treasury

it's been a while since i ventured into the treasury making realm, but i managed to catch one without too many heart palpitations (i find it a little stressful! also auctions stress me out. I'm not a shrinking violet, just not very fast off the mark usually...).

So made up this little beauty

all these items are made in Ireland

blackberry picking

On Saturday, we decided we should pack a picnic and head off to the hills for some blackberry picking, it was such a gorgeously sunny day!

However, it was a little early and the pickings where slim.. or so we thought..

there was everyone and his dog out picking the berries hidden down small foresty paths, who knew there would be such a demand for the lowly berry?? I thought we where just too early when i couldn' see many berries, but it would appear that they had been picked already by recession busting thinkers..

i did however manage to pick a handful..and then a little munchikin decided they where delicous, too good not to eat right away....

but how long can you really stay annoyed with a face like that??

a little pad inspiration

Last Monday we moved house. Whew. what a job! And even though we have been working tirelessly for a week, it is STILL in a mess!!!! They do say it is one of the three most stressful things you can do in your life, after marriage and bereavement (they aren't joking...)

However, i thought i would let you in on a sneak peak of my brand new studio, i am sharing it with Andrew but mostly i have it all to myself! I am trying to get Andrew to use it too though..

Don't you love the table?? it's brand spanking new, from Ikea, i LOVE it!!! and its clean white!




Things are still all over the house, and Poppys trike is in our bedroom, there is a box of food in the conservatory and bits and bobs everywhere...

as i was doing a little work in my studio today, i found that i had a cup of coffee on my new white table... needless to say, the thought crossed my mind that i should look after my new table... and so i grabbed what was closed to me to put under it...


Yes, yes that is exactly what it looks like...and no, i will not in future be storing these in my studio! but it did inspire me to make these!



one for me and one for Andrew!

Cork

Last week we had a little holiday down in West Cork.

A few new experiences, mostly for Poppy, her first time in a boat, and by the looks of it, not very happy at all with the life jacket! she was so stiff in it, like a sea burrito! Good though, had she had a dip in the sea, she would have just bobbed around, with that foam collar looking like Queen Elisabeth.

Given that it was, as you would expect, an Irish summer (ie: read, not summer at all, maybe a rainy spring would be more accurate), Poppy built sand penguins fully clothed in velor trakie dacks.. actually, that was her second change of the day, the first was when Nanna took her "rock-pooling"... needless to say she got a lot closer to the crabs that we expected.

but it was good to get away from the big smoke for a little while!

Emily pattern for sale!

The PDF file on how to make Emily is in my shop for sale now!

foresty dress

This little pinafore is prototype no.2~ it features elasticated cuffs on the sleeves, which i didn't want to do, i like the hand sewn bias binding look, but i have to admit, elastic is much better for little soft mudgy arms. Also, it seems to give a much more puffy sleeve. What do you think?

Back to school

there is nothing more depressing as a child than those 3 words... at least for me! School books and uniforms for sale everywhere you looked, and a sickness in the pit of your stomach as another traumatic year of maths worksheets approaches. i still get that sick feeling now when i see signs up!

However, this little dress that i made for my little girl does remind me a bit of a school uniform, and i guess there is a side to the new school year that is nice: shiny new pencils, fun folders and cool sharpeners!

This is the start of my autumn pinafore range, that can be worn over long sleeve tops and leggings (or on their own in those countries that enjoy a mild autumn...), watch this space for more pictures....!!