Thrifty Shopping....

Well I found a couple of pretties in the CS's over the holiday....

Some beautiful glazed cotton candy stripe sheeting in excellent condition, perfect for some little crafting projects.

I have some very happy childhood memories of my holidays here So when I saw who manufactured this pretty vase I had to have it.

Hmmm so much for my floral detox that was going on in the Poppins' household ;0)

I found a lovely little antique/collectible centre, selling some wonderful pretties and found these.

Aren't they sweet, a pretty pair of vintage hand embroidered Crinoline Lady cushion covers. I have to say, these kind of pretties have never been on my wish list, but I thought these looked really nice. 

What beautiful work has gone into them.

One of the covers has a darning issue and I thought I would change the backs into something a little jazzy to bring them right back up to date, and keep the vintage cotton for sewing projects. If any of you saw me on bargain hunt, you would probably know I like a good haggle ;0) I got the pair for £3.50, Bargain.

Before I pack for the weekend I thought you may like to see my WIP of the washing machine curtain. I need to find a little rod to attach it properly but I think it is looking lovely. Please excuse the mucky wooden floors, we haven't got round to sanding them yet.

A very big thank you to Sarah who sent me not one but two little packages of fabric for my kitchen projects. The first package seems to have been mislaid in post and she insisted on sending me another one, well it arrived safe and well, thank you Sarah for your beautiful and precious fabric.

I have given myself the challenge of having a shopping, the pretty kind of shopping, free weekend. Do you think I can do it, Hmmmm shall be hard, very hard ;0)

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I Am Possibly CK Crush Mug Bonkers....

Hello lovelies :0)

I have had a couple of lovely emails asking about my little hmmm alright not so little CK crush mug collection. I had to giggle as I had a friend round last night, her daughter and mine are friends and she wanted to purchase a couple of pretties for a friend. Well, she saw some of my Cath Kidston crush mugs and picked one up and genuinely thought they were for sale, eeek is my home starting to look like a shop, urrr yes probably ;0)

I have to say I bought my first crush mug maybe 2 years ago, it was the lovely Circus one and well I don't know at £4.00 I thought very reasonable, I love my tea and are a really good size. A lovely shop near me occasionally do special offers on them and they are pretty to look at. So here you are, a little photograph of my little CK mugs, hee hee you shall think I am bonkers won't you. As you can see by the stickers, I don't use half of them, display purposes only!!

 As long as CK do these pretty mugs, I shall be very happily buying them ;0)

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It Is A Fabric Thing....

As mentioned I visited a lovely fabric shop, the Copperfield Centre on the Isle of Anglesey whilst on my little holiday, I took some little snapshots and thought you may like to see. I have to say is a proper, as I call it, fabric shop, with proper prices ;0) I do think once in a while is nice to splash out on pretty fabric don't you think.

There is also a pretty shop owned by the same Family a couple of doors away, and is really beautiful inside.

Lovely displays....

Pretty quilts....

Ohooo I had fun mooching in there, and then it was off to the fabric shop :0)

Ohooo what pretty colours, lets have another look shall we.

The fabric was up, down, and all around.

Pretty ribbon and gifts too.

Mucho fabrico....

Ohooo now there was a little here I had to play with....

Can you guess which one I came home with....

I really did have fun there, apologies but can't seem to find any links to the lovely fabric store, so if any of you know of any do let me know.

I suppose you would maybe like to see what I came home with. Well apologies, am probably going to disappoint with my ickle stash I bought, but the good news is I am going back for the sales in a couple of weeks and also hoping to mooch with a new and very lovely blogger friend, won't that be fun. Not fun for my little wallet I bet ;0)

Well I bought some bondaweb, but that isn't very interesting to look at is it so haven't photographed that, but I have photographed my little fabric stash. Two really pretty FQs of floral fabric, and one FQ of my favourite Kaffe Fassett fabric.

