Long time no blog...

Did you miss me? No, thought not. The summer seems to have mostly escaped me, I'm not sure where it went.

Since I last posted I've been busy dealing with various family issues that I won't bore you with, we've been away on holiday, had our silver wedding anniversary, and I've just not found the time to blog, so this is a bit of a a catch up post.

Lets start with the holiday. We went to the Lake District and stayed near Windermere.

The scenery was stunning and I could post pictures for hours, but I'll stick to just a couple. This is is Blea Tarn.

And here we see the mist rolling atmospherically over the hills (ie the weather was a bit iffy at times).

This is part of a large standing stone circle that dates back to Druidic times.

On a crafty note, when I got home from holiday I found this stunning pillow waiting for me as an exchange gift from Donna (no blog that I am aware of). It is completely gorgeous and almost all stitched over 1.

And here is a little project I made following a tutorial I found here via The Graphics Fairy. One slightly boring old plant pot transformed; by the miracle of a squirt of mod podge and a French typography image from The Graphics Fairy; into a little bit of vintage chic. 

Vintage Goodies and Carnival Fun

I've managed to aquire a large amount of vintage awesomeness around ebay, the internet and charity shops this week.

This fabulous old 1950s needlwork magazine still has the original transfer in the middle. Its for those fabulously retro little poodles shown on a beret near the top left hand side. I don't think I'll be making the girls a beret anytime soon...

but I am definitely finding a way to use those poodles!

This little haul came from a wonderful website called Rag Rescue. A fabulous old drawn thread and Hardanger book, (all in Swedish but since it's mostly pictures and diagrams that doesn't matter too much) and two bundles of vintage fabric scraps. They were both nicely wrapped when they came, but I've opened the bundle of smaller scraps (on the right) already. I couldn't resist playing straight away, and made a little suffolk puff out of a delicious raspberry, clotted cream and duck egg floral print. With a vintage button from my collection and a twist of ribbon, hey presto, a vintage brooch! I even had enough left from the square to cover two small buttons.

And then I found this wonderful jug in a charity shop. All it needs is a big bunch of sunflowers...

In other news it was Carnival yesterday. I was collecting so I didn't take my camera down, but I took these pics at home before we left.

Here we see Naomi (white rabbit) and friends in their Alice in Wonderland costumes - sans Alice as she met us down there

and here is Eloise as The Bad Fairy,  for which she won the trophy for best dressed collector.
Note the papier mache skull on her wand. She has named him and he has taken up residence in her room. I suspect she soliloquises to him.

More Mollie Makes

Issue 3 of Mollie Makes arrived last week, and was as just as gorgeous and inspirational as both the previous two.
Look at those crochet flowers on the front cover! Not sure my crochet skills are up to them, but they're delightful.

There was an intriguing project inside the magazine, to make a fringed scarf/cowl from an discarded t-shirt. I didn't have any old t-shirts of my own to cut up, so I picked one up at the charity shop for 50p and here's the scarf I made from it. Super-funky, cheap and quick. My kind of craft!

And here is Eloise modeling a skirt I made her which was inspired by Issue 1.

If you have seen the film "10 Things I Hate About You", you will recognise her modelling stance:-

"That was swimwear, this is underwear, see what I did there?"

If you haven't seen the film "10 Things I Hate About You", run, don't walk, down to your local DVD rental shop and put that right immediately!

Note the fabric. It's got vampires on it. So her! Note also that I will never attempt to encase lime green bobble trim inside a seam again, or any other colour for that matter. Never I tell you! Her next skirt will have the bobbles applied on top afterwards.

Naomi officially "retired" as Carnival Queen today, and the new Royalty were crowned, The Carnival Committee presented her with a New Look giftcard to thank her for her reign, and she gave me these beautiful flowers

St Breward Carnival

Saturday evening was warm and  sunny for St Breward Carnival. 
St Breward is the last carnival of the year for us as our own Carnival is in a fortnight so Naomi officially "retires" as Queen next weekend. (I'm actually quite looking forward to being able to just go along and watch the Carnival this year without having a float to worry about.)

We got a third for Royal group.

We didn't have the float because the new Queen already has it,  but my little car scrubbed up quite well (please ignore the rust spots, she's quite old)

Another month, another challenge!

This month the challenge piece we chose at Needlecraft Haven was this one from Lynn at Happiness is Cross Stitching. The album is here. Only a couple of finishes so far this month, I think everyone has been too busy with holidays and summer activities.

I finished mine as an little ornament (I know, how boring am I?) to hang in my kitchen, and I couldn't resist turning my teapot and cup into blue and white Cornish Ware. Its backed with a blue and white striped fabric (natch), and I made a little hanger from some artfully rusted (ie acidentally left in the garden) wire and blue and white beads.

On the crafty front, I've been playing with my Cuttlebug and I've made some little vintage-inspired heart ornaments.

I'll leave you with a picture of Bill the foster-cat. Here we see him failing to grasp the concept of the cat flap...

Flowers and more flowers

The 2nd issue of the fabulous Mollie Makes magazine popped through my letterbox last week. I couldn't wait, and made up the cover kit, a gorgeous turquoise felt corsage, immediately.

It was so much fun that I rifled through my felt stash and made another in neutral colours, which I stitched  to a second hand straw handag I got from Ebay, together with a Paris themed patch of Japanese linen fabric. I added some vintage lace and buttons and an Eiffel tower charm too. My felt was a bit softer than the felt supplied in the kit, I think it gives this one a more sculptural quality. I'm quite pleased with how it came out, I'm thinking of making some more and selling them at the craft fairs.

The other flowers in this post are the real kind. June is the best month of the year in my garden.
How would you like to share a little early morning stroll "around the grounds" ?

This is Albertine, my favourite rambling rose doing exactly what it says on the tin, and ramblig all over the pergola.

The bell flowers have gone berserk and taken over the seaside garden.

The alpine strawberries are delicious. They never seem to actually make it to the table though ~ in fact I don't think the rest of the family even know there are strawberries there ;D

The tadpoles have turned into froglets and are sunning themselves by the pond. You have to be careful where you walk.

This is Dr Ruppel. He 's rather a handsome chap don't you think?

My Apothecary's Rose. I wish I could upload the scent for you, it's gorgeous.

I even get a better class of weeds in June!

Hope you enjoyed your virtual tour!

AWOL

Things have been even more manic than usual of late here at the Casa Di Chaos, and poor little Blog has fallen by the wayside a bit.
We currently have my MIL living here on a temporary but indefinite basis while she is between houses, and have acquired a 2nd cat, as she can't take hers with her to her new place. This has rather put Spike's nose out of joint, though he is getting quite a bit of extra food out of it, as the phrase "Leave that, it's Billy's" apparently means nothing to him ;D

There has been a bit of a slump on the stitching front, but I do have a finish to show. this is my version of May's Monthly Challenge, the design this month was Cadeau pour les Amis Brodeuses from Sablaise and the album is here.

I did mine in cream and beige silk threads on vintage country mocha linen, and finished it as a pinkeep, with some mother of pearl thread rings and a scissor pocket on the back, and made a little matching scissor fob. This will be my gift for an upcoming exchange, but I'm pretty sure I'm safe showing it here.

We've been having a very pleasant burst of early Summer here. The beach was very crowded at the weekend.

But if you walk far enough you can still find a peaceful spot.