Tuesday, 17 July 2012

And forward we shall sew...

4:09:00 pm

And forward we shall sew…

After days and days of rain I was woken this morning by some bright sun, which inspired me to go out in the garden for a bit and toil in the soil.  Everything looked cleansed and some flowers were weighed down with all the little diamonds of raindrops still on them.

It was then I noticed the life of most of our poppies have come to an end. It looked bare and sad – no more bright red and purple and mauve to greet me. It made me realise that we all have something in our lives that must come to an end. Sometimes not chosen by us, but by fate, choices and circumstances.
This is the face of the poppies that are no more… (See *About me for a picture of the brightness that they brought into our lives.
I was once lovely and full of colour

and so were we.......

No, I do not feel sad about it, although they  look sad, bedraggled and wilted, because I know inside each of them  there are 1000 of seeds that promise new life in a new future season. A hidden promise of  more spectacular colours and splendour to come our way.

 All this made me finish off in the garden , have my cuppa (I’m British now) and reached for my sewing machine to finish off the bag I was busy with. The fabric is neutral and calming for my soul and makes me think of the soil.

Finishing off bag I was busy with
My new cute little iron board - no more burnt fingers!




This bag was created by a remnant of fabric, advertised as ‘suitable for blind / cushion/or upholstery’. But it developed into something totally different than the seller suggested.  Our lives are like that – people can suggest but  we can follow our own paths that we choose.

I was so inspired by this thought of going forward  (a promise of  something new and fresh to come out of the dark dead flower heads - that I made a little heart and kept the original little satin ribbon which kept the material together when purchased.
Pretty / calm and made with love as the little button at the bottom  say


Another creation came to life in the form of a needle book – no frills and ideal for the bachelor out there who will only acquire a needle and pin. Some of us like things soft and satin – others just plain – again choices we make –that, which makes us human and vulnerable.


Needle / pins booklet


Herewith the 3 finished items sewed with love today, because I know 
''behind every dark cloud there is a silver lining.''



So all - Onward sewing and crafting with zest  and love!
Luvvies
x
P.S.Time is still incorrect at the top - it is now 16H08 UK time - working on it......to find how to sort it...........Soon I will know how to work this PC by myself! :)
Monday, 16 July 2012

Inspirations – reasons for celebrations

8:07:00 am

Inspirations 
reasons for celebrations (with a smile)

Again a warm welcome to another RAINY, yes rainy gloomy day here, but that will not dampen my enthusiasm by lots of lovely things that inspire me and lift my spirit and soul!

My grand daughter can be very adventurous and ‘designed’ this old rack sack to suit her needs on our trip to Holland. She wanted something ‘special’ and unique to her so here goes… we found this old rucksack at the local charity shop for £2, a pair of ‘bobby socks’ from Poundland and she made use of some felt to create a ‘front feature’. It was many a talking point on our journey through Holland (best of all -hands off to her brother who could not them mistake it as his, whilst always looking for something to eat…)
Adile-Jades' revamped ruck sack

Cheery and Bright Front

On a dreary day, what could be more inspiring than the vibrant colours of this quilt on one of my beds made by sister (Clarissa Rudd from Jeffreysbay za) hand stitched for me? Every time I look at it I see something new and inspiring or recognise a piece of fabric from years ago. It was all hand stitched with love and this is what crafts are all about.(More to follow at a later stage)
Quilt made by my sister-Proudly on my bed!

So many vibrant senses

The windmills of my mind

Tranquillity in greens

This idea I saw whilst on a visit to South Africa and I ‘adopted’ the idea. Bought a sieve from, yes, again Poundland, broke off the long handle and – hey Presto a new holder for my hanging earrings are born!
Earring holder - cheap and cheery

This lovely scarf with the crotchet edge let me reach for my crotchet needle ( I must admit my crotchet crafts only stretch to a chain / double and treble crotchet stitch with which I crotchet my  flowers, not at all a  difficult fine pattern like this- the beauty of it all is they sit and crotchet this whilst talking to you- without a single stitch mistake -How do they do it? I am sure this will make a lovely TV program. How do they do it?
Lovely handy work - so neat and precise!

And last but not least, I am inspired all the time by the lovely flowers in my garden and when I dig away in the mud and soil, my brain form patterns of things to come- I draw pure inspiration from it all
Flower brooch from my needle...

Sunflower from our garden...

Last but not least- I am truly blessed and inspired by the emails I receive and hope I inspire any one out there to be creative and inspired by all of this!

Till the next time
Inspired me
Luvvies
X
P.S. I am not inspired by my fingers who keep on pressing the wrong buttons on the computer…still learning…
Friday, 13 July 2012
3:48:00 pm

Rain Rain go away…. Thursday 12th , rainy day again...

