Homemade,Handmade with glitter on top Christmas.........

Hello, hello everyone! another week has sped by in a blur of school runs, housework and of course some crafting!

Over the past few weeks I have been quite busy making some of my own Christmas decorations. Its become something of a tradition of the past few years, one that has happened without any conscious effort on my part. I have quite a few things around the home that have been made by myself that we put out every year now. I will have to put those in a post! But for now here are some of the things I have been making for our Christmas tree we have in our dinning room.
We have a big one in our front room in the bay window, one in our dinning room, even the kitchen has its own one! And last year we brought the girls a very small one for their room! Mmm yes we do like Christmas in our house.

Having redecorated our dinning room I really fancied a bit of a change in our tree decorations this year. The past few years its been very pink, purple and girly, which nothing wrong with that, but I really wanted a blast of colour this year! And I think that's what I will be getting! lol. So on the above picture I have made some gingerbread houses. I really enjoyed doing these. They were all made by hand so did take maybe longer than if I had machine stitched them. I really love them with their cinnamon stick chimneys! I have to say though I don't really like the white fur snow, I do have some lovely white fleece and think that might of been a better result. But that was earmarked for a very special project. shhhh. I also made a few for my mum too!


A little crooked door! well I think it adds to the charm, it was good to have a root through my scrap stash too. Which is huge! lol I hate throwing anything away.


It was fun choosing different fabrics for the windows, and felts for the doors. I really enjoyed embroidering the little wreaths on the doors too.



Little festive messages on the back and of course the year on one. Marking the memory.





Cute little gingerbread men! I made some big ones last year which I filled with some Christmasey smelling spices. And made little waistcoats for them too! But these ones are quite small and I didnt fancy making such diddy waistcoats. But I did give them bow ties though so they are smart for the festive season! And the hearts on there tummies? well I just like hearts! lol any excuse.
Smiley little fellas aren't they? Maybe its because they know they are made of felt and not yummy biscuit. lol. The next things I had an idea to make was these really pretty angel wings. Again they were great fun to make. And I was lucky as I found just enough of the pretty clear beads which I think just finishes them off nicely. I did find using the applique stitch on my machine a bit hard going though, it was either that or somehow binding them, and as I am rubbish at that even on straight edges I really didn't fancy my chances on this sort of shape.







Here they all are! I did think I had made a mistake with the blue one with the orange stitching. But as I was going along choosing the flowers and sequins and finishing with a lace bow I think its now one of my favourites! I find it amazing sometimes how these things just develop with a tiny seed of imagination from yourself.



I thought it might be nice doing different materials on the backs of them. I think at the time I thought I would embellish both sides, but too be honest as it was done by hand it was very time consuming, The picture doesn't really show the detail in the stitching to give the idea of a feathery shape.

Now no tree in my opinion is finished until you have an angle on top. I really have to say I love this little one. And no she isn't sleeping on the job! lol. She is actually singing a lovely heartfelt Christmas carol. I always rather imagine it might be "Silent Night", but then that is one of my favourites.



A bit more closer, I love this material and its popping up everywhere in my makes at the moment. I really will need to get some more, its just lovely to work with and good quality too.

Here's her angel wings. That's where I got my idea from for the smaller ones. I just love this Darla fabric, and think the two go together well.



A full view of her. You could just have hanging up on a wall. Good fun to make too. I am so glad I have started to make dolls again. And have some ideas for the new year. I am really hoping to get my shop up and running in the new year. Do you think dolls are a good idea to sell in my shop?


Well of course at this time of year if at any it shouldn't just be me doing all the crafty fun. Last Saturday my family and I, all had a wonderful afternoon. Like a lot of Dad's Daddy Boo Bear hasn't always been around much for crafty fun. And usually he would say its not his thing. But he wanted to help the girls to write out their Father Christmas letters. He had so much fun doing this with them. I had been gathering some things together for an idea I had a few weeks ago. So he got to join in on the gluey glittery fun. so.................................





Take some pine cones, some glue and lots of glitter plus quite a few pairs of hands. ( that's my glitter painted picture drying tray for the girls, its invaluable, although with the glitter quite a lot of it still finds its way - well everywhere!)



