Bunting...bunting...bunting...

I have busy this week making bunting using some of the material which arrived from Japan... I have appliqued the Russian dolls onto the flags, which look good, I sold a set really quickly and thought I should probably make more...

Next I made Blue, red, yellow balloon bunting, I contrasted it with a deep blue which looks great...so good that when I was making it, wee mushy asked to have it in his bedroom, so that is where it is hanging!..yes I will need to make more...

Lastly I made pink and blue stripey bunting contrasting it with white..my thinking behind this one was that it could be used easily for both boys or girls, well I am helping to organise a friends baby shower for this weekend and yes you have guessed ...it will be hanging up in the room to decorate along with the blue and pink balloons!...Off to make some more!

The bunting can be purchased from my website.. www.mariefinlay.co.uk

Swap.....

As many of you know I have a "thing" about buttons, ok, ok I have an obsession with them...Well how delighted was I when this arrived in a wee parcel on Saturday morning.

I had joined my first folksy swap which Zoe http://www.folksy.com/users/jewelbox had organised.

I added my name to the list hoping I would "get in" and I did!

This arrived beautifully wrapped and presented ...it felt like my Birthday.

One of the first things I did was check out who "Mai" was on Folksy to see what other delights could be found in her shop... I wasn't disappointed and you won't be either.. http://www.folksy.com/users/CraftyLittleMia I feel I have found a new friend with an obsession too!( obviously in a healthy way!)

I have also found Mia here http://twitter.com/CraftyLittleMia and have been enjoying getting to know her a little better..I hope she doesn't feel I have turned into a stalker...I just like to get to know like minded friends a wee bit better.

Wee mushy has taken a liking to the bookmark too!

Creating for girls

If you look at everything I make you would think I was surrounded by girls, but I'm not......I don't have any daughters...... sadly my Mum passed away when I was in my early twenties.... I have no sisters.... no mother in- law (maybe that's a bonus) and no close female relatives.

What I DO have are some fantastic men in my life....my two brilliant sons, Mr.H, my brother and my Dad.

Creating brings out the girlie girl in me, I love being surrounded by lovely fabrics, buttons, ribbons it reminds me of my childhood, spending hours making dolls clothes from remnants of fabric and knitwear(my best friends mum worked for Lyle and Scott knitwear and used to bring all the cut offs back to us to use!). I also used to make houses and furniture for my Sindy doll from cardboard and fabric....There is light at the end of the tunnel I have a niece who is two and is showing signs of being a girlie girl...she won't wear trousers and LOVES dressing up...pity she lives 500 miles away!!!

Half Term Fun!

Ow I love half term holidays maybe it's something to do with teaching for years! It's great to stop that mundane routine for a wee while.

I love spending time with my boys... Wee mushy is home with me everyday, he is only two but Teen Mushy spends a lot of time at school and studying after so we don't have lazy mornings...days often.

Yesterday was Shrove Tuesday so any excuse to make pancakes!

Special Delivery

1. Cute Matrioshka dolls
2. 2.Vintage looking figures!

3. More Matrioshka dolls 4. A yummy mix

Oh I am sooo excited I just love when the postman arrives with a parcel for me....especially when it's FABRIC..all the way from Japan!
I do have plans for some of it but I am open to suggestions too?

I love the characters on some of the pieces they have a retro feel, as a child I had Holly Hobbie (does anyone remember that?) wall paper in my bedroom in shades of purple and pink which I loved, this has the same feel about it..

Pinch, Punch....first of the month!

Phew! February has arrived, January is such a long month or at least it feels that way.



I have been surrounding myself with romance and yummy hearts! ( it was my Anniversary last week too) This is a few of the wooden hearts I have been working on... who doesn't love hearts?

The larger hearts are Hair slide holders a long piece of ribbon is attached to the bottom of the heart where you can clip all your hair accessories, no excuse for losing hair clips!
The smaller hearts will just make fab little gifts for that special someone... go on surround yourself in love!

"Happy Birthday Mr.Burns"

Today is a special day in our family, we celebrate the birth of Rabbie Burns with a wee burns supper..

Haggis, tatties and neeps! even wee Mushy loves Haggis.. not really sure if a 2 year old should be eating it, but hey he had seconds and cleared his plate.

It seems we are not the only people who celebrate the "Bards" birthday as over the last couple of weeks I have sold a few of my tartan brooches.

Back in November I had an order for sixty of these little beauties to be used at the http://www.tartanclef.org/ which I was very proud of (being Scottish).

This week I have been asked to make something else in tartan.... I'll give you a peek when it's finished!