Crafty Sunday (eventually)

I've been very quiet on the blogging front lately, apologies. Summer got into my bones and life has been all about playing out of recent, which has been much, much fun. Beach trips, walks and a festival have kept me very busy and very happy indeed.

This quite insular mood about making and sharing began with the miserable news that the Lord of the Rings event for which I was excited about designing and making a complete kit for has been postponed which kinda messed up my drive for creating stuff. I've got my head around it now and its actually handy to not have it hanging over me during the long holiday starting next week.

Another thing probably affecting me more than I may realise is that September is looming fast. September means my little one starts school which includes all those usual emotions involved in your children's milestones, but also loses my one excuse I have for not doing all that much in a week!

It's a real test coming up. Full time school means a lot more time to get on and be productive rather than procrastinate and put off. I'm really quite nervous of letting myself and the family down.

I'm also wondering how I will feel about it all, time to focus on me and my life's journey - eek!

Thankfully I have the 6 week holiday in between now and then which I plan to enjoy as much as possible so I may not post much as I may not be doing anything I feel is worth sharing.

I did get a few bits made this week but only have pictures of one due to camera problems again but also due to the fact that as soon as they were completed they were out the door in use!

I do have pics of this however

An order for a military style tactical vest for a 3 day airsofting event that has just finished today, I can't wait to hear how it was received and if it lived up to it's job!

All those straps I thought would be a nightmare of a job. I was right! They were quite a pain but could have been much worse, at least it was all straight lines! The shoulders Velcro together and shock cord lacing down the sides plus the webbing adjusters on the back so adjustments to fit are numerable. All in all I was happy with the job, I just want to hear the tales the vest got up to this weekend now!!

While the boys were away shooting each other, us girls and kids had a nice time too, strolling through the woods after the children who are getting quite skilled at hiding and sneaking whilst herding the toddler onward to ice cream at the end. The evenings were taken with a few good bottles of wine and much putting the world to rights. Very enjoyable indeed... I wonder when the boys will want to do it again?? Fingers crossed it's soon!

Another week please...

This half term has been utter bliss, I don't want it to end.

We have done some of this

and loads of this

and I have done something a little naughty, as I grabbed bargains without any distinct plans of what to do with said bargains... but... look....

I heard about Five Valley Design sale via Sew Justine Sew's blog and I'm glad I followed the link. A few items I'd ordered they had run out of, but being a closing down sale that's totally understandable. Still they took the time to wrap the stash nicely and it arrived within 3 days. 40% off was too much to ignore. I don't know if they have anything left, but the link is there if you want to try, sale runs until 30th June.

We really enjoyed discovering all that suddenly bloomed in the garden, these photos are by my daughter...

The kids have been lovely to each other and been positive and productive all week which, in turn has rubbed off on me and for the first time I felt like I could make stuff with the kids about, after I grabbed an extension lead and made an impromtu outdoor workshop.

What a mess!! More of that tomorrow for Crafty Sunday's post.

Retail therapy!

I'm not usually one for enjoying shopping. I'm more of a surgical strike kind of shopper, no browsing for me! But, today was different. Maybe it was the sunshine, maybe the fact that I was alone without the kids, maybe because I have felt more productive this week, more than I have for a long time or maybe because I have many plans for making rattling around in my head. Whatever it was, I loved it! So much so I wanted to share. I even found myself trying on a dress, I can't remember the last time I actually tried anything on, proper window shopping. Needless to say I didn't buy it, but I was sorely tempted. I even found a nice necklace to go with it, but I was very, very good and put them back, and didn't feel at all guilty that I had the shop assistant running around after me!!

The shopping trip was for fabrics, I hunted around charity shop for upcyclables and found this pair of curtains.

It's very thick fabric as it's got that blackout coating on it, but this should make it perfect for bags, pencil cases even wash bags. It's still washable at 30 degrees.

I also got bits and bobs to do more Superhero Capes and bits of felt for motif making and the thread I sorely missed having earlier in the week. And managed to find some fabrics for costume orders, namely a haversack for a friend who saw the toddler rucksack, (which I can't find any pictures of strangely and right now it's filthy so it will have to wait) that I made for my son for Christmas to use at nursery and wanted an adult version.

I was looking for some inspiration for a costume with an eastern influence as I mooched round town and I spotted at a stall set up in the church, just couldn't take my eyes of this

I tried so hard not to like it, but I think I fell in love with it so I did that deadly thing of asking the price, then I asked again if she was sure... £15! All hand embroidered and so heavy for just £15!! I had to have it. Now I just have to design the rest of the outfit around it, can't wait!!

 

Then I think I got the bug so when I saw these in the last charity shop I searched, I just threw caution to the wind and bought them too!

So cute! As soon as I got them out, before I could take this photo, my little one said "Ooh, mummy, I'm very thirsty. I would really like to have a cup of tea... In that blue cup please." So duly I gave it a quick wash and made him a cup of rooibos tea, and he did look sweet sat drinking it.

