Folksy Friday-Looking for Summer!

Although it has rained a bit today, I still feel like the past few weeks of sunshine have hinted at summer...and that means my garden will be awash with beautiful flowers, there will be BBQ's and water fights with my little girls and of course my new lovely baby will be here! With this on my mind today I thought it would make a lovely Folksy Friday theme!

Looking for summer by Polymer Clay Beads

Summer cottage cushion by HollyJollyStockings

Summer fruits yummy soya candle by the pink fairy cake

Summer tree print by Sascalia

Stripey cream felt necklace by Molly and Me

Come on Summer-bless our days with sunshine!

Machine Embroidery City and Guilds

I decided to take three (yes three) City and Guilds this year to fill up my week and improve my sewing skills. It certainly filled up my time, and although I didn't learn as much as I expected to I picked up a few things from some other lovely students in my class and made two FANTASTIC friends in the process. (I am hoping to feature them on my blog in the future as their work is just sooo lovely!).
This week I finished my final piece for my Machine Embroidery and I am thrilled with it. The downside to it is that it has to be handed in, along with the mountain of paperwork and samples that go with it and I probably wont see it again until June (after the verifier has been and marked us all-eek!!). I really really want to list it for sale on my Folksy shop (well, actually, I wanted to keep it, but his lordship pointed out that I will be carrying a baby nappy bag for a while and it would just sit looking pretty but unused...).
Anyway, I really wanted to share it's journey of construction with you all!

Working the machine embroidered sand...long process!

Skip forward a few hours and there's layered and embroidered sea and an appliqued brolly, deck chair and bucket...it's coming together!

A sand castle and a spade-quite fiddly to embroider neatly, but I managed it

Phew! A finished panel of embroidery-drawing with a needle is NOT easy or quick!

A bag front appears....

Followed by a large zipped pocket and a funky lining!

All assembled and enjoying the sunshine!

Fingers crossed for a good grade!!

Folksy Friday-Toys!

I had a lovely time on Tuesday at my neighbours house-she runs a little sewing group from her home which involves making things to sell for charity or occasionally something for yourself. This week it was just something for yourself, so out came a lovely book with some cute little characters to make. I'm not that well practised in following a pattern for sewing as I plan and design my own, so they are in my own words if you know what I mean? Undeterred, I set to my task whilst drinking some yummy decaf coffee and munching on some scrumptious cakes and biscuits (no figure watching whilst growing a baby!). A few hours later and this was the fruits of my labour!

This led me to wonder what lovely handmade toys could I find on Folksy?

These are from Valjadesign and are so pretty! 

This lovely ball is from Doozer Toyz-I love it!

These crayons are fantastic from Shuffle Cake-perfect for your budding artist!

And of course something to cuddle, like this owl from Sketchstitch

All of these toys are available from talented designers on Folksy

Gardening and sunshine.

Once upon a time when I bought my new-build house (about 4 years ago...) I was pleasantly surprised to find it had a large garden (50ft x over 60ft is big for a new build! Plus a 20ft front garden!). I have always loved gardens and with my Mothers guidance I embarked upon planting and landscaping. I had very little money, so most of it was grown by mine and my girls own love and care from seeds and tiny plug plants (far cheaper than buying established plants!).
Two years ago we decided to rent our house out as my Mum became very ill with lung cancer and as she lived directly opposite we felt it better to be somewhere else locally to relieve some pressure off our girls. Now unfortunately our tenants weren't garden lovers....
Last October the pull for my own house became too strong, especially as we were living in a rotting and damp smelly house! I yearned for my lovely home and we decided to go back.
How wonderful this Easter then to have such gorgeous weather and the time together to really go for it in our garden! James has worked amazingly hard-especially as plants and gardening are not really his interest-but he has indulged me and helped me as I am 7 months pregnant and lacking in dexterity and stamina at the moment! The girls have been amazing at weeding too.

I think we still have several days worth of work to go to clear the weeds and grass from the flower beds, but the removal of brambles (half of them are in James' hands and arms...) and the tidying of trees and shrubs has made a major difference!

Here James has finally got to the last bit of our old Cornish stone wall which was overgrown level with his head with grass and brambles and goodness knows what else!

     Here is just one of the piles of weeds and brambles and plant prunings....

           An almost cleared bed and some pruned plants-hope they survive!

                                            James building his herb planter!

The finished and planted up herb box-just needs some more slate chippings and some gorgeous chives.

Heres hoping that this lovely weather continues and that our flowers, herbs and vegetables grow well this year!