Crafty in the Med

I am here to enjoy meeting other bloggers and to share my love of craft ,mostly crochet, my thoughts and my daily happenings here in Alicante,Spain, my adopted country. I belong to a local choir because singing and music makes me happy. Flea markets and book shops are two of my favourite places to be. I read lots......sci´fi/fantasy,buried treasure, and off world adventures. I have a passion for history! I walk and walk and walk for about 10 months per year during the hot months I swim.

Wednesday 24 April 2013

Relief from the mojo loss!!!


Stimulated,motivated anddddd ready to get those creative juices moving......... Tra la la la!!!....thats how I feel at present!

All thanks to my marvellous giveaway gift that arrived yesterday!!!!
A card from Helen


I won the fabulous giveaway on Helen Philipps' blog and I am very happy about this because I really wanted that book so bad!!!!
Oh! but its is everything I expected it to be and more!

Let me tell you just a little bit about it :

First of all my husband,Sr P,who is a master bookbinder, has looked at the book and commented  Bien (good) neat binding,nice size and good paper for this sort of book. Now you may feel that description is rather spartan but please allow me to assure you that is a compliment AND he even looked inside the book and not just the centre pages to see if it was stitched or glued but he tested the quality of the paper between thumb and forefinger.  His usual comments about the type of bookbinding to be found on today's books are rather much more explicit ; powerful and precise to be exact so much so that I would hesitant indeed to repeat those comments to you dear bloggers.
Now you know that extremely important information about Helen's book Pretty Patchwork Gifts, I'll continue on to give you my views on the contents:

I must start with the front cover first of course because it draws your attention straightaway as  Helen's gorgeous little stuffed houses fill your eyes and that's just the prelude for more, as those lovely houses entice you to get inside that book as quick as possible! In fact I was so eager to see all of the contents that I skimmed through stopping for a moment here and there to admire ,to sigh and to sip some tea,all the time I was already choosing what I was going to make and lots of thoughts of other projects flittered through my mind. I of course had to go back to the beginning and start over. This time pausing to read, to contemplate the lovely photographs in more detail






 and also reviewing the very easy to follow instructions. I found them so easy to understand I really think I could have a bash at making some of these projects even if I have never done patchwork before.

Unfortunately I do have one complaint ........   there wasn't enough ....... I got to the end far too quickly LOL!

BUT wait!...........  what light from yonder window breaks......
methinks not a light from the window ,she said, but the sparkle and shine of the multicoloured buttons,sweet ribbons and bobbles and the glitter from the minute golden scissors laid out on floral fabric ..... all received as well in this generous giveaway.






Can you see that adorable card Helen sent me? Even this tiny sticker on the bag denotes Helen's style.

Tiny sticker
I love it all.


Thank you Thank you Helen :-)
I feel so motivated now I really MUST try some of these projects. I have done some hunting on the web and found this blog "Sew many Yarns"  which gives you really easy instructions on how to do some hexies. You can even download templates for the hexies here too on this other blog,Snippets & Blabbery".
Excuse me! I meant English Paper piercing to call it by its proper name.
I've had to save these pages for the moment because I have a make underway that my husband requested and that holds priority. He never never asks me to make him anything in fact he often looks at my craftying with a sort of bemused look....you know a raising of eyebrows sort of thing!!!!


Keep well

Amanda :-)

22 comments:

  1. I absolutely love her blog I forgot how I found it but i love everything about it and I can not sew one bit even sewing my crochet items embarrasses me. But now an even better reason to love her blog is knowing we will now see some more from your lovely blog also. Congratulations on winning and getting your MOJO back.

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  2. What a wonderful giveaway and you won!!! The book looks full of beautifully crafty things to make and I can't wait to see what you choose first. Have fun!
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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  3. Congratulations Amanda!!!
    I have the same book and you are right about how fantastic it is!!!!
    Have fun, xxxx Ale

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  4. Congrats, Amanda! :) the book seems to have sweet designs and I am sure you will enjoy creating them. Even if we do not have time to make, just the sheer joy of looking at beautiful images makes the day wonderful. Isn't it?

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  5. That was a fantastic giveaway to win Amanda and no wonder you are over the moon to have won it. I would be too!! Hope you are going to share what you make.

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  6. Congratulations Amanda, what a fab Giveaway! I love Helen's blog, and am very tempted in the book too.

    Glad your mojo is back and looking forward to seeing your makes in the flesh, as it were!

    Love Claire xxx

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  7. Dear Amanda I'm so glad your mojo is back!!!! And that winning my giveaway has helped! Your post is gorgeous....what fabulous photos of the book and sewing notions....and your kind words are a pleasure to read. Thank you!
    Wishing you a wonderful crafty time!
    Helen x

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  8. It's a great book Amanda.....well done! :) x

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  9. Congratulations on winning the giveaway Amanada, what a fabulous book! I would fall in ove with it too, I hope you will show us the projects you make out of it :)

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    1. Please excuse spelling!

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    2. Hello Linda
      Many thanks for visiting my blog and for your always kind comments.

      I love the little dress on your blog and I am delighted you have choosen red. I think red sits fine on a toddler it doesn't aways have to be pink,yellow or white. The pattern does look very easy and I'd like to try it out but I wonder if I do it in cotton if I can get a smaller size out of it as it would be for a baby. Will have to experiment.

      keep well

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  10. What a wonderful giveaway, it looks very inspirational and I'm sure you will have lots of fun deciding what to make and then actually making it. Enjoy -will pop over and view the blog too

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  11. Wow, Amanda! Well done to you - what a wonderful prize! Helen's work is so sweet and distinctive, isn't it?!? Have fun making - and don't forget to do show-and-tells when you's finished the projects.....
    Carly
    x

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  12. Congrats Amanda! you are so lucky to win Helen's wonderful giveaway. I am sure you will have lots of fun making a bunch of pretty things!
    xx Shari

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  13. Many congratulations and what a super book with many wonderful projects.
    June

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  14. Congrats, Amanda! That is a lovely giveaway you won. I can't wait to see all the craty things you make from it.

    Hugs,
    Sharon

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  15. Congrats on wining the giveaway it's just what you needed, I have one of Helens books they are so lovely. Funny I saw a book the other day and thought about you losing your Mojo http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crafters-Devotional-Techniques-Unlocking-Creative/dp/1592535313/ref=sr_1_26?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1366903713&sr=1-26&keywords=craft+365

    Can't wait to see your new creations.

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  16. Amanda I am so thrilled to read that you found your creative mojo again-awesome.
    what a fabulous giveaway prize-so glad you won and enjoyed

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  17. Congratulations Amanda on winning Helen's beautiful Giveaway...It's such a pretty book and I'm sure you'll have lots of fun on your lovely red sewing machine creating wonderful things!
    Happy Thursday!
    Susan x

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  18. I look forward to seeing some of your projects. Congratulations on winning such a lovely set of presents. Jx

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  19. Ooh! Very lovely ^_^ I hope you have fun making lots of pretty things ^_^
    xox

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Thank you for your comments. I do read them and try to reply to all as well.Please keep them coming. Amanda :-)