Bits and Bobs

Some more make up purses

2012-02-01T22:31:00.002Z

I love making these little purses, they make great gifts. I like to wrap them in tissue paper and tie a pretty bow round them.

Anyone for bread and butter pudding?

2012-02-01T22:27:00.002Z

My DH loves this; I hate mixed dried fruit.

Some cold process soap

2012-02-01T22:25:00.001Z

Some cold process soap I made about a month ago now cured. Scent is May Chang.

I’m a grandma!

2012-02-01T22:20:00.001Z

Welcome to Finley Christopher Derek, born 15^thJanuary, weighing 5lbs 9oz. Absolutelybeautiful!

Some more Christmas gifts

2011-12-18T22:20:00.000Z

Too many presents to wrap, so little time!

Please look at this web site, they have awesome stuff!

2011-12-12T08:38:00.003Z

http://juliesbits.blogspot.com/p/huge-christmas-giveaway.html?showComment=1323678984055

Started my wrapping now in earnest!

2011-12-11T19:51:00.000Z

Kirsty's birthday gifts:

The one on the left is a candle - the one on the right is 10 pairs of false eyelashes.

Some more cake pops

2011-12-11T19:50:00.000Z

Milk chocolate, coated with coconut. These are absolutely delicious and have become my favourite!

New make up purses I made

2011-07-01T08:27:00.000+01:00

Metal 6" framed purses, great for make up and cosmetics.

And the good thing about them is, you can throw them in the washing machine on a cool wash when they're dirty!!

Have a great summer! x

Some more cake pops

2011-06-18T10:25:00.001+01:00

I made these yesterday and they are so good! For the two colour ones, I used a small cupcake mould which I bought from mylittlecupcakepop.com - although I'm not sure that mine actually look like cupcakes on a stick so I'm not sure what I did wrong!

I think I had the pink chocolate too thick on top and that's why it doesn't resemble a cupcake!

Some more of my soaps!

2011-06-15T21:54:00.001+01:00

I seem to be hooked! The sixth picture is a cake pop, another new passion of mine. The last two pictures are bath melts/creamers and different shaped bath bombs. I find the spherical bath bombs quite difficult to mould so I used a bath bomb press and I quite like the different shape. I decorated them with tiny paper rosebuds.

Now into making cp SOAP!!!

2011-02-28T22:13:00.001Z

And here are my first three batches!

The last one - the one with pink and white swirls - is a bubble bar slice, rolled up like a Swiss roll. It smells of Creme Caramel - delicious!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-26T13:50:00.000Z

Boxing Day today and for me, the sales start in earnest tomorrow. I desperately need a new winter coat.

Just some pictures here of Christmas gifts which I wrapped and which were well received by the recipients. Hope Santa was kind to everybody.

ProPoints

2010-11-20T12:22:00.002Z

Anyone on Weight Watchers and the new ProPoints plan? I must admit I was very sceptical at first, being a lapsed Gold member on the "old" plan. However, I started the new Plan last Monday and it's Saturday today so I've only had 5 whole days on the Plan – and I've lost 3lbs!!!!

I am so pleased! I was so sceptical because although my points allowance went from 16 points to 29 ProPoints a day, ProPoints seem to be double those on the old plan. I loved Weight Watchers but was hungry all the time – but on the new plan, I'm not hungry at all! Fruit is now zero points too, which is great for me, as I love fruit.

At this rate I'll be at goal well before Christmas!

Apple iPad

2010-10-08T08:59:00.001+01:00

Now, I really want one of these babies but - I haven't got a clue what I would use it for!!! So why do I want one? No idea, other than it looks sexy and cool and - well, I just want one! I already have an iPhone 4 by the way, which I love and as my husband says, I'm always fiddling with!

Can anyone tell me WHY I need one?

I've changed my name!

2010-04-04T16:45:00.001+01:00

Well,I haven't changed my name, just the same of my blog. Since I get so little time these days to quilt, I intend to just write down whatever is in my head at the time. I haven't blogged much because not much of it was to do with quilting so didn't see the point. So now, I'm called Bits and Bobs and that's pretty much what I'll be blogging about. I only have another year of studying before I'm qualified - can't wait! - and maybe I'll get more into quilting then, although I was never really any good at it ;-)

Happy Easter everyone! I hope the Easter bunny brought you loads of goodies!

