tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47506402416604239012024-02-19T08:07:49.421+00:00Joey's Dream Gardenthings to delight and inspire you!Joey's Dream Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08911714755306558466noreply@blogger.comBlogger139125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4750640241660423901.post-41871779146995502312011-11-16T08:32:00.001+00:002011-11-17T18:54:52.072+00:00Reetsweet Christmas Craft Fair - Sunday 27 November 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Hello there!</span></div>
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Just wanted to quickly mention that I will have a stall at the very first Sheffield Reetsweet craft fair in less than two weeks! It's at the fabulous <a href="http://www.museums-sheffield.org.uk/museums/millennium-gallery/planning-a-visit/" target="_blank">Millennium Gallery</a> on Sunday 27 November, opening times are from 12 noon to 4 p.m., and entry is FREE! <br />
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<a href="http://www.reetsweet.com/events/" target="_blank">Reetsweet</a> is run by Becki Drury from Leeds, who has run many very successful fairs in Leeds. I'm so glad that someone has stepped in where the excellent Craft Candy fairs left off - I do really enjoy the Christmas craft fair (this will be my third). I'm expecting to see lots of old Craft Candy friends there... I can't wait! :D<br />
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Reetsweet fairs are full of bright, quirky and fun products - and of course, everything is genuinely handmade... click here to take a look at some of the goodies at the recent Leeds Uni Reetsweet fair! <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Reetsweet-craft-events/156352357718032#!/media/set/?set=a.303188389701094.80222.156352357718032&type=3" target="_blank">Leeds Uni goodies</a><br />
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So if you're in Sheffield on that day, please drop by and say hi!<br />
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<li>Millennium Gallery is just five minutes walk from the train station and the bus station</li>
<li>For a map of Millennium Gallery and streetview from the Surrey Street entrance via the Winter Gardens, click here: <a href="http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=millenium+gallery+sheffield&hl=en&ll=53.380231,-1.46764&spn=0.002534,0.021887&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&hq=millenium+gallery&hnear=Sheffield,+United+Kingdom&t=m&z=16&vpsrc=0&layer=c&cbll=53.380201,-1.46764&panoid=vaWJ0V92NT2eeWqyu0J9sA&cbp=11,234.83,,0,0" target="_blank">how to get there</a></li>
<li>There is another entrance to the Millennium Gallery on Arundel Gate.</li>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Best wishes</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Joey x</span></div>Joey's Dream Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08911714755306558466noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4750640241660423901.post-56610460392999769652011-10-30T01:02:00.001+00:002011-10-30T01:02:17.685+00:00Charlotte Liddle in Sheffield <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close-up of my strawberry applique, one of the projects from Charlotte Liddle's new book!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hello there!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here's another of my quarterly blog posts! Hahaha! Oops! Maybe next year I'll be a better blogger... I finished the walking challenge (see my <a href="http://joeysdreamgarden.blogspot.com/2011/07/very-very-long-walk.html" target="_blank">last post</a>) a couple of weeks ago, so I don't really have any excuses for not posting (apart from weird times at work, but that's another story)...</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our walking team finished in 10</span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">th</span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> place out of 177 teams (individually I came 4</span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">th</span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> out of 885 people, with 2,695,838 steps, or about 1172 miles), which I'm really pleased about!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I've never done so much walking in my life! I'm sure I'm a couple of inches shorter now... </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Click here to see the <a href="http://walkingchallenge.rightcorecare.co.uk/league-table" target="_blank">Walking Challenge League Table</a></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking off into the sunset...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So what's the thing that was <strong>so amazing</strong> that I just had to write a post about it? Well, our local John Lewis store in Sheffield hosted a book signing and free workshop with craft book writer <a href="http://charlotteliddle.co.uk/" target="_blank">Charlotte Liddle</a>. Charlotte has now written three craft books: <i><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stitch-Sparkle-Easy-Projects-Stick/dp/190448588X/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_2" target="_blank">“Stitch and Sparkle: 15 Easy Projects to Stick and Sew”;</a> “<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stitch-Divas-Creative-Yarns-Threads/dp/1906007551/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_3" target="_blank">Stitch Divas: New Ways to Get Creative with Yarns and Threads”</a></i> (written with Rachel Henderson) and her latest book, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cute-Quilting-Stitching-Charlotte-Liddle/dp/1907563326/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1" target="_blank">“Cute and Easy Quilting and Stitching”</a></i> which was published this spring. I found out about Charlotte's event when visiting the ladies' for a <strong>wee</strong> last Saturday, as an advert for it was on the back of the loo door - of all places! Anyway, I asked my mother-in-law Chris along, and we both enjoyed a <strong>fantastic</strong> couple of hours making one of the projects from Charlotte's new book.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charlotte Liddle today, sitting behind copies of her new book, with some of her creations from it.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It was really interesting to be able to chat with Charlotte whilst we were stitching away, and it gave me the chance to get to know her a little. Charlotte is from Darlington, and graduated from her Textile Crafts course at the University of Huddersfield in 2005, and currently teaches textile crafts to adults and older teenagers, as well as holding workshops and writing craft books. After leaving Uni, Charlotte got a job in the office at <span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">the Coats Crafts headquarters in Darlington. She was in the right place, because after showing them her portfolio, s</span></span>he got her first book deal<span style="font-style: normal;">! </span><i></i>The result, called <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stitch-Sparkle-Easy-Projects-Stick/dp/190448588X/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_2" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">“</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Stitch and Sparkle”,</i></span></span></a> really is a <strong>sparkling treasure-trove</strong> full of ideas to combine printed fabrics, lace, ribbon, beads, buttons and all things twinkly to create <span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">your own unique accessories</span></span>, or bling-up your tired but still serviceable old stuff. In my opinion, it really stands out from a lot of other craft books because every page is buzzing with bright treasures - there's nothing old-fashioned or tired here.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://charlotteliddle.co.uk/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGhrXRFMUbL0bV0NoEPE5QFEoIOYA_qHrXANqZKaVuYT1SvM0UzQ6Nk4-Get3Pk94nssr3ZJMIFEGScVy1A9W3vEjmOY5jktfQaF92JeCi9SYt7BHka212_iNsCP45v_n4XE4cTgnn9Yc/s400/Charlotte+Liddle+shoes.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charlotte's beautiful embellished shoes - fit for a princess!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://charlotteliddle.co.uk/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="300" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8avjb20UkZlpp8_0ZhhSS-nDPni08UdVyz5xzWVabWkD3oANJWvxlJmHI8XyE5SN5tWmY15d9vFRfiVlKtIFh3iFX78yPjnQcxyl8_XGS_6JW8wWOvKENhTS7Og3ALFdSaRjqP-lCQ1w/s400/charlotte+liddle+lilac+embroidery.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gorgeous combination of applique, crochet and beading by Charlotte Liddle.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Charlotte's latest book is also full of projects – <strong>35 no less</strong>. She told us that it took her a mere <em>10 weeks</em> to create. I say “create” rather than write because I know from experience that the written instructions are just a tiny part of a project. They're important, but they just don't give you as massive a headache as the times when you get halfway through making a thing and realise that the fabric's all wrong/your design's all wrong/you've messed up big time/your sewing machine decides that it's had enough and goes on strike/you have a nervous breakdown and turn to <strong>jelly</strong>... So I'm mightily impressed that Charlotte designed, made and wrote the instructions for <span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">35 projects</span></span> in <strong>only 10 weeks</strong>... and stayed sane! Charlotte had put up a display of some of her creations from the book, and it was great to see them up close to appreciate the details.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The beauty of this book is that it can be enjoyed not only by people who are completely new to sewing but also folks with experience in one technique but need a bit of inspiration to try something a little different... for example, I'd really like to have a go at <strong>cathedral window quilting</strong> – well, there's a project for that! I have already asked Santa for the book. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charlotte's creations from her new book.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The project from the book which Charlotte had prepared for us was the appliquéed jam jar covers, using good old Bondaweb (aah, lovely Bondaweb, what would I do without you??) to bond the applique pieces to a background fabric. It was then very relaxing and easy to embroider and embellish our cute little strawberries. <strong>Joy!</strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The group's conversation quickly arrived at the subject of haberdashery and fabric shops, and we came to the conclusion that there aren't enough of them. However, it turns out that a few of us have made the pilgrimage to Duttons for Buttons in York, and we all agreed that it's <strong>THE mecca for button lovers!</strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's a tiny shop, with about four floors I think, but the ground floor is best – if you're like me, then you'll be gazing in awe at the wall of buttons for quite a while! I went to York for my birthday this year; I'd never heard of Duttons, so when I saw it I just <em>had</em> to go in. I really wish it was in Sheffield so I could have a longer browse. I only bought a few buttons, but they were <strong>the tiniest shank buttons I've ever seen</strong>! I could easily have come away with enough buttons to make the best Pearly Kings & Queens very jealous.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I could have spent a day chatting with Charlotte (although she may have got sick of me very quickly!) as she is such an open, down-to-earth and really friendly person, with a lot of talent and skill. I'm truly grateful for a wonderful morning of crafting and talking about crafting – just what I needed right now!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thanks Charlotte, and thanks to you too, for reading!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Best wishes</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Joey x</span></span></div>Joey's Dream Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08911714755306558466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4750640241660423901.post-46109045616213295192011-07-16T12:11:00.002+01:002011-07-16T12:39:53.945+01:00The Very Very Long Walk<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3H9r4qzuyhie6Cmw3cuCkaAF6RTgpvZgNQ1x8YdiI_7JWE1G0uqs4qQnDC7ZjnKKdhdX7VOKY45G7SnsqX1LiRetoe3e3R0sl9MGggcP5glZrcQy3DzBu4PuR5znFOliR85U_27nAZo0/s1600/Chesterfield%2527s+wonky+spire.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3H9r4qzuyhie6Cmw3cuCkaAF6RTgpvZgNQ1x8YdiI_7JWE1G0uqs4qQnDC7ZjnKKdhdX7VOKY45G7SnsqX1LiRetoe3e3R0sl9MGggcP5glZrcQy3DzBu4PuR5znFOliR85U_27nAZo0/s640/Chesterfield%2527s+wonky+spire.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chesterfield Parish Church, with its wonky spire</td></tr>
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Hello there!</div>
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After yet another long break from this blog, I'm back again! I do have a couple of excuses though... we have bought the house which we've been renting for 14 years, I now know what people mean by house-buying being stressful... But thank goodness that it's all sorted!<br />
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The other thing which has been keeping me busy, is that I'm taking part in a summer-long walking event, called the DWP Walking Challenge, for the charity The Civil Service Benevolent Fund (see the end of this post for more info about the CSBF).<br />
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So far, I've walked over a third of a million steps, which I'm really pleased with, but I'd really love to walk at least a million steps, maybe more! <br />
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So, as you can imagine, I've been walking a lot more than usual for the last couple of weeks! Mathew has been too, and he's being a brilliant support with this, basically encouraging me to go for more and bigger walks, and sorting out the routes. Which is good, as my sense of direction is almost non-existent. I'm the sort of person who comes out of a shop and has to think about which way to turn! I'm not exaggerating.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX76Wu7sV1MD13K6QtLHLU-U8upt-RO3vTYECy-_eEcNYBo_wgVgMqcdC1Yy21N22dSZjwzp1LkfEI7G5LRGH7IT9qWunqatKOB9aLgPLz6RjTHDeFcguMx9J3o05cRCYMKHMQI_tSNKs/s1600/Satellite+Map+of+route+for+Sheffield+to+Chesterfield+and+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX76Wu7sV1MD13K6QtLHLU-U8upt-RO3vTYECy-_eEcNYBo_wgVgMqcdC1Yy21N22dSZjwzp1LkfEI7G5LRGH7IT9qWunqatKOB9aLgPLz6RjTHDeFcguMx9J3o05cRCYMKHMQI_tSNKs/s320/Satellite+Map+of+route+for+Sheffield+to+Chesterfield+and+back.jpg" width="273" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a map of the very, very long walk</td></tr>
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This is why, last Friday evening as me and Mathew were doing our evening walk through nearby Norfolk Heritage Park, we decided to do a big walk the next day (i.e. a week ago today)... and I mean a BIG WALK – from our house in Sheffield, not far from the city centre, to Chesterfield, around 15 miles away! After we did the walk, Mathew mapped it out on Mapometer.com, but there's a screen capture above so you can see.<br />
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We started out around 6:25am, which was plenty early for us. It was light, but rather gloomy. Umbrella was packed in case of rain. This picture below was taken at the top of Granville Road, looking towards Sheffield city centre.<br />
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Walked past the big cemetery just up the road from us. These stone carvings are relatively new. I think they're of apples, because there's lots of apples trees in City Road cemetery.</div>
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Here's a brief history of City Road cemetery: <a href="http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/out--about/parks-woodlands--countryside/parks/a-z-city-district--local--parks/cholera-monument-grounds--clay-wood/norfolk-heritage-trail/city-road-cemetery-history">City Road cemetery history on Sheffield City Council website</a><br />
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More new stone carvings just off City Road:<br />
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I've never seen Manor library (I don't even think that I knew there was one!) but I think they're done a lovely job of making it look nice, don't you think so? Oh, and another stone carving... bit of a trend here!<br />
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We thought these two signs were funny, outside a primary school. Very passive-aggressive! They could have written the signs in a much nicer way.<br />
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We passed this metal sculpture in Herdings Park at around 7:35am - been walking for only an hour.<br />
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This sculpture is in the same style as <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/joey7/5902430827/in/photostream">the deer and little robot person</a> in Norfolk Heritage Park.<br />
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We popped into <a href="http://www.gravesparksheffield.info/">Graves Park</a> to see if the toilets were open. They weren't. Hold on for a bit longer... But the park was really peaceful, just a few dog-walkers around.<br />
