Tuesday. Monday Happy Mail!

You know as I get mail in the morning and am rushing about to get ready to leave I have no time to open it. So have to wait like 7 hours or so before I can open my mail.
'Work' today was a mix. I had to call up some people to inform them some of the courses next week have been changed due to the upcoming change in weather. (Who sent us rain....I see you hiding in the back!) I'm not a huge fan of the sun, but it would have been nice to be able to do the gardening sessions. Then was making some photocopies and sorting out some paperwork, a few more phone calls then was time to leave.

So I opened my mail and it was a prize from a giveaway I had been entered into over on Mommy's Nap Time

The cutest ever needle book..well envelope! Yay for giveaways!

I got on with some more sewing and finished the first part of my secret project. They went together quicker than expected. Just 2 evenings and 20 sewn up!

Then decided I'd use up my solid prints for part 2,  so I pulled those all out and for the time being they are sitting next to Jano all ready to be cut into. I wish I had some neutral tones to add, but these brighter solids will have to do.

I also made some progress on the GIVEAWAY prizes.....only they'll be a surprise so no pictures for you! =P 

Siya'll tomorrow =D

We have 3 WINNERS!!

However before all that excitement my post on today.

I was stuffing for best part of today, pincushions that is. Lots and lots of pincushions

12 are for the Zakka Style sewing kits. 12 are mini pincushion magnets and 2 are 5" ones for the Giveaway prizes plus 1 for me. I used a mix of my fabric trimmings and actual toy stuffing to fill them. 

Dwindling into the night I started sewing the Granny Blocks for the Surprise quilt. The fabrics will eventually be added to my fabric page! I'll go sort that after I post this. 

One needs a plan to make sure all blocks are different 

One of the block layouts

I've sewn each into strips ready to iron and sew together tomorrow. I did it this way to make sure I get nice seams before sewing, so hopefully all points will match up. 

Now onto the winners!!!!

I got the Younger Giant to help...he did not want to be shown, but allowed his hand to be photographed

Begrudgingly he picked out

1st place, winner of the pouch, pincushion and mystery prize is - Fiona-Finding Fifth

2nd place, winner of the pincushion and mystery prize is -  Emily-Mommy's nap time

3rd place and winner of a mystery prize is - Richard-Richard and Tanya Quilts

The winners have been emailed for their addresses...

Thank you to all who entered and became followers of my blog! I hope you stick around for future posts, upcoming swaps and future giveaways. 

Siya'll tomorrow =D

Linking up today with Little Quilt monday and

Just Stamp it out!

Let's go back in time for a moment. Back to Friday to be exact.

Before we left I got my parcel from Sticky Tiger Supplies in the mail! I ordered some stamps, fabric glue, ink, a tag pad, two fabric pens and an acrylic block for the stamps.

In the car on my journey I got on with sewing up my next MAM hexie panel, I got four rows done before the journey ended. 3 more to sew.

Yesterday after we got back from shopping I tried out my new stamps

The stamp was larger than I expected it to be. Too large for my sewing kits!

So I went with the larger button stamp instead, for the pincushions, which still need to be stuffed...

After stamping I started making magnets for the next round of the RATZ Swap...well trying them out to see if they would work. 

They started as 5" squares I cut them down to quarters

Make note it is easier to insert the magnet after you have turned it right side out....unless you leave a big enough turning gap!

This morning before the Sunday Brunch I got on with some more stamping. I used the butterfly stamp on half of the sewing kits and the other half I used the birdie stamp. 

After brunch I had a fun idea to turn my magnets also into pincushions. So now I have mini magnet pincushions.

I bought a very cheap baking sheet to use as my magnet board. 

 I used the scraps left over from the pouches, plus some solid scraps to make them. The backs were 2.5" squares I had left over from granny block making.

I just have to sew up the edges....or maybe I'll use the fabric glue...or my good friend Hemming Web. Not all of them will be for my swap partner though....

Today is the last day to enter my GIVEAWAY. The people who have already entered your names have been jotted down and put in the....(camera case for safe keeping)....Anyone else who enters between now and the drawing will be entered too.

The prizes are underway..The pouch is done. I just have to stuff the pincushions and they'll be ready to go to lucky winners. The secret item is also made!

Well that's all from me. Siya'll tomorrow =D

Procrastination and Me...

You may read my blog and think "Wow she makes a lot!" Which is probably true to say....though the real truth is I procrastinate and awful lot inbetween.

I can get easily distracted by the TV if something good is on. Today it was a movie on the Disney Channel, I just had to watch it!

Anyhoo before all the procrastinating I got some cool things in the mail!

Firstly a badge I won in a giveaway over at Waggonswest, perfect for my procrastinating problem.

Then I saw Collette's camera cases and just had to have one. She made me a custom order in her shop, using green Chevron fabric. (please pretend the phone is a camera.) This will be coming with me tomorrow on my travels 

 I got the Giant Granny Pillows for Danny and one for myself too finished...Hers are in an envelope ready to go to the post office tomorrow along with everything else. The weather today was awful! I even have a label I got from Spoonflower attached on the inside. The first four pictures are of the pilllow covers for Danny, the others 2 are of mine. 

