I know! I promised to get back to you with photo’s, but there is a technical hitch in that I can’t upload pictures at the minute.I have tried…..promise. GRRRR!
Hopefully all will be well by the end of the week. Socks, dresses, tops, bags all ready to be shown. Watch this space.
Bye for now. xxxxx
Goodness. How time has flown. I cannot believe that something that was once such an important part of my life seems to have been left neglected and alone for such a long time……….
……..I am of course talking about my blog.
Having been contacted by WordPress to renew my page I felt very ashamed that I have not written anything for months. I was also really happy to see the swirly pages and the old posts still there waiting for me like a little puppy waiting by the door for it’s master to arrive home from work. It was like seeing an old friend. It made me really happy, and sad to think that I had neglected it for so long. Why am I talking about a bit of cyberspace as though it were a person? Probably because it is my bit of cyberspace that I created, and lots of hard work, fun and tears went into making and writing the old posts.
So here I am, renewed and back again, and ready to show what I have been up to. I cannot claim to have made something new everyday…unless you count a lesson plan or a marked book. Yes I am up to full throttle back at work, and pleased to say that if I make it to July, then that will be two full years without a day of sickness; except the odd cough or cold that we all carry on regardless with!
I have been doing the usual knitting and crochet when it is cold and sewing when it gets warmer. I don’t know about you but I tend to do different disciplines with the seasons. Currently, having been spurred on by Dear Daughter (DD), and the Great British Sewing Bee, I have faced making a new frock and a new work top. I have never really enjoyed stitching my own clothes preferring to make home furnishings and patchwork. I think it came from the fact that when I was younger I made so many of my clothes, and an impatience to get it finished. There was also so many times that I was disappointed with the finished article, so I just haven’t bothered. But recently I have got the stitching bug again, so the neglected sewing machine was dragged out and with it came two pieces that I am really quite proud of. (pictures to follow…..the camera is currently charging!) See! I am so impatient I couldn’t even wait until I have got photo’s to show!
Anyway, this means that I need to log on again tomorrow.
See you then. xxxxxx
Good evening. I hope you are all well.
I must admit to feeling rather summer like, despite the weather. I think it must be due to my latest obsessional make. You will remember my last make; let me remind you……….
I cannot believe the response to this little bag. I was rather proud of it as it is just the right size for a small handbag or sandwich bag, and by all the compliments it received I know that many other people liked it too.
Anyway, due to a mix up with the post office, (a long story with a disappointing outcome) my Niece was one birthday present short. Booooo! What to do?
I needed a container to hold the replacement packages that would extend birthday salutations……even if they were a little late.
I hit on a plan. Something that would be stronger than a birthday parcel bag and could be used again and again.
Have a look…………
Tadah! Have a peek inside……….
Florals and spots………
………create another handbag.
As you can see I have lowered the handles on this model, which I think I prefer. I have also begun to make a bigger beach bag model. I’ll keep you posted.
Anyway this little floral number has, I am pleased to say, eventually made it to its destination so I am able to post without letting the cat out of the bag.
See you soon. xxxxxxx
Whoops! I wrote this a couple of days ago and forgot to post it. Well I say I forgot; the net was so slow that I waited so long for it to do it stuff that I ran out of time and I needed sleep. I promised myself I would post it the next day……but forgot! So he is the post!
Good evening. Just taking a break from the marking! I was sifting through my pictures of the years makes and I realised that there was one particular item that seems to crop up again and again.
Trees for Christmas……
Trees for Easter…..
Trees for Summer and…..
Trees for Winter.
These trees have been very popular as you can see, and I seem to be constantly asked to make ‘just one more’! Not that I am complaining as they look really sweet nestled on a book shelf or in the middle of a dinner table.
Guess what I have been making today!
P.S. We are now onFacebook- Ickle Ed at a year on the make ………pop on by and give us a like!
Good evening. I hope that you are all fine and that life is treating you well.
I am not going to go into details about my long absences again……it’s the same old same old- work, work work! No I have got something to share with you all. 🙂
Look………….
