Monday 29 November 2010

A busy day in the shop.....

Twiglet and I have spent today filling up the shop shelves so please make yourself a cuppa, pull up a chair and pop over to the shop for a browse through all the new goodies.  You will find lots of wonderful ideas for Christmas gifts. We have opened up two new shelves too.... 


 .....a Sock dolly shelf with Twiglet's gorgeous creations on and a

Christmas shelf with decorations and other goodies on.  


We really hope you enjoy your browse and find something you would like to buy.  Please contact us with orders and any queries at wipso@toucansurf.com.

Sunday 28 November 2010

A really fab craft fair....


As most of you will know we shared a couple of tables with Tina from Indigo Moon at Montgomery Craft fair yesterday and although it was cold and very wintry outside it was warm and welcoming inside.  We sold enough to make it feel worth while going but I have to say it was a huge boost to the confidence just to hear all the wonderful comments about the things we make so that if we had sold nothing we would still have considered it well worth while.  I would like to say a huge thank you to Tina for including us [even though we did rather take over most of the space on the table] and to say we will be doing it again  :-)

Friday 26 November 2010

A knitty win.....

 
Wahoo wahoo wahoo.  
Look what just arrived through the snow with my postman.  I won this in a draw on Carmen's blog and it's even better in real life.  I really can't wait to get knitting now.  Thanks so much Carmen.  Keep a look out here on my blog cos I have promised Carmen that I will blog anything I knit out of it.

Thursday 25 November 2010

55 cards now completed...

 
As you can see I have been busy completing Christmas cards with the toppers I made earlier.  I have now completed 55 Christmas cards and they are all spaced out around my room drying....It feels like they are taking over  :-) 
 
Each one has a fabric topper that has been wadded and machine embroidered and every one is slightly different to the next [cos that's how I work...it would drive me mad to make batches of cards all the same].

Montgomery Craft fair...

These are just a few of the items we will be taking to Montgomery Craft Fair this Saturday.  It will be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and it would be really lovely to see as many of you as possible there to support us.  Do make yourself known to us if you come  :-)
Most of what we are taking is already over in our blog shop so please pop over to have a good look if there is anything you fancy buying.  If you pop over to Twiglet's blog you will see a few more of the more recent makes that as yet haven't made it to the blog shop.  You can either email me at wipso@toucansurf.com or leave a comment either here or over on Twiglet's blog if there is anything you fancy buying.

Wednesday 24 November 2010

WOYWW....

Good morning blogging friends.
Another busy week has passed and we are back to the best day of the week when we all have a good snoop round lots of crafting spaces.  If you are here by chance and don't know what I mean then please pop over to Julia's blog and join in the fun.
 
Last Saturday saw the last of our new carpets going down so we are now able to get a little more straight and furniture and pics can now be put back where they live.  I have bought some lovely new Really Useful Boxes for my sewing room to organise our shop craft items in when we get what doesn't get sold this Saturday at the Montgomery Craft Fair....of course we are really hoping it all gets sold and we can then restock my lovely new boxes with fresh items  :-)


Today I have put my card toppers out and have made a start at making them into cards but alas I have to clear my rail before I do any more and I'm afraid to say my 'to do' rail is heaving today.  I have everything from jackets to shorten the sleeves on and a curtain to shorten to trousers and skirts all needing altering so it may be a while before I get back to my card making.




 I have already had to shorten a huge pair of patio door curtains this week and make a huge pair [280 cm long!] of double width voile curtains so I am on curtain overload!....here's the proof!.....just remind me girls to never offer to make huge voile curtains again cos they were really horrid to make.  The voile slips and slides and is impossible to measure accurately.


 So now girls when you're having fun visiting all the other blogs just think of me clearing the sewing mountain before I can have my fun  :-)

Thanks for dropping in and for leaving your lovely comments.  I will do my best to get round as many of you as I can over the next few days.

Friday 19 November 2010

Children in need and the latest Christmas addition.....


