Festival of Quilts 2012

Well it's been a while since I last posted, I have lots to share but for now I just wanted to pop in and show some of the delights on display yesterday at my trip to Birmingham for the Festival of Quilts. 

It was a truly delightful day, pouring over beautiful quilts, buying myself a few treats, buying a couple of gifts, speaking to some lovely stall holders and spending the whole day giggling and gossiping with my friend Lynda.

There was lots of inspiration there with over 1,000 quilts on display and these photos are for my little quilting notebook but I though you may be interested to see them, here are a few of my favourites.

*photo heavy post, if quilts are not your thing skip to the last photo the multicoloured curtain is worth a see* 

 There were signs like these all over!

This was a curtain on the stall of zigzags how amazing 

this is made from hundreds of tiny little log cabin pillows, you can't really tell the scale but they were about 1.5" square. 

If you have made it this far thanks for bearing with me (or skimming).

I'll be back soon with more crafty goodness to share (but no more quilt photo's, promise).

Giveaway Win

I was lucky enough to win a gorgeous giveaway hosted by the lovely Justine over at Emma Bear Forever.

This is a book I had fancied for a while and I was delighted to find that I had won a copy.

Just look at the wonderful package, tied up with string, containing a few of my favourite things!

Justine was a kind and generous host and added lots of beautiful goodies in with the book, including two felt handmade hearts, which now have pride of place in my crafty cupboard. 

Justine also made a lovely little tissue cover and added in some chocolate because she is a treasure!

Thanks again lovely your parcel cheered up an otherwise dreary week! 

In other news it's almost August.... how the beep did that happen, I will have to start thinking about the C word soon (don't worry I won't mention it yet!).

This means that tomorrow we are into a new month for the Felt Fairy Monthly Makes over on Flickr.  Our hostess with the most is my friend Lynda of Hookin with LaaLaa fame, so lets keep up the momentum and pop over and join the August group HERE, you lot are crafting up a storm this year!

Back Soon

All Things British Swap

A delightful parcel arrived earlier this week from my swap partner Linda of Vintage Hearth Blog.

The box was full of all things British and there were several items handmade just for me, I couldn't have been happier.

A sweet tea cup pin cushion.

Look at the work that has gone into this beautiful Alice in Wonderland Bracelet.

 I adore it!

 How about this tea cosy, isn't it fabulous?

Each and every parcel I opened up made me grin! Thanks for being a kind and thoughtful partner Linda and many thanks to Lynda (Hookin with LaaLaa) for organising the swap.

Here is a little peek of what I sent to Linda, I didn't photograph it all there were a few other bits added in there too.

I did enjoy making this 'sewing pouch' it was nice working with the London Fabrics.

Thanks for stopping by guys, I will be back soon.

Tea for One...

Well, you wouldn't know from my blog posts but I have been busy making.  I have several sewing projects on the go but I can't share any of them yet as they are all gifts.

My All things British Swap is ready to go so I can share that with you all soon, but in the meantime I want to share a new find.

I work with a huge coffee fan, and he recently introduced me to this tea and I'm now quite smitten (thanks Andy).

 I can't drink coffee I don't like it at all but I love this.  

El Salvador La Iluson Cascara, Has Bean have described it better than I can: Cascara is the dried fruit from the coffee 'cherry', the seed from which is the coffee 'bean' as we know it. Normally this is a waste product or at best is used to fertilise the ground by breaking it down. But it can be used to brew a delicious and refreshing caffeinated drink. It is just like eating coffee cherries straight from the tree. On the front you get that floral astringency, hitting fruit sweetness in a battle of tastes with the bitterness of the dried fruit. Then you get a rush of rose petals and jasmine flavour that's covered in an orange like stickiness. A unique cup that I think makes a great palate cleanser and a great refreshing drink to perk you up. An all round delicious coffee alternative.

 Best of all I love this cold, iced fresh from the fridge on a warm night, mmmmmm!

I have no affiliation with this company just want to share a new find.

Something else I want to share is that our lovely Jane is having a cheeky little giveaway, you can win a beautiful handmade Projects by Jane lunchtime pouch. 

 I bought this ePattern a while back from Jane's Etsy Shop and have made a few of these myself. Pop over and join in HERE.

Back Soon x

A Passion for Quilting

Well after what has been a really stressful week I took some time out at my favourite place (my kitchen table) with a huge cuppa and my new book.

A Passion for Quilting by Nicki Trench, I have had my eye on this for a while.  

there are some beautiful makes and ideas in here, these are just some of my favourite makes from this book

this one has given me a real want to make a dresden plate, so much so that I have just ran out and bought a dresden blade template, so I have no excuse not to make one.

I have lots of little makes on the go at the moment but I have a home make emergency that just cropped up this week, my handmade peg bag was left out in the stotting rain last week and look what happened to it...

poor thing has been consigned to the bin but it's a good excuse to lock myself away in the crafty cupboard and make a new one.

Back soon x

nb. I am not affiliated with either Amazon or Nicki Trench I just love this book!