Jan May

I have a bit of a thing about buttons.  Memories of childhood and rooting through my Gran's button tin. Sadly I've now used most of the vintage ones that belonged to my mother and grandmother - but the fascination still remains. So I thought today I'd have a button day, and share some of the latest lovely makes I've discovered.   by Amanda Meadon on Folksy How charming is this little picture?  Simple, colourful and quite pretty by Saphire Moon on Crafster  Not sure what these are... cuffs?  Loving the way the colours blend What a fabulous necklace.  The colours!  And some of those buttons are amazing.  Found this on Pinterest, but sadly there is no link. by Mike Smith on Folksy  A fabulous piece of button art.  What a fantastic idea from Homedit.com     A little bit in love with this lampshade - and so easy too! Another pretty piece of button art.  So effective. Yet ...

I wanted to put a button on my blog for Blog Train, but wasn't very keen on the proper one. After a bit of fiddling in Paint, using a free to use clipart image - I've got one of my own, that looks a whole lot more in keeping. The size of the image is 250 pixels square to fit the template of my blog.  If anyone else would like to use it, please feel free to copy and paste. If you need to resize, open Paint, paste image and resize using pixel option.  If you are unsure how wide it needs to be, right click on an image the right size on your blog, and check out the properties - where you will see the pixel dimensions. If you want to recolour - use the fill option in the colour of your choice.  The green and yellow bits showing through are from the original colouring, as it would be nigh on impossible to get rid of them. To add to blog, choose the add a photo option, and include your personal link code.  Voila - anyone clicking on the image will go straight to...

A trifle miffed that the sun has decided to hide this morning.  The sky is back to it's normal leaden look. So lets jolly things up with a selection of pastel pinks - never fail to cheer. I shall start shamelessly with one of my own creations - the Sugar and Spice pillow.  I love the way the fabrics go together.  Currently sitting on my bed.  I do enjoy foundation piecing - and have another one in the pipeline featuring beach huts.  (Better get cracking or summer will be over). Isn't this wigwam delightful?  It screams summer.  I want a grown up sized one.  This is so utterly charming.  Created by Hickity-pickity who makes the most delightful things (if you have a little girl - get over there right this minute - you'll love her designs), using fabric designs by Jennifer Paganelli of Sis Boom   I am in the throes of a long distance love affair with all things Sis Boom.  If you like bright, fresh and zingy fabrics - you m...

How lovely to reach 100 followers! I have no idea who the 100th was (obviously shy). Never mind...... a celebration can only mean one thing......... CAKE!!! There may just be enough for a morsel each - it's certainly rich enough.  This is my favourite cake to bake at the moment.  Chocolate Guiness Cake.  Super quick and simple to make, and wonderfully dense, moist and indulgent.  It is my favouritest (I know that isn't a proper word) chocolate cake of all time.  Even the children, who think Guiness is revolting, love this.  Fancy making one yourself?  It's dead easy - I'll share the recipe with you:- Recipe sourced at Nigella.com FOR THE CAKE 250ml Guinness 250g unsalted butter 75g cocoa 400g caster sugar 1 x 142ml pot sour cream 2 eggs 1 tablespoon real vanilla extract 275g plain flour 2 1/2teaspoons bicarbonate of soda FOR THE TOPPING 300g Philadelphia cream cheese 150g icing sugar 125ml doubl...

A year after beginning this blog - I am now only 1 little follower away from making it to triple figures. Is it you? If so, please introduce yourself. 100 followers may not seem like much to many in the Blogging community - but it means a heck of a lot to me, and I never thought this day would come.  Woohoo. May I take the opportunity of thanking everyone who follows my blog.  I so appreciate it, and delight in the comments received.  I'm sorry if I don't often reply.  Wish there was an easy way.  If there is - can someone let me know! I shall of course continue in much the same ilk. PS - My followers have increased greatly today, due to the help of the newly introduced Blog-Train. It's quick, simple and free to join.  A superb way of getting your blog noticed, though you will find yourself immersed in all the other lovely blogs you find.  Here's the link... Jump aboard the Blog Train - there's a carriage waiting for you   ...

I can hardly believe a whole month has passed since my last creative post. Doesn't time fly!   I haven't been sat on my backside doing nothing (the whole time).  Aside from moving house, and getting hubby settled into his new work-away apartment - I have done a little bit of sewing. Another bag!  (Like I need one).  I just enjoy making them, and I love the style of this one. If you've been following my blog for a while, you may recognise the shape.  It's yet another version of my Sophie bag (for which I have been meaning to produce the pattern - like - forever).  It's such a nice bag to carry around.  Light, roomy and comfortable, in a slightly squishy, holds it's shape well sort of way. It was supposed to be a quick, run it up in an evening make.  Ha ha ha. I can cut out all the pieces from memory, so that didn't take long.  Putting the fabrics together however, took ages - for the simple reason I have far too much to c...

I've just spied this fabulous chair makeover on Pinterest and I adore it. According to the source - the rather wonderfully named RoadKillRescue blog (haven't delved further than this post - a bit afraid of what I might find), the person responsible for this makeover doesn't have her own blog yet. Now.....  if I thought for one minute that my attempt at this would come out okay, I would be grabbing my dining chairs immediately.  However, my history with paint effects is dodgy at best, and downright appalling at worst - so perhaps I will have to sigh with admiration and wait for the magic fairy to do her stuff. There are instructions for how to do this on the blog, so if anyone does have a go and succeeds - please (and I'm begging you here) will you hotfoot it over to my place and work your transformation magic on me.  My only request is that the pattern be vaguely paisley like. I know if I did do my own version, I would have to make things awkward for mysel...