Some pretty jars are definitely needed for this project too.



Little Boo Bear concentrating really hard. Sporting her wild haired look! lol.






Here comes the glitter downpour! sprinkle sprinkle, twinkle twinkle!


Oh look there is Lala getting in there too, more glitter to be had on those pine cones!





All hands to the deck! its quite a job this crafty lark you know!



Ta dah! all that crafty fun and look what we produced! some twinkly battery operated lights and we have pretty sparkly jars full of glittery pine cones and baubles. What fun we had.




Those pretty jars are from the coffee DH drinks, I really love them and always salvage them from the recycling box! Its surprising what you can use them for. I hope DH doesn't go off that brand of coffee! lol.


Well phew that is quite a bit we have been up to. I am sure the next few weeks will pass very quickly. We have most of our decorations up, but we are doing the trees tomorrow with the girls. Mmmm I might send them in with their daddy, they can "help" him with the front room tree! hehe he . I will be back next week hopefully with some more festive stuff! Hope everyone has a great week.






MBBx

Giddy Antelope

Help I am hiding underneath an avalanche of fabric!!!!!!




That has definitely been me, over the past few weeks I have felt swamped. With decorating, Christmas the mess that decorating brings. Big crafty projects and small even more time consuming ones! its been tiring, I am still trudging up the hill of the domestic pile, as it seems everywhere in the house needs the specialist cleaning only the crack team of paramilitary bleach cleaners can handle. Our house is old and Victorian which I do love, but the bloody damp and mould that this time of year brings drives me insane! Grrrr grrr and double grrr. A lot of it probably would help if we really got our act together and changed a few things like proper heating in our front room, we only have a mega hideous BEIGE (puke) back boiler thing in our front room. Not heating wise its much better in our bathroom. Oh to be a millionaire.

Anyway that is why I really have not been around that much over the past few weeks. Its just trying to find the time to fit it all in. But anyhoo here I am. And I thought (after much debating with myself) to share my pictures of our newly decorated dinning room. Its going to be very much a work in progress. But I love it, it has just enough of an eclective mix of fun, colour, fabric and drama with a bit of contemporary twist that I love thrown in for good measure. One thing that I find hard, although I enjoy all the eye candy mags and the lovely blogs that you see, I worry that you are a bit too influenced by those images and your choices but not really be your tastes or personality. But I do reason with myself that if you are attracted by a certain thing or look then that must be your taste? right? But I did keep in mind other aspects of my tastes and DH's (sort of although he just goes with the flow on these things paint everything white and stick everything in a tea chest and he would be happy! lol).

A few Saturdays ago me and DH had a lovely Saturday to ourselves to go to IKEA, without our lovely girls. Who were thoroughly spoilt/looked after by their lovely mummy nanna. We had a lovely time looking around at our leisure and we went to buy some Billy Bookcases that we have had our eye on for sometime. I just love them. But whilst there we did make a brave decision.

For ages I have hankered after all white bookcase, I love the fact that they show off your books and other knick knacks really well. I am not keen on the fakey wood ones much. But whilst looking on the IKEA website I did find myself constantly drawn to the red bookcases as well. Mmmm I did dither would I get bored after awhile? But in the end we did go for one red one in a bank of white. It works really well and give our dinning room a really funky splash of colour. It has been so important to us to get this room sorted. Its always been the hub of our house, as our kitchen isn't big enough for us to sit, eat and live in, the dinning room is a bit of a through room. But has always been our favourite room to use the most for socialising and just chilling.

I have to say I am so pleased with the results, so would you like a look at our hard work. Its still a work in progress but I like the idea of it evolving. So come on in then:-









So here is what all that fabric was about at the top of this post. It was to make this lovely cover for our futon. It was a very uninspiring brown. And used to reside in our back bedroom. But we have so missed having a sofa in our dinning room, something we have always had, until we had our girls and then they needed the space to play. But now they are both older and are not at home as much we have now reclaimed the space for a more family friendly feel. Ha ha you might recognise some of those cushions. The fabric was the CS find that I talked about on a previous post. I do think it might need something else on there but not sure what. Maybe a throw to give it a more textured layered look, or maybe another cushion. Or both ? What do you think?



