I once said never again but...

Hello, I hope this day finds you well.

After last weeks pottering I decided that it was time to make something proper again. I swore that I  would never make a blanket again because I get part way through and then they start to drive me mad. I prefer quicker projects that take a day or maybe two. However I had a quite a bit of yarn that I didn't know what to do with and decided that I would venture into the world of blanket making yet again.

I considered making a Lucy style blanket but knew that I didn't really have the patience so instead I opted for the smaller and perhaps more manageable ordinarily extraordinary blanket by the super duper Dottie Angel. I am now past half way and I have to admit that a little boredom and frustration is setting in. I am determined to finish it though. Here it is in progress, I haven't used Dottie's method of joining because I couldn't get my head around it and it just didn't look right so I shall have to invent a way of joining at the end.

I hope that you have a good weekend. The rain is still persisting in these parts so I hope that you have better weather than us.

x

Rosa and the Butterflies

Hello there, I hope you are well. Sorry for the delay in posting but the weather has been a shocker around these parts making it impossible to take photos. Anyway better late than never I hope.

I had quite a good week last week on the thrifting front, a few good finds.I will share them with you once the weather picks up. Today though I wanted to share with you two of my favourites, both of which are from the car boot.

The first is a print that I fell in love with. I have named her Rosa because I have no idea who she really is, I shall have to investigate to see what I can discover. She reminds me of Pride and Prejudice, romantic, wistful and a little frail. All I need now is Colin Firth.....

Isn't she beautiful? 

My second treasure is also a picture of sorts. I don't usually find nice pictures, it's usually frames that I buy to 'do up'. This one is maybe something that many people would find distasteful, my daughter and hubby included. I also find it a little distasteful but at the same time fascinating and beautiful. I also wonder where they might end up if I hadn't bought them? In tip somewhere rotting away and wasted. Who knows?

Anyway I brought them home and much to daughters disgust they are now hanging over the tv, here are my lovely butterflies....

I love them, even if it does mean that 'I have dead things looking at me'.

I hope that you have a good week. For more thriftiness drop by Sophies.

x

Pottering

Hello there, I hope that you are well today.

I haven't really got much to show for myself this week. I can't seem to really get going on anything but I don't know why. Maybe it's the heat, or the rain, I don't know. I have been trying to sort out the studio but I need storage as I have so much stuff. In fact I amazed myself with how much stuff I have especially seeing as it has all been accumulated in the past three years! When we moved back to the UK from Spain I only had a few bits and pieces so in three years it has grown and grown and has been taking over the entire house.

In between trying to sort out the craft supplies I have done a little bit of crochet but nothing really significant, a bit of crochet pottering really. I decided that I would try making a doily using chunkier wool. Instead of a size 3 hook and skinny cotton I used a size 7 and some chunky cotton. It worked out quite well but I would really like to try to super thick yarn and maybe a size 12 hook to make a rug.

I also found this lovely pattern for butterflies so of course I had to make a few. They are good for a quick little project although I'm not sure yet what I will do with them. Maybe a mobile.

A couple of coasters from this pattern...

And a heart from this pattern. This is a pattern that I found rather complicated and nearly gave up on a couple of times but I'm glad that I persisted.

I hope that you are having a craftier week that me. Take care.

x

Goody Goodies

Hello, how are you? I hope you are having a good weekend. The damp, greyness has returned to the UK with a vengeance!

I've done quite well at the charity shops and car boot this week. At the beginning of the week I found a mid century foot stool in great condition for £2! Then on Friday I found some really old shelves for £5, I haven't been able to photograph them yet but I will when things brighten up a bit.

Also from the charity shop I found a set of 4 Pyrex cups and saucers for £1.30....

The following goodies were found at the boot sale this morning...

An old first aid tin...

Vintage thread spools and buttons, I love the card on the buttons...

An old pin tin that I bought without looking inside. When I got home I realised it was full of old needle packages some from the 1930's...

