i won a quilt!

i got the most amazing parcel in the post today
awhile ago Katy from imagingermonkey
posted about a charity quilt raffle
http://imagingermonkey.blogspot.com/2010/11/modern-relief.html

it was $10 a go and i had a little in my paypal account
so i bought a chance to win a quilt
then i forgot about it
and one morning i woke up to a lovely email from Ashley
to say i'd won her quilt

how gorgeous is this eh?

i feel very very lucky
to own this quilt

the back's pretty damn good too!

and it looks great on my sofa
i'm looking forward to snuggling up under it to watch
sunday movies with my boy
:)

thanks so much Ashley
:)

check out Ashley's lovely blog here

http://www.filminthefridge.com/

mAd HaTteRs TeA ParTy

My son desperately wanted a party at home this year,
i did try to put him off as i don't relish the prospect of a house full of hyper sugar fuelled five and six year olds running riot but then we watched Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland together and i thought what a great theme for a kids party,
the boy was not so keen saying it was a girls theme until i pointed out that most of the characters were boys and that it could be a mad hatters tea party rather than Alice in Wonderland - this did the trick!

"let the mad party begin"

i know i'm totally biased
but sometimes i look at my son
and just can't believe how handsome he is
even painted up as the white rabbit
he looks gorgeous!

the mad hatters tea spread

rainbow jelly wine glasses these tasted just like those fruit pastille ice lollys and were the idea of the Mad Hatter himself

the Mad Hatter!

my son made all the "eat me" signs

let the feast commence!!!

Donny Darko!!!

glow stick blue light disco fun!

i had so many ideas for this party
that in the end most of them didn't get done!
i'm like that at the moment
i'm spending too much time thinking and putting off
and nowhere near enough time
actually doing stuff
BUT
the kids all had a fun time
my son didn't have the normal birthday child meltdown which was a relief
and the grown-ups got through it without having a nervous breakdown!
result!!!!

"the end"

Crafter...oo Christmas ornament swap

This is what i made and sent to my partner Kats
in the christmas ornament swap @ crafter...oo
organized by kitty ballistic

i wasn't sure what to make and had
that terrible lost mojo feeling
i ran wildly over my deadline and was
worried the snow would not let it get
to it's recipient in time for christmas
but it did get there
and Kats liked it *phew*

it's not my normal style but i do really like it
especially the very un-christmassy colour scheme!

yo-yo & loom flower yarn nest

i'm finding it really hard to take photo's atm
as it's either dark and gloomy or bright bright sunshine!

pinterest

i'm sorry i've been totally neglecting my blog
my excuse is this site
http://pinterest.com/

i am totally and completely ADDICTED.
i found it by following a link i found on my sitemeter. . . .
here is my page

http://pinterest.com/vintageviolet/

it takes a little while to start as you have to join a waiting list
but i swear it's worth the wait!

basically it's like your own virtual pinboard/mood board/inspiration board
you can make lots of different boards and pin images you find on the net to them
or you can look through other peoples pins and re-pin them to your own boards

here's an example

"my wish list"

http://pinterest.com/vintageviolet/my-wish-list/

i think it's a great idea as i often see things i love ,want or that inspire me
on my online travels
now i can just add them to a board
and can go back and find them later

hope to see you all there soon xxx

the cutest little red riding hood

ANN WOOD

I can't remember where i first saw
this ladies work but i love it!
I especially love the amazing owls she creates from vintage/antique fabrics and garments
they absolutely blow my mind!

whilst browsing flickr the other day
i found this adorable little set of photo's
It is a theatre production by a troupe of softy birds!

