More Handmade Christmas, Plus Teacosy Pattern

Hello again peeps!

Well it would seem that everyone who commented last week, certainly shares my longing for a more simple christmas with handmade gifts and old fashioned values, which may I say is very refreshing! Thank you so much for your input and lovely helpful comments. You have all inspired me further to press on with my quest!

So this week as I was busy sewing, drawing, painting, etc., I was still pondering over how hard it is to think of good handmade gifts for men, and I found myself smiling to myself reminiscing over past makes which didn't quite turn out the way I had hoped for.  There were the pyjamas I once made for George  out of an old sheet, very thrifty...(I know, poor George!). You know, sometimes an idea just pops into your head, and well, you just have to, don't you? Bless him, he wore them, even though the traced markings, ie. dots and the words cut here, never ever would wash out!

 Then there was the jumper I made him on my newly aquired knitting machine, which had one of those contraptions which allowed you to draw the shape on it, and then just knit it. Happily flinging the carriage from one side to the other, following the chart, I didn't realise that the jumper was growing longer and longer!  On that occasion George refused point blank to wear it, and I ended up wearing it around the house as a very long nightie/dressing gown!

Sadly no pics though, as it was in the days before digital cameras!

As well as trying to catch up with various jobs, such as a cross stitch I promised the lovely Lynne in Ireland many moons ago. If you are reading Lynne, it is coming along very well now! I have been a busy bee drawing and painting little pics for a few peeps, and still trudging on with my secret project.

There are a few simple knitted gift ideas too which I have to get on with.  This is a gift I made for my friend a couple of years ago, and she still has it, and tells me she treasures it more than any shop bought gift I have ever bought for her. Those words warm the cockles of my heart!

Another popular request is for this teacosy which I made too. you can find the pattern here folks!

Another handmade gift that I may make, is this pin cushion with needle keep which I designed and made a few months ago. But not many of my family and friends are into sewing, so I am not sure who I would make one for yet!

Or perhaps I could make some more of these?

I have also been trying, as you all may well know, to sort out our house.  The bathroom and the shower room which were to be started this monday, have now been delayed due to an internet purchase which has been causing us distress for a few weeks. It may be sorted out now, but for a while there we were feeling rather sick that we may have lost a bit chunk of our house budget! They had debited our card, but we could not contact them at all, desite numerous efforts. We have now managed to cancel the order and hopefully will get our money back, but it has caused a big delay, as our plumber has now got other jobs on. Here is a before pic of the bathroom, in a sad state of limbo!

Anyhow, sorry for boring you with that! It will all come out in the wash as they say, and there are worse things at sea!

GET STUFFED! Sorry! :) I have been stuffing this week..... stuffed marrow, and yesterday stuffed peppers. I love the stuffed peppers, and sometimes I use no meat at all. Yesterday I used a  bit of minced meat which I minced myself from some steak we had last friday, when we had thin slices of steak on ciabatta, with sauted onion and cheese! Ooooh yum.  I love being thrifty with food, it must have rubbed off on me from my Mum. It really delights me to buy a cut of meat and then see how many meals I can get out of it. So, I held back some of the steak and minced it.

 Stuffed marrows before the cheese was added and before cooking, with a marrow from the garden by the side!

Next, I made up a basic mix, with onion, celery, etc., and cooked it all with a bit of homemade sauce. So this week we had stuffed pepper and stuffed marrow another day,  twas yummy!  Mollye, you asked the other week how I stored my chili peppers, well I frose them, I didn't write this because, I have to spell it frose, as I have lost my ' ' and have to use 's'!!!  Its to be hoped that I don't visit the oo soon and have to write about the animals I saw a t the oo!

Talking of my Mum, it was the anniversary of her death on the 4th of this month, and my Dad's on the 7th. I still miss them like it was yesterday. It is hard to believe that they have both been gone for so long now.   I often long to have just another day with them both. I think of all those questions I should have/could have asked, but never did, because we always think we have all the time in the world don't we?  But we don't! So if you are both around somewhere... I love you so much, and miss you terribly. Grab someone you love today and give them a huge hug!

