The Nest Blog

One World One Heart Giveaway

January 31, 2010

A few days later than planned (didn’t want to disappoint anyone by doing something on time), here are my goodies for the “One World One Heart Giveaway”. This fantastic event One World One Heart

was created by Lisa Swifka in 2007 as a way to bring bloggers together from all over world. Last year over 900 bloggers took part from 28 countries, so I am very excited to be participating in this event!

I have three different giveaways:

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A mixed media covered A6 journal/notebook, covered in gorgeous Cath Kidston paper and decorated with fabric, paper, buttons and ribbons (with the word “love” stamped on, it being that time of year!)….

One of my “Mend & Make Do” sewing boxes, this one is a covered wooden box decorated with vintage ribbon, pages and buttons…

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And a crochet corsage that I made, with a gorgeous covered button in the center and brooch pin at the back…

This giveaway is open to everyone, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post and you will be entered in the drawing . If you don’t have a blog, be sure to leave your email address in your comment. The winner will be drawn on Feb 15th by random number generator. To read more about this wonderful event, please click here. Good luck and have fun!

Tags: buttons, Cath Kidston, covered button, crochet corsage, giveaway, Journal, Mend & Make Do, mixed media, notebook, One World One Heart, vintage ribbon

Posted in: Crochet, Mixed Media Art, One World One Heart Giveaway, Sewing, handmade – 159 Comments

Free Stuff- HURRAY!!

January 28, 2010

We are just getting back to “normal” this week (do we know the meaning of the word?!) Late, as ever, I’ll be posting about a great online giveaway (see sidebar- One World, One Heart) tomorrow, I’m as disorganised as I’m late…

We are almost finished four more bench cushions for Kellys Bar in Galway (hurray!) and I also finished my sewing boxes (Mixed Media/ altered-art wooden cigar boxes):

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I am delighted with them, They are covered with copies of sheets from an old Irish-English dictionary, with gorgeous old Irish/Gaelic lettering, then further embellished. I just have to pack them full of all the lovely necessities for mending and making do!

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This is a journal cover I made (not an easy task, with baby on my knee brandishing a glue stick and flinging buttons all over the place!!) It is A5 size, and I’m hoping to have a similiar style one for the giveaway… just have to do a few finishing touches and take some photos…

Check back tomorrow for details of the giveaway-to be in with a chance to win all you have to do is leave a comment! – FREE STUFF!! How great is that?!

Tags: altered art, Gaelic lettering, Galway, Journal, Kellys Bar, mend and make do, mixed media, One World One Heart, Sewing Boxes

Posted in: Mixed Media Art, Painting, Sewing, Shop, handmade – No Comments

Escape

January 22, 2010

We really needed to get out of the house last weekend… our baby was still not very well (she has subsequently developed chickenpox, and thankfully is recovering…at last!!) we had enough of the snow (lovely and all as it is…) PICT0127

and if any of us had to watch “The Snowman” one more time…!!!! Fergal made the sick baby her own snowman: PICT0114

and several times during the day we would wave hello and take a run out to the garden to have a conversation with it… (and I wonder why my neighbours think I am mad….)

So on Sunday we decided to take a walk in Portumna Forest Park, get some fresh air and have a winter picnic. So off we went, drove the half hour to Portumna, armed with my trusty bag of yarn and hooks to ward off any potential boredom!…

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…to find that the one day of the year we drove all the way for a walk that it was closed!! For a deer cull of all things!!! Undefeated, we drove to a ruined abbey nearby to take a walk there… and it promptly poured rain. So we sat in the car, laughed a lot, drank tea (tea-leaf, in the teapot, of course) and ate a very un-homemade picnic (thank you SuperValu) PICT0142

Then once the sky brightened we took a stroll around

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our lovely family!

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This is Portumna Lake- note the ducks, they are standing on the frozen water- It was quite extraordinary- and cold!!

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And so, revived for another week after the fresh air and mad dash around the abbey, we were glad to head home to blazing fires and a slow-cooked stew… real food!!

Posted in: Shop – No Comments

Painting, Pukes and Sewing Boxes

January 12, 2010

Made a giant mess of a painting today… PICT0102 thankfully hadn’t it ear-marked for anyone in particular…. so right before I began to stitch into the paper, immediately after I decided to give it an “antique-y” wash of dilute coffee, and forgot that the wording was in watercolour ink, and I hadn’t “set” it (I usually give it a wash of dilute PVA and water to stop it from seeping if it gets a spot of liquid near it) and it all pooled into a big purple blur. Great. So I added more coffee water (!) and then patted the paint off the letters. I’m hoping that this will add to the painting as opposed to killing it completely… But its great sometimes that things go completely awry, reminds you that you have no control of anything and keeps you on your toes!! I’ll keep you posted on its progress…

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My sewing boxes are coming along nicely- just about to embellish. I didn’t forget to wash these with PVA thankfully!! The roll of lace in the photo is true vintage delight from Paperhill on Etsy (link on last post) It’s just simply gorgeous, can’t wait to use it! Just hoping our baby is over her vomiting bug… 2 full nights of vomiting and a sad baby, one full bath of yeukky clothes and one frozen washing machine!!!

