I also now have a facebook page at Psychodelic Elephants
Come over and join me!
Would love to see you!
Tuesday, 27 September 2011
Finally some work
After a very muddled morning I have finally got some work done!
All goin up into my folksy shop very soon!
I also now have a facebook page at Psychodelic Elephants
Come over and join me!
Would love to see you!
I also now have a facebook page at Psychodelic Elephants
Come over and join me!
Would love to see you!
Wednesday, 21 September 2011
Christmas
Yes ok I have said the C word! CHRISTMAS.
Now for most of us in the west Christmas is a time of excess. Too many presents, Too much food.
But perhaps Christmas is a good a time as any to remember about the people in this world who don't have as much as we do!
Every year we in the Elephant house try and do our bit! We try and Create a Shoebox parcel for four Children and we normal try and match them up to the ages of the four little elephants in this house.
Dear Elephant one is 13 ( Just before Christmas)
Dear Elephant two is 11
Dear Elephant three is 10 ( just before Christmas as well)
and Baby Elephant is 3.
We try and do it this way so that the children have a say in what goes into the boxes so they know that what they are sending to another country is something that they would like to recieve if it were the other way around
These shoe box parcels can go anywhere in the world to from Hatit to the Ukraine. They are a little way of showing love to another child in a far of country that may not have any. I have heard stories of the children even keeping the wrapping paper off the decorated parcels to stick up on the walls of their homes. Click on the links to see the stories of children that have recieved boxes in these countries.
You don't need to spend a fortune on bits to go inside them quite often at this time of year lot sof the stationery things on sale in supermarkets have been reduced whilst they try to clear their stock I just pick up a couple of the reduced items and add them to my shopping so that they can be added to the boxes.
If you are not sure about what to pack into a shoebox click on the teddy and he will take you through to the Operation Christmas Child gift list that will tell you what to pack and what not to!
I would really encourage everybody to have a go at least doing one box I would say though it does become a bit addictive see how many thigns you can get inside a shoe box.
Images kindly supplied by The Operation Christmas Child Website
Now for most of us in the west Christmas is a time of excess. Too many presents, Too much food.
But perhaps Christmas is a good a time as any to remember about the people in this world who don't have as much as we do!
Every year we in the Elephant house try and do our bit! We try and Create a Shoebox parcel for four Children and we normal try and match them up to the ages of the four little elephants in this house.
Dear Elephant one is 13 ( Just before Christmas)
Dear Elephant two is 11
Dear Elephant three is 10 ( just before Christmas as well)
and Baby Elephant is 3.
We try and do it this way so that the children have a say in what goes into the boxes so they know that what they are sending to another country is something that they would like to recieve if it were the other way around
These shoe box parcels can go anywhere in the world to from Hatit to the Ukraine. They are a little way of showing love to another child in a far of country that may not have any. I have heard stories of the children even keeping the wrapping paper off the decorated parcels to stick up on the walls of their homes. Click on the links to see the stories of children that have recieved boxes in these countries.
You don't need to spend a fortune on bits to go inside them quite often at this time of year lot sof the stationery things on sale in supermarkets have been reduced whilst they try to clear their stock I just pick up a couple of the reduced items and add them to my shopping so that they can be added to the boxes.
If you are not sure about what to pack into a shoebox click on the teddy and he will take you through to the Operation Christmas Child gift list that will tell you what to pack and what not to!
Images kindly supplied by The Operation Christmas Child Website
Monday, 19 September 2011
UFO's and grandmothers
No this is not a post about little Green Alien's from Mars. It is a post of Un Finished Objects.
I have decided that when we move in about a year's time I don't want to be carting lots of things we have been half started or half finished. So I started first by making the Summer Garden Blanket which is almost finished. Secondly have been looking through my Cross stitch folder there were several half started cross stitch card projects and several small kits not started yet.
DH was away with work till Sunday night sailing on a Beautiful Ship called The Morning Star so I had control of Iplayer and whilst watching several programs during the week I finished several cross stitch kits only small ones. I also mounted them onto or into cards so that instead of just sitting in a folder they can be sent out for other people to enjoy. Some of these Cross stitches only needed a few stitches to be finished off. Cross stitch was the first craft I ever did to a large degree.
I also found this little house that needed finishing This might be the centre of a patchwork cushion!
I started this and finished it whilst watching The Other Boleyn Girl on iplayer. It did feel very strange to be doing embroidery whilst watching ladies embroider on television in the court of Henry the VIII.
