Love Letters

Having finally completed my half of the ‘Shazy Swap’ over the Easter weekend, I also managed to finish this small project.

I know Shazy struggled with something to make for me recently because she worried I perhaps wouldn’t want anything much along the ‘Prim’ line that she enjoys making, and I can see why she would think that with my eclectic tastes! However, I do like ‘Prim’ – not the extreme stuff (a step too far!!), but ordinary Prim, very much so. I suppose, I like what I like and don’t like what I don’t like if that makes sense. I like all sorts really which is typical me LOL ..... I can never make up my mind. I love anything along the country, rustic and vintage lines, including Prim – I even have a Prim board on my ‘Pinterest’ page, which is where I found the idea. I do struggle though at times to make things in the Prim style; always wanting to ‘neaten’ the edges etc. instead of leaving them rough! LOL. But anyway, when I spied this ‘Love Letters’ pocket/hanging (whatever it is!) I just had to have a go ....... yes, another idea I’ve nicked! so I hope whoever designed the original doesn’t spot this!

I think I’ve managed to achieve the right look just about: using the hessian gives it a very rustic look and the dried gyp and pip berries help it along and then I’ve added a hanger made from rusty wire. The label is ‘distressed’ (shame LOL) around the edges and I’ve added a jewellery finding containing a postmark (it is a love letter after all) – it’s then tied off with a piece of cheesecloth with a padlock charm to finish. And the whole thing has then been liberally sprayed with a coffee and vanilla mix, so it smells divine!!

Maybe I am getting the hang of the Prim thing after all!!

Shazy Swap!

I am so lucky!! Look what I got from Shazy of Country Prims!

Recently in February, Shazy saw this woolly sheep I made for Wendy (Quiet Room blog) and was rather taken with it. Anyway after a bit of to & fro'ing, we decided on a swap. I know Shazy was a bit concerned about making something she thought would suit me, but oh my days, she could not have 'got' me more accurately. Inspired by Veronique of Born to Quilt, she's made this gorgeous Prairie Doll Pin Keep ....... isn't she just fantabulous?

 The detail is so lovely - the scissors, the tape measure ribbon, the acorn pin .............

........... and I just love the base. It's wooden but with a rust paint effect (I need to know how to do this!!!)

I love everything about her and she will adorn my new sewing room (ex-spare bedroom!!) extremely well

And as if that wasn't enough, Shazy also sent these two lovely Wool Charm packs - can't wait to find a use for them!! In the top picture, you can also see a lovely sheepy LHN cross-stitch pattern - flosses already ordered Shazy. Typically, amongst my pot of Crescent Colours flosses, I don't have any of the ones I need, but do not despair - they were ordered last night!! Plus a bag of chocolate eggs - yummy, scrummie - they will wait until Sunday ...... oh yes they will!!

Shazy, you're amazing - thank you so much. I have already emailed to grovel the fact I haven't yet finished my half of the bargain, my excuses being work, work & more work ...... been doing a lot of overtime lately .......... but they will be winging their way to you before long.

Now after seeing this on Simone's blog, I hot-footed it to WH Smith's to purchase myself a copy before they were all sold out! What a lovely magazine - very Shabby Chic - very droolable (no such word of course - I just made that up!!)

This 'Altered Art' is amazing - can't see me doing it though - too clever for me!

and this page - well, I just love this kitchen - very country cottagie (another made up word!) with the rustic beams and black & white flooring - lovely!

Nearly lastly (this is a bit of a longish post for me these days!) is a picture of the two vintage style crates I bought last weekend during a 'girlie' weekend I had with 3 of my cousins in Barmouth (mid-west Wales) - another reason Shazy for me being behind with your pressies!! Aren't they just luverley? The bigger one on the bottom is the colour as bought, but I've decided to wax polish them, as in the smaller top one, which I think makes them even luverlier!! What do you think?

 

and as I've mentioned it, I may as well show you a photo of me with my cousins from last weekend - don't we look a crazy, likely lot? We were quite well behaved though actually - honest!!

Easter decos

Just a quickie to show off my little Easter display - there isn't a lot, but it does the job. Look at the lovely little yellow lights on the tree - just the right size and length - I found them in a local garden centre for £2.49 ....... a bit of a bargain. I'll be glad when Easter comes actually, because in order to help my dieting, I gave chocolate up for Lent. The trouble is, I've eaten twice as many cakes as usual instead LOL, so I feel a big bar of chocolate coming on on Easter Sunday - I'm so hopeless!!!