One Project A Month - September

I bought another 'make to sell bag pattern' the other week, from a shop on Etsy, Bustle & Sew, it's called the "Sweet Pleat Shoulder Tote, a pdf pattern which you pay for, then download and print off yourself.

It's a lovely pattern,anyway, I finished it the other day, more complicated than I thought it would be, it took me three days after managing to put the lining in upside down, I seem to have a thing with linings! but I managed it in the end and even managed to find a button to match the heart print fabric!

Anyway here are some pictures, 

There are some more pictures of the bag listed in my Etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/listing/109291019/shoulder-bag-sweet-pleat-red-chenille

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Not much else happening, hubby working, going shopping, paying bills, doing housework etc, Millie the cat went to the vets the other week for her yearly vaccinations, oh the hot weather we had a while back, I took this photo of Millie asleep in front of the fan - a cool cat! 

I don't know if anyone follows me on facebook but I've changed the name, its now

https://www.facebook.com/sykesssillysite.co.uk

Have a good weekend, Josie x

ps) just checked my e-mails and I've just found out that a nice surprise is on it's way to cheer someone up in Blogland :-)

Shoulder Bag no 3 and other stuff

The weather:

Well it snowed this weekend as predicted, so we stayed in, you've probably seen lots of 'snow' photo's by now so here is just one more...

Sewing : shoulder bag no 3

Because we stayed in, I managed to finish shoulder bag no 3, the cute kittens/teddy bear/bunny fabric, I only cut this out on friday so that's pretty good for me to finish it so quickly, especially with this pattern! But it was just such lovely fabric and I couldn't wait to see it finished! anyway here are some pics and it will be listed for sale on my website at the weekend when I've had chance to try and finish the other seven bags!

The cats:

Millie snuggled up next to me on the settee and later......both of them of our bed.

Bus Strike:

Day 8,9,10 and 11 this week, yes that's four days in one week, but it's not affecting hubby as he is off work with a trapped nerve in his neck/shoulder, still it won't make any difference money wise, sick pay or strike pay, it will still be low wages.

Edit: just been looking on the internet for the rate of stat sick pay : £81.60 a week but as it seems as hubby is on strike, we won't even get that!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statutory_sick_pay

If you want to know whats going on you can read it here http://sheffieldswp.blogspot.com/2012/01/bus-drivers-fight-on.html

and here

http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=27445

and here

http://union-news.co.uk/2012/02/video-stagecoach-drivers-strike-to-stamp-out-scab-buses/

have a good week

Josie x

2010 12th may Kitt's 2nd Birthday....

Happy Birthday to Kitt !
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Here are some of my favourite photo's of Kitt from the last twelve months (I've taken loads so it was hard to choose)

(above) the windowsill in the bedroom,where Kitt sits while I'm on the computer.

and finally this was taken a few weeks ago, both Kitt (my cat) and Millie (hubby's cat) wanted to lie down on the braided rug I'd made from some old flanellette pillowcases, they don't stay together for very long but it's lovely when they do.

Josie x

ps) Edit - problems with internet connection so can't use comments box..... yes Alex you have remembered right Kitt was my son's cat and thank you Diane for your comment

This Weeks Stuff....

Hubby:
Had a bit of a scare last weekend, hubby had chest pains and his right arm was aching and his fingers were tingling and numb but the stubborn old so and so wouldn't let me call an ambulance, so he managed to get a Dr's appointment on monday at 7pm, we were in and out in five minutes, the Dr moved hubby's arm around and said go home and take some anadin, but not ibuprofen because of his stomach ulcer (erm, what stomach ulcer?) and all he said about the chest pains, not to worry unless it last for half an hour! Edit: just been looking back through hubby's medical notes we got for the Tribunal stuff and it seems he's had a prepyloric ulcer since 2008!! so that probably explains a few of his health problems so he's now got a second Dr's appointment booked for next wednesday to discuss it.

We came away feeling as though that was a waste of time, so hubby booked another appointment with a different Dr which is a week later (earliest is next monday!) so hubby has still got the painful aching arm and tingling and numbness so yesterday he had enough and we went to local A & E dept, they checked his heart on an ECG machine and took blood tests ( both okay) and examined his arm and it seems he has pulled a muscle doing some gardening last weekend! So he's off work again.

