Have your cake and eat it!!!

Well the weekend arrived and after the week previous we had every intention to make the most of it in the most chilled out way possible, and that we did...we thought we would just chill out at home and relax, but with us having a PTA event in the evening and me being on the committee means I have duties and one of those was baking...so with my two little helpers... We got busy, there was cracked egg shells on the floor and flour swishing in the air as we mixed and stirred...

Then came the fun bit, the decorating of the cakes, would it be fairy cakes, royal icing or lashings of butter icing swirls??? We went for the later and of course the children wanted to add colour...so this they did... Once the cakes had been made, the washing up done and the table wiped free of its 'snow' effect...
We hit the garden for a little fun in the sun...and what more would I expect from my guys but to play in the water. They wore their wellies and PJ's most of the day...After a quick swim at the local pool...yes they did have a little clean before they went into the pool! We pottered off to the PTA quiz night...
By the time I got them home one was a sleep and the other one not far behind, so after a quick bedtime story and a cuddle the house was quite...
GLUG GLUG GLUG...I opened a bottle of wine, a bowl full of nibbles and a little lap sewing and I settled myself in for the evening with some knitting and sewing podcast's...Ahhh! yes, a relaxed and happy day all round...

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The following day the rain came down in bucket loads, so we hung around the house for a while and then we took a trip to a craft show and called in on my Mom for a cuppa...weekends like this are good for the soul!!!

Another thing on the list...DONE!!!

OK so its been a bit of a rough old week here in the 'Suzie Sews' household, we are now at the better end of the week...its the WEEKEND!!! Yesterday I was contemplating taking the 'patient' off school as he seemed really out of sorts...then I heard him playing with his little brother so I reluctantly had to take him to school. I had so many plans for our week at home if his operation had happened...I had craft plans coming out of my ears, a little light gardening...planting seeds etc...and some time on my sewing machine together....Still I am sure we will kick our shoes off over the weekend and get down to some serious creative family time together... Remember these...I ran out of stuffing? Well after a little shopping trip I bought a HUGE bag of stuffing and whilst I was sad to send my children off to school it did mean a little sewing time for Mommy...So I sat with my IPOD and whilst listening to the Creative Mom podcast (another Mom with two little chaps mad on Pokemon) I finished off two of my pin cushions using up my scraps of fabric...The best part of this was going through my button collection looking for the right buttons...believe me I have a lot of buttons!!!

Later in the day after I had been to the local pool for a swim I got to work on a little order which involved going through my fabric stash, I found a whole pile of fabric I had been planning to use, it was some fabric I had been sent by a fellow blogger, so I sat for a couple of hours and made a pile of tissue covers. I made some of these at Christmas for gifts and thought no more of them...I met up with a friend last week and she was using her tissue case I had given here. I asked politely if she really uses it and the reply was 'Yes'. This is a friend that would tell me if she was not impressed so I trust her opinion. So I felt inspired to make a pile more with my funky fabric...all retro flowers and polka dots!!!
Anyway the sun is shining we have 'Simpson' clouds in the sky and once the children and I have finished decorating the cakes for a PTA event tonight we are hitting the garden...Have a great weekend and once again I thank you for your support this week, you guys are great!!!

I mentioned in my post about the Scappy swap organised by Melly and Me that my partner did not have a blog, well she does now...Miz here...go check her out, its always so good when you get a little encouragement when you first start a blog

Good News!!!

I am overwhelmed with the comments and the emails about our little hospital trip, I thank you from the heart and they gave me great support yesterday evening as I read them when I was unable to sleep. Sleep is the first thing to go when I am worried or upset about anything!!! So we all got up early in the morning, my littlest one went for a fun day with a much loved neighbour. I made up some sandwiches for my lunch and bundled a sleepy patient into the car. We then had to face a rough trip to the hospital through traffic and road works, I do not know why I thought it would be an easy run at 7.30am!!! Anyway we got to the hospital and straight away they checked my brave little soldier's temperature, they weighed him and started to go through the consent form, I reminded them that I need to talk to the consultant as I was querying a procedure they only mentioned at the pre operation assessment. Good timing as the consultant walked in, as we chatted my little one had his hands prepared for the butterfly needle (cannula) I watched as his nerves started to come to the surface. To cut along story short...the consultant and I made the decision to delay the operation until the start of the new school year to maximise on the outcome/benefits, he agreed that the extra procedure was not a priority and could be looked into next time. With relief my little brave guy was given some toast (after fasting) and had the medical 'stuff' removed and we where sent on our way with an appointment for later in the year...

