Sew Mama Sew Giveaway 2012

So my FIRST ever Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day is now over...how did it go, you wonder? Well, I had 256 commentors! To say I am blown away is an understand. I know that some of my friends in blogland last time around got around 400 comments or more but I truthfully was aiming for about 100. Everytime, that I looked at my email I got more and more excited about the comments flooding in. Sad, I know! Anyway I should get to the important stuff, shouldn't I? (lets see if I can manage this random generator thingy!)

Who is.................... *drum roll*..................

An email is on its way to you now Sasha!

Thank you everyone who took part, I feel so privileged that so many of you visited. I managed to reply to most comments but will try to do the rest tomorrow.

Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day 2012

May 21st marks not only my anniversary with my lovely Mr. but also Sew Mama Sew's MASSIVE Giveaway Day. I've watched this day in awe for a long time and each Giveaway Day gets bigger and better. I'd highly recommend anyone to check it and get entering those giveaways!

Also a big HI and warm welcome to anyone joining me from the Sew Mama Sew link *waves*. I'm so glad you popped in :-D

Today's post is also my 100th Blog Post (and here's to the next 100!) so I am giving 2 prizes to one lucky winner.

If you win this giveaway you will receive your choice of my jewellery rolls pictured below (the last 2 pictures are included to give an idea of what the inside looks like and to show the ribbons for hanging necklaces):

You will also receive this scrap pack of Liberty Fabrics from my stash. I reckon there is just over 2 Fat Quarters in this bundle with the 3 pieces at the bottom being approximately a Fat Eighth:

All you have to do to win is leave a comment below telling me, other than your "main" craft what is your favourite craft to partake in?

Some important stuff below:

1. The giveaway will run until Midnight on the 25th May BST (Friday)
2. I will use Mr Random Number Generator to pick the lucky winner
3. I will need to contact you by email to notify you of your win so please make sure you are not a NO-REPLY Blogger or if you are not sure just leave an email address in your comment
4. I'm more than happy to ship internationally

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE! Now back to my list ;-)

Busy Busy Bee

Next Sunday, the 27th of May, I am doing a craft fair with Granny Would be Proud at Hillhead Bookclub in Glasgow. If anyone is in the area and free next Sunday I'd love to see your cute faces! There will be lots of other stalls too.

 This is the first time I am doing this fair and I am really looking forward to it. I have been trying to work towards restocking with new products as for a lot of last year I took the same old stock to fairs. I have been having a clearout and really working hard to put together new stuff for the stall (hence the productivity lately ;-) ).

Normally when I do a fair I have an idea of things that I want to finish for it and leave it until a week before to get it all. Naturally I tend to get half of it done and even then thats with staying up until 2am the night before.

This time I decided to attempt to be organised and efficient and put together this list for each day before the fair:



It probably looks scary but I think I can manage it.

The list below is my standard whiteboard list. On this I put all the things I wanted to make at any given time. This doesn't necessarily mean before the fair but for the forseeable. Once I get down to about 2 or 3 items left on it I will scrub it all out and write another list. I find that making a list is the only way to get anything done around here. That and Netflix :-D.



Tomorrow I will be taking part in Sew Mama Sew's Giveaway Day for the first time. Coincidentally it will also be my 100th post! I'm not quite sure what I am giving away yet but I'll figure it out over the course of the day. So check back tomorrow for details and the chance to win something :-)

FAL - Pencil Rolls

I have been making great progress on my Finish - a - Long items.

I had these pencil rolls cut out and wanted to get them finished to put on my stall. I've made these in the past and they have sold well enough. I have made one change to the previous ones I made in that I put a layer of  batting in there too to give the pencils a wee bit more cushion.

My darling OH said this one was his favourite. I think thats just because he is soft on kitty cats!








As is my way I sold one before remembering to photograph it. Silly silly me, as it was probably the best one! I have more of that fabric though so I may just "recreate it".

I wonder how everyone else is getting on with the Finish - a - long?

Sewing Caddy

Forgive my forgetful nature.

You see I made this sewing caddy back in December for my sister Fran's Christmas. Not only did I forget to blog about it, I also forgot to take pictures of it before gifting it. This is why these pictures are hurried and dark. I saw it in her bag one day at my dad's house and sneaked it out of her bag to take pictures before she realised.

Like me, Fran LOVES cats so this was a natural fabric choice for her. I made it using the Oh Fransson pattern on Sew Mama Sew.

This caddy is so useful as it has a weighted pin cushion on top so it can sit pretty much anywhere. There is a little attached bin for threads with a button attachment so it cane be easily removed for emptying. There is also space for seam rippers, scissors, pencils, etc on the front.

I really need to make myself one of these for my sewing room!