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There's some great playground stuff in there too! The sun was actually starting to make an appearance too. <br />
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Graves Park is fab, not only because of the gigantic park itself but they also have animals! We only saw a few on this morning though, some cows and goats: <br />
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Good way to clean out your nose! :-)<br />
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Don't the goats look contented? <br />
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We arrived at Jordanthorpe and saw this bizarre outdoor gym equipment! I would have had a little go but I was a little tired by this time and was a bit self-conscious too! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYn5alaIH247pRH-aevS5irTrUmOt8mQlj7OsjcTPX0vYSzJ_JdPTbq7XE39qxDQWVvTEsZru1bcWoFGIzIOrL81u-isJ7Iiwk8AyW4t4Uer2Ac6olHovQ0nmxu6DmeT7Nkip37LQjIXQ/s1600/Walk+from+Sheffield+to+Chesterfield+and+back+119.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYn5alaIH247pRH-aevS5irTrUmOt8mQlj7OsjcTPX0vYSzJ_JdPTbq7XE39qxDQWVvTEsZru1bcWoFGIzIOrL81u-isJ7Iiwk8AyW4t4Uer2Ac6olHovQ0nmxu6DmeT7Nkip37LQjIXQ/s400/Walk+from+Sheffield+to+Chesterfield+and+back+119.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Then at around 8:45, we crossed the border into Derbyshire! Yay! The village of Coal Aston was very nice. <br />
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The countryside around here is really pretty, look at how far you can see! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizIal52ujKNpZOySntko7tVsPoraADuvNdYTcTImpGeC3aDGCuJP8iOkVbbt5HvWDx_WPrUYWxiwf-JdnsHubTEu7Hy-yDo3mQLHAh6VoYysecnqe68hsZDpWY2CzgoSt1TbK1gcsD_X0/s1600/fields+stitched+picture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="106" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizIal52ujKNpZOySntko7tVsPoraADuvNdYTcTImpGeC3aDGCuJP8iOkVbbt5HvWDx_WPrUYWxiwf-JdnsHubTEu7Hy-yDo3mQLHAh6VoYysecnqe68hsZDpWY2CzgoSt1TbK1gcsD_X0/s400/fields+stitched+picture.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Odd sign at Dronfield... it took us ages to work out what it meant. What was the matter with writing "it's 30 for a reason"? <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmdH7Bik48ZT6kjD3ZuBlwEJ4Kkh-3MGzzCeVebTQuMTnL6H1a2rMZpCaKrO7yIEAVJUOK7GO7ljFKrkDVHIIpRlcPkM0ob4UiYTOudBF6avrbwpqdG34sFLvbsdoNTxG88Kap_Qg06ik/s1600/Walk+from+Sheffield+to+Chesterfield+and+back+136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmdH7Bik48ZT6kjD3ZuBlwEJ4Kkh-3MGzzCeVebTQuMTnL6H1a2rMZpCaKrO7yIEAVJUOK7GO7ljFKrkDVHIIpRlcPkM0ob4UiYTOudBF6avrbwpqdG34sFLvbsdoNTxG88Kap_Qg06ik/s320/Walk+from+Sheffield+to+Chesterfield+and+back+136.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">road rage</td></tr>
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</div>
WE'VE ARRIVED!! Well, not quite. It actually took us another hour and a half to reach the town centre... my feet were really killing me by now, but Mathew was fine!<br />
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Look, we can now see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chesterfield_Parish_Church">Chesterfield's parish church's famous crooked spire</a>. This was 40 mins after passing the "Chesterfield" sign above. But we still weren't that close... it took us another hour to reach our destination!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-hzNOZ8g9ZKY8ISnAKSQQLeV_tJLlW16mtmKFV7O-IdDD-Whgrf83gYQc8rfupCjXjfbouPy_zqfdiF-ger1kNkytCfHuJjnoWRuK8TqYeMXzjQXnLI0ec07kDs2ArEryHTEGYSw9BaE/s1600/Walk+from+Sheffield+to+Chesterfield+and+back+140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-hzNOZ8g9ZKY8ISnAKSQQLeV_tJLlW16mtmKFV7O-IdDD-Whgrf83gYQc8rfupCjXjfbouPy_zqfdiF-ger1kNkytCfHuJjnoWRuK8TqYeMXzjQXnLI0ec07kDs2ArEryHTEGYSw9BaE/s320/Walk+from+Sheffield+to+Chesterfield+and+back+140.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Bright and jolly mural on the side of a school.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJR8G4L_BVa9_JcSN971UMVpice0hYatQr4RoTLafT7XlvPiZsfAGWK20XOjGCr0OzYFlhwwzeGpbNe0ZHWzCtyYH1sU1b5xJFQqZo9Kkc7Ic8kdzPbBGbP6oI8Iv0KFv16f4TaPWf7eo/s1600/Walk+from+Sheffield+to+Chesterfield+and+back+142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJR8G4L_BVa9_JcSN971UMVpice0hYatQr4RoTLafT7XlvPiZsfAGWK20XOjGCr0OzYFlhwwzeGpbNe0ZHWzCtyYH1sU1b5xJFQqZo9Kkc7Ic8kdzPbBGbP6oI8Iv0KFv16f4TaPWf7eo/s320/Walk+from+Sheffield+to+Chesterfield+and+back+142.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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We eventually reached Chesterfield town centre at about 11:30am. To say that my feet and legs were tired is an understatement. I'm <strike>quite</strike> <strike>very</strike> <strike>extremely overweight</strike> a bit of a porky pig, and I think it's that which makes it tougher for me (I know, I know, it's my own fault...) but it's still not pleasant to have incredibly sore, aching feet and legs! If you are a slim, healthy person then it probably wouldn't be so much of a problem for you. Mathew wanted to have a look around the town's charity shops, but my priority was a nice sit-down!! We eventually found a lovely park, <a href="http://www.chesterfield.gov.uk/default.aspx?CATID=755">Queen's Park</a>, which boasted a duck/boating pond, a miniature train and a cricket match! So I settled down, put on a bit of Ravi Shankar on my MP3 player and lazed around for a few hours!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQOCf0HPNR1-xwdEr8W156EarOKEqx2eDYJcvpvAcTlpe6sYh3CaSHTDsTHNSlTZcdF6pWCilJzN1WLdUnTuPGqr9NMRijgY_gIZ14WDFlhPOmTTIbLbc9ICIWuLe2Yv0Y9ZVdB-Z_dD0/s1600/Walk+from+Sheffield+to+Chesterfield+and+back+149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQOCf0HPNR1-xwdEr8W156EarOKEqx2eDYJcvpvAcTlpe6sYh3CaSHTDsTHNSlTZcdF6pWCilJzN1WLdUnTuPGqr9NMRijgY_gIZ14WDFlhPOmTTIbLbc9ICIWuLe2Yv0Y9ZVdB-Z_dD0/s320/Walk+from+Sheffield+to+Chesterfield+and+back+149.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Puffin' Billy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgstyu4AjzYAtIGYItXyUzMIyDWbUbnjzHBna2oQYDD2YQl8ov6aSMun7ZoeGioP6VbwjYZRutFLVX1ododQXcjHCE2dy_mKB_v6VN9lHxJk-eiAy40s1OBKG7eIqwXRiXxS4PPJZTF9g0/s1600/Walk+from+Sheffield+to+Chesterfield+and+back+158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgstyu4AjzYAtIGYItXyUzMIyDWbUbnjzHBna2oQYDD2YQl8ov6aSMun7ZoeGioP6VbwjYZRutFLVX1ododQXcjHCE2dy_mKB_v6VN9lHxJk-eiAy40s1OBKG7eIqwXRiXxS4PPJZTF9g0/s320/Walk+from+Sheffield+to+Chesterfield+and+back+158.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching cricket</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWGsLlptHXgDIS63-E1hbhDOl3ZwakeLB-A4Mt-4hB8RO27AVNt4iCMivGIGrt0fonPzLX1LCdsagbBx65xI6F_4g7J3xfOmAYVNkj5oVdrSpq9wSlXn82L1jZLTiZgiyxbgqpNicUMGs/s1600/Walk+from+Sheffield+to+Chesterfield+and+back+164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWGsLlptHXgDIS63-E1hbhDOl3ZwakeLB-A4Mt-4hB8RO27AVNt4iCMivGIGrt0fonPzLX1LCdsagbBx65xI6F_4g7J3xfOmAYVNkj5oVdrSpq9wSlXn82L1jZLTiZgiyxbgqpNicUMGs/s320/Walk+from+Sheffield+to+Chesterfield+and+back+164.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mural on the underside of the bridge which links the park to the town centre</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx-29TQolEcCbTMvpZjNWlJz0Jgv8pPapFTIhrjImPdLxbcyf5G366L2DNbvcTNvY4_KYLYB_N5CaPHIwwaLM2nsBFUHtMpLmDpUxKByYCkz7rJf2C-2GKWHb6s582uX6AbiSzuGIvcY0/s1600/Walk+from+Sheffield+to+Chesterfield+and+back+166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx-29TQolEcCbTMvpZjNWlJz0Jgv8pPapFTIhrjImPdLxbcyf5G366L2DNbvcTNvY4_KYLYB_N5CaPHIwwaLM2nsBFUHtMpLmDpUxKByYCkz7rJf2C-2GKWHb6s582uX6AbiSzuGIvcY0/s320/Walk+from+Sheffield+to+Chesterfield+and+back+166.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of Chesterfield's oldest buildings, which dates back to the 17th century, is now a coffee house.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifXelcqhKBoHhlrz4N26WU92dMBMJOl_EE0Rdv_GxxaxSHJ1lQuz6x0XxAkgEJGcRg2pnwK0n2gxlTLo3g6INQW1f2wJjRMCg4Iig0_0zCJ9rSqDt8hOOou_MgzubsfgvOamdVVxJ9DHE/s1600/Walk+from+Sheffield+to+Chesterfield+and+back+169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifXelcqhKBoHhlrz4N26WU92dMBMJOl_EE0Rdv_GxxaxSHJ1lQuz6x0XxAkgEJGcRg2pnwK0n2gxlTLo3g6INQW1f2wJjRMCg4Iig0_0zCJ9rSqDt8hOOou_MgzubsfgvOamdVVxJ9DHE/s320/Walk+from+Sheffield+to+Chesterfield+and+back+169.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">interesting building; I like the colour & ornate windows</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9fDWSLtgtV-9jB1yD5j3bCPPgI6EXHwx6_ywGxm45g0wfR4g16MI2APt-GhndTOy4F0FXkCdatsDvVdR6fu06-MGOVkCRMStfaovue5nM-5DH_bflEoDSXYs3A5xQ4K56VwMSri9I1CY/s1600/Walk+from+Sheffield+to+Chesterfield+and+back+170.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9fDWSLtgtV-9jB1yD5j3bCPPgI6EXHwx6_ywGxm45g0wfR4g16MI2APt-GhndTOy4F0FXkCdatsDvVdR6fu06-MGOVkCRMStfaovue5nM-5DH_bflEoDSXYs3A5xQ4K56VwMSri9I1CY/s320/Walk+from+Sheffield+to+Chesterfield+and+back+170.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">another interesting building... I love the tiles above the central doorway!</td></tr>
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After a lunch of peanut butter sandwiches and numerous bags of crisps, then an hour or so of watching the cricket, we staggered our painful way home. Well, Mathew seemed pretty ok, but I really struggled. At least it was a beautiful evening... look at these views!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc8O2j5CCxPiJycXxZMwamGU3IybzZThvelJx10Uva2o1AXe_upnPvs0hABJ5tjzpkQ5fBcA_kQcGTI8AFAzDuWCI71efrg5iTkJbY7v52DcygliJ1waoM6rO12FjIQ63I3WadOwHdvnM/s1600/Walk+from+Sheffield+to+Chesterfield+and+back+171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc8O2j5CCxPiJycXxZMwamGU3IybzZThvelJx10Uva2o1AXe_upnPvs0hABJ5tjzpkQ5fBcA_kQcGTI8AFAzDuWCI71efrg5iTkJbY7v52DcygliJ1waoM6rO12FjIQ63I3WadOwHdvnM/s400/Walk+from+Sheffield+to+Chesterfield+and+back+171.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's tea-time!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLTiMhPrTMrmbdmiWRwP8jNN57xWplSI53mIS3q5wsa4CEsAMVnquEvT-I2Sd1B01sZJzg4iO_nRkyhIdUoIKwmiVrzF-2Kt_Jsz1eMlVomx8M9AWiiOK62qonsHZ9eu_1VNBDN9EnXN4/s1600/Walk+from+Sheffield+to+Chesterfield+and+back+185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLTiMhPrTMrmbdmiWRwP8jNN57xWplSI53mIS3q5wsa4CEsAMVnquEvT-I2Sd1B01sZJzg4iO_nRkyhIdUoIKwmiVrzF-2Kt_Jsz1eMlVomx8M9AWiiOK62qonsHZ9eu_1VNBDN9EnXN4/s400/Walk+from+Sheffield+to+Chesterfield+and+back+185.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More cricket! This time, in Graves Park (the toilets still weren't open...)<br />
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The picture you see above was the last one I took of the day. I was too tired to bother with my camera. By this time, my legs and feet were in absolute agony. Yes, I am a bit of a drama queen, but THEY REALLY HURT! I am not used to a lot of physical exercise. We got back at about 8:15 p.m., mainly because I was shuffling along at a snail's pace.<br />
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That, we vowed never to go on such a long walk in one day. But this week, Mathew's been suggesting all sorts of crazy long walks! Watch this space...<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">And please sponsor me, at <a href="http://www.justgiving.com/Joey-Ramone">my Just Giving page</a>!</span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Best wishes</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Joey xx</span></div>
<br />
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>More
about the DWP Walking Challenge:
</b><a href="http://www.csbf.org.uk/fundraising/support_fundraisers/dwp_walking_challenge/">http://www.csbf.org.uk/fundraising/support_fundraisers/dwp_walking_challenge/</a></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>The
DWP Walking Challenge league table</b>:
<a href="http://walkingchallenge.rightcorecare.co.uk/league-table?page=1">http://walkingchallenge.rightcorecare.co.uk/league-table?page=1</a></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>The
Civil Service Benevolent Fund</b></span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The
CSBF helps UK civil servants, ex-civil servants, and people connected
to them, and also the employees and their families of many associated
organisations which used to be part of the UK civil service, in times
of desperate need. It’s the CSBF's 125th anniversary year, and to
celebrate,<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> they're aiming to raise
£125,000 during 2011 to support their help and advisory
activities. The sorts of things the CSBF does is help people during
bereavement, long-term and terminal illness, relationship breakdown,
financial crisis etc. If you want to know more about the work of the
CSBF, please take a look at last year's Impact Report:</span></span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.csbf.org.uk/Resources/Civil%20Service%20Benevolent%20Fund/Documents/Publications/Annual%20Review/Impact%20Report%202010/index.html"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">http://www.csbf.org.uk/Resources/Civil%20Service%20Benevolent%20Fund/Documents/Publications/Annual%20Review/Impact%20Report%202010/index.html</span></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Joey's Dream Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08911714755306558466noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4750640241660423901.post-11993505715894624332011-05-29T11:11:00.000+01:002011-05-29T11:11:51.156+01:00Golden Hands Encyclopedia of Crafts - sew a seating system freebie <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi73J5xFEZhndm9HjrwMCQwNiT94Z59Y-TuKrIhFwy4d8hyphenhyphendpPoou-W2tT2_WWAac6PaApL57SN4l-NJehmkpVuRSX_d-tO93VjpzDA3VwKwIkEnR_TkAQ_qETH1TYIRW1Eh2pADaGkGbA/s1600/seating+system+full+page-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi73J5xFEZhndm9HjrwMCQwNiT94Z59Y-TuKrIhFwy4d8hyphenhyphendpPoou-W2tT2_WWAac6PaApL57SN4l-NJehmkpVuRSX_d-tO93VjpzDA3VwKwIkEnR_TkAQ_qETH1TYIRW1Eh2pADaGkGbA/s400/seating+system+full+page-1.jpg" t8="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>I love the stripy green fabric! </em></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hello there!</span></div><br />
If you read my last post, you'll know that I've just bought a set of partwork craft magazines that I had as a child, so I've been tripping down memory lane with them! I've also set up a Flickr group, Golden Hands Crafts - For Everyone, so if any of you have your own copies of Golden Hands or Golden Hands Encyclopedia of Crafts, you can share them with the rest of us!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/golden_hands_crafts/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG0MaLVxODoHLhV14r246mvI8TAqjTEhcZfEEJRH41cprQ5K7w0ZorfWWZuIxHJ7_UncrffIIXBsoG5Hqu0d0iasZKVs6lgsCXgWSFJ6ECIdGVdrTwEmwBFZPS3N_uXhNOAUoh2zfouWM/s320/Flickr+group+page.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
They certainly are weird and wonderful... last night I was reading about marbling paper with seaweed, and I thought, "this is something I could do", until I read that I would need a couple of pints of something called 'oxgall' that I could get from my local slaughterhouse!! I don't even WANT to know where my nearest slaughterhouse is (I'm vegetarian), let alone actually go there! So I guess I won't be using that technique...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHzaXbVoUOFgMYt7fFzMKJlaogPVjCBIUMfvXzRl-ByAdNUTLRwqfPZN6UaNhPFXyOaC49ZkZju3StB5q6Gdp8i0ZaTosE3RmVA7ksLHxekI9nESxeMObFDZm3tnP9imsVEwpIXP7gsaE/s1600/seating+system+31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHzaXbVoUOFgMYt7fFzMKJlaogPVjCBIUMfvXzRl-ByAdNUTLRwqfPZN6UaNhPFXyOaC49ZkZju3StB5q6Gdp8i0ZaTosE3RmVA7ksLHxekI9nESxeMObFDZm3tnP9imsVEwpIXP7gsaE/s320/seating+system+31.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Get a fire guard on that open fire! Health and safety was "stuff and nonsense" in the 1970s...</em></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
This is much nicer. This impressive project would really give your sewing maching a good workout... sew your own 'seating system'! In my imagination, I am tempted to try this, but I know it'll never happen. I really like the look of it, they've styled the photos so well, but what would they be like in reality? Just beanbags with a bolster? Maybe if you had some quite large blocks of reasonably solid foam, they could work. Anyone want to have a go? I've embedded the full project as a PDF below. If <em>I</em> ever have a go at this I'll let you know how it turns out... <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/56573202/GHC-Seating-System-Project" style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 14px Helvetica, Arial, Sans-serif; margin: 12px auto 6px; text-decoration: underline;" title="View GHC Seating System Project on Scribd">GHC Seating System Project</a><iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" data-aspect-ratio="0.706697459584296" data-auto-height="true" frameborder="0" height="600" id="doc_36105" scrolling="no" src="http://www.scribd.com/embeds/56573202/content?start_page=1&view_mode=list&access_key=key-1ug59iwgdzl7eiib9o68" width="100%"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">
(function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "http://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })();
