Threads, Felt, Yarns and a Couple of Gifts

Before I get going I wanted to show you this little fellow found this morning at the car boot. He was on his own, but just as gorgeous. Now doing a grand job propping up some Enid Blyton's. There are some things as simple as this fawn that make you smile each time you pass by. There were lots of other lovely things there today all with the non-haggling extortionate price tag that is sadly becoming so common. Funnily enough I left them there. Thrify Mrs wrote an amusing post along these lines a few days ago.

This week I'm trying hard to be more focused. To write a list and do at least some of it. At the moment I seem to be getting more of the boring most necessary things done and not leaving enough time for the essential, important and downright fun things. I try writing shorter lists, still have the same problem as I flit from thing to thing. I love working with thread, felt and yarn. I can't decide which I prefer as I get caught up in the pleasure of whichever I'm working with.

I have a week sale coming up for half term, followed by two more weekend ones, so I need to be getting more things made and quickly. As little bun was off school on Monday with a high temperature, I kept her company by doing the embroidery on some more button and trinket bags. I've cut out quite a few and have been working through them before I get to make them up (which will probably be Friday as I'm being realistic here). I have a birthday tommorow so will be having lunch with my mum. I actually have two birthdays, a christmas one and then this late spring one. As I'm adopted, tommorow is the day that aged 5 months I was officially born to mum and dad. For those months before anything could have happened. I hope other people have this tradition as it feels so right and it also means lunch at a lovely restaurant and a natter with my mum. Dad is in his 80's, so lunch in the city would be quite unappealing to him before you think we're leaving him out. So back to embroidery.

Alongside these, I'm also working on some crochet squares to make up into a cushion cover. I saw the ones Vanessa was working on and then searched through my books until I found a similar one to try out. As it turns out I needn't have been so impatient as she put an amazing tutorial online. The ripple has been put to one side for a while along with the granny squares while I get distracted by these. I figure these will be finished far more quickly as there are only five more to do. I just can't decide whether to put a flower in the middle or not.

From all that I can choose to make and do I am absolutely caught up with crochet. At first it seemed quite limited, now I love the versatility of it all, the speed (apart from blankets) and the way the colours of the yarn work with the different stitches. Next to that I've always loved working with felt. There are no edges to turn - it's immediate and I like that. The other craft I really enjoy is embroidery. It has all the possibility of painting. Like choosing different media the stitches can create so many different effects. Now there are so many modern twists on the vintage style of embroidery to really make so many otherwise ordinary objects come alive.

On Tuesday little bun was still off school, but feeling much better, so we had a trip to a plant centre, that has all sorts of other stuff. We hurried along to the craft section where ittle bun chose some sparkly purple paper and I found this wonderful book.

I've not heard of this before, but I'm so glad I found it and reduced too, even better. Inside are some fabulous ideas, but also it's just a great source of inspiration as they don't have to be used literally. I'm only going to give you a sneak of one page as if you find this book I would hate to spoil it for you. I loved every minute of looking through and getting lots of ideas for yet more things to add to the growing list.

There is a pattern to make these beautiful linen slippers aswell as the embroidery designs. I could be tempted to make these for the dolls as my girls feet have definately got bigger than this.

The next lovely surprise in the day was getting these flowers from a friends garden. The buns went there for tea and a play with their friends and then I was given these all tied up with string. I love posies like this picked as a gift. They mean so much.

My second gift of the day was from Mr Bun. He had been at Duxford museum all day for an awards ceremony and came back with a book about Wartime Propaganda for me and this postcard of Eileen Dunne - aged three. It was taken by Cecil Beaton in 1940 to record victims of the Blitz. I look at this little girl hugging her toy tightly to her chest, clean and safe for now and hope she still had her parents to protect her. She is simply everything motherhood is about. The desire to protect to the best of your ability. When eldest bun saw these gifts today it lead to her wanting to know more about the war. This image of the little girl made it more real for her. I love that she now wants to know so many things - from how clouds are made (ask daddy, don't know that one) to social history and so much more in between (which I can answer).