What I Have Been Doing.....

Well, what have I been up to, hmmmm let me think....

I have....

Been buying pretty buttons. I often see pretty buttons like these and pay 15p, actually 2 were 42p, for each of them....

And I loved these little cards displaying vintage buttons on them, each card with buttons was 60p.

So when I saw X amount in a pack in a crafty store for £5.99, I thought they were really good value for money, I mean one can never have enough buttons. Mmmmm, or can they ;0) The X amount of buttons are in the most delicious candy colours, I almost want to, dare I say it, lick them.

If you are wondering why I am calling them X amount, it is that we had a little family game where we guessed how many there were in the pack. The lovely gentleman in the shop reckoned on there being 500 maybe. Well we thought there wouldn't be that many, so we all had a little guess. I went for 350, Miss. Poppins went for 320, Mr. P went for 250 and Master. P thought there was maybe 2, obviously didn't quite get the gist of the game ;0)

What would you have plumed for....

Well, altogether, including all the ickle ones, there was 413, so less than 1 and a half p per button, bargain :0)

I have also....

Been buying lovely fabric. I thought the caramel and soft pink would look lovely as a cover on a little footstool, hmmmm only need a footstool now ;0)

I have....

been given a new role. I am now a volunteer youth worker at the local youth group that meets once a week in our little village. The age group is 8-13 and I am really looking forward to my new role. I have met and know many of the children, Miss Poppins shall be there too and I am already known as the crafty lady, which is nice. I shall be in charge of the craft room and every week we shall be doing lovely little crafty projects, and the older girls especially, are really looking forward to it. It is lovely that I am volunteering, there is a feeling of giving something good back to my community, which is kind of special. I shall need all the relevant CRB checks and also my little chine has to be Pat Tested a legal requirement, and have thought of some lovely projects we can get on with, with a good olde fashioned needle and thread, whilst I have no chine there. There are also stacks of gorgeous fabric there which I can't wait to get my hands on ;0)

Of course it is always nice to get a little inspiration, and where better than from Emma Hardy's Sewing for Children book. I love Emma's Quilting In No Time and Sewing In No Time, so reckoned on me liking the children's book too. It is indeed, in my opinion, a lovely book with 35 crafty projects aimed at children, but I reckon on some projects us big children would like to have a go at too ;0) Highly recommended by me, and you don't even need a chine.

I can't wait to get on with some of these craft projects with the children.

Projects for crafty boys too :0)

As I am hoping to get back in the world of working soon, eeek, I thought this new role of mine the perfect introduction, and useful too, to pop on my C.V. 

I have also....

been buying pretty cards for framing. I had to have this one when I saw it.

I have been making pretty fabric wrist cuffs  for 3 crafty friends of mine. I love to wear wrist cuffs and think are quite the in thing this season. Mine are made in a very free hand kind of style, not meant be neat, perfect, symmetrical or even with straight lines. I used no template, and I quite like the way they turned out, shall have to make myself one now methinks.  

For someone who likes red.

For someone who likes green.

And someone who, like me, likes those pretty candy colours.

Hopefully my pals like them.

I have also been making more bunting and cushions for orders. All my customers are more than happy for me to display their wares that I have handmade for them, and I really appreciate it as I think it is nice to showcase one's work and nice to see the different fabrics and colours I use.

 Buntings.

Cushions.

The backs, using a retro 1970's fleece fabric I bought. 

I have also been wrapping up swap parcels and hopefully they shall be sent in the next couple of days, my one to Jozen has been sent and hopes it gets to her soon. Talking of swaps I received a beautiful  one from the ever so lovely Mrs Yappy Dog here it is all wrapped up so sweetly, it was a flower swap and boy I got some pretty treats, I shall of course let you all see in my next post. Hope you like the photograph I took of the pretty gifts, the sunlight was shining on them and then the shadows on the outer edge makes it look like a heart, very arty. 

 

Thank you so much B, your gifts are so special to me.

Thanks too to Country In The Town for the heads up on where her lovely smelling lavender came from. I have been using my own stocks for about a year now and only have only one jar left so thought a good replenish of lavender was on the cards. If you click on the photograph you may see the ebay store I got mine from. Tis a lovely smell.

I have also been choosing new labels for my handiwork, as I am doing little makes for boys too, pink really isn't a cool choice for them and so am deciding what to go for. I don't want them too girly, but not too boyish, hmmmm as you can tell I am yet to choose, here is where I get my labels from and I have always been happy with them.

And I have also been buying crafty supplies from ebay.

And last but not least I have been unwrapping pretty Mother's day gifts, yes I know, we do things a little back to front here, don't ask ;0)

Hope you have all been having fun too. Miss. Poppins is off on her first school trip away for one night, and is ever so excited. boy do they have to take a lot of *stuff* for one night. I am sure she shall be fine. But me, I reckon I shall be crying into my cocoa. Think it may only be my 4th or 5th night away from her in 8 years. I shall be *sob* *sob* fine ;0)

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