</script> <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Best wishes</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Joey xx</span></div>Joey's Dream Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08911714755306558466noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4750640241660423901.post-56523977528563729742011-05-27T23:12:00.000+01:002011-05-27T23:12:38.074+01:00Golden Hands Encyclopedia of Crafts - embroidery designs freebie<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwWjEZTPHqOApLkvipwHKFXHAJZ0QHz1xz32mvifRFqrtwkL_KnSTaZbk_9Rr-iiwxPepmAJhAnviyBsn_aSizusyR417Q_2F_nE-gsTTlpLLtqz0lVyADFJbRYJf4jp4KM-qUiy-bPBU/s1600/seating+system+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwWjEZTPHqOApLkvipwHKFXHAJZ0QHz1xz32mvifRFqrtwkL_KnSTaZbk_9Rr-iiwxPepmAJhAnviyBsn_aSizusyR417Q_2F_nE-gsTTlpLLtqz0lVyADFJbRYJf4jp4KM-qUiy-bPBU/s640/seating+system+1.jpg" t8="true" width="481" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Where it all began...</em></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<br />
This year is flying past so quickly, I can't believe how little I've blogged! And I don't even have a particularly good excuse for not doing so either. What HAVE I been doing? I must have just been existing really... <br />
<br />
<br />
Well, I want to put that straight RIGHT NOW! So I'm going to share with you all something from my childhood...<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbpr_AVHPuHWHZJY3VtTQXeb4hLyOVCocwZfbHsjyAj7KQTMfBwxeZXE4DblTBe5jhlMc5pmnDs7G9glicAcHygv6VX66Wro9NKdSz3OeE1Q7i2RueCAzsgLXPQ-zPTWHx0_5opTZ3eW8/s1600/Embroidery+designs+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbpr_AVHPuHWHZJY3VtTQXeb4hLyOVCocwZfbHsjyAj7KQTMfBwxeZXE4DblTBe5jhlMc5pmnDs7G9glicAcHygv6VX66Wro9NKdSz3OeE1Q7i2RueCAzsgLXPQ-zPTWHx0_5opTZ3eW8/s400/Embroidery+designs+2.jpg" t8="true" width="255" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>They like their embroidered tops, don't they?</em></td></tr>
</tbody></table> One of my elder sisters used to collect a part-work magazine called "The Golden Hands Encyclopedia of Crafts", published by Marshall Cavendish, in 1975. I was only two years old at the time, but my sister was about 15. I don't think she collected the whole set of 98 issues, but it was near enough. The magazines lived in a cardboard box, and when she had done with them, I "appropriated" them for myself.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCCFq5mIRj6_5dg3Hqb-JLC3amVSyPfZeHowj8QVeHErHXna6gmTS_OSumflcZb-t5bKNNwlD-GLPhr80m85scXwvj_D4g_CEEncBHxmRqQCFA-VkauHS4xLLVyAP8BTYmbvAK3FzAYmk/s1600/Embroidery+designs+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCCFq5mIRj6_5dg3Hqb-JLC3amVSyPfZeHowj8QVeHErHXna6gmTS_OSumflcZb-t5bKNNwlD-GLPhr80m85scXwvj_D4g_CEEncBHxmRqQCFA-VkauHS4xLLVyAP8BTYmbvAK3FzAYmk/s400/Embroidery+designs+5.jpg" t8="true" width="317" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Embroidered dress</em></td></tr>
</tbody></table>I LOVED those magazines! They were full of such wonders as macrame, pottery, enamelling, basketry, needlepoint, crochet, making stuff with old tin cans, paint effects like stencilling, embroidery, woodwork, beadwork, weaving, glasswork... the list just goes on and on... you name it, most crafts were probably covered. Although I only attempted a couple of projects (most of it was outside of my capability and level of confidence at the time), I read and re-read these magazines from cover to cover, many many times. And pored over the pictures for literally hours and hours. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNsmM21MOwApdfpImGD7lEWw0zzE6dwsAhvX2Ju5RJXiZi01TYX5P8dwezJLIsiMSFyK-0MTt_tBr4IS3GJro7dVRJKNmukfJR6uZUWFQUrpCBUMWPMyUaysfVFiFcq9ilQTktXxY6ZGI/s1600/Embroidery+designs+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNsmM21MOwApdfpImGD7lEWw0zzE6dwsAhvX2Ju5RJXiZi01TYX5P8dwezJLIsiMSFyK-0MTt_tBr4IS3GJro7dVRJKNmukfJR6uZUWFQUrpCBUMWPMyUaysfVFiFcq9ilQTktXxY6ZGI/s400/Embroidery+designs+4.jpg" t8="true" width="321" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>They don't make dresses like that anymore... cute embroidery though!</em></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Oh! The pictures! To me, they are the very essence of the 70s... a mixture of really good design, and terrible fashion sense! Or was it really good fashion sense?<br />
<br />
Anyway, she claimed them back from me after I'd left home, so I hadn't seen them for about 20 years, until now! I think I saw someone's pictures of them on Flickr or on a blog which piqued my interest again, but I hadn't forgotten them. Then when I found a set of a few on eBay, from a UK seller, I just had to bid for them! And they arrived yesterday! Hurrah!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmZVIwLc64i7oatGUFrjDBl9JMQV8ZpXK4Q6bH9GqR69sFMGA3Zq4feUsiQcDMWQtS6Jskktzg0uP61u3x5nq3b6sLuGfpDFflqxlA8EGKc0XSY7g8mseCVxa1mRH-pTwuR36OKkftSa8/s1600/Embroidery+designs+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmZVIwLc64i7oatGUFrjDBl9JMQV8ZpXK4Q6bH9GqR69sFMGA3Zq4feUsiQcDMWQtS6Jskktzg0uP61u3x5nq3b6sLuGfpDFflqxlA8EGKc0XSY7g8mseCVxa1mRH-pTwuR36OKkftSa8/s400/Embroidery+designs+3.jpg" t8="true" width="297" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Don't look so fed-up love... the embroidery is pretty, but the puffy sleeves... well, they're something else! :D</em></td></tr>
</tbody></table>So looking at them now, they just bring back so many happy memories. To me, they are far more than the sum of their parts. Unfortunately I only have the first 16 (it was sold as issues 1 - 17, but issue three is missing...booo!), but I hope to obtain them ALL at some point... <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj43GRzlpy4nf4k_Tl5E2iGkWMRBJGLq-6Sl3JeGRuNGbO1JtvgTxCGDF9dss4N6Eg8Z-bWZ75U8SYKaU51bNEJtwTNWl4h8hg4oMLOqFY5MPpPex___-rhYoA2URduTBtutK02nmXhEsY/s1600/Embroidery+designs+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj43GRzlpy4nf4k_Tl5E2iGkWMRBJGLq-6Sl3JeGRuNGbO1JtvgTxCGDF9dss4N6Eg8Z-bWZ75U8SYKaU51bNEJtwTNWl4h8hg4oMLOqFY5MPpPex___-rhYoA2URduTBtutK02nmXhEsY/s400/Embroidery+designs+7.jpg" t8="true" width="316" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Do you think her hair is meant to look like those ice-cream embroideries? Aw bless...</em></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
To start us off then, I'm going to share with you this collection of embroidery designs. Aren't they cute? These pictures and the embroidery designs are all from part 10. Just click on the picture below to get the full-size image.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrSmsnO5ChW8M5yVq9QAI876FxjaqobR2bGEoB1um9kIrCg1LDou7xDbUMKux9qJT0ODzWWGS8847IZ78Vycz-hgBH94vhPHbHKyll83DTpxu3vmdovvZ7nvqEzR3aopFQMAUeB7g2o_4/s1600/Embroidery+designs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrSmsnO5ChW8M5yVq9QAI876FxjaqobR2bGEoB1um9kIrCg1LDou7xDbUMKux9qJT0ODzWWGS8847IZ78Vycz-hgBH94vhPHbHKyll83DTpxu3vmdovvZ7nvqEzR3aopFQMAUeB7g2o_4/s640/Embroidery+designs.jpg" t8="true" width="482" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>The embroidery designs - click to bring up the full-size version</em></td></tr>
</tbody></table>I'm going to post other snippets from the magazines too, because I think they deserve to be aired after all these years in hiding! So watch this space if your appetite for some "retro crafting" has been whetted!<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Best wishes</div><div style="text-align: center;">Joey xx</div>Joey's Dream Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08911714755306558466noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4750640241660423901.post-88682025619622777422011-05-08T09:50:00.000+01:002011-05-08T09:50:09.362+01:00Winners and Losers: Sharing Apple's Pie More Fairly<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lenore-m/3063024748/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Apple Pie-31 by L. Marie, on Flickr"><img alt="Apple Pie-31" height="300" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3059/3063024748_7d252abc83_z.jpg?zz=1" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apple apple pie photo (& amazing pie!) by Lenore M. Edman, <a href="http://www.evilmadscientist.com/">http://www.evilmadscientist.com/</a><br />
Photo used under Creative Commons licence <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en_GB">CC BY 2.0</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Hi there!</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm going to ask you a favour, but first I'm going to tell you a little story...</div><br />
There was once a little girl who had a fifth birthday party at her house. Lots of children were invited to enjoy the party. It was a hot, sunny summer's day and as the little girl lived on a farm, there was plenty of space to run around. At last the children were tired, and after they had stuffed themselves with a kids' party tea of egg sandwiches, cubes of cheese on sticks, jelly and ice-cream and red pop, they settled down in the living room carpet to play pass-the-parcel.<br />
<br />
The little girl's mum had wrapped a parcel, at which the centre was a little toy, but under each of the 20 or so layers of wrapping paper, she'd put a Quality Street chocolate. Sitting in a circle, to the accompaniment of Radio 1, each of the children passed the parcel to the next child, and so on. Every time the music stopped, the child holding the parcel, unwrapped just one layer, and got a sweetie. Then the radio would be turned on again, and the parcel began it's circuit of the children's eager little hands.<br />
<div align="center"></div> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nataliejohnson/2122722198/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Help! I'm drowning in Quality Street! by nataliej, on Flickr"><img alt="Help! I'm drowning in Quality Street!" height="300" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2310/2122722198_c4984d80da_b.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Help! I'm Drowing in Quality Street!" photo by Natalie Johnson <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nataliejohnson/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/nataliejohnson/</a><br />
Photo used under Creative Commons licence <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/deed.en_GB">CC BY-NC 2.0</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Now, I don't know how it happened, but it turned out that some children got lots of sweeties, some children got one or two, and a few more children got none at all. The little girl whose birthday it was, saw this. She didn't think it was fair. Her mum had always taught her to "share nicely", and she took this to heart. Not to say that the little girl was perfect - she was, and still is, far from perfect.<br />
<br />
What she did next seemed to her, the logical, obvious thing to do.<br />
<br />
She took the sweets from each of the children who had won them - whether a little pile of four sweets, or just one, and placed them in the middle of the circle. As you can imagine, there was much consternation from the other children. The little party was then divided up into two groups - the ones who had won lots of sweets (the 'winners'), and the ones who had won just one or two, or none at all (the 'losers'). The 'winners' were not happy at all. The 'losers' were very pleased with the emerging situation. The little girl, however, couldn't really see why anyone should be annoyed. As she proceeded to share out the sweets equally between all the children, she knew she was doing the right thing. She was making it fair.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cheesesnaps/5272425844/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Quality Street Bar Chart by garretkeogh, on Flickr"><img alt="Quality Street Bar Chart" height="258" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5290/5272425844_64073211aa_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Quality Street Bar Chart", photo by Garrett Keogh <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cheesesnaps/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/cheesesnaps/</a><br />
Photo used under Creative Commons licence <span property="dc:identifier dct:identifier" style="display: inline;"><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/">CC BY-NC-SA 2.0</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Yes, she was incredibly naive. She didn't realise that life just isn't fair.<br />
As I'm sure you've now guessed, that little girl was me. To be honest, I can't remember too well how it turned out, but I do remember that there were tears from one of the 'winners' (who was getting to know how it felt to be a 'loser') and I have a sneaking suspicion that my mum came to her rescue and made a mess of my fairer re-distribution of the chocolate wealth by making up the perceived deficit.<br />
<br />
So at last, this brings me back to the favour I was going to ask you. I heard in the news recently about the working conditions at certain factories in China which manufacture iPads and iPhones. They do make other companies' products there, but Apple is the main client. As you can appreciate, Apple is a very very rich company; <a href="http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2011/01/18results.html">they made a profit of $6 billion in just the first quarter of 2011</a>. And we love their products; they're attractive, well-designed and very useful. The only problem is, Apple isn't living up to their clean, friendly image. The electronics manufacturing company, Foxconn, which Apple employs to make iPads and iPhones, <a href="http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2011-05/6/foxconn-conditions">don't treat their employees with much dignity</a>, fairness or compassion. And I don't think that's acceptable when Apple is making such massive profits, and telling us that they're a socially responsible company, when that just isn't true.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/makeitfair/5678607337/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Worker at Northern Campus - Chengdu - China by makeITfair, on Flickr"><img alt="Worker at Northern Campus - Chengdu - China" height="266" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5104/5678607337_2135c3ea87_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Workers at the Foxconn Northern Campus at Chengdu, China. Exhausted and resting, during 10 minutes break.<br />
Photo used by kind permission of <a href="http://makeitfair.org/">http://makeitfair.org/</a> . All rights reserved.<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The little naive child inside me is telling me that the wealth should be shared. That people should be given some basic dignities such as being able to sit down at some point in their 14-hour working day. To not have to work overtime just to make ends meet. To have the same rest breaks that we get. To be allowed to talk at work. And not be driven to despair by the job they do.<br />
<br />
If you'd like to find out more, and ask Steve Jobs to share out his massive pile of Quality Street chocs more fairly, please click on this link to go to my online petition: <a href="https://www.change.org/petitions/we-want-a-sweeter-apple-ask-steve-jobs-to-improve-ipadiphone-factory-working-conditions">https://www.change.org/petitions/we-want-a-sweeter-apple-ask-steve-jobs-to-improve-ipadiphone-factory-working-conditions</a><br />
<br />
<strong>It's quick, simple, and you don't have to do anything else.</strong><br />
<br />
For more info, click these links:<br />
<a href="http://makeitfair.org/the-facts/reports/foxconn-and-apple-fail-to-fulfill-promises.pdf">SACOM's latest report, "Foxconn and Apple Fail to Fulfill Promises: Predicaments of Workers after the Suicides"</a><br />
<a href="http://makeitfair.org/">Make IT Fair</a><br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=5633878567">Make IT Fair on Facebook - join the group</a><br />
<a href="http://makeitfair.org/documents/apple-campaign/apple-campaign.pdf">Campaign Demands poster</a><br />
<a href="http://makeitfair.org/take-action/action-day-faq">FAQs about the campaign against unfair IT</a><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Thank you for reading!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Best wishes</div><div style="text-align: center;">Joey xx</div>Joey's Dream Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08911714755306558466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4750640241660423901.post-52512844825532941632011-03-20T21:55:00.001+00:002011-03-20T21:57:11.695+00:00A Sweet Way to Help the Japan Tsunami Relief Fund<span id="goog_1393628813"></span><span id="goog_1393628814"></span><span id="goog_1393628815"></span><span id="goog_1393628816"></span><span id="goog_1393628776"></span><span id="goog_1393628777"></span><span id="goog_1393628811"></span><span id="goog_1393628807"></span><span id="goog_1393628803"></span><span id="goog_1393628787"></span><span id="goog_1393628783"></span><span id="goog_1393628780"></span><span id="goog_1393628774"></span><span id="goog_1393628770"></span><span id="goog_1393628766"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://jojoebi.blogspot.com/2011/03/my-raffle-post.html"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-zoRKkjN6eJ_n20jxthhGIN3LuunPbYt3M5bD-p6YYM0xaKc20KlEAgRnvyMdSZL98t3FxlZ51sulafETI18ShJwy3UE_9SfNmdupmy8lg5Gdm4jGfmTPsmi-6za6rDfQPAY3ACN1Cso/s400/jojoebi+auction.jpg" width="282" /><span id="goog_1393628812"></span><span id="goog_1393628808"></span><span id="goog_1393628804"></span></a><span id="goog_1393628788"></span><span id="goog_1393628784"></span><span id="goog_1393628781"></span><span id="goog_1393628775"></span><span id="goog_1393628771"></span><span id="goog_1393628767"></span></div> <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Hi!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I've only just realised that I haven't blogged at all this year!! That's so bad! It's not even like I've been particularly busy...</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So, what's brought me out of blog hibernation? Because I wanted to publicise <a href="http://jojoebi.blogspot.com/2011/03/my-raffle-post.html">Jojoebi's raffle</a> of cute handmade items in aid of the Japan Tsunami relief fund. Jo is offering a lovely assortment of seven her handmade items (pictured above), including a very cute little coaster in the shape of a house, which was also featured in Sew Hip magazine.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">All you need to do to win this wonderful prize is donate £5 via GlobalGiving.com and leave a comment on this post: <a href="http://jojoebi.blogspot.com/2011/03/my-raffle-post.html">http://jojoebi.blogspot.com/2011/03/my-raffle-post.html</a> together with the receipt number from GlobalGiving and your e-mail address and you'll be entered. How fab is that?</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">What a sweet way to help the people of Japan at this terribly desperate time.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Best wishes</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Joey xx</div>Joey's Dream Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08911714755306558466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4750640241660423901.post-78330239551207319942010-12-31T18:37:00.000+00:002010-12-31T18:37:09.960+00:00Happy New Year!<script src="http://www.craftcult.com/js/trwi.js?s=2&l=4d1d181c67f88eefc746e83e&r=2064&t=s&m=0&u=5246288&">
