Look what I knitted

Afternoon all, second post for today started to catch up with your blogs this morning and will continue now this afternoon, hopefully I can get to everybody today.

Went to my coffee morning, came back got my neighbour her lunch, sat and had mine and a little doze in the chair then came out to my craft room and started taking pictures of things I have been making over the last few days which is not very much as I have been resting ready for a big family wedding this weekend.

My first make is a baby blanket, bought the wool about 2 years ago now at the Exeter craft show at Westpoint this actually knitted up quite fast which I am glad about as I don't do a lot of knitting any more as unable to follow pattern due to fibro fog.

so here it is

you can't really see it very well but I have threaded lilac ribbon around the edge of the blanket and then tied a bow in the corner it looks very pretty.  Am going to get some more wool and make a blue and white blanket as this one has lilac and pink running through it. 

My other make is another wedding card as Alan thought the one I made for the Grooms Mum and Dad to give to the happy couple not traditional enough so will take the two of them with me and Lynn my sister-in-law can choose which one she wants.  I will post that one tomorrow.  

Well that's it for now am going to try and catch up with everyone.

Love 

Alison xx

Another New Challenge lots of layers

Hi All, we have another challenge for you over at Crafting for All Seasons and this fortnight's theme is lots of layers and our sponsor is

http://stitchybearstamps.com/shop/

and this is what I have come up with

Why not pop along and see what the rest of our wonderful team have come up with way better than anything I can do they are such a fantastic team to work with.

My elderly neighbour has pulled a muscle in her back and is in agony helped her yesterday morning to get out of bed and shower, popped in and out through the day getting her lunch, etc and then last night popped her back into bed.  Again this morning helped her out of bed etc etc but her granddaughter lives in the next road and has not even been near which I am flaming about as my health is not too good but I could not leave her in the state she was.  I contacted the GP today and he came out to her gave her some ibuprofen and has arranged for a carer to come in of a morning to help get her up and in the evening to put her to bed, which will make things easier for me.  

I went to my crafty night on Monday and thoroughly enjoyed myself, finished my baby blanket which I will post tomorrow and then this morning is our Coffee Stop and as it's my turn to do the tea's and coffee's will not be doing much sitting and chatting it's only for one week out of every four so that's not too bad.  

Not done any more sewing for a couple of days now am going to make an apron for an adult next and still have enough material for a couple more children's aprons in the old dreaded oil cloth lol.  

Hope you enter the challenge at CFAS as would love to see your entries.  

Lots of love 

Alison xx

New Challenge

Morning everybody, today we have a new challenge over at OBAG and this fortnight's theme is Hats and was chosen by the lovely Janet.

Here is my card and is Mitzy the duck who loves chocolate and is very glamorous 

Why not pop over to the site and see the rest of the team's creations they are fabulous.  

I will be back later to catch up with all your lovely blogs.

Love Alison

xxx

Monday Morning

Hello bloggers, hope you all had a good weekend mine was very restful, fell asleep yesterday afternoon about 2pm and didn't wake up until around 6pm, I then helped prepare and cook dinner and after that came into my little craft space to do some blogging to catch up with everyone.

During the morning I had a go at making some extra bubbly sugar scrub which I make up on a regular basis as I use it on my feet and once a month have an all over body scrub with it as it certainly livens the skin up.  I use lime essential oil in mine but you can use almost any essential oils.

I am going to have my bath bombs, body scrub and moisturising cream safety assessed and will then be able to sell them along with my soaps etc.  I know how to make all these but make them for family at the moment as not allowed to sell until this assessment is done.  Normally I would use a mixture of white and unbleached granulated sugar but didn't have any unbleached left so just used the white.

Nothing much is happening today, trying to finish knitting my baby blanket and finish a couple of DT cards that need to be completed and that's about it in the craft department today apart from tonight when I go to the craft club across the road again really enjoyed it last week.  I also need to try and get a GP appointment for sometime through the week as I only want to see my own GP this can sometimes take weeks.  

Have a great day and I will catch up with all your lovely blogs once my housework is completed.  

Love to all

Alison xx

Restful days

Hi Everybody went to my craft class on Friday and the altered boxes we made I have thrown in the bin as it was not worth the £5.00 we paid for the class awful so put that behind me and move on.  So on Friday afternoon decided to do a bit more sewing and came up with a padded cover for my kindle to protect it when it is in my bag, I took ages sorting this pattern out as the instructions were not very clear, so when Sarah came home from work she sat down read the instructions said they didn't make sense and showed me what she would do and it worked I now have a lovely padded kindle protector.

