They made a really lovely pattern when laid out, and I photographed each stage…-

The flat crochet backs…

…flowers added…

…buttons sewn on top… (Thank you dear friends, Bernadette and Barbara!)

…brooch pin and our “handmade” label attached to the back…

I then made some tags with the Kelly’s logo and attached with ribbon…

It was so lovely to see the first fifty customers come in wearing my creations!!!

I made more of these for our shop, and so
I’m hoping to upload some similiar images onto our shop website early this week (have to move a few things around there, be sure to check it out, we’ll have some gorgeous Easter gifts featured soon!)

I’m not sure if I’m completely happy as yet with what I’ve done though…

-This was an alternative page header!

  So it was a welcome distraction to have a friend over for lunch today:

Beetroot and Goats Cheese Tart

followed swiftly by an utterly delicious light sponge with cream and peaches (can’t take responsibility for this gorgeous creation I’m afraid…)

Last week, we were visiting my parents for a few days in their beautiful home in Kildare. 

Our little ones spent plenty of time running up and down the avenue,

which is brimming with snowdrops and crocuses,

and taking time-out with Old Faithful (only spotted the hand-cuffs just now, not sure what they were being used for!!!)

I came back with a few treasures:

A gorgeous old leather case (thank you William!)

Old maps and books, postcards, letters, photos;

newspapers from the second World War,

and an truly ancient “Midland Reporter And Westmeath Nationalist” from 1923!

But the piece de resistance, for me, is my mothers sewing basket: for as long as I can remember it “lived” in the corner cupboard, full of odd buttons, needles, thread and other delicious treasures! I’m so excited that I now have it, ready to be filled with all my sewing bits and pieces,

Thank you dearest mother!!  

I’ve been starting more projects also: I find that if I have several on the go I can inch away at them:- crochet when I’m sitting down, drinking tea and chatting (hence plenty gets done, ha ha); painting and mixed media work when I’ve an hour to myself, children fed and baby in bed; sewing at any spare minute (and I’m getting good at doing all these with a baby or boys sitting on my knee or “helping” me!)

At the moment I’m making journals-

I’m recycling brown paper bags,

stitching them together,

then painting them white,

which renders a most lovely painterly surface. I’m going to photograph the entire process tomorrow, it’s as easy as pie!- and the result is wonderful.

 I’m in the middle of finishing some crochet for the Official Opening Night of Kelly’s Bar in Galway, it’s opening on the 26th, next Friday!- so that’s my priority at the minute. So on that note I’m off to sit beside my blazing fire, with a pot of tea, and my basket of crochet… Bliss!!

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):

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!

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?!