Well it is Friday and I am not watching the World Cup - are you?

Hello all you Lovelies out there, how are you all doing.  Hubby is firmly ensconced on the settee, eyes glued to the screen watching all these men dashing around a pitch with a ball.  Oh dear do I sound cynical!  Sorry to all you football fans out there, I am sure you are all having a fabulous time, but sadly it does pass me by.  Apart from the football how is life treating you all?  I hope you are all happy and busy, it is so good to be back to see you all.   

 

I am still very busy at work as you can imagine as all the final work is coming in for marking and students are getting tense, hoping their grades will be good enough for university.  I have a lovely group this year of around 100 or so students and they have been superb (well nearly all of them) and I am keeping everything crossed that they will be successful as all the hard work.  I am sure that many of you will be going through a similar time if you are teachers or parents or students. 

 

I only have a few pictures to share with you tonight Lovelies as I am keen to catch up with your wonderful blogs - I just haven't had time this week but I am hoping things will get a little calmer soon and I am really have some serious blogging time.  You may remember that I had made some bags for my wonderful colleagues just to say thank you for all their hard work but I also wanted to make some very special ones for those who are sadly leaving this year.  It is so hard to say goodbye to fabulous folk who I have seen on a daily basis and life won't be the same without them all.  I have about eight of these bags to make and the lovely Bobbie Oliver is also on the case as you will see  once they all come together.

 

I have used two designs which I really love.  The house and washing line is my favourite and will be on one side of the bag and the flower on the other side.  The design for the house comes from a lovely little book which I have had for a while called Scandinavian Stitches by Kajsa Wikman.  It is such a lovely little book with loads of ideas for projects.  This particular design was taken from a piece of wall art but works well on the bag front - I hope!  The plant in the post is one I have used before from the lovely Bustle and Sew - Helen is a really talented lady with lots of fabulous designs on her website so do pop over and see her.  The fabric is part of my stash from the Rag Market from Birmingham and I cannot wait to go and get some more........really good value.

 

 

As all of my special ladies work in different parts of our organisation and do not really know one another then I thought to save time I would do similar designs for quickness really as time is running out quickly.  The insides of their bags will all be personalised with their names in so I don't feel too guilty about them being similar.

 

 

Honestly Folks I really find doing these so soothing and therapeutic and can really recommend you all have a go. I can really go overboard with my gorgeous buttons and crochet butterflies - I am in heaven Folks.

 

 

I have ideas to make something similar for the Little Peeps using their old dresses and tops, will be a nice way to remind them of their childhood when they are older.

 

 

However, I must be getting more confident as I am now working on producing my own designs to use rather than relying on another designer to do the work.  I have loads of ideas in my head and hope I can come up with a couple of useable ones for my bags.

 

 

The one below is my favourite because it is pink - I am not a lover of blue Folks although it is supposed to be my lucky colour.  All my life I have been drawn to pink and red so this fabric really fits the bill, I love it.  I think the heart button is so dinky and cute.

 

 

The other side of other bag is partly the design of Bustle and Sew and partly Scandinavian Designs.  I am not sure why I am always drawn to houses and washing lines but I am - do you like houses?  Perhaps it is because a house is just about the only think I can draw!

 

 

I have the rest of the bags all cut out and ready to have the applique put on them and I will show you them all once they are finished. 

 

I have a few more pictures to show you all Folks but cannot get them off my phone at the moment as it is being 'synced' - whatever that means.  I made a top this week from the easiest pattern you can images, well if I can do it a baby can.  I finished it last night at sewing class but it was too big so I have to adjust the sides now - eeks I hope I don't made a huge mess of it all.  I will show you this tomorrow.

 

Finally this was a gorgeous little tin I found in a thrift shop for £1 last week - it is in lovely condition and I am waiting to fill it with some equally gorgeous buttons.  I think it is from the 1950s/early 1960s and had toffees in.  This was a popular Christmas gift in those days along with a box of three pocket handkerchiefs - how times have changed folks as I couldn't see the children of today being that happy with such a gift from Father Christmas can you?

 

 

Well my Lovelies I am off tomorrow morning to visit a vintage fair in Chester so will hopefully find some little gems to show you and, I hope, to have finished my top and might even wear it tomorrow......yikes never thought I would say that. 

 

It is so hot and humid here tonight, almost as if a storm is brewing big time.  It has been really hot in work today so not comfortable at all.  I hope the weather is being kind to you wherever you are in our wonderful world.  Hope to see you all tomorrow, do leave a message if you have time as I love to hear from you all.  Many apologies to my fellow bloggers as I have been remiss not visiting much this week, I have really missed you and hope to catch up with everyone this weekend.

 

Big hugs and loves to Everyone, Dorothy:-)xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx