Bridesmaids

Some sweet bridesmaids

I tell you these girls would look great in a sack, but I was proud to see them wear these dresses.

More so though doesn't Karina look amazing.

This is a facebook pic, hope to see the real wedding photos soon :)

Thought I'd give you a peek at other dresses I made a few years back also

Girley & sweet.

Can't wait to make dresses for one of my 4 lil girls

Have a lovely day

Lots of love Karen x

New Things

I wanted to pop in & show you some new things, pretty nice things, I like pretty things, try to fill my house with them, as far as possible, like when someone buys me nice gifts or I find a cute thing in the thrift shop, has to be pretty though.
Anyway I don't know quite how I'm typing right now, a minor miracle I have to say. Just finished a rather large pair of curtains.....17ft x18ft to be exact, now that was a chore in itself...the sheer weight was a bit much (velvet) but it was the finish that almost made my thumbs cave in. they were finished with eyelets, 35 in each curtain, man pressing those little "*?*!!**$*"s in has left me numb.
But its done yayyyyyyy just in time for the wedding on Sunday, the curtains are for the church building....an old theatre, so finally I can focus on some sewing & crafting for my shop & for Christmas.
Anyway after much ado about nothing I have started a new blanket....I know I don't need another blanket but the patterns a real sweetie, found it here at http://hakenenmeer.blogspot.ie/, a great blog, always filled with colour & beautiful crochet, love it.....

I'm twelve rows in & enjoying the sheer simplicity of it, loving the soft colours & taking my own sweet time

It really is a pleasure to focus on a simple crochet blanket after the complications of dresses & giant curtains.

Also trying out some simple patches

....not too sure where I'm going with it .....a cushion, maybe a bag, we'll see!!!!

Have had these Vintage Modern charm packs for a while so it sure is time to crack them open

Also I have listed the crochet cushion in my Etsy shop....hope it sells xxxxx

Received some lovely books recently as gifts....I love gifts, don't you??????

Two cook books, a new one by Rachel Allen...CAKE....seriously, nothing but cakes, its an absolute dream of a book, could be a nightmare too but I prefer to look on the brighter side, its pure bliss :)

Easy entertaining by Darina Allen, excellent book, so many great recipes, will be well used

Then lastly Country Cottage Quilting by Lynnette Anderson, full to the brim of inspiration, I love it.

Can see one or two projects in the near future from this.

I'm so happy to be able to get back to a normal routine again, some crochet for now

 & lots more besides :).

Thanks for dropping in to see me this evening, hope to be peeking into blogland a lot over the next few days, I have sooooooo missed your blogs

See you soon 

Lots of love Karen xxxxxx

ps Will put up some pics of the bridesmaid dresses on mon, the big day is this Sunday

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!

At last, at long last I have finished those dresses, Carina took them away literally ten minutes ago.
Now I so do not want to go to the wedding cause I know I'll just sit & pick at my work all day, I'll be miserable, sounds dreadful.....but I just know I will.
Oh Lord give me a peaceful mind that day so I can be Happy & enjoy the whole wonderful event just like a normal person.
Is anyone else like that out there...........................??????????????????

Anyhoo I've finished yet another cushion, good grief can this woman make anything else?????
Seriously these were such a welcome & simple distraction from coral colored dresses, so please help me out here & indulge me while I show you the latest offering........pics are dreadful......bad light & all that :(

Did a white back, followed the lovely bobble pattern then changed to shells to square it, I love the bobbles, don't think I've finished with these.

A row of bobbles close to the edge & buttons to finish the opening

I added a wee flap inside to finish the opening nicely, so the cushion pad isn't showing & to sew the buttons onto, def looks better. I think I'll be putting this in the shop, have to decide on price etc & take some pics in better light so  you can get a better image of the colors.

Also at our church thrift shop I picked up a few nice bits

Ain't she pretty, got two of them for E3 each, one with & one without a lampshade, not that its a keeper 

So after a lick of Annie Sloan paint & a new shade for E6 here she is.....one of them anyway

Got this pretty lil clock also, now it was a yuk brown but a touch of paint & viola

The mechanics are shot but I like it for its prettiness, who cares about the time anyway!!!!!!!!!!!

So that's me for another evening, I'm shattered tired & am so longing for this weekend, feet up, nice food, friends & family & maybe some handsewing....I'm thinking hexagons :)

Hope you all have the best weekend, thank you for popping in & for your sweet comments

Lots of love Karen

ps Thank you Sue for the award, will post it in the next few days xxxxx

I know, I know.....!!!!!!

Another cushion post, I did originally want to post all four cushions together, but other work has held up production & I don't like to leave it too long between posts, so here's finish number two.
In my defense I almost finished a third today, but just didn't.....!!!!!!!
So another round squashey, poofey, sweet pillow....

