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Happy New Year

Happy New Year
May we all have a vision now and then

Of a world where every neighbour is a friend.
(ABBA)

I couldn't have put it better myself! It's been a Festive season full of friendship from the dear gals on the blog, with many lovely cards and presents received...
Julia gave me two skeins of this gorgeous wool - it's so soft. I had to start knitting straight away, just couldn't wait!!  I'm making a sort of turtle neck cowl and will have enough left over for a beanie or a headband. The groovy crochet hook set was from my boys...they know me soooooooo well!

The beautiful heart was sent by Debbie Rock and the lovely tag by Sandy Leigh Johnson. Thanks girls! They've been adorning the wall by the piano!

Meet my gorgeous Niece-in-Law, Kimberlie!  She and my nephew Matt have been over from New York, celebrating Christmas with my brother who'd asked me to make a tote, make up bag and tissue holder for a prezzy.  I decided to make a covered book in matching fabric as our present to her.  Kim loved the fabric, so I'm happy too...it's always a bit nerve wracking when you don't really know someone's taste!  Hope the bag does you many year's service, Kim :-)






Wishing all my lovely blog readers joy, peace, health, happiness, crafting and lots of tittering throughout 2015!!  

Sending huge crafty hugs and big sloppy smackers xxxx




WOYWW 290

SO HERE IT IS, MERRY CHRISTMAS,
EVERYBODY'S HAVING FUN.
LOOK TO THE FUTURE NOW,
IT'S ONLY JUST BEGUN!
(The wonderful Slade!)

Amazingly, I do have something crafty to show you for this Christmas edition, but I can't do the great reveal....oooer Missus!

It's something last minute for our future DiL, who loves all things Goth/Steampunk/Cosplay!













This is a garter like strap for the outside.......




And the soft lined interior. Would you believe that the variegated fabric has been Aragorn's cloak, a forest elf's outfit and part of a Nac Mac Feegle's gear too (as part of World Book Day costumes for Owen and Rhys)....but this is its final use I think!!  Really hope she likes it :-)



Thank you to all who sent lovely cards from far and wide - it's been such a pleasure receiving them and is a reminder, if one was needed, of the love and generosity kindled by the weekly desk fest started by the wonderful Mrs Dunnit.  This door hanger arrived from Sandy Leigh Johnson today.....
Thanks, Sandy, it's just as lovely in reality as it was on your blog! It's hanging in pride of place :-)

What a year, full of desk detecting, fabric frolics and Cropping Capers.....let's hope it continues full blast in 2015. Meanwhile, this says it all really.....
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

WOYWW 289

OH, THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS FRIGHTFUL,
BUT THE FIRE IS SO DELIGHTFUL,
AND SINCE WE'VE NO PLACE TO GO,
LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW!


Well, there's been very little crafting going on Chez LLJ this week!  And what I have made, I can't show you :-)  But, for what it's worth, here's the desk.....


Taking a leaf out of Kyla's book, I'm going to patchwork up some fabric to use for a tote bag. There's not enough of each bit, so this seems the way to Bust my Stash.... That knitted bauble is a present from Denmark, from the lady I made a bag for!  I thought I recognised the pattern and construction - it's by two Norwegian blokes who featured on last week's Kirsty Allsop's Christmas crafts programme on TV - coincidence or what? There's also a crochet flower I brought up to find a button for.....

I can show you this though - a covered notebook for Rhys' tutor at his sixth form college, who has been very supportive of him.  I still have to have those stripes horizontal though, lol!

Even though I haven't got much of my stuff to show, I can share some other's work instead :-)
This gorgeous butterfly picture was made for me by Helen, a friend from the accordion orchestra I've been playing with recently. Isn't it fab? I love the colours and the music paper background!
And this fun Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle bauble was made by a friend of another mate, also called Helen, for her son!  Isn't it great? It made me smile!!

But the main reason for not having any time to craft is this........
As you can imagine, the brass band I play in has been very busy recently!  We're at Tesco in Marlborough here, helping to raise money for a local Community bus service.  This is about a third of the band and yes, we were cold!!  Simon, on the right, was playing his new P-Bone...a bright red trombone made of plastic...it weighs hardly anything. Very funky!!
And I made myself and my bass as festive as I could!  Fairy lights were twined around my music stand and the instrument and my bunny ears also flashed. Fetching, doncha think?? 

Just two school carol concerts to play piano for and four more band engagements, then I'm done. All good fun though....just as well I adore carols, isn't it?? Lol

Have a great Christmassy crafting week xx




WOYWW 288


I remember one christmas morning
A winters light and a distant choir
And the peal of a bell and that christmas tree smell
And their eyes full of tinsel and fire
(Greg Lake - listen here)

I've chosen this song because we're playing it a lot at band at the moment - the euphoniums have the main theme and play it beautifully!


