Home Sweet Home

I finished my first "20 minuters" project today, and I have loved every minute of it. I saved this embroidery craftiness, especially for my evening 20 minute slot. Keeping it separate from all my other (unfinished in various states of neglect) projects, makes it all the more rewarding.

HOME

SWEET

yes, you can see where this is going.

Here they are all framed, and ready to be put in place.

I had just the spot for them, above my wotsit in the kitchen.

Now there is a big space on the wall, at the other side of my dresser, crying out to be filled. I already have an idea for that. I'm hoping to get a chance to start on that this weekend.

But for tonight's 20 minute slot, I'm looking forward to starting this, in between a glass or two of red.

Have a wonderful weekend x.

February doings

In this fresh month of February I shall be...

dreaming of Spring...

eating lots of these...

trying to cover my new chair...

finding a sunny spot for these...

creating something with wire, paper and glue...

wash my sofa covers for the first time...( I'm dreading it)...

enjoy my 20 minutes a day...

and make a red velvet cake for my dearest D...

What will you be doing? x

The 20 Minuters

The very clever Fi of MarmaladeRose has had a wonderful idea for her New year resolution. So good in fact, that it has inspired many of us to join along too. We are a little club ( I like being in a little club) called the 20 minuters. It's simplicity is it's beauty. All you have to do is get your craftiness  going, for 20 minutes or more everyday. As Fi says " creating creates creativity", and so it does.

 So here are my humble 20 minute offerings. I am painfully slow. A little embroidery project to get me going. It's a craft quite new to me, that I'm keen to explore and improve on. This, I am hoping will turn into a trilogy, for my kitchen wall. There are many talented ladies joining in 20's, with a dedicated flikr page too, (which I feel unworthy of uploading to yet). So please pop along and have a look, or better still join us x.

Freshness

With a thick fog descending upon us this morning, a little freshen up was in order, to banish the ever increasing grey. 

Fresh bedding

Fresh blooms for the kitchen table

Fresh fluffy towels

The smell of bread, fresh from the oven

 Freshly pressed tea towels,

and a hot lemon drink for me.

Very refreshing x.

Patchwork, wotsits and a winner.

I've been happily working away today on my first patchwork quilt. Snipity snip into 5" squares I go. Stopping far too often, to place them lovingly on the table. Fiddling , imagining how it will all come together. Am I ever going to be able to stop re-arranging , commit to a layout, and sew it all together?

Yes progress is very slow. But I'm enjoying the process so much, I'm not in any hurry.

Over my shoulder I can see my latest kitchen acquisition , hung on the wall.

I'm not sure quite what to call it, so for now it's a wotsit. My Mum spotted it at a vintage fair a few months ago, and thought it would be my cup of tea. Isn't it unusual, I've never seen one before? I've tweaked it just a little, by adding a flash of red to the rolling pin handles.

I just love the crochet trim with the red edging, and if I could gently sand off the top of the F, and change it to an L, then the initials would be a perfect match.

Anyway that's enough of my kitchen wotsit, it's time to get on with my little giveaway. I wanted to say a big thank you to you, for joining in and sharing your nicknames. You are all such good sports. I've enjoyed reading every single one of your comments. So much so that I printed them all out, cut them up, and screwed them all into a ball. I hope you don't mind. My youngest had the honour of plucking out the winner. And so the winner is....

The lovely Em from Sew Recycled, a.k.a Duggler - love it. Congratulations Duggler, drop me a line and I'll pop your goodies in the post.

Now back to the snipping x.

January doings

In this fresh new month of January I shall be ...

Planning and dreaming...

applying lots of lip balm...

reading and snuggling...

making hot chocolates to defrost little noses...

diving into my delicious new cook book...

remembering to drink two bottles of water a everyday...

re-filling the log basket...

to keep to stoves burning...

keeping the house smelling sweet...

with the uplifting scent of a sparkling lemon yankee candle....ummm...

building giant igloo's...

clearing out cupboards and wardrobes...

recycling my daughters outgrown clothes...

into my first patchwork quilt...

absorbing lots of inspiration from my books and folders...to see what I make of it all.

That should keep me happily doing for the next few weeks.

What are your January doings?

One year of Bertie Meadows

So I have been Bertie Meadowing for one whole year now. Twelve months of sharing bit n bobs, somethings and nothings. I can't believe it. We all know how much fun it is don't we? What a joy it is, this little thing called blogging. And when trouble has been taken, to leave a comment and a kind word, it makes you feel as though someone has given you a great big hug. Wow, how wonderful is that?

So I picked out the juiciest, rosy apple I could find today to celebrate. I thought you would like something fresh and healthy after all the festivities. I wanted to say thank you, thank you, for always putting a huge smile on my face. To show how much you mean to me, I am offering a little give away. This inspiring book and a few other surprise treats, could be coming your way next week.

You know that Bertie is my nick name. It's not an abbreviation of my real name, and I don't know how it started, but I feel like a Bertie, it kind of suits me.

I would love to know your nick names, and the reasons behind them . So please leave me a comment and I will gladly pop you into the draw. Everyone is welcome to join in ,even if you don't blog . And if you don't have a nick name, just tell us what you would love to be called.

Good Luck, and I'll let you know the winner next Monday x.

New Year Wishes

Happy New Year wishes to you all.

I hope this year brings you much health, happiness, and all that you wish for.

We are so excited for the year ahead, I have a feeling it's going to be a good one. With so many things to look forward to, I can hardly wait.

With that in mind, I will not be looking back over my shoulder at 2009, although it was a great year. I will be tucking my happy memories away, learning from my mistakes, and looking forward to what lies ahead. Onwards and upwards x.

At the kitchen table

Well hello, greetings from the snowy Yorkshire moors. This was our view this morning after another night of snowfall. What a Christmassy site, it looks like we will be snowed in again. I haven't left our haven for the last few days, and it's been a good excuse to slow down . Although some people are not as happy in the snow as I am.

I have made the most of this slow time by doing some Christmassy crafts. Sat around the kitchen table.

I started with a block of air dry modelling clay.

To make some simple decorations.

I wanted to add some texture to the clay, my Nana's hand made doily was perfect.

Rolled over the clay it came up a treat.

A snow covered Christmas tree.

I left them for a few hours to dry.

added some ribbon and they were ready to hang in place.

Then onto a quick forage outside for some twigs,

and back to the comfort of the kitchen table, to make some rustic stars.

I cut the twigs into equal lengths, and glued away.

It took them outside to spray, and gave them a frosty sparkle.

Hung on the mirror in the hallway, to give a warm Christmas welcome.

An hour or two of crafting at the kitchen table, was the perfect tonic before the festivities begin. I can't wait now, everything is in place and we are ready to enjoy the next few days.

I wish you all a Very Merry Christmas, and I'll see you in the New Year. I have my first blogaversary to celebrate and a little giveaway to plan .

It won't be anything without you to share it with. I hope to see you in 2010 x.

Little things

Hello friends Seasons Greetings to you all.

I have finally worked out how to make a photo collage! Oh what joy, I think this will be my latest obsession.

I have shared a few glimpses from around our home. Like many of you, I have been busy adding the finishing touches to make the magic happen. Lots of ginger bread men have been baked, glittering Christmas cards made, and paper whites planted to bloom just in time. Mother nature has given everywhere a finishing touch too, with a good flurry of the white stuff for us all to enjoy. I've heard it said many times - it's the little things that count - well I'm hoping that all the little things will add up to make this a special time for family and friends. I hope the little things are happening for you too x.