LAst Minutes

Here we are, at the end of a week which was everything we wished for. Quickly, far far too quickly it's all over and now we're dreaming up adventures for the Easter holidays.

This weekend we played catch-up. We finished the puppets who have since been christened the rude boys. They prefer swinging round so their nobbly tails hang below their heads.

After a full of fun week and then hideous colds everyone pretty much wanted to hide away and get cosy this weekend. I couldn't tempt them to leave the house on Saturday. Pouring rain and the promise of a fleamarket just didn't do it for my lot. 

Off I toddled on my own to see if there were any treasures still left just before closing time. Two cheeky chappies hadn't floated anyone's boat so they were mine for the taking.

I bought a china cat which Little Bun declared creepy and laughed at. On the way out of the hall, I spied out a very tempting basket indeed. It was even better when I ran over to take a closer look. After a quick haggle I was thrilled to have a split coconut basket. I've never seen one this shape before.

My basket count is getting fairly high which means I have to start more new projects to keep in them.

For now the new basket looks just right sitting empty in the kitchen waiting for stuff.

This morning Little Bun and I went off to a skating party. Miss Rosey was still too poorly to come along. I'd been putting off making a present all week. In true last minute style I whipped up a pencil case half an hour before we left. 

I hope she likes it.

Thank the Stars it's Nearly Saturday

The weekends come just in time I think. We all need a good flop around here and a bout of doing any old thing we fancy. We've a had lovely week don't get me wrong, but there's been a lot of manic chasing about. The Bun's  were really pleased that we actually sat down in the middle of the week to draw with them. I got pretty engrossed with my picture of Mr Benn's street and then ran out of room to add the shop.

 

They love it when we make time for craft. I wish we did it more often, but there never seem enough hours around all the stuff that just needs doing. Now I might have found a solution. It's an idea that's been buzzing around for months now which I mentioned to a friend. She said today to make it happen. I needed a kick up the bum. We plan to set up an after school craft club and have loads of ideas already, the Headmaster's keen and I think there are quite a few kids ready to get going. Finally somewhere I will let them get the glitter out without shrieking and I won't get distracted by all the home stuff.

 

To tell the truth I find most time to do my crafty stuff when the Bun's are fast asleep. This week I've been adding rows to my ripple blanket and then falling asleep under the cosiness of it. When I did manage to stay awake I made myself a Cheeky Cherries brooch. I changed the design slightly and added a pair of leaves instead of just the one.

Normally I only make things to sell and never get round to making any for me. I'm so pleased I actually made myself some cherries as I've worn them every day since. Some things just make you smile. Hopefully getting a bit more crafty with the kids will make them smile too.

Here's to a great weekend whatever you have planned. For us some will involve choccies and seeing what Anne Widdecombe has to offer when she trips the light fantastic on Strictly. After tonights offering it promises to be great fun.

Batter on a Bright Day

Being Shrove Tuesday (the day of the pancake), I was asked to fill up this ...


... cut up some of these and


mix some of our eggs into a creamy pancake batter for a delicious breakfast.

To cheer up the cold, grey, snowy weather we've been having we added some colour to our day with these hot pink roses.

I also wondered how much longer I could keep propping up the leggy hyacinths.

Later on, after a much needed walk and run around a farm, the Buns were desperate to get sewing. Bit of discussion later and we settled on felt rabbits.

They each drew up their patterns, cut them out and pinned them to the felt.

After all the cutting, they started on the faces and then just as suddenly as we began they wanted to go and do something else. So one day soon, perhaps, these little rabbits will be sewn and stuffed and loved.

Dollies and Patchy Things

Eldest Bun has never really liked dolls, she's always loved cuddly toys better. I have to agree with her. As a child I only liked small dolls, I thought baby sized ones were creepy. I didn't weep recently when Baby Bjorn's head fell off. Mr Bun and I were both a bit wary of her with her large head and unflinching stare.

This summer, however, the Bun's have played dolls together more and more and suddenly eldest bun wished she hadn't stood in and broken my childhood cot. I gave it to her the christmas she was four with blankets I had knitted and a ragdoll called Madeleine tucked up inside. She threw it all out and the cot became a boat. Hence it broke.

Now she can't find the blankets I'd made for her dolls, so in the end I promised to make some new ones if she helped. In fact as I said it I thought it was about time she learned how to use a sewing machine and how to do a few sewingy things. I remembered being taught by my mum and how it meant I could re-do and make my own clothes once I'd grown out of making tiny dolls clothes.

With the new carbooted cot ready for the baby doll (Annabel this time) we got started.

Little Bun's best doll Kitty has handmade covers and also Handy (her hands come off so she can get her coat on, - I guess that's why she named her that) - anyway - I made Handy this matress and bedding too.

After a pile of fabrics were selected we decided on a patchwork blanket. I've never patchworked before so I think we'll both learn a thing or two here.

Fabric chosen, we worked out our sizes and I got cutting.

Eldest Bun then realised she'll need her sewing box, mine will never do as this is her project after all. At Christmas I bought them both a box and filled it with handmade and bought goodies to inspire them. I copied the design on the button bag from Sew Happy, but the needlecase and pincushion are my own designs.

Off we go learning about right and wrong sides and how to pin - all the things I take for granted now.

We play with the lever that raises and lowers the foot. Eldest Bun is really impressed with the thingy that cuts the thread and that I can choose tortoise or hare speed. We opt for tortoise. After a lot of practice she holds that fabric down and machines an excellent straight line

and stops to take pins out on the way.



Suddenly we have three strips ready for pressing and joining together.

