A wee tutorial etc, etc, etc !!!!!!!

Hi there, i can't tell you how great it feels to be here posting on my blog again after the week I've had. Last tuesday morning i received a letter from our nearest hospital telling me i was being called, after a six month wait, for an operation. It all happened soooo very fast, that afternoon i was admitted, next morning i had a hysterectomy & the rest of the week was one of drips, morphine, anti clotting injections & hospital food, YUM!!!!! (not)
Despite it all though i had a sweet week sharing a room with three elderly ladies, who made me laugh till it hurt, & pray til i smiled, i mean what a blessing in the middle of it all, God is good at all times & in every situation!!!

Before i went in last week i had prepared this wee tutorial as requested by a friend to post. Its for a tissue holder, now i know that lots of you know how to make these so this is for those who don't, or are learning to sew. Its quite simple...............

1. Cut out piece of your favorite prettiest fabric to measure 7.5 by 5.5 inches. Also cut two contrast pieces for trim 5.5 by 1.5 in, add to the mix a cute piece of lace or ric rac & we're off!!!!
2. Machine stitch the trim to each end of the main fabric. This is important the right side of the trim is to be facing the wrong side of the main fabric. Leave a quarter inch seam allowance. (i find the width of the presser foot a good guide)
3. Press the seam flat in one direction as above.

4. Fold the contrast trim back onto the right side of the fabric, turn in at the edge & press again, pin in place if you feel you need to. (Tip, always put pins in horizontally so that the machine needle can sew over them)
5. Stitch along the edge of the contrast & remove pins.
6. Pin on lace or ric rac & machine again.......almost there!!!!

7. Fold the fabric in half & snip a little piece top & bottom just to mark the center.
8. Wrong side facing out fold both edges in to the center, leave a tiny wee gap there & pin to hold in place.
9. Machine stitch top & bottom, again using the edge of the presser foot as a guide.

10. Turn the tissue holder right side out, pushing the corners out gently with a small scizzors.
11. Press again.............
12. Fill with tissues (obviously :D ) & VIOLA!!!!! one tissue holder

Really love these simple makes, they are so nice as gift extras, for the kids in school & are so quick to run up once you get the hang of them. Please let me know if the tutorial is ok & easy to understand, don't hesitate to let me know if any of it is not clear, its my first one & i hope maybe the first of many!!!!!

So thats my contribution for this week, i did bring my crochet with me to hospital, but just could not concentrate at all.........................needless to say i produced one square all week. Now however i'll be rolling them out as i'm under strict orders from all  "no work for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!", so lots of sitting on my less ample bottom (after the hospital food) & hookin to my hearts content. Thats not fair the food was quite nice really, just didn't have an appetite.

I'll leave you with a few pics of my sweet acer tree which has a lot less leaves this week, still real pretty though!

Hope you have a lovely evening 

Lots of love Karen Xxxxx

Ruby!!!!!!!

I have to say i am so enjoying being back here, having the freedom to play with pics & photos & being able to see when my favourite blogs update, i'm pretty addicted to certain blogs, to the beautiful work that comes from these women, a real talented bunch!!!

Received some pretty amazing things in the post this week, first was a book by Helen Philips, & yes her Blog is most definitely one of my favourites. 

The book is packed full of the loveliest ideas for homemade gifts, ideal at this time of the year......you know with CHRISTMAS coming up in just under ten weeks.....Yayyyyyy, can't wait, love christmas way too much!!

Here's a wee peek at some of the treasures inside...............

I just can't love this book enough, just to look through is a joy in itself, will post when i make something from it.  Next up was a much desired fabric parcel that arrived this morning, i knew what was in it before i opened it & oh boy was i giddy, real childishly silly, jumping up & down excited, quite shocking really.........

Anyway it contained my order from Fabric Shack of Bonnie & Camille's latest fabric collection Ruby.  I ordered four charm packs, which are pre cut five inch squares, all ready to sew heh heh, absolutely noooooo cutting out. So i sense another quilt coming!!! Here have a look

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, i am in love, can't wait to get my teeth in to these, well you know what i mean, my sewing machine, pins thread etc, etc, etc

Can you just imagine the delight of color when these squares are put together, & i'll bet right now one of my 4 lil girls will come & beg me to let them have it. What do you think will i be able to stand firm huh!!!! 

Do i ever! Mind you they get such pleasure from the things I make for them its always worth it.

Little preview of a bag order i got from another much loved blog

Hope she will like it!!!!!

Some progress on my blanket that i'm loving so much, & no, no, no way am i going to give it away!!!

The little basket there was a thrift shop find, our church thrift shop to be precise, which has really taken off. We hold it once a week every friday & all the proceeds go to the mexican orphanage my daughter Sophie worked in. Ohhh do people love a bargain or what & i can't believe the stuff that people drop in to us to sell. Honestly we have actually received Calvin Klein, Ferretti, John Rocha, its unreal. There's constantly new bags of clothes, shoes, household items appearing at the door, thank God, its thriving.

By the way do you like my photo layouts, can fit in so many more pics. Bethany is teaching me how to do them, in exchange for a costume she wants made, smart gal, she does press a hard bargain!!!! Guess thats my fault, its kind of genetic, my greatgrandmother was an awful rogue for it, & i wont even go in to my grandmother, i spent many an embarrassing shopping spree with her, no price was sacred & it didn't matter what shop we were in!!!

Have to giggle now though when i think about them, priceless!!!

Anyway i guess i'll sign off now & catch up on some blogs

Will leave you with some flowers i had around the house this week

And i must show you next time the color of my acer tree out back, it is so stunning right now, the leaves are an almost rich, deep pink, so lovely!!!

Have a lovely evening

Lots of love Karen xxxxxxxxx

My New Blog

Well after a few weeks of procrastinating i finally came to the conclusion that i prefer blogging from blogspot, its just so much easier to use. I have tried various design thingeys with typepad & just can't figure it out at all, its to do with htmls & i haven't a clue, what can i say computers are not my forte.
Maybe i should take a course of some kind...........

Anyway here i am back at blogger, i've kept the blog title as similar to my previous blog as possible as unfortunately i can't repair the feed on 4 Lil girls so 'My 4 Lil girls' it is!!!!!!!

Just to start off  I wanted to give you an update of my new blanket started here Weekend Bliss.........doing quite nicely, i like it more & more with every square, in fact i'm squeeling with delight at the thrill i'm feeling hookin up this one

I'm loving the roses, its my first time you know....................making crochet roses, & they sure are pretty!!!

Oh boy i haven't been quite this enthusiastic about a blanket before........ I am most definitely keeping it this time!  Almost time to sit my toosh down & hook out some more loveliness.
                                  Almost time to light some candles

                                         And in the hallway

So off to make some hot chocolate, put on some cosy socks (my feet are freezing), light the candles & lamps, do a wee bit of new book browsing (will show it to you next time) & crochet my wee heart out!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Do leave a comment if you find me here, so i'll know you have, have a sweet evening
Lots of love Karen xxxx