Crochet WIP

This is something that MummySew and I are creating together - a massive mohair granny square blanket! Although the granny squares are giant squares I have to admit.

 We have quite a stash of them now! 16 in fact. Aiming for 25 which should be double bed throw size. 

It works quite well since I can do some in Glasgow or on placement and Mum can do some in Leeds. Better keep at it! 

MummySews previous mohair blanket is so warm and snuggley, despite being crocheted and hole-y, I just had to have one for myself!!

Fairy Mice!!

Courtesy of MummySew...what on earth could be better?? She's holding a little silver star *eeep!*. Her pattern was from Alan Dart and he calls them fluffy fairies! I just can't find the pattern online anymore. Found it! He has it for free - he's a genius! Click here

  

On a more simplistic note - felt mice for your christmas stockings! Loving the whiskers, although I unfortunately can't remember where I got their pattern from! Found him! He's a seriously cute mouse tutorial from Rhythm and Rhyme (which is a really lovely blog).

A few wee updates!

Greetings from a super busy medical student!! Sorry I haven't been keeping you up to date! Here's a quick run through of what passed through my crafty fingers recently...

These guys i found over at weewonderfuls who's blog i adore! I had a go at Santa, Mrs Santa and a little green elf. I hope she doesn't mind!! They were shipped off to a few family members with kiddies at Christmas (and a few big kids). I enjoyed making them soo much - especially using glue for once, not sewing every little bit on. Cheating but shh....

I sent quite a few presents off in little bags like this recently too - made out of enveloped would you believe it! Fantastic for my student budget - see how to do it over at HowAboutOrange.
The next photo is a gorgeous french knitted necklace that Tom's Mum made for me for Christmas - isn't it beautiful! A few little buttons sewn on add a nice but of detail and the yarn she used is sooo soft - I love it! The other necklace I found on vintage stall - it's lots of sequins and beads sewn on to what i think is an old dress collar. Really different - everyone always comments! Just thought i'd share with you too...

Ah yes MummySew made me the most amazing tea cosy!!!! Look how fab it is! Completely lined
too. It's made of felted wool and she'd appliqued on lots of adorable little figures - it's the pride of our teapot!!

She also found these amazing books - 'The Screwtape Letters' by C.S.Lewis, 'Vision of Sir Launfal' by James Lowell and 'A Gallery of Children' by A.A.Milne.

How amazing to find books by well known authors - old, well -loved but beautiful! The first it dedicated to J.R.R.Tolkein - imagine that!

On a cutesy note...we decoupaged this little Piggy Bank over christmas - he's just waiting for a big pink nose-button!! The pencil pot is another new love too - Cath Kidston fabric and pink pompoms! What on earth could be better? I hope your New Year is just as colourful and exciting!

Driftwood Dreams

I have always loved driftwood crafted items - something so raw about them, all those worn down curves on something that's usually so stoic...sew the first attempted item was simple - bookend for MummySew! Tom and I had some trouble thinking of something cool to get mummysew for christmas last year...she had seen these on folksy and wowed at them, sew we thought we would have a go.

We went to the beach somewhat doubting that we'd find any driftwood at all...but look at our spoils! It was pettycur bay we visited, in Fife, and despite it being a scottish November, the sun was shining and with all the rock hopping and digging, we soon warmed up :)

I hosed them down in the shower to get rid of all the sand and crawlies and then leant them up against the radiator to dry...which took weeks. About a week before christmas tom got to work finding dowels. He made two lead dowels for weight which he slotted down into holes he drilled in the base...and then he drilled down the lead dowels to add wooden ones that would hold the upright of the bookends in place.

They have quite a good weight now to keep them upright and rubber feet on their base for grip. Between us we came up with the design, trying to keep them both slightly different - quirky?

p.s. can you tell how behind I am with posting? i'm still catching up with last years chrsitmas presents!

MummySews Garden

Mums been planting up pots and wheelbarrows and hanging baskets for the past few weeks - the garden will be absolutely decked with flowers this summer!
There's still a few more to pot up and hang and then they just need arranging around the garden! We're having a joint 21st/50th birthday party this summer so the garden will be beautified for all our guests! :)

Happy Mothers Day!

Happy Mothers Day! I made a card as usual, but was even more fuelled to DIY it after popping into Clinton Cards and seeing all the little cards at £5.00 each. No thanks! Anyway, Scherenschnitte came to the rescue with a gorgeous paper cut out (very fiddly - had to get the scalpel out!) that worked very well.

Download your own PDF and have a go yourself here - but do check out her other designs, they are all equally delightful!

I got a bit paper-cutting mad and found this idea on How About Orange and used that to frame my message as well. I copied her pattern but its basically a well thought out paper snowflake! I can't wait to try some other designs :)

Oh and i found these gorgeous earrings on Folksy which are very Mummy Sew. Just missed the sale *sigh* but Gama agreed to pop a little Happy Mothers Day note in the packet for me which was lovely of her and meant i could post direct to Ma.

To Finish...Happy Mothers Day MummySew! Thank you for your love and attention, your patience and education. I cannot wait to see you again :)

Robin Hoods Bay

I had the most wonderful weekend. I think I've mentioned this three times here already but I DID. look...

