A little bit of this & that

That just about sums up my day to day at the moment.

 I spent all summer in a flurry of activity, and now, I just don't know what to do with myself.

 I've been trawling through pinterest in the hope of inspiration....not sure what I'm looking to be inspired about ......I'm just browsing I guess!!!!
Anyway as I don't have any wonderful, new, handmade, all inspiring stuff to share
I thought I'd just post some images from everyday .......just for the
sake of keeping this wee space ticking over.
Hope you don't mind?

Ever notice when you're bored & lacking that bit of "get up & go", food takes over.
I've put on four Ibs in two weeks.....that's soooooo bad, starting with
a delicious courgette cake.......seriously more YUM than carrot cake.
Then cookies, can anyone say no???????
Chocolate covered pretzels.......wedding leftovers, think Laurens got a
few more JARS of these.
But on a healthy....well savoury note, some Lancashire hotpot.
Never had this before until I discovered a traditional cookbook in
our church charity shop & LO........ there it was a recipe for hotpot....meat
sauteed in butter no less!!!!
 It has lots of healthy veg too......
A very nice dinner.

I have found a project though, baby quilts, two of them, for twins, a lil girl
and a wee boy. Cute, way too cute, I loose all sense of balance
around babies. They just get me all mushy every time.
This perfect duo belong to some best friends from Israel, back in Ireland for a visit.
So two cutesy quilts coming up.

Thought I'd stick in a few snaps from the big day & my "mother
of the bride" flowers......well half of them. Had to split the bouquet in two, it was
huge. Pretty eh!!!!
Crochet bits & pieces & viola ....my blog offering for today.
Back real soon with quilts, I'm cutting into that pretty in just about 10 mins.

Have a great week
Karen x

Post Wedding

Well the big day is over. 

What a time we had as a family!!!!!

I'm slowly shaking off tiredness & looking forward to getting back to 

a normal routine again.

Just thought I'd check in and say "HI".

Also.... wanted to post a taster of wedding pics

which I'm sure will be coming our way here at home in a 

steady stream over the next weeks.

Lauren's photographer has such a great eye & talent for 

something new & wonderful.

Mind you the wedding party had a real talent for fun....

All makes for a great image

Thanks Annie 

Back soon with hopefully some makes & more wedding photos

Lots of Love Karen x

Its been a while

Oh boy I've seriously neglected this wee space all summer.

I have missed it terribly but haven't had any time for 

anything other than wedding preparations

Had to pop in though & say HI before I'm totally forgotten.

Also wanted to show you guys my latest make........

my only make apart from dresses these last months.

I signed up for THIS swap party to give me

something else to create just for fun!!!!!

I choose to make a tote for my partner, really hope she like it.

Her likes were something with a vintage touch, red, hexies were a must

& embroidery was a swap rule.

What do you think??????

I did enjoy the distraction of this, wish I could keep it

but it went in the post this morning.

Might make another for ME.

On the dressmaking front bridesmaids are done 

Wedding dress will be finished by next friday (well 

thats the plan anyway)

Favours 75% complete

Bunting....getting there

Six & a half weeks to go

Can't wait!!!!!!

Hope to pop by more regularly again

Miss you guys in blogland a lot

Lots of love Karen x

A few days away

Hi there just popping in to say a quick hello

Aidan and I are having a three day break in the garden county of Ireland.

Lots of relaxation, sightseeing and food. 

Enjoying it so much. 

See you soon

Karen xxxx

Something New

Oh, but its been a busy week, what with bridal sewing & pinterest searching

(for wedding ideas) & a wee bit of hooking

along with all the usual day to day business........but its all good!!!

I thought I'd share a few new bits & bobs that are floating around my home 

at the moment.

New Ripple

 

In Candy colours....I love candy pastel colours

 

Easy going & relaxing in the evening....ripple, ripple.....coffee

cookies then ripple again.

New Cookie Plate....................

