Echoes of a Dream

Christmas Fair

For about the first time ever I don't have masses to say today because I'm exhausted from getting ready for the school fair. I spent the whole morning (from about 7 o'clock) getting everything together and pricing and then a couple of hours setting up this afternoon. Then it was back here to cook supper as Tom was trying to lay paving slabs for our new shed and after supper I just have to put a few finishing touches on things.

So I'll save my energy for all that if you don't mind and just treat you to a few pics of some of the things I'm selling. I meant to take a photo of the table all set up - but guess what - I forgot. Instead here are some of the things on it.

I finally lined the bag and added straps:

here's the other side:

a couple of first dolls for little 'uns:

and just one baby bunting as I ran out of washed fleece for the stuffing:

some hearts filled with balsam fir from Maine. This stuff smells so nice and I'm ever gretaful to Melody who bought some for me and sent it over:

some plant dyed wool:

and some plant dyed and handspun wool:

some brooches and hairclips:

plant dyed silk squares:

and I thought I'd give you a close-up of the angels as I finally hung them up today:

please click on each pic for a bigger view:

There's lots of other stuff too and in the end I ran out of space so all that worrying for nothing eh? Mind you I have another fair the week after so I do need plenty of stock.

I gotta go - supper is beckoning. It's cassoulet with mashed potato incase you're interested and afterwards some of Nigella's brownies. A girl needs to gather all her energy for standing behind a stall all day:

Hope you all have a great weekend ..........................

Some things for the fair

Grrrr - I hate these blooming give-aways. How can I chose one person from all the lovely comments that you left me. Yes, I know I'm supposed to do it randomly but as I wrote everyones names down and re-read the comments I found myself going through each and everyone and saying "oh, I hope she gets it" until in the end I'd wished that all sixty two of you could have an angel each.

Anyway, strips of paper went into the hat and out came: Sue from this blog and you know what I just went over to copy her URL and noticed that she isn't having a great time of late so I hope this will cheer you up a bit Sue. Congratulations. I'll be popping everything in the post asap with a few English sweeties as well.

That bit of excitement over and I can tell you quickly about my week. I did have the most lovely birthday on Sunday. Friends came over for lunch and brought no less than three puddings with them. Of course, I had to try them all - there was the most delicious chocolate mousse which we had with single cream poured over (it cut the richness, honestly); portuguese custard tarts and then tarte tatin. I'm feeling full thinking about it all. The best bit is that it was all made by my girlfriend's husband. He's a whizz in the kitchen that bloke and it's a huge treat to be invited around there for dinner (but a headache when you invite him back). Anyway, we did walk it off afterwards at the St Martin's lantern walk and no we didn't eat a thing that night.

You know a couple of people have commented on my freedom at mentioning how old I am. I noticed that my sister and a friend made a couple of comments like " only 26 today" or "how do you feel about being 46" and as I said to them I am totally happy being 46. I might feel differently when I reach my fifties but I'm OK with my forties - still sounds young to me.

Anyway, I digress as usual. You need some pics to look at. I've sewn two sides of a felted (jumpers) bag:

which needs sewing up and lining yet:

I've done one side of another bag:

can't decide whether to leave it empty under the tree or to add something little. I don't want to make it too busy though.

Then I finally finished off the angels:

I should hang them on a branch for better effect but didn't have the time this morning. Here are a couple of close-ups though:

the ones above are made with cotton doilies.

Then I crocheted a couple of my regular brooches (pattern here) and I had some bits of handmade felt in my stash so I made a few more brooches:

and then inspired by these in the Cath Kidston catalogue I made this very quickly last night:

I'm not quite sure about it though. It needs improving in some way but it was late and as you can see from the thread hanging out at the back I abandoned the project in favour of going to bed. If you want to try something similar the how-to-make this flower is here. I made dandelions for the nature table this way. If you have any bright ideas on how to make this brooch better I'd love to hear them? Should I add a stem as well? Or should I just throw caution to the wind and just copy the whole corsage lock, stock and barrel? Hmmm, I'll need to make the flowers much smaller though. If anyone makes a corsage with the dandelion pattern I'd love to see what you come up with.

