Happiness Is Homemade

Well hello lovelies! I thought I would share a little of what I have been up to. I have definitely come to realise I get much more happiness making or re-loving an item for my home than buying something shop bought, and that has most probably come off a factory line. I think it is so special to have handmade elements around the home, and every week I now make it my aim to get creative, and make at least one little something to help bring some extra homemade happiness. One make I've done recently and which actually is a make'over' is this very useful storage ottoman. I am a big fan of Freecycle and this is where it was kindly given to me. It was looking just fine but I knew I wanted to give it a cover more in keeping with my own decor. 

   

To be honest this started off in my head as something I thought I could do quite quickly and easily. Ha Ha what was I thinking! Difficulty level wise, this wasn't too bad but my staple gun and I just didn't get on at all on this project. In the end I just stapled on a new top cover after removing the old one and then got the sewing machine out to make a loose skirt style bottom for it. I used one of my favourite Laura Ashley gingham fabrics and Rosali for the inside lining. 

 

I was really happy with the end result and this makeover certainly was a labour of love - removing hundreds of old staples that seemed to take forever is not my idea of fun ;) But all worth it in the end, and I think the skirt style cover for the bottom really works!

My next little project involved this old music sheet book. 

 I busily got on with cutting out many heart shapes...

And after popping them into pairs, and sewing a length of thread all the way down their middles, I ended up with a pretty heart garland. This project had been on my to do list for longer than I can remember, it took so little time to make and I can't wait to get on and make more and perhaps using different materials. 

   

I'm also trying to source things I already have around the home to make new things, and so next time I'm going to make some pretty bunting using some of my many paper doilies I have in the cupboard. 

I can't wait to finish it and see how the bunting looks.

I am way, way way behind on this one. But only now have I jumped on the pom pom craze and with the help of these little pom pom makers am able to churn out many on the go. 

 I can't get enough of making these pretty little balls of fluff.

Back to Freecycle, I again have been given some wonderful free items and this is my most recent favourite, a little dressing table stool. Exactly what I needed and all ready for a little sprucing up!   

So hopefully these little homemade touches really do bring happiness, I know when I see something homemade in peoples homes it really does bring a big smile to my face :)

Happy making!

X  

Sunshine And Happiness

The sun is shining, hearts are lifted and I really think this weather puts people in much better mood's don't you. I for one love digging out lovely summery outfits in this weather ( I don't do winter very well, cover myself up head to toe in drab attire ) and so the sight of the sun just makes me want to do a happy dance all day. We started off the day with breakfast in the garden....

Then I needed to finish off a couple of little sewing projects for presents....

And now hopefully we are off to the beach. I chose to wear my favourite summer-y sandals from primark....

And I can't wait to go have some family fun and I look forward to popping back here tomorrow to let you know who your swap partners are for the Handmade Heart Swap I ( and with help from Miss. Poppins ) have had fun pairing you up, which I have to say has mostly been done randomly and am excited to have one or two international folks signing up too. The swap signing up is open for one more day so please feel free to comment on that post if you would like to join in.

Happy Sunshine-y day to you all....

X

Happy Days....

Today has turned out to be a happy day. Although at first it was a day I was building myself up to with fret and worry. It was the day of Master Poppins' check up heart scan to see all was well after his cardiac ballooning when he was three months old and, as he was a very premature baby, a little over 7lbs in weight. I was so proud of how good he was during the scan....

 And happily all is well. Although his cardiologist would have like to have discharged him, there is a little leakage which is common with the procedure he had when he was a baby, so he shall be keeping his eye on him until he is 18. So, we shall be back again in 3 years for his next check up, but I have been assured he is as fit as any 5 year old, can do competitive sports, has a lovely, healthy colour to his skin, and I know I need not fret or worry. But hey us parents, it is par for the course I guess. I am just so very grateful that clever cardiologist man, whose arm you can see there fixed my son and I can never ever thank him enough.

So as we were all in happy spirits we trundled off to Manchester...We were all going to go on The Wheel though two of us backed out ;)

So we mooched around the Christmas Markets The Poppins children loved this sparkly little stall....( and I did ;)

 I had to have a little spend of my pocket money here....

Of course I am sure you would just be bored silly with my sharing what I bought....;)

Hope you all had happy days too....

X

I Dressed A Girl Around The World

It seems only right and proper that my next post after the one about my frolicking around in pretty dresses, is, as it happens also about dresses, but also how they can really make a world of difference, especially to a little girl many many miles away. How all the glamorous dresses in the world would not make me feel as happy as I do watching this little video. Not so long a go I was asked by Louise  to see if I would like to make a pillowcase dress for  Dress A Girl Around The World ....Well of course said I, it would be an honour.

A very simple little make, but made with buckets of love....

 And with a big red appliqued heart in the middle....

So as soon as it was made I sent it off to Louise and hoped it would find it's merry way to a special girl and she would love wearing it....How lovely to hear from Louise today, whose blog is scrumptious by the way, and she sent me the link to a video of that special girl in Malawi that it found it's way to, and who was wearing it, she has her hands on her hip. I kept waiting for a little flash of the red heart on the front but was more than happy to see it being worn by the lovely girl. Infact a little tear may have left my eye, I just felt my heart glow with happiness, and all the trying on of the most glamorous dresses in the world could NEVER give me that same feeling....ever!

X