This sideboard is due for a bit of a revamp. Its going to be definitely painted. I love the cooking apple green from Farrow and ball that I have done a couple of the dinning room chairs in. But I hate working with that paint. Its an oil based eggshell. But I cant decide to use that or go for white. Mmm decisions decisions. I do have other plans for it as well but they may have to wait until the new year.








Tada! the Ikea bookcases with a splash of red. I just love them. And having been having lots of fun, faffing and foufing with how the books and bits go. Actually as I have had to cull the amount of books that I kept over the years that's not really half of the collection I had. But there is a lot of space on there now Ladies. I can feel a load more books coming on in the next few months! lol.




Now the above curtain. Well I did dither whether to show you. As I am rather proud of it and just love it. But its not perfect because of course my own fair hands made these. Well I say these it is only one panel, as it is not a large window. But I wanted something fun dramatic and totally me. And I think by Jove I got that in spades. I even lined them too. Blimey. I don't think Mrs Kidston has anything to worry about though! lol. I couldn't show you a close up as our back window looks out on to our lean to, where we peg our washing. Not very pretty, a bunch of towels. (well not mine at any rate)






Loving the pretty tieback found it in Homebase, I did dither though because they had a red one and a black one. Which the curtain does have a bit of black in. That is very me. Black, black and more black for me when it comes to clothes! But the blue won in the end as its such a pretty shade.






And also the pretty hook too. I just love the gauzy ribbon for the tie back. Yum.






That's the tabs at the top, I was so nervous making this but I am glad I did it. Although I hate anything that is too steeped in measurements! but it all worked. The checked fabric was from Ikea too. Such good quality and reasonably priced too. Although I was a bit disappointed with the fabric section there. Didn't have loads of choice.






Ha ha the old CS fabric comes in to play here to. I was hoping to use the gingham again for the bottom but by the time I had cut out the side and top parts I didn't have enough. But I think the fabric works well. I did separate the double duvet up, and used an old pretty duvet that we don't use any more to back the cover for the sofa, and so it gave me loads of fabric to play with from the CS fabric. I still have at least nearly a metre left! such a bargain for £4.99!

With the curtain pulled across. I apologise for the pictures but its dreary light now we are in winter , and its always dark no matter what in our dinning room. So I have done my best with the pictures. I have to say it doesn't always give you the real impact though.










And through the mirror. I just thought this angle looked so pretty with the chandelier too.






My pretty flower lights. DH wasn't too keen, but I think it was because they were flowers. He likes them really. They usually adorn our Christmas tree in here, but I am going a bit different for our festive look this year. Watch this space!





A cosy corner, It came out darker than it actually looks! You can just make out our pictures at the side. I have three on either side of the bookcases, of both our girls. On this side is La la's the top and bottom ones for both girls are in black and white and the middle is in colour and it looks gorgeous! but you will have to take my biased word on that one! lol.







Hey I spy pumpkin Jack! My hero bless! If I have seen that film once I have seen it a thousand times. Its the same with the Corpse bride. In fact I could do a whole post about those sorts of films. I just love them.
















Funny angles of bookcases. You really wouldn't want to know how I took those! but the girls were rather non plussed.





This chair is in a gorgeous blue the colour is called Hollywood, and its an emulsion. I used a tester pot that we had, I didn't know how it would turn out but it looks lovely. I am a bit annoyed because we paid out for proper undercoat and eggshell paint so I could paint the chairs. And eventually the legs and base of our table. The FB paint is horrible to work with but the end result is really good. So its worth the hassle, but we brought some LA chalky pink eggshell its water based and its just not that good. It has had two coats and the merest knock and it peels off. I will have to get some varnish now anyway for the blue chair. But It goes to show doing it the right way doesn't always work. Not in my book anyway!





Yummy colour. So that what has been keeping me very busy these past few weeks! I still have lots to do. Some of which will be featuring on here soon, as its not all been about decorating. We/I have been Christmas crafting too!