TTFN

Isn't this pretty!

2009-12-27T13:21:00.001Z

DSC_1408
Originally uploaded by notimetowork

Christmas Day in the snow

2009-12-27T13:17:00.003Z

DSC_1427
Originally uploaded by notimetowork

I got a new lens for Christmas and tried it out on Christmas Day as the snow was still thick on the ground, unusual for our part of the country.

Xmas gifts

2009-12-13T20:26:00.004Z

DSC_1337
Originally uploaded by notimetowork

I made these for my co-workers (there's 11 of them). I made bath bombs from scratch, didn't fancy paying £2 each, then wrapped in tissue paper, cellophane, black lace then curling ribbon. It took a while but I'm really pleased with the results. I hope they are too ;-)

Look what I saw in our shopping centre!

2009-12-05T22:11:00.001Z

Originally uploaded by notimetowork

I coouldn't believe my eyes when I went shopping last weekend to our local shopping centre! Two reindeer!!! Real ones! I've never seen a real live reindeer before, they are so cute! And smaller than I imagined, although they could have been babies!

Flowers to decorate my Christmas gifts

2009-11-04T22:13:00.003Z

Flowers to decorate my Christmas gifts
Originally uploaded by notimetowork

My Christmas gifts will look soooo elegant this year, decorated with these. A lovely seller on Etsy made these for me and I can't wait to start wrapping - I guess I ought to start actually buying my gifts first though ;-)

How do YOU wrap yours?

DSC_1289

2009-11-01T15:35:00.001Z

DSC_1289
Originally uploaded by notimetowork

I just made these and only ate ONE!!!!

More bags for my Etsy shop

2009-09-27T22:08:00.010+01:00

I seem to sell my bags in multiples, not usually one at a time. My last sale was for 7 bags, which cleaned me out quite a bit. So I've been busy replenishing my stock. These are some I've listed over this weekend.

I've been published!

2009-09-05T01:46:00.003+01:00

I've just got an e mail to say that this photo, taken in Fremantle last October, has been accepted for publication into a tourist guide! How cool is THAT! I didn't submit it, they picked it from my Flickr album and asked for my permission to use it. I was apparently shortlisted and I just got an e mail today to say that my photo is included! How cool is THAT?!!!!

I passed my exams!

2009-08-25T08:41:00.001+01:00

I passed all of my exams with very respectable marks! After a very short celebration, I have started studying for my next exam, which is in January. All the hard work paid off, thankfully!

Happy Fathers Day

2009-06-22T08:34:00.003+01:00

My lovely dad died 8 years ago and not a day goes by that I don't think about him. I always feel a little morose on Fathers Day - does anyone else feel like this?

Word verification

2009-06-21T07:03:00.000+01:00

I've now turned OFF word verification as it bugs me no end when I have to keep doing this when leaving comments on other peoples blogs.

In case you don't know what word verification is, whenever you leave a comment on a blog, if it asks you to "type the word shown in the box" (which I can usually never read) then that's word verification!

It slows me down a lot when I have to do this when commenting on blogs and I have to confess, if it takes me a couple of goes to get the word right, then I usually give up!

EXAMS ARE NOW OVER!

2009-06-12T21:16:00.000+01:00

No more until January! Now I can start sewing again! Thanks to everyone who sent kind wishes and good thoughts!

A custom order!

2009-05-30T19:25:00.001+01:00

DSC_0725
Originally uploaded by notimetowork

For a lady's wedding. She has ordered 10 of these (I think she may have 9 bridesmaids).

Flickr

2009-05-30T19:22:00.001+01:00

Two exams done; one to go!

2009-05-23T19:40:00.001+01:00

My two exams last Wednesday went well, I think. The first one went better than the second and I have to pass both at the same time or re-sit both. Here's hoping I've passed - I get the results on 13th August (let's hope the 13th is lucky for me!). Next exam is June 12th so still revising like crazy!

Happy birthday Jonathan!

2009-05-18T11:47:00.002+01:00

It's my youngest son's 20th birthday today and I made this fake magazine cover on www.magmypic.com. I really have too much time on my hands, don't I?!

MagMyPic

2009-05-18T11:47:00.001+01:00

Create Fake Magazine Covers with your own picture at MagMyPic.com

Missing in action!