Well, I do have to get on now. I have three hours before the children come home and I MUST line that first bag. By the way thank you for the lovely compliments about my children. When it comes to presents and celebrations they do excel themselves. I guess I've instilled in them the importance of giving gifts as well as receiving them. Ever since they were little we've always made things for each other and close family at birthdays and Christmas so it's just what they do now.

Hope you all have a great weekend. It's blooming freezing here but the sky is blue ..................

Praying for sun on Saturday.

I have to tell you that the sun is shining - HOORAY. I'm trying to be very positive about the weather even though we had thunderstorms yesterday afternoon. You see the Summer Fair is on Saturday afternoon and I have about a dozen people lined up to be outside selling ice-creams, crepes, doing games for children, someone making tussie-mussies. It has to be nice - do you hear me up there? I don't have any room in the school to squeeze anyone else in - so the sun has to shine. OK - that's not enough positive thinking - THE SUN WILL SHINE. I will mutter that continually for the next three days wherever I am. A bit like how you're supposed to be doing pelvic floor exercises wherever you are! Maybe I can combine them both............and maybe you can join me. All together now, pull those muscles in and chant ...........

I know it sounds as if I've gone completely mad but what do you expect in this weather? At least I've been mad and productive though. I've now got everything ready for my stall on Saturday. I'll be selling plant dyed fibre, blankets and silks. Brooches and owls:

a felted (jumpers) bag:

and here's the other side of it:

The purple bag - I didn't show you the other side in the last post:

The grey bag with a few extra beads on it:

I might sell these plant dyed pieces of proper felt (rather than blanket). Although each piece cost me £1 so it might get a bit pricey. Maybe I'll keep it for myself:

I have a few other bits and pieces although I haven't made a huge effort as I'm not sure that summer is a time that people spend lots of money - unlike at the christmas fair. I'll list whatever I have left on Etsy afterwards.

I did have another jumper cut up for a bag but I just don't have the time or inclination to make it now. So that means I'm quite relaxed about my stall and I can just concentrate on organising the day now. I have a great team of Mums in charge of various things like activities, games, the cafe, stalls indoors. Amber's class are doing the ice-creams and I just need to organise setting up and to make sure the day goes smoothly. Which it will because it will be SUNNY and HOT. You see I didn't say won't it because I'm thinking positively.

On another note I just have to tell you that Tom was a bit miffed about the photo of his vegetable patch that I showed you a few posts ago. Even though he did get some compliments he felt I hadn't done it justice. So, he went out and took some pics and here they are.

Tom's vegetable patch in all it's glory:

The front three beds below are the children's:

View from the back (onions and potatoes):

Onions drying - I hope he's brought them in now or they'll be soaked and rotten:

and some broccoli - oooh it's just like shop bought isn't it?

I hope you'll give the chap some praise - he obviously doesn't get enough from his family.

Well, I'm off to go and beg for some raffle prizes from local traders .......I might let up on chanting my mantra or else they'll never give me anything. Bye for now.

Is it worth it?

I spent most of the weekend making this bag (which seemed to take forever) and Amber said to me (quite innocently) 'is it worth it Mum?' That comment really stopped me in my tracks and I seem to have been questioning 'is it worth it' since then. Is all that I do worth the time and effort I spend on it? I suppose when you question worth you're talking about the payoff you get.

I certainly know that I feel pretty overwhelmed at the moment with everything I do. There's the cooking, the cleaning, washing clothes, crafting, blogging, raising three children and of course the dyeing and the multitude of other things I do or take on. Are they all worth it?

Well, the stuff that comes with running the house is worth it of course and I've certainly pared it all down to a bare minimum. Some days I don't cook and we have left-overs which is fine. I hardly get around to cleaning but the dirt and the cobwebs do get to me eventually. I've minimised washing clothes to twice a week - three at a stretch. So the effort spent on those things is fine and worth it. It means I have a fairly tidy house, we're well fed with good wholesome food and we have clean clothes to wear and hopefully I'm instilling some important things in my children too.