    

A very CK Provence Rose esque moda fabric, I bought half a metre. What do you think, does it have that Provence Rose esqe look to you.

Pretty ribbon, and two gorgeous Daisy buttons I am saving up for a special project.

And some Ohooo so cute and pretty buttons.

So a lovely little purchase I thought to keep my crafty fingers busy as a little bee. One thing I have been busy with is getting on with making my Kitchen Diner projects with the lovely and special fabric you sent me, I am doing 3 special projects and here is a sneaky peak as I was having a play.Thank you so much again lovelies.

I hope it makes you as warm in your heart as it does in mine, seeing your lovely fabric being made into something very, very special to me. I truly have been very blessed to find as lovely a folk as you :0)

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Valentine Gifts....

Hello lovelies, I hope you are all rested after the holidays, if you had one. I enjoyed our little holiday in Wales and had fun. It was lovely seeing the family. Mr. Poppins' mum is doing much better after her fall, and is having a little extra help at home to aid her recovery. When she came out of hospital there was a new friend waiting for her by the stairs, a stair lift. Well I think it has gone down a treat, we all had a little ride and as well as Mr. Poppins' mum, all give it the thumbs up.

So would you like to see some pretties, I have to say was thoroughly spoilt on Valentine's day and here is what I unwrapped on the special day. For the first and have to say very special gift I have to thank a lovely lady for pointing me in the right direction. The Daisy Button necklace Gem bought was gorgeous and I had to have one in a similar fashion. Those of you who know me, would know I have a thing for Daisies. So I emailed the lovely Folksy seller, Made By Kate D . Kate sent me a photograph of one she had not long made, slightly different to Gem's, and on a silver chain, though with one of those Ohooo so cute vintage Daisy buttons on and I fell in love. Mr. Poppins kindly purchased it for me. I hope you like it, it really does look beautiful on, and everyone comments on how pretty it is.

The children laid out a beautiful heart shape using scented rose petals, for me when I woke up, so pretty. Then they even gave me a couple of pretty gifts too, yes I have to admit we do go to town in this house on every occasion I am afraid.

Cute huh, then one more to unwrap. A beautiful hanging heart decoration in my favourite colours, I have to say my children are very wise ones indeedy if they chose these pretty gifts for me all on their own ;0)

Of course it was only right that they had a couple too.

They both really love Charlie and Lola.

Ohooo my goodness one more for me to unwrap. Hmmmm I likey Mr. P.

I also wanted to get something for my lovely Family that truly meant something, so for my husband of course it had to be a very special heart, I love you sweet Mr. P.

For Master P, well we all know he is a special baby to me, yes alright, I know he is 3, but aren't our children forever our special babies.

And for my precious Miss. Poppins, maybe you could take a guess at what her favorite sweetie is, and words I whisper in her ear, every hour of every day.

I plumed for the prettiest gift I could find for Mr. Poppins. He does like the occasional drink of real ale, or beer, however it is called. Some of the guest beers they have at our local village inn have all manner of names, some I deem to be quite rood ;0) So when I saw this pretty beer glass, I thought would be a nice treat for him, and no longer shall his beer go warm in his glass.  

For a beer glass it is quite sweet don't you think. And useful too I believe.

So some lovely pretties don't you think, I hope you enjoyed browsing our little family Valentine treats and shall leave you with a photograph of the Valentine's card Mummy and Daddy gave to our precious Miss. Poppins, with, yes you guessed it, a sweet perfect Daisy on it. Ohooo yes, we all get a card here too.

So I am back and shall enjoy blog hopping and seeing how you all are. I have been on a little jaunt to Selfridges today, and nearly came away with some cereal for breakfast, that is before I saw the price, £7.50, eeeek. I took a photograph too, so shall let you all see. I also did a little CK shopping, the bill came to I think £40.00, but I came out with not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4, not 5 but 12 pretty items. Happy days. Can you guess why I am known as the shopaholic around here ;0)

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Kaffe Fassett Could Be My New Fabric Love....

