Happy New Year to you all...........i love the start of a new year, the turn of the page on the old year and lots of fresh plans and new experiences to look forward to................
..............(the little stitched signs shown here are part of my project in the january crafts beautiful magazine)............i hope you had a wonderful christmas time and happy holidays.......
...............we had a happy and loving family christmas....my eldest daughter and her husband hosted christmas day (this is their gorgeous house above....i loved the little chair back wreaths my daughter made with snippets of greenery from the garden) and on boxing day they all came to our house........it was such a joy to see christmas through the excited eyes of the little grandchildren and to watch the little cousins playing together....so nice to have my youngest daughter and her family staying with us too and have time for lots of chatting and laughter...........
.............after a couple of days i just had to start a bit of crafting, even though i had packed my work away temporarily........i found a basket of pretty scraps and some diamond english paper pieces.....
............these are quite tiny ones..........i made some little scrappy stars which was fun to do watching tv or chatting..........
...............i began to join the stars with white diamonds.........loving the fresh flowery colours of this patchwork and the way you can include so many different fabric scraps...........
...............now that christmas is over i like to tidy it all away, clean and dust and then have lots of fresh flowers and bulbs around me.....
............flowers are the most cheerful sight in a room i think and even better if they are scented....
.............i am already looking forward to the planting season and browsing garden catalogues....i am also looking forward to lots of reading in the coming year and have some new books ready to enjoy......one of my xmas surprises was a pair of little maileg pixies, one from each of my girls......
..............besides stitching i have been knitting with this beautiful rico bamboo yarn.....this will be a shawl.......it is fun to knit and very relaxing...........
...........our first outing on new year's day was a walk on the local beach with our little dog molly.....the day began cloudy and grey but later in the morning the cloud lifted and the sun came out......we had such a lovely walk and saw lots of seabirds out on the estuary...peaceful and beautiful..
...............thank you for visiting me here all through the year, dear readers, and for your kind comments and emails.......i look forward to visiting your blogs too and catching up with you all.....
..............i wish you all a very happy, loving and peaceful 2017 filled with joy, inspiration and creativity...................back soon xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxoooooooooooxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Perfect timing - I've just sat down with a cup of tea and chanced upon your blog - lovely!
ReplyDeleteGood to hear of your happy time - I can't stay away from crafting for too long and am now crocheting a baby blanket for a friend whose granddaughter is due before 2017 is very old.
I'm enjoying a pot of (inexpensive supermarket) pink hyacinths in my kitchen which are in full bloom and all of uniform height and smell wonderful.
I'll look forward to seeing what emerges from your craft room during what I hope will be a very happy 2017 for you.
Such a lovely post Helen,happy new year.
ReplyDeleteLovely Post - Happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteYour patchwork looks interesting, and very pretty
Julie xxxxxxx
A pleasure to read, Helen. All the best for 2017!
ReplyDeleteHappy new year Helen. Looking forward to seeing all your new projects! Beautiful post as always Gill x
ReplyDeleteSounds like you had a perfect Christmas Helen!!
ReplyDeleteLove the Maileg...I'm a huge fan, I bought my little granddaughter a Maileg pram for Christmas, she's much too wee for it yet but it does look pretty in her room.
Believe it or not I've been doing some EPP with little diamonds too and I'm surrounding them with white, it's all very new to me but hopefully I'll have something worth sharing soon....I love yours, such pretty colours!! :)
I too love a new year and filling the house with bulbs.....wishing you and yours a very happy 2017 and I look forward to seeing what you share with us this year, I know it will be inspiring!!
V xxx
Your Christmas sounds delightful. Happy New Year! x
ReplyDeleteCherished memories with family! So glad you had a lovely Christmas. We too had that privilege! Wishing you a very Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteHelen, your approach to the New Year is such a good one. I love the freshness concept!
ReplyDeleteAs ever, your projects are very inspiring. The way in which you are using the white diamond shapes to unite the varied palette of your tiny quilting design works so well.
Wishing you and your family a fabulous 2017! See you soon. xo
Happy New Year Helen! Nice to hear you wonderful Christmas with family! Maileg's things are very cute and I have some little, sweet suitcases from her. All the best for the 2017! x Teje
ReplyDeleteAfternoon Helen.
ReplyDeleteSo pleased you had a lovely Christmas. Your blog is such a lovely read the colour are a welcomed distraction this time of year. I look forward to seeing what you create this year. Ours was very quiet.
I've just got back from a large craft shop we met our daughter she wanted advice on what to buy to start sewing.
She bought a large cutting mat quilting ruler and rotary cutter.Also some fabric she starts her first sewing lesson on Saturday. It's so nice to see
her been creative. She doesn't realise how good she is.
Have a lovely week.
Sounds like you have had the perfect Christmas Helen.... it is lovely to spend time with family. Best wishes for the New Year.... I am looking forward to seeing lots of your beautiful projects! Christine x
ReplyDeleteThis is such a lovely post t o start off the year, Christmas family photos are a joy, scented flowers always welcome and love your patchwork and knitting. Your stars if looked from another view look like pretty tumbling blocks, then back to stars. Happy New Year Helen XXX
ReplyDeleteHelen,
ReplyDeleteSuch a sweet colorful post to read on a cloudy day here in Indiana. Love the little chair wreaths and of course your EPP stars. I finally finished my blue and white quilt, although I did machine quilt it rather than hand quilting. I am rather pleased with the results. I have another scrappy quilt I am planning on hand quilting. Wish me luck. Lol. But for now I am machine quilting a large pinwheel pattern in Kaffe Fasset fabrics. I did not like the finished pieced quilt until I began the free motion stitching. It seems to give the whole quilt more depth and dimension, and I am rather liking it now.