What about the crafting I do - is that worth it? Is it worth the immense time and energy I put into it? I need creativity like some people need a shot of coffee to keep them going. It's my life blood and if a fire destroyed my sewing room and all the contents I'd feel like a limb had been cut off. What would I do each day? I need to keep my fingers busy and my mind open with new things and ideas. I love sewing and knitting and dyeing and they all give me something that I do for myself and another focus that isn't the house. On a day to day level crafting is definately worth it as it keeps me sane. But when I'm under pressure like this week where I'm making things to sell on July 7th (school fair) maybe it isn't worth the extra stress. It was worth making that bag as I'm really proud of the result but it certainly isn't worth it for the price I'll have to sell it. (If I tot up all the hours I spent on it then I would be asking about £100+ but that goes for anything anyone hand makes I suppose). I also do handwork at school (very part-time) and I love sharing the skills I have with the children. So yes, crafting is worth it. Worth every minute I spend on it.

Staying at home and bringing up three children is definately worth it and I've never regretted giving up my job thirteen years ago. It's bloody hard work as you know but how can it not be worth it. I will remind myself of that when Amber blows a gasket later and when Rohan bursts into tears over his violin exam and can't be consoled and when Raj refuses to go to bed (just when I'm desperate to have some time to myself) oh and Tom's in London. I will TRY and remind myself of it - or else burst into tears - or reach for a bar of chocolate.

So that brings me to the other time consumer in my life - blogging and reading other blogs. Is it worth it having a blog? Oh my. It's worth having a blog for the creativity it inspires in me and the way it's made me try new things. It's worth it for the beautiful friendships I have made and most definately for the fact that it's the reason we're going to America this summer - to meet those friends (and to go to those craft shops everyone's mentioning). Sometimes, considering the too few comments I get it doesn't feel worth it. I don't care what other bloggers say but comments are really important to me. I really value the relationship between you and me. I love to hear what you think of my writing, my crafting and of me - I really do. I'd like you just to say "Hi I read that post" even. I also like writing back to you (if appropriate) too. But sometimes I do get a lot of comments (as in the teen post) and I guess it evens out. So overall it is worth my time and effort - you can tell me otherwise if you want!

Reading other blogs takes up a lot of time too but that has definately got to be worth it. I love to see what others are up to. It inspires me, shows me new ideas and things. Shows me how we are all the same underneath whether we live in the midwest or in the English countryside. Again it's community and friendship and support and it's what sustains many of us. So I'm not giving that up easily - worth every minute.

Other things I've got on at the minute are organising the summer fair and that is worth it as it gives me a focus away from me and the home and it brings our small community together too.

Well, Amber certainly sparked something off with her comment. I guess it's good to have these reflective moments (or four days as in my case). I've come out feeling pretty positive, thank goodness. So the couple of hours I seem to have spent writing and editing this post were worth it from my point of view - what about yours?

PS What do you think of the-bag-that-took-forever. It's made from felted jumpers and fully lined. I'm thinking of about £50-£60? Sound OK?

Rotten weather and inspiration

Greetings from a wet, very wet corner of England again. Sorry, just couldn't resist mentioning the awful weather. No ofcourse I'm not affected by it or fed up of it even if it is nearly the end of June. At least the vegetable garden doesn't need watering:

and what if Amber did come back from a camping trip with bag loads of wet clothes and shoes. Hey, I have a washing machine and an Aga to dry it all on:

and did you see a bit of blue sky in those dark clouds. It can only get better. But wait - I just looked out of the window and there's now a torrential downpour. A girl can only take so much especially when it's nearly the end of June.

So what does she do on another wet day? Well, even though I seem pretty affected by the colour of the sky these days I did have a moment of inspiration yesterday. Raj was playing with his Lego Crazy Contraptions and I was shifting things from one end of my work table to another. I was just about to dump these in the bin:

They're the edges of some of the blanket pieces I've dyed. I don't usually cut them off before I dye (laziness, I guess) and end up trimming each piece if I want to sell it. Anyway, I was thinking how pretty they were and next to them were some flower shapes cut out of felted jumpers and blankets and before I knew it I'd turned one into a brooch.