 As you know it is Children in Need Day today.  These are some biscuits that my eldest daughter, who is a teacher, has made with her class of children to sell to raise funds.  She also rang last night to say she was interviewed by Radio Shropshire and may be on the radio with some of the children in her class tonight between 5 and 7pm.  Wahoo....fame.  [So proud of her]. :-)






This is the latest addition to my Christmas stash.  This Santa advent calendar is approx 20"x 27 1/2" with hanging loops and will be sold for £35 plus postage.

Thursday 18 November 2010

The 'C' word is taking over my room :-)

Christmas seems to be taking over here in my sewing room.  I have now made 8 Christmas wreaths, an advent calendar and a huge batch of Christmas card toppers.  I like to keep a record of the things I make so where better to keep it?  [You can share it too this way :-) ]  
This post is rather picture heave but I have been rather busy making  :-)




This is one of three advent calendars that I have the fabric for so I still have two more to make yet  :-)  It is approx 20" x 21" with hanging loops and each pocket has a flap to keep it's contents hidden.
This will be £40.00 plus postage


I have made 8 wreaths and each one is made of different Christmas fabrics so the overall effect is slightly different.  They are each approx 10" across.
I will be selling these at £15.00 each plus postage.
















Wednesday 17 November 2010

WOYWW.....

Good morning blogging friends.
Another busy week has passed and we are back to the best day of the week when we all have a good snoop round lots of crafting spaces.  If you are here by chance and don't know what I mean then please pop over to Julia's blog and join in the fun.





My new carpets are down and I'm thrilled to bits with them.  My sewing room looks so much bigger and lighter now and I can now honestly say I am on cloud nine every day...see prev blog to know what I mean :-) 





All my fitted cupboards under the window had to come out to have the carpet fitted under them so all my threads had to be bagged up :-#   As you know I do have an awful lot of threads and they filled 3 carrier bags!











So......Of course one of my jobs over the weekend was to sort all of these threads and put them back in the drawers......my OCD really did kick in Sunday when I did this  :-)  Don't they look lovely girls?  I normally say if I don't have a colour then it prob doesn't exist but believe me when I say there are times when even I don't have the right colour to use.












I have now also finished my Christmas card toppers and thought you would like to see the latest ones.  I rather like the colours of these ones.







This is what's on my desk today.  I am using some of my Christmas fabrics to make some rag wreaths ready for the Craft Fair at Montgomery on Sat 27th.  I love how using different colour combos make them look so different.  Which one do you like best?





For those wondering how my wounded soldier is....His index finger is still throbbing but I have a feeling having to keep busy over the weekend didn't help.  He had taken Monday off as a day's holiday to put all the furniture, pics etc back too.  Think he was glad to get back to work yesterday for a rest  :-)  Thanks for all your kind comments...I have passed each and every one on to him  :-)

I had my 2 little Granddaughters here yesterday afternoon while my daughter had  day surgery so I shall be catching up big time with my sewing today so will do my best to visit blogs at coffee break times.  Thanks for all who take time out to read my blog and leave me such lovely comments.




Sunday 14 November 2010

Latest updates at sewing by Annie's...


 When the plasters were taken off the true damage could be seen on my poor hubby's fingers.  Ouch!  Both finger ends have now gone very bruised and swollen.  I think he was very lucky to have had his protective gloves on at the time.



My sewing room floor was like this on Saturday morning.  The carpet was old, worn and dark maroon and made my room look shabby.



The carpet in our living room, up the stairs and the landing was a dark kingfisher blue.






 

All the old carpets have now been stripped out and new underlay was put down in my sewing room....Yes girls, I really can say I am on cloud nine now when I'm in my sewing room  :-)






 



Here is the first sight of my new carpets  :-)  My sewing room looks so much bigger now with the lighter carpet.  I love it.  My job for today is to put all my storage boxes and cupboards back and ready for work tomorrow  :-)  I'm so excited.





