fabric + flowers

~~ two of the things i love

~~ one frantic afternoon trying to finish my son's teacher's gift on time

(do you like what I made for her?)

~~ one stress-free afternoon to make the mosaics

enjoy!

~~ hope you all have a fabulous week!

xxx

inspiration in pink and green

It seems that I've been using a lot of pinks and greens for my creations.

This colour combination really appeals to me.

I find it very relaxing and I've (very slowly) been working my way towards bringing more of it at home.

So when I started looking for a sewing book to order from the Book Depository in order to take advantage of a friend's offer (thank you J!), this one made my heart miss a beat. This must have been the fastest order I've ever placed!

I knew I didn't need another sewing book, but I also new I needed to spoil myself with some serious dosage of eye-candy!

You wouldn't believe me if I told you how much time I spent looking at these two pages above while drinking my Sunday morning coffee at the balcony!

Maybe I can finally find something to make with these fat quarters I bought back in autumn!

I realise I've basically showed you here some of the great photography that accompanies the projects and not much of the projects themselves.

 I told you: in serious need of eye-candy!

Hope you have a great week!

xxx

sewing

When one project is slow and requires meticulous work...

... and you want to work on something more laid back...

you make...

a 'vintage'  picnic blanket, with pre-cut upcycled sheets...

backed with a patchwork of old towels

and ... nothing in between the two layers!!!

I love it!

Happy Weekend!

xxx

lately

~ a little crochet goodness I've been working on (when it's not too hot)

~ The Happiness Project (this is the right chapter at the right time - referring to contents)

~ Colouring pebbles

~ Some sewing did take place (more to come)

~ We all want some rain!

~ One more caravan - lego, this time

We're going to be away for a few days;

my dad's tomatoes are ready to fill lots of jars with summer bounty.

Take Care!

xxx

today

 I don't normally do something in order to blog about it (!)

but today I need the motivation.

With the housework done on Monday, and most of the ironing done yesterday

I have no excuse.

I need to start doing it.

Today.

I've procrastinated long enough.

And I need you to keep me on track.

I need you to ask me every now and then: 'how are you progressing, Yiota?'

Because I have so many projects on my mind, they're driving me crazy!!!

.

.

.

.

.

And now, if you'll excuse me, I'll go dust my sewing machine

and bring the ironing board out (you do iron the fabric before you start sewing the pieces together, right?)

Have a good day!

xxx

this is it!

            (from the kindergarten end-of-year play)

The time has come; we're packing!

We're going home - hopefully, not only for the summer!

I think one of the wisest decisions I made when we first came here in September was to opt for the fastest internet connection around here.

I'm so grateful I discovered blogging about two years ago. You all kept me great company, especially over the long winter months; and they were really long at times!

Autumn was better, with the explorations and walks by the river!

Now we're more than ready to go back home.

I have big (inexpensive) plans for this summer. I'm thinking of changing the colour schemes in our place; make everything brighter. And since crocheting is out of the question for the summer (too hot for this), sewing a couple of throws sounds like a good plan to me. It's high time I finished this one for instance; I bought the fabrics last August!

Ok then! I sorted all my books and work stuff yesterday.

Now I need to go declutter my son's toys. This is a tricky one: if I do it with him, he'll want to keep everything; if I do it on my own, it won't be fair to him. I think I'll go half-way and do the first round on my own (discreetly) and then call him over.

Take Care!

I'll talk to you next week from the headquarters.

xxx

(PS. Lucy, if you're reading this, I can't leave a comment on your blog; I tried everything, but blogger doesn't 'see' me in this comment layout. That's why I changed to a pop-up window)

sewing

I've been  living in a whirlwind lately.

The visit home was great (though emotionally intense on the day of my mum's memorial service). There was time for slowing down, time for seeing friends, time for attending an end-of-school-year event at our neighbourhood...

However, since we came back here on Monday, our time has been filled with commitments: end-of-year events at our schools, going out with the teachers from one school, then the other, and later today with my son's teachers...

At the same time, I've been waiting for job-related news for ages; and when the criteria by which it will be decided who will be transferred where were finally announced, I felt the earth move under my feet; there's a chance I'll need to be here again in september (for the next school year) and we'll only find out late august! So we decided to keep the flat until we know for sure. I explained the situation to our landlords and they said that was fine but then there was a mix up with their daughter and now we have to move!

Are you still here? I wouldn't blame you if you weren't!

I tell myself that every obstacle has a reason and things usually turn out for the best, but still I feel numb at times and dizzy at others.

So now, instead of packing our clothes and leaving on Tuesday, I  have to pack everything and move next weekend.

Seeking distraction, I was reaquainted with my sewing machine. I made two hearts for my son's teachers. Choosing fabrics, ribbons and buttons was really relaxing; little one helped me with the colours and I have to say I am thrilled at how they turned out.

Meanwhile, my son's first tooth will soon fall out and I had to act fast; you see, I promised I'd make him a cushion for the fairy to find his tooth in and leave him some seeds in exchange (an idea I came across in a blog, of course) but never actually got round to making it. I knew I was going to use his old sleeping bag(? - no idea how these things toddlers sleep in so they won't get cold are called!) and it took me about ten minutes to make it. I'm astonished at how happy this little cushion has made him! He hugs it all the time and he's even put his regular pillow aside and is now napping with this one. Amazing!

