And the winners are.......

I'm pleased to announce the winners of my little celebration giveaway - I did the random number thingy yesterday and first out of the hat was Baukje. I'm rather pleased that my winner is in France as I have a sister living and working in Nice and I think Baukje is not that far away. Do visit Baukje's blog to see some wonderful images of French life. I picked four other winners who have each chosen something they would like me to make for them. They are (in no particular order) Linby, Emma, Barbara and Lin. All such talented crafters I am very flattered to have them on my follower list. I feel quite bad that you couldn't all win something and hope I can do this again sometime so you can all have another chance.

And just for a change, here's another sky photo - but this time its not sunset, its DAWN! I woke up before 6.00 am on Saturday morning and was rewarded by this view from my bedroom window. It looks a bit odd as the outline of the hills can be seen behind the chimneypots, giving a strange silhouette.

I'm celebrating....

Yes, I know its a bit late but last week I wanted to celebrate 60 followers and 15000 blog hits with a little give-away - just to say thank you to all you lovely people who leave such sweet comments on my posts. So I've put together a little crafty stash package of bits and pieces you might want to use in your future projects. I've included felt die cuts, hand crocheted flowers, a little ribbon and twine, some vintage buttons, pieces of old sheet music and pages from an old French children's book for you to die cut or use as backgrounds.

If you are not a crafty person and this prize does not appeal, there are four more chances to be a winner. I've been creating these items recently to raise funds at a charity shop I'm involved with one day a week. The winners can pick any one of these little gifts and I will make one especially for them - you can even choose a favourite colour! They are: a spiral bound note book or sticky note holder, knitted and stitched lavender sachet, crocheted clip to wear in your hair, hat or lapel, and a bookmark and bookplates set.

To be a winner just leave a comment (including a way to contact you if you are not a blogger) on this post by midnight GMT on Sunday 22 August. On Monday morning I will do the Random Number thingy and let the picked winners know - if there are only five of you, you will all be winners! :o) Oh, and I'm happy to post worldwide.

PS - these photos were taken at the charity shop and the "gold" watches are not included in the prize (hee, hee!)

Another OWOH Prize!

My lovely One World One Heart prize from Anja in Slovenia arrived today - isn't it pretty! I love it! I can't make up my mind where I want to wear it - bag, coat, jumper? So I think I will be moving it around quite a bit..... I might even try to make something similar myself - I hope Anja won't mind. I've pictured it with this little frame containing a favourite photo of my grandmother. Its decorated with Celandines (did you see my post yesterday) - the sunshine yellow felt is exactly the colour of the flower I photographed yesterday.

Anja has such a lovely blog - I hope you will visit her at Drobtinice (Crumbs) soon .

New Boots!

I won these gorgeous little boots on Donna's blog, The Ribboned Crown, during the One World One Heart blog event earlier in the month - they arrived yesterday and have taken their place on my craft desk perfectly. Aren't they pretty and such an original idea! Thank you so much Donna!

OMG!!!!

Well, to say my gasted has been well and truly flabbered is an under- statement. I am so delighted with my involve- ment in Lisa's blog event and so chuffed with the response to my giveaway. Comments have now passed the 200 barrier so like other bloggers I am adding some more prizes. I've decided to carry on crocheting flowers until the event closes on 15th February and hope to be able to put together at least three or four more gifts. Unfortunately I don't have any more seeds so instead I will add something else to the flowers - such as this little decorated notebook. I'm looking forward to deciding what to make.

I'm still trying to produce decent images with the pencam but am failing miserably. I'm so looking forward to getting my camera back next week! But here's a picture of the embroidery silks I've been using to make my flowers. I bought this vintage tin on ebay a couple of years ago. As well as the silks it contained a half completed embroidered picture the owner had purchased from a Woman & Home magazine in the 1950s. I just love being able to appreciate and use something that has lain unloved for many years.

Anyway, my new crocheted flowers will be stored in a decorated glassine bag and will be accompanied by another little handmade gift. I notice one or two comments suggest they wouldn't be able to have the seeds due to customs regulations - I think this may be the case for Australia and I will of course check with the winner before sending the seeds. I remember a friend who emigrated to Australia a couple of years ago was not even allowed to take her cane furniture with her!

I'm so enjoying visiting all the other bloggers taking part in Lisa's event - I'd love to visit them all but there are over 900 so far and I'm only on number 350! I've added at least 50 blogs to my following list already - there are so many talented crafters out there in the world and its so lovely to see what they are all doing. You must visit at least a few if you have time - and you may win something wonderful! Click on the Magic Carpet link on my sidebar. And we should all give Lisa three cheers for all her hard work in organising this fabulous event.

Magic Carpet Blog Giveaway Event

Lisa Swifka aka "A Whimsical Bohemian" is holding this blog event and as my blog is one year old this month I thought I'd celebrate by giving it a go.

As you can see the theme of this year's event is the Magic Carpet and, as I didn't have time to make a carpet, I wondered what on earth I could offer as my

giveaway that would fit in. Of course my favourite sort of carpet is in the garden and thanks to a bit of 'googling' I found these three flower varieties named Magic Carpet (ok one is Persian Carpet!) . So I would like to give someone the opportunity to have a beautiful growing magic carpet in their garden, or in a container or window box, in a few months time.

I've also crocheted these little flowers in magic carpet colours - I found the instructions here on Nichole Heady's blog. They look really pretty crocheted in embroidery cotton and have a lovely sheen that just reminds me of a silky carpet my sister bought when she lived in Turkey - surely the home of the magic carpet!

So if you would like the chance of winning the seeds and crocheted flowers (with their box and some buttons for their centres) all you need do is leave a comment here on my blog. Please include a way for me to contact you if you are the lucky winner. Lisa will be listing all the ticket holders on her blog. Click on the Magic Carpet ticket on my side bar to be flown there in the blink of an eye! The event ends on 15th February, when I will pick a winner using the Random Number Generator. Everyone will be announcing their winners on that day. Last year there were 911 ticket holding bloggers participating in 28 different countries so there will be plenty to look at! I can't wait to see what everyone has done!


1st February edit - I'm absolutely astounded by the number of comments I've received and to celebrate crashing the 200 barrier I'm going to carry on crocheting flowers so I can give more away. Look out for another post later today for some extra details.