Celebrating!

It has been a full week of celebrating  this last week.....two big birthdays, the sun has been shining and.....I got published in SEW Somerset!!....Front cover! 

To say it's been a good week is a slight understatement :)

 

It's the looking back and following the journey that makes the celebration of today seem so much brighter and wonder-FULL. The blossoming of my little girl  who grows before my eyes into the woman she will soon become. My sweetest Stu, another birthday... another year of adventures, discovery and living life by rules of the heart. AND getting published, something that only a year ago couldn't have felt further from my radar......

I'm celebrating! ALL the blessings that surround me....

Too lovely not to share :)xxx 

ps.Yes the cake is still in the oven tin...you can tell we do presentation well in this household ;)

pps.No I am not being endorsed by Ben and Jerry's ice cream......but if the offer's there?! Ben?....Jerry? :)

The makings of a wedding album

I've finally finished a long overdue promise...a wedding album for the dearest and most adorable couple. I'm very biased of course, having seen the beautiful bride grow from a little girl...but also knowing the trials these 2 have been through made me feel very blessed and priviledged indeed, to get to make them something special.

I did spend most of the time wanting to squidge those gorgeous wee cheeks of theirs ...but that just heightens even more, how old I  feel now that the little girl is big enough to get married!

So.....the makings of a wedding album....

Of course begins with two dear hearts very much in loooove....

A mixture of textures, vintage linen , mixed with broderie anglais and tilda fabric.... keeping it pale with a splash of my "go to colour" blue/turquoise. I've started stitching on applique "leafy swirly bits"  for the background to capture the trees  and the setting they were married in.

The spine of the book is stitched in place, and all the fabric pieces of the background are sewn together. More appliqued leafy swirly bits have been added ... and of course the glowing bride and groom!

I added a little bit of blue watercolour to the background so you could see the dress better...there's a little bit of leakage but that's ok!

More water colour added and hand embroidered details too (LOVING the kilt!)......now we're ready to attach this whole piece to thick board to make the front and back cover..and then bind in the pages.

I promise to share the binding and cardboard sticking some other time ..it's the messy and not very pretty stage (and where I didn't have enough hands to carry out AND take photos!)

I look forward to handing this over, knowing that its going to be filled with some real treasured moments.

And now it only seems fitting to end with a proper "awwww" inducing moment....

how is this for love...the groom completely designed, sewed and made the bride's dress! swoon :)xx

"Ding dong the bells are gonna chime..."

I've been feeling very productive lately (since the unexpected weight loss plan) which is good what with the British Craft Trade Fair ahead! (gulp)
My bespoke books are expanding and growing and this is a new one I wanted to try out... a wedding photo album. Its hard covered and HUGE, and if I say so myself a touch sweet!

A fresh spring vibe with love in the air....awww, whats not to like :)

I always get caught up in the people that appear in stitch or paint...and this couple and their meringue free style wedding almost make me want to tie the knot... :)

Celebratory CUSTOM embroidery GIVEAWAY

The beginning has begun!
And I'm feeling pretty amazing right now! :)
 ....though if you'd asked me yesterday the mood was somewhat different...what with having the most elated drive home from work, then walking in the door to tantrums,tears and a very "thrawn" Stu! Nothing like parenthood to bring you back to earth with a thud! :)
Anyhoos as always balance is restored to "normal" for now, and I'm basking in the JOY that is this new step in my life....embarking on my creative biz dreams...which is definitely worth CELEBRATING! 

fabric journal for my sis!

"Say Cheese" available in my etsy shop

"Walkies!"

So.....As you'll probably gather from my growing collection of sewn people..I slightly enjoy doing it!! :) I think it's the simplicity of sewn lines catching little moments that makes me smile the most....

"Bounce!"

Pattern is available here in my bloom and sew shop!

embroidery pattern available here

And I was wondering if maybe YOU would like a sweet memory stitched of your own? Would you like a photograph/image that captures a treasured moment for you to be simplified in stitches and "quirked" up with a little  loveandpeas?! :)

pdf pattern for sale here

Pattern available here

I've got an 8" x 8" embroidery hoop waiting to be filled......

