Some Before & Afters

I’ve been making a few improvements around the house this week. Lot’s more to do, but I’m pleased with the results so far.

Dining Room

The windows in the dining room look so much nicer with the lace curtains, I’ve put the same curtains on all the windows in the lounge room too. I saw a pack of ‘repositionable’ stickers the other day & couldn’t resist them.

The dining room table & chairs are in for a makeover next week, watch this space.

Kitchen

I had all blue & white crockery along the mantle & felt like a change. I can see now it looks rather bland so it’s a work in progress. Maybe some bunting?

More stickers, I think they’re cute. :-)

I’d been on the lookout for some nice old canisters but they are out of my budget. Spotted these the other day & loved the colours. They came with a large bread one too, which is ideal to store the pet food in.

Sewing Room

I didn’t take a real before pic here but you can imagine it. Lot’s of boxes piled up waiting to be unpacked & sorted. All done, so I had this cozy little corner in the sewing room to put to good use.

I finally took the curtains up, I know puddling curtains is ‘the look’ but with a dog & a cat they just attract the hair/fur & dust.

In came the round table I hadn’t had a use for, & I have a great place to surf & have a cuppa.

Main Bedroom

 
I’m so sick of the blankets coming untucked all the time. I wish they wouldn’t skimp when they make these things. Anyway I had a brainwave, I bought some sheeting & added it to the bottom of the cotton blankets so now there’s plenty to tuck in.

 

Of course Zaphod has to be on hand to help make the bed!!!

It will be nice to not have the blankets hanging out the end in the morning.

Happy Valentine’s Day!!!

 

Colourful Friday – ‘Valentine’s’

February ‘Celebration’s block.I made this felt garland last week, it will be part of my Valentine’s mantlepiece display.
Isn’t she cute? I saw her years ago & she was way too expensive, months later I saw her again & she was reduced!!! As the seagulls in Finding Nemo say, ‘Mine, mine, mine.’
 
 Another mugrug. Two of my Dear Jane (Marple) blocks. Bonbons I made for Yule 2009.

Couldn’t resist the telephone box.
It’s designed to hold cd’s & dvd’s. 
Swap blocks I made for friends.My Crazy Heart

‘My Crazy Cat?’ I was ‘trying’ to set up a shot with a few bits & bobs but had to give up when my assistant wouldn’t leave the wool or garland alone. :-)

Please pop over to the Daisy Quilts blog to see who else is playing this time.

http://daisyquilts.blogspot.com/

More handmade Gifts

I made these for my nephew’s lovely wife Yun Mi. Photos of their gorgeous beach wedding are on my blog February 2010.

Yun Mi has just bought a sewing machine so I thought a few little sewing bits & bobs might come in handy.

Yun Mi loves cats so first I made a pin cushion using cat prints. It tuned out a little bigger than I’d pictured but hey it will hold lots of pins & be easy to find. :-)
You can’t see well but the base is bright orange felt.

Next I made the sewing sachet & kitted it out with embroidery scissors, needles, quick unpick, though I’m sure just like me she won’t need it, lol!!!

A pressie we posted off to Canada way back in December has finally arrived so I can show the bag I sent to Cheryl.

I added some pockets.

I finished it!!!

Woohoo I sewed on the flowers last night.

   

It’s not perfect, which means of course I’ll have to make another one, but it is yummy. Try as hard as might I could not get my bottom flat & my sides slope out too much, funny how the description of the bag matches my description!!!! :-)

If anyone can give me tips for a flat bottom & straighter sides I’d be grateful.

Here’s a link to the perfect original Lucy bag complete with tutorial: http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/crochet-bag.html

& for another treat check out Lucy’s current post:
http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/

Books I read in January

My internal clock seems to have gone a bit haywire of late. I’ve always been a night owl but these days if I’m in bed by 12.30am I’m doing well. Of course I’m not actually tired so then I read ‘til 2 or 3am. This also means I get up around midday & half the day is gone. On the upside I hate mornings so this is one way of dodging them. :-)