Thank you for sharing your holiday fun.
Mickie, Indiana USA
Beautiful post! Lovely projects and photos. Happy New Year!
ReplyDelete~Tanya
O dear Helen please do tell us what you're reading this year as you go along! Glad you had a wonderful Christmas with your family.
ReplyDeleteMary
Happy New Year, Helen! Your post is filled with beauty as always. The pixies are adorable and something new for me to learn about. Those epp stars are stunning. Bright white shows them off brilliantly! Can't wait to see those in a larger project someday!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year Helen to you and your family. Ooooh your daughter has inherited your sense of style!! Such gorgeous photos - thank you for sharing - looking forward to seeing your creations in the coming year xxx
ReplyDeleteA walk on the beach sounds lovely! Happy new year sweet lady. (I love the wreaths on the back of the chairs too!) Hugs, Diane
ReplyDeleteI've said it before but it bears saying again ... your Monday messages are truly a bright and colorful spot in my day! Monday is my work-at-my-desk day, and it is challenging to sit here for hours, facing figures and facts and writing checks and paying bills, especially when the day is dark and dreary, as it is today. Ugh! But when I get your post, with all its bright, cheery images, I'm soon smiling and forgetting balancing checkbooks and making payroll and figuring taxes. I begin to dream of my own crafting ... so now I'll pack up the books and turn off the computer and head upstairs to create a little something myself. Thank you, again, for making Mondays more meaningful and bright!
ReplyDeleteP.S. There's only one thing missing -- a photo of you! I'd like to put a face to go with how I imagine you at work. Won't you post one so we can imagine you as you really are?? :)
Happy New Year, dear Helen!
ReplyDeleteThanks one more time for sharing all these beautiful things....
Love, love, loooove your blog and all your craftsª
Kisses and a big hug!
Happy New Year! Your Christmas sounds like it was wonderful. I always think I will celebrate Boxing Day, for fun, but by the time Christmas Eve and Christmas Day is over, I'm done too! We don't have Boxing Day in the states but I've always been intrigued by it. I don't blame you for crafting. I started a new crochet project! A hat for my brother. Love your blog. It inspires me to sew.
ReplyDeleteCindy Bee
I love color and pattern and mixing them all together so especially love those stars. Wishing you and yours a blessed new year.
ReplyDeleteHappy new year Helen.Loving the Beautiful pics as always and the paper piecing is so pretty.We had no heating over Christmas brrrrr,it is ok now though!! Looking forward to your creations in 2017.I managed to do quite a lot of my crochet blanket hoping to finish it THIS year hee hee.Hugs xx
ReplyDeleteYour post made me want to go and find fresh flowers! I am laid up with a bug so Christmas decorations are still up and gathering dust! What a lovely post - your daughter's home looked so pretty and festive. Wishing you wonderful things in 2017.
ReplyDeleteHelen, your sweet post and images cheered me immensely. I've been rather filled with grey and dark thoughts about our upcoming year and you helped me feel happier about it all. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
ReplyDeleteBest wishes for the new year!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Helen, I enjoy your posts so much! All the color makes me so happy! I was wondering if there is a certain book that you could recommend for beginners at EPP? Absolutely love your latest project with the hexies and diamonds. Thank you very much! Janelle
ReplyDeleteThanks for your beautiful post, Helen. I am glad you have been having happy times with your family and a lovely walk on the beach to start your new year. As always I find your creativity inspiring and I especially appreciate the pretty pattern you stars are making. Lovely! May you and yours have a blessed 2017. xx
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year, Helen! I'm glad you had such a nice holiday season with your family. Thank you for being such an inspiring and supportive member of the blogging community, I always love visiting you here.
ReplyDeleteHere's wishing you all the best in the new year, Helen, full of things you enjoy and the people you love.
ReplyDeleteKaren
I just love the colors that you use in your projects. So fresh, fun and cheerful. My tastes are changing and you are, at least, partially responsible.
ReplyDeleteYour posts always put a smile on my face!!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
Judy
A very Happy New Year, and may it be filled with colour and sunshine and many happy days. Blessings, Pam in Norway
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year to you, dear Helen! The holiday time you spent with your family sounds like it was just perfect. I love having daughters! I love my sons, but my girls and I love a few good giggles!
ReplyDeleteAnd you are already off and started on projects! Good for you. I am working on the Christmas decorations and tree this weekend. And then I have plans to really declutter. I like your idea of scaling back to some pretty scented flowers. How I love them during the winter months!
Thanks aways for your lovely visits, Helen! I'm truly grateful that you enjoy my blog.
Jane x
Happy New Year dearest Helen! A sparkling, creative, joyful and overall, healthy one!
ReplyDeleteOlympia
Hello Helen, sounds like you have had a jolly time over Christmas with your family. I am amazed you managed to find any time for crafting. Your patchwork is beautiful and so are your flowers. The Maileg pixies are just the cutest aren't they? Have a very creative and fun year ahead and thank you for all your inspiration and for being so lovely. Linda xx
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year dear Helen...I hope it's full of all good things for you and your lovely family...such beautiful inspiring makes to start the New Year (and I love the Maileg pixies too!)
ReplyDeleteHappy Tuesday,
Susan x
Helen, what beautiful handcrafted goodies! Your photos are looking great - my favorit is like you the picture under glas at the wall - georgeous.
ReplyDeleteSigrun