Sewing, crochet, dogs - you name it!

Well, this last week or so I have managed to get some sewing done, finally.

I sent for some fat quarters from Jane at The Little Fabric Shop, lovely, and I got started. I initially intended to make a cushion cover from some fabric I bought from Ikea but this was so cute that I had to use that first.

Here is my first ever effort at an envelope cushion cover; it is to put behind my back when I am sewing or crafting as I have a tendency to lean forward. My excuse for not trying to do a zip is that I do not currently have a zip foot for my machine. What do you think?
 

 I then got the bug and made this one to go in the spare room; this is the fabric from Ikea.
 

So now I am scribbling away in my sewing project book about all the lovely things I really want to make! Talking of scribbling - check out The Reading Residence, a fabulous blog run by the lovely Jocelyn who has been kind enough to include me today in her campaign to #BringBackPaper. It gave me chance to ramble on about journals, scribbling and stuff. Great fun! Check out the other articles on her blog about keeping stationery alive and kicking!

Now I think I mentioned that we have an addition to our family. This is Jake, a Border Collie and he is the grand old age of 13 weeks today. He is a bit of a handful at times, I must admit, but he is lovey and ridiculously cute, as you can see.

Thanks to Anna from Miss Beatrix I have joined a second #PostCircle. Anna was interested as to whether people would like to join an overseas group and I said, hell yeah! So I have a couple of new pen pals including a lady in California; I am very much looking forward to corresponding with Kathleen and the other members of Fallow Deer.

On Saturday I popped along to the latest event being run by Saddleworth Creative Network.
This was a three day Bank Holiday extravaganza where you could go along and have a try at a number of different crafts. Well, a very kind lady called Diana was very patient with me for about an hour helping me with the basics of learning to crochet. I hope now I can sit down and work out a few bits for myself and I will of course let you know how I get on!

I've been baking as usual to keep the tin full for the boys when they get home from school hungry as hippos! Can't quite believe that we have only just had Easter and in about two weeks time they are on half-term. Have to get organised with a few activities for that soon!

Ok, must dash as today is my catch up day for The Big Allotment Challenge with my lunch, plus my Sew magazine came yesterday and I want to have a proper look at that, too.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you will come and enjoy my ramblings again soon!

Catch ya later. xx
 

I DO hope you haven't forgotten me?!

Hello!

It really has been a while since I've posted on my little, neglected blog. I changed the name and my Twitter account to better suit me and my stuff and Google have just acknowledged it, if that is the right term and I know it isn't, so I hope more people may find me now. If you haven't visited for a while, or this is the first time you've encountered my ramblings, I would love to know what you think. All comments are welcome and appreciated!x

The main reasons for being absent for a while are that the boys were on half term and the day after they broke up we acquired a dog. He is called Jake and is a Border Collie who was 11 weeks old yesterday! Check my Twitter feed for some photos of the ridiculously cute addition to our family! So, I am feeling a little frazzled around the edges but learning to treat him as if he were a baby and getting as much done as I can when he is napping!!

I managed to get some gardening done in the front in the last couple of days, a bit of tidying up and planting some seeds to flower in around June time. Today I have finally put in a Clematis which will, hopefully, work its way up and over the front gate. Nice huh?

I have also been looking for something suitable to put in the tin I found when I went junkin'; you may remember seeing my post about the fun I had that day! Well this conical affair I think just fits beautifully and I think it really shows the tin off nicely with the contrasting colours.

I have also managed to sort out the myriad of sewing projects I would love to get started or finish so I will hopefully have something to show you in a couple of weeks.

I think that's it for now as I just didn't want you to forget me! If this is your first visit why not become one of my Friendly Followers or subscribe to receive my ramblings straight to your inbox.

Thanks for stopping by and I really hope you'll visit again soon.

Catch ya later.xx

Calling All Creative Eclairs Competion Entrants!

If you entered the competition to win a copy of Creative Eclairs by Ruth Clemens and your name is Lorraine Flynn then you are the winner. Please contact me so I can post your prize as soon as possible.

Thanks.

Travel Journal Winner

A very quick post to say that the lucky, lucky winner of my travel journal giveaway in celebration of National Stationery Week is........ Sarah Cassin.

Hope you love using it as much as I enjoyed creating it.xxx

Catch ya later.xx

Giveaway reminders and a catch up.

Good morning, although it is a real pea souper here!

Anyhow, brightness on the horizon comes in the form of the winner of my Creative Eclairs giveaway, the book written by the lovely Ruth Clemens of  The Pink Whisk fame.

THE WINNER TA DA!!!!! IS LORRAINE FLYNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hope you are getting this Lorraine as I would love to send you your book copy very soon so you need to let me have your postal address. You can Tweet me on @AtHomeWithMrsH.

Also, in celebration of National Stationery Week my travel journal giveaway ends at midnight tonight. This is the chance to win the notebook pictured below.

Hope more of you will comment and be in with a chance to win this one off memory keeper for that special trip you may be taking this summer.

Well, that was planned as a quick post just to get this information out there.

Stop by again soon and I hope to show you some of my sewing projects I have been planning and working on.

Catch ya later! xx

National Stationery Week - Day Two

Now today, Notebook Day, is the one I have been looking forward to !

I will freely admit to love, love, loving a brand new, clean-paged notebook. I quite often, like a true stationery addict, buy a notebook without actually knowing its end purpose. Example, a lovely A4, pink-fronted notebook caught my eye in Asda and it turned into a notebook for my new crafty obsession which is sewing. I covered it with appropriate embellisments and hey presto!

I like to use artist's sketch books, which look like this when I buy them from The Range. The paper is 120gsm which is thick enough if you want to decorate or ink the pages. You are not restricted by lines and can use them to paste photos in pictures and photos. For me the cover is the best as it is canvas and perfect for really properly embellishing!

My blog posts are drafted in the one you see below, obviously after I have customised it. I love to use this one but it is nearly full so I will have to decorate another one in readiness!

I have a notebook which is a kind of journal as it is my Journal of Gratitude in which I write down at least one thing I am grateful for every day. Makes you think.

I have in the past customised notebooks to sell, see here my Pinterest page of the ones I have completed for people. I have two "in stock" which I am saving for something special,

but in celebration of National Sationery Week I am offering this travel journal you see below as a giveaway. To win this unique notebook, perfect for recording that special journey or trip, all you need do it comment on this post by Thursday April 3 midnight.

 

Happy scribbling and catch ya later!xx

National Stationery Week - Day One.

 

Woop woop! Today is the beginning of National Stationery Week!


There are so many things to get involved with this week including competitions, poetry, getting children to write letters and about the importance of good handwriting. Something for everybody!  
 
This week is the chance to celebrate all things written and everything to do with it - for stationery addicts like me this is fab! Over the next five days I will be blogging about various things to do with this wonderful week and you can take part by Tweeting at @NatStatWeek and other tags, visiting their website and find them on Facebook.

#NWW14 have put this list together to get us talking about stationery so I'm joining in with the fun. 

Today is Monday so I thought I'd give you some information about a great place for stationery addicts to visit, especially children. The place to visit just has to be -
The Cumberland Pencil Museum in Keswick. 

Here you can learn all about the history of the pencil and see the largest pencil, in the world. (The last bit was meant to be said in a Jeremy Clarkson voice!) So if you're looking for a great place for a day out in the Easter or Summer holidays this could be the very thing - now that reminded me of Billy Connolly for some reason (you know why I describe it as my ramblings!). 

Whether you like to write with pencil or pen everybody needs a lovely notebook, but more of that tomorrow!


Catch ya later, and remember Stationery Rocks!