I was so happy with how this turned out that I have to broadcast it everywhere!
Fully lined, and with a drawstring to keep things nice and safe. I have made it big enough to fit a lunch box so my lunch is going to be beautifully presented at work tomorrow!
I was so happy to be behind the machine again I cannot tell you. I have really missed the daily make and upload, but I am not going to beat myself up about tha lack of posts anymore. I am going to enjoy what I do and tell you all about it as and when. It is has been a hard lesson, but I have learnt it and realise that I can not post and make at the same rate that I was this time last year.
Yes! I have completed my year! I am now onto A year on the mark part two, and loving the free and easy crafting that I have started. It’s the craft equivalent of yoga! Calm and fulfilling. I am loving it. I can honestly say that I completed my year too. I will admit that some of the craft was literally sewing patches for the monster patchwork flag, but I created something everyday which is what I set out to do. I had a ball along the way, and a few tears, but all in all I enjoyed it so much that when the webpage was up for renewal I did not hesitate.
So you have me for another year. What do I want this year to bring?
So my friends the other rule remains the same- I need to do something every day without fail- even Christmas!
Wish me luck for year two. 🙂
Good evening.
I must admit to really looking forward to writing this post this evening. Writing the post last night really highlighted what I have been missing. I think I see this as a form of escape and a way of emptying my head of everything before bedtime…..when I eventually got to bed last night I slept really well.
So here I am ready to go.
But we have a problem. The camera has run out of charge!
NOOOOOOO! (She takes a deep breath.)
It’s not a problem. I didn’t want to show any pictures anyway. ..She says lying! Ok so what can I do before disappointment sets in?
Well I have to admit to having had problems with the camera before Christmas, so much so that I bought a cheap standby just in case we didn’t have anything to capture the precious moments with. Unfortunately the quality is not as good as my old faithful, but I can at least show you some of the crafts that were made before the Christmas festivities.
December
Can you see what I mean about the quality? Ho hum…it’s better than nothing I suppose, and I so want to restart the blogging mojo.
So what is it about. Well as you can see by the date this was Christmas Eve and I was still making. Upon the tree, mixed into the other decorations you will see gingham hearts, pom poms and Scandinavian hearts. I decided that I needed to take precautions due to these little fellows……
Now I love my Christmas tree, especially all the little memories that go with each one of the ornaments and baubles that I have collected over the years. Unfortunately most of these are glass. Having survived Moo, Boo and Roo, I didn’t want any of them to succumb to the feline monsters. So they were left safely snug in their packaging and replaced, for this year at least, with less fragile trinkets. I know you can’t really see them, but I think you get the idea. It was good thinking in the end, as it soon became clear as the branches were left to settle, that both of our kittens enjoyed scaling the dizzying heights and were up and down it like rats in a drain pipe! Can you see how the tree is leaning? It actually toppled over completely on the 29th of December and had to be replaced by our artificial standby…..Boo!
Can you also see what is sneaking into the bottom of the picture?
Want a closer look?
Tadah! Baby christmas tree decorations.
You don’t really get the true sense of these due to the grainy picture. The materials were a mixture of Christmas prints and silks. They were not as big as the summer trees that i made, but they were very popular. I finished up making seven of these. I made a couple for a Christmas Bazaar, but that led to orders being placed for five more. I could have made even more, but I just ran out of time. I am sure you know how that is before Christmas. You can also see one of the Christmas tree, Christmas tree decorations that I made……can you see it? Green and to the left of the picture. Very fiddly to make to be lost in the branches of the tree. I don’t think I will be making any more for next year.!
Christmas seems such a long way away now. All the work and preparation that goes into creating the perfect day passes by and the feeling of ‘what was all that about?’ sets in.
Other crafts that were accomplished was the making of home-made mincemeat, Christmas hampers including jams, chutney, biscuits and gingerbread, and a few patches being sewn to the union flag patchwork. ( Yes it is still on the go!)