I am going to leave you now with my very camp Father Christmas. I couldn't resist him yesterday whilst in town. He was from the pound shop which might explain a lot! But I love right down to his cheeky wink. DH is not convinced though! he loves Christmas and is a bit of a traditionalist. But I am sure we can convince him. Maybe if camp Santa blows him a kiss?

MBBx

Gettin' my Funk on..............................

The past few weeks seem to of passed in a blur. Much of last week and part of the week before was spent in haze of cuddles and coziness, mixed with fun and frolics with the little Boo Bears. We had a lovely visit from Mummy Nanna (Hi mum*wink*) and a wonderful day spent with the gorgeous Miss lovely friend. The day was spent in a whir of activity of racing cars and cake baking and scary skeleton mask making too. Like a wally though I forgot to take any photo's of all this activity! Aghhhh if I had a brain I would be organised!


In amongst all this loveliness, we have been decorating too. I have to say for us usually we like to get these things done as quick as possible. A few months of preparing and buying the bits that we want and its done. But as funds and experience has taught us that is not always the best way to go. As you sometimes later regret some decisions, So it seems the Boo Bear shed has been in disarray for quite some time! And of course why is once you do one room everywhere else looks shabby! (without the chic) I am now - after doing the dinning room and we are mid way through doing the hall stairs and landing (a horrible task!) I am looking at our very tired looking living room! I have been very (grumpily) reliably informed though that will most definitely have to wait until after Christmas! lol.

On the first weekend of the Holidays on the Saturday morning, I was struck with a lightening bolt of creativity! yay always very nice I find when you get that burning desire to just get stuck in and "make" something. It actually started with the word Funk, I have no idea why that word popped into my head at all really.Obviously it illustrates perfectly the randomness of my mind! But I like it, as a word, it means to me, fun, freedom no limitations most definitely sound - music particularly and above all it means to me colour. The other idea is you can cut out shape wise whatever "Funk" suits you. It could be flower Funk like I did on the bag or music Funk etc. I do have ideas of doing just other words to like Love or peace. A state of mind statement if you like.This time around the idea evolved into a bag although I do believe it would work just as well as a cushion. I shall be having a go at that idea in the very near future:0)


It also gave me a chance to use my new toy! A pair of pinking shears, not very exciting to most people but I just love them and have been wanting a pair for ages. Anyway after a few days working here is the result.

I am largely pleased on the whole with this bag, and as it was for myself I felt no pressure on it being perfect, which is just as well because it isn't! I have improved a lot over the past year using a sewing machine but I think I do still have a way to go. Please don't laugh at the stitching on the U particularly, I didn't like it at the time, but didn't want to stop the creating zone I was in at the time! Of course now I am wishing I did change it or rectify it at the time. Always the way with me. And the strap of the bag could be better too! In fact if I am honest the next attempt I think I will stick with the clasp flap and the shoulder strap (which could do with being a wee bit bigger, its lucky I am a shorty) being more straight lined, rather than the curved bottoms. I don't think I am quite there yet with that. I really wanted the stitching in lots of different colours, for a more decorative effect.






I had such fun choosing the fabrics for the background. I love ideas and projects like this. And although its not perfect (I will be making another I think) it is such a fun thing to have around.
Well it makes me smile.








First time I have ever managed to do a boxed bottom on a bag, again room for improvement but I will get there. And First time for using feet too. But I love the effect.






It was part of my plan to have big buttons and for the strap to be attached on with a button hole. I ended up doing this by hand as I had never done it on a sewing machine before, and Muppet like I am I had already made a button holes! which you shouldn't. Oh well lesson learnt for next time.




Inside the bag. I love this material, but I find its not an easy one to use in a project for some reason. But it went really well with the denim. And I loved working with that.



Other craftiness has been afoot too. We did not get far with the finger knitting project for Lala and I, unfortunately for her I think she gets too impatient if things are not immediate. I have to say I was rather cross with her reluctance of not continuing with her little project, as I know she will be really pleased with herself once she has achieved something with it. I will persevere with it. It is a fine line I find as a parent between encouraging and pushy. Where does one begin and the other stomps in uninvited I ask? As much as I want her well indeed both of my girls to have a go at things and be relaxed about it if they decide its not for them, I do want them to realise that things can cost money and not to give up after 5mins. Oh parenthood rant over! lol.



