That List!!

Back in October I started a list...

So how far have I got now we are into December???

october's to do list
1) paint a bit more of the dresser......I want it done for Christmas so can't put it off forever!!

well..progress but not completion!! I have enlisted lovely husbands help and we have primed and undercoated and given it a coat of white paint before painting it pale green at the weekend..however, it won't be finished..only superficially finished, the inside and the back are to be carried over into the New Year!!!

2) put the fleecey blanket backing on the applique quilt top....so it can be used in the playroom this winter

- still in the to do basket, needs some stitching on the seams to make it sound for small people to use without wrecking it...it has got a fleecy back now though!!

3) sew the already cut out cushion cover for a 'v' shaped pillow.....fishy fabric, again for the playroom for those VERY early mornings I sometimes have to have with the boys!!- completed!!!

4) make some hot water bottle covers (need to buy more HW bottles too.....), using animal fleecey fabric and also repurpose a wool tank top I have....inspired by this....

- moving on........

5)send fabric etc out for the paper bag swap (after choosing!!), then panic about cutting into my partners fabric lol!!

- completed!!!

6)start thinking about christmas crafting......look for some more christmas fabric...some for home, gifts and swaps.I love the scandanavian red and white christmas look..but am in love with the new Ikea fabric as seen on Emma's blog!! And this Michael Miller one too...

- well I shall say completed, as I have thought about it and done some, but haven't had much time to do as much as I'd like...I have lots of fabulous fabric thanks to Sarah :)

7) plant the pretty violets and pansies before they die in their little pots (my usual trick).

- moving on.......

(will have to buy more..I am hopeless!!)

8) finish sewing the advent calendar and decide whether or not it needs a backing fabric..I think it might but 13 more pockets to machine stitch first...perhaps a teensy bit more embellishment too....

- completed!!!

9) bring the ideas for SCC swap makes to life.....the theme is destash, so anything goes as long as its from what we already have.

- completed!!!

10) do a tutorial for the bird mobile/dream catcher that I have made a few times for various people (as promised over at SCC)

- moving on again.....

11) make the blind for the little boys room (material bought in May...don't actually need the blackout now, its dark when they go to bed... but if I put it off any longer they'll have left home!!)

- and again.....

12) finish the dolls quilt I started on a whim......

- and again.......

13) turn another of my Grandma's embroideries into a cushion or something.

- yep you guessed it!!!

14) cut out favourite housey inspiration pics from the ever growing piles of mags...ignore husbands comments that he would just like the house to be finished :)

- well, this one wasn't important anyway lol!!!

Something tells me that I will be carrying some of these over lol!!! (no kidding!!)

We have a couple of weekends with guests and a weekend away with the boys so its possible that some things get missed...... Aswell as these, I have some necessary house 'to do's'!!
Including making my Christmas Cake (made ...2 actually!!)
So watch this space....I'll be happy to tick off half!!! (ha ha ha!!)

And of course there are additions to that lovely list, 3 fabric buckets cut out ready to sew for mum, completing the swaps I have signed up for, sewing up this lot....that is what 10 Christmas Stockings look like in their raw form!! More on that another day.

Oh and the christmas presents won't wrap themselves ....anyone else drowning???????

how long will it last

Fabric cupboard finally sorted...so far I have taken a piece out and put it back lovely!! When I was sorting and folding and stacking onto the floor it looked like I had tons but now its been put away it doesn't look so bad :D
Had a rearrange of the shelves too...christmas fabric on the top...definately need more ;)
I started my christmas crafting, I made a stocking..the shape was great but the opening at the top wasn't wide enough to get pressies in and out...it annoyed me that it was a squeeze..so have cut out another pattern for one with a wider top!!
Also I can't remember how I found this fab tutorial..., I posted it over at SCC a while ago but have only just got round to making. Owl garland.
I tried it out a couple of weeks ago with a wool fabric as stated in the tutorial..I think it was my skill rather than the pattern but it looked terrible!! So I have made some today but with quilting weight fabrics...This one I interfaced as the fabric was thin but it was a problem turning. They are time consuming but fun to make. Next time I will maybe just cut once by ironing on the bondaweb to a piece of fabric rather than individual owl bellies.The green owls are not interfaced, when I string them I'll see if the interfacing was necessary. Bit late now mind, but I could spray some startch on..maybe?? please excuse crappy photographs - by the time I took them there was no light at all

