Here comes the sun...

The new issue of Crafts Beautiful is out now (September 2011) and just before I jet off on my hols I thought I'd quickly pop in to show you my projects for them this month.

I've actually got two different projects in this issue, a card project with an outdoorsy Summer theme, and a notebook, keyring, and bookmark set created using bright patchwork type fabrics... Really enjoyed doing both of these, especially as they are quite different to each other. Am loving the fabrics I used for the project below at the moment - really want to make myself a patchwork cushion from them at some point - another project to add to my  long list then! I just think they are so pretty...

Sorry it's only a brief visit today, but thanks for all the kind comments on my last couple of posts - glad you like my new workspace as much as I do! Still have a big smile on my face every time I go in there!

 

Anyway, I will be away from blogland again for the next few weeks but here's wishing you all a fabulous rest of the Summer - will be back soon - hopefully nice and refreshed and with a little bit of a tan if I'm lucky (though I'm so super pale usually it's quite normal for me to get 'Oh I thought you were going away?? Or was the weather just awful?' when I come back. 'No no, this is me with a tan!')

 

Have just been to Asda - I'm a classy lady - to stock up on a few more cheapy beach clothes so now am all set. So much looking forward to having some time in the sunshine and not having the pressure to do anything in particular, though sadly, my crochet will not be coming with us - tried my best to squeeze all 15 balls of wool in the suitcase, but I have had to accept that I just cannot fit it in! Taking half of it just will not do, I want it all or nothing... So as a compromise, am taking my tapestry to finish instead!

 

Have a lovely few weeks, back soon x

 

Just about unpacked...

Hello again!! So we have now moved and as the title suggests, are just about there with the unpacking! Things went relatively smoothly all in all, and we are enjoying making the house our own... I just hate the stage where half the stuff is still in boxes lining every room so we've worked hard to sort everything out and I so am pleased to say all the boxes are now gone!

We've been waiting on deliveries of bits and pieces over the last week, including some Ikea furniture for my new studio space which came on Wednesday. Have spent the last two days putting it all together and sorting out my workroom... and I have to say, I just love it!!

I wasn't going to post any pics until I came back from my hols, but I just can't help myself! Excuse the lack of a chair in the photos below... it is currently dismantled and awaiting a spray paint makeover (am thinking red which I think will look fab - boring black just won't cut it in such a colourful room!!)

So.... this is my new studio space.... what do you think?

 

I hope you like it... I LOVE it!! It just feels like such a nice space, one where I can be really creative. You can't really see from the pictures either that there is a lovely big square floorspace in this room. I do a lot of my work on the floor, cutting out fabrics...etc (would it be totally greedy of me to want a cutting table too? Yes... OK, I can make do with the floor instead!) Sigh... so much looking forward to working in here!

(Note the other side of the room at the moment is still a complete tip. Though as it homes all the really ugly but necessary stuff like cardboard boxes, bubblewrap, padded envelopes, all my folders and files, big bolts of fabric, lots more boxed stock etc I'm not sure I will ever really be able to make it truly 'pretty'! Will (maybe) show you some pics of that side once it is a little more organised!)

Anyway, as I said before, I do have a couple more things to sort for this room, like my chair for example... it is just one of those boring plain swivel chairs, but hopefully with a lick of paint and a bit of re-upholstry, it will be good to go. Will show some before and after pics when I get around to it!

Also need to sort the other side of the room. May buy some more of the jumbo storage bags you see in the pictures above... They are amazing, they can hold so much, are super cheap (about £4.00 each with postage) and come in such pretty designs too. In fact, have got another of the duck egg doiley ones in the kitchen - it holds all our recycling instead of having it in those big ugly boxes!)

Right best go, have lots of things to sort out this afternoon, but just before I do, here are some pics of a couple of my seaside-y products in this month's CrossStitcher magazine - the August issue...

Anyway, hope you've all have a good couple of weeks - sorry for my complete abscence visiting your blogs over the last fortnight, have just had so much to do, but will hopefully be able to catch up on what I've missed very soon :) Have a great weekend, hope the sun comes out!

p.s never in a million years will it all stay as tidy as this! Nice to have some photos though to look back on though, haha! x

a granny square update...

Hello! Just popping in with a quick crochet update and also a little news...

The granny blanket is coming along slowly but surely. Still only managing one or two squares a day but it is surprising as the weeks go by how quick it starts to build - have done forty squares so far. Have decided to make the blanket 8 x 12 squares with a nice big border round the edge so nearly half way there on the squares front anyway! (And actually, I have done more than forty squares, that was a little lie... but some of them I just wasn't happy with the colours so I have hidden them in my drawer of shame!) Haha, yes I am that much of a perfectionist.

It was mainly that at the beginning, I did some squares that turned out either too light or too dark and they just looked funny amongst the rest. It would never have sat easy with me that they were in there, so annoying as it was to have to re-do them, it is for the best I think! 

There are some colour combinations and sequences that I find so lovely together, and then there are others that are not quite up my street individually but I think the overall balance is ok - am trying my hardest not to be overly fussy and just look at the bigger picture! 

Is it weird though that I am thinking about my next blanket project even though there is so much to do for this one still?? I am planning a granny stripe next. Oh I do think I may be a little bit blanket obsessed, but since I am always cold, I always have one never far away, so at least they will come in useful!

 

Anyway I also have some other news to tell you... you may (or may not) have noticed that both my website and NOTHS shops are suspended at the mo, and also I have been pretty much absent from the world of twitter/facebook etc recently. Well, these last few months have been quite stressful but kind of exciting too, as tomorrow, we complete on the purchase of our first house!!!!!

It has been a long old road with months and months of delays with mortgages, plans and solicitors (seriously, I have the solicitors on speed dial the number of times I've had to ring them lately) but things are almost there now. We have carpets to be fitted on Monday but then we will be moving on Wednesday next week with any luck!!

Have not even started the dreaded packing yet as I have been working hard to get a couple of commissions out of the way beforehand, but as of this afternoon, I am going to start on the packing/cleaning/organising stuff in earnest! So basically, I may not be around much for the next few weeks. Apart from all the above, I'm not holding out too much hope that BT will get their act together and transfer our phone/broadband etc on time, so may or may not have access to the Internet for a while anyhow, though fingers crossed we do - I hate living with no Internet, I always feel so cut off!

Then the week after we move, am actually going on holiday to Portugal for three weeks (yes I know, I did say three weeks!!!) Apart from the month I spent backpacking around Europe, I think it will be the longest holiday I've ever been on! Am hoping to be able to squidge my grannies into my baggage allowance but failing that, three weeks of sun, sea and hopefully relaxation will follow! So officially am not going to be re-opening my shops until 1st September. Wow does that does seem like a long way off at the moment but I know it will just whizz by, especially as I am planning to pack such a lot in!

Anyway, hopefully I will get the chance to post again before I jet off, but just in case I don't, here is wishing you all a very happy summer! 

Jenny xxx