Buntinglydelicious....

Well what lovely weather we have been having, I really am a sun lover, it always lifts my mood and everything seems, well more cheery uppy. We have had one or two celebrations here, one of which was my lovely husbands 40th, I always remind him he has a younger model now, to be fair I think he looks quite good for his age, in my opinion he has a kind of Hugh Grant/Jonathon Ross thing going on. Possibly to do with the hair thing, would love to know what your other halves look like. 

So, what perfect timing to be sent some very lovely and special bunting from the kind peeps at dotcomgiftshop I think they know I am a secret bunting lover, as I always have at least 2 buntings up at any one time. Anyway they sent me this gorgeous vintage paisley paper bunting.

It really is the sweetest bunting and perfect for any occasion I thought, I couldn't wait to get it up outside on these sunny days, I had a coffee date with a friend and we both admired how pretty it looked in my garden.

I have one or two pretties in the same vintage paisley design too.

There are 16 generously sized flags in total and the bunting is lovely and long so super to pretty up ones garden for a little tea party. And of course anything with pink in it, and flowers, well is a winner for me and super value too I thought.

Well lucky olde me got sent one more too, and this in my eyes is a really pretty bunting. I recognised it as I unwrapped it, as I have the same one but in a different colourway. The one I was sent was this very pretty white paper lace bunting.

I also have it in this colourway, and is one of my favourite party buntings, and have used it many times. What I especially like about the white lace bunting its it's simplicity and classical look, I think it would be perfect for a Wedding or Christening.

And also with the lovely lace affect, which has cut out butterflies and flowers, one can not fail to fall in love with it's pretty detailed flags. I shall be using this to good effect for my 3 gorgeous Niece's naming ceremony.

   

They live in Cyprus with my sister and her partner, and they are in this country for the summer. Although they have been Christened in Cyprus, we are having a very special naming ceremony here, so I think this bunting is perfect for their special day. It has been nearly a year since I last saw them, though have had a little pop over to see them in their first week over here, and they are the sweetest little girls who can speak two languages fluently and are very, very lovely indeedy :0)

So, any of you love bunting like me, I hope you have yours up, celebration or no celebration, bunting really is a very welcoming, happy decoration I find. I always smile when I see any in friend's homes, of which there are quite some, due to my present giving opportunities ;0)


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Happy Birthday Sweetheart....

My wonderful, special, caring, handsome husband is 40 today, and I wondered if you would like to join us in a little partaking of a chocolate or two, as you can see Master P is enjoying his chocolate choosing ;0)

Happy Birthday darling Mr.Poppins, I love you with all my heart....

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Happiness Is A Little Thing Called Love....

Do you ever have days that you can't wait to get into bed, waiting for it to be the end of the day, longing for that next new day to begin. A new dawn.

I certainly sometimes do, you know, like when things are going wrong. Maybe I broke my favourite cup, and then broke the iron, the fridge packed up, or a child is poorly and we have had no sleep, it is cold and raining, or we have run out of milk when all Master. Poppins wants to settle him is a warm mug of it, there is no chocolate in the house.... you know those kind of days.

Well, today is one of those day's I really DON'T want to end, it has been a wonderful, special, almost magical day spent with the people I love, cherish, respect, am grateful for and who mean the world to me. My Family. My wonderful husband, my very sweet and happy young daughter, and my little cherub of a special son.

I am definitely going to bottle today up in a pretty glass decanter, keep it somewhere special, and take a little peek every now and then to remind me of how much I have enjoyed today and hopefully it's reminder shall bring a smile to my face.

Here we all are, our hands tied together like little heart strings, it is days like today that are to be cherished.

I really hope you have had a happy day today, spent with the people you love....

Edited to say: Seems the bracelet is proving popular. It is this gorgeous one and was purchased here and the lovely seller now has a custom listing so you could buy one just like mine :0)

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I Have Won A Prize....