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Both of us are now out of sorts, relieved, but after the build up we are both rather knocked for six. We tried to make the most of the day together, we visited an exhibition we both wanted to see...but every time I looked at him he looked so tired and generally he 'slumped'...very odd to see in a little guy who usually bounces around, we agreed we should just go home and have a snuggle on the sofa and go to bed early with a favourite story book...

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Well it was an adventure, not a good one, I am glad it all over for now and I really do thank you for all your kind words of support...Yes each and every one of them...THANK YOU!!!

So tomorrow we return to normal...Horrah!!!

To make a rustic heart....

To make a heart...you will need one thrifted felted sweater...one beautiful spring afternoon... Keep the children busy...

Cut up your sweater and start stitching freestyle! Watch out for the spring breeze, a couple of pebbles collected from rivers and beaches last year help to stop it all blowing away, especially the heart pattern designed by small people...
Relax and sip a refreshing drink in the spring sunlight whilst you stitch....
As the evening air brings a chill, bring in the little rascals and wash their muddy paws clean!
Settle down for a relaxed family supper with homemade pie...
After story time and the little ones are asleep, sew up the heart, add a label and string loop...stuff!!! One little rustic heart, a little nobbly and bobbly but with so much character holding in it the memories of the first warm day of the year...

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I am busy preparing for tomorrow, one of my babes is going into hospital for an operation, we will be staying in overnight and he will need some time off school, so I am not sure when I will be able to pop in to say hello, but it will be soon...Until then...take care

Scappy Cabin Challenge Scap Swap...it rocks!!!

Hello my name is Suzie Sews and I am a fabric-holic...better yet I have just had such a good fix I am smiling from ear to ear. I took part in the lovely Melly and Me Swap...I adore their work, so when they announced their second cabin scrap swap I jumped at the opportunity. I got my partner and away we went...I received a stunning package from the lovely Myrane in Australia...at present I can not link you to her blog as she does not have one...this is about to change and as soon as I know her address when she is up and running I will link to her. The fabric arrived all wrapped up in a stunning kitch kitchen fat quarter...which I have plans for an apron... All held together with a cute fabric pin and inside this package was the delights that are before your eyes...amazing fabrics, only a couple I have seen previously so it was fab to see so many lovely designs, I sat with my oldest and we colour coded it all, such fun, I am itching to put some of the fabric together.
Myrane also included some lovely gifts, I was especially taken with this role...How great is this? a little role for your cotton and a felt bit for your needles and pins, ideal for a little hand piecing in the car whilst waiting for 'Schools out'...
Thank you Melly & Me and Myrane, this has been such a good swap.

Now on to my current 'makes'...A little bit of using up scraps...finishing off a couple of my pin cushions using crazy patchwork toppers...in my favourite fabrics by Heather Bailey. One problem...I ran out of stuffing so I am going to have to go shopping...
Now its amazing that out of a mess like this you can make something...

and that something is my boys summer quilt, I am slowly getting there with the embroidery squares, I need to get the batting and chose the backing fabric this week so once again a little shopping trip is needed...this square is for my little Surf Dude...

In the hope of using up some yarn stash I got busy with this summer top, I have not really knitted much with big needles..I will be doing some more I can assure you as this is just this weekends knitting, its actually a softer pink than the picture shows and I have made it a little longer than the pattern, I am pleased with the way its turning out.
The knitting of my littlest babe sweater is just about finished, I need some quite time to sew it together and work on the neck, I am so loving this yarn, I am a bit of a yarn snob and usually only buy cotton or wool yarn, so it was a move away from the normal for me to pick this yarn, I am pleased with the softness and the way it is holding its shape and not fluffing...
Last but not least the search for a more professional look to my projects, I invested in a little stamp, it came with a free ink pad, sadly the ink pad is glupy and does not do the stamp any favours, I have plenty of ink from my paper crafting days and I am looking forward to having a play with this.
It came from here...Its quite affordable. I do however suggest you buy a good ink pad preferably a permanent ink.

I hope your weekend went well and was productive, the sleep over was fun, the children played so well and the house was quite by 9.00pm so I was impressed. We had a swimming trip and a nightmare visit to Ikea...madness!!! The weekend ended with supper at a friends house so all in all a good time was had, even though I left a bottle of wine for my host in the the taxi!!!

Mommy...draw me a picture...