All that said, I have been very much enjoying re-visiting my past childhood hobby. This is a sneak peep at a completed scarf for Boo Bear ( for Christmas). I am currently in the middle of making Lala's for Christmas. I love the colours. Whilst making this I kept seeing a very particular green in my minds eye. A sort very soft olive green. I just love that particular shade.









There it is at the top. So soft and I really think it goes together well with all the other colours. A little peep of the "finger knitted" flower.





I did the butterfly the same way too. Its really such a simple delight. One of the things I love about knitting is the fact I can snuggle up on the sofa with the two scamps and be happy creating away. Enjoying the colour sensations whilst feeling that I am relaxing and spending time with them. Which sometimes sadly with sewing you do feel that your full attention is totally on that or not at all.









Ahhh there is the flower. I thought a little button wouldn't go a miss. Buttons I don't think ever do go amiss in designs do they?






More lovely colour, just love them all together. It of course is not perfect the little scarf, but I am quite proud of being able to produce something that just scrapes by being useful as well as pretty.

Now dear readers I am sending out a plea, I need a little help and hopefully all those of that do knit maybe you could point me in the right direction. I would love to be able to knit hats and gloves to go with the scarves for my girls. Of course me being me I have never followed a pattern whether sewing or knitting, so the question is do any of you know of any patterns out there for the complete and absolute beginner? that are reaaaaallly easy to follow? and also do any of you know how or whether you can knit single hearts? as I would love to applique those on to Lala's scarf, if not I will have to get creative. lol.


Gosh a long post today. Well I do hope that everyone is having a good week. With Christmas round the corner it seems and preparations to be making, I am sure everyone is quite busy. I do usually love this time of the year, So I am just hoping that over the next few weeks I find my Christmas FUNK! I know I left it somewhere, maybe its been packed away with the Christmas decorations.....................................................................................



MBBx

MAWHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!

Feeling like a right miserable old Witch?

Feel that you should really clean up those cobwebs a bit more often?







Keep seeing "scary" pumpkins before your eyes?



Wow there smile love!






Not old Cedric again? Nice toothy grin though.




Your normal docile happy loving cat -






Going a bit doolally?





Another one of Cedric. Such a smiley chap.


Seeing signs everywhere?




Your family driving you a bit like this?




Or maybe this?


Scary clown skull hanging about your gaff?


Or what about punkish ones?


You know what you have a case of? What i hear you cry what could it possibly be? You have a case of Halloween! (cue thunder and lighting and echoey Mawhahahaha's)



Oh cheer up you miserable witch, Halloween will soon be gone you know. Then off you go on your broomstick for another year.

Well I am off now, I have to sharpen my claws I have big plans for tonight. Alright Dear husband I am just floating down the stairs now, no need to howl the house down you know..........................................................




Mawhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.....................................




MBB X

Stitchin to a different beat!......................

Thank you to all those who were very welcoming to Deena last week. She has now finished leaf clearing although it took just forever, what with all that playing and all!:0)

In this crafting journey of mine It always amazes me how it influences not just my life but my family's as well. My DH will be the first to point out anything craft like or related to me if we happen to be anywhere different. And although he cant always see the excitement in a new bit of fabric, he takes the gushing and fabric yummyness talk in his stride.

My girls of course are I think at the moment at least very much influenced by my I suppose passion. And it is. I have made so many discoveries about myself through this medium. The last six years have been very bumpy to say the least. With a miscarriage a gall stone operation, a very poorly new born baby and PND. Its a wonder I haven't really lost the plot completely really.
My reintroduction into the joy and wonder of crafts really started about 2.5 years ago. I had been struggling with PND (although i would not admit it at the time) since the birth of Boo Bear. DH had I think in desperation arranged a lovely holiday for us all down in Cornwall. A beautiful cottage we stayed at. It was in Tintagel. There was a beautiful shop down there called the Summer House I think, that sold such beautiful stuff. Little handmade hearts and pillows pretty picture frames etc. I suppose you get the picture of what sort of shop I mean.

