Thursday, October 20, 2016

LoVeLy Things ...................

Greetings dear friends & readers
This past week (& a bit) has seen me enjoy a variety of lovely things .............

I had been wanting to make some Christmas Angels for my upcoming craft market
The Angels in my "Tilda's Christmas Ideas" book had been on my mind for awhile now -
- perhaps it was time they came to life ??!!


Although I am a traditionalist at heart when it comes to Christmassy things .... the past year has seen me embracing the more non-traditional colours for christmas, as well as the reds & greens that I love.
I feel they all have their place & their "moment to shine"
Bearing this in mind I decided to make my Angels in non-traditional colours


The first one I made in some lovely soft grey Tilda fabric, scattered with bunches of flowers

I decided not to make the fabric wings in the pattern, but chose instead to use some delicate feather wings 
(available from Variety Stores/$2 Shops)

The second Angel was made in a pastel colourway of pinks & pale lime greens 
The "Christmas is here" banners that they hold in their hands are printed off onto medium weight cardstock
I decided to attach these with double sided tape as I felt they could be removed after the festive season & the  Angel could stay out & be enjoyed all year round

As the small gold crowns featured in the book are unavailable here in New Zealand ... I embellished my angels heads with a twine wreath which I had threaded with a few pip berries.

Way back in June, my friend Elaine gifted me this gorgeous linen teatowel below for my birthday

I LoVeD it  .  .  .  .  but decided it was far FAR too nice to use to wipe dishes with !!!
So it sat in my bedroom for several months until I decided (last week) to make it into a cushion.
I simply divided it into 3 parts ... a front, a back & a decent couple of inches for a flap to hold the insert in.
Then I just sewed straight down the sides - right side facing OUT


I quickly ran up a rectangular shaped insert using an old thin cotton sheet & stuffed it with wadding

The addition of 3 hot pink buttons & I think the back is equally as pretty as the front.
Voila . . . a teatowel becomes a LoVeLy cushion to enjoy.

Dear Blackie is another "lovely thing"     (Yes Pippi you are too but its Blackies turn today !!!)
When I first rescued Blackie & bought him inside he was the wildest, hissy-est, spitty-est, clawing feral thing you could ever imagine
One attempt at patting him or a gentle word, & he would disappear under the bed for the entire day
He still prefers outside to in  .  .  .  . but these rainy days have seen him have a bit of a change of heart

I do most of my cutting out down on the floor & he likes to ummm -  "assist me"

A young friend is having her first baby soon & I wanted to make her a baby gift
As they have chosen not to find out the babies sex as yet, I decided to go with non gender-specific bright colours to be safe
I made her an Owl fleece cuddly rug, a bandana bib & a wool blanket rabbit rattle 
My young friend, the mum-to-be was delighted as she is a colour loving girl

While I was making the bandana bib for the gift, I ran up another four from some soft flannelette that I had on hand
This is a free pattern available from * here *
I usually try to keep a few colours of the bibs for sale in the Cottage & also for my present box.

If I ever need to do any intricate stitchery work now, I usually do it during the daylight hours
My eyesight is no longer so great at nights ... but I do enjoy some repetitive stitching that's not too complicated
These felt mice christmas decorations just foot the bill perfectly
I have been stitching 10 of them over the last couple of weeks, in the evenings while watching T.V.


I have displayed them on this miniature tree, once again to sit on my stall table at the craft fair.
Now I mentioned I had cut out 10 . . . . well I am actually missing two & I am quite certain that a small ginger 4-legged being might have some knowledge of this !!!



And lastly dear readers - while we are on the subject of  Lovely things - I got to look after my dear grandson Alec three times last week 
He is such a delight as he discovers the outside world & all the adventures that it holds.

