Bag from an Aran jumper

Happy New Year to everyone! Hope the very chilly weather is keeping everyone inside, tucked up near some heat and crafting!

I thought I'd show you the bag that I made for my sister. I had some scrap Aran jumper sections left after making a few snowmen and thought they'd be nice to use. Took me a few TV watching nights to complete but I was really happy with it once it was finished. Filled it with a butterfly charm bracelet which I bought from Folksy, a photo of the children and a necklace that I made using buttons and wire (but forgot to take a photo).



As it happened, my sister did the same for me! She made a lovely Christmas drawstring bag and filled it with lots and lots of lovely crafts bits and bobs for me.

oh heck

doh
daft as ever I was removing myself from the crafty blog - not because i'm leaving but because I'm changing my Id to Tizz me , with a different email addy ............. purely because I don't want the real world giving me grief , and in doing so i clicked on remove and removed the wrong person , either the person above or below me on the authors list ............ so if it's you can you check you're still on the blog authors , and if the blog is missing from your profile/dashboard then it's my fault and i'd like to add you back ........... christmas and colds is my excuse .
so whoever I've removed please give me a yell ........... sorry in advance
dawny xxx

Accordion Photos Box

I thought i'd post here as well to show off my work and reach more people who would be interested in this kind of craft and may be give some ideas to some of you.

I am into boxes at the moment. Still haven't finished my birthday book!
I saw the tutorial on youtube and thought it was a good idea to keep pictures in it.
I still need to make more folders, as you can see i've done only two as i need to buy more cardstocks.
I've used some thin cardboard for the body of the box and covered it with the papers i bought from my charity shop.
The picture is free from the net. I covered it with an acetate with a printed frame.
I've added some charms under each flower.
It closes with buttons and some picture hanging rings.
I think i'll add some chipboard letters on top with some sort of wording.
So it's still a work in progress!

This is the front of the box.

This is the inside with two of the folders. I wanted them to look old so i distressed the papers on the accordion.

This is the folders in front of the box.
This is the back of the box with a vintage image from the net.

You don't have to put pictures in it it could be anything, like letters or bills ;-)

Thank you for looking!

Blind and Soap

Hope everyone had a nice Christmas. x

I never got to reupholster the armchair...it was beyond beyond!!

So, next project... I am attempting to make a kitchen roman blind. Can't afford to buy new material so am going to use a funkyquilt cover that I have....at least it'll have a lining:o).

I hate people looking in. The previous roller blind must have been fitted decades ago and gave up and dropped off soon after we moved in! lol We just have manky lace curtains up at the mo. Do you think a roman blind for the top bit and a cafe curtain for the bottom bit will be private enough? I hate lace curtains, but they do have their uses. I'm just trying to 'modernise us'. lol

Any ideas?

Project after the blind is soap making. Daughther bought some honey soap from Lush and a tiny bar was £3.00. Three quid!!!! So, we are going to attempt to make some of our own. Never made this one before, so fingers crossed.

We made some earrings for pressies and I didn't have time to take piccies (last minute wrapping up and all that) When the recipients visit, I'll take piccies and post up.

I have two craft converts. Great nephew and niece...both at university... want to learn to knit and crochet. Wool , instructions and tools been handed out for practice:o) Nephew wants a knitted hoodie! Yikes. Can't find a free pattern anywhere.

Christmas crafts - love 'em

Thanks for the little jog Minnie, it's been ages since I posted anything crafty on the blog. All went very quiet during the summer, but now we're all back indoors with the fires lit I guess the craft and sewing box reappears once again! I've opened a shop on Folksy selling some of my bits and bobs. Katie, my daughter, is helping out too - we're loving it!

These are my current favourites.


A jolly snowman with all the trimmings! I made him (or her) from an unwanted Aran woolly and have used twigs for the arms. A little heart, bag of sparkling stars, jingling bell and fresh mini bay leaves finish it off.


I've also made a few of these dolly-peg angels and used canvas for the wings threaded with silver thread. Being dolly-pegs they'll sit very nicely on the Christmas tree.


Katie has made this adorable mini pony, called a Woollie, from pipecleaners and wool, which makes it poseable. She's put it up in the shop complete with a cloth wallet to keep it in along with a Fimo apple, stuffed haynet, bag of shavings, rug to keep it warm and passport! It's now been sold, although we are still waiting for payment - but she's going to make more.

HI

Hi

It's been a little quiet here of late. What have you all been up to?

We are making Chrissie pressies, so can't post piccies up.....just in case! Shhhhhhh Maybe I could set up another blog for viewing and any constructive criticisms?

But....right now....I need to upholster an armchair. which is COMPLETELY knackered in the upholstery department of things. I was thinking of maybe doing the charity shop thing and buying odd duvet bits and making a patchwork cover. Anybody got any advice on making a template?

Sorry for any typos.#

Am feeling OLD. Eyesight shot!! lol

The wristwarmers were a hit:o)

Art Every Day Month

Hiya ,
Amanda has drawn my attention to a really interesting blog Creative Every Day
run by a very encouraging lady called Leah. Leah started out with Art Every Day Month seven years ago and is encouraging people to join in. She says:

I encourage people to make something every day, but my goal is to foster more creativity, so if you make just one piece of art per week or just one for the whole month, that's fine with me. The idea is to bring more creativity into your life, not to make you feel overwhelmed, pressured or guilt-stricken. Art is also loosely defined here. I mean art in the sense of anything creative, whether that be painting, drawing, knitting, sewing, cooking, decorating, writing, photography, clay, jewelry-making or whatever!

I am going to have a bit of a go at it anyway because we already kind of do that and it might be a bit of a focus for my girls too. I'll tell Leah about the Crafty Blog and if anymore of you would like to drop her a line and join in then that' would be lovely :-) we could podt things we've done on here too. I am only thinking out loud so if you don't want to join in with it that's fine too . . . .  Christmas isn't far away I know !!
Maybe some Christmas crafty bits that I know you all do anyway could be blogged?

Like Leah says no stress or pressure , just a bit of encouraging xx

Aprons & Chef Hats

A baking is such a Big Thing in our house, I spent some time this weekend sewing new aprons for the girls & made them some 'Baker's Hats' to go with them....









The gorgeous linen / cotton blend I used came from here





I slightly adapted these patterns.

Making teddy bears

Hermione has been making some simple but beautiful bears. The pattern is in Woman's Weekly. Sneak a peak here.

Milkweed Project

Finally finished my piece for this project (kept getting bored with it and leaving it to do other things). Has any one else participated? I think I initially heard about it on here - would love to see other peoples works of art!