Happy New Year

 Here are some of my own favourite pictures from 2018...it's hard to believe we are at the end of another year again...……….

 …………..we had a lovely christmas and i hope you enjoyed yours too...…….

 ………..my christmas quilt was used all the time and i'm so glad i made it even though it's only used at this time of year...……..

 ………..and i do plan to write up the pattern for this (and lots of other makes of mine) this coming year......

 ……...i added some shop bought roses to the bucket of holly and ivy…..they lasted all week....

 …………...my granddaughter wrapped molly up in the christmas quilt...she loved it....

 …………..my elder daughter and her husband hosted christmas day for us all......below is a peek at her pretty dining table...……..

 ………..later in the day when dusk was falling...……...and betsy and molly having their own special dogs' christmas dinners in the kitchen.....

 ………..we had a family buffet at our house on boxing day.....this is the trifle i made just like the ones i made in the 80's :)……..a trip down memory lane as i haven't made one for a long time.....

 ………..the tiny cross stitched dala horse i showed you last time was made into this cute little pincushion using sweet fabrics from the guestroom collection for moda……..

 ……….and i have now begun three new quilts for the new year....this is the beginning of one of them ………...time to tidy up the house and get back to normal again now...……..

………...thank you for dropping by to my little blog space dear readers and for the kind comments you leave...….wishing you all a very Happy New Year and a wonderful time in 2019...….i hope you enjoy your crafty times and find plenty of creative inspiration...…………...back soon xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Merry Christmas

 The countdown is speeding up and christmas is nearly here.....i hope you are enjoying these december days......i am enjoying the homely cosy times ....this is my favourite patchwork stocking and little sign on my cottage garden gate.....

 ……….so happy to get my new red and white irish chain quilt back from the longarm quilter (debbie holland) in time for christmas.....

 ……….it's another for my red and white collection and as soon as i finish one i like to begin another to work on at the same time as other current projects.....

 ……….we have two main christmas trees each year, one in the sitting room (below) which is usually decorated with red and white and often has a pixie nearby….(the other is in our pink lounge and i haven't got a picture of it so far this year!)……...and lots of little ones here and there....

 ……...here's the pixie girl with one of my hexagon bags....perfect to hold a present (or to be a present!)……….and one of the small trees i have grown fond of, dotted about the house.....

 ……….the maileg toys are favourites of mine, especially with my quilts and patchwork or applique cushions.....

 ………..here is the white painted birdhouse decorated with xmas stamps a few years ago....

 ………….love this nordic inspiration...…….

 ……….one weekend afternoon recently my husband was out in the garden tidying up and pruning.....i went into the kitchen to find a big bucket of holly he'd clipped off for me.....

 ……...below is a little work in progress on my christmassy work table....this will be a pincushion made with a tiny cross stitch dala horse and some pretty guestroom fabrics from moda…..

 ………..cakes for the children with snowy white icing and tiny holly decorations.....

 ……...my grandchildren are very excited and i'm excited that we will be with them all on christmas day...…...just got to wrap the presents and finish the food shopping (though my eldest daughter is doing christmas dinner)……….

 ……...i got this little handmade santa ornament at treacle market.....the patchwork heart is one i made to hang on a present.....and below is a basket of baubles old and new...some of you may remember seeing the red and white merry christmas heart felt decorations i made years ago and put on my blog looong ago :)…...so here we are ...my last post before christmas …….at the most wonderful time of the year.....

………….i want to wish you all a very merry christmas and happy holidays....thank you for visiting me here through the year and for the very kind comments you leave me....sending much love to all my dear readers...………….back soon xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

December Days

 These december days are passing so quickly and we are enjoying the countdown to christmas...here is my red berry wreath on the cottage garden gate.....(and in the cottage garden itself there are already signs of bulbs growing and the promise of spring)………..

 ……….the red berries are one of my favourites at this time of year...and here is a peek at my new red and white irish chain  quilt.....more of this soon.....it is one to add to my red and white collection of quilts.....

 ……..here is holly hare.....a christmas gift...…..wearing her woolly hat and striped scarf and a lace trimmed dress made from a lovely old cath kidston red floral...……..

 ………..the pretty hexagons have been turned into bags to hold gifts.....they make nice thread catchers or small project holders once the gift is opened...….the pattern is the one in my book *modern vintage gifts* ………….

 ……...the lining is a candy striped old favourite but the hexies are made from the gorgeous new guestroom fabrics by moda and some pretty red lecien florals too...……...

 ………..the little bag in my book is decorated with fabric flowers but this time i used yo yos….

 ………….i got lots of christmas shopping done last week...….

 ………...both online and when i went to chester with my eldest daughter......

 ………..chester is so full of atmosphere i've always loved it and this time of year it feels really special.....above is the christmas market...……..

 ………...we shopped all day just stopping for a quick lunch and later coffee and mince pies...……..

 ……….heading back to the car in the winter twilight...all the lights twinkling...….
Thank you for visiting my little blogspace dear readers and for taking time to leave me sweet comments...….i hope you are enjoying these december days too....this week i plan to finish decorating the house and will be back with some festive photos soon xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Heartstrings Quilt

 Happy new week lovely readers...........we have the heartstrings quilt finally finished here today.....

 ...........i don't have a pattern for this quilt but it is very easy to make using four inch squares in low volume fabrics, each with a heart appliqued on it in alternating red and blue fabrics......it was inspired by the hearts and flowers pillow in my book *pretty patchwork gifts* ......

 .............i quilted it by hand in the evenings...very cosy and relaxing work to do....

 ..........although it isn't a christmas design and can be used all year round, i think it may pop up in my festive decorating this year....

 ..............i chose a blue and white large floral for the backing (you can just see it in the picture above) and after much deliberation i used blue gingham for the binding.....

 ..........the house is slowly returning to normal after the decorating....i snapped a few pictures here and there as things just seemed to arrange themselves as they were moved from room to room.....below is my chalkboard with the top collaged by me a long time ago and of course ruby rabbit sitting next to it.....

 .............quilts on the quilt ladder and little cross stitch home sweet home sign from a magazine commission i did a while ago....

 ...............this weekend we had friends over, did some cooking and baking, did some gardening (pics to come) and pottered on sunday getting things organised......

 ............i baked festive cakes for the grandchildren (some to put in the freezer too).....and brought down the wooden advent calendar ready for the countdown (i put sweets in the numbered drawers for the grandchildren on the days they come to me after school).....

 ..............enjoying the cosy times now that i have the house back and all is quiet again.....looking forward to lots of cosy crafting throughout december.....will be going christmas shopping with my eldest later this week..........and the mince pies have arrived here too.....

................thank you so much for dropping in to see me here in my little blog space dear readers......it is always lovely to hear from you too............wishing you all a happy december..........back soon xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx