My 100th Follower!

Wow, I can't believe that the number of folks who follow my blog is now into three figures!  What a good start to the New Year!  That deserves a little giveaway I think!

Congratulations Dorthe - you are the lucky person - if you would like to email me - link in my sidebar - with your address, I will post a little thank you gift to you.  I will go away and find something suitable and will be right back with a photo of it.

Right - I'm back and here is my giveaway.  This is a pretty linen pouch from circa 1930's, used for storing handkerchiefs or napkins, but could now be used to keep all sorts in, such as buttons, trim, lace etc.  It is a salmon pink colour with violets embroidered on the flap.  This is from a French chateau, bought from a lady who was clearing out the contents from the previous owner who hadn't thrown anything away for over 80 years!  Inside are 7 small pieces of lace - of various types, which I hope you will be able to use.

Thanks so much for the continued support of all my Followers.  Happy New Year!

Bye Bye Santa!

Well, Christmas has been and gone amidst a flurry of snow, huge spending, food shopping, present wrapping and exhaustion.  I still have my family get together to look forward to, which is later than planned this year due to the very bad weather we have had and is scheduled for this coming weekend, to coincide with a very special birthday I have!

I am starting to get that "get rid of the Christmas decorations now" feeling but can't at the moment as Mr V-B likes them up as long as possible so I have started in a small way by having a tidy up of my blog.  The vintage Santa background had to go, along with several Christmassy photos!  I'm looking forward to Spring already and can't wait to get back into the usual routine.

I would like to wish all my friends, followers and fellow bloggers a very Happy New Year and a healthy and prosperous 2011.

To celebrate my special birthday, here are a few images for you :-

Enjoy! 

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas!

Well, there's certainly not been much happening on the creative front this month - I think my mojo has gone on it's holidays.  Also I have had  a problem with my toe and had to have a minor op last week and things haven't been helped by the unprecedented snowfall we have had for the second time in about a month, which has virtually brought the UK to a grinding halt, which in the run up to christmas is most inconvenient to say the least!

However, I have got my Christmas decs up and here are a few very seasonal photos - the snowy views are from the house looking out.

If I don't post again before Christmas, may I take this opportunity of wishing all my friends, followers and fellow  bloggers a fabulous Christmas and New Year - have a lot of fun!

Christmas Advent Fair

Despite the freezing temperatures here in the UK at the moment, Mr V-B and I braved the cold and went along to the Burford Advent Fair yesterday afternoon.  Burford is a fabulous medieval market town on the outskirts of the Cotswolds and at Christmas time is a magical place with many pretty shop windows and treasures to buy.

There was live music, roasted chestnuts for sale and the lights turned on by Father Christmas himself (!), followed by a procession to the church for carols and a magician for the children.  It made us feel very Christmassy.  We are so lucky to live 5 minutes drive away from such a beautiful little town.

Just Published in Sew Somerset, Winter 2011

I haven't got my copy yet so not sure how my artwork has been shown but I do know that this issue is out because I have already had a comment about it.  It was so long ago that I sent it in to Stampington & Co but that's the nature of the beast I guess.

                                       http://www.stampington.com/html/sew_somerset_winter11.html

Here are some photos I took before I posted it off:-

I can't wait to get my copy to see how it looks and also can't wait to get it back home again so that it can go on display somewhere.

Christmas Countdown Begins!!

Starting 1st December through to Christmas Day, Lisa Vollrath starts her fabulous countdown with daily free images. To join in you must spread the word too - post the following link on your blog, message board, art group, Facebook or Twitter:-

Lisa Volrath (Ten Two Studios & Go Make Something}'s Holiday Countdown

and Tim Holtz's 12 Tags of Christmas

Check them out and get into the holiday spirit!

Shabby Recycled Quilted Hearts

Here are two hearts I have recycled from an old quilted piece - they have scraps of vintage lace and some vintage buttons and are unfinished at the back so that they can be sewn as a finishing touch onto your projects.  Each heart is packaged with a double sided piece of beautiful 7 Gypsies Conservatory paper (6" x 6" size) .  The other side of both pieces shown below.

These two hearts are now available in my shop - please pop over and have a look if you like them.