"Brothers blue"

Fabric journal -stitched winged girl on vintage linen

"Mother of the Bride"

Sooooo if you want to join in this FABBY! custom embroidery giveaway all you need to do is be a follower (if you aren't already) and leave me a comment below. If you announce it from the rooftops (or your blog!) you'll get 2 entries....and any other bit of promo of ingenuity gets an exta entry too!!

I'll be randomly drawing the winner in 2 weeks time (Fri Feb 10th) and then will await the image of choice until I get stitching away!

I can't wait to see what treasured moment I'll be stitching up and wee Jeanie my Machinie is revving up ready to get going too! :)xx

Girls in glasses...

Time to get the paints back out....
"day dreaming"
though the sewing machine is never far behind...

"mother of the bride"

Who said glasses weren't cool :)

What I'm loving...

Well..you incredible and supportive people for a start! I am seriously LOVING ALL of you! Thankyou so SO much for such kind and wonderful words...you've kept me star jumping all week..but I'll refrain from more leaping photos.However I do think there may be a danger of me becoming one of those annoying people that are happy ALL the time..haha!

"Brothers Blue"
I've been doing a lot of sewing lately and so loving the simplicity of sewn outlines with a little splash of colour here and there.....


Did I ever tell you about my wish to have grown up in the 60's? The desire probably peaked in my teens when I had a HUGE crush on Jim Morrison.... but the style, the clothes, the music, the discoveries! Aaaah, instead my heyday was in the 80's with luminous socks and rara skirts! :)
I've been having a good old rummage through my Granny's photos and discovered so many 60's treasures...the beardy one is my dad in his yester years! The other groovster is my uncle who is sporting not "double denim" but actual "triple denim"...wow!! Takes real style to pull that one off..and I think you'll agree..he is THE man :)

Also loving turquoise and buttons and winged girls with love heart belts..

Oh and balloons of course!...

And is it wierd to like battered suitcase closing bits too? Oh well so be it :)

Happy weekend to you all xx

Yellow Buddha

I was delighted to discover that yellow has the highest symbolic value in Buddhism as I've been

yearning to draw/paint Buddha for a long while and yellow being this weeks "Colour Challenge".... well too good an opportunity to miss! I've always been drawn to the image of the buddha and have various pictures of him dotted about my home. I'm not religious (spiritual..YES!very!) but if I HAD to choose a religion it would definitely centre around Buddhism and its wisdom. (and a wee bit of paganism for good measure!)I do love the humility and peaceful nature of it, and the renouncing of material goods...that speaks true to me too. I've never been happier than when I lived in my wee caravan next to the Irish sea with candles for light, peat blocks for warmth, book for company and my worldly possessions fitting into a backpack . Now,? Well... now i sit with computer on my lap, toys scattered around me, washing getting tossed around in the machine....! And could I go back to that simple life in the caravan?...in a flash ..well so long as I could take the laptop!! (and washing machine and sewing machine and, and....) :0)

My mum brought a lovely bookmark back from her trip to India and it had a quote from the Dalai Lama which I thought VERY poignant..so while we're on the Buddhism theme I shall share:

The Paradox of our Age

We have bigger houses but smaller families;

More conveniences but less time.

We have more degrees, but less sense;

More knowledge, but less judgements;

More experts, but more problems,

More medicines, but less healthiness.

We've been all the way to the moon and back,

but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbour.

We build more computers to hold more information,

to produce more copies than ever, but have less communication.

We have become long on quantity but less on quality.

These are times of fast foods but slow digestion;

Tall man but short character;

Steep profits, but shallow relationships.

It is a time when there is much in the window but nothing in the room.

XIV Dalai Lama

Definitely worth a ponder!

Anyhoos, I really enjoyed the colour challenge this week and the tangents it has taken me on! Unfortunately you can't see the sewing detail so much from the photo and the colour has come out a bit more orangey than reality...but you get the gist and i promise only yellow was used!

Just as an afterthought ........ i truly don't mean to offend anyone or cause disrespect by doing this painting of the Buddha. It was done with good intentions and that is what I hope is felt.