"little red riding hood"
the cautionary tale of a little bird in a red cloak and a bad wolf.

please go and see their play
it's sew cute
:D

http://www.flickr.com/photos/annwood/sets/72157625194705838/

if you like what you've seen in this post
you will definately like Ann's blog
it's full of beautiful and inspiring textile work

http://www.annwood.net/blog/

*******

so which designers inspire you?
please go ahead and share some links
in the comments sections
I have a hunger for inspiring textiles right now!

so sweet it makes my teeth ache!

when i found this vintage pram rattle
i just knew it would become a wreath
unfortunately i'd used my last wreath form
for the halloween one!

so i had to put my project on hold
till i could get to the craft shop

i just wish i'd bought more of this matt pastel pink tinsel last year
but i've looked everywhere i can think of to no avail :'(

So as i didn't have enough to fully cover the wreath
i wrapped the wreath ring in yarn,
tinsel and then this funky pompom garland
and finished it off with the cutest baby blue fawns
except i'm not sure it's quite finished yet?

i'm thinking red'n'white candy canes . . . . . . .

but as it is now it could be christmas or babyshower
hmmmmm . . . . . . . . to be continued!

halloween fun!

sPoOkY
hAlLoWeEn wReAtH

watch out

zombie knight's coming to get you

he wants to eat your brains

are cat brains as nice?

me and my scary kids!

hope you all had a hApPy hAlLoWeEn
:D

Halloween swap - what i sent

so here is what i sent to MeridianAriel

Determined to squeeze everything into this box!!!

this is the first thing i made and to be honest i could've/wanted to do more to it but as usual i was working up to and ignoring my deadline!

portable spell set
"spells on the go - for today's busy witch"

i have to be honest here i wanted to keep this
so i'm on the look out for more of these
antique doll heads!
i needle-felted into her brain/neck cavity
>.<
to make a voodoo pin cushion!

: spell set contents :
voodoo headache inducer
6. captive snail on a bed of {needle-felted} moss for all your snail slime needs!

13. seeds of hate {or seeds of doubt}

3. captive spider in her web
{deadly keep secure in jar}

i borrowed a set of fantastic
metal/leather work stamps
to brand the leather labels and box
bang bang
Bang!!!

leather owl on a branch brooch

halloween haberdashery

~sweet treats~
coconut mushrooms
coffee fudge {Meri is a coffee ADDICT}
pontefract cakes
i loved doing this swap
:D

Meri is muttering about organising a Tim Burton/Neil Gaiman themed swap next i am soooooooo up for that!

keep your eyes peeled for more details on Meri's blog here

Halloween swap - received :D

I love Halloween
i especially love Halloween crafting
so me & my friend Meridian Ariel
decided to do a private craft swap
check out her blog here

http://www.meridianariel.blogspot.com/

she makes fantastic primitive monster dolls
i've blogged about how much i love them before here

http://maximumrabbitdesigns.blogspot.com/2010/07/meridian-ariels-primitive-dolls.html

so i was very cheeky and asked for an imp!

*excited*

*happy*

barnabus's story

omg i'm scared now!
he's a button stealing imp!

ooh another parcel
love the button bat card!

lovely halloweeny coloured supplies!

a lovely bracelet of fire opal and black onyx

Barnabus in all his glory!

thank-you so much Apryl
i love every single bit of this swap
xxx

a couple sneaky spoilers of what i made for Apryl :D

(: Super secret trip to Cardiff :)

leaving England

he still doesn't know why we are going to Wales!

Doctor Who exhibition Cardiff

a bit star struck!

clockwork droid

cyberman

"who turned out the lights"

Ood

Army Dalek & me and the boy!

Looking handsome :D

a shrine to Ianto Jones of Torchwood
which is a bit freaky
he didn't "really" die people!

i loved this gorgeous sculpture

Torchwood entrance/exit by night

My son is a complete Doctor Who nerd {which is good as i can pretend that's why i watch it all the time and know more Doctor Who facts than is really necessary} and i've wanted to take him up to see the Doctor Who exhibition in Cardiff for some time but when MeridianAriel and her family went recently i was really jealous which spurred me on!

We had a really great time :)
The boy was so happy when he realised why we had gone!
We stayed in a nice Hotel and really enjoyed the break,
it was also the first time i've left my daughter to fend for herself and the animals
so we were very relieved to return home
to the house just as we had left it!

I'm really enjoying my kids at these ages
my daughter just entering adulthood and deciding what she wants to do with her life
and my son really finding his feet at school and full of excitement about the world
happy days
:)