With fresh NEW cookies of course

A New Birthday, so a new age & a new year for Ella

A new cake from Sophie

 

Luscious Brownie cake with pink vanilla butter icing &

Loads of tasty candy coloured Smarties Mmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Charming message!!!

New crochet books......I'm dying to hook up a beautiful 

hexagon blanket from "Granny Squares"

A new place for walks.....I've lived in my town for twenty years & have 

only just discovered how nice "The Point" is.

Shannon is a town built around an airport & industrial estate.

It doesn't have pretty shopping streets or any

beautiful old buildings...although there are castles & manors

& abbeys nearby. 

I've never been impressed with the look of my town

But now I love this part of it.

I always just assumed this area would be unimpressive too,

I was wrong...its so lovely.

 Lots of walking for me..............

A New mirror to go with my New bargain Laura Ashley wallpaper

( six euro a roll ) Pretty!!!!!

A new dress....actually this is the first bridesmaid dress.....almost complete.

Just needs a sash & twenty mini buttons down the back.

I'm so glad the first one is done, its always the most

difficult as you're testing everything in the 

first dress. Now I've got the 

whole dress plan sorted the next three will be easier.

Four dresses in different pastels, one blue, one lilac

one pink & one yellow...this is so Lauren, think she has similar taste

to her Momma!!!

So back to the sewing machine for me.

Thanks for visiting,

Lots of Love Karen x

Finally!!!!!!

Oh I am pleased to be able to say, that I have completed this blanket.

I started this a year ago...........really!!!!!

One whole year to hook up a blanket, pitiful.

Seriously though, I've put this down far too often & a month ago 

finally got my act together, to put this together.

I had wanted to use up all my colours & decided on this easy pattern for it.

May be easy, but all those wee squares can be a bit mundane after 

a while. Now though, I'm a happy chicken, cause I did it,

I brought the project to completion.

 

Did use a lot of my colours, but still have loads left. Used more cream than 

anything else, I do love cream in a blanket.

It seems to soften even the sharpest colours.

 

This will blend in anywhere in my house, but I might just keep it as a pressie

for someone special in the future.............MIGHT!!!

 

Thought to have it tah dahed last week, but the border drove me to distraction.

I wanted a real nice finish on it cause I think it 

deserved to be finished well.

Tried two different borders before finally settling with this.

A lot of frogging went on & other things "not to be mentioned".

This came about through pure chance & I really do 

like its simplicity, though it took three evenings to work up.

 

 So at last TAH DAHHHHHH!!

So now its on to other things, I couldn't touch anything else all of 

last week until I had done with my blankie

 

I love you dear blanket, you've been a constant companion these last two months

On now to bridesmaid dresses, fabrics have arrived & today 

I start drafting pattern blocks....JOY!!!!

This evening, a new crochet project, prob another blanket.

Can't have too many.

 Seriously though, they just about look good anywhere.

See you soon

Thanks for popping by

Karen xxxxxx

Thinking of......

Yes, it's a new thing for me... thinking. 

Actually, Lauren is going to make her own wedding invitations & I, as her 

"creative mother", have been called upon for help in this endeavour!!!

I'm not a dab hand at card making though & I think she WILL do a much 

better job herself.

Anywho today I tried one or two TRIAL runs... these are not too 

good but it's just the planning stage

Next one's a terrible blurry photo, but hey......

 

These wouldn't be the colours & papers she would use, it's just ideas

Nope I don't think sooooooooo... back to the drawing board

Can only get better, eh!

Cushion overhaul.....looks so much better & Ella loves it.

Really matches her blanket.

Think this was my first Granny Stripe in my favourite shades.

 

Simple back trimmed in nice blue cotton ribbon.

Actually this is a fav fabric of mine, have it years & finally 

used the last of it in this lil project....fabric designer Dena Designs.

Also as the "almost finished" wee squares blanket is on the final run, border stage

I've been thinking of my next project. Has to be another blanket 

 OF COURSE

So after feeling inspired by This Gorgeous Blanket over at Coco Rose Blogspot

I've made my mind up, it's a ripple for me.