I thought a week or so ago it would be nice to enter a competition. The competition was held by the lovely people over at the Make It And Mend It website. The competition was to write a couple of sentences  describing the homemade project you’re most proud of – and to send a photograph of it in. Well for me there was no contest, and it had to be the wonderful project I handmade and that I posted about here The beautiful patchwork quilt that I made with the encouragement from this lovely lady. It was for Miss. Poppins' bed and was to be made from all her old baby dresses. I had such fun making it, well over a year ago now, and it is still going strong, been washed many times and used for picnics, holidays away and is definately a much loved handmade item of mine.

Anyway here is the photograph I sent in and what I said about my enjoyment at making it.

“The homemade project I am most proud of has to be a beautiful patchwork quilt I handmade for my 8 year old daughter, using fabric from all her old baby dresses. Even though the first dress I cut into I shed a little sentimental tear, it got much easier as I went on and cut into more dresses. I am so proud that I made something so special to me and my family. It was my first attempt at quilting and indeed produced a passion in me for crafting, especially using pre loved fabric, and the quilt shall hopefully hold special memories for my own daughters children one day.”

Well the winners were announced after the closing date and guess what, I was one of them :0) I have to say I was quite proud as there really is a bunch of love wrapped up in that quilt and to find that somebody thought it was worthy of me winning a lovely prize made my heart sing. Here is what the judges said,

We were really touched by the way Mary described this project and all the love that went into it. And what’s not to love about the end result! WINNER.

And as for the lovely prize, I won a brand new copy of The Homemade Home. A wonderful book for Make and Menders. Sania Pell has written tutorials for some wonderful ideas and projects that are easy to do as well as pretty and creative. Sania is a stylist and designer with a background in textile design, who is very passionate about making and mending. The projects in the book are all a clever, fun way of cheering up your home whilst saving money too. I have really enjoyed winning this superb book, and look forward to having a go myself, at some of the projects for my own Homemade Home.

I love the idea of framing special clothing.

Appliqued table linen.

And I adore these butterfly curtains.

So a lovely book for me to be inspired by.

What else I am being inspired by is a lovely ribbon and trimming swap I did with Sue from Vintage From The Village We realised we both have a thing for pretty ribbon, trimmings, lace, fabrics, lavender, well lots really, so did a little swap. Here are the delights I received from the very lovely Sue.

As well as these gorgeous note cards

Sue sent a fairy box full of treasure

Lovely handmade lavender sachets

Oh so pretty notebook and ribbon flowers

Thank you so much Sue, I was so touched by the beautiful and pretty treasure you sent and shall have fun making pretties using the lovely array of ribbon, buttons, trims and lace.

Here is what I sent to Sue. Some lovely Rosali fabric and pretty stationary.

And here is the treasure I sent.

I chose some very pretty buttons to send to the lovely Sue.

Thank you Sue, I really enjoyed our little swap.  

Well I have had a busy couple of days making at the Poppins home. I have been fortunate enough to have had some very lovely sales in my Folksy shop, and as many of my sales have been handmade to order items it has kept me close to my chine. Here is what I have been making for some very lovely people.

For a special birthday boy.

A mummy who wanted one of these for a girl and boy in time for Fathers Day.

For a very special and cool little boy.

And for a special little girl.

After a little break from the button sewing, I have got back into the swing of them again.

I have even managed to list a couple of new pretties too.

And the back, which I have kept nice and neutral.

And keeping with the cowboy, some bunting perfect for a cowboy loving boy (or girl) :0)

So making something, hopefully, every day is certainly keeping me motivated and the mojo for now, is well and truly here. 

And saying that I shouldn't be here, but in here

Everyone is waiting for me to get out in the garden and camp out for the night, Yes I know, all this fun and frolicks, and on a school night,  norty Mary P ;0)

A Winner, A Swap, And Of Course Some Pretties....

