Golden Autumn Swap

Good evening everyone, hope your week is going well.

A couple of months or so ago, the wonderful Blueberry Heart organised her annual Autumn swap, and I was so lucky to be partnered by the lovely Linda.  I was so, so delighted as Linda was my first ever swap partner way back in my first year of blogging - you can read all about it here.

After a hard day at work, weather not particularly inspiring either, imagine my excitement when arriving home to find the postie had been - I ripped open the envelope in great excitement!  Would you like to see inside?

First up is a lovely, autumnal card with a sweet message from Linda inside...

Then some cute hand warmers, will be lovely on my winter walks...

hot chocolate, will have this later, we are planning a movie evening watching Sleepy Hollow...

Vintage buttons - love these...

A fabulous felted brooch, this will be finding its way onto my jacket tomorrow morning...

A pretty autumnal bracelet modelled by my darling daughter (yes dear, I will have it back now thank you!!)

A beautiful heart - hung up in my living room...

Funky tray, I needed a nice new one as my current ones are looking rather sad and worn...

A lovely transfer sheet of an autumnal country scene...

And a very stylish bag, this is going to look so much nicer than my usual Asda bags when carrying my things in and out of school (on teacher training they never warn you about how much stuff you will need to carry around on a daily basis!!)

And here is everything together:

Linda, you have been, once again, a truly brilliant swap partner.  Thank you so, so much for everything, you have really spoiled me.  And with everything that has been going on recently, this has been a real pick-me-up.  Bloggers are the best!!

Have a lovely evening, Helenxx

Send a Little Love blog swap

Good morning everyone, hope you all had an enjoyable day yesterday, whether or not you celebrate Valentines Day.  I have to say that as far as DH and I were concerned, it went by somewhat unnoticed, but we did have our Wedding Anniversary last week, and those celebrations are set to continue next week as we are both on holiday from work.

But there was some bloggy love going on here in Moonstruck Towers as during the Christmas Hols I had signed up to the lovely Tracey's Send a Little Love Blog Swap.  My super partner was Karen, and her parcel to me arrived this week.  Would you like to see what she sent to me?

What a lovely bundle of parcels met my eye when I opened the envelope...

First up, this lovely card.  Karen is a very talented photographer, this is one of her photos...

A lovely range of things to make my baking sessions even more fun...

Some lovely ribbon...

This smells super...

Lovely felt pieces and a yummy Lindor egg (now sadly departed!)

And a very pretty heart....

Such a lot of lovely and thoughtful surprises...

Here is the bundle of little bits and pieces I sent to Karen....

but cant reveal any more just in case the post is being a bit slow!!

Just watching a bit of the Winter Olympics at the moment, I love to watch winter sports.  Didn't our British Skeleton athlete, Lizzie Yarnold do us in the UK proud yesterday?  And I loved her interview afterwards, where she encouraged all girls everywhere to really follow their dreams and to be the best they can be, whether in sport, the arts, music, whatever.

Hope you have a great weekend and that the weather will improve.  Have just noticed a bit of fence damage in the back garden, oh dear, how ever will I break that to DH?  He and my brother spent ages putting new fencing up a couple of years ago.  Oh well, could be a lot worse.

Helenxx

Hearts in Cross Stitch

Good morning everyone, lovely to see some sunshine today, yesterday it was windy, wet and grey all day.  Mind you, not that it stopped the fun, we were tucked up cosy and warm at my Darling Mum's house enjoying a New Years Day meal together.  A great time was had by all!

During those in-between days I love so much at this time of year, I reverted to an old favourite craft of mine, cross stitch.  I learned to do this craft while at primary school, and whenever I have any decent amount of time I always go back to it.  You may remember my post from last year where I stitched up two cross stitch hearts supplied as free kits with a magazine.  I really enjoyed doing these little projects, and they have hung from what I lovingly call my "twiggy vase" all year.  So I got to thinking...wonder what freebies that magazine will do for this Christmas and, guess what???  Another heart kit!!!!!  So I bought the magazine in early December, and hid it away until the holidays.  My fingers were itching to get on with them, but I remained patient until December 27th.  Would you like to see the results?  Here we go then...

