Welcome to my Space: Blog Hop Giveaway and Competition

Hi to any new readers: you are very welcome and of course big hugs for my regular readers friends.

This is my space: my bit of the world where I do what us crafty women do best.  We network and form friendships and inspire and offer comfort as and when needed and of course we happy dance with each other when we finish a crafty project!

We enable and support and sometimes we just chat.

And even though we have never seen each other, friendships form which stand the test of time: free from judgements and expectations.

I love the crafting blogging community. It is like no other.

I started blogging around five years ago but over the last two years, boy have I needed my blog.  I danced with cancer and through the support of all my blogging friends I came out the other side and enthused with a new sense of 'life must be lived at all costs!' I expanded my crafting into otherwise unexplored areas.

Areas of great mystery were encountered such as Patchwork and Quilting.  Scary quilting, terrifying quilting,  which involved learning about rotary cutters: keeping one's fingers attached to one's hand, and having to master psychotic sewing machines.

Crochet...something I never thought I would do because the hook reminds me of what they use to break your waters when your having a baby!  Sorry but that is how my mind works!

I started knitting again, I still cross stitch and I actually started to design my own charts!  How cool is that?

And all because of the support and friendship of my blogging buddies.

I take part in stitch alongs (a dictionary of terms can be providing if needed), exchanges, Needlework Masters books, RAKs and whatever else the imagination of the blogging community can come up with and I love it.

Here is a picture of my latest finish: this is a chart I designed myself.  It is Victorian in style for a purpose: it is the language of flowers..part of a series of charts which illustrate flowers and the words and terms they symbolised in Victorian times when lovers were restricted by Victorian etiquette. Messages would be sent via bouquets and the symbolism of the flowers.

This is Borage, which would have meant 'have courage'.

This forms my July Page for my Needlework Masters Book, part of a Stitchalong which stretches and demands you try lots of new needlework crafts.

June and July, all designed by little ol me which makes them even more special!

Crafting is so important to me.  It distracts me when I have hospital appointments: it relaxes me and provides an escape from the fears which come from health issues.  It allows me to express my creative self.  And with everything I make, I am leaving proof of my existence. "I was here: I left this behind, a treasure for you to remember me by.  Ignore the wonky seams and uneven stitches: they are like me, imperfect but filled with so much love!"

And I want everyone to experience that amazing moment when the hours of stitching (and un-picking) are over and you put that final stitch in...and you have a finish!  A gift or an item which has been made totally by you, which contains part of you within it.  Either in the colours you chose or the symbols you added or the style of finish you decided upon.  You made that!  Wow!  You are so talented!

So, I am offering some giveaways to celebrate the world of crafting and blogging and to encourage you all to give it a go or try something new.  Or if you are already an established crafter, to join in with me and share in the crafting good fortune.

Because it is a celebration of blogging then I am afraid you can only enter if you have a blog, otherwise it defeats the purpose. Sorry: I do offer other giveaways through the year which will not be so specific.

The first giveaway is for the patchworkers and quilters amongst you.

One little fabric basket sewn by myself.  A little hen pin cushion and four brand new fat quarters of funky summery fabric with brand new matching threads.  You can use them in patchwork or in finishes of other crafts...or just play and see what you can do with them.

For the cross stitchers amongst you, I am offering:

 Two Country Cottages charts: Poinsettia Place (part of the Santa's Village series) and Holly and Ivy Sampler..both brand new.
Also, The House and Alphabet Sampler by the Historical Sampler Company Kit: comes with aida but could be adapted for evenweave.
Also, brand new 28 count Jazlyn in Antique White 19 x 27 inches. And all of my Pink Key Motto charts and a special chart I am stitching up as we speak!

To  celebrate the craft that is crochet I am also offering a Crochet gift, hand made by myself (not quite finished so no piccie yet) and this, a crochet cushion kit for beginners though if you are experienced, well one can never have to many patterns can one?

It comes with instructions, crochet hook and wool in these colours.

I wish I had bought me one now!!!!

And for the knitters or those of you who wish to learn to knit, I have .........one hand made knitted item from me (again too be finished) and.....

I will include needles.  That pattern offers full instructions.  I'm afraid the pattern is a little wrinkly: I bought it after going to the hospital in Galway and it was tipping it down..unknown to us, just around the corner at the beach was an over-sea twister.  Yay, we get them in Ireland too.  So those of you used to such strange weather can understand how heavy the rain was.  We nearly drowned but it was also full of fun and laughter..especially when a car drove through a flooded road covering my hubby and son in a sheet of water.  Well, I found if funny even if they didn't!


So that is my four main crafts covered.

What do you have to do to be in the draws?
S'easy!

Ensure you follow my blog.
Leave a comment with the giveaways you are interested in: knitting, crochet or cross stitch or combination etc.
Mention it on your blog...

And...there is final gift.  I will be offering a gift voucher for 123 Stitch.  This is a competition more than a draw!  To be entered in for the voucher, you have to fill in the sentence using your own words.

'I love to craft and blog because ..............................................'

I will chose the winners of the draws and the competition on August the 25th !

Good luck and thank you for visiting!