Hope I haven't bored you with all this!

Have a great weekend!

xxx

yarn + fabric

Hello everyone!

I'm so excited to be talking to you!

My laptop has been dealing with some malfunction issues - viruses and the like- lately and I thought it went dead for good last night. I tried to switch it on this morning but I was greeted with a black screen. It's almost midnight now and while waiting for tomorrow's lunch to cook I thought I might give it another try before putting it in the bag, ready to take home.

But miracles do happen, so here we are again, my little blog and I, for a 'ta-daaaah' post!

~~~~ So, do you remember me mentioning a secret crochet project?

Well, now that it has safely found its recepient, I can let the cat out of the bag (boy, I love english idioms! they're hilarious!)

Look at this mosaic: do you see a colour scheme... kind of? do you?

It all started when I saw the blue yarn on etsy and thought of the perfect project for it; then I spotted the brown yarn and decided on a two-colour project.

Then, one evening, I was looking at bags on etsy and saw this one... the colours were quite similar. Finally, I decided the crochet part wasn't warm enough; I needed some 'back-up'.

Do you want to see what I've made?

Do you?

It was made with lots of love; lots and lots of love!

Here it is then:

a crochet baby blanket!!!

I added a couple of fabric details to make it more cheerful and the flannel backing for extra warmth ( because as my son says for our blanket:' cold manages to get in through the holes'!)

Of course, I used the best model for the photo shoot...

... and his best friend! The bag is, of course, for the baby's daipers, bottles, little toys...

Hope you're all keeping well!

Until we meet again,

Take Care!

xxx

in love!

I got a parcel full of 'scrumptious' fabrics today!

I ordered them on etsy a little while ago and they arrived on this sunny, beautiful morning. I'm totally in love with them! If you're into sewing check this shop. Love, love, love it!



I'm planning to make a quilt for my son's room with the bundles below and there'll be lots of the red ones left for a few more decorative touches.



As for these beauties... no plans for them yet. They were just too beautiful to resist (plus they were 'free shipping'). Yes, definitely, too beautiful to resist!
I've already started working on a throw with some upcycled sheet fabric I bought in the summer, so I've absolutely no idea what to do with them. Any ideas?
Of course, I could just lay them on the sofa next to me while I drink my coffee and feel happy. You know, something like the effect of a bunch of fresh tulips in a jug!
I knew you'd understand!


Anyway, I'm going to make a cuppa and delve into the wonderful, oh, so wonderful book I'm reading (more on this to follow, stay tuned).
Have I told you we went on a school visit to another school today and got home earlier? No?
Well, what can I say?
It's a good day!
~~~~~
Take Care!

December 9th - grateful for ...

{ the blanket stitch }

The best thing about doing needlepoint for very small children is that they are so uncritical. They don't say things like, "I see you've missed some stitches over here on the leg, was that intentional?" or "Was this creature blinded in a fight?" They will clasp it in their little arms and love it besottedly, inseparably as the thing becomes more and more rancid.

~Carole Berman and Jennifer Lazarus

~~~~~

I think today's choice needs a bit of explanation; you see, my sewing machine broke down on Monday, leaving me with a whole list of projects to be completed by the end of the week, presents mostly. I was quite miserable after that until of course I came to my senses and realised it was not the end of the world and there are always alternatives. There's no way I'll manage to do everything I wanted to but , well, c'est la vie!

(and yes, there's a reason you only see part of what I've made!)

Take Care!

xxx

this little fellow is on its way to my goddaughter;

her 8th birthday was on Sunday, when I had no voice to call her

so I thought of making her a little something.

I gave her her present before we left home

but I really felt like sending her something from here, too.

Hope she likes it.

The print in the frame is from the talented Christina.
~~~~

Note to self: next time, sew the 'eyes' last - somehow.

yesterday...

there was....

a birthday card for a friend made by little hands

a happy, cosy mess on the kitchen table

a little quilt and a tiny pillow made for a special bunny

a simple meal of spaghetti and tomato salad


a mum-son movie night ...in (a bit of furniture rearrangement made it more exciting)- Garfield was fun but I slept half way through, anyway

plans made over afternoon coffee;

we'll be leaving tomorrow morning

to go find a new (temporary) home here.

~~~~~

Happy Days!

you're full of flaws, but I love you! (2)

If you've read this post,

you know I learned to crochet this year.

I love it and have a crochet project in progress;

but summers in Greece are too hot to work with yarn.

Meanwhile, I've been drooling over several sewing projects I've seen in blogland, quilts included.

So, how do I quench my creative thirst?

Well,

ta-daaaah!

my first ever (apart from the lining for the crochet bag, that is) sewing project:

a baby quilt!!!

I loved, loved, loved making it,

even more because it's for a special baby-to-come (not mine, by the way)...

well, all babies are special, but you know what I mean.

Now I need to ask: how do you call these boards I've seen around for cutting the fabric properly? I really need to get one of these

(look at the picture below and you'll know what I mean)






So, what do you think?
Should I invest in this 'board', some fabric and , hmm, some pins?
Do I have a future in quilting?