 My Mum and Dad! Years ago, before I was a twinkle in the eye!

 Anyway, I hope I haven't bored the pants off you today!  Will be trying to catch up with everyone this weekend!

Lots of love! Susie xxxxxxxxxxx

I'm dreaming of a thrifty Christmas!

Hello to all you fine peeps! Happy October! Did you remember to say White wabbits? I always say it!

This was a picture from last October, and I grew my own pumpkin, this year not one of my seeds germinated! No Pumpkins! Boo hoo!


Well its that time of the year again ( I know, already! :0). Time to look towards cosy nights by the fire, bonfires, fireworks, and then of course to top it all off with the cherry on the top........... CHRISTMAS!!! There, I said it.....CHRISTMAS!!!

                                                       ooooooh Yummy!  And next thing you know its.........

Now, I am no Grinch, I love Christmas, all the sentimentality, nostalgia, sparkle and glitter. BUT! This year I am getting out my sandwich board and going on a protest march! Why? Because each year that goes by, I despair at how it has all become so materialistic and driven by commercialism. People run about like headless chickens spending money that they can ill afford, and instead of getting the desired Christmas that we are told we should be getting by the media, all that a lot of us get is worry and one huge headache and  painful bills to match!

I yelled out last year that I longed for a long ago type of Christmas, the sort where people happily exchange a gift that has been lovingly hand-made. You know the sort, like in 'Little Women', where a face would light up at an embroidered handkerchief, as if it were a precious treasure they were looking upon. Eyes filled with the wonder of each stitch being sewn by someone who loved them.

SO! This year I have made a vow to myself, that where ever possible, I will be making gifts for my much loved family and friends with fabric and materials which I already have in the house. After all, I am a hoarder, and after last weeks post where I was confined to my workroom (what a hardship!), I started to look through all those pretty fabrics which I have been collecting over time, and thought....hmmmmmm!?  Obviously this is not a completely achievable goal, as I don't think my brother would be too excited about a pretty smelly heart or bird, etc!  Although it is good for men to let their feminine side loose sometimes!

This week, whilst confined to my sewing room, I started on some of these, which I will loosely stuff and fill with lavender nearer to Christmas, and of course finish them off with bright beady button eyes! .......

I personally would be extremely happy and content, and filled with sheer warm happiness if I pulled off the chrissie wrapping paper to discover a handmade with love gift! That would mean more to me than any expensive shop bought gift. I would rather have something unique and loved than any diamond or trinket that has no substance other than cost. This is to me what Christmas should be about. Simple but true comforts and love.


Oh, and before I go, I am so daft sometimes! Last week I announced the winner of my drawing, ( who was chosen randomly by drawing numbers out of a hat) and then completely forgot to tell you the name of Aunt Spicy's beautiful scottie doglet! What am I like?  Well the little dogs name is Fred (Freddie)! Thank you Mummy Boo Bear for your suggestion!  Fred (Freddie is liking his new name very much! Mind you I have still not decided whether said dog is a girl or a boy yet. What do you think Aunty Spicy, after all, you created this gorgeous pooch! Either way, tis all good..... Fred, Freddie , Fredrica!

Getting back to christmas, what are your opinions on it these days, and if you are handcrafting gifts, what will/are you making? I would love to know, it would give me inspiration. Here is a difficult one... well it is for me! Anyone have any good ideas for handmade gifts for men?  If you do, let me know PLEASE!!! ;0)

Have a wonderful week everyone!

Susie xxxx :0))))

Flowers, invisible horses and sadness too.

Hey! Thank you so much for your get well wishes... I think it worked too, as I do feel much better now!

What have I been up to this week?  Oh, you didn't ask did you? Well I will tell you anyway!  Despite feeling lousy, I got quite busy once I recovered a bit. Now lets see.  Oh yes! on Tuesday my bottom made a quick telephone call! Yes, it did... It rang George's car phone, but remained silent.. thank goodness!  Ha ha ha, I had sat on my phone!