Popping on very quickly to let you know I am very grateful to all of you that left me very helpful and heartfelt comments on my last post. Both Mr. Poppins and I have read through them all, jotted down all the excellent advice given and hopefully can see things in a clearer light. I have found out that in my county, there were 83 appeals heard for infant places last year, and only 3 of those appeals were successful eeek. Being an infant class with only 20 places, it seems that getting ones application in a little late, again, we believe through no fault of our own, means maybe he was always going to be an automatic decline so appeal we must. I have spoken to the LEA, and have set the wheels in motion. Master P is at least on the waiting list now for the school his big sister is at too, so hey that is good. As I have mentioned in my last post I really want to pop and see you all to say thank you and when I get back to my own, quicker computer I shall.

I have lots of lovely photographs geared up for you all, I have been shopping, thrifting, fabric buying, so as with the rough we must always have the smooth, so look forward to showing you some pretties. One lovely place I have been to today is the Isle Of Anglesey, 40 minutes or so away from where I grew up.
 
We went for some lovely lunch here

And not too far away from this pretty beach in Trearddur Bay....
 
 

Is the most wonderful fabric store, it is called The Copperfield Centre. It is a secret little hidy place that if ever you stumble on you must go in. I had wanted to go for ages and was on my to do list. Not long ago I got chatting to a lovely blogger via email about it, who had been, and made me want to go even more. I can't seem to find a website or links, is that much of a secret you see ;0) So if any of you know of any links or websites I would be very grateful if you could let me know of any. It really is very lovely and hope you look forward to seeing the pretty photographs I took inside and think I may have found a new fabric love. I know not everyone's cup of tea, wouldn't that be dull, but I am now the proud owner of a little Kaffe Fassett I have been playing with the fabric all evening and guess what, it has grown on me and now I want to go back for more. Is Kaffe Fassett one of your fabric loves....  

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The Winner Takes It All....

Hearty Valentine greetings friends. I don't know about any of you, but I have been thinking hearts all day today, must be something in the air, so thought I would share one of my pretty appliqued hearts on a cushion that went off to a good home.

Now for the unveiling of the winner of my Vintage Valentine Giveway. Thank you all for taking the time to comment and I truly wish you could have all won, though there on this occasion, can only be one winner, and that winner was pulled out of the pretty vintage tin by Miss. Poppins. And the winner is....

The lovely Sian at Diary Of A Tinyholder. Congratulations Sian I shall get all your special pretties gathered and as it is Valentines, for your special handmade with love from me to you pretty I would like to incorporate a heart, or 2 or 3 or 4 ;0) I hope you shall like it.

Well I have had a lovely day, we all got some pretties to unwrap. I had a lovely sewing basket, CK too, and truly pretty. I know tis not about gifts and we should show our love in different and more original ways, but hey I am a gal who loves her gifts and loves to shop, so it felt like Christmas part 2 here ;0)

Well, toodle pip and enjoy the rest of this special evening with the ones you love....

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Lovely Magazine's and Valentine's....

Thank you so much for your lovely words on my little crafting spree,  my mojo was found late at night and all the little projects had been made by the next day. Thing is the mojo is playing hide and seek again and I haven't a clue where she is, she finds really good hiding places my mojo, hmmmm I shall have to have a really good look.

I really enjoy partaking in the lovely swaps we have on here, I don't know about any of you, but feel it has been a little quiet on the swap front lately so when I saw  Floss's lovely magazine swap I wanted to join in. The idea being that we swapped one magazine of the craft/vintage/lifestyle genre with someone else, it wasn't to be one you especially bought, but had in the house already and had already read. Mmmmm I think I had quite a stack to choose from. These are some pretty ones I got from a lovely lady from Freecycle.

