Coffee time.

It's a cloudy Saturday, so what nicer than a days stitching. But to stitch sucessfully a girl needs refreshment. Today was just the day to bake some apple and sultana scones.

                   Mixed and ready to roll with my Great Grandmothers' rolling pin.

Baked and ready to eat whilst still warm from the oven. All I need now is a pretty china cup and saucer..........

                                                        and a pot of coffee on a tray.

Fabrics ready to cut and piece but I'm going to enjoy a quiet five minutes first.

Hope you all get your own quiet five minutes too.

XOX Angela.

Tough Love.

My posting has been sporadic lately as I have been struggling with myself over which way to go.

I have brought up my Grandson since he was a baby. He was diagnosed with ADHD when he was seven years old and has always been a challenge.

We have had some wonderful experiences as he is a talented dancer and has appeared in many Ballet productions over the years and has even danced in Londons' West end.


As he has moved into adulthood he seems to have lost his way and has been very difficult to live with.

It's heartbreaking to watch someone you love very much as they make decisions that hold them back so I have had to give some .........

I am both sad and at the same time it's great not to feel stressed all the time. I can't believe I've done it, it's taken alot of heartache to get here.

I have been supported by my blogging which has sent me to visit you all. Your comments have given me strength without you even knowing so I thank you all.

It's a new start for my Grandson and a new start for me, I'm in the process of making some changes so watch this space.

xox Angela.

Two new friends at the Mouse House.

I've been looking for a pattern for some prim mice for the Mouse House and found just the thing at http://www.softinthehead.blogspot.com/. Pamela sent me the e-pattern and here are my new friends.

I made a few minor changes and added a little book.

I really enjoyed making her.

For my next mouse I reduced the pattern down to make a smaller mouse to stand on a cotton reel.

                                                          She's pretty don't you think.

                                    Wrapped around the painted cotton reel is a message,

We are fulfilling that wish here in Great Britain today as our handsome Prince William marries his beautiful bride.

Have a great weekend,

xox Angela.

More prims from the Mouse House.

Here's the two dolls I finished today.

                                                             This is 'Jentle Jane'.

 She lives in a small cottage in the hamlet and loves all the wild creatures and in return they love her.

 You'll find her talking to them every day.

                                                      

                                            And this is Matilda known to her friends as 'Tilly'.

                                             She works hard as a housemaid all week.
                     Tilly loves to wear her Sunday best it makes her feel so special, like a real lady.

                        Creating dolls. A nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

                                                                 xox Angela,

Mouse House Prims.

I've been blog hopping and discovered so many amazing Prim Dolls. They are such characterful little ladies so I really wanted to make my own.

Thank you to Pamela at Our Pioneer Homestead for her free doll  pattern which has given me a good start. Thank you Pamela, I hope you like her.

 I've stuffed her with rags and aged her body and her clothes.
 I made the little cushion several years ago.

I am a huge fan of  Flora Thompsons memiors of her childhood in Oxfordshire in the late 19th century. It has been a really successful series on the BBC and such a lovely story of life in the English countryside.

My Prim dolls are based on this evocative story and so are 'English Prims'.

 This is 'Emma'. She lives in the hamlet with her family, she works hard but it's often hard to make ends meet.     




These are the things she makes to sell in the town, Peg dolls, pin cushions and sewing boxes.

I'm busy now creating her friends and I'll show you soon.

xox Angela.

Fibre fever book page.

I belong to a Yahoo group called Fibre Fever. I'm quite a new member and this is the first swap I have joined. Each member makes a fabric page for a book. It can be any type of stitching but has to be in the theme chosen by each recipient.
This month I am sending a page to Anne in Germany, her theme is '' anything oriental- Persian or Indian.

Oh goody! I thought as it has given me a chance to practice some more 'Sheesha Embroidery'. You may have read in a previous post from last summer, that I went to a workshop with Surjeet Husain. I bought her book but haven't done much embroidery since. after a frantic search I found the mirrors and racked my brain to remember the rhythm of the stitch. Heres how it turned out!
I have tryed to keep the Indian theme but with a modern look.
It's in the post and heading to Anne, I hope it's ok and she likes it.

I hope you are all enjoying your week out there in blog land.
I would like to give all my followers new and old a big THANK- YOU.
Thank you for all your kind comments, you always make my day and you will never know how much you have all helped me when things get tough.
Warm HUGS to you all.
xox Angela,

A Mothers love.

I found this picture postcard when I was shopping in Spitalfields market in London's Eastend. It's one of my favourite places to buy vintage.

These two are so pretty so I had to give them a shabby feminine look with coffee dyed fabrics and lace.

Hope you like them.

xox Angela.