Favourite Thing On A Friday - Jewellery Heaven - Bliss List # 4

This year I have decided that I'd like to show my gratitude for the different people, friends and things in my life, that bring me glitter and sparkle.  One of the things I have decided to do, is try to spread a little glitter and sparkle myself by sending small gifts to people.  If I have something that I know someone else will love, I've decided to let it go, package it up, and send it to the person I think would love it.

A little while ago I found a vintage throw in a shop, and knew that it needed to go to someone who would appreciate it.  I bought it and put it aside, hoping that I'd find a good home for it.  Last week, I found the throw neatly folded in a drawer and realised that Vix who writes the blog "Vintage Vixen" would probably love it.  I've been reading Vix's blog for a good while now and it's fabulous.  In every sense of the word.  A heady mix of fantastic vintage fashion, and sassiness, with a big dollop of Vix's joie de vivre.  I packaged up the throw and sent it to her.  It felt good knowing the throw was going to a good home.  Vix being the gorgeous woman that she is, responded by sending me a gift.

But not just any gift.

A while ago Vix featured a book on her blog that she had found.  It was full of glitter and sparkle.  Literally. It was a book all about jewellery designers, jewellery fashions and styles.  I remember drooling over it.  When the post man came this week, and a parcel arrived, I was really touched that Vix would send something to me.  I was beyond excited as I opened it up.  And actually squealed when I saw what it was.

The book I had dribbled over on Vix's blog!  Fashion For Jewels by Carol Woolton.  Carol Woolton is jewellery editor for Vogue.  She has the most gorgeous website full of jewellery porn gorgeousness at http://www.carolwoolton.com.  If you love jewellery, sparkle, glitter and glamour, her website is a fantastic place to lose yourself for a few days a short while.

Vix, thank you for the fabulous gift.  I love it.


♥Little Bliss List # 4♥

So here is my bliss list for this week...

• Sitting with a cup of tea and reading my new book.

• Doodling in my art journal with markers, pastels and paints.

• Getting a visit from my mum, dad, and Zaide, their dog. (Zaide is an ex-guide dog for the blind.  He was named by the Guide Dog Association.  I love it that his name is Arabic for "sparkling, bright"!)  

• Being given the best of doggy welcomes by Zaide when he saw me. All four of his feet actually came off the ground.

• Sitting and eating chocolate cake with my mum and dad, and having a chat.

Zaide

If you want to link up with Favourite Thing On A Friday, you can do that just below this post.  I'm also linking up with Liv Lane.  So feel free to join in over there too.  

Sending love and smiles,

Pay It Forward Project 2012

A couple of days ago, I was catching up on my blog reading and came across the Pay It Forward Project 2012  hosted by Erin Keane (click on her name to visit her beautiful blog). Erin explains here how this project grew out of a Facebook challenge, which took place at the beginning of 2011.

I came across the project at Dryada Journals, a heart-warming blog written by Lyndsey, with stunning photography, and thoughts on creativity.  Thank you Lyndsey!

The Pay it Forward Project 2012 is about each of us creating art and sharing our talents with others who are like minded.

Do you fancy joining in?  Here's how it works:

• If you want to participate, please leave a comment at the bottom of  this post here on my blog, letting me know you want to be included.

• The first three people who leave a comment telling me they want to join in will receive a small handmade artful gift from me! (I can tell you right now, it's jewellery!)

• Gather three new participants by writing a blog post about the Pay It Forward Project 2012, asking others to join in. Offer a small handmade piece of art, made by you, to the first three readers who sign up and are committed to joining in. (Feel free to copy and paste the rules from this post.) 

• Be willing and able to "Pay It Forward" by sending out your gifts to your three participants!

• Please link to this original post.  I, in turn, will include a link to your post 
  so that we can follow the project from its origin.

• When you have made your decision.  Committed to the project.  Posted your comment.  Created your own very own post of the project to your site...