Raj played and I sat and rolled up blanket edgings and sewed them onto the flower shapes. In fact, I was so inspired by these that I just kept going - only stopping to make supper and put the boys to bed. Tom walked in the door at 10.40pm and I was still sat here sewing. Mind you my eyes were pretty tired by then. Here they all are:

I'm really pleased with them - it's recycling at it's best I guess. Here's a close up of one:

and a side view of another:

What do you think of them? Do you think anyone will buy them?! I might list them on Etsy later ..........when the weather clears and I can take some photos. By the way talking of Etsy, I've made up sets of the blanket pieces now and will be listing them very soon. Here's what they're like:

Well, I'm off to have some comforting cocoa and to look at the sky again.  Hope you have a lovely weekend.............

PS I can't take any credit for the vegetable patch - it's all Tom's work.

PPS Brooches listed here now.

more owls

Continuing the owl theme from last time I'm pleased to tell you that I did see the owl again that evening. I kept a look out for it all day and spotted it around 9pm. Then I yanked poor old Rohan out of bed and in our pyjamas and wellies we legged over the lane and watched it until it got dark. Saw it again on our tree on Wednesday night and then last night it was nowhere and not even any hooting.

For the last couple of months I've heard hooting and a low level screeching noise all through the night which I now realise was the owl baby/babies. Having not heard any noise for the last couple of nights I realised that the nest must be empty and this baby was probably the last of the brood. So being a compete scaredy cat (of heights) I got Tom to go and investigate. He got the ladder out and went up the tree and yes the nest was empty. Infact, you wouldn't even have known that there had been a nest there:

This is a dip/hollow in a yew tree incase you're wondering. Well, I wasn't going to stop there so when the boys came back from school I got them to go into the dip and see if they could find any evidence. They chucked down about half a dozen pellets (which we pulled apart before I thought of taking pics):

This is what we found inside - the remains of the owls dinner:

Here are some close ups - bones and teeth and a spinal chord:

hair:

more bones:

I'm not sure if it was a mouse because the hair seems so long. Exciting stuff hey?

So we're all sad that the owl has gone and we're keeping a lookout for the baby/babies and you can be sure I'll tell you when I see them again.

But what's this I just went out into the garden and look:

then I turned around and they'd flown over here:

I ran in to get my camera and they stayed long enough for me to take some pics:

is that vintage William Morris fabric and linen I spy?

I've managed to catch them all and now they're on my shelf indoors.

Bags and a Unicorn

Thank you so much to everyone who read my last post on children's books and to those that sent emails too. It was lovely to hear from you all and to read about your favourite titles too. I'd say that Anne of Green Gables and the Little House books were probably the most popular amongst you all.

Well, it's been a pretty shitty week weather-wise I'm afraid. It seems to have rained, bucketed or drizzled, non stop since Wednesday morning and it's been cold and grey too. Perfect weather for staying in your workroom and sewing bags I'd say. I decided that I had to take the plunge and cut into that fabric - now or never and that bags would really be the best use for it. As before I used the tutorial here which is very, very good. There is a pic of the fabric here.

Both bags are a mixture of vintage William Morris fabric and linen. This is the other side of the one above left:

and this is the other side of the bag on the right:

Both bags are lined with linen on the inside and the outer fabric is interfaced.  I am so pleased with them but I have to confess that they took me nearly two days. I have to take my hat off to the women who churn out bags like nobody's business - they take careful measurement and concentration these bags. I ought to put these up on Etsy so if you fancy one let me know - they are roughly 13" by 10" with a 4" bottom that has a stiffened base (which can be removed).

I'm going to make a couple more just to prove that I can make them in a shorter time! No really, I'm going to make some more to sell at our Summer Fair in July.

What else have I been up to? Well, I cut a pattern for a white horse ages and ages ago but he turned into a unicorn when I eventually picked him up to finish. Here he is:

and here's the other side of him:

He's made from white felt and his mane is white mohair. The blue flower is made with a sizzix paddle punch that I got in a swap from Kristin ages ago.

This is a pic of the horse I made last year using the same pattern - it's made out of blanket:

 I have a pattern for this goose which is lost somewhere in an old post and I ought to put in my sidebar:

The pattern is here if you want to make a goose too. You know I ought to dig that fabric out and make a few more animals - it's really rather nice.