I hope that your week is going tickety-boo & that the coming weekend is wonderful for you all
Be kind to yourselves & to each other
Thank you so much for visiting with me today
with much love & friendship
Julie & the furry ones x0x0x

27 comments:

  1. Hi Julie wow i love your tilda angels they are so cute.
    What an awesome idea to do with the tea towel,it looks fantastic as a cushion and those mice are very cute .
    Isnt it awesome being a grand parent,Alec is such a handsome young man .

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  2. I was thinking of you today as I played with some new Tilda fabrics. Your Christmas Angels are very pretty. I agree that the tea towel is too pretty for dishes.....cushions are much more practical! I am looking forward to getting out my 'Julie' Christmas decorations. As for the missing mice, perhaps you should check the cats dirt box??? :-/ Lovely fresh colours for the babies bundle. Alec IS Lovely!!!xxx

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  3. Oh! Is it Christmas....No one told me..! :).
    HeHe! Goodness! It's everywhere over here to!
    Even Sky TV have two Christmas channels going!
    Still, we've got Halloween and Bonfire night..
    (which l hate)..to go yet!
    Still, it's nice to look round for bits and
    pieces this time of the year! :).

    Love the Angels, good idea to make them in
    natural colours and material..show them off
    ALL year round....Do their wings fall off in
    the Autumn though..! :).
    And what you've done with the teatowel is
    really nice..I love cushions, had one made for
    me on my Burfday! Pink..(of course)..with black
    cats on..love it! It goes well, with one Yvonne
    made me last year! :).

    HaHa! And, the two furry ones, joined at the hip
    l see...bless them!xx
    I think Blackie has settled in now..seems as though
    he takes things in his stride, that expression says
    it all..Bless him!x And Pippi..think she's a bit of
    a tart! Love it! Bless her!x

    And young Alec..goodness! Does'nt he grow..l bet he's
    looking forward to Christmas this year! Happy time all
    round! :0).

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  4. Hello Julie
    I have just enjoyed reading your latest blog post, I love them all and wanted to take a moment to say thank you. I have just made some more of the mice in stockings that you so kindly sent me the pattern for they make wonderful little gifts but I do have to write down who has received them in the past!!!!!
    Thank you again Julie, I shall look forward to reading your next blog and what your gorgeous cats have been up to.
    Kindest regards,
    Pam xx
    Sent from my iPad

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  5. Oh Alec, you are ADORABLE!! And Julie if I lived close by that cushion would have disappeared by now. ;-) YUM.

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  6. what a lovely post from beginning to end!
    indeed those two furry ones do seem to be joined at the hip! love them!
    thanx for sharing

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    1. Thanks so much Selina .. yes those furry ones are joined at the hip somedays & other days ... they cant stand each other !!!!

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  7. Beautiful bits and bobs, delightful angels (I much prefer the 'real' wings)...I'm also sewing red felt whilst half watching TV! Good luck with the craft fair, wish I could pop in. xx

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    1. Thanks E.E. I wish you could pop over for the craft fair too ... we could have a stall right next door to each other & trade bits & bobs !!!! What a great idea :-)

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  8. You make such beautiful things, I love the angels, and dresses that make them a delight to be on display throughout the year. The little mice in stockings are so cute, though I have visions of them running through your house to hide from your Blackie and Pippi xx

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    1. Thanks so much Cheryl. I am so pleased I made the angels in soft pastel colours .. will be lovely to have them out not just for the festive season. I have made the mice in stockings before & they are a great pattern to make up. Nice to stitch & you can use up all your felt scraps. Thanks for stopping by x x

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  9. Your dollies are gorgeous and the little tree is sweet and beautifully childlike.
    Your grandson is such a darling!
    I always love to see the kitties!
    Sending heaps of love your way, dear Julie!

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  10. Hi Julie, a lovely post, love your cushion and your angel dolls, gorgeous, I enjoy seeing your creations and your Grandson is gorgeous. Thank you for the link to the bandana bibs you make and would have experienced being used by Alec, I have made this style but not used this particular pattern with the two varying sides, wonder how it would work with towelling or thicker on the back. Thank you for all you share, all the best. Jude

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    1. Hello Jude ... thanks for your lovely comment. Do not be afraid to use the towelling on the back - it will be fine. I make them for Alec as he dribbles so much & put thick polar fleece on the back ... have also used towelling offcuts before. It is not too thick honestly. The first time I made this pattern it felt quite strange but once you have done one ... you will be away !!!