</script><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Happy New Year everyone!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Do you like the lovely orangey goodness in that treasury above? I do, I think it's all gorgeous!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I hope you're all looking forward to the New Year. Unless you live in New Zealand, Australia, Russia, Japan, Korea, India, Sri Lanka... Happy New Year to you already!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Let's raise our glasses of champagne or buck's fizz or rum and pepsi or Bailey's or just a good old cup of tea, to 2011 and let's wish it to be full of hope and surprises!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Hip, Hip, Hooray!</div><div style="text-align: center;">Love</div><div style="text-align: center;">Joey xxx</div>Joey's Dream Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08911714755306558466noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4750640241660423901.post-21552540917166255042010-12-28T22:39:00.006+00:002010-12-29T00:49:27.145+00:00Angel Bunny Tutorial (Better Late Than Never)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFF5u_9myj8hWdFOa3TcwhFAHDwgj9p7BVqq_9_Ho_8lpVDLY_Gy0Qt9G6ak3w4tZ_jVd8JUhN4RrMRRemTJtrCPpHl5P6LcEAeoO__awufMfn8qsKasLWu8Fn2QlFe1YTOvqxgM7usnY/s1600/Angel+Bunny+on+top+of+our+Christmas+Tree+2010-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFF5u_9myj8hWdFOa3TcwhFAHDwgj9p7BVqq_9_Ho_8lpVDLY_Gy0Qt9G6ak3w4tZ_jVd8JUhN4RrMRRemTJtrCPpHl5P6LcEAeoO__awufMfn8qsKasLWu8Fn2QlFe1YTOvqxgM7usnY/s640/Angel+Bunny+on+top+of+our+Christmas+Tree+2010-1.JPG" width="476" /></a></div><br />
<div></div><span style="font-size: large;">Hello! I hope you've all had a fantastic Christmas!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Well I had a brilliant Christmas Day, although I always find the days after Boxing Day a bit of a comedown after all the eating, drinking and merry-making in general and now I lack the energy to do anything other than sit on my bum watching films... Hence no blogging, sewing or photography. Anyway, it's a New Year very soon, and I'm going to try to bring you loads of patterns, tutorials and general bloggy goodness never seen before on Joey's Dream Garden blog! Hurrah!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkgyRQvqpIGdUjtlvyz4NLnFSZwvoNTjydgr2XzNoYepwEscSAIfF_IJth-1hHzxko1KR83uiShYZTJspK-jfUCCUKc4DQGV0TNOgB1JHoJOpJ_8DSHrVO3M1ceDAa30onVzvwYy_tj0w/s1600/Christmas+Tree+2010+015-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkgyRQvqpIGdUjtlvyz4NLnFSZwvoNTjydgr2XzNoYepwEscSAIfF_IJth-1hHzxko1KR83uiShYZTJspK-jfUCCUKc4DQGV0TNOgB1JHoJOpJ_8DSHrVO3M1ceDAa30onVzvwYy_tj0w/s640/Christmas+Tree+2010+015-2.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
So, to start off, let's have that Angel Bunny tutorial I've been promising you! <em> </em>I know it's a bit late - I'm sorry about that - but I do hope you have a go at making her. It does mean that you have a whole year to make her for next Christmas! How's that for forward planning? ;-) If you don't want to sew an Angel Bunny but still want one - don't despair, as I've included some alternatives at the end of the tutorial - just scroll to the bottom.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><strong>How to Make a Felt Angel Bunny</strong></div><em>You will need:</em><br />
<ul><li>Angel Bunny templates: download here:</li>
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</script> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.docstoc.com/docs/68056072/Joey's%20Dream%20Garden%20copyright%202010%20Angel%20Bunny%20Templates">Joey's Dream Garden copyright 2010 Angel Bunny Templates</a> - </span>
<li>Felt in pale pink, white, yellow or gold, and pale blue</li>
<li>Iron-on medium weight Vilene interfacing</li>
<li>Milk bottle plastic or similar plastic which you can easily cut with scissors - *see below about milk bottle plastic.</li>
<li>Embroidery thread in metallic silver, metallic gold, deep pink, blue, black, white and pink to match pink felt</li>
<li>Gold-lined glass seed beads (I used approx 110 beads)</li>
<li>Pins</li>
<li>Embroidery and hand-sewing needles (including a needle small enough to pass through holes in seed beads but big enough to take the gold metallic thread)</li>
<li>Toy stuffing (polyester or natural cotton or wool toy filling)</li>
<li>Baking paper or tracing paper</li>
<li>Ordinary pencil, (2H if you have it)</li>
<li>Velcro, approx. 7cm</li>
<li>White sewing thread</li>
<li>Fabric glue - UHU or similar</li>
<li>Glue stick - I use Power Pritt</li>
<li>Green ribbon or ric-rac (I used dark green velvet ric-ric), 30cm, to tie to the tree</li>
</ul>*Note about milk bottle plastic: I get this from re-using HDPE (type 2) plastic milk bottles (it's flexible and sort of translucent white in colour). To prepare your plastic, wash the bottle out, cut off the bottom and top/handle part with scissors, leaving a strip of plastic. Flatten this with an iron on a medium setting (protected iron with a piece of baking parchment on top of and underneath the plastic). This really does take only a few seconds, so I suggest that you iron for just a couple of seconds, then check the plastic - remember, you only want it flattened a little. Please take care when doing this as the plastic will get VERY hot! Alternatives to using milk bottle plastic could be thin plastic document wallet plastic or thin card.<br />
<br />
<strong>Steps to Make the Angel Bunny: </strong><br />
<br />
1. Print out the templates and patterns below and cut out.<br />
2. Cut out Vilene roughly to the size plus a bit extra all round, of each of the wings, the halo, the body, the head and the legs - you will need two of each shape (except four wing shapes; back and front for each wing and just one paws piece).<br />
3. Iron the Vilene pieces onto the appropriate colour felt following the instructions - about 8 secs with a dry iron.<br />
4. Draw around the templates onto the Vilene-backed felt with a pencil and cut out.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk6Fck1X9zbG97Ybzjh1mZdKZ6YiQ3I0NGTHH2o_zOjExM1wic8rohbg5FijT_kSGY2NfT24oSV_rXDuKiD49I14JDmWiA0RyQ_m39-flEz_M_1SfFa6uhzfE-LwFR1dxmR8TshyXbv7w/s1600/felt+angel+bunny+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk6Fck1X9zbG97Ybzjh1mZdKZ6YiQ3I0NGTHH2o_zOjExM1wic8rohbg5FijT_kSGY2NfT24oSV_rXDuKiD49I14JDmWiA0RyQ_m39-flEz_M_1SfFa6uhzfE-LwFR1dxmR8TshyXbv7w/s320/felt+angel+bunny+002.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-TsjQM5emb_hjAAgwdR0prneTzTUncbQVG7v3vx_PhlzWyGIM61ZXKuZJBZf5_hPERFoqmIUxSyoY8LJEcoJUoeAsx0yqYdwroYOFt229Z9WUM6cVO9SdO9Z0KX59d-BEIlA4hwxXmr8/s1600/felt+angel+bunny+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-TsjQM5emb_hjAAgwdR0prneTzTUncbQVG7v3vx_PhlzWyGIM61ZXKuZJBZf5_hPERFoqmIUxSyoY8LJEcoJUoeAsx0yqYdwroYOFt229Z9WUM6cVO9SdO9Z0KX59d-BEIlA4hwxXmr8/s320/felt+angel+bunny+004.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
5. Glue the head and the legs onto the back of the body piece, using very small dots of glue. Do this for both front and back. To ensure all the pieces are correctly aligned, you might want to print out another whole-bunny template and place them on top to help you position the pieces as you glue them.<br />
6. Trace the the pattern on the wings onto baking paper, then pin and then baste the traced pattern onto the felt side of the wings. Ensure the pencil lines are uppermost, so they don't rub off onto the felt and make dirty pencil smudges.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMpQjv76D5wDrio561fHeVbzUdozBOiaAfYzwGf0ZPgphfvGuNqSPwZTrQTyjwQsGJdXrAJEv5hUXgwsslmGkTKQ6WAUL13F062ZwYCjhx7bcCi3G0gQK2mlHQWPmjqj1gHxfzgjozGw/s1600/felt+angel+bunny+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMpQjv76D5wDrio561fHeVbzUdozBOiaAfYzwGf0ZPgphfvGuNqSPwZTrQTyjwQsGJdXrAJEv5hUXgwsslmGkTKQ6WAUL13F062ZwYCjhx7bcCi3G0gQK2mlHQWPmjqj1gHxfzgjozGw/s320/felt+angel+bunny+006.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">7. Embroider the curving lines on the wings in stem stitch, on top of the tracing paper.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">8. When you've done the embroidery, carefully cut and tear the baking paper away. I use a pair of tiny scissors for this, and a pair of tweezers which is handy for grasping tiny bits of paper with one hand, with your thumb on the embroidery and carefully tearing the paper away. This takes a bit of time and patience but I find it a quick and accurate method of tranferring detailed patterns for embroidering.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpjiqU6LirQNWOXe4DESdI9F-Iy0Ok1uhLksiV_EsizwLJ1l_9QZR4FgHn08VRl8GJ5A3ioY9Roo4pjg2iLdr5AwEMtFK-_K_Qn3xUbpD1e2qkg-XueVYnR9FcJUPCvQULWfWsPVcA334/s1600/felt+angel+bunny+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpjiqU6LirQNWOXe4DESdI9F-Iy0Ok1uhLksiV_EsizwLJ1l_9QZR4FgHn08VRl8GJ5A3ioY9Roo4pjg2iLdr5AwEMtFK-_K_Qn3xUbpD1e2qkg-XueVYnR9FcJUPCvQULWfWsPVcA334/s320/felt+angel+bunny+007.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">9. Repeat the process for the embroidering the other pieces with the following stitches:</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Halo: all radiating lines in chain stitch (I drew the lines on with fade-away pen, but using baking paper would be just as effective, possibly even more so)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6YL12zOIZIQ/TRoxZf0ZQ7I/AAAAAAAACLA/fY8BB5gdXZ4/s1600/felt+angel+bunny+halo+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6YL12zOIZIQ/TRoxZf0ZQ7I/AAAAAAAACLA/fY8BB5gdXZ4/s320/felt+angel+bunny+halo+002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Eyes, nose and mouth outline: split stitch</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMuCf8sblQoA2HnOe6_ezH3wc1LaIM5bJAWAM22ZPTTa4FKq11DDdnIBs0R2yeFC184v8FNufg6iCNG0sGrH1uNZ7CMIuY_XprvOtTwtHMdpgyQlncxF_pouk5wOUe5x9mcofofyQciI/s1600/angel+bunny+face+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMuCf8sblQoA2HnOe6_ezH3wc1LaIM5bJAWAM22ZPTTa4FKq11DDdnIBs0R2yeFC184v8FNufg6iCNG0sGrH1uNZ7CMIuY_XprvOtTwtHMdpgyQlncxF_pouk5wOUe5x9mcofofyQciI/s320/angel+bunny+face+010.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Whiskers and ears: stem stitch</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Teeth, tongue and mouth: satin stitch</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj99ekbH6uVxhrcOidzk8HJUnOO_tlleEZVIBg4SVkcvzC4amJSubisw8Ib9kkyf9qiZBCui7B5V7DZRgKYYmx3RgNRYd6R5zSVAVY1oYoICfopV5C1-5ctdAM2vcm7FvzBdK43IUoTGRU/s1600/angel+bunny+face+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj99ekbH6uVxhrcOidzk8HJUnOO_tlleEZVIBg4SVkcvzC4amJSubisw8Ib9kkyf9qiZBCui7B5V7DZRgKYYmx3RgNRYd6R5zSVAVY1oYoICfopV5C1-5ctdAM2vcm7FvzBdK43IUoTGRU/s320/angel+bunny+face+014.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Dress: back stitch<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7aUg5hxJ7xnhum4lFonnIAQvebMZ8F5wD6pAYHVp9UcDwx35qxTyqTcPG_iksbIYNrwHva0mFBC3heWPpBo6tRits4qnCMvMDmxp-xuNBrwMPBWwDWhzc_B_1ZqIqQg-4PNyTcRA9-Oc/s1600/angel+bunny+face+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7aUg5hxJ7xnhum4lFonnIAQvebMZ8F5wD6pAYHVp9UcDwx35qxTyqTcPG_iksbIYNrwHva0mFBC3heWPpBo6tRits4qnCMvMDmxp-xuNBrwMPBWwDWhzc_B_1ZqIqQg-4PNyTcRA9-Oc/s320/angel+bunny+face+006.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>10. Glue the paws onto the front of the dress and blanket stitch around them in matching thread.<br />
11. Trace the lines of the robe sleeves onto baking paper, baste to the front of the dress and embroider in stem stitch.<br />
12. Cut small circles of Velcro and hand-sew the fluffy part onto the back of the bunny and the hooked part onto the front of the wings where indicated.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv1qrI4sdnQ5fZPIfGujFhcGjyGWS19dHfchD4H5foSy2o28PuJsgjCTojoTdI5gP5WaYrL6FhuVzSCsPMhNSfQFFDHkfKBT9bt6FdAwnUqJE9Bd2-usBN69uvRwCxfADOgbVw-Yag_Xc/s1600/felt+angel+bunny+wings+and+finished+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv1qrI4sdnQ5fZPIfGujFhcGjyGWS19dHfchD4H5foSy2o28PuJsgjCTojoTdI5gP5WaYrL6FhuVzSCsPMhNSfQFFDHkfKBT9bt6FdAwnUqJE9Bd2-usBN69uvRwCxfADOgbVw-Yag_Xc/s320/felt+angel+bunny+wings+and+finished+001.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>13. Cut a piece of Velcro 5cm long and stitch the fluffy part to the back of the bunny's head and the hooked part onto the front of the halo.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOLrfMx13ALb_GNvdsAnvTJTEFBBts03zeYNn47YT_-yAyU6k7K5J34P08iNhV1GmoX6yFnvDdkiryOWGzPSH2Dde8BLIpkw_cWs9T5ggPvV3xLaKXNNZ_-upHlTzT8svQ2dxxREfbTbo/s1600/felt+angel+bunny+halo+016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOLrfMx13ALb_GNvdsAnvTJTEFBBts03zeYNn47YT_-yAyU6k7K5J34P08iNhV1GmoX6yFnvDdkiryOWGzPSH2Dde8BLIpkw_cWs9T5ggPvV3xLaKXNNZ_-upHlTzT8svQ2dxxREfbTbo/s320/felt+angel+bunny+halo+016.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>14. Trace around the appropriate templates onto your prepared milk bottle plastic (or alternative) and cut out two wings, one bunny and one halo shape.<br />
15. Glue the plastic wing shapes sandwiched inside the wing felt pieces using the glue stick (take care to glue stick the wrong sides to the plastic, not the felt side. It's easy to mistake white felt for white Vilene so take your time to ensure you get it right.<br />
16. Blanket-stitch all around each wing in silver embroidery thread.<br />
17. Repeat the last step with the halo, but when you blanket-stitch around the outside (in metallic gold thread), pick up a seed bead before each stitch, then make the stitch as you would usually, to make a beaded edge.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ia0a0BRfaJvnpyjaWcaZTsHpxNkKYirn8qrFhskUuzustCEuseSmrt_sonHaW-8NMq2wZuqA8sbTmWR_r8bsReNTJ2QoQSLxqCRSI-nII2CZGMLnG3fxQI3Xuruh6U2h-qiSvizM2HA/s1600/felt+angel+bunny+halo+024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ia0a0BRfaJvnpyjaWcaZTsHpxNkKYirn8qrFhskUuzustCEuseSmrt_sonHaW-8NMq2wZuqA8sbTmWR_r8bsReNTJ2QoQSLxqCRSI-nII2CZGMLnG3fxQI3Xuruh6U2h-qiSvizM2HA/s320/felt+angel+bunny+halo+024.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>18. Stitch the ribbon in place on the right side of the back bunny piece, at the centre of the ribbon.<br />
19. Place the rabbit pieces wrong sides together, sandwiching the plastic piece inside <em><u>but don't apply any glue</u></em>. Holding all pieces together, and starting at the point where the head meets the dress, stitch around the edge in blanket stitch. When you've nearly stitched the first ear, start to stuff a bit of toy filling either side of the plastic insert, so both back and front are softly padded.<br />
20. Continue stitching around and stuffing the bunny as you go. This will be a little tricky, but take your time to ensure the stuffing is evenly distributed because it will affect the final look of the bunny.<br />
21. When you've finished stitching around the edge, stitch across the 'neck' in backstitch with pink thread so it's hardly visible, to shape the chin nicely. You will be stitching through the plastic insert, so you may need to wear a thimble to push the needle through.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCUtiR0W2jBMhA4NXqAFb-9XpohkijG46lTyy_OO-xnZqrH-MNGKs6cNIZjpfZprnbzLsaSM5qB1iMbZNbzigFzhhOJs1D0T6Ucs9aPzhHn9DHUJozxut1Rxa5ZMF7XQyk-rHJrFHY9z4/s1600/Angel+Bunny+and+printed+felt+020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCUtiR0W2jBMhA4NXqAFb-9XpohkijG46lTyy_OO-xnZqrH-MNGKs6cNIZjpfZprnbzLsaSM5qB1iMbZNbzigFzhhOJs1D0T6Ucs9aPzhHn9DHUJozxut1Rxa5ZMF7XQyk-rHJrFHY9z4/s320/Angel+Bunny+and+printed+felt+020.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>22. Attach the halo and wings to your Angel Bunny, and she's ready to be tied to the top of your Christmas tree!<br />
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If you have any questions about making this Angel Bunny, just leave a comment and I'll attempt to answer as best as I can!<br />
<br />
<strong><u>Alternatives to Sewing the Angel Bunny</u></strong><br />
If you're not really into sewing, here are a few suggestions for other ways to make the Angel Bunny:<br />
<ul><li>Print out the wings, body and halo and glue onto separate pieces of card, colour them in with paints or pencil crayons, and attach the wings and halo to the back of the bunny with sticky foam pads or glue.</li>
<li>Print out the whole bunny and place underneath a piece of acetate. Use glass paints to trace and colour-in the bunny to make an ornament for your window.</li>
<li>Trace the individual pieces onto textured handmade papers or patterned fabrics and cut out, then glue onto card to make a sort of collage. Decorate with lots of glitter and sequins if you want!</li>
