Ticking a few things off the list......

 

 

 

Put up fake tree ..........TICK!
Note to self : add some hessian or something round the base to cover up plastic legs!


 

Buy Charity Christmas Cards.......TICK!

 

Buy some wrapping paper (and matching tags not shown - all Charity Shop) .....TICK!

 

Yes, getting a few things done at last. It feels GOOD.

 

More Charity Christmas cards - there are some great ones this year. Really loving the Cancer Research ones shown in first card picture, especially the scandinavian style ones.

The hyacinths that I cheated and bought ready potted with the flowers still deep within the leaves have made amazing progress and are flowering already.

Pink in the Kitchen
(sorry about the surrounding clutter but that's how it is around here)



 

and these gorgeous bluebell coloured ones in the sitting room - the room is full of their beautiful fragrance.

 

On the sewing front today, prompted by re-discovering a pretty vintage glasses case (beautiful tapestry flowers with a velvet back) that I bought a few months ago for a  few pounds, I decided to make a few cases from some of that lovely Japanese linen I showed you in my last post.

 

 

 

They are lined in natural Irish linen and have a layer of wadding to soften them.

 

 

Am hoping to make a few Blackberry and iPhone cases tomorrow too.

And lastly, but by no means least, Logan insisted I shared these latest photos of him.

He was extremely miffed when he saw all those photos of Bessie in my last post but none of him.
So here you are Logan ;)



I caught him up on the pillows, and almost under the duvet!

 

Edited to add photo of first Blackberry case in floral linen - just adore this green!

made it with a lime green linen lining

Off to cook dinner now, have a great evening everyone!

Birds and a Kitty

 

 

 

 

Just been finishing off a few more things for this weekends Xmas Fair - lots of 60's fabric birds hung with butchers twine, and hessian tree hangers.

Still have more diary and notebook covers to make, plus a few extra Paris hearts, but then that's it I think for Saturday. The goodies that I don't sell I will put into my Etsy and Folksy shops - thank you to those of you who have already ordered Paris Hearts! If anyone else would like to buy anything they have seen on my blog posts then please email me and I will be happy to send off things after this weekends Fair.

***

Bessie our cat likes to sit in all manner of places, and under table lamps is one of  her favourites - Bella took these photos the other evening of Bessie sitting on the chest of drawers under the stairs!

 

 

 

 

The Michael Miller fabric tea cosy is now finished - I love this fabric and must find some more!

 

 

 

Some more gorgeous japanese floral linens have arrived, although I'm not sure I'll have time to make anything from them in time for Saturday.

Florals in many different background colours...............

 

 

........and these lovely roses and polka dots.

 

Hope everyone is getting into the swing of Christmas shopping and preparations now - I enjoyed reading all your comments on the last post!

I've done a lot more online shopping now, and Bella and I are Charity card shopping this afternoon then back home to put up the fake Christmas tree in the sitting room. This is our bright and cheerful family tree, with multi-coloured flashing lights and everything thrown on!

It will be decorated with all sorts of decorations; school-made, homemade, handmade and shop-bought over the years - lots of old favourites that we love to unwrap and reminisce over each year.

The real tree will go in the hall a week or so before Xmas Day - that's the one I like to decorate in whites and golds with white twinkle lights - a little more tasteful!

Enjoy all the Festive preparations!


 

Cosied Up

 

As a reaction to all the tasteful plain vintage linens, tickings and vintage pastel florals that have been a feature of my recent makes for upcoming Xmas Fairs, when it was time to knuckle down to sewing again this week I found myself being drawn to a bit of colour.

Still with a vaguely French feel about them ( I hope), I am having great fun making tea cosies (yes I know, hardly very French but hey, who makes the rules here? Moi! ......and I do have plans for some Cafetiere covers.... )

Made with scrap-bag fabrics pieced together for the front, mainly in reds, blues and creams, and with toile de jouy (the French bit) backs, they are padded and lined.

They are trimmed with cheerful red or cream bobbles and East of India ribbon, and will hopefully add a pop of colour to my stall.

 

pale blues and creams, with a lining in a vintage French fabric in pale blue and white stripes

 

with pale blue toile back and cream bobbles (or pom poms) - just loving the bobbles!

 

reds and browns with a brown gingham lining

 

with a red toile back and some gorgeous red bobbles

 

 

East of India ribbons

 

 

 

 

and my current favourite cosy, reds and pale blues..........

 

 

with the same red toile back and blue and white striped lining

 

And below, the latest tea cosy in the making - pinks, greens and blues this time........

 

........and with a wonderful retro Michael Miller Parisienne fabric for the back, which I've had in my stash a while now, just waiting for the right time.....

 

 

 

 

I have some other makes to share soon, including some bright vintage floral fabric birds, some hessian tree decorations, some new journal covers and some covered coat-hangers.

***

Everywhere I look I see Christmas preparations in hand, which seems a rather vague and distant event to me at the moment, even though Saturday will be the 1st December.

All the US blogs I've visited this week came as a bit of a shock - they all seem to show perfectly trimmed trees, tidy rooms with loads of tasteful and often handmade decorations, wreaths and vignettes, and all the final twiddly bits that I never ever get around to doing even on Christmas Eve are ALREADY DONE!!!!!

How????

I guess maybe they have the incentive of Thanksgiving to get them motivated, but even so... I am totally in awe of these ladies!  I havent even clarified my thoughts yet on decorating for Halloween.......

But Christmas? At the moment it feels like something that happens to other people, but not me.....I havent yet started planning, or making lists, have only done a vague bit of online shopping, and won't get into the swing of things until I have to - and that seems to get later and later every year.

I do resent having to buy Xmas decorations in November, yet if I don't, when I go into the shops they have already moved the Xmas stuff to the back of the shop and have wheeled out all the "January" sale stuff into prime position - I remember taking Bella last year to a well-known DIY store to choose a few new decs at the beginning of December only to find the store filled with sale furniture. Mind you, once we'd tracked down the few things left at the back of the shop they were at rock bottom prices so we got some good deals!

So are YOU ready for Christmas yet?

Are you one of these super-organised people who have it all wrapped up (literally)?

Or are you like me, still waiting to get that last minute panicky feeling that finally galvanises you into action?

That moment when you realise it is actually something that affects you, that the 12 people you've invited for lunch on Christmas Day will actually be expecting some sort of feast, a warm and tidy house with a tree and some decs, and of course even a few presents? It is not going to go away..........

I just have to feel a bit of pressure to get me going!!!

Share your Christmas preparation thoughts with us!!!!