Email me: mimiandtilly(at)hotmail(dot)co(dot)uk

Your full name and postal address.

Date of when you will be posting your announcement of the project.

A link to the post as well.

As soon as I hear from you and see your post, I will send out a heartfelt, handmade gift created by me especially for you! (It's jewellery.)  In turn, give small, simple, heartfelt handmade gifts to your participants.

I'm looking forward to spreading a bit of glitter and sparkle by making things and sending them out into the world to be enjoyed by three lovely people I haven't met. It feels like a nice thing to do.

How about you, do you fancy doing the same?

Glitter On Flickr

I wanted to say a great big thank you to all the lovely sparkly people who have joined the Mimi and Tilly group on Flickr.

I can't tell you how much pleasure and joy it is bringing me to sit with a bucket of tea and see what you've uploaded.  It's like getting a photograph goodie bag each time I log on!  Do you remember goodie bags? You paid a certain amount at the sweet shop and got a pretty bag filled with sugary surprises.  I loved opening them up and seeing what was inside.

I get the same feeling when I visit our Flickr group.

Here's a little bit how it goes in my head...

"Ooh, I wonder what photographs have been uploaded today?  This tea tastes lovely.  I think I'll just have a cheeky biscuit.  What have people enjoyed on the other side of the world to me this week?  Wow!  That's beautiful.  Now there's lovely.  That just warms my heart.  Fab shoes.  Amazing."  This goes on for quite some time and through quite a few cheeky biscuits.

I love how much fun I have getting a peek into what you find beautiful.  Thank you so much for joining in.  I hope you're having as much fun sharing your glitter and sparkle and seeing everybody else's joyful things as I am.

So, today, I wanted to share with you some of the beautiful photographs that have been posted by you, with links to who posted them so that you can go and visit their glitter covered places in the internet ether and say hello...  (I'll be  posting them in the order they were uploaded.)

Firstly, a great big thank you Rainbow Light Angel for these two beauties.  You can find Rainbow Light Angels website here.  It is an inspiring place filled with love and magic.

Looking at the sunset while reading the calming words, helps me feel peaceful.  And the bauble covered in glitter just right out makes me smile!













Now for some amazing flower shots from Dryalantha.  Dryalantha's blog, Dryada Journals, is a mystical, beautiful place filled with a feeling of fairy dust and possibilities.  Can you believe that rain drop reflecting the world at the heart of the flower?









And the flower dust sitting on the stamens?










Here's a peek into Dryalantha's art journal.  Stunningly beautiful.








Mary Jane's Tearoom shared these gorgeous glimpses of a beautiful indoor winter wonderland. Thank you.









The pink sugar and the soft pastel colours are stunning (and totally remind me of candy floss, ice cream, pavlovas and all that's wonderful in the land of sweets and yumminess).  Mary Jane's Tearoom is nothing short of delightful.






I'll be showcasing more photographs from the group next week.  In the meantime, thank you for sharing!  If you'd like to join the Mimi and Tilly Flickr group and share photographs and videos of the things that fill your life with glitter and sparkle, just click on the photo below and upload as many photographs as you'd like to share. You're very welcome.

Favourite Thing On A Friday - It's Finished, It's Finished! - Little Bliss List #3

After a staggering 14 months of some of the slowest knitting recorded by womankind, I have finally finished my knitted patchwork blanket!

 


My knitting challenge began in December 2010.  Over the course of the past 14 months, I have been working on a knitted square, finishing a knitted square and storing each square in a bag.  I rarely counted how many I had made, and slowly plodded on with a big smile on my face, thinking about how fab my finished blanket would be.  It's sweeping dimensions.  It's broad expanse of woolly loveliness.   






When it hit the one year anniversary of me starting my knitted blanket adventure at the end of December 2011, I decided that surely I must have enough squares to make a blanket big enough to cover at least my double bed.  Or to drape casually across my sofa and stroke lovingly.  A blanket big enough to wrap around friends as they walked through the door, followed with "I knitted that you know".