Looking at the evidence of the flurry of activity it looks really pathetic, but I worked for hours for very little. Never mind, I have all the decorations for next year…..and I already have orders for more trees! (If you want one let me know now so I can book it in!)
Anyway bed is calling. I can assure you that the camera is on charge for more reveals tomorrow. I have Most of November and all of January to show so I will be back tomorrow …..I promise!
Night all. xxxxxxxx
I know! I know! I know! Where have I been all these months? Many promises made and broken. Catholic guilt is pouring through me every time I get the netbook out. It is though it is sneering at me with the words……….’You haven’t blogged!’
What can I say?
I have no explanation really….only that I am back at work and busy, busy, busy.
Those of you that work in the education sector will know what I mean. Those of you that don’t will probably be saying …’But they have all that time off!’ From the outside looking in I can see your point, but sitting where I am right now, having just completed three hours work, marking and prep for tomorrow, I can tell you that the reality of teaching is toil and hard work…….but I love it!
Little faces ready for the day to begin, light bulb moments when it finally clicks and the sheer joy of working with fantastic little human beings. You can’t beat it.
I have to explain that even though I am back at the chalk face, I have not stopped making; it was the making that I started this for so that has continued even though there has been a lull in the blogging. As a result I have so many pictures to share with you, including a certain ‘Blast it’ that is finished and has been a God send over the winter months. I am determined to sit down tomorrow and get the pictures uploaded. Tonight however I am ready to turn in. It is already 11.50pm and I have not stopped today.
I must admit to you that just sitting and typing my ramblings again is showing me how much I have missed the blog. I also have nearly finished my year, so I have got to keep it up.
Definitely see you tomorrow.
xxxxxxxxxxxx
I know I have not been in to see you all recently- even with all my promises. I can assure you that my promises were genuine, but life is just so busy.
Needless to say I have got lots to show and tell- no I haven’t stopped making- just blogging about it. Please bear with me, and I will be updating you all soon.
Bye for now. xxxxx
Good morning, afternoon or evening my old friends.
I know you may have been wondering where I have been- well I have been here, and I have been crafting, but I just haven’t found time to blog.
I have really missed the excitement of writing my daily post, and the excitement of looking at my statistics to see how many people have read it. I guess all those years of dreaming of becoming a famous author as a child have just been hidden down in the depths of my brain waiting to come out, and I can honestly say that I have missed you all. So why have I had a little holiday from my blog? Three words……
Back At Work!
Being a responsible adult in charge of littlies takes up so much of my time. The new school year has brought the usual amount of work, and it is so time-consuming. I had to make a choice. Craft or blogging?
I think you can guess which one had to have the holiday! Yes the blogging. I figured that I set out on a year on the make, and so I have got to complete what I set out to do. Believe me, mum has been on my case for you all- giving me gentle reminders that I have not blogged since September the 13th. It has been a constant frustration and one that I am determined to right over the next few weeks.
I am going to make you all a solemn promise. I know that it will be impossible for me to blog everyday- that is just asking too much of myself. So he is what I am going to promise you all-
I, Ickle Ed, Promise that from now till the end of my first year on the make, I will blog at least once a week. I will not let time run away with me again. Cross my heart and hope to die.
Not sure about the last sentence but I think you get the gist.
So what have I been doing? Well big news in the Ickle Ed household is that we have now got these………
I have never been a cat person. I thought I didn’t like cats at all, as they chased my guinea pigs and rabbits when I was a child…….and they still do! DH on the other hand, is a cat person and has frequently commented that he would love a cat, usually followed by a blanket ‘NO!’ response from myself.
During my recuperation, I had time to do a lot of thinking, and decided that it was unfair for me to dictate, after all the Monsters and I went and got the guinea pigs without DH. So I relented and let him explore the ‘idea’ of having ‘a’ cat. (Note the singular!)
He wasted no time in getting me to ring up a local charity and, after a home visit, we were soon on our way to pick up our new feline. On arrival at the foster house, DH decided that one was not enough, but we should have the little brother too. Boo, being there, agreed and I was out-voted. One became two, and the rest is history.