Doing all this embroidery and cross stitch made me think of my grandmother. She was a brilliant seamstress. Who at the age of 11 she won a scholarship to go to The Royal School of Needlework but unfortunately she couldn't take it up as times were hard and she had to go out to earn a living. She started of her working life as a pattern girl for a dressmakers in London. This was where very smart, fashionable and rich ladies to go to have there dresses handmade. this was before the days of "off the peg" clothing! She would be sent to get the personalised patterns for the ladies that would come into have new clothes made. Eventually she worked her way to working in a fur coat factory where she became one of the best in her profession of sewing. She sewn Mink which is the finest fur to sew! To join the pelts together you have to part each and every hair before you can sewn them together. Now whether you believe in fur or not this was a time before the Second world war where the world was a very different place. Ladies wore hats with Gloves to match and a gentleman would never been seen outside without his hat! Now I am not saying that the world was better before the war just different. My grandmother is no longer with us and I miss her! Although towards the end of her life she had senile dementia and she was no longer the same I still miss her. I miss the days when I would spend some holidays with her, my grandfather and my sister when My Mum and Dad were working and we used to watch old black and white films on the television.
I have decided that when we move in about a year's time I don't want to be carting lots of things we have been half started or half finished. So I started first by making the Summer Garden Blanket which is almost finished. Secondly have been looking through my Cross stitch folder there were several half started cross stitch card projects and several small kits not started yet.
DH was away with work till Sunday night sailing on a Beautiful Ship called The Morning Star so I had control of Iplayer and whilst watching several programs during the week I finished several cross stitch kits only small ones. I also mounted them onto or into cards so that instead of just sitting in a folder they can be sent out for other people to enjoy. Some of these Cross stitches only needed a few stitches to be finished off. Cross stitch was the first craft I ever did to a large degree.
I also found this little house that needed finishing This might be the centre of a patchwork cushion!
I started this and finished it whilst watching The Other Boleyn Girl on iplayer. It did feel very strange to be doing embroidery whilst watching ladies embroider on television in the court of Henry the VIII.
Doing all this embroidery and cross stitch made me think of my grandmother. She was a brilliant seamstress. Who at the age of 11 she won a scholarship to go to The Royal School of Needlework but unfortunately she couldn't take it up as times were hard and she had to go out to earn a living. She started of her working life as a pattern girl for a dressmakers in London. This was where very smart, fashionable and rich ladies to go to have there dresses handmade. this was before the days of "off the peg" clothing! She would be sent to get the personalised patterns for the ladies that would come into have new clothes made. Eventually she worked her way to working in a fur coat factory where she became one of the best in her profession of sewing. She sewn Mink which is the finest fur to sew! To join the pelts together you have to part each and every hair before you can sewn them together. Now whether you believe in fur or not this was a time before the Second world war where the world was a very different place. Ladies wore hats with Gloves to match and a gentleman would never been seen outside without his hat! Now I am not saying that the world was better before the war just different. My grandmother is no longer with us and I miss her! Although towards the end of her life she had senile dementia and she was no longer the same I still miss her. I miss the days when I would spend some holidays with her, my grandfather and my sister when My Mum and Dad were working and we used to watch old black and white films on the television.
Monday, 12 September 2011
URGH!
Today I am definately not feeling my best I seem to have started a very stinky cold which has made me sneeze all day. I need to do some work but really can summon up the energy to do anything bar housework, which I don't want to do but when you have four boys it has to be done.
Here is a pic of the latest Cushion I have designed. Made out of felt with Yummy bright colours buttons sewn into the shape fo a heart.
Wednesday, 7 September 2011
Almost There!
I have been very quite over the last couple of months trying to sort myself out and get into routines etc that will help everyone in the house! I have also had two articles to write for a christian women's magazine called Woman Alive the first one being that of a creating a scrapbook which was published in the September Issue and the second one is Christmas related. It did feel a bit strange writing in on August Bank Holiday Monday!
I have also been on a use up mission I had lots of wool from magazines which I wanted to use up so I have made a blanket. Inspired by several of the blogs I read. Lemondedesucrette and attic 24 I decided I would have a go at crochetting a blanket.
I started by making 180 circles like these
Then when I had enough I started joining them usign Attic24's wonderful joining as you go tutorial I must admit this is much easier than sewing all the pesky little things together!
This is row three The blanket consists of 12 squares wide by 15 squares deep no colour order just randomly place.
Close up on the joined squares
On the 7th Row
A close up of the blanket just because I am so amazed by it
I have also been on a use up mission I had lots of wool from magazines which I wanted to use up so I have made a blanket. Inspired by several of the blogs I read. Lemondedesucrette and attic 24 I decided I would have a go at crochetting a blanket.
I started by making 180 circles like these
Then when I had enough I started joining them usign Attic24's wonderful joining as you go tutorial I must admit this is much easier than sewing all the pesky little things together!
This is row three The blanket consists of 12 squares wide by 15 squares deep no colour order just randomly place.
Finally finished or so I thought until Dh looked at it and said could we have another coupld of rows on the top before you put the border on So being the Mug Loving wife I am said yes.
I know need to make another 36 circles so that i can join them on to make the blanket longer! So that it can be used on our bed when the winter comes Hopefully next update will be of a finished blanket!
A close up of the blanket just because I am so amazed by it
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