</ul>I'd love to see your finished Angel Bunnies (sewn or not sewn)! If you make one that you'd like to show me, please leave me a comment below and I'll be in touch!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Best wishes, and keep enjoying the holidays!</div><div style="text-align: center;">Joey xx</div>Joey's Dream Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08911714755306558466noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4750640241660423901.post-9089803997299161382010-12-23T13:12:00.000+00:002010-12-23T13:12:05.677+00:00Angel Bunny Finished - better photos this time!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuGu2cYUOTU2y7KUeSC3JX-4pmmxEef_-DcJIItBt0dzPlr6u4QYlpbsakkEGLx6Zq_gWrwng7yWW7S89tAsnzhKRGlp8oqnV-NRLOoiACpTC4mbtQlQEh0bBEKR3OPiKfMj-2u2yETks/s1600/Angel+Bunny+and+printed+felt+022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuGu2cYUOTU2y7KUeSC3JX-4pmmxEef_-DcJIItBt0dzPlr6u4QYlpbsakkEGLx6Zq_gWrwng7yWW7S89tAsnzhKRGlp8oqnV-NRLOoiACpTC4mbtQlQEh0bBEKR3OPiKfMj-2u2yETks/s320/Angel+Bunny+and+printed+felt+022.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Hi there! I hope you're all well today and looking forward to Christmas. I spent a couple of hours last night putting up our Christmas tree - and when I say "putting up", all I mean is constructing the big artificial tree we've had for about six years now. It has around 60 individual branches that need to be 'fluffed out' and slotted into the 'trunk' ie metal pole. I was listening to a couple of very festive CDs (and chatting with Mathew, which was nice) to while away the time, Ralph Vaughan Williams' "Christmas Carols", and "Dona Nobis Pacem", and drinking port & lemonade like I did when I was a little 'un. Lovely. So now I'm just about to start loading the hundreds of baubles and ornaments onto the 6ft 6in monstrosity!<br />
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Anyway, here's Angel Bunny! Mathew said I could have taken better photos but there you go, I'm feeling slap-dash today. I still don't have a name for her so if you'd like to suggest an angelic-sounding name (or an actual angel's name) please leave a comment for my consideration! That would be really nice.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5A6wIAKLALUSdUyKDK7-_P-8QdAvwxF81AEiPOdCHgUZStjGQRJCMD9AAklgt32hPicYAys8k3lnzBkAqicEj0XiZx4Kyup5I7Uvg1eE55iA0AA5zuH3rGSDKRbc47GoMtTdHuB6My78/s1600/Angel+Bunny+-+finished.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5A6wIAKLALUSdUyKDK7-_P-8QdAvwxF81AEiPOdCHgUZStjGQRJCMD9AAklgt32hPicYAys8k3lnzBkAqicEj0XiZx4Kyup5I7Uvg1eE55iA0AA5zuH3rGSDKRbc47GoMtTdHuB6My78/s640/Angel+Bunny+-+finished.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQXso1FbWlBmS367Ug9c0sqJ9t01rqK2XJ9YMZCBnuXnv-LnrDSJLJTod8Ilm7dmQYToTNRLw73HpmSh8o9TqkOOfWek1yV8gIOOxzUEC0WDUv3OjkXpYOzLh4s_G01x3PT6XxbcrdEbg/s1600/Angel+Bunny+and+printed+felt+024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQXso1FbWlBmS367Ug9c0sqJ9t01rqK2XJ9YMZCBnuXnv-LnrDSJLJTod8Ilm7dmQYToTNRLw73HpmSh8o9TqkOOfWek1yV8gIOOxzUEC0WDUv3OjkXpYOzLh4s_G01x3PT6XxbcrdEbg/s400/Angel+Bunny+and+printed+felt+024.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
I promise I will be posting the patterns and instructions but at this rate, it might not be before Christmas! I have a lot to do, but I'll try my best! I've got masses to do before the New Year (secret squirrel, but it involves sewing... could it be another magazine project? wink wink!) so as my old mum used to say (and probably still does), no rest for the wicked!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCUtiR0W2jBMhA4NXqAFb-9XpohkijG46lTyy_OO-xnZqrH-MNGKs6cNIZjpfZprnbzLsaSM5qB1iMbZNbzigFzhhOJs1D0T6Ucs9aPzhHn9DHUJozxut1Rxa5ZMF7XQyk-rHJrFHY9z4/s1600/Angel+Bunny+and+printed+felt+020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCUtiR0W2jBMhA4NXqAFb-9XpohkijG46lTyy_OO-xnZqrH-MNGKs6cNIZjpfZprnbzLsaSM5qB1iMbZNbzigFzhhOJs1D0T6Ucs9aPzhHn9DHUJozxut1Rxa5ZMF7XQyk-rHJrFHY9z4/s640/Angel+Bunny+and+printed+felt+020.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: red;">Merry</span> <span style="color: #38761d;">Christmas</span> <span style="color: red;">and</span> <span style="color: #38761d;">Happy</span> <span style="color: red;">Holidays</span> <span style="color: #38761d;">to</span> <span style="color: red;">Everyone</span><span style="color: #38761d;">!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: red;">Warmest</span> <span style="color: #38761d;">Wishes</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Joey</span> <span style="color: red;">xxx</span></span></div>Joey's Dream Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08911714755306558466noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4750640241660423901.post-74376665412911735082010-12-22T08:24:00.000+00:002010-12-22T08:24:12.320+00:00Angel Bunny Finished! Not Great Pictures But You Get The Idea<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxDjLWr7SGHyqt9idsQiKmIVcB_emTpiVoMlaFojInxd6XWEq0FUD9RD2-q5DfRHv4k1jyRAhfTLXpHJb_7aC2C4VwVXm40jX6eg6PbVDnqvBOVeetT0pvm9Kor5KAskSeA4ZeMdg5_kM/s1600/felt+angel+bunny+wings+and+finished+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxDjLWr7SGHyqt9idsQiKmIVcB_emTpiVoMlaFojInxd6XWEq0FUD9RD2-q5DfRHv4k1jyRAhfTLXpHJb_7aC2C4VwVXm40jX6eg6PbVDnqvBOVeetT0pvm9Kor5KAskSeA4ZeMdg5_kM/s400/felt+angel+bunny+wings+and+finished+012.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>macro photo showing the little hooks on Velcro. They're so tiny!!</em></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Good morning!</div>Well, I stayed up late last night because I couldn't wait to finish Angel Bunny! And I did it! However the light I have to work under and take pictures with isn't that great (I really should make myself a lightbox for times like this, shouldn't I?) but I figured it was better than nothing until tomorrow when I'll be able to take some half-decent pics in natural light (I'm at work today - as soon as I've posted this!)<br />
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So, cut circles of Velcro for the wings and glued them on, and then sewed around for extra strength. An Angel Bunny needs secure wings remember, for all that flying around the room when we've gone to bed on Christmas Eve! ;-)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjos_WXawewiE8cgyAHj53TEPamN8fTNG2kPtNG7iblPou70QMSUZsg8WOceSxS676-W8N-d5nTWGK2qI589A8rfLX7m3xDGfl2WuFT2FzO2ClHhpdvs1hxaKrZ0prPG7T4pfQ89RaobGQ/s1600/felt+angel+bunny+wings+and+finished+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjos_WXawewiE8cgyAHj53TEPamN8fTNG2kPtNG7iblPou70QMSUZsg8WOceSxS676-W8N-d5nTWGK2qI589A8rfLX7m3xDGfl2WuFT2FzO2ClHhpdvs1hxaKrZ0prPG7T4pfQ89RaobGQ/s400/felt+angel+bunny+wings+and+finished+011.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I stitched the hooked part of Velcro to the wings and the fuzzy parts to Angel Bun's shoulders, thus:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv1qrI4sdnQ5fZPIfGujFhcGjyGWS19dHfchD4H5foSy2o28PuJsgjCTojoTdI5gP5WaYrL6FhuVzSCsPMhNSfQFFDHkfKBT9bt6FdAwnUqJE9Bd2-usBN69uvRwCxfADOgbVw-Yag_Xc/s1600/felt+angel+bunny+wings+and+finished+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv1qrI4sdnQ5fZPIfGujFhcGjyGWS19dHfchD4H5foSy2o28PuJsgjCTojoTdI5gP5WaYrL6FhuVzSCsPMhNSfQFFDHkfKBT9bt6FdAwnUqJE9Bd2-usBN69uvRwCxfADOgbVw-Yag_Xc/s400/felt+angel+bunny+wings+and+finished+001.JPG" width="298" /></a></div><br />
Then I cut a piece of milk bottle plastic as a sort of 'backbone/skeleton' to prevent her from flopping under the weight of the halo (remember it's a costume, a real halo being made of holy light, would weigh nothing). I started stitching in blanket stitch and inserted the plastic 'skeleton' and also stuffed her body with toy filling at the same time, so the 'skeleton' is encased within a layer of stuffing on either side. It wasn't too tricky as she's a nice size to work with but I think if she were any bigger it would be difficult; any smaller and she probably wouldn't require strengthening with plastic, so if you'd like to make one, that may be something to consider (make a mini one).<br />
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Well, here she is! I told you the picture wasn't very good, but I couldn't wait to show you! Oh, I forgot to take a picture of the back - she does have a tie of green velvet ric-rac with which to tie her to the top of the tree (I'm sure she can undo it herself if she wants, so don't worry too much!).<br />
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I will be posting the patterns and a quick tutorial on how to make your very own Angel Bunny tomorrow, so if you don't have much to do on Christmas Eve (don't tell me you haven't got everything ready?? So it's not just me then?) well, here's a project to keep you out of mischief!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcVQeC-ZVH_8kS_iUqJs7NhRaMSQy9oWsOTBah_YcsjZLsRIywiWELZ5Ln0Yv8YYtr_zPS4ed1xhQ_N_fZfPCQMaQO1W2DFhcPrJzh_lwcY0YgE2aaIckRJtrLARRnhHpE0WHLtQdQl-E/s1600/felt+angel+bunny+wings+and+finished+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcVQeC-ZVH_8kS_iUqJs7NhRaMSQy9oWsOTBah_YcsjZLsRIywiWELZ5Ln0Yv8YYtr_zPS4ed1xhQ_N_fZfPCQMaQO1W2DFhcPrJzh_lwcY0YgE2aaIckRJtrLARRnhHpE0WHLtQdQl-E/s640/felt+angel+bunny+wings+and+finished+013.JPG" width="436" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Time to get the tree up tonight then! Christmas is coming!!</div><div style="text-align: center;">Best wishes</div><div style="text-align: center;">Joey xx</div>Joey's Dream Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08911714755306558466noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4750640241660423901.post-83227067825603723132010-12-21T13:25:00.000+00:002010-12-21T13:25:50.153+00:00Work in Progress: A Ring of Light for the Angel Bunny<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0QD-pJCcT3BSoCOQTlk7DBx8VnRYnl_HNn942Y8TME9FzljkEPsog8xHpAca1LXIIzPHl3Kef7YqDnt_cR0ft5uYbD_MSu5AQmTcqziGSu2vo7zA_v4yCXmRQFqxH2x9_dmtDdZilYM4/s1600/felt+angel+bunny+halo+025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0QD-pJCcT3BSoCOQTlk7DBx8VnRYnl_HNn942Y8TME9FzljkEPsog8xHpAca1LXIIzPHl3Kef7YqDnt_cR0ft5uYbD_MSu5AQmTcqziGSu2vo7zA_v4yCXmRQFqxH2x9_dmtDdZilYM4/s400/felt+angel+bunny+halo+025.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Hiya! I'm trying to get this Angel Bunny finished because I don't feel I can put our Christmas tree up until I have! You see, she's going to go on the top. Well, I finished her halo last night and I wanted to share some pictures with you. <br />
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You will remember that I already cut out the felt pieces and backed them with iron-on Vilene the other day. I made a template for the 'rays' of light (lines of chain stitch) that I wanted, and used that to draw the lines straight onto the felt with fade-away pen. I think the warmer and dryer your room, the quicker this disappears, as I had to re-draw the lines a couple of times.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw1BF8G4sj8KdGhsxZaBFaHN0GGIKKG0BxJx6wB5HyqHMYipyj5we0cV8J00tI-cacpd4_iSSe6jC6sh5Uj3ELjwRNG6N4kT7FTFRZK-2UJTKUHNgzBOvTOUurBJZQspiiX2Zou_asG4c/s1600/felt+angel+bunny+halo+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw1BF8G4sj8KdGhsxZaBFaHN0GGIKKG0BxJx6wB5HyqHMYipyj5we0cV8J00tI-cacpd4_iSSe6jC6sh5Uj3ELjwRNG6N4kT7FTFRZK-2UJTKUHNgzBOvTOUurBJZQspiiX2Zou_asG4c/s400/felt+angel+bunny+halo+001.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I used three different threads; Anchor gold lamé thread (which you have to divide as it's six-stranded), Gutermann coppery metallic thread and DMC yellow satin thread, which is super-shiny and quite 'slinky' to work with - it slips around really easily.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUpZz5cjYVJ6rpPlB3YRkwn1pcbh9xmQAKZhAaRYlkaBEzupDBQTPpTi6c008qqHSTE3UksivuyUV0gI1k16ai0bUK38pfpL_B-VSWPhvIIUA5TH5NNx6Ac0FhciX2SbTa4txUUyp006g/s1600/felt+angel+bunny+halo+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUpZz5cjYVJ6rpPlB3YRkwn1pcbh9xmQAKZhAaRYlkaBEzupDBQTPpTi6c008qqHSTE3UksivuyUV0gI1k16ai0bUK38pfpL_B-VSWPhvIIUA5TH5NNx6Ac0FhciX2SbTa4txUUyp006g/s400/felt+angel+bunny+halo+009.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>I've decided that it will be easier and better to Velcro the halo to the back of bunny's head, so I positioned the hooked-side of the velcro to the front of the halo and hand-stitched it on.<br />
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I wanted a bit of stiffness to the halo as well, so I cut a piece of milk bottle plastic (which I save from milk bottles to make the bigger version of the iq lampshade... look at <a href="http://joeysdreamgarden.blogspot.com/2009/01/free-lampshade-with-every-80-pints-of.html">the first one I made</a>, nearly two years ago and still going strong!). I use this type of plastic quite frequently when I want something to be stiffened but not padded, as there's less chance of it getting bent like cardboard may do, and it has more stiffness than craft-weight interfacing (i.e. the thickest sort you can get).<br />
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I glued the felt back and front of the halo to the plastic piece then sewed around with blanket stitch, adding a gold seed bead before every stitch to make a shiny beaded edge! Which I love, I have to say!<br />
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What do you think? Fit for an Angel Bunny?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOLrfMx13ALb_GNvdsAnvTJTEFBBts03zeYNn47YT_-yAyU6k7K5J34P08iNhV1GmoX6yFnvDdkiryOWGzPSH2Dde8BLIpkw_cWs9T5ggPvV3xLaKXNNZ_-upHlTzT8svQ2dxxREfbTbo/s1600/felt+angel+bunny+halo+016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOLrfMx13ALb_GNvdsAnvTJTEFBBts03zeYNn47YT_-yAyU6k7K5J34P08iNhV1GmoX6yFnvDdkiryOWGzPSH2Dde8BLIpkw_cWs9T5ggPvV3xLaKXNNZ_-upHlTzT8svQ2dxxREfbTbo/s320/felt+angel+bunny+halo+016.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So now all I have</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> to do is make her wings up and put her all together! Which I am going off to do right now!</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Stay Warm!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><em>(unless you are in the Southern Hemisphere, in which case, stay cool!!)</em></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Best Wishes</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Joey x</span></div>Joey's Dream Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08911714755306558466noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4750640241660423901.post-76313892257674410252010-12-19T17:23:00.000+00:002010-12-19T17:23:11.661+00:00Work in Progress: An Angelic Robe and an Angelic Face<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj99ekbH6uVxhrcOidzk8HJUnOO_tlleEZVIBg4SVkcvzC4amJSubisw8Ib9kkyf9qiZBCui7B5V7DZRgKYYmx3RgNRYd6R5zSVAVY1oYoICfopV5C1-5ctdAM2vcm7FvzBdK43IUoTGRU/s1600/angel+bunny+face+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj99ekbH6uVxhrcOidzk8HJUnOO_tlleEZVIBg4SVkcvzC4amJSubisw8Ib9kkyf9qiZBCui7B5V7DZRgKYYmx3RgNRYd6R5zSVAVY1oYoICfopV5C1-5ctdAM2vcm7FvzBdK43IUoTGRU/s400/angel+bunny+face+014.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Hello!<br />
I thought I'd share with you a bit more of the Angel Bunny I'm making at the moment...<br />
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Here's the front piece, with the embroidered 'robe' (I don't want to call it a dress, angels don't really wear dresses do they?). I used some very easy-to-sew-with silver thread called Ophir by Coats. I used backstitch. You don't need to separate the threads which is a bonus when using metallic threads, I find that really difficult. The picture doesn't capture the effect of the silver thread but it's very shiny!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6YL12zOIZIQ/TQ40m_xTPQI/AAAAAAAACHQ/Q6iU9le7aFg/s1600/angel+bunny+face+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" n4="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6YL12zOIZIQ/TQ40m_xTPQI/AAAAAAAACHQ/Q6iU9le7aFg/s400/angel+bunny+face+001.JPG" width="298" /></a></div><br />
Then I embroidered the sleeves of the robe in backstitch and glued on the hands (or should that be paws? Yes, Joey). I finished the paws off my stitching around them in a matching thread.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJvMVPl4LXOdf72JYKOTl4jIi-T5lGADsLRpgmcdvPU7Q9tH5hkhOue_HJIMLpx99aW4NyK71dzlowlIcx9dvUv8J-3hv_BxL2biWgjQl3tCGe2V7LIWcwFP_QiiESedBd7Pfa-4T2Wh0/s1600/angel+bunny+face+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJvMVPl4LXOdf72JYKOTl4jIi-T5lGADsLRpgmcdvPU7Q9tH5hkhOue_HJIMLpx99aW4NyK71dzlowlIcx9dvUv8J-3hv_BxL2biWgjQl3tCGe2V7LIWcwFP_QiiESedBd7Pfa-4T2Wh0/s400/angel+bunny+face+005.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
I embroidered the features in split-stitch because I find it's quite 'controllable'; you can quite easily create tiny intricate outlines and go around tight curves without any bother, though I don't think it's the most beautiful stitch. It's quite utilitarian I suppose.<br />
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I don't know about you, but I cannot make something without taking it apart and changing some part of it at least once along the process. I've been quite good at planning this piece, but I did have to change her mouth. If you look below, I hadn't outlined the whole mouth in black...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha7EKgDAVp3loQUIDl7J1qswtYsyHm2oX7G3s4wTrF5p77p7dM1d7VZWzXy841i7xDWxSMD_2zvaVGdtES88ua0eIy-JDwRDlAyVhf5ZzIeT-WNmFziu4tYqJ4QNmlF02jiZ6k_482sUs/s1600/angel+bunny+face+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha7EKgDAVp3loQUIDl7J1qswtYsyHm2oX7G3s4wTrF5p77p7dM1d7VZWzXy841i7xDWxSMD_2zvaVGdtES88ua0eIy-JDwRDlAyVhf5ZzIeT-WNmFziu4tYqJ4QNmlF02jiZ6k_482sUs/s400/angel+bunny+face+008.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
