Quilting and our Outdoor Challenge

Thanks to everyone who posted their lovely tutorials on Friendship Friday yesterday, what a great gift it is to share so freely all across the globe:) Well, the quilting has begun, Jenna is really enjoying this process. We made a simple template of a square and have been cutting out plenty of squares of fabric. Jen has been sewing them all together and is very happy with her lovely creation. She has been doing all the sewing herself and is so focused, I am so proud of her...

Her quilt so far...

She is making it for her bed, and has measured everything and planned exactly how it will look once it is finished...

Outdoor Challenge...

There are so many Autumn leaves falling from our trees in the back garden, Caiden though it would be fun to rake up all the leaves and jump into the pile...

Today was baseball prizegiving, Caiden received a medal and both the girls received certificates, yay!

I have received two Beautiful Blogger Awards, one from my lovely friend Jen over at Ancient Hearth and another from a new friend to my blog, Indigomama over at Where Wild Strawberries Grow. Thank you both for thinking of me:) I have just popped over to Jen's new Etsy shop, she has the most wonderful needlefelted and wooden treasures! Do go and take a peek:)

Tomorrow I will post about some new blogs that I am enjoying at the moment:)

Have an inspired weekend everyone:)

PS. If you haven't already entered the amazing Natural Kids Earth Day Promotion Giveaway, just leave a comment here to enter:)

Warmly
Linda

Friendship Friday

GIVEAWAY:
If you haven't already entered the Natural Kids Earth Day Promotion Giveaway on my blog, please visit here and leave a comment to be entered:)

Dear Friends,

Welcome to Friendship Friday! I am so enjoying all the wonderful tutorials that you all post here every week and share with so many others around the world:) This is a wonderful gesture and I thank you all so much:)

Here there will be a platform avaliable for everyone to post their tutorials that they have created, it can be a recent one or even one from the past that you would like to share. It can be any kind of tutorial that is craft, knitting, crocheting, spinning, dyeing etc.. related... To take part, just enter your blog name and blog address link below (including the http://) and we can all enjoy one anothers creativity:)

Thank you so much for taking part in Friendship Friday,

Warmly

Linda

Natural Kids Earth Day Giveaway!

We Have a Winner!

Rachel is the winner of our giveaway!

April 15, 2010 8:01 AM

Thank you so much for entering this lovely giveaway Rachel! I will be contacting you for your address details soon:)
Warmly
Linda

Dear Friends,

I am so honoured to be hosting this wonderful Earth Day Giveaway for The Natural Kids Team on Etsy! I am so grateful to also be a member of this remarkable group of creative artisans. 

These beautiful items are included in the giveaway just for you!

A Wooden Iron Toy from Pretty Dreamer

A beautiful Play Silk from The Polka Dot Dragon:

And this adorable Felt Snail from Muddy Feet:

Aren't these just the most beautiful treasures!

The Natural Kids Team is a group of exceptionally talented artists that create the most amazing treasures which are natural and earth friendly. When we think of Earth Day, it allows us to ponder how we can be kinder to our planet, how we as individuals CAN make a difference... Buying toys for our children that are environmentally friendly is a step in the right direction. If one day these toys were to end up in a land fill they would simply return to the earth in a sustainable manner. This resonates deep within my soul and creates peace of mind...

 Jen from Sewn Natural has written this amazing article for the Etsy Stork:

'The artisans of Etsy’s Natural Kids Team are committed to creating all-natural, ecologically sound gear for children as one of the ways we put into practice our ideals about taking care of our planet. We acknowledge that Earth Day is every day when we choose toys, dolls, clothing and accessories for children made from wool, natural woods, organic cotton, upcycled sweaters and other renewable resources...' 

To read further please visit here.

To Enter the Giveaway:

Please pop over to our blog by clicking on Natural Kids Earth Day Promotion  to see all the amazing specials and promotions our shops are offering in celebration of Earth Day.  Have a look through all their items and in your comment that you will leave below, say which item is your favourite.

Comments for this giveaway will close on the 22nd of April on Earth Day.

If you would like to earn 3 entries to this giveaway, please share the love:).... and Tweet, Facebook or Blog about our giveaway. Don't forget to let me know that you have spread the word and I will enter you 3 times:)

The winner will be chosen by Random Generator.

Thank you so much for taking the time to enter and good luck!

Warmly

Linda

WIP Wednesday and Outdoor Challenge

Thank you so much to everyone who sent Richard and I warm anniversay wishes yesterday and today, you are all so wonderful and I really enjoy reading all of your comments:)

I really didn't think I would be able to post a WIP Wednesday today, I have been busy dyeing yarn and finishing off with Caiden's Native American block and Jenna's Middle Ages block but I managed to take photos of my wips' and post them! Yay:)

On my needles at the moment:

This is a custom order photography prop cocoon that I am busy with, I started it this morning and it is going well so far. I love this soft Merino yarn and its varigation.

Jenna's hat is almost finished! Don't you just love the pattern? I love how it creates that turned effect, really amazing, I bought this wonderful pattern here on Etsy. This hat just leaves an opening for the face and keeps the neck and head warm. Going to be cozy for winter.

Here is another one for Erin that I am knitting, she chose a soft lilac Merino.

I have had so much fun dyeing with natural dyes this week! The above photo is boucle' Mohair I have dyed with onions skins, I mordanted the yarn with allum and I think this should be perfect for doll hair, will list it in the shop later for sale. I have also been dyeing with exhaust dye baths and the results are so subtle and pretty!

Outdoor Challenge:

Remember the large box that everyone had so much fun with? Well the last few days it has had another function, as a giant slide. You have NO idea how much time everyone has been spending outside sliding down this cardboard and I must say it does work really well. They cannot get enough of it, they have so much energy, this has really been wonderful fun! Amazing how versatile a piece of cardboard can be:)

Off to visit all your WIPs:) Happy Wednesday!

Warmly

Linda

Our Special Day...

Today was our 14th wedding anniversary...

Richard rose early and went for a bike ride and had returned by the time I was awake. Caiden and I went out into the garden at dawn, the mist was so heavy and beautiful...

We found fallen autumn leaves, some acorn caps and fairies who have come to visit our garden, living in the sweetest little mushrooms...

Even a Bullbull came to drink from the fountain...

Richard and I went out together this morning and while we were out, I popped into a favourite little fabric shop to buy a pinking shears, I love these things, wonderful for cutting edges... But then I saw all this fabric and I couldn't resist. The above fabric, I was hoping to use to make Roman blinds for my studio. The afternoon sun streams in and some blinds would be lovely. I have never made Roman blinds before, so if anyone has any suggestions or tutorials that they could direct me towards, I would really be most grateful! I have bought everything I need, but a simple how to would be much appreciated:)

Then I spotted this... Ok it is time, I have been saying I wanted to make a quilt for ages and Jenna asked me this morning if we could make a quilt together:) This would be a lovely collaborative project for mama and daughter:) So it is a done deal, we will soon be quilting:)

Couldn't forget the blues...

This beautiful boquet was delivered for me this morning from Richard, the blooms and colours are so pretty and I will possibly continue with my tradition of dyeing some yarn with these flowers once they have started to fade and then knit something special with it ...

    

We all sat out in our garden together and celebrated our anniversary with a special family tea, and had a beautiful morning, grateful for each other and all the precious moments in our life that we have shared over the last 14 years together... I am married to my best friend and I love him very much...

Happy Tuesday everyone...
Warmly
Linda