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    2. Thank you for your reply Julie, you have encouraged me to try this pattern and as you say once achieved one it will become much easier, thank you so much.

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  11. Hi Julie, a lovely post, love your cushion and your angel dolls, gorgeous, I enjoy seeing your creations and your Grandson is gorgeous. Thank you for the link to the bandana bibs you make and would have experienced being used by Alec, I have made this style but not used this particular pattern with the two varying sides, wonder how it would work with towelling or thicker on the back. Thank you for all you share, all the best. Jude

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  12. Hi Julie, alec has the most beautiful blue eyes. all your makes are fabulous - even though I claimed I don't have ornaments as a bit ocd here, I have to say your latest angels are the exception, I think it's the feather wings that really perfect them, they are so lovely. The tea towel cushion is a great idea I like it a lot and the baby rattle - it's really special.

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    1. Thanks so much Betty. I love Alec's blue eyes too .... they seem to look right into you. He has a gorgeous smile - he will be a horror of a kid & probably smile & get away with lots !!!! I am glad you like the feather wings on the angels Betty.x x x

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  13. Hi Julie, your angels are lovely in not the usual chrissy colours, and I adore those mice in stockings, so cute, and speaking of cute little Alec is just the sweetest, he is growing so fast.
    Your lucky to have help cutting out lol.
    The baby gifts are gorgeous to, have a great week, Chris xoxo.

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    1. Thanks so much Chris for the lovely comments you always take the time to leave here. Alec is growing up so very fast ... he is a proper little boy now with a mind of his own !!! Hope you have a great week too Chris x x

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  14. Your angels are beautiful Julie, so nice they can be around all day. Great idea for the t towel it makes a pretty cushion. You have made a beautiful baby gifts. Did you find those missing mice, the remaining few are very cute. Little Alec is super cute.

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  15. Hello Julie,

    Making the Christmas Angels in those colours is such a lovely idea, this way they can certainly be used more often. Now you have given your husband the perfect excuse for not doing the wiping up, it seems that it should have always been cushion material as it is such a beautiful fabric. Alec is looking so grown up, aren't they just so cute at this age. Enjoy your weekend.

    Happy days.
    Bev.

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  16. I love your non-traditional angels, Julie. Gorgeous fabrics! The sweet meeces in the stockings are cute, cute, cute. LOVE that pretty teatowel. Great idea in transforming this pretty into a gorgeous cushion that can be enjoyed all the time. I hope your four legged, little ginger friend leads you to those missing meeces very soon.

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  17. See...now did that really hurt to use nontraditional colours?lol Don't worry I had the same apprehension
    when some kids suggested I knit fluro green or purple Christmas puddings. I had the same reaction as you
    may imagine, but it worked, as do your Angels. They are so pretty. I love how far Blackie can stretch out...
    I might try that. lol. I love his markings just under his nose....the white ones. How cute. Those little mice
    are just too sweet, they will be favourites I'm sure. Have fun with Alec, I can't wait to become a Grandma!!!
    Just imagine all the tricks I can get up to!!! lol

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  18. Your tilde angels are so cute and such a good idea to have the sign removable so they can be out on display all year. Blackie is rocking the very meaning of the word chilled ha...... Love the bandana bibs - clever idea, and the mice are sweeties. I am surprised the cats haven't had a go at them!
    Alec looks so grown up.

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  19. just loved your creations they are so adorable
    your grandson is cute

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  20. Oh Julie, what a little cutie your Grandson is!! And another Grandie to look forward to in March - that's awesome news!!

    I really love all your makes, those little mice have stolen my heart!! xxxxx

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