finish I'm sure I'll hand it over only to be met with a "meh, thanks". So I decided I wouldn't make my sister a quilt and even told her as much. Then changed my mind. In October. Leaving myself about 8 weeks to get it done, ignoring the fact that my soon to be first born was stealing all my energy. No surprise the wedding rolled around and it wasn't finished.

All is not lost though, I'm so nearly there. A minimal amount of quilting and a label are all that stand between me and freedom! I can get on with all the projects I've been planning and maybe even complete some others. But for now it's just me and my albatross. Maybe it will be done for my sister's anniversary. Her first one!

S xxx

Preamble

So this is it, I've finally taken the plunge and got a blog of my very own! Exciting! You see I've been "getting round to it" for a while now, just a couple of years. I've been reading blogs on the sly, lurking in the shadows. Not commenting or subscribing, but dropping in regularly to check up on the progress of quilts, what was for dinner last night and the latest vintage find. Is that stalking? Yes, probably. So anyway, I'm going public. Since I can see yours, I'll show you mine, so to speak!

I'm also hoping that I'll be spurred on to get back into sewing, my diversion of choice. I've been very unproductive in that respect lately. I blame my daughter, Piglet, little time stealer that she is! She's 6 months old now so there really is no excuse.

Right then, this is the beginning of hopefully lots of colour, quilts, cakes and things ticked off the ever present to-do list. I'm off now to take Piglet for a walk, and the sky has just turned grey and dull, typical!

S xxx