Kindle cover

I was going to go to Rachel's yesterday but Alan decided not to work and asked if I would mind not going and spending some time with him instead and of course hubby must come before crafts no matter how my mind is saying boo hoo but I can always go and see Rachel but spending time with Alan is precious.  We didn't do much as the weather was awful.  Alan sorted the light bulb on my sewing machine as it wasn't working when I bought it and the company sent me a new bulb so Alan got that working.  He then went to the shop for me and did a bit of shopping and whilst he was out I made this.

2nd Child's Apron

Today I am working on knitting a pram blanket the wool I have had in for about 2 years so thought I best get on with all this little outstanding crafty bits I have had on the back boiler for a couple of years.  Especially as we have another craft fair coming up on the 5th May called the fair in the square here in Cornwood and people come from miles to attend this made really good money two years ago when it was held and that was before I started making soap and candles.  

I will back later to do a bit of blog hopping and catching up with everyone, but am going to sit and rest my swollen feet again, am going to try and get a Doctors Appointment to get this sorted once and for all am fed up of the pain in my feet now.  

Love to all

Alison xx

New Challenge

We are starting a new challenge today over at Open-Minded Crafting Fun Challenge  and this fortnight's theme is Sports or Activity and our wonderful sponsors are:

Stitchybear

Art by Miran

Kenny K

Pholkart Studio

I chose an image from Stitchybear called Veteran Bowler, just loved this image and the card came together quite easily thank goodness and she looks just like me but to complete my look she needs to get rid of the beer and the bowling bag and change them to a can of coke and a shopping bag lol.  

Why not pop over and see what the rest of the team have been up to and then join in the fun with so many wonderful sponsors you could be a winner of some wonderful prizes. 

I am hoping to go to Rachel's this afternoon for some crafty time and will do a bit of blog hopping when I get home.  

Take Care

Love Alison xx

Sore Fingers

I spent the afternoon yesterday making a child's apron in oilcloth, never never again, it is the most awful stuff to sew and my poor fingers are sore from trying to poke the pins through a double fold for the seams so ended up just enfolding the seams into bias binding and doing an edge around the apron.  I future think I will stick to material lol.

Today I am off out to a craft class where we are doing altered boxes (I think) so will show you that when complete (no more candles for a while) I hope to go to Rachel's on Saturday for a crafty afternoon hopefully nothing goes wrong health or anything else wise as I have missed going over the last couple of weeks.  Will probably take the stuff with me to make a DT card or two and possibly my knitting.

I will be back later on to do some blog hopping, so hope you all have a good weekend and manage to get some crafty time for yourselves.

Love Alison xx

Where has the week gone

Blimey it's Thursday already don't know where this week has gone.  Went to my coffee morning yesterday and when I got home goodies that I ordered just before Easter arrived so was able to get on and make a card which has been ordered by my sister in law for our nephew's wedding which we are attending early May.  Their colours are blue and yellow so this is what I made mind the idea came from Coops, she makes lovely cards and this one on her blog is just gorgeous.

and here is Sarah's shawl that she asked me to make to go with her dress the material is a nightmare to sew but managed it in the end.  I also made a repair job on Alan's jacket the lining had come apart at the sleeve seam and I have promised to sort it every night this week so finally got around to it.   I am off out this morning to deliver my order which I finished on Tuesday and then back home to do some more sewing have a couple of projects on the go which I want to finish, will post them when completed.

Sarah's Shawl

This photo does not do it justice as it is sparkles when the sunlight hits it

the material is organza 

Also altered the top half of the dress to make it actually fit Sarah as the dress has been very poorly made, but with a bit of tweaking here and there it now looks so much better.

will be back later on to do some blog hopping, take care

Alison xxx

Done it again

I have been very naughty nearly set the house on fire again, left my candle wax on the cooker went to answer the phone forgot all about the wax next thing smoke alarm is going off (thank god they work) luckily it was just thick acrid smoke but no fire this time.  Just don't know where my brain is half the time, I'm dangerous to be let out honestly.

On a good note just completed an order worth £32.50 so a bit of money made this week, my web page is starting to pay it's way thank goodness.

I am at my coffee morning today and this afternoon am going to finish Sarah's wrap that she asked me to make to go with her dress for a big family wedding that we are attending at the beginning of May, poor old Bella will be going into kennels and Toby in the cattery, so no cards or candle making for me for a couple of days need to get my sewing done.  Also have started knitting a baby blanket bought the wool at the Exeter Craft Show couple of years ago now so thought I would use that up, I recently made a scarf in black and silver wool.

I am waiting for a stamp to turn up so I can make a card that my sister-in-law has requested as it's her son that is getting married.