Once again this week has just flown by. Its been spent in a whirl of spring cleaning and creativity, Oh and lots of cups of tea and coffee sometimes with a fellow drinking companion to pass the hours away with...However I always try to have those hours free of work and company when the children come home from school...that's our time. In the spring cleaning I moved some furniture around in the living room (to accommodate my beautiful old singer machine), this involved putting the coffee table in the middle of the room and this has changed the whole dynamics of our early evening routine... Now usually the children have a chill out half hour with a glass of milk and a cookie, then they go and play and come into the kitchen whilst I make supper when they either play Lego or play dough, something like that...With the coffee table being a focal point, as soon as they come home they pull out their pens and paper and whilst slurping their milk and munching their cookies I am regularly called in to join them with a 'Mommy...can you draw me a picture' Having two children I have to draw two pictures then another two etc...you get the idea!!!
My two are really into the whole Pokemon scene, if you have been reading for a while you will remember the Pokemon summer we had...The children are really into designing their own Pokemon's and naming them (we also have our own Pokemon names). My older one has been asking me to draw some of the people and I have to admit I have pulled away from it, I love Manga and the whole design elements to it and I adore the simplicity of their drawings and how they really say so much without words...this has always scared me if I am honest, anything that looks this simplistic usually is not!!! Well after a drawing session of numerous NEW Pokemon I gave into their requests...I had ago...What do think? They are pretty easy actually and certainly once colour was introduced they came to life...
On to sewing as I am not really 'Suzie Draws'! I had my patchwork class last Saturday, I have not gone for the last couple of months so I was really looking forward to it, I had missed some great classes too so I am having to do a little homework to catch up. This week we worked on this strip piecing, useful for filling in areas of the quilt, its a clever way to add interest and I can see many possibilities of use and wild colour combinations. Although I have to say my favourite so far has been the origami folding fabric blocks...Still I am sure when its all put together it will look amazing (I hope so)! It was pointed out to me (politely) that my colours are very Austin Powers...Well Yer Man!!!
OK OK this picture has no association with making, I bought the summer top with the weekly groceries, but I adored the colours and the linen(you know I love linen) it was hung up on the door frame waited to be carried upstairs to its rightful place in my wardrobe and just behind it hung my babes fishing net with his wooden fish and fishing rod, what do you know...SNAP!!!

On to the creative time of late, well I have been doing mixed media work, from making a load of birthday cards (for my First Born's anti natal class babes to celebrate their ninth birthdays) to knitting like a mad woman, I just need to sew up my little ones jumper and I am half way through the front of a summer top for me, knitting in pink...YER!!! Sewing...lots of sewing, the quilt top is nearly finished from the vintage squares and I am working on the embroidery squares (pictures next week), I need to talk swaps with you too...

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The project of the moment is my 'critters in cups' I am knitting mice now so many that I have actually lost count and I have got it down to a fine art, I have changed the basic pattern beyond recognition from size to shape of these little fellows so I can almost make them without my pattern ( I started making these about a year ago and talked about them then) I have never really designed a pattern before, obviously I had a basic pattern to start with and with each mouse I made notes of my changes until it came to a time I had to completely redo the whole thing so it was ledgeable. So using up some of my stash and some very fine needles...the result is a home being over run by the little critters...I am thinking school/craft fair for these as I worry about packaging the china for postal sales, but its fun to match the mouse up with the tea cup...I have so many tea cups and now I have an excuse to buy some more.

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So another week is over, the fun bit of this week was I went along to a knitting group...scary but I am so pleased I went and I will be going back, not that much knitting got done...nice biscuits though!

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We have a sleep over weekend, so I am not planning too much, just taking it as it happens, maybe I need to buy some ear plugs!!!

I wish you a great weekend and catch up with you next week...

