Bag of Bras

I think it might be the time of year but I am working my way round my house decorating and clearing out, my poor hubbie keeps looking at me sideways with a scared expression and asking if I am nesting ~ well no that's long gone I'm afraid.
I am having new carpets fitted at the weekend and needed to clear the lounge but somehow I ended up clearing the bedroom??
I went through my drawers and came across a pile of bras that are almost brand new that either don't fit or don't do me any favours! I gathered them up to send on to Breast Talk ~ have you heard of them.

They are particularly in need of rather big or rather small bras ~ I was able to help here, that pink one on the top fits my head just as well as my boob :)

Instead of binning your old bras; donate them to the BreastTalk.co.uk Bra Appeal! Send them your old bras and they use them to generate cash for breast cancer research.
They raise money for breast cancer research by giving the bras to BCR Global Textiles. BCR sell them to traders in third world countries to which helps support and supply their own local economy.

You can read more about it on their site but if you have bra's going spare post your (clean) bras to:

BreastTalk.co.uk - Bra Appeal
PO Box 71
Craven Arms
Shropshire
SY7 0WZ

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Craft Fair Fun

Friday was the Creative Crafts for Christmas Fair at Newcastle. I had the best time 6 solid hours shopping and crafting with my lovely friend.

Beautiful stalls full of wonderful fabrics:

Rows and rows of sparkly beads:


Workshop Areas where we sat and crafted:


We only did one workshop this time, box making, this was really enjoyable and I was suprised at how easy it was within the hour we made these three boxes / pouches ~ I think these will be ideal for presenting handmade Christmas Presents:

In the middle or the Arena was a Victorian Knitted Christmas Display, everything here was knitted, it was amazing:

Full size knitted Santa and Sleigh:

Full knitted fireplace, knitted coal!!:

Knitted curtains, and a knitted pot plant:

A knitted clock:

Now onto my haul, these may not look terribly exciting but I bought a few storage boxes to get my bits and bobs organised and I love this one:

I bought some card and accessories to make some of these boxes and some beautiful local jams and sauces handmade by Jean (this is the best Lemon Curd I have had):

A pile of fat quarters in some lovely fabrics:

Then a pile of beads, findings and chain, this should keep me going for a bit:

I love these, the red beads look amazing in real life, like red velvet:

Some pendants, I will keep one of these for myself:

So there you go, a full on exhausting day ~ I had planned to blog it yesterday but spent hours sorthing out my stash, clearing out and getting organised. Whilst organising I pulled out all my WIP and decided to tackle it head on, I will not start anything new I said until it is finished!!

So, I did finish one cushion I have been dying to do, and then started making rings from my new beads, they are just all new and shiny I couldn't resist!! I will show you later in the week my poor blog will choke with all the photos today!

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Finishing Off My Little Makes

I have had such a sporadic craft time lately I feel like I not achieved much at all. I have been decorating at home though and now have a freshly painted bathroom, but painting = not making nice pretty things.
Some things I can show though are these; picture the scene, you have a really long day at work you have just attended a meeting in the Wirral a 7 hour round trip for a 2 hour meeting and you finally reach home and spill in the door only to find a parcel waiting for you! I forgot all about my day as I ripped into this, I won a gift from Pene's lovely Giveaway, I was over the moon with this little lot, just have a look;

(please forgive the bad washed out photos, I have had to take them at night)

Beautiful handmade cards, a wonderful fleece doggie and some love hearts, yum!

How wonderful is he? Thanks again Pene you lovely thing you!

Some more bits I can show you are these, my swap gift for the Autumn Swap, I have shown what I received this is what I sent:

Besides this I have been knitting and crocheting little peoples clothes, a cute little crochet hat and knitted mittens from one of those 20p patterns from the 1970's, these will be for my lovely friend's baby due in February:

I have been obsessed with knitting and crochet for a couple of months now, but I think I have my sewing mojo back, my fabric stash is growing and I've been looking at it instead of using it.

I have had these cut out for weeks now just sat in my sewing pile, I finally made them up last night all hand sewn and stuffed full of french lavender, I actually fell asleep quicker than usual last night I am sure it's down to these:

Oh, and I finally finished my crochet lavender bags, I made a felt insert stuffed with French Lavender again, I am pleased with these they are really lovely:

I am terrible for finishing things off, I have lots of in progress items and keep starting something new. I decided that I would behave myself and make one thing at a time and this week I started a fabric teddy bear but got to the eyes and realised I didn't have any so I started a new crochet cushion cover, and then some felt Christmas decorations ~ will I never learn!!

Am I the only one with lots of WIP (Work In Progress)?

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Creative Crafts for Christmas

Well, for those of you in or near the North East this coming week we have the 19th Anniversary of the Creative Crafts for Christmas at the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle 14th - 16th October 2010.

