Tuesday Treasury - Christmas goodies for boys ...

As promised i'll be doing a few treasuries before Christmas where i've selected presents from Folksy. This week it's the turn of the boys ...

Pirate Print Messenger Bag by Dizzy -
http://www.folksy.com/shops/dizzykitty

Traffic jam bunting by NickyNackyNoo

http://www.folksy.com/shops/nickyp

Wildlife finger puppets -

http://www.folksy.com/shops/Withhugsandkisses

Crochet dinosaur -

http://www.folksy.com/shops/KuDum

Handmade is so much nicer ...

Autumn Leaf Craft Swap - Don't forget to get it in the post!

Sorry to panic everyone, but it's the end of November! Hopefully, everyone's finished making and their swaps are in the post. If you're a bit behind, contact your swap partner and let them know it's on it's way. Don't forget to post your makes on our Flickr page!
http://www.flickr.com/groups/autumn_leaf_craft_swap/

ShellyBobbins

I have won! ShellyBobbins had a giveaway on her blog to launch her Folksy shop and there were ten winners.
These paint pots arrived through the post at the weekend and they'll be so useful when i'm dyeing fabric or working in my sketchbook.

Shelly is a kindred spirit, she likes to try a bit of everything, so her shop contains photography, cushions and Christmas goodies.

Don't forget to check out her Folksy shop here ...
http://www.folksy.com/shops/shellybobbins

Autumn Leaf Craft Swap - I've got a parcel!

I went to the sorting office yesterday and fetched my fantastic goodies from my Autumn Leaf Craft Swap partner Tracey Chorley, from TopCat's Corner ...
She has sent me lots of sweet goodies, including my favourite Peanut Butter Cups ...

Some lovely fabric from her stash, which i'm going to add to the patchwork that i'm making, and some ribbons and lace ...

And she has made me this sweet wallet for my crochet hooks. I love the fabric, and this is a really thoughtful gift, Tracey has re-introduced me to crochet (I hadn't done any for years), so this is a fantastic place to keep all the hooks i've been buying.

Many thanks again to Tracey for taking part in this swap. i'll be posting out my goodies tomorrow, but won't blog about them until they've arrived.

I can't wait to see what other swappers have been up to, don't forget to post your pictures on our Flickr page - http://www.flickr.com/groups/autumn_leaf_craft_swap/

http://topcat76.blogspot.com/

http://folksy.com/shops/traceychorley

Snow

Thought i'd better take a photograph of the powdering of snow we have had! It could be start of lots, or it could be the only bit we have all winter, you can never tell with our climate.
I didn't prune the roses in October as they were still very much in bloom, so here is one rose bush still sending out buds in the snow, looks like i'll be pruning them in March now!

Textile Garden

Textile Garden is a wonderful place to shop whether you sew, knit or crochet. I first discovered this shop at FibreFlurry last month, I bought lots of goodies and i'm about to put in another order.
Textile Garden sells a wonderful array of buttons - metal, wooden, shell, there's a bit of everything, and lots of unusual shapes.

There are also lots of fabulous buckles and shawl pins ...

... And some amazing trimmings ...

There is a flat postage rate of 85p for the UK, which is fantastic, so it's well worth looking on the site for a treat, whether you're going to use the buttons or just keep them in a jar and look at them!
http://www.textilegarden.com

Cutting out triangles ...

My Christmas Hearts fabric has arrived from Spoonflower! I'm really pleased with the pattern and think i'll be adding little bits of this fabric to a variety of Christmas goodies - wine bags, Christmas decorations and some bunting ... of course!

As you can see i've started cutting out a few triangles. I'm going to alternate this fabric with plain calico bunting flags decorated with felt hearts, and I might add the odd button ...

Selvedge Magazine Issue 37

It's arrived! The final Selvedge magazine of the year, and as usual it's a good one ... "The Dress Circle Issue" with Erin O'Connor on the cover as Mother Goose.
There's a lovely Twelve Days of Christmas treasury, with lots of lovely gift ideas and an article about paper sculpture artist Su Blackwell.
There are articles about the Circus, pantomime costumes and the Ballet Russes. These costumes are from 'Les Servants Roses et Rouges'.

There's lots of inspiration between the covers, and I can't wait for the weekend when I can have a good sit down and read it in detail.



http://www.sublackwell.co.uk/

Tuesday Treasury - Making a list ...

I'll be doing a gift treasury or two before Christmas, but as a warm up i've picked out a few Folksy goodies for getting organised!

List Maker's notebook (doodle flowers in pink), i've just bought one of these and it's gorgeous -
http://www.folksy.com/shops/gooseberrymoon

Speech Bubble Chalkboard, a great way of passing on those important messages -

http://www.folksy.com/shops/twobyone

Black 3.5 inch recycled floppy notebook, what a fabulous upcycling idea, and just the right size to stash in your pocket or handbag -

http://www.folksy.com/shops/minttobestationery

Naughty or Nice-Handmade Christmas Vintage Style Gift Tags, you can't make a Christmas list without checking who's naughty or nice! -

http://www.folksy.com/shops/Craftypagan

Gift Bows

These are some paper rosettes that i've been making to put on Christmas presents. They look complicated but they're actually made from one piece of paper. You'll have to spend time cutting the shape out, but assembling the rosettes is simple, not like the ribbon bows you buy in the shops.
Here is the template ...

Use thin card that can be flexed without creasing, you will also need embroidery thread and buttons.