friendship...quilts

A little blog break...woops...not intentional...I had a great few days with my friend and her fab kids...I can not tell you how much I have missed having the house full of the sound of children playing. I used to belong to the National Childbirth Trust and as my babes grew in to toddlers and then little people I made so many good friends through this organisation. My house was full of babes on a regular basis. I am not a huge fan of play places (although they have a place) and who needs them when you have a group of children running around your house pretending to be fairies or pirate etc... Its funny how things change, as the fist born started school it became a little difficult for friends to meet up so often, so for a year or so we would meet up after school for a high tea with the children's friends and still the Mums got a chance to have a chat and feel connected to the outside world.
Then it changed, some of the friends got past 'play dates' and they no longer wanted to meet up...there seems to be a stage when once your children have started school you cut off the friendships who have babes or toddlers in them...I mean your past that stage? Funny...I never got to that stage, after all it was the mother I had befriended, not the children, they were usually a bonus...especially if my children enjoyed their company.
Then came the even 'odder' stage...I was one of the few stay at home Moms when I had periods of time without my children...some friendships once again changed...I had the friends that would make comments about 'getting a life' or ' get into the real world and contribute some money into the home'...or worse still some friends would just stop including me as I was without a child, I guess I did not fit the stereo type anymore. I became guilt ridden, obsessive and at times quite low. Then one day something changed...
I opened my eyes and worked out that the work 'friend' was being used to loosely...actually what I had was connections and friends...the friends I have now, the ones which allow me to be me...with or with out my babes around...if I go out to work or stay at home and keep house...they are my friends. They 'get' me...faults included as none of us are perfect, they do not judge or make assumptions, they are there through thick and thin and most of all they make me laugh and be glad that I am alive and I hope I do it in return.
So to have had a true friend come and stay, to hear the children laughing and the house a mess and just not care...to spend time knitting and talking about my blog without feeling a freak...to listen to the ups and downs of someone elses family life...yep I am blessed with a few very good friends...yes I have lots of connections which is great but, as for friends...I am blessed.

I sat this morning with my coffee and bagel, the house was so quite...post holiday blues started to loom...I thought I would go to my sewing room, on the way the doorbell rang...I was greeted by a friend and lovely bunch of flowers...two hours of chatting later..sharing stories about our children and talking of our plans...Yes the word 'Friend' is used to loosely...friends are special and a true gift...I feel blessed...

So with all the busy company I have had I still managed to get some 'making' done, A lot of knitting, the sweater is nearly finished now...I had been playing about with some ideas in my head for a children's quilt...I finally got around to using the fabric I had collected over the last few years, lots of children's vintage, some of the boys fabric used for PJs, Noddy curtains, some fabric left over from school pump bags and some fabric that came my way as a gift from Sals Snippets and Queen of the frogger. A simple quilt with a busy theme...a few linen squares with an idea of embroidering in some memories...

Photo 1) Getting there 2) ideas for embroidery (the camper van was a copy of a loved Tee shirt) 3) getting sewn together 4) cutting out all those squares 5) The mess

The results...

OK so you take some beautiful fresh linen and some spring country threads... You use your embroidery machine (last years birthday gift, which is fab, although little used without the equipment to download designs from the net and its to expensive to buy) add in your button maker, which gets used but mostly just for the children...
Add them all together...there you have it...some fab badges/pins relating to the blog and what I do...
A little individual self packaging to make it a marketable product and the jobs done...I am so pleased with how it all turned out, at first the linen would not go around the metal of the badge, a few tries later...perfect finish. As some of you know I am starting to get a few little orders in and I am trying to work on a little PR exercise and find my 'Suzie Sews' style of packaging. So I have been playing around a little with business cards, packaging etc...I want to get it right from the start but, I guess it will be a learning curve like the rest of life, still its fun playing...

So the camping trip was cancelled but the results of the weekend made it OK, I did the right thing as it was so cold on Saturday evening I was happier to have been warming my toes up by the fire than curled up shivering in the camper van...
PLUS...I would not have been able to collect this...I have waited nearly twenty years for one of these and its a beauty!!! The draw holds some lovely little surprises too...
Right I am off to lunch at a friends(late as usual) then my 'knitting friend' and her babes are arriving for a few days. Catch up with you soon...

Good Morning Good Morning to you...

Well its the start of the weekend, so far today we have had rain, wind, sleet, snow and sunshine. So its not really camping weather, my new flask and picnic rug are going to have to wait for another time. I was planning to meet up with a school gate Mom and her children at a seaside campsite which would have been super fun, sadly not to be...So after a hearty breakfast to cheer me up... The children went out for the day with their Daddy. Whilst I should really be doing housework...well I am playing...naughty but nice! I have had an idea in my head for a while now, that involves two sets of equipment that I bought at some cost...of course it also involves some beautiful fabric and what better for the spring, my all time favourite...Linen!

So whilst the boys are away this Mommy will play...and I am so pleased to report that the idea is taking shape and more importantly...its working...Once finished and having sorted out my mess if there is still a little day light left I will take a few pictures and show you what I have been working on...Oh such fun!!!

I am also hoping for enough time before my role as Mommy is back on duty... so I can get along playing with some felt...I made some felt puppets with my older child and from this I thought a more 3D bunny would work out well...so I am going to have ago at this, a simple design as I want the children to be able to make their own...

