The little birds...

If you watch little birds you will see they are busy and happy! Using whatever they can find they create the most gorgeous little nest.
I would be the little bird with some glittery thread in her nest!
We can be like this. Happily working away with the things that are available to us to create a beautiful and happy home.
All the while with a little song in our heart.

Banner by Free Pretty Things for You.

Tuesday 30 January 2018

The Christmas Challenge. Show and Tell part 2 for January 2018.

Last week we had a great show and tell and the photos have just kept coming!  Thank you very much!  I think we are off to a flying start for the year!

Amy made cup cakes for her sons wedding.

She made 150!  Over the years she has made the children's birthday cakes and now their wedding cakes.  She took a class 22 years ago and this reminds me how Laine invested in a class to learn cake decorating and how much that paid off!  This is just wonderful!


Apart from being so personal imagine the savings over the years. These are just beautiful.

Amy also just learned to crochet.  Now she is already making gifts!



She says try a new skill! It is so wonderful!
Thanks so much Amy... I was slow to see your message to me, I hope you saw my eventual reply!

Phyllis made her Grandchildren Christmas pillowcases....  I am using this idea next Christmas and making Father Christmas or Angel Pillowcases!



Wendy is making room sprays...


Her daughter helped her come up with a label to complete them.  With the trend towards natural cleaners and fragrances and essential oils this is a really lovely gift.  

Marilyn worked crochet lace to add to hand towels.


She works her edgings or lace then sews them on.  This is a really good idea especially if you find it hard to work through the fabric as that can be tough on your hands.  


These are just lovely and this is a great way to do it.  So many things look wonderful with a crochet trim or edging.  I have an old post on ideas for this here... Simple Crochet Edgings and things you can make over with them.

Kelley worked on a crown of thorns for Easter...


She also made hand stitch cards with the names of her friends...


I think everyone would keep their card forever, this is a lovely idea.

Kathy completed a kitchen cross stitch that is just lovely...


And beautiful knitted socks as well...  Love the colours!

 

Fiona sent me a beautiful embroidery...


She showed me another which was a nesting chicken.  Thank you so much Fiona! 


Barb worked on cards...




Well done Barb you got a lot done in January I noticed! 


Cookie was very busy...  she made a Valentines Day table runner...


This reminds me I better get thinking about Valentines Day!

Embroidered shells...


A knitted hat...


And scarf...


Cookie said the flu in her area is very bad and they are staying home and inside.  This is a time that being stocked up and happily busy working on things is very good.  I know the flu changes and mutates... so it would be different but also that it goes around the world.  The flu here only ended in about October.  It was the worst flu in years.  It was frightening how bad it is.  It shook me up how sick people were and Lucy, Kato and Harper had it.  Hospitals were over full.   If this is near you take every precaution... 

Kelsey made a gift for a friend using what she had on hand. She made knitted wash cloths and bath salts.  I always note how well Kelsey puts things together she is a good stylist!


It all looks so lovely!

She also sewed a little dress for their friends baby girl...


This is just so sweet Kelsey!

Thank you to everyone for beautiful emails and photos. There is something here to inspire everyone and give them an idea of what to do with certain items we might have in our supplies.  
Now lets move on to February and make the most of it.   Today is the amazing triple special moon and I am staying up to see it!

I hope your week is going well!   I feel this was a big January!   xxx

22 comments:

  1. Kelsey, that little dress is adorable!

    I just remembered a way to protect yourself against the flu when you go out. Put 5 drops of lavender essential oil in 16 ounces of water in a spray bottle. Before going out shake the bottle well and spray the upper body and shoulder area. Last winter when my husband had to go to cardiac rehab at the hospital during flu season he did this and stayed well. This can be used on small children and you can spray a baby's blanket with it away from the baby.

