Swap Season!

I'm in on this on! I love red so the more red in my new (oops sorry, OUR new house) the better!
Duck Duck Cow: True Colors Swap

The other three swaps that I am in are being held by Flip Flop and Pearls Girl (yay- a Christmas Swap) , Knot by Granma
(an Ornament Swap) and Elephant Juice (Fall Swap).

I've done my Fall Swap package and am almost done on the Christmas Swap so I'll post the bits I have chosen once I know that they have been received!

I need to tidy the house- I sent they boys out to the shops on the pretext that I was going to do a mad tidy up but I am -er blogging. Tidying up my blog perhaps? I best shove some things under the sofa so it looks semi tidy!

What's going on?

I seem to have these 'your photo has been removed' icons from Photobox? What's this all about?! I can't seem to get rid of them and it looks so urrrrgly!

It's been quiet....

...but not quiet in the Sew.Vanilla household!

Our house- after three months of packing, wallpaper stripping, endless trips to Ikea, scrimping, saving, dusting, cleaning, priming, painting, glossing, sanding, wallpapering, curtain making, flatpacking, back to Ikea to pick up spares, and so on and so on, we are IN!

I love my new house! Our builders were fab, our plasterer was less so but we have smooth walls so can't complain. I don't think we'd change a thing. It's really going to have a positive effect on our lives. We're so much more organised now and we've decluttered to the max. Liam is loving the openplan nature, running in and out, in and out, all day long.

I love what we've done- the colours, the furniture, the light that comes through, the kitchen, the flooring, the bathroom tiles- oh my goodness, the bathroom tiles! I can't wait to show you pics but we've hit a wall as there are still things that need to be unpacked but we haven't done that yet cos frankly, unpacking is boring.

My sewing stuff is all unpacked though, of course! Everything has a home now, so it's going to be much more fun sewing now. It won't take me all evening looking for a seam ripper. And....I have my very own, brand new sewing machine! It's not a cheapo, and it's not my mums trusty New Home- it's mine, all mine! I got it for my birthday- can't wait for Ricky to come off his stupid night shifts so that I can make some noise!

Oh and I'm back to swapping again! I'm not going to do as many as before because I was just spending too much time and money, neither of which we have much of at the moment but I'm hoping to do a couple between now and Christmas!


...but not quiet in the Sew.Vanilla household!

Our house- after three months of packing, wallpaper stripping, endless trips to Ikea, scrimping, saving, dusting, cleaning, priming, painting, glossing, sanding, wallpapering, curtain making, flatpacking, back to Ikea to pick up spares, and so on and so on, we are IN!

I love my new house! Our builders were fab, our plasterer was less so but we have smooth walls so can't complain. I don't think we'd change a thing. It's really going to have a positive effect on our lives. We're so much more organised now and we've decluttered to the max. Liam is loving the openplan nature, running in and out, in and out, all day long.

I love what we've done- the colours, the furniture, the light that comes through, the kitchen, the flooring, the bathroom tiles- oh my goodness, the bathroom tiles! I can't wait to show you pics but we've hit a wall as there are still things that need to be unpacked but we haven't done that yet cos frankly, unpacking is boring.

My sewing stuff is all unpacked though, of course! Everything has a home now, so it's going to be much more fun sewing now. It won't take me all evening looking for a seam ripper. And....I have my very own, brand new sewing machine! It's not like the cheapo ones that I have bought and failed to even turn on, and it's not my mums trusty New Home- it's mine, all mine! I got it for my birthday- can't wait for Ricky to come off his stupid night shifts so that I can make some noise!

Oh and I'm back to swapping again! I'm not going to do as many as before because I was just spending too much time and money, neither of which we have much of at the moment but I'm hoping to do a couple between now and Christmas!

My last night in the 70's time machine

Well the day has arrived at last. Everything is packed for the holiday and the house is almost empty off everything we own.

We've taken stuff to mums (a LOT of stuff), Ricky's Godfather and parents have a few bits, we've auctioned a few items, sold our sofa, and have boxed stuff up and put in a corner of the front room in the hope that we have dainty fingered builders. We go away tomorrow, the builders come in at some point next week and then it all begins...

I hope it all goes smoothly but these things never do so we have to be prepared. After much stressing about getting the right building control permissions in place I have told Ricky that it is down to him and the builder. I am taking a back seat until its time to paint.

I can't say that I will miss the house. Not as it stands, anyway. We have zero storage space, the bathroom and kitchen floors are grim, the bathroom suite is grimmer and the kitchen units is the grimmer-est. The carpets throughout are just eye wateringly bleugh, the walls are faded and musty and well- you get the picture!