The letters are stamped with normal paper ink on unbleached cotton...means I won't be able to wash them - which is a shame as I always wash my Christmas decs lol!!!

They will be finished at the weekend, need to embroider the beaks on and sew buttons for eyes, trouble is I need to buy some small buttons, I don't have enough that are small and matching. I tried beads but they didn't look right..

I could do with some more christmas fabric...and some more ideas for (easy) decorations!!! But at least I made a start.

My post today means I need to put my thinking cap on, I received a package from Rachel for the paper bag swap....love how she has decorated the paper bag, and love the fabrics she has chosen to send to me...

Its quite scary knowing its not your fabric to mess up!!

Rachel has taken a far better pic here and also of the fabric I sent.

No idea what to make as yet but its definately easy on the eye whilst I think!!!

starting the week

Last week autumn was well and truly here for us on the east coast, the uggs came out from hibernation, there was a definate nip in the air.....by Friday we were getting caught out - chilly mornings and glorious sun by lunchtime...same today.....so in order to make the most of the sun and to stop small boys destroying the house.... we walked to the post office and came home the pretty way.Its a long time since I shared pics of where I live and I do tend to take it for granted. This pretty church is right next to the primary school where C will go in January, about 3 streets away from home.Below shows the spire from my big boys velux window.....

I have lived in my house for 4 years and only the other week started walking through the churchyard....lovely husband says that many moons ago as a teenager it was THE place to meet of an evening. It is well used and well cared for and I can't believe I haven't been walking this way home before now.Mum is moving in a week or so, and her new house is on the circuit between us and the post office so I can see us using this route more often. In fact there are many pretty walks nearby that I don't take advantage of, perhaps now my house is begin to be whipped into some kind of order I will make the effort to get out there more often.

Hmm....speaking of which!! I have had a good week or so getting organised in the home. The playroom is ready for Christmas, broken or never played with toys have been recycled, I am just about on top of the housework....its not perfect but I no longer circle cleaning companies in the local paper and tell A that the house is too big for me to manage ;)

Except one room....my work - slash - spare room.....It is an out of control tip.

I don't even know what I have anymore.
There is no order, no system and its beginning to drive me mad!!
These drawers contain some cardmaking stuff that mum gave me and I don't like cardmaking, so have decided will keep the blanks I have (I like bondawebbing felt and fabric to make the occasional card!) and get rid of the rest.....

The red case was thrifted and is on the to do list that remains in my head. I actually went upstairs to make a list of started projects, projects that have had special fabric bought to make and potential projects...but couldn't work out where anything was so...that is this weeks job when I get a child free moment....then I can get a list together, and get going!!

One project I have been doing is the advent calendar....here's how far I have got.... I now have to just bondaweb a couple of bits on and machine stitch the pockets to the backing fabric. Its not perfect but I am pleased with it, just hope I can stitch the pockets on without a disaster!!

I think I want to make another now I have recovered from the cutting and ironing of 24

small bits of linen!! But I have lots of other Christmas ideas, not to mention the pressies I want to make.....

So I'll be back once that workroom is straight...see you in a month lol!!

Crafty Corner

Finally we sanded and waxed the old school desk I won on ebay back in May - you may have gathered there is nothing rushed around here :)

I have wanted an old school desk for a long time. Specifically a double one. Last June, I missed out on a beautifully restored double desk that was local to me, when it went for £54.....I was on holiday and this was over my maximum bid.....not by much I have to say.....I did like it a lot...but what was I thinking!!