... but I decided that it might look a bit like she's sticking her tongue out! So I unpicked it all, and re-did it like this: <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNdW7PrZjGZv4Agq8Lpe8-h2dIGIGha8pn66DN_ckI6s5fA_cOGzshpqaSfwA-ew_KYD000YZ_Pa_sDAxIBS5p1ao0Kdy5sJAECaqEApiNbrAHzJ0TG_aHrH43e17MCx2Dj8NgAv6d3MA/s1600/angel+bunny+face+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNdW7PrZjGZv4Agq8Lpe8-h2dIGIGha8pn66DN_ckI6s5fA_cOGzshpqaSfwA-ew_KYD000YZ_Pa_sDAxIBS5p1ao0Kdy5sJAECaqEApiNbrAHzJ0TG_aHrH43e17MCx2Dj8NgAv6d3MA/s400/angel+bunny+face+009.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
Which I much preferred. Lastly, I embroidered the ears to indicate the 'openings', and filled in the mouth with satin-stitch. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUpyWDHaSBMQoYDrtQVRhuYTjAKS-uVpXCwEwGK4NDtusGLFJufr-oYtuQAHxdEduTzQsKhVG_gPDLZGTLSg_p1seSWOn2rkVf-KuhTLRtZJb2wcbjuB1qe1b1opicRA8VHlhDK5yxfic/s1600/angel+bunny+face+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUpyWDHaSBMQoYDrtQVRhuYTjAKS-uVpXCwEwGK4NDtusGLFJufr-oYtuQAHxdEduTzQsKhVG_gPDLZGTLSg_p1seSWOn2rkVf-KuhTLRtZJb2wcbjuB1qe1b1opicRA8VHlhDK5yxfic/s320/angel+bunny+face+013.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Here is the finished front-piece:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4PJ__0VaQMn70Jtu6_Gv72XcEEvjVdKaBFT23WzVS2pc8-rsvkSq2giSXOQpbf-slGjIO9YKmjbLMP-s6Q4mseA6WI_3DDPtrN9rqJyD6bPfB3eNtxSPwJamEAkDX3b5Yq-GC3iWQ3Jk/s1600/angel+bunny+face+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4PJ__0VaQMn70Jtu6_Gv72XcEEvjVdKaBFT23WzVS2pc8-rsvkSq2giSXOQpbf-slGjIO9YKmjbLMP-s6Q4mseA6WI_3DDPtrN9rqJyD6bPfB3eNtxSPwJamEAkDX3b5Yq-GC3iWQ3Jk/s400/angel+bunny+face+012.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
Next jobs will be to embroider the halo and finish the wings.<br />
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I promise that I will finish her before Christmas!!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Best wishes</div><div style="text-align: center;">Joey xx</div>Joey's Dream Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08911714755306558466noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4750640241660423901.post-78599489218467810942010-12-18T11:50:00.000+00:002010-12-18T11:50:22.878+00:00Work in Progress: Angel Bunny<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUHraxblBreJTodhTWFMZPZEjOnIra8dKNcEos65eKMWfBxBuyEy-n5qcaFW3pg11jOrwOso8KzM47L8v1fQ1LQhY3k4ZADrCBMKoJyjAgvUV-28BeSbn_YsNdTyajYy003hksLyo1eVg/s1600/angel+wings+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUHraxblBreJTodhTWFMZPZEjOnIra8dKNcEos65eKMWfBxBuyEy-n5qcaFW3pg11jOrwOso8KzM47L8v1fQ1LQhY3k4ZADrCBMKoJyjAgvUV-28BeSbn_YsNdTyajYy003hksLyo1eVg/s400/angel+wings+002.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>Hi! I have a very nasty cold at the moment, and my partner Mathew has got the same thing so our house is an incubation unit for germs at the mo. I have no voice! Which I have learnt is referred to as 'laryngitis'; inflammation of the larynx. So apologies for whispering, it's the best I can do. ;-) <br />
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Do you remember <a href="http://joeysdreamgarden.blogspot.com/2010/12/i-believe-in-angels.html">that angel I made</a> and posted a picture of a few weeks back? Well, I've decided that I want to make a BUNNY version (of course!) in FELT. I've just started but thought I would share with you how far I'm up to because I'm going to share the pattern and a tutorial for making it too! Here's the angel just to refresh your memory:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4cUPqsm4nNaKU2tqe1wkCHJwHKGT7Qm0pCD6Xz2hE_HaColSMCqXGoQ5fhM_m2v44nCGExpKySG0j6YLqWASmU2GIJRgxdvRakkWOAyLt9f1ds-sEwqHT1NWmFYqjWW8pQ7i2VmNPAb0/s1600/Angel+and+Sheffield+under+very+thick+snow+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4cUPqsm4nNaKU2tqe1wkCHJwHKGT7Qm0pCD6Xz2hE_HaColSMCqXGoQ5fhM_m2v44nCGExpKySG0j6YLqWASmU2GIJRgxdvRakkWOAyLt9f1ds-sEwqHT1NWmFYqjWW8pQ7i2VmNPAb0/s400/Angel+and+Sheffield+under+very+thick+snow+001.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
So far, I've just cut out all the felt pieces (backed with iron-on Vilene, of course). Below is the halo pieces, paws and wings.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-TsjQM5emb_hjAAgwdR0prneTzTUncbQVG7v3vx_PhlzWyGIM61ZXKuZJBZf5_hPERFoqmIUxSyoY8LJEcoJUoeAsx0yqYdwroYOFt229Z9WUM6cVO9SdO9Z0KX59d-BEIlA4hwxXmr8/s1600/felt+angel+bunny+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-TsjQM5emb_hjAAgwdR0prneTzTUncbQVG7v3vx_PhlzWyGIM61ZXKuZJBZf5_hPERFoqmIUxSyoY8LJEcoJUoeAsx0yqYdwroYOFt229Z9WUM6cVO9SdO9Z0KX59d-BEIlA4hwxXmr8/s400/felt+angel+bunny+004.JPG" width="298" /></a></div><br />
I glued the head, body and legs together, thus (the bunny on the left shows the wrong side and how I cut the pieces, and the bunny on the right shows the right (felty) side, how the bunny will look.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk6Fck1X9zbG97Ybzjh1mZdKZ6YiQ3I0NGTHH2o_zOjExM1wic8rohbg5FijT_kSGY2NfT24oSV_rXDuKiD49I14JDmWiA0RyQ_m39-flEz_M_1SfFa6uhzfE-LwFR1dxmR8TshyXbv7w/s1600/felt+angel+bunny+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk6Fck1X9zbG97Ybzjh1mZdKZ6YiQ3I0NGTHH2o_zOjExM1wic8rohbg5FijT_kSGY2NfT24oSV_rXDuKiD49I14JDmWiA0RyQ_m39-flEz_M_1SfFa6uhzfE-LwFR1dxmR8TshyXbv7w/s400/felt+angel+bunny+002.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
These are the wings (which will be double-sided), I'm really pleased with them so far. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJATtV6TbhOZ5EEe3hDn2C3MqJLiS5t2OToo9EH9K_BAkjHg9USxm_YT3sLudQsBA8-enObVou8TzLQmLj_xbQbqou3IukawzsKO5FZWG6fMKImK2PsMYxaaRGj239IB3wU16PKmGhkIE/s1600/angel+wings+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJATtV6TbhOZ5EEe3hDn2C3MqJLiS5t2OToo9EH9K_BAkjHg9USxm_YT3sLudQsBA8-enObVou8TzLQmLj_xbQbqou3IukawzsKO5FZWG6fMKImK2PsMYxaaRGj239IB3wU16PKmGhkIE/s400/angel+wings+001.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> <br />
So please watch this space for further updates, and the pattern and instructions on how to make your own angel! <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Best wishes and have a great weekend! </div><div style="text-align: center;">Joey xx</div>Joey's Dream Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08911714755306558466noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4750640241660423901.post-46878952538875961912010-12-17T11:56:00.000+00:002010-12-17T11:56:09.771+00:00GRRR!! Monster, Monster!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cuteable.com/flickr-friday-part-two-22/10197" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="375" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYHW5-5atfulWyP269gKVQyn5AynUM-cgg_U9BxoqHWRZdg8VJh8DTD8gmAGyuyJJgwVLWVWSV4Meiq3jaSLqiVjQ41OPoBY2uUrTH0dUFq5FgqVqgBSvVSpmWDoXD_cosFRyCNbOV2Es/s400/monster+bag+on+Cuteable+171210.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Hurrah! My monster bag has been featured today on Cuteable! Thank you Lynsey!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/joey7/sets/72157625237930501/with/5165794025/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="346" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPEYz9deQb4nTnGdcRIwuwTdiUMch_a4UhF7Pzd0mHB4pn9mBQmiFkg-SensLMMxhPg3nvyGb7xnJDcw55ITTMg49t6VvfDY2MoeYRIyFr-_0WnqIJwOeanK25jOW5xO8f7KFaHGbjuTA/s400/monster+bag+012.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I designed and made this bag for a project which appeared recently in the December issue of the online <a href="http://www.makinggiftsmagazine.com/">Making Gifts magazine</a>. I was inspired by the 'spoils bag' (pictured below) from the videogame "Legend of Zelda - the Wind Waker" because the bag looks as if it is ACTUALLY a monster, not just a picture of a monster on it... I think it's because how the the front flap on the spoils bag is drawn, it really is a mouth, and I wanted to create something like that.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXLbf3TikLoYBzFVd16ihtGaxHPi4_rwR99Rojt1qyAv7sqaqdAQkZB5sMm7JcMkuP42stcJMlqqdYSVv2kjBImYZTHu_u58UUMS_nt_o1C_ul49aLxR5FsKNRPr2IIjTxpxhw9mSWxtk/s1600/spoilsbag.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXLbf3TikLoYBzFVd16ihtGaxHPi4_rwR99Rojt1qyAv7sqaqdAQkZB5sMm7JcMkuP42stcJMlqqdYSVv2kjBImYZTHu_u58UUMS_nt_o1C_ul49aLxR5FsKNRPr2IIjTxpxhw9mSWxtk/s320/spoilsbag.png" width="308" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>If you decide to have a go at making my monster bag from <a href="http://www.makinggiftsmagazine.com/">Making Gifts magazine</a>, I would love to see your creations, so please get in touch!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Have a great Friday everyone!</div><div style="text-align: center;">Best wishes</div><div style="text-align: center;">Joey x</div>Joey's Dream Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08911714755306558466noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4750640241660423901.post-28579781401146928712010-12-01T17:42:00.048+00:002010-12-02T00:18:38.036+00:00It's Beginning to Feel a Lot Like Christmas!<style type="text/css">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/joey7/5223646354/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="photo sharing"><img alt="" class="flickr-photo" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4085/5223646354_55f35cf777.jpg" /></a></div><div class="flickr-frame"></div><div class="flickr-frame" style="text-align: center;"><span class="flickr-caption"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/joey7/5223646354/">Angel</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/joey7/">Joey's Dream Garden (formerly Joey 7)</a>.</span></div><div class="flickr-yourcomment" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="flickr-yourcomment" style="text-align: center;">Hello!</div><div class="flickr-yourcomment">I've had a lot of fun today! Sheffield has had a massive load of snow, so I was very happy to arrive at work to be told that I could go straight home again! Hurrah! Me and Mathew had a walk through Sheffield city centre to see the snowy spectacle and take loads of pictures (which you can see on my Flickr page here if you want! <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/joey7/sets/72157625379987607/with/5224102936/">The Very Very Snowy Day Set</a>)</div><div class="flickr-yourcomment"><br />
</div><div class="flickr-yourcomment"><br />
</div><div class="flickr-yourcomment"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/joey7/5223490725/in/set-72157625379987607/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggHOMgTNq-AK2reaFqWI6vBYeSl-3K6c-fK1FpaYK7fJ_CVpNjeQ8qN2e5b8Cqc7iQNpKARszV8-Y2PFiCJWSpL2vIIg2xq2wCGyKSuCh9yq68haKAkToCvhGQIkXVrTgAt8yQV6YQfWc/s400/Norfolk+Rd%252C+Sheffield+%25282%2529.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="flickr-yourcomment">Anyway, I had to go into work today because I had to take in this little angel decoration I'd made yesterday! One of my work friends has made a Christmas tree-shaped advent calendar for the building. On each day a door is opened to reveal a photo with a Christmassy/wintry theme, submitted by different members of staff (four of the photos are mine).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6YL12zOIZIQ/TPbg3ylY_yI/AAAAAAAACDc/wLDDp4EWujU/s1600/angel+drawing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6YL12zOIZIQ/TPbg3ylY_yI/AAAAAAAACDc/wLDDp4EWujU/s400/angel+drawing.jpg" width="282" /></a></div></div><div class="flickr-yourcomment">Of course, every Christmas tree needs something to go at the top, so my colleague asked me to make a little angel. I roughly sketched the design, then re-drew it a bit neater and more symmetrical. I used carbon paper to transfer the design onto foamboard. I made the halo and each of the wings separately, then painted the angel with acrylic and gouache (poster) paints. Foamboard is quite difficult to cut around the intricate shapes; I used a Fiskars craft knife with a new blade, and made short cuts to round off the angel's curly hair. The halo is made from an oval of gold crepe paper stuck onto foamboard and the wings are glittery wrapping paper with a curly design painted on. I then glued the halo and the wings to the back of the angel to give a three-dimensional effect.<br />
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I'm quite pleased with my little angel, but I don't know if it's a boy or a girl. What do you think?<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">If it's snowy where you are too, stay warm tomorrow!</div><div style="text-align: center;">best wishes</div><div style="text-align: center;">Joey x</div></div>Joey's Dream Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08911714755306558466noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4750640241660423901.post-2640214362807927072010-11-09T09:24:00.000+00:002010-11-09T09:24:16.133+00:00Old McJoey Had a Farm, ee-i, ee-i, o - progress<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjE9ogLYFiI9nHsWrd1ONvM0Sf6WZLnchgWdKSEkkyyb-eG0vWB_3LfF7ifCh9dWkexunlh33BZJoyI-hQ1HXFt4YXl7qVgkWamrUhS3w_2zaPq0Df_JkvgWlcCNXLS5cNa9Z1QubkPY0/s1600/farm+animal+brooches+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjE9ogLYFiI9nHsWrd1ONvM0Sf6WZLnchgWdKSEkkyyb-eG0vWB_3LfF7ifCh9dWkexunlh33BZJoyI-hQ1HXFt4YXl7qVgkWamrUhS3w_2zaPq0Df_JkvgWlcCNXLS5cNa9Z1QubkPY0/s400/farm+animal+brooches+001.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Farm animal brooches so far... nearly all the features embroidered on</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Good morning!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Yesterday was wetter than a fish's wet bits, the rain poured and then poured some more. Which was actually sort of good in a way as it kept me imprisoned in my little stitching sweat shop (actually freezing until we splashed out and put the fire on in the evening! trying to be good to the environment and our gas bills) and made good progress on the lil' critters.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Embroidering the features has to be my favourite part of making brooches and stuff, because it feels like I'm giving them their character. That's just made me think, you sometimes see dolls and characters in illustration without a nose, occasionally without a mouth, but I don't think I've ever seen something without eyes. Interesting. I think somehow that would make the doll very very disturbing.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Maybe something like this?</div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/60611069/travel-by-leaf-number-1?ref=v1_other_1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-D_6N4deE5Uu6RX66x-kTWABHRzJocSp8iTrtMxi0k0yvImTdDCd1xazsfjIpb32cPEpgQCR7NKyLq6MTyQe1IyB7oemQKzqV6ayfyeurs3QHq43jr9AvVC_9h80sG02lpMxTmBhBxuU/s400/travel+by+leaf+by+EvaFunderburgh.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="color: #783f04;">Travel by Leaf Number 1 by Eva Funderburgh</span></em><br />
<a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/EvaFunderburgh">http://www.etsy.com/shop/EvaFunderburgh</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">They're wonderful, aren't they? I love all of Eva Funderburgh's ceramic sculptures, she has such a compelling and imaginative menagerie of beasts that look a bit like a familiar animals, but so other-worldly that they are quite unsettling in a very satisfying way.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Have a creative and warm day everyone!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Joey xx</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"></div>Joey's Dream Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08911714755306558466noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4750640241660423901.post-875589400002426572010-11-06T09:35:00.001+00:002010-11-07T12:56:43.922+00:00Oink Baa, Double Cluck, Double Cluck<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfaju77D_RFWWjLvOCqCTDMUDvU6t-YMPiKCoJT9lHwosJCr9Dv9-LmDQOittpzcFOlV8-pK2jsjilPaFy5qPcBtUxNJ_Dp1w22SwKAjgoL5vRRcAL-iiAA9LOt1V3S0lzHB7pOy7yEM0/s1600/work+in+progress+-+farm+animals+brooches.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfaju77D_RFWWjLvOCqCTDMUDvU6t-YMPiKCoJT9lHwosJCr9Dv9-LmDQOittpzcFOlV8-pK2jsjilPaFy5qPcBtUxNJ_Dp1w22SwKAjgoL5vRRcAL-iiAA9LOt1V3S0lzHB7pOy7yEM0/s400/work+in+progress+-+farm+animals+brooches.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="color: #a64d79;">Farm Animals Brooches - in progress</span></em></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Hi there!</div><div style="text-align: center;">I hope you've had good bonfire night and/or Diwali if you've been celebrating!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>If you're a connosieur of children's telly, you'll recognise that the title to this post is a little homage to the animated show, "Hannah's Helpline", as on the theme song they sing, "Moo baa, double quack, double quack" as that's the 'number' to phone Hannah's helpline for emotional, financial or legal support. For animals. Have a look! It's very cute.<br />
<object height="340" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kbkwCICWwUI?fs=1&hl=en_GB"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kbkwCICWwUI?fs=1&hl=en_GB" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br />
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I've been making some 'farm animal' brooches for my stall at the <a href="http://www.craft-candy.org/fairs">Craft Candy craft fair</a> on 27 November; you can see at the top the progress I've made so far. These brooches use the same patterns as the finger puppets I made for <a href="http://www.makinggiftsmagazine.com/">Making Gifts Magazine</a>.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOvXlZ7ZMyFahdBFETcTNrYUMAnv3SJOc5XZFfzFBeBoL5ssqQ0OXcJ_8qRwiHchrduLYhowANd0_LryWKJCf5PSobEv_7gtK0ARI8ZQyy0JalyQsgHknM9eFCDKGddnXOwvNKfTNUeec/s1600/finished+finger+puppets+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOvXlZ7ZMyFahdBFETcTNrYUMAnv3SJOc5XZFfzFBeBoL5ssqQ0OXcJ_8qRwiHchrduLYhowANd0_LryWKJCf5PSobEv_7gtK0ARI8ZQyy0JalyQsgHknM9eFCDKGddnXOwvNKfTNUeec/s400/finished+finger+puppets+004.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="color: #274e13;">The finger puppets I made for Making Gifts magazine</span></em></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