2009-04-26T09:05:00.000+01:00

Sorry I've not posted for a couple of weeks - I'm studying law and have two exams on 20th May and another one on the 12th June so it's pure revision for me at the moment :-( No time to sew at all although I may just go off at a tangent this next week in a flurry of creativity. I have so many ideas going around in my head and just no time to do anything with them! Does anyone else suffer from the same problem?

My latest one!

2009-04-11T20:21:00.000+01:00

I've just put this on Etsy

and I think it's my new favourite ;-)

I'm so fickle.....

2009-04-08T19:44:00.000+01:00

This one is my new favourite!

Another cosmetic bag

2009-04-02T21:33:00.000+01:00

I can't claim credit for the design of this, as it was inspired by a seller on Etsy (a very talented lady). Yellow is a change for me as I usually go for pink. The bag isn't crooked; it's my poor photographic skills.

Weather in Florida

2009-04-02T09:25:00.001+01:00

Nothing to do with quilting or even sewing (well, I suppose it is, indirectly!) but does anyone know what the weather is likely to be like in Florida in mid to late December? Is it T shirts and shorts weather or jeans and cardigan? I'm getting conflicting information from the Internet and would like some first hand advice from any Floridians reading this!!!

I've made some sales!

2009-03-27T07:49:00.001Z

I've sold some of my bags on Etsy!!!! I'm so pleased, I've sold 11 in total!!!!

I love this Future-Ella fabric!

2009-03-15T19:23:00.000Z

The other fabric is a Michael Miller vintage. I've listed them in my Etsy shop with all the others.

Don't these look yummy!!!

2009-03-14T23:01:00.000Z

I'm not really supposed to be eating these but I made them for DH (and I only had one bite, honest!!!). They're a bit big because I didn't have any small cake cases.

Leather shoes!

2009-03-03T22:06:00.000Z

I just found these on line and kits on Etsy to make them and think they are so cute! You can buy the pattern from http://www.makethemyourself.com or a kit from Etsy. They remind me so much of the very expensive Robeez shoes I bought for my grandson when he was first born. I paid fortunes for them and if I had had this pattern I could have made them for a fraction of the price. My grandson was born with cerebral palsy and doesn't walk and is still only 20lbs in weight even though he's 2 now. I'm considering buying the pattern and making him a bunch of these since he will always be very small and will possibly never walk. He's such a gorgeous little boy too....

And here he is!

Edited 8th March: I had no idea that leather was so expensive - it would be cheaper just to buy the darned things......

Etsy

2009-03-01T12:12:00.000Z

I've decided to list some of my bags on Etsy as I just have too many and every time I see a cute piece of fabric, I make a bag from it. Do you think this will sell?

Warning to all UK drivers!

2009-02-20T10:52:00.000Z

Just a heads up to all UK drivers holding a new photo style driving licence. Please check your licence as apparently they expire after 10 years (and it costs £17.50 to renew it!). This is something which is not widely publicised and if you don't renew, then you can be prosecuted for not having a valid licence.

If you look on the front of your plastic part of the licence, under 4b,there is a date, which is the date on which the licence expires.

Please check now and don't risk a fine!

The picture is a mock up obviously but yours will look similar.

Somebody stop me!!!!

2009-02-19T20:20:00.000Z

Just another few more bags - I really must stop now - I must have enough! These are all the same size and use a 6" x 3" frame.

Even more bags!

2009-02-08T16:28:00.000Z

Sorry this pic isn't too great but I took it with my camera phone.

Boy, am I ahead with Christmas presents this year! I must add though, that I'm expecting to be made redundant shortly and I wanted to do all my sewing etc while I still have the money for fabric and stuff :-(

I've had a bagfest!

2009-02-07T15:02:00.000Z

I seem to be in bag making mode recently - here are some more that I did over the last few days. The bigger ones are make up bag sized and the small one is supposed to be a coin purse but I use the little one myself as a make up bag, since I don't carry much make up round with me :-)

My lunch bag

2009-02-01T17:14:00.000Z

I made this little bag (and it took me nearly all day today!) to put my lunch in to take to work. Made entirely from scrap bits of fabric too! Nobody else will have one just like this!

Three more bags!

2009-01-28T17:52:00.000Z

I've made lots of these now - everybody I know will get one for Christmas!

This one is very pink!

