Hip Hip Hooray

I am SO excited, I just love a good Wedding. We made cupcakes rather quickly yesterday afternoon in between After School Club and Beavers and we used the cutest little decorations in red, white and blue. Paper chains made, Pavlova made (I'm in charge of puddings), right that's it, we're off to my friends house to sit all morning (can't remember the last time I just sat and watched telly) Do you think wearing a hat would be a bit overkill?

I hope you all have a lovely day and PLEEAASSEE don't rain!

'till next time

I'm on facebook

Having had loads of customers ask, I can now confirm that this rather techic phobic person, has taken the plunge and opened a Facebook page. I spent the morning adding a load of lovely pictures and I'm really pleased with how it's looking



So who is going to be the first person to 'like' me? (hopefully someone will)

'till next time

Sea of yellow

This is the view today from the back of house

We are so lucky to live with open countryside right behind us. The field is just full of rape, which whilst gorgeous to look at, I must confess is making both myself and the children sneeze like mad. I would not however change where we live for all the tea in china and hope so much that the land is never sold to developers for houses to built on.

I've been busy sewing over the Bank Holiday in between outings with the family and making the most of the sunny warm weather. Anyway the children are back to school / preschool tomorrow for all of 3 days before the bank holiday next weekend.

We're off to a friends house to celebrate the Royal Wedding. I am planning on watching all the coverage from a prime position on the sofa with a glass of Pimms in hand and ooing and aaghhing over the dress, hats and outfits. (well that's the plan, we'll see!) I can't wait to see William in his RAF Uniform, good call, but then I am biased, what with Andy being in RAF.

Anyway off to cook tea and looking forward to sewing tomorrow, with the radio for company and a very quiet house.

'till next time

Happy Easter

Ok so it's 9am on Easter morning, eggs are found and one eaten, chocolate Easter Nests made and bowl licked out, the rest of the chocolate is now hidden, but I'm sure not for long..... oh well

Happy Easter

Liberty of London Bunting which ........

as always has gorgeous Liberty of London fabrics, as always and without exception made with the Little Kitten Homemade attention to detail, as always beautiful bunting created with lots of love, but.........

mini has just got BIG

Going into the shop this weekend

'till next time

PS hey my signature is back xo

1 Auntie plus 1 son plus 1 daughter =

Photographs, now there's a subject for you, I've certainly taken a few over the last 16 months and wake up with start every now and then thinking I must remember to save them onto my memory stick! I've just had to purchase a new camera, which became a necessity after my faithful camera which we bought when Jamie was born, started smelling suspiciously of burning and a little smoke could be seen.....oopps! I am slowly getting use to it, it's a FinePix F70 EXR, it has so many features, which I am sure would be really useful if I understood them, uumm I must read the manual when the kids go back to school. Andy and I spent hours searching the internet for which camera to buy, reading reviews etc but then I remembered an article on the Etsy blog about the very subject, you can read it here. I couldn't get the exact model, but my last camera was a FinePix, so the decision was made.

The other day, with my new camera, I was taking photo's of a gorgeous 25 flag Fiesta Bunting for the shop. I generally photograph all my buntings against a white background, I like the fabrics to speak for themselves

I decided however, that I wanted to get some outside shots. Now luckily my SIL Alison was staying with us for a few days, so she took the middle, Jamie had one end and Poppy the other

The first shot looked dreadful, my flower beds, whilst filling out by the day, still have more mud than green, not a pretty look

I then found if I lay on the ground and photographed into the sky, the result was lovely, all be it a miracle with both children leaping around and my foot in the air holding up the bunting. I only hope that my neighbours didn't hear the kerfuffle going on, they would wonder what an earth we were up to!

Once the photo's were downloaded, I went on to my favourite site to edit them. I also played with different effects, the one above is 1960's and my favourite

and this one is Vignette, a close second.

Let me know what you think and any tips you might have!

'till next time

Sarah xo

Drum Roll

Thank you SOooooo much for entering the Giveaway, now for the big announcement......... and the winner is.......... (and for the eagled eyed amongst you, yes, there were 13 comments, however, comment #10 was removed )

which was this

2 Vintage Buntings are yours, I'll be in touch in a moment!!

Sorry that I can not send one to each of you for entering, your comments were so nice and made me smile, thank you so much.

