Have a Latte Blog Hop

It's my turn for the Have a Latte blog hop hosted by the wonderful MdmSamm and cheerleaded on by CalicoJoan over at MoosestashQuilting.

I love the material that was supposed to be used in this hop but it isn't yet available in Europe and I didn't want to pay the shipping bills that would have occurred if I got it from Canada so I decided to join in and use up some old coffee themed fabrics I had in my stash - I used a charm pack called Java by Moda.  I have to confess that inspiration completely left me in the run up to this hop (particularly as I had got confused and thought I was also in the bird hop and had spent a while making a bucket bag only to realise I wasn't and was too late to join! doh), then I got a general idea of what I wanted to do but then lacked the enthusiasm to get going until a couple of weeks ago - so unlike me but I guess I have just been preoccupied with other things at the moment.  However when I did get going I thoroughly enjoyed making these placemats:

the odd background you can see there is my London themed dining cloth!

and 

all of the backs are like this:

I didn't really want to put them onto black backgrounds but rather than go out and buy more stash I decided to make do with what I currently had and I must say I was pleased I did as they look quite striking in real life.  I aim to make three more but with a tea theme.

I also had two long strips of fabric both with 11 coffee images on so I made these quick coasters:

which are all the same back and front apart from one of each colourway which I have just put a plain back on.

Hope you have enjoyed a nice coffee whilst visiting my blog and thank you for passing through!  The other participants today are:

April 21

Sunshine Reflections  (you are here)

Words & Stitches

It Seams to be Sew

So pop on over to their blogs too.

Thanks for looking - Full of caffeine from Solihull

Blogger Fun Day

Well I had a lovely day Saturday out and about in Stratford with some lovely new blogging crafty friends - we all had to meet in the Deli Cafe at 11am wearing flowers of some type so it was all very exciting!

I would just like to say a big thank you to all the bloggers who bought gifts for me - they were all so thoughtful and lovely and it was lovely to meet all of you and can't wait to do it again soon.

I myself will be taking part in a Latte Blog Hop next week, however the hop itself actually begins today so if you would like to join in and hop through and see some of the wonderful creations my fellow sewers make then today's link are here:

April 13

Seams to be Sew

I Peace 2-Mary

Janes Quilting

Moose Stash Quilting 

Be sure to check them out for some inspiration.

I had a lovely break with the children and other half during the Easter holidays where we spent a great week in Torquay.  On our first day trip out on the Monday we went to Totnes and as I visited a lovely wool shop there (as you do!) I came across this lovely bundle of wooliness:

all made up ready packaged to do the granny stripe quilt over at attic24 so I decided to purchase it all as it was only £26 and I thought would make a lovely cover for my expensive fabric four seater settee that has already had coffee, pizza and, just last Thursday, an Easter Egg all spilt on it in some form or another!

I added three more balls to the collection:

as I wasn't sure how much wool the original blanket used up and then obviously I couldn't wait to get back home on Good Friday to get started on it!  This is as far as I have got to today:

Isn't it already look fabulous!  What with this, my Christmas Quilt (basically almost finished now - it just needs the binding hand sewn onto the back) and my Latte blog hop exhibits its all stations go here.

Am now off to do a bit more......

Thanks for looking - busy hooking in Solihull