Heather Bailey freshcut, this fabric seems to be lasting forever, not that I'm complaining, its such a lovely line. I centred a mandala in the middle & its just the right touch.

Sweet pink ricrac on the edge.......I love ricrac, one of those timeless trims, I remember it on dresses when I was a kid, it just has a simple appeal that gives a perfect finish .....

Just right with this quilt. I did want to put this in my Etsy shop as I really need to stock up, but its not really right.....I'm not entirely satisfied with it, a wee bit out of shape (pics don't show that) & I didn't pay enough attention to small details, but I will def make some more & try to sell them.

I think I'll be finished the dresses tomorrow, one or two little details to do.....I tell you I will be sooo soooo happy to have them collected & away with the lovely bride to be.

Next week I have one huge pair of theatre curtains to make each one is 17ft by 17ft finish wahhhhhh!!!!!

Then I'm freeeeeeee...I cannot wait to get back to a normal routine & get working on building a proper Etsy shop. 

Christmas isn't all that far away & I do want to make quite a bit of christmassy bits...its so exciting, I love this time of year, the build up & preparations, especially when you do like to make gifts Eeeeekk

Anyhoo enough of that, thank you for dropping in, I love to receive & read your comments & browse your beautiful blogs, it really is a lovely pastime x

Hope you have a wonderful evening

Lots of love Karen xxxxxx

Thats a Blooming Big Flower

I have a finish at last, a big flower cushion, all pink & white & fluffy & squishey :)

Its such a pretty pattern & well worth the effort, so a few peeks eh!!!!

Did a different border to the pattern, scalloped also, just smaller with a trim.

Know how I said I was keeping it, well one of my friends has a birthday today &..............its going to her.

Thank God for self makes saves a lot of shopping time & decision time.

Made some buttonholes & added three pretty buttons so the cover can be removed & washed if need be.

Well my friends thats it, one down some more to come........SOON!!!!!!!!

Hope you all have the best weekend ever

Lots of love & thanks for popping in to see me 

Karen XXXXXXXXX

Stitching Buttons

Just a quick pop by to show you the progress on one of my cushions. I thought a heart of buttons would be sweet so here we are in production...............

Have already sewn on the mandala & hope to finish tomorrow, then into my shop it goes.

Will spend the next hour stitching each lil one on, then its crochet time.

Aidan & I went out for breakfast this morning, oh boy it was delicious.....brioche french toast with butter melting over it, then drizzled with maple syrup & lots of fresh coffee YUMMMM!!!!

It was good to get out eventhough I didn't feel 100%, though I think fresh air is great medicine.

While we were out I took the opportunity to steal into Limerick to buy some much needed balls of white & cream & this lovely light beige color that I desired oh so much.

And the pink of course, always need pink. 

 Wish I had taken my camera & snapped a pic of the breakfast....to die for, seriously :)

So off I go to button stitching, hopefully will tah dah a few of those cushions soon.

Have a sweet evening & thank you for taking time to catch up on my ramblings

Love you lots Karen x

Cushion love

I've been wanting to post for a few days now, but had very little to show or to talk about. I feel like my life has been invaded by coral chiffon & nothing else is getting an audience. So over the weekend, specially yesterday, as I've been brewing a flu for a few days now, I sat on my wee bottom (its not small) & did some crochet. I love relaxing crochet.......when I can't muster up energy to do anything I can always crochet.

So i put my hook to some wips that have been lying around for a bit....quite a bit actually.......& some progress was made........cushions, unfinished as yet, but something to show & tell!!!!

A pretty blooming flower that I think I started at the start of the year, its gonna take pride of place on my bed, cause I think I should keep it all for meeeeee.....!!!!!!!

I've run out of white so its on hold again, unless I persuade Aidan to take a trip to the yarn shop tomorrow & purchase his ailing wife some pretty balls of wool.

This is a real popular design on blogland at the moment, I understand why......

Such a nice pattern to crochet, I believe the original is from Dottie Angel, such a lovely blog, actually I must put it in my sidebar. Next remember these........

Crochet mandalas inspired by Barbara s fab work. I've begun sewing a pretty gathered round cushion in Freshcut fabric, this mandala will take pride of place in the centre. Will get to finish it hopefully in the next few days, so stay tuned.....

Also am going to finish off my wee patchy cushion with another one 

I won't centre it as I also want to stitch on a heart outline in various pink buttons, def want to finish this soon & I think I may put both in my Etsy shop, which has been very neglected & in need of some fresh inspiration.

Well thats my lot, I'm gonna finish my lemsip now......wickedly yuckky stuff, but I find it much more tolerable dowsed with honey & sipped from a pretty mug

Have a lovely evening, put your feet up & relax. Stick on a fav movie, down some hot chocolate & enjoy.

Thanks for popping by & for all the sweet comments you leave, you're the best :)

Lots of love Karen xxxxxxxx