2009-01-25T20:24:00.001Z

I finished this quilt over the weekend and just finished stitching the binding. I feel I am getting better, although I still had puckers on the back of my quilt. It was made entirely from fabric in my stash and I didn't have to buy any fabric specially for it.

But look at my corner!

And I've tried machine stitching the binding down but I don't care for it; I much prefer to hand stitch it down, I think it looks neater.

But I really do wish I could make a single bed size quilt. I just wouldn't be able to quilt it without it puckering though.

I did these a while ago but thought I'd post them here

2009-01-18T08:00:00.001Z

I made these when I was "into" machine embroidery. I don't do it much now, as the machine is in the conservatory and it's darned cold in there!!! The red and white one was made for a friend who was getting married and it's so not my choice of colours or design! But it's what the bride wanted and she was very pleased with it.

I think this is soooo cute!

2009-01-17T11:13:00.000Z

I whipped this little bag up the other night in about an hour and I love the fabrics in it! Made from scraps, more or less, too - oh, and a little interfacing. I see more of these in my future and I've sewn some more for Chistmas gifts next year. Yes, I know its a little early but I need to start somewhere!

Its finally finished!

2009-01-11T16:32:00.001Z

I started this tumbler quilt before Christmas and although it didn't take long at all to piece the top (all cut with the Accucut!), I had been dreading quilting it because I knew I would have difficulty on my domestic sewing machine. I ended up just stitching in the ditch and not doing any meandering. I love meandering so I felt a bit cheated but at least there are no puckers on the back. I cheated and sewed the binding down by machine instead of hand stitching it, as I have always done before. Fabrics are Heather Bailey's Fresh Cut line. Backing is Heather Bailey's Bijoux.

I have another pieced top to quilt and another being designed (in my head) then I will cut another tumbler quilt as I do like the look of them and they piece together very quickly.

I feel quite smug now, having finished this quilt this weekend!

I just don't like it!

2009-01-01T11:03:00.001Z

Having seen and walked past this quilt hung over my stairs for the past few days, I've decided I just don't like it!! Some of the squares aren't cut straight, not all the seams match and the stripes are crooked. Oh, and I decided it's just blargh!

Having said that, I will finish it - but I'll probably give it away :-(

Well this is it so far......

2008-12-30T20:25:00.000Z

This is my quilt top, pieced. I'm not sure whether to make it bigger or not. It's currently 45" x 54". Now that I've seen that measurement written down, I'm almost certain I will make it bigger, possibly 54" square. It looks as though the seams are a bit wonky but it's just the way the quilt is lying, honest! However, I notice that some of the squares aren't cut straight, which is entirely my fault. Back to the drawing board.....

Now what to back it with? Should I use a fabric from the same fabric line or should I use bleached muslin? Decisions, decisions.....

2008-12-25T20:05:00.000Z

Merry Christmas everyone!

My Accucut was my Christmas gift to myself and I opened it all this morning and Ive just had a chance to play with it! It's very accurate, which is good but I can't really say that it's quicker..... I've used the 5" square die as I want to do a charm quilt. I had to cut the fabric into 6" strips before I could put it through the machine so in my opinion, not really a lot quicker. But if anyone out there disagrees with me please let me know what I'm doing wrong!

Having said that though, I cut out 336 squares in about 30 minutes!

2008-12-22T20:46:00.000Z

This is the tumbler quilt top all pieced together. Now I don't know how I'm going to quilt it as it won't go in my sewing machine. I do hope it won't sit in my sewing room for months before I can get it quilted.

My latest work in progress

2008-12-20T21:08:00.000Z

This was a quilt kit bought from SFO quilter on etsy. The fabric is Heather Bailey's Fresh Cut line and there are 160 tumbler shapes in the kit. The top is almost pieced but I haven't bought the backing fabric yet. It's going to be around 88 x 66 inches - quite big! I'm dreading the quilting though, very difficult to quilt such a big quilt on my Brother sewing machine!

2008-12-15T07:56:00.001Z

2008-12-14T19:36:00.000Z

I bought this quilt kit in Australia. I love bright colours so couldn't resist this. It was very quickly done (which I like) and it's all warm and snuggly. What shall I do next???

This didn't take long to do

2008-12-13T22:17:00.000Z

I bought this panel on a trip to Western Australia. I fell in love with this panel, which I found at a local quilt shop. When I got back home, I found the same thing on eBay in the UK at half the price. Oh well..... I had exactly the right backing in my stash so it was all cut, quilted and bound before I knew it. I love the colours in it.

