65th Anniversary of VE Day

I can't let today pass without mention that today is the 65th Anniversary of VE Day (8th May 1945). VE Day celebrated the end of the Second World War in Europe (Victory in Europe) when Germany surrendered to the Allied Forces. This was a day for celebration and contemplation for the whole of Britain, the war was over but so many of our men and women never came home.

So today in honour of this auspicious occasion I present my VE day commemorative purse:

Whilst looking for some blue fabric for the base I came across this monsoon skirt that had made its way into my fabric stash. I bought it a while ago and it was too big for me so I altered it to fit and had only worn it twice when it got splashed with bleach (don’t ask)! So yesterday I took the scissors to it.
Now I have a pile of lovely denim and a zip and little button.

So I used this denim as a base to make my new little purses. Embellished of course with patriotic beads as a zip pull.

♥ LEST WE FORGET ♥

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Sunglasses and Blog Title of the Week

Little disaster this week ~ the leg fell off my sunglasses ~ I do love these sunglasses and being someone who wastes nothing I took to fixing them. I didn’t have any small screws so got my jewellery making stuff out and stuck a little wrapped loop in there. I will get a glasses repair kit next time I am at the cheap shop but I think this will do for now.


I was tempted to hang a chain from that little loop and throw lots of beads on there, but quickly saw sense.

I have just checked through my reading list and found what has to be my favourite blog title of the week, I had to share it; have a look for yourself: Projects By Jane ~ actually have a look at her bags too, she is a very talented lady.

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Another Charity Shop Haul

No makes to report, but I have had another little charity shop haul on a lunchtime trip this week with my lovely friend. Came away with a new bag, it’s quite huge and super soft:

This lovely skirt – it’s a size 10-12 and I am not (he he) but it was spotted by my eagle eyed friend as something I might want to cut up ~ and I do! This might make a nice tote bag or two:

And last but not least these little stoneware cat buttons:


... apparently a huge stash of these were donated, I am guessing by the person that made them and these were only one of a few they had left.

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Little Mousey

I have hardly found time for sewing these last few days due to long days at work and things to do at home - like fighting with a new roller blind for over an hour today!!!! I have not done it for ages but I really lost my temper tonight with a blind ~ I flung stuff across the room! Shameful I know. As a treat I then sat myself down with some fabric and lavender and quickly calmed down. The red spotty fabric and some lavender turned into this little lavender mouse, he's a cutie:

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Giveaways & Cupcakes

Well I thought I should mention that Victoria Plum's 200th Post Giveaway is now closed and the winner was announced yesterday, hand picked by Mr Plum (hope you don't mind me borrowing your pic):


















That's right ~ it's ME!! ~ *Mmweepppp*


I'm rather excited at this, my first ever entry into a giveaway and I won, I will let you in on my prize when it arrives. Thanks Mr & Mrs Plum and of course Baby Plum bump (that sounds a bit like a fabulous homemade jam) x

I have joined another giveaway hosted by sixty one A, for the chance to win this lovely item:

Ain't that beautiful? It is worth a look at her blog and Folksy store as there are lots of lovely bits for sale.

Well after all the spending this weekend I got back to making and produced yet another makeup bag - can you see a trend here? I wanted to use up some little cupcake felty bits I had cut out a few weeks ago, but this was a bit of a pain in the neck to do as each little bit of cupcake had to be bonded individually and machine sewing them to the bag was not easy due to the tiny seed beads sewn to the icing. Anyhoo lessons were learned and this was the result:

Work in progress:

The lovely lining:

My little zip pull embellishment (wrapped loops again, I am getting better!)

The finished bag almost fills an A5 cutting mat so you can see it's quite big. I think I will make more in this size as they will be quite useful. Each time I make a bag I think 'could I get my face powder in there' and 'will it be long enough to fit my eyeliner and mascara', but I am aware that some people take their whole collection about with them, so therefore need a bigger bag.

p.s. for you eagled eyed girls out there, yes my profile photo is new. That is my new haircut in the updated profile picture, I had it cut a couple of weeks ago but only just got used to the new shorter haired version of me, so I now feel brave enough to share it.

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More Shopping than Making

Well, this is neither sewing or jewellery related but just wanted to post about some bits I bought this weekend that made me happy!

I am not one for spending money on myself, almost everything I wear is from the high street (cheap end :) ) or charity shops, there are very few things I spend much money on but one of them is makeup! I fell in love with Estee Lauder many moons ago when I was young with a disposable income; fast forward two marriages and four kids and a few wrinkles and I still have to have it.
My complexion is a bit of a mess at the minute, not sure why, I am eating well and drink loads of water, take vitamins and still my skin is spotty - like a teenage skin. I am putting it down to hormones and hoping it will pass. So on Saturday I indulged myself and bought some new foundation to hopefully cover the worst of my blemishes:

Tried it out straight away and it’s worth every penny! Whilst in Boots buying makeup, I spotted these rings! I never usually buy jewellery as I tend to see something I like and make it myself, but I couldn't make these so I bought them, they were all 1/2 price and ranged from £2.50 - £3.
Following Boots I headed to the Yorkshire Trading Co and had a good look through their fabric section and came away with handfuls of ribbson and lace and these Gutermanns cottons in little tins that I just needed to have (only £4 each) ~ aren't they lovely?:

So fast forward to today and I have been to the local car boot sale, I love a good rummage. This time we went without kids which was so much easier and my stash included:

Bed sheet to cut up and make stuff with - think this may be a nice lining fabric or some shabby makeup bags and tote bags - £1.00.

Russian Dolls, I just love these - £1.00.

Fab battered old letter rack, the wood is sound so it will shabby up nice - £1.50.

Lovely old mirror - looks like someone else has attempted a bit of shabbying - £2.50.

Good day's bargains all in all. Now it is time to reign in the spending and get making again.

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Little Shopping Triumphs and Little Disasters..

Friday lunchtime I popped out to a craft shop about 20 mins from where I work (Dainty Supplies, Washington, Tyne & Wear). I needed a couple of zips and ended up coming out with a little stash!

I just had a little luck at the fabric and came away with a few fat quarters to add to my pile. Once home I spent an hour sorting through my fabrics and ribbons as it was becoming a real mess, I knew there was stuff I had bought but I couldn’t find it so it was time for a proper tidy up. Nothing constructive came of it other than seeing fabrics that I had not seen for ages which gave me a few ideas.

Today I set to making more makeup bags with my spotty fabric:

After this I did a couple of hearts from my scraps bag, using the template from the Tilda book and this is my first official sewing disaster, I am prepared to take the shame though; look at the state of this!!

I stuffed it with stuffing and lavender though so at least it smells nice, I think I'll stuff it away in the back of one of my drawers as a scented drawer pad - note to self must try harder!

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