Don't have any crafty pictures to show you today but this is Toby up a tree at the back of the bungalow he is growing up so fast want him to stay a kitten ahhh well.

will be back again after my coffee morning to check out your lovely blogs.

Until then

Love Alison xx

Lovely Day Today

Welcome to my new follower Regina thank you for joining me on my crafty journey.

Had a lovely day yesterday, went shopping with Sarah got a new pair of sandals to fit me when my feet are not so swollen, then went to Hobby Craft bought some wicks to have in stock in case anyone ordered a candle which I might not have in my stock pile.  Came home to dinner already prepared and was told to sit and not move unless it was to go to the loo lol.  

So caught up on blogs on Sarah's laptop, then about 3pm made some Banana Soap, had dinner then about 7pm went out to join a group of women in the village who have formed a crafty group just to get away from the house and a chat really but I took knitting with me, one of the other women made a couple of cards, another did some sewing, one drawing and the other lady was making some wall art with a bit of driftwood her son had brought home really enjoyed myself.  

Up bright and early this morning, did housework, had shower, took Bella out, came back and made two candles and two cards and am now onto my third card for an order I had been given, she also wanted some soap but the one she wants will not be ready for six more weeks but she said she doesn't need it until September so that's ok.  

Anyway onto my crafty stuff 

Banana Soap smells really yummy 

Good old Bugaboo always comes in handy 

I just love Stella

As I am still in the process of making the third card will post that one tomorrow.  So am signing off just now and will catch up with all your lovely blogs this afternoon.  

Love Alison xx

Off Out Shopping

Today's post is picture poor I'm afraid.  Very tired think everything has caught up with me so couple of restful days are in order.  Alan went and did the fresh food run today whilst I had a bit of a tidy and made some Banana Soap it smells yummy.  I then did a bit of blogging and Sarah and Alan unloaded the car brought everything in and put it all away.

I have an order for two large pillar candles and two container candles and three cards, so I already have two containers and 1 pillar so one more of them to make and have started on one of the cards, so should have them all done by Wednesday me hopes.

I am off to get in the shower just now lazy devil still undressed and then we are going to Endsleigh Garden Centre as I found a pair of sandals and bought one pair in a slightly bigger size to go with my swollen feet and am going to buy a pair in the smaller size for when my feet are back to normal again.

This afternoon well the chair is beckoning me so guess I will be putting my feet up and having a good read.

Well that's it for me today will post the cards I am making tomorrow and then I will be getting on with some DT work

Bye for now

Love Alison xx

A very tired Alison

Jessica's 18th Birthday Party went well, she looked beautiful, but she got a bit upset when a couple of boys from school got a bit drunk and were throwing food around and generally making idiots of themselves until Daddy and Granddad sorted them out (in fact sent them home) after that things settled down and everybody had a good time, we left around 10.30 as we had to get up early to attend the craft show.

BE WARNED THIS POST IS PICTURE HEAVY.

So pictures well here goes:

The Birthday Girl Jessica

The Birthday Girl with Big Sister Nicole

 Birthday Girls's Mummy (Pauline blonde hair)  and Aunty Sarah messing about

The Family

Me on far left, then Alan, Pauline our eldest in the middle and then the baby Sarah 

I have just realised how much weight I have put on since my knee op last year really need to diet now

The Sweet Table 

The Cake 

And now for the Craft Fair

Up at 5am left home around 6am got to Hatherleigh around 7.30 and was all ready for the grand opening at 9am, lovely day if not freezing as we were in the animal pens in the main hall no sunlight getting through and it was a wind tunnel but apart from that a really good day.

The Banner

Part 1 of Table 

Part 2 of Table

Part 3 of Table 

The Ladder with Candles 

The Whole Table 

Sarah Minding the Stall

Well that's it folks told you is was very picture heavy 

have caught up with all my blogging so am off to bed now

a very tired Alison 

Goodnight 

Love Alison 

On the way

When this is posted I should be on the way to Hatherleigh near Bideford in North Devon which is around 2 hour trip from here for the County Fair that Sarah booked me into so she is driving and doing all the humping of some quite heavy boxes with lots of candles, soap and cards,  hopefully I will not have forgotten the camera so will take photo's when all set up.

I managed to get a bit more soap made yesterday made a Clary Sage Soap with ground pumice in it as an
exfoliant which is part of an order that has come through which is for three cards, 4 candles and 3 bars of soap so as soon as this craft fair is over I will get started on the cards and candles.

I also made a card, not for anyone in particular just fancied making a card and wanted to do something a bit different from my normal type of card, its good to get the old crafting juices going, it took me ages to make this and it looks nothing like the vision I had in my mind, but for all that I think it turned out quite nice.

