what I have made-Russian doll keyrings

Hello,would like to say thanks to all my followers who have been tempted here by Rubys giveaways!
Whilst my sewing machine was getting an overhaul I took the opportunity to do some hand sewing.

These are my first ones I have made. I am hoping to start selling them soon. This weekend I am going to make an owl keyring for Rubys friend Hannah.
Thanks for reading and goodluck with the giveaway :)

Mumpy complete!

Finally I am putting some photos of Mumpy up, my neice Hollie was thrilled with him.

My Mumpy is pictured with the original Mumpy that Hollie was given when she was born *****
years ago!
Mumpy was my first soft toy I have attempted using a pattern since school! I found it quite fiddley and his poor legs hardly hold him up!

My next projects are bunting, catnip chicks,and russian doll decorated items. The cushion with the Mumpies is one I made for Hollie to put in her newly decorated front room, I appliqued the flowers onto a piece of silk  that had been brought back by friends from India. Thanks again to Ruby for her patience in hepling me with this blog. Hope to chat again soon. x

Cake for Jack

Jack was 18 this week, and I wanted to make made him a cake. I had been looking everywhere for ideas for a zombie cake. Google was great for ideas, I decided on something fairly simple like zombie hands climbing out of a choc cake!

It was a simple chocolate cake with icing and marzipan used to make the fingers and creepycrawlies. Almonds for finger nails,red food coloring for blood! I was very pleased with it and it tasted ok too.

I am really trying to get into this blogging lark, please bear with me as i have to rely on my fantastic daughter to talk me through it each time! So if you remember how hard it was when you first started, please follow me! :)

What's next?

Hello,have got some lovely photos from Hollie with 'Mummy Mumpy' on her birthday,however i am beholden to Ruby as to when i have her help to put on her e to show you.I have been learning a few embroidery stiches, which i really enjoyed but i soon discovered i cannot keep on a straight line! and this is just a practise sample with lines on already! perhaps i just have a wonky perception on life! anyway i will keep practising,

I a currrntly working on something for my lovely sister but i cannot show you yet as Al is one of the few who looks at my blog! so i will take
photos along the way.

I have recently bought a book called 'Bunting and Pennants' by Kate Haxell,
it has 20 designs to make.I think bunting is a lovely idea for the spring. of course it is fantastic at anytime any occassion. I am hpoing to run a craft stall in April,i thought spring bunting would be quite fun to do.An abundance of 'Yellow,Green will be my first project,now comes the fun part of choosing colours and fabrics!

So i am off to rummage! i will see you soon x

Cheerio Mumpy

well i am sorry to say that i rushed to get Mumpy finished in the post in timr for Hollies birthday,and stupidly i forgot to take any finished photos! DOH!

I am still learming this blog thingy.Mumpy was a success and apparently Hollie has commented but i cannot remeber how to put it on my blog!,Will have to wait until Ruby is awake which may be a while as she went out last night!


I am off to the dentist to have a tooth pulled,Hopefully it will go ok and i can get back to some crafting.

Catch you later. X

nearly finished!

Well all i have to do is Mumpys feet,then it will all become clear when i turn mumpy the right way round.
Fingers crossed,i am starting a patchwork and cushion making course tomorow,so i will let you know how it went.It will be nice to do some craft with other like minded  people around me.

Mumpy update

After spending about 3 hours on mumpy I realised  that I had nearly finished him and hadn't updated you! It went really well though I struggled to sew the fiddley bits,I have never made a soft toy before.

Mumpys beginning

seeing double!

nearly finished

 This is as far as i have got, am going to carry on in a bit.

how am i doing?

well i have been at it fo about 3 hours now,stupidiy i first cut out all the pieces facing the same direction! doh! i seem to have a real problem working out how to mirror the pattern pieces! so after ending up with 3 pieces of mumpy all facing the same way i finally got it right,still having problems wiht the toweling fraying but the iron on wadding seems to help to be more stable,i have sewn in his tail and ears,and started to sew mumpys body together. will stop for a while so i can take duggi and bella the dogs out for another walk,i am dogsitting and today is their last day with me,their owner Lesley is a fantastic seamstress and i am glad she is back soon as i might need to ask her for help,cannot post any photos as Ruby isnt here to help me! but hopefully i will be able to show you the finished mumpy!

thanks Ruby

just to say thank you to ruby who is my only follower so far,Ruby has been very patient in helping me set this blog up,and having to guide me in all aspects of it! I seem to forget what to do as soon as she has left the room!

making mumpy

hello,thought i should just tell you that Hollie my niece will be 23 next week,Hollie has had her mumpy since she was born and he goes everywhere with her,my sister Al sent me some photos of Hollie as a baby with mumpy so i will try to make a lookalike bigger mumpy! yesterday i cut out the toweling fabric and fusable wadding,i am a bit concerned about the fraying of the toweling fabric and it seems very thin.If anyone has any tips on sewing toweling i would be grateful, i thought i would use a longer stitch on the machine and a good seam allowence.i will let you know how i get on.

Hippo for Hollie

It is my niece Hollies birthday soon and i have decided to make her a "Mumpy" which is a hippo! hollie had a small mumpy when she was very little which was much loved! so i have a pattern from Sew Hip magazine which i am going to attempt! so wish me luck and i will let you know how i get on. thanks for listening.

wots next?

i have a few projects i want to finish,i have also decided to make myself a new bag, something roomy,practical with lots of pockets! i made a lot of catnip mice for friends over christmas and i have had a lot of positive feedback,all cats when given the mice dribbled,played, licked and went quite mental! so that was a success,i also donated some to Bristol cat and dogs home,so i hope it cheered some cats up over christmas.i am going to clear my kitchen table  and set up my sewing machine to start some craft later today,thanks for listening, wil chat again soon.

some of the things i made last year.

not sure how to start really! i thought i would show you some of my creations, owls,cats and russian dolls have been around a lot in the last year,i made a few of them....

this owl was a personalised one made for a mate based on "Dot Cotton"!

i made this draft excluder and doorstop for my mum.

thanks for reading,i will post some more pics soon.