So, I tipped out the bag of squares and laid them out on the dining table.  Corner to corner.

And found I had a blanket the size of a bath towel.






It didn't actually hit the corners of my very small dining table.  It was one of those comedy moments that I love.  I had spent a year slowly knitting the world's smallest patchwork blanket.







I showed it to Steve.  "Ooh, it's lovely.  Did you only want a lap blanket?"  He suggested crocheting a foot wide edging around it.  "Just keep going round and round until your blanket is actually the size you want."

Which is pretty much what I've done.






So my Favourite Thing On a Friday this week is my bath-towel sized knitted blanket, complete with wide crochet edging and woolly crochet flowers.











It's a bit wobbly, a bit wonky.  A tad smaller than I anticipated.  But I love my woolly knitted patchwork blanket.








Here's my Little Bliss List #3

• Finishing my knitted woolly blanket.  (See above)
  
• Snuggling under my knitted woolly blanket. (See above)
• Showing my knitted woolly blanket to whoever walked through my front door this week. (See above)
• Watching "Breakfast at Tiffany's" on St. Valentine's day, with Steve.
• Receiving a beautiful card and box of my favourite chocolates from Steve on St.Valentine's day. And then eating a meal he cooked for me.
• Finding some things I wanted to give to people I love and wrapping them up ready to give them.
• Eating hot, fresh chicken soup that my mum had made for me and brought over.
• Liv Lane's inspirational guidance

I hope you've had a wonderful week and look forward to seeing what your favourite things are this week. Link up at the bottom of this post if you want us to all come over and share your gorgeousness.  I'm also linking up with Liv Lane's Little Bliss List, so feel very welcome to link up there too.   

P.S. This blanket is my monthly make for February!

Big Loves and Eating Crisps

♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ Happy St. Valentine's Day! ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥

I am very grateful that I have several big loves in my life.  My significant other Steve.  My family and friends. My cats Eric and Ernie.  Ready salted crisps.  And Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise.  It's a hand-clappy happy day when I get to combine any or all of those big loves.

Imagine my joy this week when I found Eric and Ernie eating crisps.  Nope, not my cats.  Although I wouldn't put it past them.  (Eric sometimes looks at me as if he's wondering if I'm good enough to eat. Unsettling.  I like to make sure he always has plenty of food just in case he decides I am.)  But my cats' namesakes, Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise in a very short but fantabulous clip, where Eric makes short shrift of a packet of Golden Wonder.






Marie Lloyd, (1870-1922, English entertainer) said "A little of what you fancy does you good."(Although my nana made good use of that phrase each time she added a tot of whisky to her tea.)  So on this day celebrating big love, why not show yourself some great big love, make like Eric Morecambe, and really enjoy a little of what you fancy?



♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥  

P.S.  I'll be back on Friday with Favourite Thing On A Friday, when I will blatantly big-up my now completed woolly patchwork knitted blanket.  It only took a year to complete. I'm looking forward to seeing your favourite things too. Em x

How To Be Alone

♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥

♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥ ~ ♥

It's Valentine's Day this coming week.  Why not take yourself on a date and fall in love with you?  

Favourite Thing On A Friday - A Bobby Dazzler Of An Idea - Another Little Bliss List

Hold onto your hats.  I've only gone and done it again.  I've had another bobby-dazzler of an idea.

A way for us to all share, in the same place, what makes our lives full of sparkle and glitter.  A place to look at all the things that make our lives beautiful, full of light.  A place to relax and peruse images of gorgeousness. Whilst perhaps having a mug of hot chocolate, covered in marshmallows, or a cheeky glass of wine.

I'd like to be able to say, "I've bought you a gallery!  And filled it with comfy chairs.  A hot chocolate machine.  And gorgeous waiters to waft us with said marshmallows." But I can't.

I've done the next best thing though (I have a fondness for hyperbole)...

I've set up a Mimi and Tilly Flickr group!