Rain rain go away, come back another day! I have been singing that to my grandson all afternoon as he wants to go splash in the mud and water and I want some SUN!

Anyway, being kept indoor kept me busy all morning with all kinds of things, not the necessary housework and washing, but  creative mind and fingers……
Here are a few little things I have made in between the computer / camera / Skype to hubby in HOT sunny Qatar, a phone call to my sisters…/cooking…..
Tweensy African heart  theme mixed with beige ribbon

Pretty lady on the right-Tree on the left

Footprints

Africa's Rich gold and patterns

The following is the making of a new bag with some fabric I bought from a shop in Northampton – a real Aladdin’s cave with all kinds of goodies as well as some odd pieces of material, which makes it all the more interesting.



BAG IN THE MAKING

The afternoon was finished off (that is the sewing bit) with the arrival of my friend for a quick cuppa before she flies off to  Belgrade - to some sunshine and then it was the grandchildren so no more grafting and crafting  for today. The scaffolding is still surrounding our house and in this rain, the building work seems to have come to a halt – has been up since 11th June, that is the scaffolding…Rain rain go away…….

Have a GREAT day and weekend wherever you are!
Luvvies
Rena 
Thursday, 12 July 2012
11:19:00 am



 A thing of beauty is a Joy Forever!
  

A warm welcome to all from (a change from the rain) a sunny day! I was busy clearing out a box long forgotten and came upon these treasures made by my late mum, Johanna Maria. She passed on 13 years ago and left these treasures behind for me (which I have to finish off)  This reminded me of the saying:‘ A thing of beauty is a Joy Forever’. She used to battle the demons of depression, but her art always won with her handy work displayed in her crafting, weaving and pottery. She threw herself 100% into her creations. Sometimes mealtimes were forgotten, but we always had something ‘new’ to look to – a beauty creation. These crafts were handed down to our 5 children (blog to follow-up with sibling crafts!)
I hope once these are finished off, they will be passed down to my children and then to their children until the material fades and the cotton frays, but will always be treasured as a Joy Forever, with a smile of warm memories…. Enjoy.
P.S. Should you wish to use the patterns, feel free, just look up at the sky and ask her permission first and let the beauty be carried on through generations to come.
I’m off crafting now, the housework / garden / shopping etc etc etc can wait. Tomorrow is another day.











A jewelry box she made out of card box /covered and then embroidered on

Tuesday, 10 July 2012

‘a stitch for a drop’

7:35:00 pm


Good Morning World Wide Web! Another wet and rainy gloomy day here in the UK, BUT as brave soldiers we will march on and let the craft making lift our spirits and be positive!

Trust all had a very relaxed weekend and could get on with whatever it was you were getting on with. Here, all Sports etc was cancelled due to the rain, but we had fun sewing and creating and just plain ‘chill’ out - so chilled out that the heating had to be switched on! Then Kelvin inform me he had 40 deg weather in Qatar-Hmmm that is a bit too extreme….

I have now embraced a new motto ‘a stitch for a drop’ and that should let me go on forever! Could not wait for the postman to come as I have now ordered a little ‘arm /sleeve thing’ sewing board which can be used to iron round the small parts in the sewing without me burning my fingers all the time. That came yesterday and may I add, in the pouring rain – will try it out today.

This is not a new photo, but for me a warm and happy one with the puppets I  knitted for the grand children. So easy and quick to make. Will have to start all over again with the new baby. All in all over 50 were made for school fetes and charity projects and they seem to put a smiley face on a child. Will try and squeeze a few makes in between crocheting the blankets. Watch this space!

Knitted Puppets I made  (in between everything)


Another African themed little heart creation, with little Miss Rhino. I now have a lot of animals who will make their way into the ‘hearts’.

Little African Rhino


As I sit and sew I listen to music and that really makes the time  go by in a happy pleasant way. What did the people do in the days gone by without electricity, everything on hand? I looked up a few crafts and saw candle dipping, then my eye caught the dyeing and weaving and I am transported to not so long ago when my mum used to card her own wool/dye it and then wove it. She loved it and I still have some woven runners she made for me (Angora which will last for generations)

Now I am getting nostalgic as think of my own two children who grew up amidst the pottery / weaving / sewing and sadly think that a lot of children now do not have that opportunity and think everything ‘comes from a shop – made in China-.
Playing with the camera whilst filling bobbins!

Bag in the making today

Finished at last!-

INSPIRATION FROM AFRICA

Some Hearts in the making


It is at times like this that I pick up the needles  and rush to the sewing machine to keep the creativity flow – not from a computer, but from my mind and hands – and I thank the Creator that I am able to do just that!



Happy sewing, creating till next time. Luvvies.
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