You can make your own if you follow this link to get the FREE pattern! <a href="http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/69e43926#/69e43926/44">Finger Puppet Farm</a> (you will first need to register (for free) here: <a href="http://www.emagmaker.co.uk/user/register">http://www.emagmaker.co.uk/user/register</a><br />
Any brooches which I don't sell at the fair will be in my <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/Joeysdreamgarden#">Etsy shop</a> quicker than you can dial "oink, baa, double cluck, double cluck'!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Have a great weekend everyone!</div><div style="text-align: center;">Joey xx</div>Joey's Dream Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08911714755306558466noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4750640241660423901.post-617876928077799992010-10-21T09:36:00.000+01:002010-10-21T09:36:41.565+01:00The Secret is Out!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/joey7/3616408697/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiWeIfzQZ8b4UzIyklh0H8_akIRl2UZ2xjSRRYK0R3ZmUStXseFYKoFouPd8ZLsV_e5Q3-Zb5da3wFYTgl8S3lIVdbjKbeRo1AMz1ttfiHNUBjc8m7Z6XMHeROXPotvx2P3ZA2leqV8uE/s400/s+orange+bag+design.jpg" width="361" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the embroidery design on my bag in Quilt Scene 2010</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Hi!<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">You may remember that I mentioned a little secret at the end of my last blog post. Well I'm pleased that I can now reveal it to you! My orange embroidered stripey bag is being published in a US magazine called Quilt Scene 2010. It's an annual publication to celebrate the <a href="http://www.quilts.com/newHome/shows/viewer.php?page=FallFestival">International Quilt Festival</a> held in Houston, Texas every year. The publishers, <a href="http://www.interweave.com/">Interweave</a>, are a brilliant crafts publishers of numerous books and magazines, including the fantastic <a href="http://www.interweave.com/mixed-media/">Cloth Paper Scissors</a> and <a href="http://www.interweave.com/quilting/">Quilting Arts</a>, both of which are packed with unusual projects, features on artists and crafters and new techniques for you to try out.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.interweavestore.com/Quilting/Magazines/International-Quilt-Fest-Quilt-Scene-2010.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEideptD79AgH7Mcz8OK2eTpVOvONNS41QFtzJGXTI5z6dYaRtELFdTg1MklS2nPbJjuMB6T9gfzTm0rrRvanqHXZkPvoliLYyljGqsT3hO-8xPcyL30Hwfzx4XrZaoSYvX-cJlc2JuAjQ8/s400/quilt+scene.jpg" width="307" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Anyway, Quilt Scene 2010 is now available for you to pre-order. If you click on this link: <a href="http://www.interweavestore.com/Quilting/Magazines/International-Quilt-Fest-Quilt-Scene-2010.html">Quilt Scene 2010</a> you will be able to read the table of contents (my bag project is on page 56!) and it's very tempting! Selvage edge pincushions, a birch quilt, pumpkin table runner and loads more!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>If you happen to buy Quilt Scene 2010, please let me know what you think to it, I'd love to find out!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Best wishes</div><div style="text-align: center;">Joey x</div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/joey7/sets/72157619062739222/with/3582078355/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0MDhs9j6v9pCb8Gh38GtbraIh5RihZnpctV9mQ6sERqIIyz_v5uQns47RGoZzTZBO5DJ92LBE5nEfNV98t4qog9Ri981BA4BsLH6UmAYQUazPJh_b26S_XbVtLLiZ0GI9Ga7SqKWppKU/s320/s+pastel+bag+design.jpg" width="277" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A different, but similar bag</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Joey's Dream Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08911714755306558466noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4750640241660423901.post-44697999028715999842010-10-17T21:15:00.000+01:002010-10-17T21:15:56.660+01:00Pretty Dresses <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/joey7/sets/72157625056871745/with/5088889979/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAul5v2Ve1By4HDUjIcy3FrbJpsoGW0aKy669Iwnimi-LVBIyRMVALJOBjmwWZmdWkYVXIja4M-sctL5DmLzQIFDiU3n8tNIgzA-YzR8xyBCqt4yv5YyvQ_dCbqktUtiDjuZvazjt7B7s/s400/cemetery+and+special+dresses+brooches+030.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Special Dresses!</td></tr>
</tbody></table> My friend Claire has just asked me, <em>"Why don't you blog about the stuff you're making?"</em> Well, the reason (or excuse) is that I'm very disorganised! I think I keep up quite a good pretence most of the time that this isn't the case, but if you saw inside our home, you'd realise that it's all just a front.<br />
Anyway, I'll try to turn over a new leaf RIGHT NOW, and show & tell you what I've been up to over the past couple of weeks.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/joey7/sets/72157625056871745/with/5088889979/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpJXZUKdsp2YcjYGHVwV7mcMx9zkPC8LOPAXgpWRjTL3NMVpYozAgQsyGEAX_7YYMuUO8ZPS5H88cSVA_UHil1iT7N4RMo_xsbFn7e9DTa_uwt3XtkKhj6dt2-KPIb8vnVb8-zvwrt81M/s400/special+dresses+brooches+001.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">work in progress... a lot of blank faces!</td></tr>
</tbody></table> I have a little stash of very lovely fabrics that I never seem to get around to using, and I've had in my mind for a while that I'd make some little bunny and kitty brooches with them all wearing little dresses in these lovely fabrics. I wanted to make something different and special for the <a href="http://www.craft-candy.org/fairs">Craft Candy Christmas craft fair</a> on 27 November (which is only six weeks away - ARRGHHH! I'M NOT PREPARED! I will be though, I will be...) at which I will be having a stall, so if you're in the South Yorkshire area you must come along to get a bit of Christmas shopping in, Craft Candy fairs are always brilliant displays of beautiful handmade arts and crafts.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.craft-candy.org/fairs" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaMuu_mJuy1PZmyNz6kC1yfmy4ZdEqZlFSuLvBRsXLuBhS6wBkCJWkZOG2SDjBTAlnJhEXkOFtluj749zA-FWAal3ziZgDmSmO47IZxkOecrGWo8w8OORjE0TqzjfVKCLgFT9PG8lFGx4/s400/Craft+Candy+Christmas+2010.jpg" width="285" /></a></div>I've made a collection of nine (one has already flown the nest though... She's not pictured here), each with a different dress fabric, which is also on the backs (of course! Otherwise it would be rude for a prim little bunny or kitty to have a bare behind). <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/joey7/sets/72157625056871745/with/5088889979/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWfV8iYkzS-qrZLPb5tT7iMEmRm-kLa28qYqwW_G_7qIS3LxIBVuvzQP3-S6DIl6FdQ27jV4eiqtLxtyfcc0G1xQgdK7iPmNy0p_e8BhXXZFA8Cyt0oprgDXgEwFoffUdBH7jGGFkAGsM/s320/cemetery+and+special+dresses+brooches+037.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the back of one of the brooches, showing back of 'dress' and the brooch pin</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I've embroidered the collars on by hand (it isn't lace) with cast-on buttonhole stitch (although the pink bunny in the strawberry print dress has a green woven picot collar, because it looks a bit like the calyx on a strawberry).<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/joey7/sets/72157625056871745/with/5088889979/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJMGlarHTxJ_wlka3dCR6UPMBSq6aNb3dHiIJfnWxttOxu0J2uvlkEZZuMNte0LyiWevFiyoF7Rdq47bYGF4-qr1xMxE0_UbG7IyLBQq5iHZjxTTBcceNeNEwUheRU7TIXUj4SYvI8lww/s400/Special+Dresses+Brooches+(15).JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cast-on buttonhole collars</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/joey7/sets/72157625056871745/with/5088889979/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyWQGsi5AV_R7pP8pL4_nxlHswO8l3qVk9HOWQKdnXpGdSVRbqXSs8IH0W86xFan99yEv6TEdfYjtdsfBjMkC8-GEZGacEWe0B0nFw6_NT9f09pwO8bU1GMvABCsEY71t6myOZUSTNl2o/s400/Special+Dresses+Brooches+(11).JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">woven picot collar</td></tr>
</tbody></table> The next thing I'll be working on will be a bag or two along the same lines as my embroidered concentric circles bags (orange one pictured below)... more news about them soon! Oh and <em>a little secret...</em> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/joey7/sets/72157619476744307/with/3617459110/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6YL12zOIZIQ/TLtSaPl84cI/AAAAAAAAB_k/nChVXZltwO4/s400/orange+concentric+circles+bag.jpg" width="295" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The orange 'concentric circles' bag</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Have a good Monday everyone!</div><div style="text-align: center;">Best wishes</div><div style="text-align: center;">Joey x</div>Joey's Dream Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08911714755306558466noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4750640241660423901.post-50738300701171533002010-10-15T08:45:00.000+01:002010-10-15T08:45:25.255+01:00Blog Action Day: Precious WaterHi! I thought it would be a good idea to break my 'blog-fast' by joining in with the annual 'Blog Action Day', where thousands of folks all over the world blog about one particular topic to raise awareness. This year it's about WATER. Very mundane, you may think. If you live in a country where water is plentiful, you may take water for granted. Well let's not! <br />
Here's a little video to watch: <br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="225" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/15336764" width="400"></iframe><br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/15336764">Blog Action Day 2010: Water</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user4794408">Blog Action Day</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
<br />
Here's some startling water facts from <a href="http://water.org/learn-about-the-water-crisis/facts/">water.org</a>:<br />
<ul><li>The water and sanitation crisis claims more lives through disease than any war claims through guns.</li>
<li>An American taking a five-minute shower uses more water than a typical person in a developing country slum uses in a whole day.</li>
<li>Every 20 seconds, a child dies from a water-related disease.</li>
<li>More than 80% of sewage in developing countries is discharged untreated, polluting rivers, lakes and coastal areas.</li>
<li>Diarrheoa is more prevalent in the developing world due, in large part, to the lack of safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene, as well as poorer overall health and nutritional status. </li>
<li>1.4 million children die as a result of diarrhea each year. </li>
</ul>Find more water facts, and how you can help, on <a href="http://blogactionday.change.org/why-water">blogactionday.change.org</a><br />
<br />
To celebrate water, I've created an Etsy treasury with water as the theme... click on the picture below to take a closer look at these lovely handmade and vintage items!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4cb804add6726d9172543875/precious-water" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="619" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAtifwoazCSW0JXoYpDwdgfoRBdvVDiYBxF4LA_DfuqaCxF_82Rfy22AwGo5gN7LWUg80JaS9N2oeP4sIB1aLdCL6yvZ_g-f3JfpK2KXV_VlZ12eTao1yaX2Be7WD77tT8rv3ua4MzVkI/s640/blog+action+day+treasury+water.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Have a great Friday!<br />
Best wishes,<br />
Joey xxJoey's Dream Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08911714755306558466noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4750640241660423901.post-88313050050581148922010-09-19T14:30:00.000+01:002010-09-19T14:30:08.353+01:00A-haunting we will go...<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfkTIKcaGoshx8bkgQZCB2akYp_KMiqpkDe7R8-430D6TarrX6EJAeqNxfxBho5yJ_zHlQ08RyIHkXTEbR9n4G1Yuqo6dd2RTPvMVFvFPG6DaYxoR2pPpAD9wC6LaXR_jCTvRDADYkGkY/s1600/unclemontytales+of+terror.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfkTIKcaGoshx8bkgQZCB2akYp_KMiqpkDe7R8-430D6TarrX6EJAeqNxfxBho5yJ_zHlQ08RyIHkXTEbR9n4G1Yuqo6dd2RTPvMVFvFPG6DaYxoR2pPpAD9wC6LaXR_jCTvRDADYkGkY/s640/unclemontytales+of+terror.jpg" width="408" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Hiya!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Gosh, look at this, sticking to my promise to post again today! What IS the world coming to??</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It's not very often that I sit down and read a novel, I don't have the stamina for them. I tend to get very bored by novels very easily, but I do occasionally enjoy reading short stories, and especially SPOOKY short stories.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>I'm a fan of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M._R._James">M.R. James</a> (the M.R. stands for Montague Rhodes) who is considered to be the finest ghost story writer of them all. The stories have contemporary settings when James wrote them (between 1904 to 1925) and many reflected his academic background and his expertise on medieval history, and it is this where most of his inspiration for his ghost stories comes from.<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Some of my favourite stories of James' are "Oh Whistle and I'll Come to You, My Lad", in which a man discovers a very old whistle with inexplicable powers; "Number 13" which pertains to a hotel room number which doesn't exist... or does it? But perhaps "A View From a Hill" is to me the most horrific, mostly because of a very eerie pair of home-made binoculars.</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/83CIwVKNjM4?fs=1&hl=en_GB"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/83CIwVKNjM4?fs=1&hl=en_GB" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Many of James' stories have been dramatised for television (some of which are available on YouTube), although I particularly like <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1874703620/ref=cm_pdp_rev_itm_img_3">the audiobooks</a> read by the wonderful David Collings (who also played Silver in the late 70s/early 80s paranormal drama 'Sapphire and Steel', and was the voice of Monkey in the fantastic series of the same name (sometimes called 'Monkey Magic' but I always called it just 'Monkey').<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Anyway, I was recommended to read 'Uncle Montague's Tales of Terror' by my friend Claire's eight-year-old son, Elliot. As you may guess, the name 'Uncle Montague' is a nod to James himself, so how could I resist? And to read a ghost book aimed at children seemed like not too much of a strain on my very short attention span. However I wasn't prepared for what turned out to be a real treat! </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhAbkzvMBT5b078NiXxlvt6dnThAZ_IO6kk68nipsZ7katuXEIABYNHAFUJixV5fdh1tRfqlWRxolcgpJkoyuSguKH_QzUvB7j5wFPvN9pj9W_uti2f6sC0Wo1dppc3gcAX_SYnPHEfE4/s1600/unclemonty781.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhAbkzvMBT5b078NiXxlvt6dnThAZ_IO6kk68nipsZ7katuXEIABYNHAFUJixV5fdh1tRfqlWRxolcgpJkoyuSguKH_QzUvB7j5wFPvN9pj9W_uti2f6sC0Wo1dppc3gcAX_SYnPHEfE4/s200/unclemonty781.jpg" width="135" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Chris Priestley has crafted a wonderful collection of very uncanny stories, tied together within the unsettling setting of Uncle Montague's creepy house, and by the very creepy Uncle Montague himself who tells the stories to the book's protagonist, Edgar. The stories are satisfyingly short and to the point, but with enough substance to linger in your mind for some time later. I am a slow reader by nature, but towards the end of each story I was racing through the last paragraphs as the pace quickened and the tension gathered. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Every story is accompanied by two black-and-white line drawings by David Roberts. I really like Roberts' style of spindly, spidery lines, shadowy cross-hatching and uncanny settings, which go so well with the tales.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">If you want to read an intelligent and short collection of spooky stories, now that the nights are starting to draw in and the leaves are starting to fall, this is an ideal book, whatever your age. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I've already read the sequel, "Tales of Terror from the Black Ship" and just started "Tales of Terror from the Tunnel's Mouth"; both are full of imaginative twists and the same creepy atmosphere of "Uncle Montague" that I've come to expect. I'm definitely going to keep an eye out for more like this to satisfy my taste for dark, creepy tales. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaX4gb4mVXNCQM0lXvGbTu9hCShCRj_Ybsdsuh-PDOmlMR7qXM1klY3j-Sq0NGiixH9g1Jszpmd8dKIIcXBBgo3tqVOrYSzPbd35haRY0jBFLVzqjgxr1JI_WXOVJQVmxTQ-H4aWlRMf8/s1600/tunnels+mouth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaX4gb4mVXNCQM0lXvGbTu9hCShCRj_Ybsdsuh-PDOmlMR7qXM1klY3j-Sq0NGiixH9g1Jszpmd8dKIIcXBBgo3tqVOrYSzPbd35haRY0jBFLVzqjgxr1JI_WXOVJQVmxTQ-H4aWlRMf8/s400/tunnels+mouth.jpg" width="238" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Further reading: </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Uncle Montague's very own blog! Which is humourously called "Uncle Montague's Nether Regions." <a href="http://www.unclemontague.blogspot.com/">http://www.unclemontague.blogspot.com/</a> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">the author, Chris Priestley's blog: <a href="http://chrispriestley.blogspot.com/">http://chrispriestley.blogspot.com/</a> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Tales of Terror site (this is a beautifully-designed site with lots of creepy sounds things to look at, well worth a look!) <a href="http://www.talesofterror.co.uk/">http://www.talesofterror.co.uk/</a> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Hope you have a lovely Sunday afternoon, everyone!