Thursday 7 January 2010

Scraps ..and another tiny giveaway


I don't know what is is with me ...but I love scraps of fabric!
Do you?
Give me a box of scraps and I am happy.
I have a box for bigger sized scraps..and a box for smaller sized scraps.
I can't throw anything away and I keep the tiniest pieces.
So here I am, happy as anything, in the midst of my scraps!

I was never a huge Debbie Mumm fan but these panels are also in my box of scraps as they sum up my life rather well!
There are about nine pics of various housewifely chores and they always make me hoot!
I mean..when I first saw this I thought the lady had a snake around her neck, rather than a measuring tape...!

So... what do I go and do?

Well...from time to time I visit this wonderful place called Rag Rescue!

http://www.ragrescue.co.uk/

Sandie sells scrapbags, stash bags and all sorts of other tempting, vintagey bits.

I mean ...who can resist this...

I couldn't ... these dropped through my letter box a few days ago...


I used a few small pieces to make some vintagey Lavender sachets.

That done, I raided the scrap stash and made four small scented mats...




After that, I looked at the comments on my last post..wow....you must all love fabric!
And so I thought..ah we'll have another prize...
50 pieces of my small scraps...very small I hasten to add.... but that's better than a kick in the teeth as my mum would often say!
LOL!
So please comment on this post if you'd like to be included in the draw for...
Sal's scraps!
I'll be announcing both winners on Monday!
In the meantime..have a good weekend...and keep warm and safe!
;-)

Wednesday 6 January 2010

Giveaway time! ;-)


Good morning everyone!

South Devon has snow...not a lot but half an inch is better than nothing, eh ?









So there's only one thing for it...
Hit the craft room!
Which is...



...in a terrible mess!




But I found a small space at which to work and I made a start on these, earlier.
Needle and thread cases...more later as they are still in production.


And at the same time I was eyeing up this Liberty fabric and wondering how to use it wisely!



Meanwhile, I have loads of fabric (as I used to have a fabric shop on ebay) and yesterday I made some colourful fabric patchwork packs which are half price and for sale here:
And.... I always put in a 'freebie' with purchases!! ;-) ;-)



And that's not all...

I have made up one pack, as above, for a 'giveaway'...all you have to do is comment on this post!

Have fun but take care!

;-)

Tuesday 5 January 2010

10 - 1 = 8 !!!!!!


In the winter time we go
Walking in the fields of snow;
Where there is no grass at all;
Where the top of every wall,
Every fence and every tree,
Is as white as white can be.
Pointing out the way we came,
Every one of them the same.
All across the field there be
Prints in silver filigree;
And our mothers always know,
By the footprints in the snow,
Where it is the children go.

***

When I was 6 years old, one of our school lessons was poetry, combined with handwriting practice.
This was in my infant classroom, where the particular lady teacher was very strict.

Once a week, we would have to sit and copy a poem from the blackboard in our 'best' writing.
At that time in my life, my handwriting was quite messy and I always got the lines of the poems completely muddled so that they were all set out incorrectly.
I've still got that book of mine and occasionally get it out for a good laugh!

***

There were three poems which stick in my mind from those happy days in my infant classroom.

The first poem is 'Bed in Summer' by Robert Louis Stevenson.

In winter I get up at night
And dress by yellow candle-light.
In summer quite the other way,
I have to go to bed by day.
***
I have to go to bed and see
The birds still hopping on the tree,
Or hear the grown-up people's feet
Still going past me in the street.
***
And does it not seem hard to you,
When all the sky is clear and blue,
And I should like so much to play,
To have to go to bed by day.
***

I loved this poem as it was so apt at that time in my life, when I would sit on my triangular window ledge, which was just ideal for a little girl to sit there with her knees up at evening time and watch the 'goings ons' in our road.

***

The second rhyme was 'Ten Little Nigger Boys'..I doubt that this would even be allowed in a classroom nowadays...but my version in my book is completely hilarious as I have muddled up all the rhyming bits so that none of it rhymes at all!
(Just to give you a 'snippet' of what I wrote....
'
'Ten little Nigger Boys went out to dine,
One choked himself and then there were eight!')

(As you can imagine,my maths report also read...could do better!! LOL)

***

Finally, there is the poem above, 'White Fields' by James Stephens, which I've always remembered, off by heart.

***

I would just add that by the age of 11, there was a vast improvement in my handwriting as I remember winning a handwriting competition (in my best italic handwriting, with my Osmiroid fountain pen no less!!) at the local library. Secondly, my love of poetry has remained.
(But I have always hated maths! ;-)
***
I wonder if you have any favourite poems from your Primary school days?

Monday 4 January 2010

I'm just popping out for a Turkey...back soon....ish!!



January... and things are slowly getting back to normal!



Just think...women all over the country have been doing this !! ;-)
The big clean up after Christmas!
Me included...and then I did some of this...
...which I far prefer!


Something nice 'n simple!
Let's raid the cupboard for jam!
I don't know about you but I nearly always break my wrists trying to undo new jars! Grrrr!


I told you it was simple baking!

(I don't really need a recipe for pastry, in case you are wondering!! )
I just wanted to re-enact this scene...;-)



There's nothing like good old plain and simple food after Christmas
The first beans on toast, for instance!
And someone in the house mentioned jam tarts a day or two ago...so jam tarts they will be getting!

And who says that January is dull..?
I like getting back to normal! It suits me.
Over Christmas, half the time I have not known which day of the week it is!
And did you read about this poor lady :
''Wife who went out to buy Christmas turkey 15 days ago still stranded by snow! ''
Anyway..must dash...housework calls!
;-)

Sunday 3 January 2010

So long, farewell...but only for 11 months!

The crowd have gathered to say their goodbyes!

They'll be carefully packed into boxes and tins and from then onwards it'll be a long rest
so that they can recharge their batteries for... Christmas 2010!

Don't you sometimes wish you could do the same...?!

And tis time for me (above) to stop all this entertaining!

But what a fab Christmas we've had!

Phew...busy... but I wouldn't have it any other way!

And so it's 'tidy up time' in the Snippets house.

Bye bye Christmas!

;-)