Hurry up August!

In other news (though slightly related) I have received this lovely parcel from Ciara , as part of the Pretty Pockets Swap. It's so, so pretty.

The pockets will be the first thing that I will put up in my new kitchen. It will be perfect! Sorry that the pic is the wrong way round- I can't seem to rotate it! I love all the other bits too. She also made me a ring made with buttons which isn't in the pic - I couldn't find it at the time, but then later realised it was on my finger...

In other news, Liam is still very tantrummy, still a fussy eater but still very cute. He had a little accident at the park a week ago- they have this water park in the middle of the playground. Not the brightest of ideas seeing as you get crazed teenagers who fill up bottles and then chase each other in some kind of mass water fight. The climbing frames and slides were all slippery- not safe at all. Liam got knocked over by a teenager and went flying. He had a bloody nose, split lip and bruise. Poor thing screamed his head off. I was not happy and have contacted the park to see if they could manage the area better. Teenagers should not being in a toddler play area. What happened to a good ol kickabout with a football?

Anyway I am going to sit back and enjoy the rest of the last night in my bad taste house!

Calling all my swap partners!

Ladies I am so sorry! I mean to post everything yesterday but Liam has been so very testing lately. He woke up really early and I was hoping I could put him down for a morning nap in his cot so I could be naughty and sneek one in too. I am in desperate need of one. Unfortunately he didn't go down until 1pm, then I had a lady come round to pick up our corner unit so we never made it out.

I packed them all up and left them by the door intending to grab them on my way out to work this morning but I was treated to another early morning call. Poor Ricky has been run ragged at work so I got up again and was in a daze when I finally left so forgot the packages by the door.

Part of me feels so guilty for being tired and antsy. Ricky helps loads and my mum is an angel but I feel like my early morning wake up calls are driving me insane. But the main reason for my rattyness is that Liam is just not eating. He's always been a fussy eater and will happily eat fruit, bread and yogurt but nothing else. He'll kip up a fuss and 'tell' me (no words still but lots of noise!) that he wants food, act all impatient in the kitchen whilst I make him food, then shake his head vehemently and push the food away. Then he'll point to the kitchen and when I let him out of his chair, he'll run and grab the grapes. I am forever in the kitchen hiding food, making food and pulling my hair out. Oh, and eating the food that he doesn't eat- cos I hate waste. And I love food.

But I have a plan. Two plans, in fact. But my mum has to agree to it otherwise it won't work (she looks after him most days whilst I work apart from one Friday and one Monday a month when he is with Daddy, aka Best Friend).
Plan 1- is to get Liam involved in the food prep. Show him what I am doing, get him to spread the butter on the bread or mix the muffin batter.
Plan 2- if he doesn't eat his food, he won't eat until the next meal. He isn't a baby anymore- he is a toddler and he needs to learn. No subsitutes. So I'm making a weekly menu and I (and he) will stick to it.

Ok so this won't solve the sleep problem but hopefully he'll be happier and no more constant running to the kitchen. Then he'll have to find things to do, instead of the kitchen relay- like play with his toys and sit down with some paints. Oh and maybe he'll learn how to bake me cakes...

Girls- packages in post either tomorrow or by next Wednesday. Promise!

xxx

My latest goodies

I recently took part in Clasheen's Spring Swap and was paired up with the talented Jude who sent me this parcel

The brooch is on my jacket now and I can't wait to use the deckchair fabric for something! The scarf is amazingly beautiful and soft- its a nuno felt scarf and I have never seen anything like it so that's what makes it all the more special.

Unfortunately my parcel was damaged in the post. I am so, so upset. I'm no amazing seamstress at all but I put a lot of effort into it and the main part (an owl and tree and leaves appliqued onto a cushion cover) wasn't in the parcel. So sorry Jude- I feel awful.

My next swap parcel was from Annie, the Felt Fairy which was part of Em's Swap- Good Enough to Eat. She made me two knitted cupcakes (Liam ran off with one)- they are so cute and perfectly knitted! I could never do anything like that! And I love the colours- they remind me of cakes that I can only wish of making!!

I made her this apron which I am so proud of! I might make one for myself. I also sent her some smelly (in the nicest sense) bath stuff, a cupcake book, a bar of chocolate and something else -mummy brain has taken over!

