Post and Present

A while ago I accepted a challenge; to make something for five of my Facebook friends. Part of the deal was they made something for five people too, I was one of the five people lucky enough to make it onto our friend Cats 'to do' list. So today this love filled little lot landed on our doorstep.

The very fact that "Pat" (the name Joel gives to every postman/woman) pushed a parcel through our letter box thrilled him but then inside was a handwritten card, a dolly picture and a chunky twig pencil all for him. He's been asking me to write 'J's' with it this evening for him.

What a delight to receive this handmade light pull. Felted heart shapes and wooden cubes alternate down to a dark wood ring pull looped with strands of fabric. I loves it!!

I have so far only made plans for my special five things but am going to pull my finger out now and get making for real, watch this space for the results.

A hunting we will go

Not since I was a child have the Easter holidays meant so much as I feel they do this year. Joel is at an age now where he can fully appreciate what's happening and so far there has been plenty.

We started the holidays at our good friends Easter party. Fresh air, digging, chasing, watching horses go by, moving with the sun, making baskets, eating butties and buns and (of course) hunting for eggs kept a gaggle of little'uns and big'uns happy.

That same weekend we met our great nephew for the first time. I'd forgotten how to hold a tiny baby so let Mr B hold him for our picture. Joel wasn't feeling very sociable and tried his hardest to sabotage the picture by blowing a raspberry, it was taken just as he laughed at his own joke so smiles all round.

A brilliant Easter parcel arrived from MD (Cuncle) which brought about the arrival, and fascination with, Lego in the form of a mega sticker book (Joel loves "ticking")

It was fascinating watching him stick people in line with the perspective of the images and where there were shadows denoting where the stickers should go he attempted sticking it face down, really carefully. It was cool. He's cool.

Gagga bought him a new trike, an early birthday present as if the weather is anything like last years waiting until his actual birthday would mean no triking. He spent most of the day carefully stacking items in the back of it, so proud of the results he said "Mummy take my picture"

Joel and I caught up with an old pal, who I hadn't seen since getting married. We visited Canopy The Woollen Woods, a woodland art installation of wildlife made from wool and felt.

It was great fun exploring the woods looking for critters. The work had been made by people from all over, they are still taking submissions so its a constantly evolving and growing piece.

Joel was obsessed with who might live through this door. He shouted "Hello. Are you in?" through it and said he could hear someone coming down the stairs inside.

I said that maybe an owl lived there but had got too fat to use his front door, Joel found that a plausible answer and low and behold if there wasn't a big fat owl sat in the branches!!

Weirdly seeing this little door tied into an idea I had just the day before, confirming to me it was a good one. I will keep you posted on it.

Oh and I got a new job which I start on Tuesday, eeek first job in three years. Excited, nervous, tired...all of the above. Again I'll keep you posted!

Make do and mend

I bought three pairs of jeans almost two years ago, two skinnys and one straight leg. They are all a great fit but something I do in my everyday life has meant that each pair has got a hole in the left knee. The mystery remains as to why the left knee goes and not the right but the hole is no more as I patched it using some Liberty print canvas.

Here's how I did it....

You will need;
Fabric (has to be fabric of equal thickness to garment or you'll just end up patching the patch)
Threads (one that matches the garment and also one, or more, for the patch-in contrasting or matching colours)
Bondaweb
Card
Pencil
Unpicker
Iron and board
Sewing Machine (optional)

1) Using an unpicker carefully unpick the jeans down the outside edge (that's where there is just single stitching) from five inches above to five inches below the area to be patched. This gives you the ability to work on a sewing machine. If you are happy hand stitching then this step isn't necessary but could still make the job easier.
2) Make a template of your patch shape using card, I chose a circle but traditionally they are square, ensure it is bigger than the hole you are patching. Draw round this template on the paper side of the Bondaweb. Then follow Bondawebs simple instructions on pack to end up with bonded patch.
3) Iron bonded patch onto garment.
4) Carefully run through sewing machine, or hand stitch, over edges of patch (this will ensure it doesn't lift) I chose a zig zag stitch in contrasting colour.
5) Optional- Then either by hand or machine work more stitching onto the patch. This gives decorative effect but also means patch is well secured.
6) Carefully stitch the garment back together (remember to change your thread!)

Back of patching when complete

Front of patching when complete

It seemed wrong to throw them out just because of a little wear and tear, so hey presto one pair of jeans with no draughts! I wonder if the patch will out live the right knee???

Craft from the past

Cereal boxes were always a source of creativity in my childhood years, my grandparents used to save all their empty boxes (along with the pieces of card from packets of my Granny's tights - rectangular with rounded corners. These were saved for very special projects though as they were blank on both sides) The cereal boxes were made into dolls with paperclip jointed limbs, Kellogg's theatres came to life when cardboard characters taped on pencils entered stage left, the nativity scene (when viewed from behind) was made up of Tony the Tiger and the Weetabix characters. So when it was my turn to provide a craft activity for the local toddler group we go to I knew exactly where to look for inspiration. It was the week the football season opened so as a blast from the past we made these little fellas.