I was good though, in a way... I didn't stop at the coffee shop in the church (I did use their loo though - cheeky me!), or buy a smoothie to sit on the Cathedral lawn. I even remembered the kids and got them a tub of their favourite sweets to share when I got home.

On arrival back at base I found the lawns mowed, dinner in the oven and even the bathroom clean! (I think I should leave everyone at home more often) And to find we are expecting a good friend over for the weekend too, good news!

All in all, a wonderful day! Hope yours has been too :)

Juggling

I have passed myself another ball to throw into the mix - nothing like keeping it fresh, eh?

I have been offered a new job which is like gold dust; term time, part time and very, very local! They are even willing for me to do 4 days instead of 5 until my youngest begins school in September! The job is also more interesting than I imagined, running the library at our small, but caring secondary school where Kate, my eldest has just started year 7. Just refurbished and now known as the Learning Resource Centre, my role is to make the place an effective area for study and quiet reflection for the students in an otherwise bustling school day. I can run projects that go along with curriculums, poetry and reading challenges and allsorts, my first thought is to do a display board for current affairs entitled 'Am I Bothered?' . Very exciting.

But now it means I am juggling an extra ball now, home making, crafting and now work. I was anxious about arranging childcare as I detest childcare settings in the mainstream, but with much thanks to my friends, I have managed the time when nursery sessions don't cover with weekly playdates within Freddie's friendship group, which I feel very comfortable with.

The job is set to start very soon, on the 30th so wish me luck, I do hope I can continue to be creative both with craftiness and the family and keep this blog going. I am sure I'll struggle some days, but I am so very thankful to the gods right now for answering my pleas of need for the family, and now I am in a much more secure place and will be meeting my earnings target to help out the family budget. I have already planned where the money I'll earn is to go, swimming lessons for Freddie and music lessons for Kate are a couple.

In all I am truly happy and excited and very, very grateful for the full feeling I have right now, long may it reign!! I wish a bit of that warm and fuzzy feeling for all of you as the weather bites cold and wet.

Back from the brink

It seems like a long time since I have posted here, or indeed made anything of any merit! I have however made plenty of mess while I have been away; lurgy-filled household followed by half term break, my eldest's 12th birthday and going camping (in November!!) and then the inevitable clear up from all that.

So I thought I'd take a moment to pop on here and give an update of what I'm doing and planning right now. I have been able to make some Christmas decorations, both for the shop and home. Also did a couple of new things, for my kids for Christmas I have covered mache initials for them both with gorgeous cotton prints which I have hung in the shop for now to take orders from. Also, whilst I had the spray glue out I covered some simple wooden photo frames in delicate cotton prints too, they look amazing if I do say so myself!! Pics will follow in the next week.

It's been a great month all told, we got rid of all illness before the end of the month and since then it's been joyous. Really enjoying the autumnal weather, food and family time together. Managed to get out to the woods when the trees were really showing off, they put on an excellent display this year thanks to the wet summer!

Also got to go camping near the dunes at Merthyr Mawr, Bridgend. It's the second time we've braved the weather and camped in November, and we were lucky again. There were showers, but that kept it mild and we had a lovely sunny day on Sunday in time to dry everything out and pack up for home.

This morning I have been offered an interview for a job I had forgotten I had applied for, that was a nice surprise! It would be great to get this job, it's erfect as it's based in a school, therefore term time only and during school hours, so fingers are very much crossed that I get it as term time part time jobs are like gold dust!!

Wish me luck for Thursday's interview!! Thanks for reading.

New Beginnings

Ha! Me, a blogger.. who'd have thought it? I know I never did, but here I am. Why? To share in my excitement at prospects new for me and the family. My youngest, Freddie has begun nursery and so the time has come for me to think of my own future a little more.

I was self employed in the events industry for many years and throughout my eldest Kate's early years, but when Freddie arrived as quite a surprise I couldn't (or possibly wouldn't!) find the balance between working and mothering, so I closed the business and my long suffering other half  Paul went out to find work after being the stay at home dad for Kate (he did a great job and I have been trying to live up to his pretty exacting standards ever since!).

So here I find myself, having enjoyed Freddie's baby days, in that hole we all find ourselves in at one stage or other, staring into the void that is our future and finding my place in it.

I have decided to make stuff again, mainly from fabric, but other stuff aswell. All things I have done before for pleasure but now set myself the challenge of making the fruits of my labour profitable. I am in the lucky position of having a local outlet wanting to stock stuff, The HOPE Emporium,a newly opened craft shop in the market town of Bromyard entirley stocked from local craftspeople. As well as there always being a small craft fair going on somewhere relatively local that a few crafters get together to do. Its all ripe and ready to go, I just need to jump in with both feet and get stuff made and out there.

Having said that, I'll stop rambling for now and get on with making stuff. I'll let you know how it goes and get some pics of what I make over the next week.