Sunday SportsDay

This little guy is finally finished!!

I remember very clearly the date I adopted this little guy. It was the 8th March 2009. I bought him on sale at the Craft Show at the SECC in Glasgow for some unbeknownst reason as I had never done cross-stitch in my adult life.

When we got home from the show he somehow ended up in my mum's room hidden from me. I forgot all about him until I was going through a set of her craft drawers and found him.

I didnt officially start him until maybe about a year ago. I worked on him while my sewing mojo was MIA. However, I "finished" him a while ago and he has been sitting around for probably about 6 months waiting on getting the outline down. I did a little bit a few months ago but couldn't really get into it. I duly added him to my Finish - a - long list in the hopes of finally getting him finished

Cut to today. Sundays in this house are generally for watching sports. I was up early this morning as this throat infection/tonsilitus that I have has came back with a vengeance and after a couple of cups of tea to soothe it and doing a bunch of housework I retreated to my sewing room to get the last jewellery roll that I needed to do finished. By midday I had conquered that and wanted to watch the Spanish Grand Prix so I grabbed this guy and took up my place on the couch. When I wrote about this cross - stitch in the Finish - a - long pledge post I said it would probably only take half an hour. Boy was I wrong. One Grand Prix and one half of the Manchester City game later and he was finally done ( I reckon that was about 2-3 hours).



Isn't he handsome?!

And hes another thing crossed off my Finish - a - long list. 2 more things to go and the list will be complete!

FAL - Keyka Lou Pouches

These Keyka Lou pouches are my first "official" finish in this quarters Finish - a - Long (for a reminder of what I pledged click here).

This pattern has two sizes and these are the "clutch" size. I have to say I love this pattern. I think the end result is elegant yet simple. Not only does it look good but the construction is so straightforward. I loved it so much I made 5 in total and I have 5 of the smaller pouches cut out.









This last one, however, has to be my favourite. These are the only pictures I have of it as I forgot to take pictures before I went to my last fair and I ended up selling it that day (which was of course great but at the same time I kinda wanted to keep it for myself, ho hum!).



P.S. - What do you think of the new pictures? Are they better? I know they are far from perfect. Those ones have had no editing at all and have shadows also (I'm thinking a light from behind also might rectify this) but they are at least a lot better than what I was producing.... Thanks Katy ;-)

Mouthy Stitches Received

So I have shown you what I sent out for the Mouthy Stitches swap but what did I receive.

This beauty is what! From Diane at From Blank Pages




I love the intricate detailing on this from the mushrooms to the stitched on grass to even the waves in the night sky. I just marvel at it. Its handy inside too because it has a divider and a card holder. At the moment I am using the card holder for my business cards and using it as a pouch for "important things for fairs".



I have just realised that I didn't take a picture of the back but it was the text print fabric in the top picture. It is greetings in all different languages.

I messaged Diane as soon as I received it but I just hope she knows just how much I love this pouch!

Happy Bank Holiday Monday!

I hope you are all enjoying a lovely Bank Holiday! If you have to be working I hope it is a short day for you.

I should have posted about this AGES ago but nevermind I'm doing it now. It's time to show off what I made for the Mouthy Stitches Swap. I had the pleasure of making for Victoria @ Boutique Uniquely . Victoria likes rainbow, bright colours and wanted a pouch that she could put her own things into to throw into a diaper bag.

I wanted to make her something just for her but also be functional. I choose a dark purple (although it looks navy here) as I thought this would stop it from getting dirty whilst still being colourful.




I went with making a Keyka Lou pattern pouch as I knew I wanted a recessed zipper in it and that was the purpose of this pattern. I love this pattern. It came together so nicely and the pattern is so well written.




I coupled it with a very bright lovely floral lining.



I have made 4 more of these pouches since and I can see myself making more. I just adore putting them together.

Cross Stitch Books

Quick post just now, proper post to come about my Mouthy Stitches swap.

My big sister is moving into my dad's house and combining 2 three-bedroom houses worth of things into 1 is no easy task so Fran is clearing out. She has 13 cross stitch books she is getting rid of and has the details posted on her blog. I'd love it if you could have a look and see if there is anything you fancy.

Fran's Corner

Look what I have been playing with!

I have been playing! With my coveted Liberty fabrics.

I have to be honest I never really understood what all the fuss was about Liberty fabric. I tend not to like ditsy floral patterns but then I got my hands on some and I was a convert. It has been sitting tucked away in a lunchbox tin all nicely ironed until I figured out what to do with it.

On Wednesday I unhooked the latch and pulled it all out to play:







Can you guess what I have been making?

I will show you when I find someone pretty enough (i.e. not me) to model them.