All the children loved making them, though I'd underestimated the width of their fingers so one mum was dedicated to altering leg holes with my sharp thread scissors. Joel and I created a Burnley player (not sure which one) especially for Mr B, it takes pride of place on Joels art wall in the kitchen (sorry couldn't rotate the image)

May 19th- Ticket to ride, eat and party!

After our frolics around Kendal town we boarded a 1955 AEC Regent 3 Double Decker, courtesy of Cumbria Classic Coaches. I'd not seen the bus, Peter, in real life at the time of booking but he did look rather gorgeous with his red leather upholstery, polished mahogany and wooden boarded floors. Once he was all decked out with flowers and our colourful guests onlookers couldn't help but smile and wave as we did a victory lap of the town.

Personalised bus tickets with our names and wedding date on along with a picture of our bus

We managed to all squeeze onto the last seat!

Once we arrived at our local village hall we were hit by the full impact of our decorations, the day before had been so manic there was no time to just stop and breathe and appreciate what we had created with the help of  so many kind friends.

A riot of colour strung from each beam

Decorations that make you want to climb on a table and cuddle them! Super poofy poms by The North Pom

Ooh look you can see the pretty line of my dress straps here, and of course the fabulous hall!

Thrifty finds like charity shop tablecloths, mixed with family linens, home made table numbers and floral arrangements in jam jars and our neighbours silverware made exciting and interesting table tops. Oh and each table had a different bottle of Barrs pop on it!

The food was labelled up with rosette style labels to give a village fete feel to the buffet. Along with paper pinwheels we had made at one of our maids meetings

Mr B kept these specially brewed and designed beers a secret until a couple of days before, what a fab idea and they tasted delish!

MD said some lovely words- "I think about why we are here today and I can't help but wonder... I think about love and what it means to find love. I marvel that amongst the five billion people on Earth, on this rock that hurtles through the infinite space of the universe. Of all the possibilities, the stupefying odds of what is and what could be. That two people as special as these have found each other. That they have a child as perfect as Joel and a love as strong as they do. For that I am grateful to be a witness here today, I think we all are." Beautiful x

We begged and borrowed table lamps to fill each window sill with to create an eclectic and atmospheric  lighting display for the evening.

An old friend offered her artistic skills making photo props for  our photo booth, she'd admitted to reading one too many Mr Men books in the run up to the wedding.

We re-used hen party decorations 

Wrote our seating plan on the foyer windows in glass pens

Bought a few cute drinks accessories from Etsy and Mr B designed beer mats with us as kids on them, an idea we used from our friends wedding last year

This old suitcase belonged to Karens Auntie, the paper bunting was from the hen do and the wooden printers letters are Mr B's. So the whole lovely card drop cost us not a penny to set up.

We walked home under the stars in the wee small hours, me with this picnic rug wrapped round me and Mr B carried our suitcase of swag. Chatting about how lovely our day had been and stopping for a kiss, or three.

May 19th- Glad rags, photo fun and fairgrounds

Well here they are finally, our official wedding photos. We have enjoyed looking through them so much, re-living the day and smiling lots. Now it's time to share the joy, well some of it... see the full wedding on my Pinterest page.

Karen and Millie made the perfect floral maids in Alexandra Kings vintage inspired creations with Rachel Simpson shoes. Styled themselves with denim jackets, straw handbags by Cath Kidston and pink see thru umbrellas from our local cobblers. Posies were home done pom poms of pink gypsophila tied with vintage pink lace.

The backs of the dresses had sheer panels trimmed with the floral. At the front the fabric gathered into straps.

We were about fifteen minutes late! Don't ask how it happened, hence no pictures of us getting ready as it was MAD! Mr B looked hot in a jacket by Holland Esquire waistcoat by Gibson trousers by Nigel Hall and tie by Tie Obsessed

After stumbling through our vows, listening to beautiful readings by our two witnesses and the careful application of a diamond ring we were married! Big kisses and breathe!

MD read an excerpt from Les Miserables by Victor Hugo and Jill Wignall read So We'll go no more a Roving by Lord Byron. they both read beautifully despite their nerves and Jill having to read the words breast and sheath!

My headpiece had been made by Karen from a vintage corsage I bought about 5 years ago in a local charity shop. Karen re-worked it making it smaller and less proud from my head and added some vintage hat net from Sheena Holland. The dress was by Alexandra King, jacket by Del Guidice Studio and shoes by Rachel Simpson. My posy was a home made tight bunch of ranunculus wrapped with crochet lace trim

We then led the way across town to our favourite local wine bar. The bunch of yellow heart shaped balloons meant no-one could lose sight of us!

Whilst everyone else way partying inside we sneeked off with our photograher, Dan Jones, and did a photoshoot. It was such fun! We both dislike those 'stood in a row photographs' that you always see and were determined for our shots to capture the essence of the day.