Spring is in the air...

...even though we woke up to a thick layer of frost this morning.
However Spring is poking it's head up with the daffodils and crocuses.  I have especially been 'feeling it' in my sewing.
The last few weeks I have been embroidering the Daisychain Sampler pattern from Alicia Paulson's Rosy Little Things shop.  I an sewing it in floss rather than crewel and I have been loving it, finding it remarkably soothing and one of the most enjoyable things I have ever made.  I realise as time goes on my true crafting love is hand sewing.  Something I began to learn/feel as I was sewing hex after hex together.  I haven't really tackled embroidery much before, a wee bitty here and there and a dip of the toes in some cross stitch, although I discovered I'm not keen on that. This is my first real foray into such a varying amount of stitches.
Take a looksee...

My cool wee Loftus on the Hipstamatic and north facing window are not doing the colours justice so 'here's one I took earlier'...

 I made this wee house for my Kindle too, copying some of the flower designs from the above pattern and adding a bumblebee and sunny buttons.

I put wadding it it for protection and am glad I made one myself  but I never enjoy using a sewing machine as much as I continually think I am going to.
No doubt I'll make an Autumn/Winter house for it too.  Love my Kindle.  Much easier to stroke cats whilst reading...

I cannot leave without a photo of cake, too pretty to leave out.

Take care, my lovelies.

X

A winter remedy!

I don't know about where you are but the weather here in my wee bit of Scotland is seriously driech, it's horrid out there *update at 11am - it's snowing, lots!!!!*  I need something to counteract this grey dull sky.  Something to banish the winter blahs.  I need COLOUR and that's why, tomorrow I will be running like a woman who just spotted a naked Robert Downey Jr (OMG Imagine!!!!!!)  towards my favourite Etsy shops for a SALE. 

Yes really a SALE for one day only.......

....at the gorgeous (could stare into those pretty eyes for hours), uber talented, super seller, button temptress, Goddess that is  

KirstyFish!!!!  

I love her shops so much, they are one stop shops for buttons, the bestest felt ever, amazing needlebooks (I could have half a dozen easy!), bunting, brooches, pin pots, ribbons, trims and anything else that takes my fancy and trust me, much does.

Kirsty shares, she wants us all to have buttons and ribbon and felt because she's passionate about what she does and she does 'that' with unburdened creativity and flair.  Her designs are original and simply lovely, like the Lady herself.

I desire many good things for her so buy, buy my pretties with abandon.  You won't be able to stop yourselves and those of you who have shopped with her already, buy more.  You know you want to!

Here are the details you need to know.  The sale is on tomorrow, Tuesday 8th February from 8am to 8pm with FREE POSTAGE on UK orders only and at two of Kirsty's shops ...

www.etsy.com/shop/BigFish

www.etsy.com/shop/paperfish

..not at the FuzzyFish (felt) or SnowFish (christmas goodies) shops.  Getting free postage is huge and I for one will be there with my purse open and ready to spill into hers.

Go to Kirsty's blog for details straight from the Fish's mouth and please Fishy let me know if I've missed something or got something wrong.

X

The gate clatters....

...and the letterbox opens followed by the loudest rattle of post falling on to the hall floor.  "Oh, Oh Goodness!!"  "Is that my buttons?"  Out of the chair she leaps forgetting it's a whirly one and nearly falls face first onto the floor.  There, there on the floor is a package with her name on it.  A squish and a shake later and it's definitely buttons, definitely those prize winning[s] buttons.

So she willfully rips carefully unwraps the paper to reveal a bounty of beautiful buttons falling out of their packet upon which she shows relief at not having to rip tentatively open and risk spilling the contents all over the floor.  Aah the joy!  The heart skipping delight!  The swell of happiness in her bosom!

Indeed a bounty of beautiful buttons!

She sighed again and again!! 

Once her heart had settled and her brain began to remember the world external to button love, she noticed the rest of her post.  

"A magazine?  Ooh a magazine!  Can't be Country Living........could be Good Food......and PANTS!   I hope it's not Hubby's boring car one, Classic Ford."   

"Wait a minute...wait one minute!", the cogs slowly begin to move, "Jamie? Jamie???"  

"Ooh..OOOOOH!"  A small memory starts to stir, getting bigger and bigger.  "OMG!  Didn't my lovely mother-in-law say on my birthday she was arranging a subscription for me?  She did, aah She did!  

"Yiiiiiippppppeeeeee!!!!!!"

A hop, a skip, a jump and a twirl later she smiles the biggest smile a lady can manage when she nearly killed herself hopping and skipping and jumping and twirling.  "That'll do pig!!" 

And that is the story of a happy Ali who cares not a jot she gave up yesterday's sunshine to clean, a sacrifice all the more considerable as today the sky is the colour of grey old pants, for she has buttons and a magazine.

X

thank you lovely Jade xx

Luck of the devil!

I can hardy breathe with excitement.  Can hardly contain myself and am a little wary that some wee may escape as yesterday I won the most amazing giveaway prize.   

Wait for it..........

six

hundred

and 

ninety

three

::BUTTONS::

It's a bit much to take in.  I took part in a 'guess how many buttons are in the jar' game at LilyWhites hosted by the lovely Jade and I was the closest with my sign of the devil guess of 666.  Hubby reckons I need to buy a lottery ticket as I had already won a runner up prize in Thimbles&Crumbles giveaway earlier in the week ( which was just fabby already!).  It's amazing how winning something really perks you up and buttons, buttons  

B.U.T.T.O.N.S.  

I can colour co-ordinate jars - ooh my goodness!!   

I'll have to reorganize my wee desk for them - ooh the fun!!  

I know you get it fellow button lovers.  

 Isn't is the bestest prize ever??

Thank you Sarah and Jade for my prizes and in particular to Jade for sharing the button love!!

X