I've done two before in colours that weren't really me

so this time it's gonna be a ripple in sweet pastels, just my taste.

Can't wait.........

Thanks for popping by, see you again soon

Karen xxxxxxxxx

Look What Sophie Baked For Me......

Well she baked them for all of us but I bet I eat more than 

the rest of the family put together.

Homemade digestive bikkies....................

I found the recipe in my March issue of Country homes

Before chocolate treatment.......

After chocolate treatment SLURP!!!!!

I will never eat a shop bought digestive biscuit again

Oh my goodness these are amazing

Happy Weekend

Karen x

Me & Cushions

I really do love cushions, I think I must have at least forty different cushions

around the house.

Friends actually laugh ....some with delight & some in disbelief at 

the amount of cushions on my chairs & sofas when they visit.

A few have taken to throwing them on the floor to make room for themselves as they sit.

I don't care.....you just can't have too many cushions!

These two are a result of a clearout of my yarn basket

The african flower was a test a few years back, my first attempt at one.

When I discovered it tucked away under all that yarn I knew I couldn't chuck it out, 

so I added a few rounds, a scalloped edge & a pink trim.

Made up a wee round cushion in some cute fabric & sewed the crochet piece on..

Viola one MORE cushion .....where to put it though?

This one was always destined to be a cushion, I had just forgotten all about it.

Some more cute fabric later & my home gets another much needed cushion, I love them.

Bright & cheery & summery, more to come though.

This is a little panel I made quite a while back.

I had made it into a cushion for Ella's room, but the fabric had gone quite ikky & faded & not very nice.

 So as I really love this piece of work I am going to make a much nicer

Cushion this time round.

Be back soon with a finished blanket....almost there...& finished cute cushion

number three.

Thanks so much for visiting

Love to hear from you guys.

Have a super week

Karen x

Rainy Days.......

I've realised that when you love to craft & make & bake & crochet rainy days are never boring....in fact any day with any weather can be filled with handmade loveliness from start to finish.

Today is one of those rainy type days, bucketing down, then short spells of sunshine, then bucketing down again. It means outdoors is a no no for today. 

So its a restful Saturday for me. 

Think I'll have coffee, maybe tea....yes tea & a piece of this

Seriously can you beat pavlova for indulgence......chocolate gooey cake maybe, but for now, its raspberry & strawberry pavlova. Its meant to be for tomorrows dessert but I don't think anyone will miss one wee slice!!

 

For an extra bit of cheering up I bought these this morning while dashing to the supermarket for our weekly shop

1.99 for a bunch of seven, not bad I think, so I bought two bunches & a plant I've been wanting for an age & haven't been brave enough to buy as I seem to kill houseplants

Its a Boston fern, always reminds me of quaint old British costume dramas with beautiful greenhouses & lush fern plants everywhere. Hoping this one thrives, never had a Boston fern so if anyone has any pointers for me PLEASE feel free to advise........

This wee thing started as a way to use up some stone coloured linen type fabric from Ikea

I desperately need some new place mats, nice simple ones, with a touch of prettiness

Oh my goodness the crochet edging took so long to do I am tempted to stop at one but more so am determined to make four more, should be five more but ran out of fabric.

Think I'll mix & match the lace & ricrac with different trims & do the same with the crochet heart, maybe throw in a flower or.......?????

ps the back is pink & white gingham, forgot to photo that

My blanket is growing well, another week should see it done.

I am loving it & would seriously like to make a huge throw from this but really its quite labour some.

Think I should stick to stripes & ripples so much less fiddly,

 I'm not a fiddly person.....no patience you see.

Crochet for the day............sounds like my kind of day!!!!

Beths taken over the sewing room again so I'm barred out of my own sewing room....Kids eh!!

Well that's my news & chat for now, be back soon

Hope you all have the best weekend

Lots of love Karen x