My friend and I went to the Pins and Needles event back in March and had such a wonderful day; it flew by. We were there from 10am till 4pm and they has to almost chuck us out.
It's a great event there were loads of stalls selling items for crafting at really good prices (mainly) everything from quilting, beading, knitting, egg blowing (this looked amazing!).

In addition to this there were workshops held all day and we booked ourselves on the beadwork charm bracelet workshop, this was a good giggle sat with lots of other likeminded ladies, this is what got us both hooked on jewellery making! In addition to that we did a workshop on how to make Kusudama Balls (japanese Medicine Balls), just because they looked amazing!
Here was my effort, this now lives in my teenage son's room hanging from the curtain rail:

This year my friend and I both fancy the box making workshop, which might come in handy to box up our handmade gifts this christmas.

I will take the opportunity to stock up on what I need, I have a growing shopping list ready. I prefer buying things like charms and beads in person rather than online as you get to feel them and see them for yourself.
Our tickets arrived a couple of weeks ago and I have booked the day of work and am really looking forward to this coming Friday, I get to have a full day with my lovely friend too. The next big craft show is on when my friend's baby is due so we will have to make the most of this one!

I'll show you what I buy / make when I get back!

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Uncommon Crochet

I saw a post last week about a crochet string bag which I really fancied having a go at. The pattern was from the Uncommon Crochet Book by Julie Armstrong Holetz. Well I managed to get my hands on this book and here are some of the lovely ideas in there; I do like the idea of crochet with different materials Jute, String, Wire etc.

This is the string bag I set my heart on. I have the string ready 3 balls for a quid (B&M Bargains), just need to decipher the instructions:

I remember my Mum had a bag like this back in the 70's, I can see it with a Cath Kidston cotton inside:

I could fancy one of these too I have a mountain of yarn stuffed in ugly carrier bags:

I really like this felted bag, it's called the Hong Kong Bag:

This is something I could manage, I like the mix of materials, now where can I buy those handles?

These are quite sweet and look really simple to make:

On the whole I like this book, I am glad I came across it. The only fault with it is that over 1/3 of the book was showing the basics of crochet.

This does annoy me a little, I think that with the millions of books out there dedicated to showing the basics the book could just crack on and show lots of lovely patterns, but nevertheless it is a welcome addition to my craft book selection.

Any good craft book recommendations?

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Secret Santa Swap and Free Quiche

Have you heard about the Secret Santa Swap over at Hookin' with LaaLaa?

The idea is that LaaLaa sends out a questionnaire to us all and then she pairs us up with someone secretly. You check out your partner's blog and get to know her likes and dislikes etc. In time for Christmas you send a parcel containing at least five gifts for your partner to open on Christmas day. Isn't that a great idea?

I love making and receiving handmade items but not everyone does, have you ever given a gift you have put much thought and time into only to have someone turn their nose up at it? Well I have and it's nice to give to someone that you know will appreciate it, that's us lot!

Pop over and sign up if you fancy it, it's open until the 15th October so you have 10 days still to join.

Another quick Slimming World Meal to show you:

Slimming World Cheese Pie

Ingredients: 1 packet cheese & broccoli Pasta in Sauce

1 packet Cheese & Onion Smash

1 Medium Onion

3 Eggs

1 Tub Quark

Salt & Pepper

Lean bacon

Tomato

Directions; throw all ingredients in a bowl and mix together with boiling water until a cake like consistency.

Pour into a quiche dish and bake in the oven Gas mark 4 or 180 degrees for 35-40 mins.

Add sliced tomatoes to the top.

Free on Green and Extra Easy. This was rather nice but a bit stodgy, it's not something I could eat lots of, but you could if you had the mind to. I ate mine with a heap of beetroot, Yum!

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Estee Lauder Gift Time

As some of you may know I am quite thrifty in general but when it comes to face stuff and makeup I adore Estee Lauder!

I ran out of foundation the other day and after work I popped into the Metrocentre and in Debenhams I hit the Estee Lauder counter only to find it's Gift Time!! EEEEkkkkk, I didn't even know.

I bought my favourite foundation and with one other purchase you get the free gift, I could have bought something cheap but I was desperate for more Idealist Skin Refinisher so I got that too!

I never feel properly dressed without Idealist it turns your skin to velvet, when I have been cash strapped I have settled for the Boots No.7 Protect and Perfect, but it is a poor relation to the Idealist.

Look what I got free, there were two options this time, the creams for the older skin and this one for the youngsters like me (stop smirking!!):

Full Size Lipstick, Mascara, Eyeliner, Mini Toner, Facewash, Mini Idealist mini Face Cream.

And all in a sexy pink croc pouch, which is huge!! I have lots of these Estee Lauder Bags now, this is one of my favourites so far.

So if you love Estee Lauder pop into Debenhams and get the offer, they do a beauty club now a bit like the boots points system which is pretty good!

p.s. Just so you know I have no connection to either Estee Lauder (I wish!) or Debenhams just like to pass on bargains or good deals when I can.

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