This week......

........I tried some different design motives and a square shape for more fabric trays.  I think the hexagon makes a more attractive tray but I've a plan to make sets of 4 drink coasters to go in the squares. These should make nice little gifts or an item for craft fairs (if I do any more fairs this year that is). Four different bird shapes should be quite easy but I need to think of a fourth fruit to complete a fruity set.

And speaking of summer drinks (a very tenuous link!!) the Elder in the garden is in bloom and its time to start some Elderflower cordial. It seems to be a good year for the flowers and there are Elders at different stages on my regular walks so if I can time it right I should be able to make at least two and hopefully three batches before the flowers start to go over into berries.

Its always quite sad pouring boiling water over those beautiful frothy blooms but the end result is so delicious, so cheap and easy, and produces the most perfect refreshing summer drink.  As always I used the recipe found in my favourite preserving book Sensational Preserves. If you'd like to follow that recipe I blogged it here in 2010.

A Little Free Stitchy Time

I saw these little fabric trays at A Spoonful of Sugar and thought they would be just right for my Mum's 91st birthday as she is rather untidy by the bedside, with sweets, medication, pens, headache sticks, inhalers, tissues, biscuits, etc, etc, etc, jumbled all over the bed and bedside table. At least the very small items could be gathered in a couple of these.

I tried a patchwork one for variety and then I thought these small fabric spaces were the perfect spot for a little free motion stitching. I took a couple of classes earlier in the spring and really should practise and build on what I learned there. I tried a couple of floral motives and really started enjoying the stitching instead of being rather afraid of lowering those sewing machine teeth!

I like how they turned out so now I'm going to move on to some other motifs - birds, apples, pears and cherries are calling to me!  And Mum liked her gift and is at least putting some of her bits and bobs in them.  We'll see how long that lasts!  I crocheted a jam jar cover for her pens and pencils too as she's a great crossword fan and can never find a pen!

 

Gotta Stamp Again!

This little corner of blogland isn't overly visited (according to Blogger stats) but I noticed one of my most clicked-on posts was this one I wrote way back in August 2013. Well, I've had that stamping feeling again this past week, triggered by a purchase from that tempting craft store at Make the Day Special. This time I've fallen for a couple of sets from Waffle Flower.  It only takes a mouthwatering card or two spied on Pinterest for my resolve not to buy more stamps to disappear in a wink of an eye!

You will see some of those new stamps in these photos, along with some older sets from other favourite stamp brands. And if you look closely you might notice some sentiments in Welsh which are always popular at fairs here in Wales. Unfortunately Welsh language sentiment stamp choice is severely limited  and I tend to buy any I see. But I must thank my lovely blog friend Lynn at Crafty Linby for my latest "Penblwydd Hapus" (Happy Birthday) - a happy surprise in the post! Can you spot it Lynn?

Here's a closeup of cards using Waffle Flower's Loved set. As you can see I cannot give up my beloved one layer style small note cards. I buy ready made blanks 4 inches and 3 inches square. The large sentiments above are Papertrey Ink's Graceful Greetings. Just the right size to be the focal point of a 4 inch card. 

There are a few images from Wplus9's Freshcut Florals on the heart card too. I drew round a heart die lightly in pencil and stamped within the lines, rubbing the pencil marks out afterwards.

Lastly these cards use Waffle Flowers' Flower Circles set - a bit of an unusual style for me.  However I fell for that stylised lantern stamp and just had to have it. I love Japanese calligraphy and think these three cards have a little Japanese style. Do you agree? ;o)

And now for something completely different!!!  Just have to show off a few photos from last Thursday's 'Out There' concert at Liverpool's Echo Arena. Do you remember when cameras were forbidden at live performances on pain of death - well expulsion anyway! Not any more - you couldn't see the stage for cameras and phones at times.  Of course I joined in! This was my first experience of a large gig and I really enjoyed it - even if my ears were ringing for hours after.

 

 

Of course we would not normally consider spending so much on an evening out (do you know how much tickets cost!!!! I was shocked!) but we were lucky enough to be guests of one of the band, were invited to the artists lounge for pre-show nibbles and had seats down the front.  A great night I won't forget - after all I was in love with Paul when I was fourteen! ;o)