It's catchy isn't it?

I'd love for this to become a place where you shared photographs, videos and images of the things that make your life full of glitter.  Whether that be things you've crafted, meals you've loved, recipes you've invented, a yoga class that makes your heart sing.  Or even just that first cup of tea in the morning that tastes amazing.

Take a beautiful photograph of that fabulous cup of tea, the art-work you've just painted, the family-heirloom quilt you've finished lovingly sewing. Or you could video yourself singing to us all, or get the kids to film you dancing like you've never danced before.  And upload it to our Mimi and Tilly group.  So that we can all cheer you on. And see the glitter and sparkle that has lit up your day.

That way we can share the small gems and treasures that have brought you joy.

Then each week, if it's ok with you, absolutely with your permission, I'd like to feature some of that glitter and sparkle here on my blog.  And show everyone how amazing you are.  And tell everyone about your blog or website.  So that we can all find you.

What do you think?  Do you fancy it?

I'm in.

(Obviously, I should just point out that this is a family-friendly group.  So I apologise if your joy and sparkle in life comes from anything not "family friendly".  Ahem.  But, for the sake of all members, and to prevent me from choking on my coffee each time I visit Mimi and Tilly on Flickr, please keep those glittery moments to yourself. So, no nudity, or inappropriate content please.  Thank you.)

So my Favourite Thing On a Friday this week, is our new Mimi and Tilly Flickr group. Follow the link to join in and shine.

Here, too, are my moments of bliss this week:

• Getting excited about my blog, and loving the ideas that have been fizzing in my head.

• Adding the finishing touches to a blanket I have been knitting for over a year.  I'm a slow knitter. Feeling really proud that although it's taken me a long time, I've nearly finished the first blanket I've ever made.

• Lying in my bed, enjoying the warm duvet and fluffy pillows, while listening to the rain outside.

• Waking up to find my enormous cat lying over my feet to keep warm.

• Getting a text message from my significant other, Steve, which made me howl laughing. 

• Finding a vintage crochet pattern pushed through my letter box by my friend.  Her mum had found it online and thought of me.

What has brought you bliss this week?  I'm linking up with Live Lane to share mine.  Feel free to link up with Liv too.  And if you're joining in with Favourite Thing on a Friday, link up below.  That way we can all find you and come and harass you lovingly with comments.  The link up for Favourite Thing On a Friday is open right through until Sunday night.



P.S.  If you need any help signing up to the Mimi and Tilly Flickr group, just let me know and I'll help you out.

He Can Because He Thinks He Can

I found this today.  It's a real gem.  Champis the bunny from Kal in northern Sweden, who likes to herd sheep.  Really.

I watched him over my morning coffee.

Apparently, according to his owner, Greta Vigren, who runs a sheep farm, Champis watched the sheep dog on the farm herding sheep.  He decided he could have a go too.  No self doubt.  No saying to himself, "I can't, I'm only little".   According to Greta, "He just started to behave like a sheepdog.  He's like a king for the whole group. He thinks he rules over both the sheep and the hens. He has a very big ego." [Source]

I'd like to get me some of that kind of self-belief.

Henry Thoreau  said...  

Live your beliefs and you can turn your world around.  

As far as Champis is concerned that might read, "Live your beliefs and you can turn a whole herd of sheep around.  And around. And around."  (I'm sorry.  I couldn't resist.  Don't judge me.)






Have a really lovely Tuesday.

Something For You

If you're anything like me, you love a good quote (and ready salted crisps, red shoes, and a cheeky splash of gin).  I find quotes an inspirational pick-me-up when the heart is flagging.  Do you know what I mean?

I have a notebook that was given to me as a gift.  It's really beautiful.  When I cracked it out to be used, I didn't want to just scribble in it.  It seemed too pretty to deface with my ill-written phone messages, to-do-but-I'll-avoid-doing-you-for-a-while-if-I-can-get-away-with-it lists, and my attempts at mental maths gone wrong.  So I decided there and then I was going to fill it with inspirational quotes I found. This was BP. Before Pinterest.