Once again, the desk is a tip...
A finished tote, some felt, black lace, button drawers askew, A5 books ready to be made into prezzies. Believe it or not, there is method behind the madness and some sort of running order!  The things that needed to be sent abroad have gone, I'm just making a final PiF item for something I got involved with on Facebook and now it's time to make a couple of things for a family party.








This is all I can show you...the recipient occasionally reads my blog! 

Wish I'd removed that red thread before taking the picture....
I can't remember where that black lace came from (think someone might have passed it on to me) but goodness, it's been well used in items from Goth bags to corsages. I'm just making another here....
I did wonder if that red button was too big, but I liked its In-Your-Face qualities, and the person for which it's destined isn't a shrinking violet anyway!  Fingers crossed she likes it!

The village that I live in is very lucky to have two shops, a doctors, two pubs, a petrol station and active sports club. which is amazing as it's not that large. But the heart of the community is, without doubt, our wonderful Post Office. Mike and Yvonne who run it are well used to me toddling in with something destined for the other side of the world.  "Another blog reader?" they query as I plonk the parcel on the scales!  The reason I'm telling you this is that they adore Christmas and every year, decorate the shop....
You get the feeling that something's different as you approach.... then you go in and.....WOW, just look up.....
They spend a whole day stringing twigs across the ceiling and then hanging fairy lights and decorations. It's far more twinkly in real life and there's music playing too :-)

It makes me smile every time I go in (every other day, it seems like at the moment!) and if you weren't feeling particularly festive beforehand, 10 minutes in there and you'll come out singing carols :-)

Have a great crafting week!  xxxx

WOYWW 287

BETHLEHEM DOWN IS FULL OF THE STARLIGHT
WIND FOR THE SPICES AND STARS FOR THE GOLD....
(by Peter Warlock...one of my favourite carols. Listen here)

Ok, it's the first post of the Festive Season, the Carols lyrics are at the top of the page and my messy desk looks like this....


Yep, the Yuletide fabrics are out and it's time for Christmas thongs again!!  Lol.  Well, that's what I was told that the bunting triangles looked like last year, so who am I to gainsay that?  A mate passed on some more festive fabric so I've been having a look see....her taste is quite different to mine, so I'll use what I think fits in with what I've already got.


Yep, definitely thongs....or maybe Christmas bikinis!!  Don't think L'Agent Provocateur have got anything to worry about ;-)

I had a surprise parcel from Diana (Velvet Moth Studio) yesterday. Inside was this...

I can't tell you how much I adore this...the colours, the tiny hare, the cotton reel, the scrap of music wrapped around...all personal to me.  The hare in front is a brooch which is now adorning my jacket next to my WOYWW badge..completely gorgeous. 

Thank you so much, Diana, that was a real surprise and I love it all - the tree will be a wonderful addition to my Christmas treasures box that I love getting out each year xx



I went to a wedding last Saturday...unusually for me, I wore a dress....gasp horror, don't faint!  It was a burgundy red lace number, and I had a black fur trimmed capey-poncho thing to go over the top. I had a black fascinator already but it was a bit plain so I got to work....

It's amazing the difference a bit of ruched up fabric, two flowers taken off hair clips, reduced-in-the-sale black feathers and a few beads can make!!  I had lots of comments on the corsage, which is now adorning a jacket. Well, might as well get some use out of it - grin!

The Kennet Accordion Orchestra were playing in the service (the groom is a member) and afterwards, I got chatting to Richard who plays. He asked about my corsage, the conversation moved onto crafting in general and he let slip that he had done quite a lot of crochet in the past, mostly for his children - and, wait for it, all without patterns. He just did his own thing. I asked if he'd email a couple of pics as I thought you lot might be interested. This is what arrived.....









Look at this fantastic octopus!  I love the fact that the suckers on the tentacles are decreasing in size down to the tips!










This elephant has got real character, don't you think?  I love the tusks and the little toenails...genius!





And a little blanket - the detail is amazing!  

Now Richard isn't a youngster and you would never guess that he had this sort of talent.....I love it when people can completely surprise you like that. Isn't it wonderful?  

I've been using up scraps of wool to make a blanket that I'm going to give to an old folks' place. It's ok but I've discovered that me and Random are not good partners. I don't know what goes wrong but I'm never as happy with this work as I am when I've specifically picked the colours. More evidence of OCD perhaps?  Still, it'll hopefully brighten up someone's day when it's completed!

Talking about random.......
Remind me never to pootle around the Christmas displays at a local garden centre with Julia.....

It's a good look, don't you think?  (apologies to the sales staff for having to witness the exploits of two middle aged titterers!!

Have a great week xxxx

WOYWW 769

 WE'LL MEET AGAIN.... I'm going to take a break from blogging for a while - please don't worry, all is ok! - think I just need a...