Each one depicts a snowflake, with each one being slightly different in colour or design:

and here are all three together:

 

I absolutely loved sewing these, they will join the two from last year, hanging from the twiggy vase. 

 

Although the festivities are now sadly over for another year, DH and I don't have to return to work until next Monday, we are really fortunate.  So still a few more days of being at home with the family.  We really appreciate these times as when back at work/school/college/uni it is really hectic around here.

 

Hoping all is well with you and yours!

 

Helenxx

Heart stitching

Hello everyone

Yesterday's miserable weather meant a lovely, cosy day at home stitching.  So relaxing! 

I thought I would share the results with you....

Here are a couple of close ups of the stitching

I love how the pattern looks like patchwork

Here they are together...

 I loved making these, so nice just to make something because....no deadlines, no reason, just because I want to!!  Cross stitch is one of the first crafts I learned from my darling Mum when I was little.  She really had so much patience with me!

Have a lovely day, Helenxx

Christmas crafts reveal!

Good morning all, hope you are enjoying the holidays!

I have been enjoying reading all your blogs recently on my phone, but couldnt get to the computer to make any comments...

Anyway, I can now safely reveal what I have been busy making over the past few weeks as they have all been handed out!

First of all, here is my dining room table full of all the gifts I made

Lavender scented felt hearts with appliqued crochet motifs:

organza corsages:

Now on to the edibles!
First of all, sugar cookies with ginger and orange zest:

Hand made truffles:

Handmade caramelised nuts - oh my goodness it was hard to let these go...!!



Peppermint bark:

I had a wonderful time making all of these, and so far feedback from the recipients has been good!!

Have a great day!

Helenxx

Giveaway reminder!

Morning everyone, hope your week has got off to a great start!

Just a quick reminder that the Where in The World giveaway/competion closes at midnight tonight.

Please check out my 31st August post for full details!  Hope that you will join in!

Here are a few of the hearts I made over the summer:

I just love making them, not least because of the soothing scent of the lavendar I use to pop inside them - and anything calming is great for me as Im a teacher so really I get a double dose of stress-busting when I making them!

Im thinking of starting an etsy or folksy shop soon to try and sell a few as we head towards the Festive Season - do you think people would buy them?  And if so, what would be a fair price?

Helenxx

Fabric swap

Morning all!

Still catching up with everything since my enforced break from blogging - so here we are with the super fabric swap items I received from the lovely Jules at Teapot Cottage!


Look at the care she took over wrapping the goodies she sent to me:

And my goodness the contents were awesome!  Look at this lovely wooden heart:

These yummy ribbons will be put to good use I can assure you:

The fabric is absolutely super:

And how lucky am I?  Not just one fabric bundle, but two:

And just look at these buttons:

And all topped off with this beautiful card:

This is what I sent to my lovely swap partner:

Jules, I hope you liked my parcel as much as I loved yours- thanks so much for being such a lovely (and patient!) swap partner!

Helenxx

Charity swap made me Bee Happy!!

Hi everyone, hope your week is going well.

A few weeks ago I received my charity swap parcel from the lovely Bee Happy...

Dont you just love love lurve the decorative tape - I wonder where she got it?  I really need to know...

And once I could bring myself rip open the tape what goodies awaited me? Bee-lightful hearts:

Bee-autiful charms and jewellery:

 The notebook, card and bag are the bee's knees:

This is what I sent to my lovely swap partner:

Hope you liked the Bee theme!

Thanks so much for bee-ing such a lovely swap partner!
Well, I must buzz off as I hive things to do!

Helenxxx

PS sorry for all the dreadful puns!!