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Best wishes</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Joey x</div>Joey's Dream Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08911714755306558466noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4750640241660423901.post-84847583782028772592010-09-18T11:05:00.003+01:002010-09-18T11:10:21.781+01:00We have a WINNER! <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOlSEPD-PoJOVGWQvg1KEIOrXNN1XF08Hj5i6yxNemoUdZRPavkvz6Pi-q3i907ecZbfeCw6j0-Aszd_sxmJGSbo2vxu2-rNKHppGqKuuOFm5cGsZCQ4VHgUlwdmrw3TqdGnoOSIg-ZMU/s1600/Claire's+sandcastle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOlSEPD-PoJOVGWQvg1KEIOrXNN1XF08Hj5i6yxNemoUdZRPavkvz6Pi-q3i907ecZbfeCw6j0-Aszd_sxmJGSbo2vxu2-rNKHppGqKuuOFm5cGsZCQ4VHgUlwdmrw3TqdGnoOSIg-ZMU/s400/Claire's+sandcastle.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>What a lovely sandcastle... but only one flag... :-(</em></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Hi there! I hope you've all had a super-smashing summer! I must apologise, this is the first blog post for AGES!! What have I been doing all this time, you may wonder? Well, nothing much... though I have read two books - albeit children's books, that is quite an achievement for me! More on that later, but now I must announce (sorry this is a bit late!) the winner of my <a href="http://joeysdreamgarden.blogspot.com/2010/07/put-flags-out-freebie-and-contest.html">sandcastle flag competition</a>!<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: orange;"><strong>It's CARLA! Congratulations, Carla! She made a lovely big sandcastle with not just one flag, but THREE! Nice work, Carla! </strong></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-SnO9QfWY9hasJm-yEozQEwgVWB8zZnUIxIzQECbZN8LJ18L3JOoHxg0yfBo_u0cKwO5vFFF-qBRQXz6lh64ZWGaqV2q-AbPlOhx8oUOpdQec4jIKMyvDULzDlKB3vZ_7ePXDFM4fGg8/s1600/Carla.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-SnO9QfWY9hasJm-yEozQEwgVWB8zZnUIxIzQECbZN8LJ18L3JOoHxg0yfBo_u0cKwO5vFFF-qBRQXz6lh64ZWGaqV2q-AbPlOhx8oUOpdQec4jIKMyvDULzDlKB3vZ_7ePXDFM4fGg8/s320/Carla.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Carla with her sandcastle with THREE FLAGS! That's more like it! :D </em><br />
<em><span style="color: #666666;">(I'm sorry about the resolution of this picture, it was taken with a camera on a mobile. It's still lovely though!)</span></em></td></tr>
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Carla has won her choice of one of my <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/joey7/sets/72157616631948450/with/3431537923/">Kitty Pip brooches</a>! Carla, please tell me (via your Auntie Claire) which one you'd like, and I'll pop it in the post to you! :-)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6YL12zOIZIQ/TJSGEJ_2bXI/AAAAAAAAB6I/ArIXCrNrYL0/s1600/Rowan.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" qx="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6YL12zOIZIQ/TJSGEJ_2bXI/AAAAAAAAB6I/ArIXCrNrYL0/s400/Rowan.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I have a few Kitty Pip brooches not in <a href="http://joeysdreamgarden.etsy.com/">my Etsy shop</a>, so if you would like to buy one, please ask via the comment form below.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I promise to do another blog post very very soon! Maybe even tomorrow! I want to tell you about the SPOOKY SUPERNATURAL books I've been reading, and the SPOOKY SUPERNATURAL audio book I've been listening to whilst embroidering... oh and I'll tell you about that too!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Best wishes</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Joey x</div>Joey's Dream Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08911714755306558466noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4750640241660423901.post-43065649226200199482010-07-29T08:51:00.061+01:002010-07-30T07:36:46.406+01:00Thank you for my Rainbow of Threads!<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/joey7/4840383795/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" bx="true" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD2d8bAv8GtzyXmBpzhg54SSXHWUalGrouiSeqfRCYN4Ks5XjiPQU9xmILkpmPpbRKC6x0pdgSNpKYpoPRE-7DvYM8WmVzDO-eZahMQpa_0B3hMNugxk-Dxlz6Ab54aj02j1Ibiw_6bCA/s640/rainbow+of+threads+with+Little+Tiger+and+book+007.JPG" width="537" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><span style="background-color: white; color: orange;">There aren't seven colours in the rainbow... there's 454!</span></em></div></td></tr>
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #cc0000;">Hiya!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: red;">I hope you're all well and happy!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red;">At last, I have got around to photographing all those lovely, lovely DMC threads and the</span> <span style="color: #ff6600;">wonderful</span> </span><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rainbow-Stitches-Embroidery-Cross-Stitch-Project/dp/0823014789"><span style="background-color: white;">Rainbow of Stitches</span></a><span style="background-color: white;"> <span style="color: #ff6600;">book that I won in the recent</span> </span><a href="http://www.feelingstitchy.com/2010/06/and-winner-is.html"><span style="background-color: white;">Feeling Stitchy Rainbow of Stitches Contest</span></a><span style="background-color: white;">! <span style="color: #ff6600;">Thank you to all the kind and generous folks at</span> </span><a href="http://www.feelingstitchy.com/"><span style="background-color: white;">Feeling Stitchy </span></a><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #ff6600;">and</span> </span><a href="http://dmc-threads.com/"><span style="background-color: white;">DMC threads </span></a><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #ff6600;">for</span> <span style="color: #ff6600;">giving such gorgeous prizes! Check out my Flickr set for a closer look <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/joey7/sets/72157624174383938/">here</a>. I asked Little Tiger if he was pleased with the prize; he said it was nice and big, but would have preferred a set of <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Top-Trumps-Horror-Card-Game/dp/B000BM8CQ6/ref=sr_1_41?ie=UTF8&s=toys&qid=1280471745&sr=8-41">Top Trumps cards</a>, especially ones with monsters on. Bless him!</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/joey7/4841000338/in/photostream/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" bx="true" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9lqssk_bM7xVYGF6mC8rFNOXaR7_QYvqWnSjv290_Jf1-dNldBvIK0p44zrJKfCXob9eZ7hNKUtTYfKhP-ZZ5GTTeazZRlZCr4FJXSAXQAslmgqf5FS5siK5sMkZzMoams0yG3T2HdI/s640/rainbow+of+threads+with+Little+Tiger+and+book+011.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="background-color: white; color: orange;">King of the Thready Castle!</span></em></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #f1c232;">The book is fabulous; I've been taking it around to friends and showing it off who've all "ooh-ed" and "aah-ed" at it. The book contains hundreds and hundreds of sweet embroidery patterns and cross stitch charts and plenty of ideas of what to embroider. The patterns and charts are all monotone, so</span><span style="color: #33cc00;"> it's an ideal book for beginner embroiderers. The patterns and the beautifully photographed bags, napkins, samplers and all manner of decorated clothing and other homewares are divided into sections for green, pink, blue, red, and white. The colours used are just suggestions though, so you can choose your favourite colour, or more adventurous stitchers</span> <span style="color: #00cccc;">could easily turn the patterns into multi-coloured ones. There's a good variety of styles of patterns too, from cute little children and animals through elegant women and lacy borders, to nine different alphabet and sampler patterns, giving lots of scope for personalising your creations. There's so much choice, that I hardly know where to start!</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #3366ff;">Then we come to the threads. What can I say about a MASSIVE pile of 454 DMC six-stranded cotton embroidery thread, in all the colours available?? It's WONDERFUL!! DMC thread is a joy to work with, it's colour-fast, has a lovely shine and the colours are very clear. I like how they've</span> <span style="color: #000099;">given me lots of variegated threads as well, because I love those. There's more shades of green and blue than I will ever need, but I'll give it a good try! I've put together perhaps my favourite 19 (there was meant to be 20 but I seem to have miscounted!) colours from the 454 I now have, pictured below. </span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/joey7/4840393021/in/photostream/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" bx="true" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixWVHRZcsNkgwDlXMUR6iIWf0U6CqULdDSH1nBDFDPZrVbpjHuZijPKldhTbjEGMBeNRsqXemEhyphenhyphenQN7cpbnGKslniPf1kdRCUXkp079rl8Aq8ooTaiQN1zJx0w0TIRoj0p4ZVQApRgO40/s640/rainbow+of+threads+with+Little+Tiger+and+book+013.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><em><span style="color: red;">My</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span style="color: orange;">pers</span><span style="color: #ffd966;">onal</span> <span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">rai</span></span><span style="color: #3d85c6;">nb</span><span style="color: #351c75;">ow</span></em><span style="color: magenta;"> :-)</span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #cc33cc;">I'm going to be designing a new Little Tiger embroidery very very soon (this afternoon if I can pull my finger out, but unfortunately my greatest strength is procrastination, so don't hold your breath!) and I'll be using some of the rainbow!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div align="center"><span style="background-color: white; color: #6aa84f;">Have a great day, whatever you're doing.</span></div></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #6aa84f;">Peace & love</span></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #6aa84f;">Joey xxx</span></div>Joey's Dream Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08911714755306558466noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4750640241660423901.post-36108952578009372732010-07-25T18:59:00.000+01:002010-07-25T18:59:01.360+01:00Candyfloss Summer Craft Fair<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwBpt0h7-3YucFuuFXEe08ZISznI_FLdkSYfnBNp21LOTSZmO2fVaQZ-516H3OJMrPg351imHa6szCXKOykvcrZPpnqYvOm1xzSZt34kQgWpltiNbb95t03-PzoeQ9P0gWVPBqF0Sw2YE/s1600/zandra+ceramins+mini+vases+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwBpt0h7-3YucFuuFXEe08ZISznI_FLdkSYfnBNp21LOTSZmO2fVaQZ-516H3OJMrPg351imHa6szCXKOykvcrZPpnqYvOm1xzSZt34kQgWpltiNbb95t03-PzoeQ9P0gWVPBqF0Sw2YE/s400/zandra+ceramins+mini+vases+004.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="color: #cc0000;">Cute Little Raku Bottles from Zandra Ceramics</span></em></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Goodness! What a week! What with a busy time at work, having a whale of a time with friends making sock monsters on Thursday and planning some new embroidery designs, this is the first chance I've had to tell you about the lovely craft fair I went to a week ago, run by old friends Craft Candy.</div><br />
There were so many gorgeous stalls, but I only took pictures of a few (you can see the pictures on my Flickr pages <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/joey7/sets/72157624414526643/">here</a>) and here's my favourites of my favourites!<br />
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Zandra of <a href="http://zandraceramics.co.uk/">Zandra Ceramics</a> specialises in raku and wood-fired sculptural pieces and vessels. In one of the wood-fired vases Zandra had pressed a safety-pin and because the temperature in the wood kiln gets so high, the pin had completely melted and left an interesting metal residue. I liked the tiny raku-glazed bottles (pictured above) so much that I bought three!<br />
<br />
Sian of <a href="http://siansburys.net/">Siansburys'</a> stall looked as bright and fun as always, with her cute and so beautifully-made sock monkeys. Sian has been making her sock monkeys for a few years now, and each one is a unique work of art.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAYUm3BKyTVd6xm3GAJn1JGHFqY9OIFrrB7LTcQL2qjp_sjG0Tv9G-071-k1f-klUZ4B2uzyWlhaDu1E_OGhg1Op1-S3_WQ-uDWtvxRgvsyOw6Bwu8Rxw77q3yRJ2vCmj92kfIfwNKEKk/s1600/Siansburys+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAYUm3BKyTVd6xm3GAJn1JGHFqY9OIFrrB7LTcQL2qjp_sjG0Tv9G-071-k1f-klUZ4B2uzyWlhaDu1E_OGhg1Op1-S3_WQ-uDWtvxRgvsyOw6Bwu8Rxw77q3yRJ2vCmj92kfIfwNKEKk/s400/Siansburys+2.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="color: #3d85c6;">One of Siansburys' Cute and Colourful Sock Monkeys</span></em></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Kirsten of <a href="http://www.quernuscrafts.co.uk/">Quernus Crafts</a> makes wonderfully colourful and patterned millefiore polymer clay critters, the like of which I don't think I've ever seen before! Kirsten makes her own intricately-patterned millefiore canes and then creates cute little creatures like snails, moles, cats... and even a tiger! They will really brighten up your day!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGUsrqkM52hSrgU1rc14YK0ZtQboyuoQE07Uj2ASKgxDBYEyK4lPtAv9SH_iTVM5kpYcKuHiWvF7w91bElNtfmW2kAvmf3Aj5KWikXs9AGHR_YPmL4LRMk-80ASmjYbOpEGyHrfsz6L1Q/s1600/Quernus+Crafts+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGUsrqkM52hSrgU1rc14YK0ZtQboyuoQE07Uj2ASKgxDBYEyK4lPtAv9SH_iTVM5kpYcKuHiWvF7w91bElNtfmW2kAvmf3Aj5KWikXs9AGHR_YPmL4LRMk-80ASmjYbOpEGyHrfsz6L1Q/s400/Quernus+Crafts+3.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="color: #cc0000;">Little Snaily with a Beautiful Shell from Quernus Crafts</span></em></td></tr>
</tbody></table>And lastly, we come to possibly the star of the show! <a href="http://www.frooly.com/thebuttontin/">Gemma Nemer (who runs The Button Tin craft workshop in Rotherham)</a> won the prize for the best-dressed stall, and just look at these pictures for a bit of eye candy! I think you'll agree that Gemma's stall was super-sweet! This is it:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRUIeVGJJX62-MFxQW8WCOV6-BvezCX0gd_WsxILH12tQqEbv_9kFc7Bm5IeywGUh0MJ5yPUcejA_CnBm7mJlONGELlr-4v5cz0dVOVky7AN_wzdYvhqM6J5nqgljRN5B52R61gFdZYzA/s1600/Gemma+Nemer+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="323" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRUIeVGJJX62-MFxQW8WCOV6-BvezCX0gd_WsxILH12tQqEbv_9kFc7Bm5IeywGUh0MJ5yPUcejA_CnBm7mJlONGELlr-4v5cz0dVOVky7AN_wzdYvhqM6J5nqgljRN5B52R61gFdZYzA/s400/Gemma+Nemer+3.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Gemma Nemer's beautifully-dressed stall</span></em></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Look! She even made the signs all vintage-y and cute with retro fabrics and lots of lace, with hand-stamped text.<br />
<br />
Gemma specialises in textile accessories made from vintage fabrics and upcycled embroidered linens. She also teaches classes in her studio at Rotherham, <a href="http://www.frooly.com/thebuttontin/">the Button Tin</a> and there's all sorts lovely things you can learn to make! <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih90aY6lTbmU6S-nN__qw2b5mIz2TNmDwUVjzqCTH8i94RaDc25XJhY4VZ7ia83knZHfiR4p0HadaB2LCfu7nT8A7-2uiPZy5udMxF7hjiWXyMxvyjQ0A03AyRjkxfOPtQx3LhdD7zetQ/s1600/Gemma+Nemer+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih90aY6lTbmU6S-nN__qw2b5mIz2TNmDwUVjzqCTH8i94RaDc25XJhY4VZ7ia83knZHfiR4p0HadaB2LCfu7nT8A7-2uiPZy5udMxF7hjiWXyMxvyjQ0A03AyRjkxfOPtQx3LhdD7zetQ/s400/Gemma+Nemer+5.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="color: #e06666;">I can't remember whether these were brooches or hairgrips... they're lovely anyway!</span></em></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCo3mIYHnH2QaWapIoWom0GjoA5ZyV5mL-Bac-Wxhs1w4Yj1QwfF-HyS43zCTxzM8dw2MunTIAkLJmlQ-9nrjxNOWtua1c0dEAyvkiQWNnjPymMA_g-3iwjdrDEFkFrlznK72nFv6XkAI/s1600/Gemma+Nemer+7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCo3mIYHnH2QaWapIoWom0GjoA5ZyV5mL-Bac-Wxhs1w4Yj1QwfF-HyS43zCTxzM8dw2MunTIAkLJmlQ-9nrjxNOWtua1c0dEAyvkiQWNnjPymMA_g-3iwjdrDEFkFrlznK72nFv6XkAI/s400/Gemma+Nemer+7.JPG" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="color: #0b5394;">Gemma made a necklace just for her Blue Bunny!</span></em></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Now I'm looking forward to <a href="http://www.craft-candy.org/fairs">Craft Candy's next fair, the Christmas one</a> on Saturday 27 November 2010. Applications are being accepted right now until the end of August, so go to <a href="http://www.craft-candy.org/fairs">their site</a> if you'd like to be considered for a stall.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Best wishes</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Joey xx</div>Joey's Dream Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08911714755306558466noreply@blogger.com3Sheffield, UK53.380064596978372 -1.467479467391967853.379664596978373 -1.4683914673919678 53.380464596978371 -1.4665674673919677