The fabric for the backing was in my wardrobe waiting to be used...the floral is some Father got which is home dec weight.

Then the movie interrupted for like a good hour and a half......then TV got in the way too. It wasn't until 6 ish I got back to sewing....

I made another pouch for my GIVEAWAY. The zip turned out great! I added my label in the bottom too.  I started made some scrappy blocks to turn into pincushions. They will be backed with a charm square. It's my own pattern used. Remind me to make a tutorial for it someday. 

They need to be ironed actually. I'll have to finish them on Sunday as I have no idea what time we'll be back on Saturday. We're all off to Sheffield for a surprise party (for a relative I'm sure I've never met) then staying at my Uncles in Leicester overnight and through Saturday, afternoon/evening...My Father is not a man of snappy decisions...

I'll be taking with me these pouches 

Sewing gear....pins, thread, needles, pincushion. 

Hexies 7 rows of 7 hexies..to be sewn 

snacks for the car journey

My camera will join me too....I'll also need my overnight bag..not yet packed...I'll try and take photo's along the way ready to share on either Saturday or Sunday evening. 

Siya'll in a couple of days =D

Attack of the Monster Granny!

So I was blog reading yesterday and came across this

This time round Danny needs pillow covers 20x20". I pitched in to make two. At first I wondered what pattern I could use that would be big enough. Then I remembered seeing this post from Katy for a Giant Granny and well it was the right size! I delved into my Charm box and got to work. I've done one pillow top so far. The other is the same prints only a different backing and center colour and will have a different layout.
Here is the first at the moment.

 It's so gorgeous..I was tempted to keep it for myself like you have no idea! Then Remembered the great cause it's going to and was fine to eventually send it away (I'll just make one extra for myself...I need a bigger pillow for my sewing chair..MAM prints here I come)


Though before all that sewing I actually did some applique work first. Mainly because I knew it would take a while and would also take time to dry from all the fusing.
I didn't use bondaweb.....I used hemming web. I bought some wide hemming web and used that along with the thinner strip one to stick the pieces down.
I had to use a dab of glue to hold them in place, but it worked out.
I laid a wet cloth over the whole block and fused it slowly. It worked out eventually after much steaming and re-wetting the cloth.

 Once they were dry I stitched down the sashing I had pinned to give me a rough idea on the space I could use without going over any of the pieces. I'll add the next 2 strips of sashing tomorrow. Fabrics used are from my stash...which reminds me..(must update my page this weekend)

I also sashed the 'Scrapbook' Blocks and my smaller Granny Block (3" Squares used)

6 blocks down....um when I decide how many I want X amount to go...It'll be around the 15-20 range. I think I'll add another Granny Block to the collection....and a scrappy one too

Suggestions for other blocks will be greatly appreciated (my blocks are 11x11.5")

Well tomorrow I have things to post as the bank holidays are over! My GIVEAWAY IS HERE and if you don't win you can swap for some awesome GOODIES =D

Official 150th Post! Giveaway!

Hello all lovely readers, followers, bloggers...you know who you are!
In spirit of today I have decided to open my GIVEAWAY to all bloggers out there...ones I follow and comment on your blogs often....those that I email all the time...(You also know who you are)
The same rules apply only now more of you can enter. So click the link..answer the questions and good luck!
Please remember its one comment 3 answers. If you leave separate comments you will still only be entered once!

 Today I decided to make a prototype of the pouch for the GIVEAWAY.
I grabbed prints in my favourite colours and set to work. The pouch is loosely based on the Keyka Lou-Pixie Handbag, only I tweaked it a lot to fit in with being a pouch.
I added wadding instead of interfacing, no flap-instead a zip.
This will be staying with me as the zipper is messed up. I will make a brand new one for the winner as well as the other goodies.
Make note this is the second zippered pouch I've ever made so the prototype was necessary.

All fabrics for this pouch came from SurlySheep, with the exception of the striped fabric which came in a scrap bundle from FabricShoppe

The fabric and the rather stiff zipper

Right sides facing 

One zipper end looks great! The other not so much!

Candy stripe fabric

Here is that other zipper end....I must have sewn too close to the tabs as it wouldn't turn out at all...hence why I'm keeping it!

Both sides of the pouch. You know I'm not a the whole thing must match person. Although the fabric looks yellow, it is a slightly darker orange tone.

After sewing up the pouch I was sat thinking of what to do next, ways to improve the pouch and what on my list didn't involve me waiting for anything to be delivered (I'm getting some stamps/ink for my Zakka Style sewing kits found these ones as well as some others)

I actually sewed down those Polaroids on my 'Scrapbook style pages'...I had to be sure the paint was fully dry. I need to add so writing to 4 of them, sash all blocks then they will be done for now. (I need to get a better fabric pen first)

I then before dinner managed to sew up the first HST block in preparation to become some circular pillows (Fathers bright idea)

The one in the photo isn't actually sewn up, I forgot to take a picture of it done, but this is essentially how it looks (only sewn together). 1 block down 3 to go.

Well that's all from me tonight (its 10.37pm!) Siya'll tomorrow =D

150 posts GIVEAWAY!!!