Posted in: Etsy, Painting, Sewing, Shop, handmade – No Comments

Painting, Crafts and Pressies

January 9, 2010

What a spectacular start to 2010!!! Who would have thought that, only weeks after we were stranded with floods, we once again would be unable to leave the house as the country is in the middle of a deep freeze??? We have spent the past week stoking fires and keeping warm… half of our boys have been suffering from a really rotten tummy-bug, so we have stayed put, watched Ferris Bueller for the umpteenth time (boy, do I love the film!!) and it’s been great…. I’ve been so…….

busy!!

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When my fingers are suffering from crochet-cramp, I’ve been painting….

Little Lucy was one last week and we haven’t been able to get over to her yet: I made this card painting and a lovely girlie hat as well!

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My lovely midwife, Aisling, who was to deliver Grace (only Grace decided she wasn’t coming!) had a baby, Elsie, this week, last year… and yes, it has taken me this long to complete this painting for her…..

I’m adding a whole new section to our shop- commissioned paintings, personalised baby journals, wedding journals… exciting times ahead!

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I have been working on a few “altered art” pieces; I’m thinking… sewing boxes for these cute wooden altered cigar boxes, and sewing pouches from the patchwork bags… I’ve been looking at a few great websites- Viola has some great ideas, and Audrey, on FaerieWings is an Irish artist who also makes really lovely things- I especially like these tiles! I’ve two more paintings I’m sewing, glueing and collage-ing, Audrey Walker (thank you Ness for the introduction!!) has been the initial inspiration, and the internet has been such a fantastic resource for mixed media artists and ideas.

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I received this delicious box of vintage delights from Paperhill Fabrics on Etsy some time ago, and have ordered a few trims and things from MaryNotMartha, also on Etsy, check them out (I was going through the items in the shop all the while shrieking and eeek-ing, and Fergal was giving me some very strange looks)

And lastly, I have meant to post these pictures for the past 2 weeks… Let me start by saying that this Christmas I received such beautiful, thoughtful pressies- all colour co-ordinated, many handmade and utterly aesthetically pleasing, I might add!!! The saliva-inducing weighing scales in my previous post was one such delight (Thank you dear Tara!!), the boxes of gorgeous bits’n’bobs from Joyce still leave me tingling!! (my lips have never been shinier!!) and this:

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from Bernadette has to be an artwork in itself…. The Queen of Thrift and Eco-Living gave me this gorgeous (complements my kitchen perfectly!!) box full of natural cleaning products (I have been looking at it for the past couple of weeks, and before I need to use just about everything in there I decided I had better photograph it) Note the beautiful, beautiful handmade apron-

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no more the baking-splattered clothes I usually don daily!! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… haven’t I chosen my friends wisely??!!

Posted in: Christmas, Crochet, Etsy, Homebirth, Painting, Sewing, handmade – No Comments

Planning the Year Ahead!

January 3, 2010

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Our table on Christmas morning… the cake was a delicious Victoria Sponge (how dreadfully un-festive of us!!) decorated with a doily with a Christmas tree shape cut out of the centre.

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I then dredged it with icing sugar, it is such a simple and effective decoration!

Today we spent the morning planning the garden for 2010, it’s such an exciting time of year!

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Fergal has been emptying our compost bins and spreading it out on the dormant vegetable beds in preparation. The polytunnel needs clearing out, and even on these freezing days it is really pleasant being in there. But even more pleasant is when we are in the kitchen planning and baking!!

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We went up to dear friends of ours for a truly delicious New Years Day dinner and came home with a few dozen duck eggs- aren’t the blue ones just gorgeous?

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So I baked and baked today- currant buns, bread, fairycakes, scones- exactly what we needed after a week or two of biscuits and chocolate!!

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Tags: Baking, bread, Christmas table, compost bin, Currant buns, doily, duck Eggs, Fairycakes, iceing sugar, kitchen, New Years day, planning the garden, polytunnel, scones, vegetable beds, Victoria sponge

Posted in: Christmas, Cooking, Garden produce, handmade, tea – 1 Comment

Plans and Resolutions

December 30, 2009

Had a quick peek at my last years intentions for 2009… you know that whole “Write my Christmas cards in June and post them in November” and “Print or make my cards in February”, well, guess what? That intention didn’t go to plan… although I did “(3) Organise my boxes of craft materials, and (4) Get felting, and stop procrastinating”. Oh, and that resolution to bring my crochet everywhere, well, yes, became like a natural extension to my hand!!

So more of the same really, for 2010, with a few additions:

-: more painting, mixed media artwork (Check out Viola… oh, I’m so inspired)

-: make some of these incredible paper crafts from The Toymaker- whether you have children or not they are completely inspiring homepage

-: make some paper dolls- we were obsessed with these when we were children (remember the ones on the back of the Bunty magazine??) this is a great link here for some lovely dolls and clothes for any children wandering around the house!!