Thank you much to everyone who popped their name down for the super giveaway. I have to be honest and say I used Random Number Generator and when I tapped you all in, number 3 came up. So the lucky winner is  JulieB At The Sardine Tin well done JulieB, spend your money wisely now, and of course please do let me know what you buy, lucky you ;0) And thanks of course to CSN Stores  for their amazing giveaway prize. I wish you could have all won.

I thought I would share some pretties. Sharing in my opinion is such a wonderful gift to have, and I am proud of the fact that I like to think of myself as a sharing person. I always, well not always but mostly ;0) shared my sweeties with friends at school, share my funny, alright maybe not so funny, jokes, share my pretty fabric, share my very precious swiss chocolate with the children, and share my love. Isn't it one of the first things we try to teach our young children, how to share. Emotionally is questionable, maybe with those closest to me I am not very good at sharing my inner thoughts.
Right here are some of the favourite pretties I have made. I am really enjoying making P.E./Drawstring bags, must remember to make one for Master P for when he starts reception.

The lovely red gingham lining.

Of course there had to be cowboys in there somewhere.

I got Master P to try it out, being a professional model, he of course was astounded that I only wanted to photograph his back, and kept trying to get his pretty face in shot ;0)

Personalising Tshirts always makes me smile.

With Father's Day in mind, and with my love of hearts and making for ickles, I came up with these.

My love of all things hearty helped me produce these sweet Lavender Heart Brooches.

They have lavender in them too, so not only look pretty but smell divine too.

I love playing with fabric, buttons, and ribbon and came up with some lovely combinations, here they are waiting to be stuffed, sewn and turned into a lovely brooch.

 

I enjoyed making a sweet cushion or two, I love this seaside themed one.

And am loving working with Cath Kidston's London Scene fabric.

And the back.

I made a lovely extra large tote bag for a special order, in one of my most favourite fabrics.

And a lovely Union Jack fabric heart, which is delicately scented with vanilla, it was made in the same style as the pretty UJ bunting I had made, and which has now happily gone to a lovely bloggers new home.

I have also received a lovely swap. I took part in the super Apron Swap hosted by the lovely Sarah at Red Gingham My swap partner was the lovely Michaiah and here is the delightful pinny she sent me.

Isn't it gorgeous with all the pretty trailing ribbons, and I loved the detailed edging. I especially love that Michaiah has sent me something she knew I would love, love, love, as it is so pink, pink, pink :0)

And the lovely back.

Thank you so much Michaiah, I love it and is very much a save for best apron, as in, only to be worn when I am NOT cooking, maybe a little gentle feather dusting of the house ;0) I Love it. The apron I handmade and sent to Michaiah was very, very similar in design, I have to say I shall be making more as presents as they really can be whipped up quite quickly, I however didn't have all the detailed edging and ribbon beauty that Michaiah did on hers, so I would imagine hers took alot longer. Here is the one I sent.

And the back.

I gather it has gone down well, you can read Michaiah thoughts on it here I really enjoyed doing this swap, thank you Sarah for organising it. I also have another little swap to share, a really sweet ribbon/trimming/button swap. So shall post about that one on my next post. I have to say I am a little nervous about swaps these days, as two of mine sent, are yet to get to their destinations.Poor Jozen  and Jennifer must have given up, but I am persevering with my post office and it seems were sent surface mail, so shall have gone by boat, which I gather take upwards of two months. Please don't give up that they wont get there, Jozen and Jennifer, I have faith. I have lovingly made you pretties and I want them to get to their rightful owners.

So some lovely pretties there to share with you. Before I go I wanted to share also a little present I got from the lovely peeps at  Dorset Cereals Look what arrived for us, nom nom. Chocolate and Cranberry varieties too, my favourite. These cereals are lush.

  

Keep smiling lovelies, I know sometimes it is hard, but life is so precious, lets do our best to enjoy it. I tend to over think/analyse/wear my heart on sleeve and think I need to snap out of it sometimes, deep thinking can sometimes eat away and  is not always a super thing to have on ones resume, unless of course one is a world professor in mathematics, I guess then, a little deep thinking would come in quite handy.

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