Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to you all!

xXx

Beautiful...

I just had to share this beautiful image of a snowflake with you

click here to read the fascinating article and see more stunning images of snowflakes.

Have a cool (sorry!) day

Thanks for visiting

xXx



I'm in the mood...

..for Christmas!!

For the first time in weeks I actually feel well and have some energy. It's taken me until now to get into the festive spirit and today, for the first time this year, I feel jolly and Christmassy.

I've spent the day so far tidying and cleaning, and have even enjoyed it (maybe I'm not better after all!). Enjoying the housework has come as a massive shock to me for sure!!

I have just received the last of the five deliveries I had arranged for today as I knew I'd be waiting in for an engineer so I'm also feeling organised and, OK, maybe just a tiny bit smug!

I'd like to share with you the gorgeous decoration I received from the swap organised by the lovely Ladybird Diaries.

Joy, who has a fabulous blog and is a talented crafts person made me this crocheted hanging decoration. As some of you know I love crochet but can't crochet myself so this is perfect for me.

Apparently, Joy made her own sparkly yarn by mixing in shiny thread which I am very impressed by, and couldn't imagine how she'd done it until I saw the picture on her blog, and also how she managed to get a perfect round shape.

Joy also generously sent me a box of chocolates that didn't last long enough to be photographed!

This is what I sent to Joy

I'm off now to catch up with your news and then wrap some presents whilst the casserole for dinner cooks in the oven.

So, this is what it feels like to be organised - amazing!!

How are you doing with your preparations for Christmas?

Thanks for visiting

xXx

Evening out

Despite having a stinky cold I'll soon be heading off here

to do this

really looking forward to it, and hoping there will be a shopping opportunity too!

Have a great evening

&

thank you for visiting

xXx



Christmas Shopping

On Saturday myself and Mr B took ourselves off to a nearby town that was hosting this

I thought it would be a good place to find some Christmas gifts.

And, I did buy this

for me

(the pier in my hometown).

And these  

for me

(wish I could have afforded the original paper cuts, but love the handmade bag/envelope - going to pinch this idea!)

 We then had a stroll around the town and I bought this vintage string dispenser

you've guessed it - for ME!!

Not quite the shopping I was planning, but I came home happy!

Have you started your Christmas shopping yet?

 

Yesterday I made some cards for the next craft fair

inspired by the letterpress designs I so love,

and these packs of note cards

And a few more Christmas cards,

my favourites being this

and especially this one

As always, thanks for visiting, reading and commenting.

It means so much to me...

xXx

...and, relax...

Hello,

how are you all?

(How did your craft fair go, Ali?)

I've missed you whilst preparing for the craft fair but I'm now gradually catching up with all of your news.

my stall

I'm pleased to say our craft fair was a success, with many lovely customers and talented makers.

I made a respectable amount and met some super people.

I was very restrained and only splashed out on a vintage watering can for a mere £7. Unlike the first craft fair I did when I spent almost all of my profit at the fair!!

 

Things to remember for the next fair are:

1. Do not believe your 15 year old when he tells you that having 4 friends to stay the night before the fair will not cause any problems as they will be quiet!

2. Remember to eat properly the day before so that you don't wake up at 2am with a rumbling tummy!

 

It was strange to wake up yesterday (Sunday) and have nothing to do for the craft fair - it was nice to have a 'day off'.

But, by today I was itching to make something so I made some cards.

My stock is very low so I'll need to get back to the making properly soon as the next craft fair is on the 14th December - not that far away.

 

Thanks for visiting

xXx



So Much to Do, So Little Time...

Why is it that, even though I know way in advance that a craft fair is approaching and seem to spend hours making things, I'm always frantically rushing to catch up in the weeks beforehand?!

source

As usual, there are going to be things that I wanted to do but have run out of time - embroidery pictures, button jars, lavender pillows, postcards, printed greetings cards.....etc.

Fortunately, another fair will be here sooner than I think!

 

I want to share with you a Christmas envelope from the swap organised by the talented Pen. I forgot to photograph mine before sending it off, if you're interested you can see it here. I doubt I could have photographed it as beautifully as Pen anyway!

And here is what I received

 

I love it and it will certainly be on display come Christmas, something else seemed to have sneaked into the envelope too - thank you Pen. I so enjoyed this swap! All of the envelopes were wonderful, well worth a look.

 

Well, off to do more hand sewing. I thought I'd cracked it by borrowing this DVD from the library to watch whilst sewing

and, as much as I loved it, it didn't turn out to be a well thought out choice as it's in french with subtitles and I was so engrossed that didn't get a lot of sewing done!

Have you seen it?

 

Thanks for visiting, and to all my followers new and old.

I'll be back soon.

xXx

Time flies and a thoughtful gift

Is it just me, or is time moving at a ridiculous rate at the moment?!

I worked on Saturday and yesterday was such a grotty day weather wise that I didn't leave the house. So what did I get done? Well, ehrm...good question! Very little - no craft, no baking, no watching Dave on Strictly - I did manage to devote a couple of hours to organising our next fair as I'd sort of let things slip a little! Oh, and I did read some of my book but that's about it!

Talking about reading and books, I must share with you this gorgeous bookmark made (and designed) especially for me by Chrissie. It's such a thoughtful gift - Chrissie knows I love crochet but can't crochet myself, and chose my favourite colour for the design. I am in awe of those teeny tiny and neat crochet stitches - thank you Chrissie.