Well, I'm off to tuck into Lancashire Hotpot which is fitting for a rainy May day. It's rhubarb and banana crumble after and I should give you the recipe as it's the only time my children will touch rhubarb. The banana just takes the edge of it.

Hope you all have a lovely weekend and you make lots of horses, unicorns and geese. Do show me if you do.......................

Lucky, lucky me..........

Look what arrived in the post late yesterday. It's a parcel from this lovely lady. I think it all started because I was getting into knitting dishcloths and she offered to send the Mason Dixon book to me. Then she added a Martha Stewart magazine (I've never seen one before), the balls of cotton and some chocolate and choc chips for good measure. Well, Cristina I'm overwhelmed at your generosity - THANK YOU SO MUCH - and I have to agree that the chocolate is fantastic (better than anything we get over here). Amber gives her thumbs up to the chocolate chips too as she baked the biscuits on the back of the packet. 'Much nicer than ours' she said.

The Mason Dixon book is really lovely and so well put together. I had to dash off to a parent's evening last night so am planning on sitting and drooling over it this morning with a cuppa and one of those biscuits. At first glance I fancied making one of these scribble lace scarves - the middle one I think but it'll be a difficult choice because all the patterns look lovely.  Thank you again Cristina and thank you to Kay too as I believe she actually purchased the book and passed it on to Cristina.

What else have I got to show you today? Well, I made a few more lavender bunnies. I really like that pattern for some reason. I'm really enjoying just sitting and doing some basic sewing and I smell nice afterwards. Here are the latest batch. Sorry I haven't got anywhere nice to photograph them:

I've also been packaging up some more of my plant dyed fleece because - can you believe it - I've sold 10 packets now. I went and got some simple labels printed yesterday so I've got another 10 made up and ready to go. I think I'm going to make some of them up into sets and include a couple of (needlefelting) needles and some foam. I don't have any instructions but I can point to links on the internet. I'm also making up some knitting sets for children. I've wound most of my plant dyed wool into little 1oz balls and I'll make some needles and put the whole lot into a cloth bag. Another thing for my stall at the fair.

It just dawned on me that the fair is only 25 days away. Now that might seem like a long time but when you think of how much time in the day I actually have to make things it's NOT a lot of time away  Maybe I ought to be sewing this morning and not drooling over the book. Hmmm. I had planned to make a couple of these angels and clothe these figures:

I mustn't keep dithering so I'll go and get on. Must just tell you that next time it will be my 100th post AND my birthday. What a coincidence. I cannot believe that I've composed 99 posts - what the h... have I been saying!  Anyway, to celebrate I've made up a little package of goodies to send to someone. So, as they say - watch this space on Saturday it might be your lucky day too.

STOP, my life is going too fast........

Is it only me or do you feel that life is just running away too? Only the other day the children went back to school after the summer holiday and now they'll be breaking up for half-term next Friday! Half term is when I usually make my christmas cake and pudding but I can't get my head round the fact that it's already time to do that. I'm still in an end-of-summer mode and I think I need to fast forward quickly. It also dawned on me that after half term it will be five weeks until our christmas fair. Five weeks to get together with other Mums to make things to sell. I usually do this way before but as I said I'm in the wrong time frame.

Thankfully I have already started making things for my stall at the fair. I usually make a few waldorf dolls either the dressable ones or ones with velour bodies for younger children. This week I made these two:

(I couldn't get a good picture of the dark doll at all and it took me about 20 goes in different locations to get these. I wanted to show you the lovely boucle hair but the face always came out too liney?!)

I'll probably make a few more velour dolls and maybe a mermaid too but other than that I'll fill the table up with small things - sewn and felted and ofcourse these chappies. Two more to add:

These two are goldenrod/indigo on the left and brazilwood on the right. My nature table is getting bit full of gnomes now and I need to keep them somewhere else I think.