Whilst I may not be camping, I am still having a grand old time!

I have also been rescued from the housework post school holidays as my friend and her three children are coming up to stay next week, so no point in putting all the toys away, I am looking forward to the company because it has been a lonley Spring Break with everyone doing their own thing, it will be great to have some company and as this is the very women that taught me to knit I am sure once the babes are asleep (all five of them) we will open the wine and get some serious knitting done (and nattering)!!!

I am aware I am a little overdue in returning some emails, I apologise, its been a hectic month with two going away holidays, the children been off school for a fortnight and my hospital visit...well the time has just flown by and little has been achieved, after this week I am hoping to settle into the a New Spring Rhythm and sort out the chaos and get on top of things.

Have a great weekend!

A LITTLE SEWING TIME....

Well the spring break is coming to an end and it has been a rather unusual break for us. Usually we run around fitting in lots of exciting things, various trips out with friends and days mooching around the grounds of various Nation Trust gardens and at least one visit to the beach...sadly with the enforced stay at home it has been somewhat of a quite break... Once I was up and about, although incredibly tired I kept asking the children what they wanted to do...each day I would get the same reply...'Just chill at home Mom' so I guess it must be me that feels the need to make a holiday good you have to fit lots in. You know I have learnt a lot through this, I always witter on about the pace of life and the need to slow down and just take it easy and be less materialistic...well we have done this this break and you know except for feeling a little lonely at times (usually the house is full of other peoples children and their Moms sitting at the kitchen table chatting over pots of tea and coffee) its been good. The children are calm and happy and back to enjoying the simple things in life, like digging up worms and making tents in the back garden with a broom and a quilt. If only I had some lemons I could make real lemonade!!!
Keeping Mommy happy is often the key to happy children so with this is mind its been important for me to find a little 'making time' that will fit in around the children. Knitting is always a good one, and the sweater is coming along nicely now (see last post) just one and half sleeves to knit now.
Yesterday we had a little walk around the near market town and after enjoying a Hot Chocolate and some fresh donuts in the market square we had a little browse through the stalls and I found a little stall that sold yarn, buttons, threads, toys and even beauty products. Whilst the children gazed at the little novelty toys I had a look through their buttons, some where cheap and cheerful and some..well...just lovely!!!
So inspired by the a few purchases (so much for the materialistic free week) I sat at the garden table whilst the children ran around the garden I played with my crochet hook, yarn, thread, yummy spotted felt and put together these little button corsages...
A few final adjustments at supper time whilst the children tucked into their homemade pizza. Finished...I could get into this crochet thing...if only I knew what stitches I was using I might be able to read a pattern, well at least they are unique!



I know for some of you the holidays start next week, I hope you get better weather than we have had. As for me, well I have some major sewing time to catch up on and of course I will be putting the house back together because it has a rather 'lived in' look to it at the moment. First though the weekend...if the rain stays off we are planning our first trip of the season away in our camper van...Have a great weekend and thanks for sticking by me on the rather sporadic posting of the last month. Wishing you a great weekend what ever you are up to and may the sun shine down on you...


If your looking for something cute to make...check out the tutorial from Odd Dolly Dolly Maker and if you can not make one but have fallen in love...you can buy one from her new shop...I was lucky enough to be partnered with this talented lady on a quilt swap...her work is good...very good!!!

Chilling out

Well at last the sun came out and yesterday we had a great day, a day out was planned with a picnic and wellies for paddling. I was out numbered, both my boys wanted to stay and play out in the garden... Its the Spring break here and this week is so quite, most of my friends have either gone away or their partners are at home so they are not coming out to play. As I am still not up to big drives and adventures (post op) I was more than happy to enjoy the sunshine in my own back garden...aah it feels a long time since there was any warmth in the sun...so we hit the garden before breakfast.

Just chilling out was the order of the day...

Whilst this Mommy knitted...

The boys did this...
and this...
Because boys will be Boys!!!

Of course the animals came out in the garden to play and they (two GPS, Charlie and Lola and my HUGE rabbit Archie) enjoyed the sunshine also...
and the day ended peacefully with a little more rest and relaxation plus a little 'snackette' at bedtime...
Because being a cowboy is hard work...

Whilst I type both my children are dancing around the living room to the song that will be the song for this holiday break by Sam Sparrow. Go check it out the beat is great for little people to find their own rhythm.

P.S. With all that glorious warm yet windy weather I managed to wash a whole heap of fabric and get it dry in one day...Mmmmmm what to sew first???