This is not my official 150th post, but It's good to start a giveaway at the beginning of the week. I have 1 more post to go then it will be official.

Before I tell you about the giveaway. Here's what I got up to today

I've seen appliqued blocks floating around blog land and I wanted to try my had at one too. Here are a few I've been inspired by 1. Danny 2. Lynne 3.Maureen.

I'm going to try out my own. Just something random using raindrop/paisley pieces in various sizes and prints.

I then tried a layout for the first circular pillow I'll be making this week. Red GAH!!!

Oh have you ever tried homemade apple and pear crumble with a fruit yogurt instead of custard? (in my case the soya kind) 

The Giveaway

 I've been thinking what to give for this one. Before I've given a charm pack of choice to the winner, but I wanted this one to be different. 

So the prize will be 3 handmade items from me. You'll get a pouch, a pincushion and 1 surprise item. 

To enter this giveaway;

 You must be one of my lovely followers (an active commenting one)

You must be an active blogger. I'll be checking.

And finally leave an answer to these questions

1.What inspired you to choose your blog name? 

2.When and why did you start blogging?

3.What part of the world do you live in?

e.g. 

1. My blog name was inspired by the crazy way I talk at home. Instead of saying am I say be/be's. Cheraldine is my name so essentially I be's Cheraldine!

2.I officially started blogging just this year in January/Early February time. I started as a way to have somewhere to show off my creative side. I love to sew, paint and sketch and I've incorporated all 3 into this blog. Plus its nice to have somewhere to share things with other bloggers around the world. 

3. I live in the lovely and sunny UK where the weather is always scalding hot....Jokes! I'm sure you've heard about our weather! 

This giveaway will stay open until Saturday the 9th. There will be 3 lucky winners.

1st will receive all 3 items

2nd will receive a pincushion and surprise item

3rd will receive a surprise item.

1 comment, with 3 answers per person please. This is open to my followers,  anywhere in the world. Please make sure I have a way to contact you.  No anonymous comments or no-reply bloggers unless you leave an email address. If you don't your name will be taken out of the selection process. 

Any comments after Saturday will be disqualified. 

On Sunday, I'll put the names into a bowl and pick 3 out with the help of the Younger Giant or Older one depending who I can grab at the time. 

If you win and do not reply to my email within 2 days another winner will be selected and so on. So please make sure you reply! 

Good luck! =D

The weather...the garden and 4 posts to go!

The weather this morning looked very glum! However my mood was not!

I have a short story to tell before revealing the pictures. In April I placed an order with this shop....I ordered 2 bundles of fabric which I was told would come in separate packages. A week after ordering I received one of the packages....I waited for the other to arrive....only it never did. I contacted the store owner to see what could have happened. She told me they always get separated at the customs office and she'd keep an eye out to see if it would be sent back to her.
Moving to this month. The package still hasn't come or been sent back to her. So very kindly she offered to send me the fabrics I'd ordered again. Some prints were unavailable so I chose some new ones. She sent me the tracking number, which I used to see the progress and This morning my package came!
Neither of us have any idea what happened to the last package and why it never showed up to me or back to the store.
So here is my new fabric....no more money spent so keeping to my ban!

I'll put the fabrics onto my fabric page at the weekend so you can have a look at the prints there. I will say I got some prints from Collections and Designers such as ; Ann Kelle. Momo. Reunion. Indian Summer. Scoot. Hoo's in the Forest. LouLouThi. Peak hour. Riley Blake. Freshcut.  Circa. Dr Seuss......

As I mentioned yesterday I got some new books and sewing items to add to my growing collections

1.How to be popular-Meg Cabot. 2.Finding Violet Park-Jenny Valentine. 3. Candyfloss-Jacqueline Wilson.  4.Air head-Meg Cabot
Sewing items...hook and loop tape....glass head needles....needles with a cool case...wide hemming web...metal bobbins and  dress maker scissors.

We went out in the garden for a few hours too. Weeding and planting. I took some breaks to get some painting done on my last 'Page'

Now all to do is sew down the Polaroid frames and some sashing...

Mother needed me to make her a badge as she is having a Jubilee thing at work tomorrow(by the time you read this it will be my early hours of the morning..) so I made this

She has since pinned it to her RWB outfit top.

I also managed to get my BOM block done before the month ended

All 3 so far. This BOM started in March. You still have time to join in too.

To end this month and begin the new one a short tutorial on how I made my HSTs

1. Sew 5" by any width divisible by 5 together down both sides Right sides together.
Mark lines on each 5" increment. Sew down each side of the marked pencil line using it as a guide to place your machine foot. Do not cut the thread.
Lift the foot and move the fabric to the next line and sew. Make sure you sew both ends too.

2. Cut down each marked pencil line to get a 5" square

3. Cut diagonally through the center.
4. Then again in the opposite direction

5. Fold out your HSTs and press
6. Trim down to a 3" square.

Done 4 HST's in half the time

I hope that makes sense. If you have any questions please ask.

Well Thanks for staying with me in May! June will be even more exciting. I have a giveaway next Monday to celebrate 150 posts and some exciting new projects.
I'll be back later with my May review =D