Every button tells a story

There's something very satisfying about looking at a button collection - especially when it is your own.

I was looking for some buttons for a project yesterday and was amazed that when I looked at some of the buttons I could instantly remember what item of clothing they had come from.  This blue and white striped button was an extra from a maternity dress which I wore in the 80s!  I remember it well.  I loved the dress because it was so comfortable and cool.  Instant memories.

These Paddington buttons came from a little blue cardigan that my Mum knit for my eldest son.  I got these buttons for it because I thought they were so cute.  Each one is different and you can see that I only needed two for the cardigan because the third is still attached to the card and the colour difference from washing is apparent.  The cardigan got passed down to my second son, so it was well used.  I must see if I have a photograph of either of them wearing it.

Some of the other buttons are so 80s and 90s!  I always kept the extra buttons which came with clothing - still do!

All my white buttons from old shirts and blouses are in a separate little glass jar.

Do you keep old buttons?

Love, Liz

Queen of the needle

Here's my latest cross stitch finish - Queen of the Needle by Brenda Gervais.  Really enjoyed stitching this (I think I say that all the time)!  Going to turn it into a little pillow or pin cushion ... eventually!

My recent start - happiness is walking on the beach by Rovaris is coming along nicely.  Love the colours in this one.  The pattern came with two little charms to add to the finished piece.

How is your stitching coming along?  Pop over to my Facebook page and add a picture of what you are working on!

Love Liz

Farmhouse tea cosy

My latest tea cosy which I'm calling my farmhouse tea cosy.  Have you noticed there's a lot of kitchenware in black and white, so I think that this just fits in nicely.

Love the grey, white and black together.  Of course there had to be a giant pom-pom!

Just made it, though.  This tiny amount was all the grey I had left - just enough for the pom-pom.  I was worried while I was knitting the last section in case I didn't have enough left, but furtunately I just made it!

Not sure whether to keep knitting tea cosies as it might be a while before they can be sent to new homes.  But must keep busy!

Hope you are keeping busy and safe.  Went shopping for essentials this morning and most folks were being sensible.  Hope that lasts.

Take care my lovlies.

Love, Liz

Shelf of pretty things

At these trying times, to me it is important to have pretty things to look at in the house - to stop me going crazy!  I tidied up this little shelf and switched on my fairy lights.  Instant cheer!

The tiny sewing machine was a gift from my son years ago.  I've only just got round to painting the woodwork white (funny the things you find to do when you are confined to quarters!).  The little box opens up and you can store needles in it.

This old tea advert couldn't be more apt - I'm drinking tea like ... well, a tea-jenny!  What advertisement was it that called tea - "the cup that cheers"!  True for me.

Of course the happy smiling girls love their little perch.

Hope you are keeping healthy, happy and busy, my lovely blogging friends.

Love, Liz 

Izal toilet paper

Remember Izal toilet paper?  Remember the disinfectant smell?

I've just noticed that an old Shortbread & Ginger post from May 2015 about this throwback necessity has been getting a lot of views recently!  If the worse comes to the worse then we know where to find some supplies of it!!!!!!

Talking about throwbacks, here's a wee something to cheer you up - Roy Orbison singing Pretty Woman with some amazing backing singers!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PLq0_7k1jk

Keep healthy, happy and busy my lovely friends! 

Love, Liz

I used to be monogamous!

A monogamous stitcher, that is!!!  What were YOU thinking?  I've discovered that someone who works on just one cross stitch project at a time is called a monogamous stitcher and that's how I would have described myself until quite recently.

But, with so many wonderful cross stitch patterns to choose from, it is difficult not to to make an immediate start on new acquisitions.  Yesterday I showed you my progress on Queen of the Needle by Brenda Gervais.  I worked on that last night and got a fair amount of stitching done.

Yesterday I bought some new fabric (18 count white Aida) from my local needlework shop.  It had a free pattern inside with an alphabet.  This morning I tea dyed the fabric.  I just crumpled it up and put it in a basin with three USED teabags (waste not want not, people!) and some boiling water,  I left it for a wee while, stirring occasionally then when it was the shade I wanted I took it out, rinsed it in cold water and left it on a towel to partially dry.  I'll iron it before using.

I'm going to use this fabric to stitch my new Rovaris pattern - Happiness is walking on the beach.  I love the lighthouse.  About to start stitching after I post this.  I'm also still working on Old Nantucket - not got much to go on that one, but needed a break from it.

Tea dyed fabric drying.

So, my monogamous habit has change drastically as I intend to make a few more starts in the near future.  Anyway, once I pop my clogs it will be my family who will have to clear out my craft boxes, so why should I worry about how much is going in there!  Are you a monogamous stitcher?

Keep healthy, happy and busy!

Love, Liz

Happy mail - new patterns!

Got some new cross stitch patterns just in time!  Happy mail indeed!

Looks like us crafters are going to have lots of time to indulge in doing something we love - without that guilty feeling that we should be doing something a bit more constructive (like ... err ... hmm!?!).

Anyway, couldn't wait to start on Queen of the Needle by Brenda Gervais.  Didn't have any of the fancy flosses, so just substituted DMC.  Absolutely love this blue - isn't it gorgeous!  Bright enough to lift the spirits.

I hope that you are all well.  I know that for many this is a worrying time.  But I'm going to try and keep my blog posts as bright and cheery as possible.

Take care of yourselves and those you love.

Love, Liz