'till next time

Sarah xo

A little something just for you

What an exciting week, I've reached 200 Sales in my little shop on Etsy, thank you thank you thank you!! To celebrate I've decided to have my very first GIVEAWAY

Remember this pile of Vintage Sheets, well I've been hard at work and they have now been turned into a delicious new selection of Buntings. They have their very own section, VINTAGE LOVELIES. Now for those of you familiar with my shop, I like to give each of my buntings a name. I've been thinking long and hard, I wanted the names to have a vintagy feel and to have an obvious link to the fabrics and colours. I've tussled with song titles, considered films and after many a sleepless night ( yes sad I know!) , this is what I've come up with

Remember those tiny little sweets you use to be able to get, I use to buy them by the quarter. They were tiny and were pretty pastel shades, this selection of flags seemed so reminiscent

Tutti Fruity, brightly coloured and ooo they were so chewy! I 'm sure there was a drink of this name and with the colours it just HAD to be Lemon Drops were hard on the outside and all sherberty and fizzy inside, yum Can't you just imagine drinking a refreshing glass, lots of ice and plenty of sunshine a necessity. What do you think? Now for the GIVEAWAY, the first part up for grabs is this very pretty 10 flag bunting in yellow, green and a little touch of pink. To go with this a Hand Appliqued LOVE bunting in Lemondrop Just take a look at this button which I added from my extensive collection, isn't it just fabulous! HOW TO ENTER If you would like a chance to win both of these pretty vintage fabric buntings, there are two ways you can join in the fun: 1. Leave a comment on this post 2. If you are a follower or become one, you can leave a second comment I will happily post worldwide so everyone, from everywhere, is welcome to enter! RULES Strictly a maximum of two comments per person I must be able to contact you through your comment The Giveaway will close on Monday 18th April 2011 & the winner announced shortly afterwards GOOD LUCK! Sarah xo (Sorry not quite sure what has happened to my signature xoxo) UPDATE - This Giveaway is NOW CLOSED, at comment #13, thank you to all who entered, I'll let you know the lucky winner soon! xo

What a wonderful weekend!

Oh I'm back from the most wonderful weekend. I spent it with my lovely husband Andy

My bestest friend Tina, with whom I laughed lots and had long and uninterrupted conversations

and her husband Mal, who will always be special as he introduced Andy and I on a Blind date....but that's a story for another day!

We stayed over looking Rutland Water, a man made reservoir, which is amazingly only 45 minutes from where I live. You can cycle ride around the edge, which, when I have felt energetic I have done on several occasions

Our hotel was the stunning Barnsdale Hall Hotel, we ate lots and lots of yummy food, Tina and I spent time in the spa, the boys played golf

we drank champagne and chocolates (and I didn't count a single point!)

and when I lay on my bed in our room, this was the view! Today, we visited Barnsdale Gardens, created by one of my hero's Geoff Hamilton. He was a presenter on the BBC's Gardeners World show and absolutely inspired me to pick up my trowel. The gardens are split up in to over 30 real life size gardens, which he created for the show

Amongst my favourites was this very pretty small courtyard garden

and my absolute favourite, the Ornamental Kitchen Garden, which combines veg, fruit and flowers, which is what we are trying to create in our own small back garden

I loved the little maze in the Country garden and just take a look at this red brick path, ooo I SO want one!

and how can you possibly not fall head over heels with spring blossom. I am so going back for another visit this summer

'till next time

Phew!

Some of my favourite Custom Orders from this week

Baby Blues

Colourful Party Bunting

Gorgeous Lime and Cornflower Blue

Nautical

Blackwatch Tartan

And for the shop a new range called Spotty Dotty Doo Dah

Fiesta in Pink and Green

and Pink and Orange

Now I'm off for a weekend away, it's my belated 40th Birthday Present ( I hear you gasp, how can she possibly be 40!!) yes a whole 2 days, just Andy and I with our best friends, there's going to be shopping, manicures, shampoo, walks, garden visits, a night in a super posh hotel, lots of yummy food ( absolutely no dieting ) golf for the boys and lots and lots of uninterrupted conversations yay! Do not fear I'm not leaving the children home alone, they have fun filled weekend in store with the Grandparents. I'll be back Sunday, with photo's taken on my new camera, the old one sadly died this week and will answer all convo's by Monday Lunchtime.

'till next time

Mothers Day

Breakfast in bed, cards and flowers Love you Jamie and Poppy!

Lists and things

Now I think that you are either a list kind of person or not, there's really no half way house. Me, well I'm a lister, I have a To Do list, a Shopping list ( I absolutely could not contemplate going shopping without one ) a list of things that need doing in the house, a list for Andy of things that doing in the house, a list of things I would like to learn to do, a list of people Jamie wants to invite to his Birthday Party next month, I think you get the picture. Anyway, as I was looking around my sewing room today, I realised that I have also become a pile person ( not of umm the uncomfortable kind I might add! )

A pile of vintage sheets awaiting a new life

A pile of Liberty fabrics to be put away

A pile of Fiesta triangles awaiting sewing

A pile of bunting awaiting listing

A pile of newly delivered felt waiting to be cut up

Don't you just Love it! Are you a list and piles person?

'till next time