Simple Things

Often times in life it's the simplest things that mean so much and today when I arrived home from church there was a sweet little bunch of bright yellow daffodils waiting to greet me.

This is the second year in a row I have had this lovely surprise and it's all thanks to one of our neighbours.  He attends the Vineyard church and has taken to grabbing me a posy of daffodils which he kindly deposits at my doorstep - we're usually out at our own church, outside of Bury so I imagine he gets home long before we do but this one simple act of kindness means so much.  He clearly waits to see our car in the drive because he makes a point of coming over for a quick chat and just to make sure I got the posy okay.

I didn't have a tiny vase to put them in so I grabbed for one of the sugar shakers on the shelf in the kitchen.  I collect pretty things that are glassy or shiny, unusual or retro.

 

Each posy of daffs is tagged with a simple message plus details of the Vineyard church on the reverse.  I thought it was kinda nice that a hummingbird is featured on the tag - they were a favourite of moms.

 

And surprise, surprise, hubby even managed to get me a card and M & S gift card although he let me go along to church thinking he hadn't done anything!  I have a collection of those too, just waiting until I see something I just have to have LOL!

 

Here's hoping Mother's Day was good for all the mums out there.

 

Big HUGS

 

Suezie

Waltzing Mouse Nordic Baby

I cannot believe I don't get my stamp collection out and play more - it seems there are always so many things that need to be done but since I've been off for the past 3 days using up annual leave (rather than lose it), I took time out to play this morning.

It seems I can't put this Waltzing Mouse sweet 'Nordic Baby' stamp set away just yet.  I decided to create several single layer baby onsie cards - that I will share later - and went off on a tangent as often happens when I start creating.  I had intended to whip up about a dozen and a half quick and easy cards to send off to Debs in Leeds for the CFL shop.  It feels like an age since my last package!  But somehow I created this pretty set that ended up having a somewhat vintage feel plus a bit more 3D by the time I tweaked a bit.

 

It started out stark white with a bright red and turquoise colour scheme but when I grabbed for ribbon and went with this red and cream stripe I knew I was going to 'muddy' it up a bit.  Then when I went looking for buttons I grabbed a small pot of PTI die-cut buttons I keep handy - so much easier to use thin chipboard buttons you can customise than real ones which are sometimes bulky and weigh a card down.  I used a card stock coloured pair which when stamped with the bright red ink turned a lovely deep vintage red.

 

I am an avid collector of a few vintage things such as floral sheets and chenille breadspreads.  I nabbed this plain white one which incredibly looks 'near new' white and haven't had the heart to cut into it yet.  Instead I used it as a backdrop.  It may make it into a baby blanket one day - I really can't keep saving everything for a rainly day LOL! - but not just yet.  I have this half wild idea I will use it to create a vintage bedspread for my bed - who knows?

 

I've blown up this shot of the back of the card with some pretty lacy ruffles (using a stamp from the Waltzing Mouse companion  Dainty Doily set - there are two) so you can hopefully make out the linen effect card stock I used.  The whole card has a lovely 'tactile' feel to it but it's all just card and paper.  I admit my ruffles may not be exactly even but I was really experimenting at this point and besides a hand stamped card always has a slightly imperfect hand stamped look.  Anyone who doesn't appreciate that doesn't deserve a one of a kind, 'impressively hand stamped expressively for you' card.

 

I say this only because I once gave a card to a gal who despite not being a crafter herself seriously critiqued my hand made card and was a little less than flattering.  Needless to say she never got another one of my home made cards.  If someone can't appreciate it for the time and effort it takes then move on......

 

 

Okay (rant over) here's a shot of the detailing up close.  I used the round medallion stamp in the set to create a bib.  I might be tempted to cut this out and 3D it on another card but I had started out single layer and wasn't about to start over.  The ol' creative juices were flowing and I wasn't going to interrupt the flow.  The tiny 'picot' type edging stamp is only 3 points long so it lends itself to be shaped on the stamp block really well. The chipboard button in the center of the bib was one that was already covered in paper and the stitched effect worked perfectly.

 

And just so I'm ready for the next baby gift I make I decided to make up a tag - I couldn't bear to leave those adorable Mary-Janes out of the mix.  For this chipboard button I selected a pale blue paper cover and stamped over this in the turquoise ink using a round stamp from the Waltzing Mouse Dainty Doily set.  I love how it changed it up and allowed me even to stamp on handmade buttons.  It may take a few minutes more but it's well worth making your own matching embellishments.  It's hard to see but this button even has a scalloped edge which minutely mirrors the picot edging detail. 

 

I don't always plan things this way but I love when I look back at a photo and see these extra touches emerge right before my eyes.  I guess when I'm selecting things some kind of creative 'auto-pilot' must be at work somewhere in my mind but I'm not fully aware of it at the time LOL!

 

Now I really must go clean up my mess, get washed and dressed, do a few dishes, find something vaguely 'house-worky' to do.  Nah!  I just might go put in a period drama DVD and finish my crochet blanket - I'm DESPERATE to start a new one.  I am on annual leave after all !!!

 

Oh and I promise I WILL do a workshop with this mini set at some point so watch this space.  I have one coming up on Saturday 12th April in the afternoon to raise funds for CFL if anyone's interested.  We will be using Waltzing Mouse designs - just not this one.

 

Hope it blesses

 

Suezie 

Oops! Baby Blanket

Oops! In my haste to get a quick post on here I plumb forgot to show a picture of the baby blanket that I made to go with the baby onesie cards!

 

I had a chunk of the baby fabric left over from the earlier baby gift but not quite enough to make up a full blanket - time for a little patchwork then.  I picked out the blue and yellow colours from the fabric and set to work backing my patchwork with a lovely soft  cream fleece - still light enough for the warmer weather by the time baby arrives because the fleece added the padding keeping it much thinner than if I added extra wadding.

 

I had enough scrap to make a binkie clip so both gals would have one of these handy things.  I had made one for my own grandson and then had to make extra because Charlie would suck on it and get it soaking wet.

 

 

And today I was thrilled to pick up a major bargain in prep for future baby shower gifting.  My bestie Jilly and I spent an entire day together trawling through charity shops, stopping only for a lovely lunch and then cake and coffee later in the afternoon (thanks Jilly).  I picked up these lightweight unlined cotton curtains (Boots brand) that were brand spanking new for just £4.50 the pair!  That's less than I paid for my fabric for the earlier gifts.  They are still so crisp and it was clear looking at the header tape they have never been used.

 

And since they already have a patchwork look to them they'll make up into blankets super quck and I have all those lovely ready made patches to machine quilt around.  I feel like this was meant to be cos when Jilly arrived at my house she had with her, two bags of quilt batting that her daughter hadn't used and was passing on to me.

 

I also feel as though I want to do some sewing tomorrow so I have something prepped and ready for the next baby gift request.  I am itching to do a thin blanket with a flannel backing and crochet an edging all around it.  So with that in mind I'm off to Pinterest to check out a few tutorials, oh and I'll also be checking out 'fidget aprons' and fidget blankets'.  I'd never heard of them until today but they help people with dimentia.  If you can sew and you know someone with this illness be sure to check them out.

 

Blessings

 

Suezie