I managed to catch up with everyone yesterday so will be back on Sunday to let you all know how it went and pictures of Jessica's party and the Craft Fair.

Hope you all have a good weekend and see you tomorrow.

Love Alison xxx

Another Beautiful Sunny Day

Hope everybody is enjoying this beautiful weather, Jessie's 18th Birthday Party is tonight, will try and get some pictures if I can get her to pose.  Sarah is going over to help Pauline (our eldest daughter) with setting things up and then coming home and loading her car up ready for the big day tomorrow, and as they have forecast another gorgeous day hopefully there will be a good turn out for the county fair.

I also had an email yesterday from Devon County Council asking if I would like to attend the Grand Western 200 Festival which will be held near Tiverton at the end of May, but I am going to decline this as it is £60.00 a table if inside and £30.00 a table if I take a gazebo and have a stall outside but then there is petrol on top of this and will I have enough stock as I have two other fairs booked for May, Sarah and I were calculating that I would need to take at least £120.00 to break even as I would have to buy a gazebo as well, shame really but I can only do so much and would rather have my health than the money.

I met our new neighbour yesterday and she seems very nice and is a crafter so it will be nice to get together although she does different things to me, she does mosaics, healthy dog treats/biscuits, cards and sewing.  I have made a card for her which Alan posted through her door yesterday, I do hope she likes it.

I put wink of stella on the flowers and butterfly to give it some sparkle and the image is from an old PC Crafters club that I belonged to and they are no longer around which is a shame as I bought lots of packages from them and some of them are gorgeous.

Am off now to make some soap and will catch up with all your blogs afterwards but I have to get this made as it takes 6 weeks to cure and want to keep my stock rolling.

Love to all

Enjoy your Easter Break.

Love Alison xx

A New Day

Thank goodness this week is nearly over I have been late blogging all my DT posts this week, obviously too much sun just not used to it.

My poor old feet are still very swollen my GP does not seem to be interested though examined them and said don't want to give you water tablets do more exercise and don't sit down too much, when does anyone have the time to sit down lol

picture of my poor old feet 

Close up of left foot 

We are going to a rather posh wedding at the beginning of May how am I going to get shoes to fit?

I have made another bespoke candle of both my granddaughter's as Nicole and Dean have split up so don't want to upset Nicole by showcasing that one as a sample at craft fairs etc, I love this picture although it is quite an old one now as this was taken when Nicole was 18 she is now 23, where do the years go.

and to top it all off here is a photo of Toby on Sarah's bed this morning he looks so cute but in reality he is a little monster, but we do love him 

We did a mock run of my craft fair last night to see how and where things will go on the table must say it looks rather nice will take photo's on the day but on Friday night we are off to Jessica's 18th party bash and have to be on the road by 5.30am on Saturday as it is a two hour drive and the fair starts at 9am.  Thank goodness for Sarah as we are going in her car must remember to update the sat nav otherwise we will get lost lol.  

Am off to do some blog hopping just now so will catch you all soon.

Love

Alison xxx

New Challenge over at Oldie But A Goodie

Oh Dear don't know what is the matter with me at the moment my head is not on the same planet as everyone else I missed the deadline for my Oldie But A Goodie DT spot, I am going to be sacked if this carries on so without further ado

The theme this fortnight at OBAG is It's Easter so why not pop along and join in and also see what the rest of the design team have come up with.  Here is my card

I have finally caught up with all my blogging and also commenting for my DT spots am going to put the dates of my DT work in my calender and add an alarm for the day before it is due that way I will not be late again how embarrassing.

Well am off to bed just now as I am very tired.  

Goodnight to all

Love Alison xx

I'm late, I'm late for a very important date

Oh dear late again with another challenge, Over at Crafting For All Seasons we have a new challenge and the theme this fortnight is ribbons and lace and our sponsor is

Limited Runs

 

this is my card and I used digi image Molly 

I am so busy at the moment don't know if I am coming or going I am doing a craft fair on Saturday and am busy getting ready for this as my darling daughter Sarah decided to book me in and only told me two days ago luckily I have been getting ready for craft fairs that I have booked myself into so have enough stock and if I sell a lot have enough time to build stock up again before the next craft fair which is on the 5th May. 

I am trying to catch up with everybody's blog today have already made a start but I have to go out just now as it is the Wednesday Coffee Morning.  

Why not pop over to Crafting For All Seasons and join in you never know you may be a lucky winner.