I also bought a quilt kit, which I've been working on and should finish that in the next few days.

A new toy

2008-12-13T05:10:00.000Z

Well, I've gone and done it! This is going to revolutionise my quilt making by ensuring everything is cut properly to size. I hate cutting and rarely do it accurately. Here it is

<-------------- Click the picture!

Not cheap, especially when you consider the shipping to the UK but hey, you only live once, right? I don't know when it will arrive as customs will need to inspect it and there will be tax to pay, I'm sure. Maybe it will be here in time for Christmas! Watch out for some pictures of some stunning creations!

Back to quilts

2008-12-11T14:10:00.000Z

This is another quilt I did when my step daughter was pregnant and I was so sure she was expecting a girl!

I recently gave it to my son's girl friend as she was ill and wrapped up in her robe and was cold.

Anyhow, I really don't remember which pattern I used but I only have two : the Turning Twenty quilt and the Yellow Brick Road, so it must be one of those :-)

2008-12-11T14:08:00.001Z

This is a cushion I made for my step daughter just after Max was born - he's nearly two now! Nothing to do with quilting but I was really proud of it!

2008-12-11T09:26:00.000Z

2008-12-11T09:24:00.000Z

And while I'm in digressing mode -

2008-12-11T08:38:00.000Z

I just love this bag! I love the colours, the style and I really enjoyed making it, so I've included it here. I gave this to my other step-daughter's 7 year old daughter (but I've never seen her use it so maybe she doesn't like it as much as I do!)

Just to digress.......

2008-12-11T08:32:00.000Z

Any sewing enthusiasts out there should check out Erica B's blog. This lady inspires me so much! I wish I could sew like she does!

Check out her blog here:

http://www.ericabunker.com/

I know I said I'd never make another BUT

2008-12-11T08:23:00.000Z

This quilt panel was on sale at my local sewing machine dealers. I took in a machine for a service and while they were "locating" it I had a look round the shop, to find that they were closing their fabric section and everything was on sale! I bought this panel for next to nothing and I already had the burgundy fabric, which I used to back it and put a small (masculine, I thought!) frill round it. The whole thing cost me very little and I was really impressed at the finished quilt, even though it cost me next to nothing both in money and time. This was given to my step-daughter who by now had had Max. I hope she uses it!

Can I just add here that I'm completely self taught?!

Feeling very confident now!

2008-12-10T22:08:00.000Z

I actually bought a quilt pattern, the "Turning Twenty" quilt book. It took forever to get 20 fat quarters together, all the right colour and I'm sorry to say, I didn't manage it on this quilt! It wasn't difficult to do at all, but putting it all together so that I didn't get the same pattern next to another of the same pattern was very hard. Strangely, cutting these pieces straight didn't present any problems, it was the placing of the blocks.
How does everybody machine quilt a quilt as big as this? Not the easiest thing I've ever done and I swore I'd never make another quilt!

Pooh!!

2008-12-10T22:03:00.000Z

I was feeling very brave and saw this on the Brother web site. Having just bought a Disney embroidery machine, I wanted to use it, so I did, on this quilt. A LOT lol.

It took me hours and hours and I had to rip out a lot of seams because I put some blocks in upside down.

At this time it did occur to me that I didn't have any babies to make this for. My own were grown up and no grandchildren of the right age. I kept it for 4 years before my stepdaughter finally gave birth! How rude of her to wait so long.

What I thought was a "proper" quilt

2008-12-10T21:57:00.000Z

This was just a panel I bought from a quilt shop, sandwiched it, quilted it then bound it. I thought I was the bees knees! Notice the half triangles in the corners!

This is my quilt of choice when watching TV and feeling a bit chilly.

The quilt that first got me started!

2008-12-10T21:45:00.001Z

This was just some 4 inch squares which I sewed together, put a backing on and put lace all the way round. My own design, and I was very pleased with it. I thought "this is easy" and moved on to this one.

2008-12-10T21:40:00.000Z

Just started this blog so bear with me as I fumble my way through!

I love quilts, I love to quilt, I'm just not very good.... My big peeve is having to cut the pieces. I never seem to cut accurately and they never seem straight and the seams don't match. Sigh.
Bear with me, I WILL get better.