that was the week that was...busy!

 I have had an incredibly busy week! I have finally finished this baby quilt that was my first commission - I chose the colours etc, so I just hope they like it! It has been finished in a record 2 weeks, this is mainly due to my Daughter's statement when I started..."I bet you don't finish it, it will end up with all the other blankets you have started" - I am now wondering if my client paid her to say this, as they both know me so well! so - 90 squares, and 4 balls of wool later - it is done. I hope Baby Oliver (when he is born) appreciates all these  colours!

Last Wednesday Baby Fig and myself went to the first of 6 FREE printing workshops at Blackburn Museum.

It was a fantastic afternoon, the teacher was so lovely and very talented - however, the only people there were baby fig and myself - what a shame! So, if you are in the area and have a Wednesday afternoon free, get down to the museum and have a go - we can't wait for this weeks workshop!

I have been busy tweeting...the internet conspires to keep me at my computer far too long! but if you are a tweeter - come and say hello!

Very exciting for me, I was asked to write a GUEST BLOG by a fellow twitter-er, so I did! I was quite pleased with it - which is unusual for me! These girls have a lovely site about thriftiness and good money management, do pop over and say hello to PennyWisePenny

So - in the next few days I will be posting up a couple of Bread making recipe's to tie in with the blog, my basic-can't go wrong-daily loaf recipe, and my Grandma's 70 year old woman's hour recipe! 

All we need now is more sunshine - what happened to it?

Some one has to win!

Thank you so much to everyone who entered my little may give away - it's at times like this I wish I could afford to send everyone who entered a prize! 

Good to see some familiar faces, and also good to see some new faces - but enough waffle! 

This morning I made 2 parcels up - both identical, with some lovely smellies, and a little extra something! 

All the names and entries were put into a bowl

Including my friend Fig at Hairy Knees - living in distant South Africa! 

2 impartial 'name taker out of bowl' people were found...

Mr Juicy went first - and selected....

Look at those workmans hands! - Well done to Fiona Mac!

Then Baby Fig picked a name....

Disgusting nails BFIG but well done to Michelle!

THANKS AGAIN to EVERYONE who entered - and Fiona and Michelle - I hope you love your parcels! 

The Great May Give-away!

Welcome my bloggy chums - I thought it was about time I did a Juicy Give away, and as May rhymes with 'Away' well, a May Give away was in order! 

To be extra generous, but also make you work for your entry, you have 4 chances to enter - Names will be drawn out of the proverbial hat (i.e. a bowl) on Sunday 15th of May, at 12pm - so get your entries in before then to qualify.

Ways to enter;

1. Leave a comment if you are allready a follower

2. Follow the JuicyFig blog, and leave comment to let me know!

3. Tweet this post on the twitter-me-bobs, leave a comment to let me know you have done it

4. 'Like' the JuicyFig page -  then leave me a comment here to let me know

I will put the name of EVERY comment in the hat - and draw out 2 winners. 

But what do I win? I hear you cry!

Well, as I have been having a blast making scented items for both my Folksy and Etsy shops - it will be a selection of scented items - and a few other little goodies! 

These all smell fantastic - Baby Powder and Vintage Rose scents for your wardrobe, knicker draw, car, bathroom, anywhere you need a sweet smell!

So what are you waiting for? Share the love and maybe win a prize, Sweet! 

Busy Sundays

 Why is it that Sundays are always so busy? Mind you, I do feel like I have achieved a lot!

A couple more hexagons sewn today - Still trying to make up my mind about what they will eventually be, but Knitting bag is number one on the list of possibles right now.

Listed a pile of summer jumpers on e-bay for the 'traditionally built' ladies out there, as well as some beloved fabric, some almost vintage Rowan wool, and a load of Simpson's Toy figures - I have no idea why I had them for so long! - Links at the top of the page if you fancy an e-bay bargain! 

Then, Made a pair of curtains for my 14 year old Niece who lives next door - Her dad has been doing her room up for 6 years now, and tonight she finally gets to move out of the room she has been sharing with her 6 year old sister, she is VERY excited, and I have promised her I will blog about the room once she has 'sorted it out'

Tea is almost cooked - and I have another 50 granny squares to crochet for a baby blanket - not all tonight, but hoping to get another 10 done at least!

Also - After forgetting I had signed up for a Button swap, and getting a reminder from my swap partner, I have been thinking a great deal about what to make for her - I will be ready for a rest tomorrow!

Looking back, over your shoulder...

What a morning - I have just spent half an hour looking back through my own posts - mostly being astonished by how long ago things occurred in relation to how not so long ago they are in my memory! (does that make sense?)

This time was supposed to be spent reading other peoples blogs - I am getting so tardy at this, and I so love reading all your adventures! But since signing up for twitter, and starting a JuicyFig facebook page, I get so easily side tracked, mind you it does not help me being SO computer illiterate, it takes me AGES to do anything!

 The other thing that struck me while looking back is how clean and tidy my house looks in them! Since finishing work and Baby Fig moving back home, the house has gone to pieces! there is not an inch of space anywhere - I wouldn't mind so much if I hadn't spent the past 12 months throwing stuff out and selling items on e-bay, plus I can't afford to buy anything new! - so where does it all come from?

 Has anyone been watching the series on BBC1 about Liberty's, Habitat, Boots et al?