Pinking shears. The box says 'Inseparable from your hand as your friend'... 

This sweet little dish...

A pair of candlesticks...

and two glass jars.

As usual for more thrifty finds pop round to Sophies.

Thanks for stopping by, take care x

Before and after...

Hello. There hasn't much crafting going on around here lately. My eldest is still very poorly, she picked the worst time really because it is her last week at Primary School before starting High School in September. She is getting better slowly though.

I have only done a little bit of crochet as I can't seem to really get going on anything.  I have done a couple of makeovers though and this one is my favourite at the minute. I found this little cabinet in the local charity shop for £1. It had a few bits missing and was a bit wobbly but I was up for the challenge. 

Here is the before....

And here, after a few coats of paint and a bit of wallpaper is my new little cabinet....

I used some wooden beads on the top to replace the missing parts and an earring instead of a doorknob. I haven't yet decided where it will go or even what it will be used for but I am quite impressed by how it turned out.

Take care.

x

Mirror, Mirror

Hello, I hope you had a good weekend.

There has been very little thrifting around here in the past week. We couldn't make it to the car boot sale because my eldest little one has been struck down with a very nasty bout of tonsillitis (I hope you get better soon, honey).

The only thing that I have bought came from the local charity shop and cost a total of £2, bargain! It is this lovely old mirror that is in perfect condition apart from a couple of small scratches..........

It is incredibly difficult to take a picture of a mirror, so I can only show you this one. For more thrifiness drop by Sophie's.

x

Edit - Also check out even more thriftyness at southernhospitalityblog.   x

Frame Chalkborad

Hello, how are you? I hope that you are well.

I wanted to share with you today a recently completed makeover. Last year I bought a frame in a charity shop for £2 with the intention of findings a use for it. However, as is the case with many of projects, I forgot about the frame and it was left languishing in the under stairs cupboard.

With the 'studio' makeover I decided that I would need a new chalkboard and after a little pondering I decided that the frame would be the right size. Not too big and not too small. I used a tester pot of paint that I had bought recently and some chalkboard paint that I have had for a while.

This is the frame before....

As you can see it is a little old fashioned...

and this is the frame after....

I added a wee doily and some stick on lace.

Here is a close up...

Now all I need is some chalk, oh and the 'studio' to be finished.

I hope you have a good weekend and if you are in the UK keep cool.

x

Slim Pickings

Hello there, I hope that you are having a good week. I'm a bit late with this weeks thrifty post. I usually post my finds on a Monday but yesterday was spent at school inductions. My youngest will be staring Primary School in September and my eldest will be starting High School. I had to attend two inductions at the seperate schools which left no time for blogging.

So back to business, what did I discover last week? Well not much really compared to normal. It's slim pickings around here at the moment. Here are a few of things I did manage to find....

A pretty hand embroidered mirror...

Some lovely little earrings...

A couple of plates, I was particularly drawn to the shape of this one...

A frame ready for a makeover...

Some lovely black lace...

Lots of doilies...

And this little chap with a rather grumpy face.

I also managed to find a couple of chairs that will be madeover but I haven'y had a chance to photograph them yet.

For more thriftiness go to Sophie's blog.

x

Flower Pattern

Hello there. This is just a quick post. A couple of people have asked if I have the pattern for the flowers. Unfortunately I am an extraordinarily disorganised person and I cannot find it. I could attempt to write it out but I think that my pattern writing skills would drive you mad so I have found a very similar pattern on Ravelry. I haven't tried it yet but it does look almost the same.

x

Flower Garland

Hello there, Happy Friday! I hope you are well.

I haven't been up to much this week, the weather is hot and sticky but not sunny. It's cloudy, rainy and muggy. Not nice. I don't mind the heat when it's sunny but this is not nice and it's affecting my creativity.

I have made a small flower garland though that will go in my 'studio' when/if it gets finished. I struggled to take photos of it because of the weather but here is what I did manage....

I hope you have a good weekend.

x