Whilst in the cottage they had such a good stash of housey magazines (my kind of cottage!) And I already was thinking about maybe getting back into sewing or something like that, after reading a few articles in some of them. After visiting the above shop I think my mind was made up. For the first time in over a year I think I had an excitement for something. In fact weirdly as much as I didn't want the holiday to end I couldn't wait to get back home. I did a lot of research on the old tinterweb (as i call it) I cant actually remember what it was I was originally looking for, but I came across a lot of sites with very American style prim dolls. I was hooked! My sister brought my first ever rag doll that I made.

In fact all the family was very supportive. For the first year or so I did everything by hand. In November 2007 I had my first (and thus far last! lol) party night. I cant actually believe how much stuff i had there on our dinning room table. Considering I have a sewing machine now and don't seem to produce as much stuff! The only things I had left were really quite small hanging decorations. everything else went. In fact I think there was even a bit of ripple over a few of the larger things that I made. As a few people had their eye on them! And although the night was fun I just found it really hard work. Making sure I had everything craftwise up together and the house tidy (you know like cleaning under the cooker???!!!) as well as sorting out the girls! Which is why I think I haven't had one since!




The reason why I am writing all this really is to give you an idea of how far a journey I have come over the past few years. And to reveal that another crafty interest that I had as a child has now been fully resurrected! Largely by all you knitty folk out there! with your colourful chunky ripple blankets and lacey wondrous crochet! lol. But the biggest shove from Lala! Yes it seems that Lala has been obviously thinking about Mummy and sewing. And she came to the conclusion the other day that knitting would be easier??!!! lol I did laugh at that one. But never one to squash any interest in such things we did buy some children's knitting needles some cheap wool for her. Of course and you know just by accident *wink* some adult knitting needles and wool happened to find their way to the check out too!


So on Sunday we had a go! I casted on for her. I thought if we did a small blanket or scarf in squares she would feel that she was achieving something quickly rather than one big block of knitting. But she did find managing the needle rather tricky. And is it only my two or just kids all over, but if they don't "get it" straight away then the interest goes very quickly. So Sunday night I googled for some info on how to teach a child to knit. They suggested that rather than teaching them straight away how to knit with needles, to teach them how to finger knit! Well it never occur ed to me but once it was mentioned it did seem rather obvious! doh! So yesterday afternoon whilst Boo Bear was napping I thought I would rustle something up that would appeal to Lala to make in the up and coming half term. It was this:-




Just a pretty swirly background of finger knitting all sewn up in a circle. Then the middle I fashioned a flower with a pretty button. It made a really lovely little brooch. I was really chuffed with how it turned out. So Last night I made Boo Bear one too! and it turned out like this!





So having also getting enthusiastic about knitting again, I made this little brooch this morning:-












It is safe to say you might be seeing more of this thing here on this blog in the future. I was thinking that if anybody was interested and with the half term coming up I would do a tutorial for the finger knitted brooch that you can do with your littlelys! I know I am probably preaching to the already converted though! lol. But if you fancy it leave me a comment, and me and Lala might do one together to show you how its done.

I think that is me for now, I am feeling a urge to get back to that knitty goodness again. Mmmm these hobbies are all very well but where will I find time for them all. Blogging, Knitting, sewing and reading. Thank god I can hear music at the same time as doing all the above! lol. Take care everybody.











MBBx

Deena..................................

Hi I am Deena, I have been sent out to clean up the garden, Mamma is not very happy with me at the moment.




She made me this pretty dress, out of old scraps for a special party at the end of this month. As money is a bit tight and we couldn't afford a new one. The other day and as I am of the most impatient kind I couldn't wait to wear the dress. So I put it on and ran out into the barn so Mamma couldn't see me. Whilst I was out playing in the barn I fell and ripped the side of the dress. Mamma was so very cross and had to stitch and mend and patch it up. I felt so bad as she really did work hard on it.




But I think it looks quite sweet. I noticed she chose a lovely red heart.


This is the front of my dress, we didn't have enough of the homespun to make up the full skirt, so my clever mamma cut up a load of old dresses that I grew out of and patched them together. I think its so very pretty.