Keep checking in… I have, as usual, several projects on the go- apart from my trusty crochet hooks working away, I’ve been making needle felted tea-cosies, and I’m working on some custom-designed commissioned work, these make fantastic personalised gifts for new baby, wedding presents, birthdays or anniversaries. I want to make up a stock of samples before I post, but very exciting times indeed. Roll on 2010!!

Tags: Bunty, Christmas Cards, commissioned work, Craft materials, Crochet, Felting, Intentions, mixed media artwork, Painting, paper crafts, paper dolls, personalised gifts

Posted in: Christmas, Crochet, Felting, Handmade dolls, Painting, handmade, yarn – No Comments

’tis the season to be jolly!

December 27, 2009

It seems like only last week, but I see to my dismay that my last posting was on the 11th of December… truly, I have gone to pot in the pre-Christmas madness….

but what an eventful couple of weeks that has been-

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I finished the wee doll for a niece, Amy, of my dear friend Jenny (made all the more dear by dint of that fact she, too, is a Kildare-woman)- it was a pleasure and delight to make, I was so pleased with her sweet embroidered face and warm cuddly body. She was made with moveable joints and filled with pure new sheep wool; her hair was made by crocheting a cap and threading on the hair strands;

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I made her little babygro with soft velour and her nappy was white towelling lined with lilac flannel- I’m working on another and will post a full tutorial (sooner, rather than later, I hope!!)

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My brother and his truly lovely wife-to-be braved the roads to come down for a visit and despite the freezing weather we walked down the boreen with babe in the pram, thanks to her having hidden her shoes (again)…

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That weekend the tree went up… someone thought we were simply nuts, but got used to it and has since redecorated several times….

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I cut out this village silhouette, after being inspired by Rob Ryan… I was most chuffed with the trees lit up from behind with fairy lights…

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Fergal made this gorgeous wreath for our front door, and Christmas week began with a seasonal fall of snow…

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I lit candles to celebrate the Solstice (shortest day of the year)…

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And then Christmas was upon us, and we woke to a white landscape coloured, on Christmas morning, by the magnificent rising sun

The Christmas robin and his mate hopped along near me as I photographed the still morning…

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And then I went inside to continue the opening of presents, delighted with the shrieks of

joy (not ALL mine!!) and to contend with cooking a huge Christmas dinner on a one-ringed camping stove (guess who ran out of gas!!!!!)

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Truly, a memorable, glorious day!

Tags: babygro, candles, Christmas tree, Christmas. doll, Crochet, dinner, embroiderery, fairy lights, flannel, freezing weather, nappy, presents, Rob Ryan, robin, sheep wool, silhouette, snow, solstice, towelling, velour, village, wreath

Posted in: Christmas, Cooking, Crochet, Handmade dolls, cloth nappies, handmade, walks, yarn – 1 Comment

Christmas has begun

December 11, 2009

We are just shortly back from the beautiful St. Catherine’s Church at the annual Christmas Concert. We have gone every year since we arrived here, and this really marks the start to the festivities in our home.

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The gravel pathway to the church door was lit up, and (as usual) we were late, so in the cold December night air we could hear carols and then applause…

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Inside, the hallway was glowing with candles and greenery, infused with the waft of the mulled wine slowly simmering away…

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Tea-lights placed in every corner, wrapped in ivy…

This really marks the start of the festive season for us… the evening is packed with readings- I love “A Christmas Childhood” by Patrick Kavanagh!- music, carols and the high point every year is the hauntingly beautiful “O Holy Night”.

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When we are all saturated with Yuletide delight, the mulled wine is served alongside trays piled high with mince pies, biscuits and sandwiches.

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The church is glowing with candles and decorated so beautifully with holly, ivy and poinsettas. Our boys and little girl sat up there tonight, snuggled up in many warm layers, quiet and wide eyed…

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this is what Christmas is all about.

Tags: A Christmas Childhood, candles, carols, Christmas Concert, festivities, greenery, mince pies, mulled wine, O Holy Night, Patrick Kavanagh, poinsettas, readings, St. Catherines, tea-lights

Posted in: Christmas, Cooking, Home Education – 1 Comment

Beautiful Blankets and Delightful Dolls

December 6, 2009

My mother still has a crochet blanket that was made for me when I was a baby- cream with coloured rose flower motifs. It was simply beautiful, in a way that crochet blankets are by their being. PICT0056

This week I eventually uploaded the photos of the blankets we have in our shop (steep learning curve every time something goes “wrong”!!) as well as one or two doll ones that wouldn’t upload. I still have cushions, corsages and some GORGEOUS wooden toys- a motorhome, 4 x4 Jeep and red sportscar- I’ll try to get them up tonight. PICT0060

I’m in the middle of finishing a doll for Jenny-from-Kildare, so I’m off to immerse myself in wool and body-parts!! Check out our blankets in the “handmade@theNest” section, simply lovely.

Tags: Baby, corsages, crochet blankets, cushions, doll, handmade@theNest, rose flower motifs, Wooden toys, wool

Posted in: Christmas, Crochet, Handmade dolls, Shop, Wooden toys, handmade, yarn – No Comments