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Sewing & Cats: I've finished braided rug no 4 and the cats love it!
Kitt laid on it straightaway and Millie didn't want to be left out either, which is not surprising as it is lovely and soft because I've recycled five flannelette pillowcases!

so I'm counting this as a finish for One Project A Month for April. Oh don't forget there is still time to vote for Millie and Kitt in the Morrisons cute cat competition, ends 14th April.

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I've also made another shoulder bag (no 9) as well made using some lovely Ikea fabric,all flowers and butterflies, just perfect for spring, this is on sale in my Etsy Shop.

Have a good weekend!

Josie x

One Project A Month - March 2010

Well I've finished OPAM early this month, only because I didn't quite finish this for February even though I've been working on this rug for about a month - here is braided rug no 3. Lovely colours, cotton fabrics in red, yellow and two shades of green and some beige linen fabric, Hand braided then hand stitched together, I think the colours work really well together, just perfect for spring!
I love making these rugs even if it is a bit tedious as times, I've already made a start on rug no 4, recycling some old flannelette pillowcases but this one is for the cats to lie on because at the moment they have taken a fancy to one of my blankets! arrgghh, it's covered in cat hairs!

One of the rare moments when they are together, Kitt was already asleep and Millie laid down next to her, awww.....

Josie x

One Project A Month - November - Rag Cushion & Apron

Sewing:

I can't believe it's November already, it doesn't seem five minutes since I started doing One Project A Month and wondering what I was going to make each month..... If you've been following my blog then you'll know that last month I made the rag quilt and this month I've finished the reversible matching cushion which has lovely floral fabrics on one side and the leaf applique on the other side. and I've made a padded lavender heart with the leftover leaf print fabric. Xmas Pressie!

The apron pattern and fabric arrived last week. I've been sewing all week and I've finished my mum's apron as well! It was lovely fabric to sew and the apron is double thickness.As you can from this close up, I went a bit wrong on the pocket, the left side is higher up, oops!

Cats:

Here is a lovely photo of Millie trying to sneak in our bedroom door! She has been living with us three months now and has settled in really well, it's like she's always lived with us.

and here is Kitt and Millie on the settee together, this lasted about five minutes!

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I've already finished 'One Project A Month for December' but it's for the christmas stocking swap so you'll have to wait till next month to see that!

Josie x

2009 - September - Sewing - Shoulder Bag no 5

2nd September 2009

I've been busy making another shoulder bag from the Rosalie Quinlan bag pattern - Beauty of a Flower.....It's taken me about three weeks on and off, I've recycled an old pair of jeans and denim jacket..... the lovely pale blue floral lining is some old bathroom curtains which was originally a duvet cover, so the fabric has been recycled twice!This bag seems a bit more sturdy then the first one I made for myself, perhaps I should read the instructions, there is supposed to be wadding in the middle, oops! Anyway I think it looks okay without and this one is my favourite of all five bags I've made so far and I can't wait to use it! While I'm taking busy these photo's, Kitt has sneaked into our bedroom and is playing hide and seek in my bedside cabinet!

Josie x

Christmas - the presents

I've finally sold something, someone asked me to make a sewing machine cover with a matching pin cushion specially for them..... and I've sold some stuff on eBay, so with a budget of £26 ( to buy pressies for three people!), I'm off to the Charity shops next week, to look for some cups and saucers to make these.....
This is an idea from Niki @ Nostalgia At The Stonehouse
http://nostalgiaatthestonehouse.blogspot.com/2007/11/tea-time-treats.html but instead of cotton hankies, I've bought some nice floral paper hankies. (I've already used the cotton hankies somewhere else!)

I've already bought some books from Amazon and chocs from Tesco and I've made another Morsbag for my Mum, the embroidery which I've appliqued on is from a tray cloth and the cream fabric is some old stairs curtains. I'll post pics when the camera is working again.

If you need more inspiration for Christmas on a budget, Martin Lewis's website has lots of "Festive Fivers" ideas http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/festive-fivers

Here's a photo of Kitt Cat wanting to know where her food is....as we had just eaten a home-made vegetable curry (recipie somewhere on blog)

Josie x