We had an eco lodge for the night in Ravenscar just down the coast from Robin Hoods Bay.

Tom organised the most beautiful flowers and chocolates!

We had a log burning stove and 2 floors with a kitchen and the most decadent wallpaper and chandeliers all to ourselves! Gorgeous lodges with the most spectacular views...

We went for a swim at the hotel, wandered down into Robin Hoods Bay and went fossil hunting and found an amenite fossil! And some cheats fossil hunting...which was too pretty and touristy to refuse! Isn't it inspiring??

Oh and we went out for the yummiest dinner at the Wayfarer Bistro also in Robin Hoods Bay which had the most gorgeous abstract artwork. I had lemon sole, and Tom had seabass - it seemed rude not to have fish when they were so famous for it.

We giggled all weekend, had tea and cakes at every tearoom we passed and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves! Of course going back home to MummySew was lovely too. Amazing home cooking, crafty times and bread making...I didn't want to leave :(

Cosy Gloves

I can't remember if I ever showed you these? They have been my salvation this winter. I wear them almost everyday - revelling in the fact that i can text with gloves on! It was Mummy Sew again of course - they were 2 christmasses ago now i think and they're still going strong. I do adore bright colours :) they cheer up dull days sew quickly! Magically easy to do too - knit a square and and when you sew the sides up, leave a hole in the seam!

I also have a couple of little people waiting to meet their buttons. Maggie and Samantha will have a sibling or two soon!

Twits and...oinks!

Just a few more little updates from the stockings this year...!

These little owlets came as a pair and are here for no other reason than i love them! :) The little lavender pouch is adorable and sew simple - just a length of lace seamed and stuffed, with a little bow :)

This is a slightly bigger patchwork lavender pouch that has a pattern lurking somewhere - i'll let you know when i dig it out. All my drawers will smell lovely this year :)

And this guy is a...pig?? I think so...curlytail, big circular nose - what else?! Its up for debate anyway. I bought him for Tom yesterday from oxfam because i want a whole family - he has a new welder so it should be put to a good (?) use!

Designer Recycling!

The christmas tree came down 2 days ago, and our traditional barbie angel was wrapped back up and dissappeared back into the attic...sad, but exciting - a new year, a new decade even! She has a half made friend with her in the attic, for when i finally have a tree of my own :)

I also wanted to show you another thing that MummySew had for me under the tree this christmas...
An enormous crochet rug! It'll liven up my floor at uni...she upcycled a bit, using an old cable knit sweater that she unraveled (a jaeger one!)...but she doubled the thread and came out with this wonderfully squishy bath mat/rug for me to enjoy. It's roughly a metre across!

mm...

Mousey mousey!

Remember these squeakers?? MummySew knitted up some additions to the family!

How fabulously cute!! I love the bow in her hair :)

Oh and we had a white christmas this year - inches and inches of slippery, icy snow! Christmas eve involved a snowball fight and snowman time - he was 6' tall...but shrunk a bit before we managed to get pictures in daylight :(

Felt scraps...

...make wonderful stocking fillers!

Some for boys...(how much fun did i have with these?!)

Some for girls...
and some for crackers..! (there were five once...maybe something nibbled one - something appearing in the next post - keep your eyes peeled!)

Oh and MummySew cooked up something for a boys stocking too! Just big enough for a santa choccie!

Home Sweet Home

I'm Home!!! (well, i was home two weeks ago, but my postlet got forgotten...anyway i have found it again and here it is!)

And look who was waiting for me...

He's a mix of standard stuffing with pearl barley and lavender in his bottom and at the end of his limbs - so i think he could work like a wheat pocket and be microwave-able? He's a gorgeous little thing from MummySew - sew not only does he smell nice, but he sits upright cause he has heavy handsies!

This tombe was also awaiting me - 'A Physician in the House' by J. H Greer. Its a White Cross Emergency book from 1914, with the most hilarious antidotes...for example...

"Sore Throat - hardly any remedy for sore throat proves more effacious than the old-fashioned plan of tying around the throat a slice of fat bacon on which is sprinkled red pepper."

How amazing that medicine has gone so far in less than 100 years. Should be comical to compare to my readings at uni.

Its all madness!

Oh, I've also been making bows - just little delicate ones for my hair. Sew simple, Sew quick, Sew cute! I like them in red...

Do you Believe in Angels?

Mummy Sew sent a little hand drawn card up to me in Glasgow the other day which read ' Do you Believe in Angels?' and then inside...'There may be one coming your way soon!'
How intrigueing! And then today the post bought me my first christmas card (not counting the Royal Mail one) - a cancer research one with Singing Angels on from Ma...accompanied with...Maggie!!!

Isn't she fantastic?? All her limbs are buttons, with beads for knees so that she articulates. Such a sweeeet idea :) She starts the festive season - university halls doesnt seem to do festive very well. Thank goodness for Mummy Sew!!

Tote time

Mummy Sew seems to have been REALLY busy while i was away! Another pretty thing she finished off this weekend:
She used two old pockets and old buttons, suffolk puffs and bows...and i think its lovely! She found the pocket in a scrap bag that Flossyblossy gave us. I thought using old pockets and straps from old clothes was a wonderful idea!

Possibly going up for sale on Folksy...