Mr Big Stuff

Wilberforce was invited to his Mummy's 10th birthday party yesterday so we put together this card.  It gave us the chance to try out our new dogs embossing folder on the Sizzix machine.  His paws are very dexterous.

We then made up this piece of Airdale cross stitch into a padded sachet, we already have our own and Wilberforce thought his Mum would like one too.

Then we stamped some paper and a gift tag to wrap it all up in.

Here is the invite we received and the boys enjoying themselves there.  A good time was had by all.

Hundreds of crochet flowers

Can't believe what a long time it is since I last blogged but with the sun shining and so much to do in the house and garden there has been little time for crafting.

In the evenings I sometimes crochet a few flowers and have now decided my flower throw is big enough.  I have not counted how many flowers I've made but it must be a few hundred and as I used 4 ply wool and a 2.50mm hook the flowers are quite small.

I used the JAYGO (Join as you go) method to make this so once it was finished, it was finished and no ghastly joining up to be done so in that respect it was brilliant.

 Ruff the dog

Seraphina

 

I have a huge basket of small cross stitch kits which have been knocking about for years so last week I decided to sort through them. I have given a lot to my local Wet Nose charity shop and have started working some of the ones I kept.  I have done the two above so far and figure they will make usful card toppers as and when I need a greeting card in a hurry.

I didn't want to throw this old bread bin away so got John to put a few holes in the bottom for me and used it for some bedding plants.  I think it makes a great recycled planter and is one less item going to landfill.

 

Higgins just loves to be in photographs and it is often difficult to keep him out.  I just managed to get one photo of my throw before he popped up again, he is such a comical little chap.

 

 

Merry Christmas

Not sure where the time has gone over the past few weeks.  I have been so busy shopping and wrapping presents, buying all the food and preparing the house for Christmas there has been little time for crafting.

In between fixing a leak in the roof!! and installing a new wall light in my hallway, I just managed to make a felt reindeer and crochet a snowflake for my tree.

I managed to grab a photo of the boys sharing a sofa which I turned into Christmas cards using readymade photo cards.  This was quite a rare occurance as they each have their own sofas and never the twain shall meet usually.  It hasn't happened since.

Before returning to trim my tree I would like to wish everyone in blogland a very merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and peaceful new year.
love,
Shirley and the gang
xxx

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

As most crafters know, you can never start your Christmas projects too early.  In fact many, including me, make them all year round.

I have made a few new decorations this year including these three, I just have to decide how to finish them off .

 

 I like to try any new craft magazine that comes out and no. 1 of Love Patchwork and Quilting is a good one.  It came with a kit to make a patchwork Christmas bauble but with careful cutting and stitching I was able to make two from it.

I don't make so many cards these days but was determined to make a few for special people this year.

Of course, no Christmas is complete without some sweets and this recipe is one of my favourites.

 

 Unlike many recipes this one uses milk instead of cream or condensed milk so as long as you have a bag of dessicated coconut in the cupboard you can make it when the mood strikes.

I even spotted the ideal Christmas jumper in a magazine, no not one of the corny reindeers or robins type and when I went to Wallis to buy it there was 10 pound off  too.  I didn't go for the matching trousers though, head to toe leopardskin may be a bit too Bet Lynch from Coronation Steet or Kat from Eastenders! I will wear it with my skinny jeans instead.

 

The boys love all their presents at Christmas although it is pretty much Christmas every day in our house with all the treats they get.  John got them a bag of giant sausages (about 18" long) although by the time I went upstairs to get my camera this was all that Higgins had left.

 

 

If you want to get ahead.....

get a hat (groan), couldn't resist that.    Hats are essential wear in this part of the world.  If you are not wearing one when the wind whips off the North Sea your hair ends up looking like a haystack in a high wind.  I have just finished these two.  The top one is crocheted with a knitted band.  The pattern is available to buy as a download from Interweave's website.

This one is crocheted Bruges lace, the pattern is in Interweave's crochet accessories book I got for Christmas.  Wilberforce does not look very impressed with it.

It was John's birthday last week and I bought him a sweatshirt and then needlefelted it with this fish motif.  He had seen it in one of my craft books previously and said he would like it.  The black labrador card is 3D decoupage although you can't tell from this photo.

 I have managed to do a bit of sewing recently - this credit/loyalty card pattern was free online from warehousefabrics inc.  and for the lining I used some pink fabric leftover from yet another hat I made. 

I have stitched another fashion sketch from "Fashions of Yesterday and Today" but my camera went doolally yesterday so I haven't been able to take a picture.  I did finish this black labrador kit from Heritage Crafts which has been on the frame for a while.  It really reminds me of our darling Sidney, so lifelike.

Robe de bal (or Prom Dress) finished

I have now finished my Robe de bal design from the book I got for Christmas, I am pleased with the result and have started another from the same book.

The boys have been loving the snow and running around in it at every opportunity. As you can see, it is starting to melt in these photographs and the rain has now washed the rest away.  We were snowed in for a week as we do not have a car at the moment and the nearest shop is five miles away.  Eventually we walked down to the main road and caught a bus to the nearest town once it had cleared a little.

While we were snowed in I got the urge to make some cards, something I have not done for a while.  I won't put all of them on here, too boring, but here is a small selection.

 

 

Recent Finishes

I haven't been near my computer for a couple of weeks as it has been playing me up and running very slow so I just hope I can update my recent finishes without any problems, fingers crossed.

I finished the sweater I promised John for next winter. I put off starting this as it had 141 stitches on each row but using two circular needles and a simple stitch pattern it worked up very quickly. The picture below is from the pattern book which I purchased for just 20p in a charity shop. He is very pleased with it but it will be a while before he can wear it as the weather is still so hot here.

This vase of daisies is my only recent cross stitch. It was a cover kit from a back issue of Needlecraft magazine and I made it up into a card.

After buying a new card making book I was inspired to try some tea bag folding and this card was the outcome. Great for using up all those small bits of paper I hate to throw away.

Whilst tidying up my craft room recently I found a lot of art deco style Christmas papers and thought I would try some out. Well, in the end I made about 12 Chrstmas cards, here are a few of them. It seems funny to be making these whilst the weather is so hot but at least I will be ready well in advance this Christmas.

Had a lovely surprise in the post today, all these fab craft goodies from Crafts Beautiful magazine for being their member of the month. I can't wait to start some new projects with them.