Anyhoo, I like a good quote.  There are three quotes that have stayed with me.  They aren't from famous people, they were said to me by someone I care about.  My friend Nomi.

I know that when I feel lost and a tad bewildered by life, I can blurt it all out, and Nomi will get straight to the truth of things.  Last year, at a time when I was feeling particularly astonished by life, a cat caught in the headlights, miaowing "Panic!", my metaphorical fur on fire, I wrote to her. A few days later, I received the most beautiful message full of love and inspiration.  You can read about it in a post I wrote called, Love .

There were three things she said to me in that message that I've been saying to myself ever since.  (I was reminded of one of them by a lovely blogging friend in their comment on Tuesday's post.)   I have them written on post-its in my house, and I also have them here on my blog.  Just to remind me in case I forget.  Which I do.  All the time.

So, I made them into blog buttons for you.  It occurred to me that these words might mean as much to you as they do to me and that it might be nice for you to be able to put them on your blog.  So you can be reminded that it's important to...







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And never forget that...






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Please feel very free to sprinkle some glitter on your blog and take a button.  Do you have a favourite quote?

Favourite Thing On A Friday - A Little Bliss List

It's Friday.  And after taking a break from Favourite Thing On A Friday for a few weeks, just to catch my breath, it's back!  I'm really looking forward to seeing what your favourite things have been.

I'm also linking up with Liv Lane's Little Bliss List.  Liv has a beautiful blog.  Every Friday she offers a place to share our favourite things of the week.  Things that we are grateful for and that have brought us a little bit of bliss and sparkle. It would be fab if you fancied linking up your favourite things and Little Bliss List there too.


I have a few favourite things to share with you this week, a few things on my Little Bliss List.

• My mum gave me these little primroses in pots.  I've put them so that I can see them each morning through the kitchen window.  This week they really came into full bloom and produced the most beautiful flowers.  All around was ice and frost, and in the midst of the cold these little flowers were valiantly shouting out (in what I like to imagine to be a slightly husky but determined manner, somewhat akin to Katherine Hepburn if you will)  "Spring is coming!"  They make me smile.  I'm so grateful for the burst of colour and optimism they've brought to my mornings.

• Your kind and supportive comments on my blog post on Tuesday really warmed my heart.  I had no idea I was going to get such a resounding show of support.  Your words made such a difference to how I was feeling. I went from feeling as if I was on a ledge (nekkid) chewing my fingers to nubbins, to feeling as if I was well wrapped up in warm woollies and could jump off the ledge and fly. Thank you. ♥

• More and more I am finding my blog a beautiful way to connect with people. I'm so grateful for the lovely friends I'm making through Mimi and Tilly.  Thank you for taking the time to come here and read what I write. 

• My cat Ernie likes to cuddle his own head.  He did it again yesterday and it made my teeth hurt it was so cute.

• I read this quote this week and loved it. Liv Lane has been inspiring me to face some of my fears and  I'm so grateful for her guidance.

What have been your favourite things this week?  What's filled you with bliss?  Link up below to join in with Favourite Thing On A Friday, and we'll all be over in a jiffy to see what you've loved this week.  You can join in with Liv's Little Bliss List by clicking here... Liv Lane's Little Bliss List.

Thank You

Your comments and emails in response to my post yesterday have really blown me away.  Thank you for your love, support and kind words.  When I pressed the "publish post" button, I felt as if I'd just walked onto a stage.  Butt-naked.  Your kind words really moved me.  I hadn't expected such overwhelming support.  Thank you.




P.S.  I'll be back on Friday with "Favourite Thing On A Friday, when I'll also be linking with Liv Lane's Little Bliss List. It would be great if you fancied linking up with me, and Liv, and spreading the glitter and sparkle. See you Friday.  Big hugs and lots of love. Em x