More cards, the same needle cases and a few other things.

Before I started this post, I thought that I hadn't finished much this week, but now I have taken the photos for this post I realise that I have.

To start, two anniversary cards for my Mum and Dad.

This one has an old postcard from Capri as well as some Italian stamps (I made this one for my sister).

The flowers all over this card are cut from vintage wallpaper. The bird is also wallpaper and the sentiment is a printed from a 1930s card.

The needle cases that I gave a sneeky peek at last week have been sent and received, so I can now show them to you.

Each needle case is different, though there are some elements, such as the 'love' ribbon and the vintage lace on the edge of the front of each one. The fabrics are mainly samples, with a printed piece of linen featuring something to do with sew and decorated with lace and buttons. Each one is fastened by wrapping ribbon around a button. Inside there's 'pages' made from felt, with a couple of needles, couple of pins and a needle threader.

I made an needle case for the lady who bought them (the lovely Mrs Marmalade) too.

I also finished this rose pillow, which has been hanging around a for a while.

I've added some pictures of crazy patchwork (from Pinterest) to my workbook and started a couple of pages in my scrapbook cum journal (it's ages since I've done anything in either of those!).

As mentioned last week, I've started on my Christmas making. So far, I've put together a couple of felt decorations (they just need sewing and stuffing), the front of a lavender pillow and gathered together bits and pieces to make hanging decorations.

That's it I think! Hopefully, I'll be as good next week!

TTFN
Louise

I'm taking part in Handmade Harbour as usual, pop over and see what everyone's been up to.

Cards, cake and needle cases.

I have been making cards this week, birthday cards for my Dad and wedding anniversary cards for both my Mum and Dad and my sister and her husband (they're both on the same day).

Birthday cards.

 Anniversary cards

You have to have cake on a birthday, don't you? For my Dad's birthday we had an amaretto cake from Paolo and Donato's deli in Liverpool, which was positively gorgeous (they make the best ice cream too!).

  
On the sewing front, I completed a dozen needle cases that were a commission. I'm only showing one photo of these as they've not been seen by the lady who ordered them as yet.

This week I am going to dive into my things made Christmas box so I can have a head start on the christmas making.

TTFN
Louise

P.S. As usual I'm taking part in Handmade Monday, pop over to see what everyone's been up to (I'd like to appologise to everyone who's blogs I didn't get round to visiting last week on the Handmade Monday list. I was visiting a lot of blogs thanks to 'Where bloggers create 2013' and there are only so many computer hours in a week.)
                      

Where bloggers create 2013

 

                                                                   

This is the first time that I've been officially part of the Where Bloggers create party. I say officially the first time, as although I wrote about my workroom last year I wasn't on the official party list. This year I am, so welcome  to the home of Elsie May and Bertha.

A few things have changed since last year. I have an extra table where my hand sewing machine lives, along with some of my (many) craft books and magazines. Plus I'm making good use of the space that tidying up creates to display a few of the bits and pieces I make. The room will not stay this tidy for long!             

Supplies, buttons and other bits and pieces are still competing with the books on the shelves (my librarian self has been deeply buried!).

The table in the middle of the room is now used for sewing, cutting fabric etc and so all of my sewing threads, pins, needles, pincushions etc are all on there.

My 'book', I use this for writing the how tos and measurements of things that I've made and pictures for inspiration.

I'm currently putting together inspiration packs to go on my website.

 My fabric stash is still increasing (I blame charity shops and all of those people on the internet and facebook who sell lovely fabric for this, it's not my fault at all!) so I've had to rethink its storage. My patterned fabric is now housed on shelves (I can now easily see what I have), my plains are now in one of those canvas hangy-up things, plus some on a shelf. My silk, satin, lace, wool and sheer fabrics are all stored in their own boxes. Plastic boxes aren't the nicest looking things but they are good for storage.

I'm going to use the back of the canvas shelves for display. At the moment, I just have a piece of embroidery that I recently found that I made 30 years ago, it's sitting under a collage that I've done this year. Thirty years seems like an awfully long time!

My wool stash is now stored in the set of drawers that my fabric used to be in, though the big cones are stored on the shelf at the side of the canvas shelves.

Our main computer has now been moved to where my sewing machine, and all my sewing gubbins used to be.

Where the computer used to be is now my paper crafting zone. Everything is all in the one space and I don't have to keep moving stuff when I want to do some sewing.

The opened book is my scrapbook cum journal which I've been lax on adding new pages to it. I have lots of things I can put into it, I just haven't got round to doing it. I will endeavor to do better.

I now have a comfy chair to sit in for sewing etc, though one of our cats, Jack, has probably spent more time on it than I have. Don't take too close a look at the patterned cushion on the chair, it's covered in cat hairs.

I use the walls, door handles and the air walker I can no longer use to hang up various bits and pieces. My vintage wallpapers are in the bag (which was made for me in a swap last year) hanging on the back of the door. Bags and tissue paper are on the air walker. On the beam across the room I've hung up templates, various items I've made, pictures and fabric I've printed on.

I hope you have enjoyed this little tour around my workspace. Pop over to Karen's (our host) blog, My Desert Cottage, to see the list of all of the lovely workspaces that you can visit (they're on the right hand side, you just need to scroll down). 

To celebrate the 'Where bloggers create 2013' party I'm offering 15% off everything at www.elsiemayandbertha.co.uk, just input the code Summer2013 at the checkout. 

This offer is valid until the 31st July 2013.

TTFN

Louise