Sunday 31 August 2014

The Project Bag Swap

I can now show you the Project Bag I was making the other week. 
 It has arrived at it's USA destination - so I won't be spoiling the surprise.
 
This was part of a Project Bag swap that was organised in the Project Bag Forum on www.ravelry.com
 
I love taking part in the swaps
- not just because of what I'll receive -
but of what I can make for someone else and how to find things that I think they will like.

 
The request was for a bigger project bag and to be preferably zipped as her children quite often knock her project bags around, so she wanted the work in progress to be kept safe.


It is lined with pink - one of her favourite colours
 
 
  - and the outside is one of my favourites - the Italics and Cherubs fabric (as I have christened it!).  This fabric is thicker and hopefully more durable.


 
A nice thick handle long enough to have over the shoulder.

 
Here's the little extras I added to the parcel...
 
 
 
And here is Heather's daughter beautifully showing off the bag for her mum. 

 
 
Isn't she adorable!
 
Here's hoping the bag gets lots of use.
 
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Now for the bag I received. 
 
We had different partners so mine was beautifully created by Karen in the USA.
 
It arrived in such a pretty box
 
 
Sneaky peek ...

 
And look! 
My fantastic new project bag has cats and sewing machines all over it ...
 
it's absolutely spot on for me!



 
And look at the base - it is clear!  Ideal for seeing what's in the project bag!

 
And these were the goodies inside ...

 
Lots more Kool Aid for me to dye with! 
I'm like a kid in a sweet shop when it comes to dyeing with Kool Aid
 - I just love the combinations I can create.

 
And two fat quarters which are perfect for me!

 
So - a huge thank you to Karen - for my wonderful swap package!
 
 
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Wednesday 27 August 2014

The Blues ....





I had a fall over ten days ago.  It had been raining after being quite hot and dry for a while, and the bricks in the footpath were quite slippy.  I was going down some steps holding a bag and my "craft" trolley" and slipped a bit on the first step, managed to right myself and then on the third slipped again and wasn't able to save myself from falling.

It hurt, but what made it worse at the time was that there were people around - and no-one - not even one - asked if I was okay! 

Anyway, the bumps and bruises have all cleared up, except for my ankle which I must have knocked or twisted as I fell.  I have been able to walk on it, but it feels rather strange - a bit like something is chipped or sticking out or something.  Well by the end of last week it was swelling up in the evening and starting to hurt even more. 

So Jonathan and I spent Bank Holiday Monday afternoon up at A&E.  They x-rayed it and couldn't find anything fractured, so told me that they think I must have sprained it quite badly and that I was to rest it, have it up and it will take time - but it will get better.  So that's good news - just got to figure out how to rest up with my daughter and the four kids around and Jonathan away at work!

Anyway, knowing that we would probably be waiting a while I grabbed some yarn and a pattern I hadn't tried yet and stuffed them in a bag.

I have chosen to crochet blue squares


and all out of my stash - so it's a great way of using up what I have ;-)


and surround them all in white.  I am joining as I go which is so much easier and means it works up quicker for me!


I love blue - it is one of my favourite colours.  And I particularly love blue and white together - it just looks so fresh and pretty.


I'm even using my blue crochet hook!


So - another blanket on the go!  However, look what arrived today ....

 
 ... so my other Seasalt inspired blanket can be finished soon - I hope!

And, of course, I can have my foot up and rest whilst I'm crocheting ....

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Sunday 24 August 2014

Crochet Away ...



Woo hoo!
 
My pink flowery blanket has sold! 
 
(dancing a little happy dance)
 
I do hope it's gone to a good home!
 
*    *    *
 
 
So now onto my next crochet projects. 
 I have two on the go - one that is red and blue and cream - and all stars. 
This one I'm hoping to get it to a single bed size.
I will post photos another day.
 
As today I want to show you the other one I've been working on.
 
Do you ever get stuck choosing colours? 
#There are times when I just stare at my wall of wool and just can't decide what to put with what.
The other week I was in such a quandary. 
I'd got several balls out and put them together but nothing was speaking to me.
Then I spied my Seasalt bag hanging on the back of my chair.
 

And inspiration struck!  Why not try those colours together?


The yarns I had didn't match exactly but I was extremely happy with the colours I had together.
So I had navy, mauve, turquoise and a green, which I thought I'd surround with a parchment shade from Stylecraft Special DK range.
 
 
I decided to use the Sunburst pattern. 
This is a lovely pattern I've found on www.ravelry.com and I love! 
So here are my sunbursts ready to be squared off and bordered by the parchment shade.
 

And here is the blanket as work in progress ....
 

 
I am loving it! 
The shades are definitely now speaking to me,
 and I think they look superb surrounded by the parchment shade.
One slight problem - I ran out of the parchment last night
- so have had to make an order for some more (sshh don't tell Jonathan!)

 
What do you think?  And do you have the same problem with choosing your colours sometimes?
 
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Tuesday 19 August 2014

Postcrossing

DE-3102769RU-2586664 FI-2055374FI-2055372
I'm not sure if I have mentioned on here before about Postcrossing.       
                                                              
           
 
BY-1238280 It is a fantastic idea ... basically you register at www.postcrossing.com - which is totally free -  where you can list what sort of postcards you'd ideally like to receive ie animals or castles etc (there is no guarantee that you will receive these BUT it gives the sender something to go by and hopefully try and fulfil your wish).  You then get the chance to send five postcards to random addresses they assign you from all over the world.  You can see then their profiles and what sort of postcards they'd like to receive.  Choice a card for them, write a message along with the unique code that relates to that postcard.  And then you wait .....
                                         
                                                             
 

 
            
US-2732242When your postcard has arrived it then triggers your address to go into the system and you will then receive a card from someone somewhere in the world.  You also then have the opportunity to send another card as at first you can have five postcards travelling at one time.  This number increases with the more postcards you have sent and that have been received.
 



 
 
 
 
 

DE-3080462It is brilliant as it means you definitely receive some nice mail and not just those nasty old bills.  The variation in the postcards you receive is amazing too. 
 
                
NL-2519187

 
 
 

                
RU-2739813In our household we have seven of us - and five of us are Postcrossers - Jonathan, Katie (his daughter), Luke and Adam (my sons) and of course, me!
 

 
 
 
 
UA-1066140                I went nosing around www.zazzle.co.uk today and decided it may be worth uploading some of our designs there with the potential for others to purchase them.  Jonathan takes fantastic photos and I did suggest at the weekend when he was uploading them to flickr that it may be worth him uploading them onto a site to sell. 
 
 
 
 
 
So .... I opened a shop on there too - totally free - and have one postcard there at present ...
 
 
and the shop name is Crafty_Phoenix_Lady just to keep the brand name across the board!

 
 
 
I confess, it has become rather an addiction.  When we go somewhere new I feel this compelling need to check out their postcards.  I remember collecting postcards as a child.  My parents belonged to the National Trust and we visited a fair few houses especially on the way to and the way from places.  My particular like for postcards at that time was for the four-poster beds - and actually I am still rather partial to these and beds with quilts on too - surprise surprise!

 
 
I love this hobby and have currently sent over 200 postcards and received about the same amount in return.  Not bad for some nice mail through our letterbox!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

  
             

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