I had dreams of my products being stocked in Liberty's for years - but to be honest, after watching this programe, and seeing artists and crafts people taken on by them, then the gorgeous stuff they make being mass produced abroad, and there prices being knocked down and down, I am not sure I would want that! - Still, the money would be nice right now. My compensation from my last job has long since ended, and I am at another of those strange life junctions with decisions that need making. Baby Fig has also lost her job, but is desperate to get back into screen printing. Our goal is to work together someday - we just need a huge cash injection - a donation preferably!! hehehe

 In the mean time, I have been busy knitting. These scarves are all in my Folksy shop - HOWEVER! the twirly ones are so simple to make, only the knit stitch is required, so I am going to post the pattern on here so if you fancy having a go you can!

Right - better start tidying up! 

Craft Fairs and Farmers Markets

Hello my bloggy chums, I hope (if you are in the UK) you are making the most of this glorious sunshine!

It has been an absolutely stunning spring so far, which always makes me think that summer is going to be rotten, but fingers crossed it will continue to be as glorious as it is now! 

This morning we went off to Browsholme hall in Bowland to their monthly Farmers and craft market - it is in the most stunning location, nothing but rolling hills, green fields, twisty country roads and woodlands as far as the eye can see! I had gone to see if it would be worth taking a stall their. The market is in the old Tithe barn, and there were plenty of people there, but apparently people were not spending much money - also another stall selling items similar to mine already had residence, I was a little disappointed by how little the lady was charging for stuff, how she made things for so little I don't know. All the way home, all I could think about was finding a workshop for my Daughter to set up screen printing and me to sew the fabric she made - everywhere is just so expensive though! I will keep dreaming, who knows, one day! 

So - to help facilitate said dream, I listed some new items in my Etsy shop, one step at a time sweet figgy!

Bodkin The Brave

Thanks for the get well soons for our teeny tiny kitty Bodkin.

He has somehow managed to take some of his stitches out, so another trip to the vets was needed to get his leg stapled instead - he is now feeling very sorry for himself, as he has to wear one of those Elizabethan collars that looks like a trumpet on his head - he has been banished from the great outdoors until it heals more - in the mean time he is insisting on throwing himself against the windows to get out, then moon walking round the house - very funny, but I can't wait for him to be allowed out again!

Only a couple of days now until the Royal Shindig - I must admit that although I am not a fan of Royalty, it does completely fascinate me! As far as I can tell our country does have the longest Royal History, there have been good 'uns and bad 'uns, and I would rather be a citizen than a subject - I think...but we really do pomp and ceremony like no other country, and every aspect of the wedding has some historical story behind it. 

I was watching a program earlier today about other royal weddings, and the gifts received from loyal subjects - one of the queens wedding gifts was a pile of knitted dish cloths - I wonder if she still uses them?

When Charles and Di wed in 1981 - I was 10 years old. I was spending the week at Stonyhurst collage, about 5 miles away. On the day of the wedding they set up a TV in the refectory - it was the most amazing place to be, I felt almost Royal! (check the link and you will see why!)

This time I am going round to my mums to watch, we will make sandwiches and drink Bitter Shandy's!

What ever you get up to on Friday - I hope you have a wonderful day!

Pink Linen Roses

 Our poor computer has been poorly with evil vile viruses for over a week - and thanks to the combined efforts of brother in law, daddy fig and mr juicy it is all back up and running now.

The silence has been deafening! how strange not having the pooter fan whirring away in the background all day, and I have missed checking my twitter and e-mails every time I have passed by.

 I have been in a bit of an embroidery mood - I had picked up some sublime linen embroidery floss a few weeks ago, I saw it in a sale basket, and immediately thought of dusky roses. As the floss was linen, the fabric had to be linen too! My stitching is slowly improving!

I chopped the linen into pieces, and did a slightly difrent rose on each - then had to think of some way of using them - so here is a cushion top WIP!

DRAMA - Our little tiny black cat -Bodkin - came out for a walk with us on Monday evening, shot up a tree, then in an effort to get back down stepped onto a dead branch and fell onto a barbed wire fence, making a huge gash on his leg. He spent a night in the vets, and is back home now recuperating. Mr Juicy however has not recovered from the whole traumatic event!

JuicyFig: Droplets Face Cloth *FREE PATTERN*

JuicyFig: Droplets Face Cloth *FREE PATTERN*: " Finally - I have got around to a free pattern, carefully worked out by little old me! This is for a face cloth - I have called..."

All In The Golden Afternoon

 The sun is really doing a fantastic job of shining this week - so out I popped with my trusty camera to get some photo's of the flowers in my little pots at the front of the house now they are literally springing to life! 

Every time I see a cluster of pansies or 'micky mouse faces' as my grandma calls them, I am reminded of this little song from  Alice in Wonderland

 I just LOVE the colour of these ones, they look almost black in some light - truly sumptuous!

Another of my favorite spring flowers are Grape Hyacinths - I don't think we can ever replicate what nature does with colours! 

These ones were planted up from a supermarket mothers day gift years ago, and their little colony is growing steadily

Last years primulas are also making a triumphant return - I usually loose them and have to replace them every year - it must be Mr Juicy's secret fertiliser formula that they liked.

and I finally got my knitting mojo back after getting some recycled cotton yarn - I have been busy making face cloths for one of my shops - I have even designed a pattern for them, if it works out, I may just be posting it up here as a little freebie gift for you all! 

right - off to my nieces school show this evening, a 1980's music extravaganza! got my dancing shoes on, and my jacket sleeves rolled up ready to boogie!