My last two swaps are from Swap Bot and the Secret Post Club- the first is a cupcake swap and I got this Ok so it's... cupcake fabric, cupcake lip balm, ribbon, a stuffie,buttons, stamps, pen, a grow your own cupcake (cute!), notebook and card! All so immensly lovely!!!

This was a general swap- the whole idea of the Secret Post Club is to send something- anything. My parcel was sent by Younger and Younger and she couldn't have picked a cuter package

My camera isn't great so apologies for the really shiny picture! It's a red polka dot windmill (which Liam finds HILARIOUS) and a HUGE polkadot bag made from recycled glass bottles. Except its not a glass bag. Eh? Who cares- its cute and so hand for us when we go shopping!

I love a good swap!

Out and about

What a lovely weekend we had! Unfortunately Ricky had to work but he was back early on Saturday so we went here.

It's almost on our doorstop and it is fab! It's so big- that's the main reason why I love it. We have a great park but the play area is often over taken by the teenagers. I don't mind them being there, I just wish they wouldn't go on the toddler bits. They have swings, a zip wire, water fountain things, a trampoline and a huge climbing frame so what is the attraction with the pirate ship or the tiny roundabout thing? It means the other poor toddlers don’t get a look in. Oh and whilst I am having a crazy rant, why is it so hard to look after your toddlers at the park? I have caught two toddlers as they try to jump off places that they shouldn’t be jumping off and no parent in sight. I’m all for letting your kids explore and discover but when they are two and trying to climb the monkey bars- it’s just not on.

And off my soapbox!

Well, Liam loves Hall Place so much, he decided to move in!



He’s decided to chase the locals away though

I love this pic of my boys….

I can't get a look in!

Update on everything!

I really need to update this blog more often! It's been ages since I last wrote and such a lot has happened! The main thing being, is I am now a mother of a TODDLER! Yes, my baby boy turned two 11 days ago and is now legally allowed to throw tantrums.

Ok so as we're on the subject, I guess that is where we start- with his birthday. I tried to make him a cake- well, the 'making' part was fine. Apple muffins, blueberry muffins and carrot cake. All yummy. But the icing- urgh! I bought pre-made frosting, much to the disgust of my aunt who decorates cakes beautifully. But I am not my aunt. I then tried to colour it. The more colouring I put in, the more watery it got. So I added icing sugar. And it got paler. See the dilemma? Then when I put the icing on, it just sank into the cake and dripped off. It had been so absorbed that the following morning you could hardly tell there was icing on it. I rescued the carrot cake by just putting on the frosting which went down well with Liam.

He even shares!

The party on the whole was a success. The weather stayed warm enough to sit outside and Liam was in good spirits all day! He had lots of pressies, including the new England kit from us, a Trunkie from my mum, sand table from his uncle and aunt and lots of messy play bits! My uncle also gave him his old set of drums- Indian Tabla- look at my rockstar son!

Now the party is over, the real hard work starts. We've stripped the hallway and downstairs rooms (anyone in this position? I reccomend steamer-things. Obviously not the correct technical word but it's a thing that steams. Anyway, they are fab!), and have cleared out the shed and made some order in the loft. Practically every space in the house is going to be done if funds allow so we have very little storage space. So we've shipped stuff to our parents homes and we'll have to find more dumping ground soon! Ricky wanted to throw these out, much to my dismay. So we left them in the front lawn waiting for the scrap folk to do their rounds. Meanwhile I looked to see how much they cost to buy new- £75!! We've got two deckchairs and a directors chair! The fabric will cost about £45 to do all three so I ran out and grabbed them before the men came round - reprieve!

Finally on to my swaps! The lovely Lisa sent me this, as part of the Fabric Addict swap. I have such a wonderful collection of FQ's now!

And look at the little purse! So cute! I wish I could sew as neat and straight as that!

Then I got this from Jude, . It's part of the Spring Swap that Clasheen was running. The scarf is a Nuro felted scarf and is the softest thing I have ever owned! It's a craft I have never tried but once the house is done I might give it a go. I've also got some intriguing looking chocolate, a lovely broach which is now on my jacket and a cute stuffed heart as well as the lovely deckchair fabric.

I did get a couple of parcels in the post just as I was leaving for work this morning. I had to run for the train so I have put them up high where Liam can't reach them as he has a habit of running off and hiding things before I can take a picture and admire my goodies!

So my swaps are nearly at an end...I've just got a few more bits and pieces to do then they'll hopefully go off in the post on Saturday. I've promised Ricky no more swaps until our house is done as I have a list of things to make for us! He's such a party pooper but he does speak the truth!