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    Replies
    1. Dear Lana, Thank you for this suggestion! I am noting it down! With love Annabel.xxx

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  2. Dear Bluebirds,
    What beautiful work! It seems everyone is off to a wonderful start for 2018.
    The flu has been bad across the U.S., it seems. We lost a lovely member of our community to the flu. She was only 59 years of age. It is a good time to consider stocking broad spectrum natural antibiotics and anti-viral herbs. Essential oils can come in handy while out and about or at home.
    Blessings to all,
    Glenda

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  3. Dear Annabel,
    Everything looks amazing. I kept thinking "wow" with each picture! There is no way I could pick a favorite, it's all so nice! Thank you for showing my photos Annabel and thanks to everyone who contributed. There is a lot of talent here.
    Love, Kelsey

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    Replies
    1. Dear Kelsey, Thank you for the lovely photos! Your photos are always wonderful! Now on to a productive February! With much love, Annabel.xxx

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  4. Annabel, what lovely gifts everyone has made. Well done. You are all so very generous. I was going to stay up to see the moon tonight but the forecast is for cloudy weather so we may not be able to see it.

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  5. Agreed, what a wonderful group of talented ladies. Thanks for sharing. Fi xx

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  6. Wow oh wow! Ladies everything is beautiful. I too can not pick a favourite. I love all of the ideas. Great work. Blessings Tanya xxx

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  7. Beautiful work ladies. The amount of talent in this group is amazing!

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  8. Absolutely beautiful gifts, ladies! I am certainly wishing I had been half so productive! Most of the things I am working on will be finished this week, I think, so I hope to have a photo or two to share in February! Very inspiring; thank you for sharing!

    xx Jen in NS

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  9. Oh goodness; it's all so pretty! I love the little girl dress and the decorated gift bags. I wish I knew how to do the crochet trim. My MIL makes baby blankets with crochet trim and they are so precious! Those stitched name card are beautiful. Lots of pretty talent shown today!

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    Replies
    1. Dear Little Penpen, The instructions for the edges are in the link. If you can crochet they are terribly easy to do. Even if not it only takes a few days to learn crochet and get going, it is so much fun! Thank you for your kind words for everyone! With love Annabel.xxx

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  10. Aw, thank you so much for including my work! Everyone's projects are gorgeous, I loved getting to see them all.
    :)
    Kathy

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much for your beautiful photos Kathy! Keep up the amazing work in February! We are off to a good start! xxxx

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  11. Dear Annabel,

    Thank you for showing my projects. I love Wednesday's and am always so inspired by everyone's talent and beautiful work. Blessings, Cookie

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  12. Beautiful work every one you should all be very proud and pleased with all that you have achieved. xx

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  13. Oh my beautiful work ladies! There are some very lucky gift recipients out there who I am sure will be very happy! Fiona your beautiful embroidery is just amazing! I love embroidered things and I hope we get to see more of your work.
    XOXO
    Vicky

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  14. What a lovely variety this month! There are some very productive ladies here! I am being very disciplined and sticking to my plan to finish fixing the crochet blanket that I had to cut thirty rows out of before starting another big project. I am not normally this disciplined lol. I have four rows to go, then the border. So I'm hoping to be finished by the end of the weekend. I did knit a pair of booties and crochet a hat with wool I've had forever, I decided some small new projects were ok as they feel like quick victories!

    I really do love the posts showing everyone's work, (including yours Annabel!), there is just something so lovely about handmade gifts. I am always incredibly touched when someone gives me something they made themselves, I'm sure the people receiving the gifts above will be as well.

    Thanks Annabel :)

    Jen in NZ

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    Replies
    1. Dear Jen, I hope I get to see this blanket when you are finished! Well done you are nearly there!
      Thanks for encouraging everyone! With love Annabel.xxx

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  15. Everything is simply gorgeous. I always look forward to seeing everyone's work as there is always so much love and thought put into each gift.

    best wishes,
    Janine

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  16. Thank you to everyone who participated in January Show and Tell! And thank you for all the wonderful kind comments. Onward to February now! xxx

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    ReplyDelete

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