Since then I have had a saved search in ebay and nothing else came up that was local enough or nice enough. This one was not too far, and had a very low start price......because it was in a bad way...it had been well loved by the ladies 3 children and was full of biro, paint and stickers.....Its not as old as I would have liked probably only 1980's but its a double desk and the eighties are vintage now anyway lol!!

I forgot to take before pics as the sanding was a kind of spur of the moment thing...but trust me it had been very well loved!!

So we gave it a go...we said if it didn't come up well we would paint it (something else on the 'to paint' list so I did cross my fingers!!) and, its not perfect but we are very pleased with it.......

add a shelf we had bought an age ago and forgot about (too small imo but it'll do!!)

a hanging rail and plastic cups from Ikea (also bought in May!!)

and voila - a crafty corner for 2 little boys.

Not bad for £5!!!!

I lined the insides with some polka dot wallpaper - badly as you can see!

And that is phase 1 of sort the playroom complete...phases 2, 3 and 4 to follow, mostly involving toy chucking so has to be done during a child free hour or two!!

The home organising is going well, the house still feels clean and tidy and I am finding just as much time for crafting too...

Speaking of which, another advent calendar update...

Pockets now hemmed at the top and positioned how I want them so just embellishing to do now then stitch them on, which will be done on the machine.I hemmed the pockets with a running stitch in metallic gold thread...its horrible thread to use so doubt I will be using it in the machine, the metallic fibres kind of separated from the thread, meaning I had to start again a few times..

This message was waiting for me when I walked through the dining room last night.....from my eldest son.....Are todays kids really so dense that they ask for permission to do all the things we did behind our parents backs...I'm waiting for the mum I love you can I go binge drinking message lol!!!

Much as I am pleased the blackboards are used for lovely messages and enjoyed getting all those kisses...I still said no!!!

great advice

Whilst blog hopping aka wasting valuble minutes and hours of my life that could be spent decluttering my home, I found this great website,

As a lot of us are decluttering at the minute - doing the back to school countdown to christmas preparations - the latest post on there is very good advice indeed!!

I have realised that as long as I stay off the computer, stuff gets done. I know - genius - who'd have thought it lol!!

I spent a child free 3 hours yesterday cleaning and my bathroom shines and I no longer have last years pine needles under the rug in the lounge...wow thats a confession is anyone else as minging as me!!!

Advent calendar progress update.....

19 pockets pressed - will to live went at that point so hoping to finish later today!!

I've started reading my Christmas books for crafting/decorating ideas and I have found this calendar in this fab book(available via marketplace too).......well I have 4 boys, they surely need a calendar each??? But considering I didn't get one made last year I'll be very surprised if 2 or even 4 are!!

a good start

Well I was all inspired by my own post the other day. We have spent the weekend having a good sort out - still a long way to go but feels less chaotic already.....

A has put some of our cd's onto itunes, still a box to go but have 2 boxes to sell and 1 box to store in the loft somewhere. Regretting the deal we made him of 20p per disc...he has made himself £18.40 this weekend!!!

We moved this shelf unit from the dining room into the kitchen and I have sorted out the stuff that had accumulated on it..
I've wanted to have my chilli lights somewhere useable for ages and they are perfect here, we left them on last night and it felt all Christmassy in the kitchen! I've only got 1 shelf of CK china..much as I love it, the rest has gone in the cupboard as all in one place it looks a bit much!! Can you spy a flour dredger?? (middle right!!) It really is lovely and well worth the money..

This is the dresser top I got off ebay last christmas time, I think it only cost me £5...or could have been £20...can't remember...either way it looks perfect in the kitchen, I planned to paint it but glad I got it put up out of the way as living with it has made us keep it in its natural state (its not as orange as the pic!!).