I was determined that it would be DH who was responsible for them- especially the litter tray, and that I would not have anything to do with them at all. So how has it worked out so far? I do have to admit to have being adopted by these two little fellows. The little black one in particular- who we were told did not like human contact, has for the last two weeks followed me around- does this make me an alien? DH is highly amused that I have suddenly been, against my will, thrust into the role of a cats mother- but the little monkey can not be discouraged and he follows me to bed every night, wakes me up in a morning and sits by me when I find five minutes to watch the TV in an evening.
So does this mean that I have suddenly become a cat fan? Well I like these two!
The other big news is that after about 4- 5 years waiting we have eventually got an allotment. It all happened very quickly in the end. I was saying to DH on Wednesday that I needed something else to focus on as well as school and craft. Many suggestions were made, but then the decision has been made for me with the arrival of the letter on Thursday morning. I am very excited, especially when we visited the site. It is a little over grown, but nothing I can’t rectify so fresh fruit and veg are on the agenda for next year.
The major patchwork is still under construction- hopefully with a Tah dah in a month. With the changing of the colours on the trees, and the smell of bonfires in the air I even took out ‘blast it’ again, staring wistfully at the remaining pieces, wishing that it was made and ready to wear. Who knows it may be completed by Christmas! Chutney has been made using the gorgeous autumnal ingredients that are in abundance in the shops at the minute – (F.I.L. will be very pleased.) I do have to say that as growing seasons go, this year has been rubbish; but I have managed to grow beetroot and celeriac which due to be harvested. Roll on a better crop next year.
Ho hum! Autumn days with the nights drawing in and the christmas trees building up in the local shops- already! Plenty of time for crafting and blogging in an evening.
It’s nice to be back.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Good morning, afternoon or evening. I hope you are all well.
I am so sorry for my absence. How long it has been since I have been in cyber space. The summer holidays are over, and guess what…….I am back at work!
I found the holidays so enjoyable and frustrating at the same time- if that is possible. Spending time with the little people in my life brings so many rewards, but at the same time is so exhausting. Days of planning entertainment and fun for the littlies, I found myself crawling into to bed at 10 every night; only to hear the abominable phrase “What are we doing today Mum?” every morning! Exhausting. Painting, baking, making, sight-seeing, playing, den building, visiting, pajama daying and creating all done, it’s back to school for all of us.
Now the Olympics and Paralympic games are over too, DH is back in our lives after a summer of goggling at the box. National pride is at a high- On the down side it’s back to the domination of football on our screens, and I, yet again, become a hockey widow. The evenings are drawing in and believe it or not I am contemplating finishing ‘Blast it’ as the temperature has dropped by about 10 oC this week.
I must admit to struggling to keep motivated on the makes. I am determined to finish my year of makes, and belive it or not I am over halfway through now. I think this latest slump is due to the slow progress of my latest project, and my return to work which is requiring a certain amount of evening time for planning, marking and preparation. I am endeavouring to chip away at it though. Slowly. Slowly.
So what have I been up to? Can you guess from the title of this post?
Yes the patchwork marathon continues.
Cutting hexagons……..
……..covering…….
……..sewing…….
Endless. I am about a quarter of the way there- it is going to be huge!
Luckily Boo has taken a shine to i,t and it looks like it is destined for his bed. I am really enjoying it, even though it doesn’t sound like it. As I have mentioned before, this is my favourite of all the crafting disciplines, hexagons in particular, it is just so time-consuming as this is all hand sewing. I have got to get it finished double-quick as I am making my sister-in-law a door hanging patchwork for her 40th. She wants it be done for Christmas, so I know what my next project will be.
So here I sit in the rolling hills, halfway through my year, back at work, and back on the blog. I have missed my daily catch up, so I am determined that there will be a return to the good old days. I need to refocus, and with Christmas just around the corner and a Church bazaar to prepare for, expect to see lots more of Ickle Ed over the coming weeks.
Who knows…you may even get to see a finished blast it very soon! 🙂
See you soon.
xxxxxxxxxxxx
A Year on the Make 