Simply Neutrals No. 35

Wen's lovely post about textures for Simply Neutrals No. 35 last week prompted me to post this photo. I took it a couple of days ago here at our cottage in France. We are quite snug and warm with the central heating and the fire going as well, but the radiator in the kitchen area is bust and for the last few days we got ice flowers on the inside of the window! Just little patches in the corners of the small window panes, so not a huge deal. The textures of ice on glass are endlessly fascinating, and although the ice was melting, it still provided some lovely textures. It was pretty dark outside, so the reflection of the kitchen light added a little bit of warm colour.

Please hop over to Wen's blog to see the beautiful neutrals photographs posted this week for Simply Neutrals Tuesday No. 35.

Toodlepip xxx

Getting back to blogging in 2018

Really, you say? Heard it all before. Sigh. I know. It is just so easy to take photos on the phone, do a quick post on Instagram, push one slider and they magically appear on my FB page as well. I can do simple tasks like that on the phone, lolol ( but thats about it, apart from actually using it as a phone, lol ). No need to crank up the computer, try and remember how to edit photos lol and try and do a write up. And no need to log on to FB every day either, woohoo.

How much have I missed though by not being in blogland? Or on FB? I hate to think. It was only by accident that I saw some info about the revival of the Simply Neutrals Tuesday by sweet Wen on appleapricot. I used to love that link up so much and was so sad when it came to a halt. It is all because of Wen that I decided to get back to blogland, so blame her! :-).

So, first post of the 2018 ( and hopefully the first of many, errmmm ) is for Wen's Simply Neutrals Tuesday. I had taken a pic of some tiny treasures I had found in a teeny box in my sewing basket of all places yesterday, and they are all pretty neutral, so thats my pic for the link up -

Thank you so much, Wen, for getting me back to blogging!

If you are also a lover of neutrals, then please do join her linky party on her blog HERE.

As this is a rather boring time of the year, and as I am not crafting, just filling box after box after box with my French treasures for storage so we can sell the house one of these days, I might just revive my " Looking back to Spring and Summer  in France " last year. Might cheer me up, seeing the glorious views, blue sky and sunshine, and family and friends again.

Toodlepip xxx

Simply Neutrals Tuesday

What is about being in France and at the cottage which makes me forget that I have a computer, lol? When I am in the UK, I spend most of the day in my craft room and on the computer, but here in France? The poor computer gets very much ignored. I feel terrible though about neglecting my blog and not taking part in any of the parties and challenges which I so love, so today I decided that I must post for Simply Neutrals Tuesday. I found this really sweet little couronne de mariee. It is not antique, merely vintage, but it is so adorable. And because it is not made from wax, it isn't quite so delicate and can be handled much more easily -

Toodlepip xxx

A very late Simply Neutrals Tuesday post

Simply Neutrals Tuesday No. 19 already, my goodness, how time flies. And I am a week late to the party, lol, but better late than never, right?

I received a package from Suzy ages ago, as she wanted to make sure I got it before going off to France again, and it was agony seeing it every day and not opening it, but I was determined not to touch it until my actual birthday. Darling Dorthe also sent me a package a while ago, and again, it was so very hard not to open it before the day.

Suzy and I had agreed that I would open her gift while we skyped, oh my word, that was so much fun! I am glad I couldn't really see me, tehehehe, I must have pulled such funny faces. It was as if Suzy was sitting with me in room, watching me opening her gift. And because I couldn't skype with Dorthe, I opened her gift together with Suzy as well! Brilliant, it made it a real special occasion.

As Suzys gift was the first to arrive, I'll show you hers first. She had told me I would never guess what it was, she had only ever made this one, and she was right, I wouldn't have guessed in a million years, lol.

This is the beautiful hanger, a gorgeous gift in its own right -

And this is the OOAK, the only one ever made, gift :-) -

Can you tell yet what it is? Look very closely...........

YES! It is the most beautiful crochet hook holder, I am so thrilled to bits with it. I love crocheting, so this will be by my side, and used, quite often. Thank you, my dear dear Suzy xxx.