My swap partner was the lovely Beck at Dandelion, a really cool blog dedicated to kids, chooks, books, chatting, making, creating, and Beck's life in the country. Beck lives in Victoria, Australia and I was so happy to have a partner abroad.

Well I gathered my two hmmm I mean one magazine Floss if you are reading, it is supposed to be a no frills swap and I am not very good at no frills, I am a very frilly person. Anyway I gathered my selection for Beck and merrily went to the post office to send them to her. Apologies for the little tease here Beck if you are reading as I know you haven't received yet, hope has tickled your fancy....

Well look at what has arrived on my pretty UJ doormat....

Aren't they lovely, and how kind of Beck to send a beautiful card with delightful photographs of her hometown on. There was also the cutest litle Koala bear which Miss. Poppins took a shine to and now has him under her pretty wing. Thank you so, so much Beck, you have chosen for me the most delightful and drool worthy Country Style magazines, and I can't wait to read them from end to end.

 Ohooo apologies readers did you actually want me to open the pretty magazines, full of country charm, idyllic homes, a little CK, some pink, and gorgeous home styling, did you? Well of course I am not that mean, though if you don't mind can I read first ;0) I shall keep you drooling a little while longer. Hopefully not too long though.

So, I am off on a little jaunt to the sea and mountainous air, it is half term week and normally the husband works whilst I play, so we are going to stay with family and have some fun and he shall join us at the end of the week, he has managed one day off, so one out of five isn't too bad. Miss. Poppins is looking forward to choosing a winner on Valentine's Day for my little giveaway say tea time, does that sound alright, so if you would like to join in please feel free to do so, all welcome. Right I am off to the shops, alas not for me but for the husband, seems one does have to buy them a little gift for Valentine's after all, and there was me thinking it is only the ladies that get treated. What to get him though, I really have no idea....

As for my little gift. I have one very, very special young lady to thank for my gift from him....

Happy Valentines to one and all, whether you are in a relationship or not, I know Valentine's is not everyone's cup of tea, though I do think the most important relationship we have in our life is the one we have with ourselves, don't you, maybe. Valentine's is special to me, it was the day in 2006 when I found out I was excpecting Master Poppins, and believe me from my last experience of being pregnant the year before and loosing my baby at nearly 26 weeks, many tears of not only joy were falling down my cheek on that day. But, I have learned to love the day and realise how special it is to me. Also it is the family dog's birthday on Valentine's Day.

Happy 12th birthday dearest, cutest, sweetest Katie.

Have a good one blogger friends, whatever you are doing.

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I Have Been Pretty Crafty....

Hello lovelies. So lovely to see so many of you entering my little giveaway I am an old fashioned girl at heart so like to write you all down on little pieces of paper, I have kept many of you from my last giveaway in the special little tin, and Miss. Poppins looks forward to writing some more names down and choosing a winner on Valentine's Day, good luck :0)

Well I have been a busy little crafting bee, yes wonders never cease do they. Though these crafting mojo's I keep finding, always appear in the depths of night, I seem to work best and chunder away on my little chine, way into the night. Always have been a night owl. So, what have I been making, well....

For a little while now, on my daughters bed is this pretty little cushion, it was bought from a very well known department store, pre my love of crafting days. There was something extra special about this cushion ;0) and I had to buy it. 

So I was looking at it yesterday and you know how it is crafters, we are always ones for having a go, thinking we could do that etc etc. So I looked at it longingly, and thought I would like to gain some inspiration from it and make a cushion for Miss. Poppins, for a little Valentine's Day gift, after all she is most definately a very special love in my life. Of course, what would make it special is that I would hand make it with love, bucketfuls, give it my own pretty twist, and maybe, maybe find a use for the pretty daisy button that I had been saving up for a special crafting project.

So here is my take on the cushion, I hope you like it. The felt flowers are pretty in the original cushion but I wanted to do something a little different, so used a little baby pink felt for the bottom half along with some CK at the top sewn onto a pretty pink polka dot background. Right down my pretty street. 