I think I have made more of a mess! Although I have found a bit of interesting rusty metal on my investigations round the garden.


But leaves they are such fun to play with dontcha think?








My little black kitty was supposed to be out here helping me. Don't know where she is gone. Although Mamma did mention she wanted her in the kitchen with her though. Its a little busy for her at this time of the year..............................................





And Kitty always accompanies Mamma when she is busy learning a new spell or two......................





Lots of love Deena xxx

Bathe My Soul...............................

I think most of us from time to time have problems and worries. At the moment as with a lot of people have strains and stresses and job worries. We at the Boo Bear Shed are no different. Daddy Boo Bear's job is not certain at the moment and has not been for awhile. Its a waiting game and makes any plans and dreams that you have on the back burner. But there they are still bubbling away. We keep positive, but its more frustrating when you don't know how or where things will end up.

But fear not! this is not a negative post. This is really more about me and where I am at the moment. About this really amazing journey I have been on through crafting and even blogging. That despite the every day worries and concerns and black spots in our lives that we can find things that amuse, inspire and just generally makes us happy. Maybe for the rest of the day, or maybe just for five minuets.


Whilst surfing the big 'ole blog net the other day I happened to stumble on a couple of really amazing sites and blogs. Mati Rose is an amazing talented lady and her blog is full of really wonderful things. I love one of her posts, telling us to just get out there and be creative and to just be yourself. I think to rediscover the child in yourself. I really recommend you checking her out. I also stumbled across this site on my many travels too, a really incredible lady. I just love her art works. It is definitely going on my "I want list" If you love naive art I believe thats what its called. Then you really are in for a treat.

I have to say over the past two or three years I have through crafts and arts really discovered myself, who I am and what makes me tick. Its a very colourful disjointed picture that paints itself in my mind. I love Drama and theatrics as well as the bright, childlike and colourful. Actually it seems the older I get the more I am drawn to the more childlike. I know that beauty colour, music and the written word will always inspire me.

Its in this spirit that I have made the above award. To ask and to award those things and people in our lives that quite literally bathe our souls. Who or what do we immerse ourselves in? that give us a lift and helps us to manage the rest of our day. That cleanse refresh and do indeed Bathe our very inner beings.

So this award which I am passing on comes in two halves! The first half is To "award" (in the virtual sense) those places, things or people that inspire you or make you happy. It can of just one thing or at least I reckon up to six. Here goes my first list:-


My Beautiful girls : - OK this one may seem obvious, but that's because its true! They inspire me everyday, the things they do and say often in one way or any other pop up in my craft work.

The lovely Green Gate Company - It proves that the world is a beautiful place, I love to gaze for ages at their wonderful things. They truly do make me happy.

The great outdoors - For all its many wonderful things like mountains and lakes hills and valleys. And not forgetting the most important thing of all for me - the sea. That always bathes my soul!

Fabric - It brings so much creativity and colour into my life! truly.

OK for the second half, I am awarding some of the people who's blogs I love to look at and read. I can't really say what attracts me to someone's blog. It could be the eye candy on there, but then it could be the beautiful way they write. Or even the way they come across! Again you can just pass this on to just one blog of your choice or at the most six. Here goes mine:-

Happy Loves Rosie - Visual treats, happy banter its really a great blog to visit!


Itch2stitch - I love Suzies stitcheries, they are so awe inspiring and her posts are always
thought provoking too!

Daisy Darling - Love her hats they are fab!


Joshy and Belle - I just love her blog and the way she writes. Truly lovely. Poetry.


Marmalade Kiss - Love the fact that she can make clothes for like real people! And she really
comes across as a very individual and independant thinking lady.



At Home with Mel - Mel - Just such a lovely place to visit! And her lovely personality
just really shines through!

This was a really hard list to compile as I love all the blogs I follow!But that is my lists! hope everyone doesn't mind the awards and of course in the spirit of these things you can pass them on!

I have to go now, as I have a poorly little girl sitting next to me feeling very sorry for herself! Hope everyone has a lovely week and weekend. And to keep looking for things to inspire you and remember to jump right in and Bathe your Soul in it.




MBBx