 For those that enjoy the posh frocks here is a quick update of what we were doing yesterday morning.  We had an appointment at a Wedding dress shop in Wellington and spent over an hour trying on yet more gorgeous dresses  :-)  Lots more ooing and awing but don't think we have still found THE one.  :-) [any excuse for another shopping trip!].
 


Friday 12 November 2010

Ouch.....




My darling hubby has just been home for his lunch break and had this to show me :-#
He had trapped these two fingers between a stacker truck and a large freezer door. and could only get them out because he was wearing gloves and managed to pull his hand out of the glove!  His index finger nail is black and the skin is broken on his second finger.  Ouch ouch ouch.



 All I can say is.....I'm so glad he has now finished the painting and decorating  :-)
Only joking of course  :-)

Thursday 11 November 2010

My Afternoon's work....um I mean play :-) .....

I would hate you all to think that just because my 'to do' rail is empty at the mo that I'm sat here twiddling my thumbs  :-)  I have been making my Christmas card toppers this afternoon.  They are all different in some way....even if it's only a subtly different stitch.  As you can see there is a half finished pile on the right that I will be starting my day off tomorrow with.

Meet my latest creation.....



She's finished now and before I give her away I thought I snap her and share her with you all.  She is for another of my special little friends.  A bit of wool and a couple of evenings can cause a lot of smiles  :-)

Wednesday 10 November 2010

WOYWW....

Good morning to all my fellow WOYWWers.  Brrrrrrr it's a bit chilly here this morning.

It's been another busy week for me....do I have any other?  :-)

Everything from ......
  • Tea out and a theatre visit to see 'The Essence of Ireland' in Shrewsbury....A fab night was had [just wish I could manage all those high kicks] :-)  thanks Jo.
  • A 2nd birthday tea out for my gorgeous little Granddaughter P...A wonderful night was had by all....how quickly time flies.
  • Visiting our dear friend B in her care home....still very confused but a little more settled and not so agitated this week
  • A fun day Monday without Twiglet ....Had another friend here to 'play' but of course big sis was missed by all.
.......to more painting and decorating [stairs and landing walls this time] and getting ready for new carpets this next weekend [hopefully!  cos at the mo the 3 rolls of carpets are full length of our sitting room!].


So? What's on my desk today I hear you ask  :-)


I have mounted my brooches on cards ready for the craft fair and made a couple of new ones [on the left in the pic] during our fun day Monday afternoon.




On my table today is.....
  • the, now finished, lap blanket....I just love the colours.
  • another knitted dolly on the go and
  • my wooden chopping board that I do my melting and burning on.
...Oh and my Nutrogena....my hands are like coarse grade sandpaper at the mo  :-(




I am also making Christmas card toppers with some pretty Christmas fabric.  I'm wadding each little panel and using machine embroidery to decorate them.




And?  What am I doing today?  

I'm having another play time with my little Granddaughters while my daughter goes for a pre-op check for a minor op she needs next week.  Fingers crossed all goes well.

Thanks for dropping in on my blog and for all the lovely comments you leave me.  Please pop over to Julia's blog next to join in the fun and check out all the other crafty desks.

Sunday 7 November 2010

Brooches and a doll in a day....

 

I have now finished the brooches I made using man made fabrics that melt and thought you might like to see a few snaps .....















 












I will be mounting them onto cards and will probable take them to the up and coming craft fair but if anyone would like to buy one they will be just £4.50 each so please feel free to email me. [I can't get the photos to go where I want them sorry...think blogger has a mind of it's own today!]

 
As many of you will know it was our little Granddaughter P's 2nd birthday yesterday and I wanted something to give to her 7 month old little sister so she didn't feel left out while her big sister was opening her presents so at about 10 o clock yesterday morning I started knitting [it's what you do when you're a Grandma  :-) ].  This was the result and little L thought it was lovely so I thought I would show you just what's possible if you put your mind to it  :-)  I finished her in about 5 hours.  She is about 7" high and really huggable  :-)