Back from Brittany

We had a lovely time in Brittany and the weather was perfect. We stayed on a site in southern Brittany at La Trinite-sur-mer near Vannes, having direct access to a lovely sandy beach meant we could pop back to the van to make a cuppa whenever we felt like it! This little lady loved every minute of it and so did we.

La Trinite also has a lovely harbour and we strolled around it most days admiring the many boats and yachts.

This was the sunrise yesterday from our conservatory window, but by 8am it was raining so spent the day making a start on my art quilt for Terri's online class Daisy Doodles.

This is the background, fabric strips bonded to pelmet vilene, flowers,stems and FME will be added later today ready to finish when I receive lesson 2 tomorrow. It looks a bit boring at the moment but I think it will look a lot better when I've added the flowers, more later.

Holiday Bag

The awful weather yesterday encouraged me to finish my holiday bag in record time. I used a piece of furnishing fabric I had leftover from some cushions I made a few weeks ago, I slash cut the front with 6 layers of different fabrics and lined it with some calico I had dyed,added some rope handles and a button I liked and here we are! I'm very pleased with the way it turned out, I put a few pockets inside for my camera, phone etc now all we need is the weather!


Last year we travelled from Portsmouth to Bilbao with the van. We left Portsmouth in glorious sunshine, the journey down was calm and relaxing over 36 hours then arrived in Bilbao to torrential rain, continued to the Pyrenees to meet up with our friends and had snow for 2 days! Hope the weather will be kinder in Brittany this year.

This little lady knows something is happening but she won't be coming with us this time,perhaps next year.

A long time

I really am rubbish at this no excuse really except life has got in the way-holidays, family and gardening to name but a few. My textile swaps have also taken a back seat lately but I did manage a few swaps with the UKEmbellisher Group. This was sent to Jacqueline a few weeks ago.

These mini quilties and paper clips were sent to Susan and Amanda and were great fun to make.

We are off to Brittany at the weekend with our caravan. Usually we try to go for four weeks but DS2 and girlfriend and Ellie wanted to come with us this time and as DS1 and DDIL are expecting their first child at the beginning of July we thought 2 weeks would be better. I just hope our new grandchild doesn't decide to make an early appearance or we might have to come back early. As it's a grey miserable day here I'm off to make a summery bag for my hols and then do some more packing.

Another lovely swap

I received this in the post yesterday from Jean a member of our group UKEmbellisher Swap. The brooch is a gorgeous mix of embellished fibres complete with a bead, I shall wear it this afternoon Jean when I go to my local sewing group. Our tutor is Rosemary Bray a very talented lady with lots of wonderful ideas from bag making to beading. We have a wonderful time and meet once a week. Jean also included a lovely handmade card and a ATC painted in watercolours under clingfilm, it's very affective I must try it. I have also finished making my swaps and hope to send them out today. Hope I can post this without the huge gap in the last one, haven't a clue what I did.

Mini Quilt Swap

Just returned from a weeks holiday in the New Forest with the caravan to find this lovely mini quilt waiting for me together with a small card, it is from Jean of geniesartworld and is beautifully made.Thank you very much Jean, I hope to finish and post yours by the end of this week.

This is Ellie Joy our first grandchild. She was one year old yesterday and we are completely besotted with her. Please look carefully at her designer jelly shoes by D&G no less! I wanted to give her mum Danielle something special for Ellie's birthday and decided to make a memory book containing photos, charms and other little mementos of her first year it has gone so fast! I enjoyed making it so much especially having two boys and never being able to sew anything pink and girly before!

This is the cover:

This is a page from inside:

and another one:

and the final page complete with pocket for a lock of hair, baby tooth etc.

Where has the time gone?

Can't believe it's nearly the end of March and this is only my second post for this month. We've had a very busy few weeks, my 81 year old mum had a fall at her home broke one leg and

sprained the ankle of the other one! She is fine but has had to stay in hospital as she is unable to walk obviously, hopefully when the plaster is removed she will be her usual independant self again.

I have managed to finish a piece I made from the Mixed Media Surfaces on-line course I took in January. This is an excellent course and I shall enjoy experimenting with other ideas when I have more time. I made this vase with a silk cap and paverpol. I would like to add links etc to my blog but haven't a clue how to do it any tips anyone, they will be very gratefully received as I am still a very new blogger!

Cyber Fyber Trading

I have finished my postcard for Susan Lenz. I know its not a very clear photo but I bonded some gold foil onto lilac felt with purple and pink organza, zapped with a heat gun, embellished some chiffon with 'Venice' written on it. I attached a small motif which was printed onto calico by covering with pink organza and securing in place with the embellisher. Automatic stitches in a varigated thread were added to complete the card. I enjoyed making it so much and have joined in another swap with the UK Embellisher Swap group for brooches.

DH and I have a touring caravan so we are going away for a few days to Clumber Park not very far from here in Nottingham, fingers crossed the weather stays fine!

Grand Day Out

Yesterday was a lovely day here in Nottingham so hubby Geoff took a day's leave from work and we had a day out in Derbyshire with our first grandchild 10 month old Ellie and our new addition to the family Mindy a miniature dachshund. She originally belonged to my son's girlfriend but now Ellie has arrived they aren't able to give her the attention she needs so she has come to live with us. We went to Dovedale nr Ashbourne for a walk along the river Dove. This is a very popular place in summer but on a weekday in February it was deserted. We all enjoyed ourselves a lot!

Embellisher Swap

I received this lovely box from Liz a member of the UK Embellisher Swap group in exchange for the one I sent her a few days ago. It is gorgeous, five-sided with lots of detail on it including threads and lovely vintage prints of ladies on each panel.

Liz very kindly also included this cute icicle doll and lots of wool tops in many different colours. Thank you very much for all these swaps.

Winter Frost

Everyone's commenting on the frosts we have been having lately, here in the East Midlands we always have very hard frosts and Monday night was no exception I took this photo yesterday morning scuttled back inside to the warm and haven't ventured out since.

Box Swap

This is a pic of a box I made for Liz another member of the UK Embellisher Group. She has now received it so ok to post. I made it on my Joy Embellisher.Painted bondaweb was ironed onto wool felt then embellished with wool and silk tops, I then did some FME added beads and hand stitching. The flower on top is made from a silk cocoon and the button is from a little shop in Carcasonne France. I really enjoyed making this and swapping with someone else, it is very satisfying. Must get on with my postcard swap next.

First Comment

My first comment is from Sue of Cyber Fyber I am so pleased! I am taking part in her postcard swap and have successfully bid for the card below, I chose this one as it is the same number as my house. Now I need to get busy making mine for her. I am also a member of the UK Embellisher Group and have just finished my contribution for the box swap, will post pic of this tomorrow.

First Post

Hi anyone, this is my very first post don't know if anyone will read this, my sons might if I am brave enough to tell them..... I have an embellisher which I think is brilliant. Everything I do on it is so quick! This is a little card I made for a friend