Somehow or another Rachel turned 15 on Wednesday

 and one of her presents was this DWEEB crop top

 (don't ask but apparently that or NERD and GEEK are the things to have written on your top) 

the only thing was she didn't have a skirt to wear with it for youth club this Friday so who does she ask to help her out in this fashion dilemma - good old mum!!!

Rachel : "MUUUMMMM!!! can you make me a black skirt by Friday??"

Me : Let's look on pinterest, do you like this one???

Rachel : Yes!

Luckily Paul and I popped into town on Thursday to

A) order me some new glasses and 

B) to pick up some bits and bobs from the haberdashery stall on the market

which meant I could get some 4" black elastic which I needed for the waistband.

I already had some black fabric so it was just a case of using my brain to calculate the radius (as per the tutorial) of the skirt which turned out to be as easy as pi (sorry I couldn't resist!)

One pattern was made, one skirt was cut and then today all I had to do was make the elastic waist band, serge the edges of the circles, attach the skirt to the elastic and sew the hem!!! EASY!!!

and I have to say it was one of the easiest things I have made in a long time

although this does mean i have had a request for more skirts! 

Now where did I pin that tutorial on dyeing elastic?????

It takes two......

Thank you for all your lovely comments about Tomas' first day at school, sorry I haven't had time to reply. I do love reading your comments so keep 'em coming!
With a change of school has come those rushing around jobs of buying forgotten bits and prices needed for the new term. Swimming is on the agenda during the summer and because the pool is outdoors the children need a towelling robe to wear from the classroom to the pool and back again. But it would seem we all like snugly warm fleece dressing gowns for our children and I was struggling to find a towelling one anywhere. After a day of searching and not finding anything suitable I decided that I would have to make one so I bought two beach towels, nice a light weight but soft and snuggly.




I searched the Internet to see if there were any tutorials and find one that sort of described what I needed to do but it was a little vague in places??? I wanted to make it nice and simple so it was basically rectangles for everything. I used a fleece dressing gown as a size guide and got cutting. I wanted the stripes to match so used one towel for the back and the other for the fronts. The sleeves are exactly the same too, slightly anal I know but I cant help it! The collar and the front facings were the most vague on the tutorial and I think if I made another one then I would adapt these a little but the finished robe was quite a triumph I think!




Tomas seemed to like it and it did a great job keeping him warm and drying him off on his walk across the school grounds. The kit needed for swimming also meant that a bog standard swimming bag was going to be too small so after choosing some fab tropical fish fabric I made a personalised extra large swimming bag too. I arrived at school this afternoon to one delighted if not tired little boy who had thoroughly enjoyed his swimming lesson and whose swimming bag was almost as big as he was!




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A new start.........

Tomas started at his new school today

and I'm not sure who was more nervous, both Paul and I had butterflies this morning and Tomas had a little wobble when we arrived but was soon back to his happy self.

So today will be a waiting game, I can't wait until 3.15 to find out how he got on.

Charity shop buys

I've been a bit quiet again, the Easter holidays kept me busy and with Tomas changing schools and Rachel being away this seems to have left me with no time to craft or blog! But now Rachel is safely home and Tomas starts school next week so things should return to "normal" very soon!
Today I managed a few child free hours in town, picking up new school uniform and visiting the charity shops. This is what I managed to find....


Rowan cotton glacé all for £2 not sure what I'm going to make but I seem drawn to all things grey at the moment, any ideas would be gratefully received!


This fab breakfast set for £5.25, I have been using on of Tomas' china soldiers for my egg but now I will feel more grown up whilst I dip!


I'm always on the look out for clothes for the kids but Rachel seems to fair better than the boys for some reason, does anyone else find this too? I spied this pretty dusky pink netted dress on the bargain rail it was only £3.50 and the belt was 50p. She was very pleased when she got home from her school trip. I also found some pretty picture frames but Tomas nabbed one of them for a present for Rachel so I didn't get a chance to take any photographs.
Unfortunately the fabric shop is also in the same road as the school shop and the charity shops and it would be rude not to go in and say hello. I was very good though and only bought two metres of fabric for some personalised swim bags I am making for a friends twin girls. Bright purple and pink were the order of the day and these were definitely bright.
Not a bad days shopping I think, it's back to tidying up my workroom tomorrow as in my attempt to tidy up I seem to have made things worse!!
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Spring Bouquet Swap

Thanks for all your lovely comments on the bag I made for Andrea, in this post I will show you what Andrea sent to me as part of the Spring Bouquet Swap organised by Betty the Wood Fairy.
Pretty packages....


Cute cotton coasters


in spring colours....


A very pretty potholder, this is far too pretty to use as a pot holder and will be put on display in my workroom.


A close up of the pretty centrepiece.


Creative cards ready to use for pen pals and swaps.


Easter ribbons and a bit of CK writing paper.


All of my wonderful goodies together.


Another glimpse of my coasters, which andrea has assured me wash up beautifully and therefore I can put my mug if tea on them!


For those of you that haven't been over to Andrea's blog yet here is a close up of her gorgeous work. How pretty is that edging!


I've really enjoyed this swap and the wonderful goodies that Andrea sent me, teamed with the fact that spring is just around the corner (please Mother Nature!) my days are much brighter!! Thank you to Andrea for being a brilliant swap partner and to Betty the Wood Fairy for organising another excellent swap!

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Happy Easter

I hope you are all having a good start to your Easter break...Here in Essex the sun was out and there was a lovely blue sky, BUT boy was it cold and muddy!!!! 

This morning we headed out to Hylands Park for and Easter Egg Hunt organised by a friend. 

We had a super time, collecting paper eggs

 in exchange for chocolate ones! 

We even found the Easter Bunny! 

We had a smashing time with the pinata egg

and played in the park.

You can see from Tomas' boots just how muddy it was!!!!!

We are all home now enjoying the warmth before having bangers and mash for tea, have a good easter whatever you are up to xxx

Spring Bouquet Swap

Although I think for most of us Spring is still waiting to show its sunny side, I do have a couple of things to show you that may brighten your day.

The lovely Betty of Betty the Wood Fairy recently organised a Spring Bouquet Swap, the idea being you make or buy something spring themed for your swap partner. I was teamed with Andrea over at MemeRose who creates the most amazing crochet and has a wonderful flair for home interiors.

Andrea has now received her swap parcel so I can tell you all about it.

Andrea and I emailed each other and I did lots of stalking on her blog and found out that she loves pastel colours and has a thing for swans. So with my trusty google search engine I surfed the net looking for just the right fabric and boy did I find it! 

Now, although the fabric did have flowers on it they were roses so not very springlike so to incorporate the spring element I searched the web again and found a tulip shaped bag pattern which I used to create a bag just for Andrea.

The pink fabric is recycled from a curtain sample.

I found the perfect button in my button box.

I also enclosed some very sweet cotton reel chocolates that I found in NEXT 

and a pretty pansy embroidered mini hoop that I picked up on one of my many charity shop trips.

I can't wait to show you what Andrea sent me........