A fine Carousel, a sparkly ring and comfy pyjamas

Magical, beautiful and fun.

J never tires of them.

I fell in love (again) after seeing Amanda's gorgeous version of Annekata's beautiful fabric rings.  Had to make one right away and apart from fabric flowers it must be one of the few projects I have completed in a jiffy.  So, here's mine, embellished with a crochet flower (tutorial from the very talented Lucy at Attic 24) and a pearly button.  I learnt how to crochet this summer, from her tutorials.

I love it.

and will no doubt be making a few more.

My brain was triggered and I dug out a rather old edition of one of my Marie-Claire Idées magazines (summer 2001 - gosh, a while ago) as I remembered attempting a fabric bracelet from one of their pages.  I didn't finish it!!

And the pyjamas, to share with H :

Happy Wednesday!

It started like this...

I arrived back home with the children after a long, long drive from Paris, tired and sad after saying Au Revoir to my husband.  I was happy to be home but needed comfort and cosiness.  We have no curtains in our house - really do not need them as the only ones who peek are the birds.  However, feeling the way I was feeling and with darkness now upon us shortly after eight I wanted to keep the outside out and look at something pretty.  After a rummage through my basket and with the help of thumbtacks, my curtain was up in no time.

Up it goes when darkness falls and I can leave it to hang in the daytime, adding some prettiness and colour.
I hand-sewed this many moons ago and it has been lying in my basket (big basket of things wanting attention), unfinished.  Unable to suppress my sudden need for creativity, after handling all these fabrics and muttering about how many things needed finishing, I thought that my neglected piece could really do with some care and set to making a backing for it.

some old pillowcases,

some lace,

and I'm nearly there.

I would like to share some glorious views of Paris with you.  Please indulge me.  It's funny, I lived in Paris for 15 years and during that time I don't think I ever took any photos of the Eiffel Tower, or any other landmarks for that matter!  Now that I am a tourist...  Maybe it has something to do with not knowing how to appreciate what we have when we have it - ah - food for thought.

Bumper cars, go go go!

As always, a trip to Montmartre for the fabric shops is a must.  Most of them have been here for over 50 years and they are really fabulous.  I love these mini mannequins.

Some of my favourites.

And those too.

Happy creating :)

Home again

t's good to be back home again. After a lot of driving (around 2,500kms) from home to London, then to Paris, then to Amsterdam, back to Paris and home again.  The last leg was a long five hours.

One of my lavender filled hearts inspired by those rows of pastel coloured houses in London (unfortunately the picture is on my phone and I don't have a cable to upload it - aaah!).

It's good to be back home.  I have, however, been swamped by mountains of laundry and a forest garden to manage so not much time on the computer for me.

I thought I would share some photos of some of my favourite spots with you, but first Amterdam.  

One of the many waterways

A bicycle parking lot

A beautiful city

Many dainty streets like this

                                                                Tempting shops

Not forgetting the white cliffs of Dover.

Dover docks and Dover castle 

Dover Castle

This post has taken me forever, can't seem to get my pictures properly organised.  I have run out of time now so my next one will be favourite home spots.

In love with Granny Squares

I am in love, passionately, madly, deeply in love with my Granny Squares.  I have always loved crochet, my mum has always crocheted blankets for me but has never been able to teach me.  I have always wanted to make one of those beautiful, colourful blankets and when I saw one with a How-to on Lucy's blog, Attic 24, (fabulous blog well worth a visit), full of scrummy colours, I was determined to have a go and teach myself.  Lucy's patterns are an eye-opener, they are clear and concise and she has pictures to help you along and I have learnt from her blog.  I am so, so pleased I've cracked it.

After many days of doing and un-doing and trying and trying, sweet success.  Even flowers, they were so cute, I had to try.  So, here are some examples of my hard work.  I love them and have promised myself to do at least one a day.  I have even been getting out of bed earlier to sneak one in - oh dear, it has hit me badly.

Teeny weeny flowers too, also from Lucy at Attic 24.

I adore the colours and it allows me to express myself  in a way I do not with sewing.

J'adore :)

Traditional

Last week's prompt from the Sunday Creative was Traditional.

I love listening to the radio, be it the news, plays, stories, music or whatever.  I had to have the modern version of the retro Roberts radio and of course it had to be pink!

The week has been so busy, what with us now being back to a full house.  H and B returned from their trip to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam with much to relay.

J and I have been visiting castles, thrift stores, the beach, and the pick-your-own farm.

Château de Suscinio

J loves this 15th century castle which is also by the sea.  He gets to play out his role of the knight on horseback.

Then the thrift store which you really need to sift through for treasures.

I like these little people.

Beautiful jug.

All I came away with was this!

A cowboy at the beach!

Cold, cold water.

The farm had gorgeous produce and we came away with raspberries, beetroot, courgettes, aubergines, carrots, tomatoes and eggs.

Our bounty.

Have a happy weekend :)