Backed with pretty candy stripe and of course a little pink Vintage Daisy label.

So go on lovely friends, which one do you prefer, I can take it, I really can. I am not at all a sensitive olde thing who takes criticism really well, hmmmmm if only ;0)

I have also being prettying up a little vest for a special lady who had seen the one I prettied up here and I gladly offered to do one for her too as a little treat. Once I received her vest I got to play with some pretty fabrics and buttons for the fabric necklace as I call it, I hope my special friend likes the ones I choose for her vest, I find it quite difficult making for someone else who has given you free rein on what fabrics colours to use, not everyone loves pink do they ;0)

Anyway a sneaky glimpse as item has not yet been received, I like it, I only hope my friend does too.   

Talking of prettying up clothes, My gorgeous and special nieces are due to visit the U.K. soon. My lovely Sister lives with her family in Cyprus and I wanted to make a little something to give her cute little girls when they get here. So  take three reasonably pretty baby pink tee shirts.

And now we have one for Big Sister....

One for Little Sister....

And one for Baby Sister....

A little prettier now don't you think. I have also made a very special cowboy cushion as a gift for a lovely old school friend to welcome her new baby boy into the world.

More pretty Raggy Hearts.

I think these little hearts look lovely hanging sweetly on the corner of something pretty.

I came up with an idea that Raggy Initials may work too, I hope Miss. Poppins' friend likes it.

And whilst I was feeling motivated, thought I would crack on and do something with Master Poppins' beautiful baby blanket. It is adorable and is a Anne Claire Petit blanket, and was a wonderful and special gift from my ever so lovely Sister in Law when Master Popps was born. Her own third son happened to have been born on exactly the same day, think Master Poppins is older by a couple of hours or so and she full term and I a mere 29 weeks. To have twin cousins in the family is lovely.

It is lambswool and Master P loves it, though of course, as he has grown, unfortunately it has not. It has been washed many times, and before it's shape went I wanted to bring some new life into it. I am a hoarder, yes, I am a sentimental fool, yes, but on this one, I really felt I didn't want to have it sitting in the drawer. It is too nice for that, and I wanted it to be made into something new. Hope you and my lovely Sister in Law aren't cross with me, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do, though I can't say that first cut was easy. Hope you like what I have done.

I really wanted to have a heart incorporated as Master P has a very special one and I thought if I could sprinkle as much love onto it too, then it would be the perfect cushion in my eyes. Do you like it, I really hope so, you were all with me in spirit when I made it. I have a little left over to make a couple more pretties, and the back is in the same soft delicious fabric too.

Now all we have to decide is who gets to keep it, for now it look like it is  Master P ;0)

So there you have it, some of my little makes.

Talking of makes a new reader to my blog did a thought provoking to me, post about selling to friends and the exchange of monies. Most of the sales of my pretties are done to friends through school, word of mouth etc, and I always look to the ground when it comes to asking, or talking about money. I have to say there is always a special feeling when I make pretties that are to be given as gifts, don't get me wrong, it is there too when something is being made to sell, but maybe the pressure is there also, I don't know, maybe to make it spot on, I am a little of a perfectionist. Do you sell to friends, how do you find it, is it ever a little awkward dare I say it. I am also feeling a little lack lustre in the olde inspiration department, I seem to be failing at finding new ideas and crafts to make, where do you gain your inspiration. I have to say I was a little inspired by the Shabby Chic for children's bedrooms feature with Danielle Proud on This Morning, and really want to have a go at covering the polysterene letters.

I walked past a beautiful shop near me, very shabby chic, and something caught my eye, a pretty Raggy Heart. Well I never, not whose been eating my porridge but whose been reading my blog ;0) He He, I know Raggy hearts have been around forever, but one of these days, I really, really want to make something that has never, ever been seen or heard of before....

Happy Crafting

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