I have been doing a bit more on my secret project...

Have been busy making lots of flowers....

And I finally had a go at making a brooch, as I have had some brooch pins for some time now! Does anyone else find themselves on occasion buying things, thinking that you will make lots and sell them or at least give as presents, but never get around to doing it?

I felted the wool onto the under felt, and attached beads, and of course a brooch pin too!

Now, you may not be aware of this, but I have an invisible horse. Those of you who are friends with me on facebook will already know!  Obviously, this door was absolutely no use whatsoever for an inquisitive horse now was it?

 

Let us out! Let us out!

So as part of the grand makeover which has just begun, we just had to have this door fitted.......

 

So now my beautiful invisible appaloosa horse (brown and white markings for anyone interested!  ;o), can trot to the door anytime he likes and gaze out of the window at the flowers, butterfies and bees!

Paula the lady who bred ralph our Old English Sheepdog, breeds these beautiful natured horses as well!  Click on this link If you like to ooohhhh and awhhhhh at puppies and horses!

And it looks so much cosier from the inside too!  I can't wait for a rainy day all snuggled up in the kitchen with a warming bowl of homemade soup, watching the rain pitter pattering down that little cutie window!

It really feels now, like we are finally starting to get somewhere with all thes jobs that need doing on this house!

Two thank yous this week and one sadness I am afraid.

Thank you Jacqueline for another one of your beautiful tags! Look at the cute owls peeps! You are a star, so kind thinking of little old me here in Lancashire with my dotty dogs and invisible horse!

Thank you too, to Star, who sent me these lovely mags for a giveaway I recently won at her lovely blog.  I shall have a good look through them as soon as I get a mo!  I have only managed to skim through them as yet! 

I still haven't got around to reading your book Jen, which I am sorry for! I haven't even answered your question about it yet... sorry! I am sure I will enjoy it and will report back to you when I have read it.  I noticed that you have done a wonderful post about 'four', which I will try and read later! X

I would like give a mention here to a lovely blog friend of mine Mollye, who suddenly and tragically lost her son Jake just over a week ago. It is at times like these when we need to show our love, support and care so much. I like Mollye very much, and often think of her, and send my love to her often, but right now I am sending her every ounce that I can squeeze out of me. Words are just inadequate really.  He sounded a truly amazing man, and you can read Mollye's beautiful tribute to him here. It made me cry.

It just makes me think once again, how every moment on this earth is precious, and how, when we are lucky enough to have people to love, we must love them with all we have got. We all take too many things for granted sometimes.

Love to you all.   Suzie xxxxxxxxxx

My birthday week! Whats your perfect birthday?

Greetings Earthlings!

What a lovely birthday week I have had! Thank you to all of you who have sent me birthday wishes! George has had a few days off this week, so it seems like my birthday every day, so I am sorry if I haven't been keeping up to date with all your wonderful blogs! How would you like to spend a dream birthday?

This week though I have squeezed in enough time to make something for Lissylou's good cause. You can find further info about this here! I hope this is the kind of thing she was thinking of, I designed it specially for her, so she will be receiving the prototype!

 

Now then, what have I been up too?  Oh yes!  One evening we decided that we would go for a drink at a local pub and then try out a new Thai takeaway..... so I set the table with a Thai (ish!) theme, well more Chinese really! Our brother in-law is chinese mandarin, and our niece brought us the lovely chopsticks.......

 

  

....... but the Thai was closed, so we drove to Blackpool (4 miles away) to look for a Thai, but the one we found looked a bit iffy! What to do?  Well go for greek of course! So Greek we had, on a thai table and very nice it was too!

My birthday was lovely, one of the nicest ever, lots of birthday wishes, this lovely card from Penny at The hen house, isn't it gorgeous?  Penny made it, she is so clever! 