I am never happy with how it looks though..I may put my cookbooks on the bottom shelf..but then I'll have to get rid of the blue and white china I have aquired and I don't really want to!!

So then this freecycled 14months ago dresser came out of its corner in the playroom and into what will be its final resting place in the dining room...lovely husband sanded it yesterday so all I need to do is get the undercoat out...the plan being that whilst it stands all dingy in the already too dark dining room ..it will annoy me and I'll be more inclined to paint it....watch this space!!

Its going to be a pale appley green.

I bougfht this dig for victory metal sign from TK Maxx over a month ago...it cost about £7 and has shamefully just been cluttering up the kitchen worktop ever since, whilst I decided where to put it!! So its now on the shed door...

I even bit the bullet last night and cut out the linen for the advent calendar I planned to make last year....and whilst I was at it, pinned one of the pockets as a trial, which in turn led to me embroidering the numbers and stitching on the heart....1 down 23 to go!!!I'm going to keep it reds and whites on the natural linen, I plan to embroider some motifs and embellish with buttons and bells and perhaps some sequins too!!

I've also found some time for sewing the past few days. Completed a few swap items and made this for myself (he's guarding my wine!!)

The pattern was from Sew Hip - the summer edition.. I enjoyed it as there was a fair bit of hand sewing which can be done in front of the telly box, means I'm sociable when lovely husband is home!!!
Finally, Floss recommended this book when she commented on my last post...it came this morning so I am looking forward to reading it.....if I got this lot done this weekend without, I can't begin to imagine how organised I shall become...................................

barmy about bunting

I think I'm obsessed.....

gifts for my friends children

made for Natasha for the friends swap

- recycled embroidered linen, backed with CK. And because I loved it so much..... more for me.

This was a thrifted tablecloth that was badly stained in the middle so I have breathed new life into somebodys handiwork.

personalised for my niece....

for C.

for R.

And thats just made by me..... made by Debbie.

knitted for me by Raspberry Grace.

Its not over either ..... I have plans with oilcloth for the garden and plans to persuade the big boys that bunting is cool :)

catching up

last week

Aswell as receiving my 2 fabulous swaps, I actually managed to send my swaps out to my partners....you can see what I sent here and here.

Loving what Sharon has done with the garland I made...I did send a disclaimer with it....it was an experiment inspired by an easter garland I bought in TK Maxx (to be blogged about later!!).

(I am becoming a one trick pony with the UJ cushions...must leave my comfort zone!!)

I did some sewing ..... some more UJ brooches and these made using this tutorial (thanks lacey xx) - very very addictive!!

the weekend

Yet another one where we haven't done anything 'nice'....this house has taken up A LOT of our precious weekends over the last almost 4 years (wow 4 years- time flies and all that!)

sorting out my workroom - one shelf is tidy - its a start :)

another bag of fabric sorted (being ruthless with stuff I have accumulated that I know I will never use). One of my sons teachers has taken it off my hands for art/textiles lessons. Recycling at its best eh!!!

We are on the home straight now, our bedroom is nearly finished......

(ooh very crumpled linen!!!)

Still need the curtain pole in the bay put up and therefore the curtains!! We have the other curtain up though....but no tieback!!!

A shelf (already purchased) up above our bed.

The light needs fitting...a LA bargain...can't actually remember what it looks like, it was bought last November!! Its chandeliery I think!!

And general pretty making needs doing :)(looking very sparse - and those things won't be staying on the mantelpiece either!!!)

I stood and ironed last night whilst watching Lost (never missed one yet I still haven't a scooby whats occuring lol!!! Just when I think I've 'got it' something happens to throw me off the scent!!) and Desperate Housewives...actually emptied the basket for the first time since Christmas, my lovely new husband made no mention of the fact it was all his stuff at the bottom of the basket that gets left :)

Hoping for a week filled with doing...my 3year old has started Easter hols...so I'm not hopeful!! And my new CK catalogue came....thats my evening sorted!!