Dear Dorthe's gift was such an amazing surprise as well. First of all, she had made this stunning card, which is so typically Dorthe, nature inspired, with a beautiful bird and found objects. Nobody does 'Nature' better than Dorthe -

And then I unrolled this wonderful piece of, well, don't quite know what it is, matted fibre ( awesome wrapping ), and found these inside, OMG -

 

Aren't these the most exquisite medallions you have ever seen? The back of them is as pretty as the front, so beautifully finished. I want to attach them to a garland to hang in my craftavan in France while I am there, and I know they will look stunning. Dorthe, you are such a loyal, loving friend, thank you so very much. xxx

My beautiful friend Alexandra sent me a gorgeous birthday card. She always remembers my birthday, and I am the worst friend, I usually forget hers, and she always forgives me. One year I will get it right, Alexandra :-). My camera ran out of juice while I was taking photos, and by the time it was charged up again, the light wasn't good enough any longer. I will take photos in the morning and show you in a separate post, you will love the card! I love her style and I adore the colours she chose for the card, and......... ah well, you will have to wait until tomorrow.

Thank you for visiting, toodlepip xxx

Simply Neutrals Tuesday No. 19 - tubbies

I use a lot of wide sellotape, I mean, a LOT, lol, sending Etsy items around the world. So I have been left with many empty cardboard rolls. I started making them into little tubbies for all kinds of things a while ago, and last night I made another one for a few of my little jewellery making tools. Here are the 4 which are always on my desk - 

The new one from last night -

Of course, they all have to have a bit of bling on them :-).

Toodlepip xxx

First post of 2016

And it is a crafty post, yay! I love the Tag Tuesday challenges, but had missed quite a few lately, so I was determined to start the new year properly with the first new challenge of 2016, SCIENCE. Soooo many possibilities, but in the end I went with medical science for the tag -

And because somehow I ended up using neutral colours ( how I love them ), I am linking this post to Wendy's SIMPLY NEUTRALS TUESDAY party, the first of 2016. I can't believe we are already up to party No. 14! If you love neutrals, check out all the beauties being shared on Wendy's blog right now.

Toodlepip xxx

Simply Neutrals Tuesday No. 13 - The Giveaway Wins

So much to do, so little time, lol. As usual at this time of the year, I start panicking because I am so behind with things. So for this week's Simply Neutrals Tuesday party, I am just going to show you three little giveaway wins, which will be on their way to three lovely people very soon. No time for special photo trips or searching for beautiful things to photograph, but I am sure you all understand.

One of the winners asked for religious, fabric scraps, lace and ephemera, so this is what I put together -

Winner No 2 also asked for ephemera and lace -

and winner No. 3 asked for small metal bits for assemblages -

I have made a few more customer tags etc to go out with orders but I keep forgetting to take pics of them. The only pics I took recently are of a tag for one customer and a little pressie for another -

Happy Neutrals Tuesday, my dear friends! Toodlepip xxx

Simply Neutrals Tuesday No. 11 and a GIVEAWAY reminder

Firstly, a quick reminder that I am having a GIVEAWAY! Ephemera, lace, fabric, embellishments, mixed media supplies, French vintage treasures, you let me know what you would like to win and I will try and put together a little package to make you happy. Enter the giveaway on this post HERE

I made a few more Christmas cards inbetween braving the world out there for a bit of Christmas shopping. It really is the only time of the year when I enjoy wombling through the shops these days. I stuck with the same theme and image as before ( see last post ), but each and every card is different. Did a bit of stamping, used pages from a very early 1700s Italian book, vintage Swarovski bling, antique French lace motifs, vintage French shelf edging, lots of sparkly bits of course, this is me after all, lol, and bits of this and that. This stone angel is one of my most favourite images -

A couple of cards with more silvery embellishments -

Here are all 6 completed cards, a few more to go yet -

I know I am ridiculously late for Wen's Simply Neutrals Tuesday party, it being Sunday today, lol, but I don't want to miss this gorgeous party altogether! So, better late than never, right? You can see all the other beautiful neutrals on Wen's blog HERE .

Stay safe and happy. Toodlepip xxx