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)