Next to it you can see a card from my lovely friend Ro ( I can't leave a link, as her blog is acting up, well it is for me anyway! sorry Ro, I have tryed to read it a few times now!) who also sent me a wonderful scrapbook made about 27 years ago, about me and her and our time working  in the Civil service.

I was a very lucky birthday girl and got these beautiful flowers off one friend....

And from another friend this fab cushion.....

 

This book and cd too ......

 

  

Very good cd!

While George has been off we have been attempting to sort out insurance.... so George was on the phone answering some ( a lot!) of questions about his health, after which he was accepted on the spot. He was giving me the thumbs up from across the room.  Next was my turn for the interrogation! Now, since my diagnosis I have not really had any insurance because a) It is almost impossible to get any company to insure me  ( I remember being told that after five years you can be, not sure though!) and b) the ones that are willing are ridiculously expensive. I am considered a high risk. so, George smiling to himself as he hears me saying no, I haven't had that, and no not that either. Question, cancer, erhhhh yes, hmmmm, any breathing problems, or chest complaints, errrr yes, very mild asthma....hmmmmm,  any heart conditions?  Errrrr..... a heart murmur, but!   I say in a jolly voice, only when I lie down!  Hmmmmmm.....have any of your parents died before the age of 65?  Errrr.... yes both, from cancer. Hmmmmmm.....! By this time George is trying to hide his laughter, and stands up and gives me a ......

  

What a wonderful likeness George!

Needless to say I was not accepted on the spot, I will be getting more forms and questions! And then an expensive quate, no doubt!

Quite funny really!   I think I will concentrate on something much more pretty and pleasant!

Ahhhh thats better! Back in La la land where I belong!  The land of sweet imaginings, and beauty! 

Well, I am off now, to enjoy the rest of my birthday week. How greedy is that, to make your birthday go on all week!  I don't mind being one year older at all,  I am just so happy to be allowed to get older! 

What is your perfect birthday, how would be your ideal way to spend it?

I will try so hard to catch up with all of the blogs this weekend!  

Have a wonderful happy weekend everyone!  Love to you all. Suzie. xxx

Brown paper packages tied up with string from Lissy Lou! Happy Birthday Ro!!!

Hello everyone! I know I keep saying it, but thank you so much for all your lovely comments, I really do appreciate the time taken by all of you lovlies to leave them! It still amazes me that people come here every week and read my gibberings!

Latest update! I have just recieved this lovely award from Michela at Little Secrets from my garden! Thank you so much Michela, how kind you are! Go and look at her blog, it is lovely as she is too!

 The Splash Award is given to "alluring, amusing, inspiring, bewitching, and impressive blogs"

The rules are:
1. Post the award on your blog
2. Nominate up to 9 blogs
3. Let your nominees know they've won!
4. Link back to the person who gave it to you!
I'd like to pass the award on to the following fab blogs:

Mary poppins
The Linen Shelf
Vanilla Ivy
Blueberry heart
Little Eve
Florence and Mary
Created by Kylie
Tracey's- crafty scraps


Henhouse
KC's Court
Miz mollye  - shezadoozy


Ok thats eleven! Really want everyone to have one, so come on everyone, pick it up and take it!



 Talking about thanks. A huge thank you to Lissy Lou ( and the two little boys). I recently won her giveaway, and it arrived this week! So, so exciting to get a parcel through the post. As I gazed at the parcel in my hands I thought of Lissy carefully packing  and wrapping. Lissy going and posting it. I imagine her local post office. I imagine her day, her life, how the world is for her.  This parcel that already , before I have even opened it, has connected me to this lovely thoughtful lady in another part of the country whom I have never met in person.  May I tell you it cheered my heart!  Do you know what? On the brown paper parcel, Lissy had written...Brown paper packages tied up with string! Isn't that lovely? I thought to myself, isn't this just so special.  Wonderful! Go and visit her, she is lovely!

Inside I found these lovely little framed prints ( And yes I do agree Lissy Lou, they would look lovely painted white!).....