 

 

 
The bookmark is right up there with my favourite, made for me by Youngest Boy several years ago - can you read what it says? "It's lovely to get away from the children to read my book" Aaah!


For those of you that can crochet, Chrissie has generously shared the pattern here.

 

I do think a pretty bookmark deserves a pretty book which is why I chose to photograph it in Lucy Worsley's fabulous book (we are big Lucy fans here in the Bramble household, we went to a talk she gave at our local theatre a few weeks ago and she is an excellent speaker - very entertaining) rather than the novel I'm currently reading!

 

Thanks for visiting

xXx

Weekend

Hello..

How are you?

Have you been watching Strictly Come Dancing if you are in the UK? I have to say I've not watched much of the previous couple of series, mainly just dipping in at the end. However, this series will be different and all because of this hairy man

Hairy Biker Dave Myers

I am a huge fan of the HBs. They both seem like such lovely chappies and are very funny (and their cooking's pretty good too!) I didn't watch Dave's first appearance but I believe it was something else. Nor did I watch the results show last night but was relieved, but not surprised with that personality, to find he is still around.

Who do you watch it for?

Or maybe you just watch it for the dancing?!

 

Friday found me coming home from work early feeling poorly and I've been pretty much the same all weekend (there are a lot of bugs around at the moment, aren't there?). Disappointing, as I had big plans for things to make for the upcoming craft fair.

I did do a bit of hand sewing and made this

What do you think of it? I'm not 100% sure, if I'm honest...

(Youngest Boy, whose opinion I always seek likes it) 

I made this a couple of weeks ago, and yesterday just sewed the buttons on.

As always happens to me in the run up to a craft fair, I am losing confidence in my makes. Silly really, because the worst that will happen is that I won't sell anything and that really will not be the end of the world!

Have a wonderful week

(Aren't we having fab weather in the UK?)

Thanks for visiting

xXx

Naughty...

..or Nice?

 

Couldn't resist this whilst browsing last night...

so funny!

 

And while I was ordering it a couple more stamps jumped into my (online) basket

Naughty and nice, me thinks!!

Can you spot a theme or two?!

 

Thanks for visiting

Suzanne

xXx

Weekend Makes

Hello...

how was your weekend?

 

I worked on Saturday and on Sunday felt like having a day at home. Mr B took himself off to an exhibition, Youngest Boy was staying at his cousins and Eldest Boy was sleeping a party off (!!) which meant I was able to indulge myself by spending the day making things.

And I was in a festive mood by the time I'd finished, because this is what I made for selling at the craft fair on the 16th November (yikes!!).

Badges, good for stocking fillers I thought!

 

Christmas cards with badge

 

Christmas card with brooch

 

 

Christmas spice scented sachets

 

and 

 I made these last week but didn't get around to photographing them,

lavender bags.

 I actually like these much more than I thought I would, which is just as well as I made a silly mistake on one (twisted ribbon) so I'm more than happy to keep it!

 

On Friday evening I made a cover for my Christmas cushion cover!!

The trouble with the Christmas one is that it's too early to put out but I have nowhere to store it until Christmas.

Some time ago I bought this fabric (I have a passion for anything with deer on as well as birds) with the intention of making a cushion cover but just didn't get around to it. I have masses of it left and am now thinking of making myself a bag with it too!

(Excuse all the pins, everything is waiting to be finished by hand.)

 

Have you started your Christmas making yet?

 

And finally for those of you who, like me, love magazines and Christmas, the Ideal Home Christmas magazine is out on Wednesday - yippee!

 

Have a fab week and thanks for visiting, and welcome to my new followers.

Suzanne

xXx





New books

The postman brought me two new books today, both pre orders from that big online book (& everything else) store. I am seriously limiting my book buying but I really can't resist a Christmas craft or cookery book!

The Mary Berry one has some terrific recipes in it and is beautifully photographed. It's quite likely this will be my first make from the book

and I don't think I'll be waiting until Christmas!

Once I'd got past the fact that the Kirstie Allsopp book has a very dated (retro) look, which I personally am not keen on, I found it has some good projects. Nothing new in it if you've been crafting for a while but good for flicking through for inspiration.

I also borrowed the book below from the library, good projects and pictures.

 

While I'm on the subject of books, is it just me or is this pointless?

Why not just have a bookcase?!

Look at this great notebook that comes free with Ideal Home magazine this month. I love notebooks and I'm rather taken with this design.

Thanks for visiting

xXx

A bit of fun and a Christmas make

visualphilosophy

I found this great print whilst browsing on Etsy - love the colours and the words (Mr B's comment when I showed it to him was "you don't even do it every 6 months" - RUDE!). I may have to purchase!!

Stop reading now if you're not ready for Christmas projects.

I made this patchwork cushion cover as a prototype for a possible craft fair make. Unfortunately, it won't be cost effective to make for the price I could sell it for. I'll probably have to keep it for myself. Shame, that....

It's Tuesday, it's 8 o'clock  & time for the Great British Bake Off - Mr B should be back from his guitar lesson any minute having stopped off on his way home to buy our dessert - yum!

Thanks for visiting

xXx



This week I have been...

 listening to...

 

reading

 

watching

 and

 

making

and

(still need filling with lavender & sewing up!)

 

indulging

(Thank you Debbie!)

 

experimenting

 

designing

 

 

and thinking about

(Sorry!!!)

 

What have you been up to this week?

 

Thanks for visiting

xXx