The weather has been quite warm and sunny these last few days and the children and I have gone for a walks over the fields. Look what we came back with on Thursday:

The pears were just windfalls and I stewed them with sugar and mixed spice. We haven't eaten the mushrooms yet because I just want to double check that they are OK. If you don't hear from me for a week........! The fields are full of crab apples still and damsons and I know I should pick them and make jellies or jams but quite honestly I don't have the energy. I still have a basket load of apples that I want to make into Spiced Apple Slices ( will definately pass on that recipe) and some quinces too. I think those will keep me busy enough for a few days.

As I write Tom has taken poor old Rohan (he's my 10 year old) to A&E again. Yesteday afternoon he put the kettle on the Aga for me but it can't have had much water in it because it boiled dry. So what did he do - he took it to the sink, took the lid off and filled ip up with cold water. SHIT. He screamed, dropped the kettle and carried on howling. It was awful. I slathered his hand in Weleda Combudoron and Lavender essential oil and off we went. The poor boy was in such pain. The hospital put a bag on his hand and told us to come back this morning. This is what it looked like this morning - sorry if you're squeamish:

Don't you wish you could have their pain? My poor boy I just had to dose him up with paracetemol all evening. Not sure what the hospital will do - maybe they'll pop it because there must be fluid in there.

On that note I must go and get on with the day. Thank you very much for all your birthday wishes for Amber by the way. She was tickled that you should send them. She had a great day and lots of lovely gifts and infact she's in Cheltenham now listening to Malorie Blackman which was a present from a friend and neighbour. Lucky girl.

A lot of finishing off to do

My work table this morning just about sums up what my life is like at the moment - a bit full and all over the place. Just to top it all up I'm exhausted too having slept really badly last night....oh, and I've just started my period too. Actually, that's why I slept badly. I had stomach cramps all night (which I don't usually get) and then in the middle of the night it was off to the bathroom. When the alarm went this morning I felt physically sick with tiredness...thankfully, I feel better now having had breakfast and some fresh air.  I think a little siesta is in order this afternoon. So I think it will be a quick post this morning and then I'll go and sit on the sofa and sew a few yo-yos and mull over the fact that our first born will be 13 tomorrow.

I did get some time to myself on Saturday in the end because Tom and the boys shut themselves up in the shed to make some presents - something for Amber tomorrow and for me in four weeks time. Amber had a friend over so I locked myself up in here and made this little doll:

I'm going to make more of these velour dolls for the Christmas fair. I may make some proper dressable ones too but they are so much more time consuming and you have to charge more. These ones are for younger children really - something to cuddle. She looked a bit bare so I made her a waistcoat out of cherry bark dyed blanket. It needs a button and some embroidery on it yet. I'm working on another doll which is on the table in the first pic. There's also a gnome there and a duck which both need finishing off plus two piles of blankets that are waiting to be sent out for swaps. Did you notice the fabric on the left? I bought that on ebay alongside some fabric for another bag that I made yesterday.

I got a bit worried that Amber wouldn't like the grey bag or if I'm honest it was just an excuse to buy some more fabric! So I bought some cord and spotty fabric and I made another bag yesterday:

Yes, it's shocking pink. I've got a tiny bit of fabric left to make five yo-yos and I'll attach them somewhere and I think I'll let her chose which one she wants. The other can be a present for one of my sisters. I must say I did enjoy making this one a bit more and it didn't take me nearly as long.

I must go and drag myself off and think about tomorrow now. Presents for the young lady are sorted. I downloaded some lovely early motown hits onto a CD last night. Rohan is making some fudge this evening and I think I might make a little tissue holder to go in the bag too. A friend is sending some turron over from Spain which Raj can give her. Tom and I are giving her some money aswell as the bag and CD. This year Amber didn't want to have a party and instead she's inviting four friends to tea. On the menu are bridge rolls with salmon and cucumber, cheese straws, crisps, scones with clotted cream AND home made doughnuts. She also wanted a birthday cake but I managed to dissuade her, especially as she's taking one to school in the morning - we'll put the candles in the scones instead! Thankfully, she's such an ace cook now that she's cooking a lot of this stuff tonight so all I have to do tomorrow is make the doughnuts and the scones and finish off her presents. That's what I call an easy birthday unlike the craft parties she used to have when I would collapse with exhaustion afterwards. Talking off exhaustion that sofa is beckoning...........