Busy busy

Hubby was off last week on holiday so we were quite busy catching up on all the usual bits and bobs that tend to get left till the holidays. One of which was kitchen hunting as our existing kitchen is falling to pieces .... literally! Handles have snapped on drawers and I have forgotten how long we have lived with drawers that no longer stay closed. However the final straw was when one of the drawer fronts fell off and couldn't be put back on then we had a leak with the new washing machine which caused the chipboard in the base units to swell and now the doors don't close. You've got to laugh really. We have set a budget as our plan has always been when I get a job to move onto pastures new in a year or two and found a kitchen that we both like. My goodness we have been living in the dark ages with our existing kitchen the gadgets you can get now wow! Proving drawers I like but do we really need one? Instant boiled water taps hubby loves but ouch the price! Now just got to get sorted with a kitchen fitter. Oh and I've still to choose tiles and flooring hubby wants a tile/slate floor but I think we're better with vinyl as we don't plan to stay on here ah decisions decisions...

I have only done a little stitching as it was our local flower show this weekend and the kids went into last minute panic mode making and creating. We all did well with our entries the girls won the junior and handicraft trophies and I won the adult handicraft trophy. Sadly the number of entries for our little show were down on last year which were down on the previous years entries. I hope this isn't a sign of things to come I try to support our local village and be involved in the community but things are changing and sadly not always for the better. I got round to getting my BBD Forget Me Not sampler framed and entered it into the show, it won a first place I was very pleased now just got to find somewhere to hang it.

I've started a couple of new projects the first is this baby blanket for another new niece that is due in December so I've chosen warm cosy wool in alpaca by Drops. This yarn is sooo soft and I am using up more stash so I've chosen to crochet random stripes.

I've finally decide how to use the rest of the fabrics I won from Gilly at Gilly makes blog. I've chosen to make a patchwork quilt. It has been a very long time since I did any quilting so I chose a simple block pattern to break myself in with. I've learnt the hard way the importance of accurate cutting and stitching as some of the squares are ever so slightly off but no matter it just a family quilt for family use. 

My sons cushion is coming along slowly had to take a wee break to gather more supplies of thread as I chose to stitch in basket weave which uses more thread up but I feel makes for a thicker harder wearing surface as well as better coverage than half cross stitch as the kit suggests stitching it.

Well that's all folks for the moment as it is the last day of the school holidays here we are going to be busy ironing uniforms, breaking in new shoes and generally enjoying the last day of no routine although we did get up early today so it won't be such a shock to certain teenagers systems tomorrow! Thanks as always for taking the time to pop by.

Project bag

Well in true summer fashion the weather has been.....wet! This has allowed me to spend more time than normal at home and in the home without feeling guilty about the weeds sprouting everywhere. I've had great fun raking through my craft 'stuff' looking for 'things' to occupy my time and I picked these with a special project in mind..

Perhaps some of you remember when I won this from the wonderful Gilly of Gilly Makes Blog fame in her blog giveaway. I wanted to save the material for an extra special project. I have long admired those gorgeous project bags that can be found in the USA which due to the high postage costs were a no no for me. I searched the Internet for UK suppliers and just couldn't find what I was looking for so decided I would just have to make my own. Thanks to various websites I was able to cobble together a passable  project bag yeah! Very pleased with myself.

I chose to make my project bag with the red buses and red spots...just love these two together. I added a matching red zip.

Oooh those spots!

Moment of truth will it work?

Yes!!! Woohoo I did it.

Another peek at those spots just because they make me smile.

Tada! All nicely pressed and I even managed to use a bit of the lovely ribbon that Gilly wrapped the fabrics in. Thank you Gilly I just love my new project bag. I am chuffed to bits that I've managed to sew a lined bag with hidden seams ooh get me!

I have also managed a bit more stitching on my sons cushion.

Slowly slowly.

Well I've still got those other bits of material to play with. Thanks for popping by and I apologise for the dull photos.