Bye for now

Alison x

Good News

Sarah had an interview on Friday for a job which she has been temping in now for nearly two years and she was short-listed along with one other, but thank goodness Sarah got the job, Yippeee only trouble is the money she was going to use to get a flat she had to buy a car with so now she is having to save up all over again, so she will be living with us for a few months yet.

I have been asked if I would like to display my candles in a crafty shop which is highlighting local people's craft so have said yes please so am off to do that in a moment plus go and post Wendy's goodies that she won as I did not get around to it yesterday as Alan was home, he took time out bless him to do all the jobs I am no longer able to do.  Cleaned windows and washed all the frame work, washed all the skirting boards in every room and then pulled furniture out to clean behind and under in all the rooms, gave the oven a really good clean and all the cupboards in the kitchen and then scrubbed down the bathroom so everywhere is looking lovely and clean.

Here is the last of my commissioned cards for a little boy who loves rugby and is going to be 12 at the end of this month

the image is a LOTV stamp and coloured in with spectrum noir pens still not got to grips with hair but getting there slowly with my colouring.  

Well am off to finish tidying my craft room, will be back later to do a bit of blog hopping so 

bye for now

Alison xxx

New Challenge over at

Oh dear I am late posting my DT Card I am so sorry too much going on I am afraid, it's our granddaughter's birthday tomorrow so have been trying to help get that sorted.   No excuse though really.

Well today's challenge on Open-Minded Crafting Fun is #8 and Easter or Pastel Colours we have some fabulous prizes from some wonderful sponsors

http://www.2cuteink.com/

and the prize from here is 2 images 

http://www.doctor-digi.com/

Prize 2 images 

http://meljensdesigns.com/

Prize 4 images

and last but not least 

https://www.blogger.com/scrappersdelights.com/store/

Prize 3 images

How wonderful is that, so without further ado here is my card  and I used CU Easter Bunny from Scrappers Delights 

Why not pop along join in the fun and see what the rest of our great team have made I promise you some wonderful creations.  I will sign off just now but will be back later to give you the news about Sarah and her job and to highlight a card I made as part of the commissioned cards which I have now finished, and an update on how it went at the Doctors re my swollen feet.

Love to all

Alison xx

Sunny Day

Morning all, lovely sunny day here on Dartmoor, might be able to get some washing done.  I am up early as I have to phone the doctors to try and get an appointment as my feet are very swollen and looking bruised and have been for a couple of days. but hey ho life goes on.

Sarah has her interview for the job she has been temping in for the past 2 years at 11.00 today think I am more nervous than she is.  Thankfully she will find out today if she is successful or not, only one other person applied for this as they only advertised it internally, so fingers crossed.

I have made a cascade card as part of the commissioned set of cards that I was asked to make, only one more and I will be making that one today as my LOTV stamp arrived in the post yesterday.

Am off to get my breakfast before I do a bit of housework and then have to be in Ivybridge for 11.00 as I am meeting a friend for coffee at the Garden Centre, will do some blog catching up this afternoon.

Lots of love

Alison 

Winner of blog candy

Hi all this is a quick one as I dinner is ready and I need to dish up.

The winner of my candy blog is Wendy F (No 7) as picked by random org.  Wendy if you can email me your address I will get the stuff in the post to you asap.  Thank you to everyone who entered, I will be doing another candy give away in the next few weeks so don't go anywhere.

Alison xxxx

Today is the day t

I had a busy day yesterday, coffee stop in the morning, afternoon, came home and designed some posters for the big breakfast we hold twice a year in the village and people come from miles away for a Full English Breakfast with tea/coffee and toast all thrown in for around £5.00, I am not involved in this one apart from the posters as I resigned from the Village Committee.

I waited for a delivery in the afternoon of more pillar wax which I ordered on Tuesday and it arrived around 3pm how's that for service.  I then made some container candles in Nag Champa, Vanilla and Love Spell perfumes and then sorted dinner out, filled the dishwasher and then decided to make some more pillar candles I now have 93 Container Candles and approx 60 Pillar Candles but will make some more pillar one's today, plus some candles for around the house as I finished the last one today, usually have one in our bedroom and two in the living room and one in the bathroom.

I started a a card yesterday and finished it off this morning this is part of the commissioned cards only two more to make after this one, but am awaiting a stamp which I ordered from LOTV which has not arrived yet which is very unusual.  If not in today's post will contact them to see what is happening.

I just loved making this card it is so unusual, the image is from Saturated Canary some of the flowers are from the ribbon girl and the others are from petal lu.

Don't forget that I am closing my blog candy at 6pm tonight and will announce the winner shortly afterwards of if you wish to join in and grab some candy you need to go Here, am off to do some blog hopping just now and start then next of the commissioned cards.

Lots of love

Alison