And this charming pot bear candle snuffler, which unbeknown to Lissy is just so right, as I had a similar one that belonged to my Dad, which got broken, so It reminds me of him!.......

These lovely incense sticks, complete with tiny holder, which are gorgeous.......

A very lovely and very handy (for me!) needlecase in red (love red! still haven't got over looking down at my new red shoes when I was a child! Bumping into lamp posts!!  Red still makes me happy!),  thank you Lissy Lou for placing two lovely pins in it too!!!......

A bookmark. Now Lissy, how did you know that I had just started reading a very thick book. Just the ticket!.....

Some Emma Bridgewater tissues! How timely! I have had a stinking cold all week, I don't know what I have, but it is not nice. This is the second week! I have been poorly, and so there is only two tissues left to photograph! I held these back, so I could show both sides! What a martyr!!!

So Lissy Lou, thank you so much, I loved your parcel and goodies. You have warmed my heart with your kindness!


I don't know about all of you, but I do enjoy receiving gifts, I do! But, I so, so, so love giving even more!   Especially hand made gifts! Obviously, I hope that my home made goodies don't look like something made in Blue Peter! One thing for sure though is that each stitch I make is filled with love, care and thoughts for the person who will receive it. I am saddened by the commercialism and materialisticness of Christmas these days and more and more I am of the mind that handmade gifts should make a serious comeback!

                     Found this on the internet, so funny I thought!

We seem to live in a world where it is how much money something costs rather than the thought that has gone into it. Down with materialism, thats what I say! Now where did I put my sandwich board and soap box!!!

One of the many many films which I enjoy to watch is Little women.

 I love all the versions of it including the latest one with Susan Sarandon. I had the book when I was a child, and a couple of years ago I was taken by my husband George to see it at the Grand Theatre. Our poor son Tom came along too, and pulled faces all the way through, but secretly I think he liked it!!!

What a heart warming tale full of selfless giving and simple living. It reflects a time when people were happy to receive a hand embroidered hankerchief and appreciated the love and care which went into the making of it too. A world where people gave their time and care to each other, and there wasn't a price tag on everything! Oh, I do realise that it is a rose coloured spectacled view of the good old days, but if only it were just a little bit more like?! Perhaps I have been watching too many old movies. But I love them!

                       It's a Wonderful Life! What a wonderful thought!

 Years ago, there was a program on the telly called Crackerjack. I watched it when we were in this country. One of the prizes, perhaps the main prize even, was a Crackerjack pencil and the booby prize was a cabbage!

 Can you see the boy on the left holding a cabbage!!! I jest you not!

Can you imagine children's reactions these days to getting such a prize!! (What the....!)  I used to dream about winning a Crackerjack pencil!!! I can but dream!

Well with Christmas sneaking up on us, I find myself yet again dreaming of not only a white Christmas, but one with some good old fashioned values. One where we can all get excited about the small things as if we had never seen them before! A jolly cosy Christmas by the fire admiring our hand sewn hankerchiefs, tea cosys, tray cloths and goodies.  Personally if I got hand embroidered goodies at Crimbo I would be in heaven!

Handmade....it really does touch my heart!

I am very excited about next weeks post! It will be on thursday the 22nd, and its the Cath Kidston party! Come and join the fun, click the picture below for more details at Lissy Lou's blog! As Lissy says It can be CK inspired and you don't need to have the real Mccoy!

Click here to find out about the CK party at Lissy Lou's

 
As I sit here looking out of the window my Owl tree is rapidly snowing leaves!  I will go to the front door and take a snap!

Before I go!  I have posted on a thursday this week, because I want to say happy birthday to a friend, who I know will read this, but is having difficulty posting a comment at the moment!

So......HAPPY BIRTHDAY RO!!!!    Hope you have a wonderful day!

                                            SO true hey Ro!!!!



Until next time all of you, I wish you all many blessings and love!

Suzie. xxx :0) With a poorly red sore nose!