My mum is back from the States and look what she brought with her! I ordered it from Hawthorne Threads and had it delivered to my cousin. It's soooo delicious! Look at the combinations...

Christmas!

I don't want to cut this!

Reminds me of sweeties!

Unfortunately I had to leave them at mums as we are moving out in 6 wks, to stay with her whilst the house is being done. It was sad leaving them but I'm not planning on using them until my swaps have been done! I'm so excited about them though. So pretty!

I've been hard at work at a couple of swaps but I have also had to make the birthday cake! I made the error of giving Liam a muffin before bedtime (in my defence, he never eats anything I make!) and he scoffed it all! He then screamed for more- oh dear. He has my appetite!

Just heard that it is supposed to rain on Saturday- oh no!! Our house is the ugliest thing ever and I don't really want people to be here! We were going to get out all the chairs and toys and sit in the garden. I wonder if they mind squeezing into the garage...

Er- where is the sun?

Ok so I shouldn't really complain as April is normally all about the rain but today is miserable!
Anyway, finally mum has arrived back! She is in Ealing at the moment, at her mum's. Then she will come home but I have no idea if she is coming to ours before the party or if we will go to her place. I have so much to do! I want to get some swap parcels sended off, then I have the house to tidy and cake to make and food to buy!
Right, I am aware of the need to put more pics up so here we go!

First up, some 'buys' from a recent car booty trip!


I've no idea what this is- maybe a sarong? Who cares- it's polka dot AND red! Whoo hoo!

This cute set of 6 teacups and saucers cost me £3.50! Floral tableware is not my bag, but I am going to make some pincushions out of these!

Then I found this book:




It's really old but I think the patterns are so cute! 50p again!

Now to see how much fun you can have with a Sunday newspaper. You know the type- the one with all the sections you don't read?

Now to think of the swaps....

I finished the Little and Large Swap yesterday (Liam and I had to make something for a little girl- courtesy of Mr Wilkinsons, we bought something which we/I decorated, then I had to make something for her too. I also made something for her mum and sent them a few extras)

I also finished the Handbag Swap on swap-bot! I'm quite pleased with it and it wasn't that tricky to make!

Another swap-bot swap that I am on is a Cupcake swap. I've picked up a few bits for that one so that can be sent off before the party.

I'm doing a Spingtime Swap- this one is quite hard! What capitulates spring, and can be sent to the States?! All I can think about is foodie type items that will get crushed! I'm making an item but I need some small extras!

The next swap to go is the Good Enough To Eat Swap. I was going to make a felt cupcake pincushion..until I got my partner. She is the Felt Fairy so anything made out of felt by me wouldn't be different enough! Hmmm, thinking cap on there!

Then it's all hands on deck for the following swaps...

Fairytale

Pillow cover

Sewing colour

Fabric addict

Fabric FQ

Apron!

Some of these are swap-bots, others are from blogs. All sound fun! Once these are out of the way I am going to concentrate on the stuff I want to make for our house. Promise!

The Felt Fairy!

Annie , aka 'The Felt Fairy' has a monthly giveaway on her blog. You will either win a bundle of felt square (of every colour imaginable!) or some embroidery skeins! Or you might be one of the lucky ones and win this:

Look at the colours!

(she is also my 'Good Enough To Eat Swap' Partner!)

Another giveaway

Wow- look at this blog! http://sunflowerquilts.blogspot.com/

Not only does she have the most amazing quilting bag (I love it so much I might have to try to make it- eek!) but check out the giveaway!

A Copy of Handmade Home by Amanda Blake Soule, and- AND- three Moda charm packs!!

Get entering girls!

I want my mummy!

She's stranded in Florida. Ok, so not the worst place to be but she was due back last Thursday and thanks to a big angry volcano, she is waiting to come home. Liam misses her and so do I! She's been told that she is booked onto a flight to Detroit then Amsterdam NEXT Tuesday. I'm not sure if she is booked on a flight from Amsterdam to London or if she then has to make her way from there.

Luckily she is staying with family out there so she doesn't have to fork out on accomodation- that would be a huge expense. And she is retired so no need to take time off (she looks after Liam while I work so Ricky and I are taking a couple of days off) but she is with my aunt who needs to take time off and my cousin who should be playing in his band in a pub in West London as we speak.

I neeeeeed her though! I have a certain little boy's 2nd birthday party next weekend to sort out - which means party bags to make and fill, a cake to bake and decorate, bunting to sew, a house to tidy, food to buy and make...argh!

Florida, give us her back!

Hapi-Ness: fairytale swap!