Once all that is done - I'm left with the fiddly boring job of basting on the binding and finishing off.

We're both really pleased with our first adventure in sewing and patchy things.

The only other patchy thing around here is our cosy armchair which is beside me now waiting for a Bun to curl up in and tell me their thoughts on the day so far. Teena asked why I'd left it out in my house post and to be honest I'd forgotten it. It fits better here anyway.

Now I feel inspired to start patchy covers for the Bun's wintertime beds. I've saved their dresses and clothes with lovely fabrics over the years to do this so no excuse now I know it's not that difficult.

Just thought I'd better add about the cushion as a few people had asked. It is similar to Vanessa's, but the design comes from a baby blanket in a Rowan book by Lois Daykin called Baby Crochet. I started it just as Vanessa started hers in the funny way in blogland that we all seem to be inspired by similar things. The flowers are her design which I acknowledged in my post 'I'm on a Roll'. Thought I'd better point this out as I always acknowledge and give credit where it's due so I'd hate it to seem that I hadn't done so. here. Funnily enough Vanessa and I have already had this chat between ourselves about how we crafty bloggers sometimes converge with our projects.

Flowers & Fun

Finally, finally - I have finished the flowery cushion. The self-control needed to finish stuff instead of racing off to make the next idea was huge. In Norfolk huge is pronounced HOOGE and that sums up how big a task it was to actually go back to something when my mind was wandering over to new colours and designs. I'm really pleased I did get it done though as it looks delicious sitting on our small sofa in a room that is part workroom, part playroom, part general dump it here on the way to somewhere else room.

I love the back so much with it's old many washed blanket that I have plans for more of these cushions with a bit of felty applique to jolly them up. I still haven't decided on how to secure it - hidden poppers or buttons with crocheted loops to tie. That means I haven't actually finished really doesn't it. Oh well never mind, it's there, it looks pretty and it's very very comfy to lie against.

After finishing the flowery cushion in the morning we headed off into another sweltering day to see friends at a free park fun day. It was a day of huge bugs, crafty fun with glitter and glue and generally having a great time playing.

We walked into the park from the bottom end by the boating lake. It's one of my favourite parks as it is a 1930's municipal one and has only recently been renovated. So quiet up this end today as all the noisy families are at the other end. It also reminds me of some of the parks I loved in Brighton as I strolled hugely pregnant with Mr Bun and dreamed of playing there with two little girls.

Away from the peaceful history and my daydreams of ladies in tea dresses strolling along arm in arm and bands playing to the families of yesteryear was a park filled with so much fun.


We took home rockets and glittery stars which are already flying above their beds. Another day to store for memory.

Printing instead of Packing

On Saturday we had the most marvellous ever day out. It was at a WWII US airbase for an event called Make Do and Mend. Period singers, 1940's Punch & Judy, dancing and spam sandwiches. Guess who forgot to charge the battery on their camera? I'm still annoyed with myself.

Tomorrow morning the Bun's, my mum and I are heading off for a few days seaside caravanning. As yet nothing is packed or sorted, but we've had a very enjoyable day. We went to one of the many market towns we have here, just over the border into Suffolk. At the small museum there was an artist led printing workshop and it was free.

We were met by the most lovely lady who gave the Buns pencils and clipboards and asked them to go and draw shapes from the museum they liked the most. These shapes would then be used for printing ideas.

Despite having lived here when the Buns were very small, I've never been inside this museum. There were some interesting local displays, but my eye was mostly drawn to the colourful and fun.

Outside again and we cut up yoga mats (fantastic therapy) in our chosen shapes and glued them to cardboard. Then the messy bit of rolling the ink and printing our pictures. We did lots and lots more which are now covering our kitchen table.

While the Buns wandered for another look round, I sat and enjoyed the view. The musuem is at the top of a hill, so the view is across the valley and out to the river beyond.

Now I'd better get my act together with the seaside packing and say goodbye. Speak to you all again in a weeks time.

Flowers and Fashion

Before meeting my mum this morning I had a quick dash around the car boot. I was jumping for joy when it started up again last week. Then I only came away with a couple of plates and some leeks. This week I found this gorgeous green glass vase which looks perfect with roses in. I also couldn't believe my luck when I found these embroidery scissors. I've wanted them for a while now. I have a perfectly fine boring pair, but I really really wanted these beautiful birdy ones and now they're mine.

After we had finished getting all the final things sorted out for little buns birthday tea party, we went to choose some flowers from the market. I try not to spend as much as I used to on flowers, so I was torn between two of my favourites - anenomes, which were my wedding bouquet and arunculas. I settled on the arunculas in the end. They look so beautiful all wrapped up tightly ready to burst forth in yet more colour. The book they are laying on is CK's Vintage Prints which was waiting in the letter box for me when I got home.

Today I thought this vintage blue glass jug was perfect to set off their sunshine colours. I have far too many vases and often settle for jam jars so I can scatter them all over the house.

I realised as I was writing this post that I was also wearing some subtle flowers today. The floral lace panelling on this blouse was my reason for buying it. My favourite clothes are from Noa Noa and I love anything similar to their style. Our local Rainbow has a Dorothy Perkins tucked in the corner and that's where I found this top and fabulous ring.

Much later on, after tea we did our usual last minute mad dash to start and finish a project. Tommorow night is the Brownies recycled fashion show. The buns had to design and make clothes from recycled things. They had drawn the designs a few weeks ago, but the making never quite happened. Considering we had about an hour I think the results are pretty darned good.

Little Bun in Philip Treacey's latest with feathers, straws and recycled tissue paper.

Eldest Bun in Vivienne Westwood's newsprint t-shirt.