I've found another swap!! Luckily I have now aquired my mother's sewing machine (she's stuck in Florida so she can't do anything about it!) so I can dedicate time to planning and making!


Hapi-Ness: fairytale swap!

It's lonely here...

I was going to apologise for my lack of substantial posting but I don't really think anyone reads my blog! I know I have a few followers but my blog really has nothing of worth compared to their own and others- my, there are some amazing blogs out there!

I don't want to share the blog with anyone I know for some reason. Maybe one day. They can look at my FB page if they want to know what I am up to! So why am I doing this? I guess it's a way of tracking my progress into the world of handmade, homemade crafting. It's also a little bit catharic, not that I am delving into my innermost feelings!

Anyway so there is my not-an-apology. Now for the fun bits!!

SO I am into this swapping thing, big time! Not the greatest of timing with a broken sewing machine. I took it to the shop to get fixed but we can't really afford it- not without my mum seeing it first. If she can't fix it then we'll get it done at the shop. I have one sewing related swap from Swap Bot coming up so I need to get a working sewing machine for that! I am also doing a handmade Swap to do but that will be handsewn. The other swapbot swaps are a 50gm of scrap fabric and a profile swap.

I'm also in...

Em's Shabby Shack's -Good Enough To Eat Swap

Modified Mix- Accent Pillow Swap

Clasheen- Spring Swap (on Flickr)

Crafty Helen- Fabric Addict Swap

I'm really looking forward to them! I have some ideas for the pillow swap but I'll have to see what style my recipient wants before I get into it. And I need that sewing machine!!

In other news... On Saturday we visited Puddle Ducks Quilts in Sevenoaks. I love that shop! For some reason Ricky offered to stay in the car with Liam and let me shop in peace. I don't think that will happen again! I bought...

4 red and white FQs
A scrap bag of Moda fabrics

This.

I LOVE it! It's going to be a garden quilt for us in the summer. I'm going to hand-quilt it somehow but I have three weeks to get it done (in time for Liam's 2nd birthday party!) so I won't be hand-stitching ALL of the owls. I think I might do wavy lines.

The FQs are going to be used for the kitchen/diner. I'm trying to get as many scraps, FQ, charm squares- whatever - that are red and white to make cushion pads for our dining room chairs, a table runner, dishtowels and pot holders. So I'm scouring thrift stores for dresses, shirts, cushions- anything! Once I get my hands on some batteries for the camer I'll show you what I have so far. I'm thinking of picking up dark purples and reds for cushions for our living room too.

But what good is all this without a sewing machine?!

Look how pretty!

I've just come across this website- it's so lovely! http://bittybitsandpieces.blogspot.com/

It makes me want to drop my knitting and do another quilt!



She is also doing a giveaway of a crochet roll. Have a go ladies! If you don't want to enter it, she gives a fab tutorial here:
http://www.modabakeshop.com/2010/04/crochet-clutch.html

I'm on a roll!

Ok so now I am getting the gist of this, here are the pics of Liam's room. We did it in June last year but I am still so proud of it (and envious, if you saw the state of the rest of the house!) The inspiration came from this CD cover http://www.africancreammusic.com/web/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=85&Itemid=1. and involved me, Ricky, Ricky's dad, my mum and my brother Navin. Oh and our Swedish friend, Ikea.

Mum made the curtains and I painted the rainbow. Bugsy came from a craft fair in our park. Lamp from Ikea (totally useless as the light is no brighter than a match but it's so funky!)

My brother made the stencils and we painted round it

I sewed a cushion and did the quilt!

I made this quilt and the cushion!

My brother did this, for the door!

This blanket box was left at our house when we moved in so I painted it white and re-covered it. It's now a toybox!

er -why does this look like a hyperlink?!
Tree painted by Daddy!

Lampshade bought at a funky store in Greenwich Market

And finally the chalkboard door! By the time this was taken, I don't think Liam wanted to share his room with us any longer!

We love the end result but boy was it time consuming. We stripped the walls and found a few small cracks. So bought some polyfil. Realised that we aren't very good at that kind of thing so got a plasterer. It took a couple of days to get him to do his thing and let it dry. Then we had to paint. Argh. Paint ceilings. Paint two walls half orange. Let it dry. Second coat. Then do the other two halves green. Dry. Second coat. Do the other walls white. Dry. Second coat.

Do tree. Second coat. Third coat. Stensils, rainbow, clouds. Argh, argh and argh! All with Liam crawling around. It took ages.

The next baby is getting a magnolia room!