1. Knot the thread and push up through the mark in the middle of the star.
2. With the 'right side' facing push the thread down through the mark at the tip of one of the points. Curl the point down so it meets the middle, try not to crease it. The thread should be in the middle of the star again.
3. Repeat this step  for every point and pull the thread tight. Thread on a button in a contrasting colour and sew onto the paper rosette. You only need to sew through each hole in the button once or the card may rip.
4. Fasten off at the back of the rosette by knotting to the knotted thread at the back.

If your sewing is not a strong point (or my instructions are too confusing!) you could fasten all the points to the dot in the centre using a brad or paper fastener.
Attach to your present using double-sided tape or a sticky fixer.

Ravelry - Knitting for Christmas

No getting away from it, it's not that long to Christmas! I've been making some fabric Christmas tree decorations (which still need stuffing!), i've started making a Christmas present sack, but I think it might bee nice to make some knitted Christmas goodies too.
I've done a search on Ravelry to find some quick Christmas knits, so even if you have a heap of other Christmas Crafty makes you can squeeze in a little bit of knitting too.

Little Bear Christmas Decorations

by Little Cotton Rabbits

Christmas Puddings

by Frankie Brown

Little Christmas Tree

By Amanda Berry

Tiny Stocking Ornament

by Brooks Jones

Autumn Leaf Craft Swap - Ten days to go!

Hope all the participants in the Autumn Leaf Craft Swap are getting on ok, I know the US swappers have posted their swaps and blogged about them already!
But don't panic, there are still ten crafting days left.
Without revealing too much i'm nearly there, hoping to do a bit more tomorrow. I've sorted my stash item out, but i'm holding back on the 'Sweet Treat' until next weekend because i'm worried I might eat it!

Confused!

I took this photograph in my front garden earlier this week, this little narcissus has obviously got confused by all the different weather and the changes in temperature we've been having so decided to come into flower!

I'm not really sure what to do about it, but I think it's quite clear that our seasons are so mixed up ...

"Feel Good" brooch

Ok, so it's dark when I go to work, it's dark when I come home, we've gone past that romantic Autumn stage, we're heading for Winter!
I've spent the evening making a brooch to cheer myself up, my Feel Good brooch. Inspired by Pudsey and Children in Need, I have used lots of lovely colourful buttons. The brooch is made from knitted and felted eco-wool. I'm going to pin this brooch onto my (bright yellow) coat and cheer up those days when I don't see the sun.

Don't forget to support Children in Need tomorrow!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey/

Doodle Words - Magic

Another Doodle Word - I found this one quite difficult to do. I got quite stuck for ideas, so settled for a 'magical' colour scheme, lots of stars and some streamers.

The big star is actually drawn in with a silver marker pen, but looks bright white on here because of my camera flash!

Tuesday Treasury - Teapots

Leading on from the Teapot ATC (Artist's Trading Card) Swap, I have trawled through the goodies on Folksy for this Teapot Mini Treasury ...

'Time for tea' coin purse -
http://www.folksy.com/shops/Beaky

Love Teapots, limited edition print -
http://www.folksy.com/shops/sooziebee

Teapot Badges -
http://www.folksy.com/shops/loupeajeux

Teapot Cotton Tea Towel -
http://www.folksy.com/shops/TessaThomas

Whoopie Pies

Yesterday I attempted to make Whoopie Pies for the very first time! I treated myself to 'The Whoopie Pie Book' by Claire Ptak who runs the Violet bakery in East London. I bought all the ingedients I needed then just didn't seem to have any baking time - is is quite an intensive baking method!

A Whoopie Pie looks like a giant macaroon, but is actually more like a cupcake with the icing in the middle. Claire's book is full of fabulous whoopie pie and filling recipes, using chocolate, caramel and fruit, I really like the look of the Rhubarb and Custard whoopies

For my first attempt I chose chocolate ones with vanilla buttercream filling. I was probably a bit too generous with my 'dollops' and some of the cakes merged together when they were baking, so i'm probably going to treat myself to a whoopie pie tin from Lakeland Plastics.

The finished cakes are not the prettiest in the world, i'm sure my presentation will improve with practice, but they taste wonderful. They were quite big (this is the top tier of my cake stand) and very chocolatey! Sorry, the photo is a bit dark, as I mentioned it's not a quick way of making goodies, so it was quite late when the cakes were assembled.

Poppy Brooches

My mum does a lot to support the poppy appeal at this time of year, but she is also terrible for losing those paper poppies, so, just for today I have knitted her a cotton poppy, adapted from a pattern for a field poppy that I had.

As you can see there are actually two brooches, because my daughter decided she would also like one!
I'm pleased with the buttons, and may have to buy some more just to keep and look at!

http://www.poppy.org.uk/support-us/give-money

Time for Tea - October ATC Swap

I arrived home from work last night to find this ATC from 'Fat Chick Designs' on the doormat ...

I love the fabric that has been used for this card, i'm sure my Nan used to have one of those teapots (held together with loads of glue of course).
I'm not sure whether there is a November ATC swap, but i'll be kept busy this month with two other swaps - my Autumn Leaf Craft Swap and SheDraw's Fancy Tea Swap.
The Autumn Leaf Craft Swap is now closed and the swappers are busy creating, but you can click on the link above if you want to find out about the Fancy Tea Swap.

Doodle Words - Gadzooks

Posted on here a little bit late, but here is this weeks Doodle Word, "Gadzooks" ...

More Doodle Words very soon!

Lest We Forget ...

They shall not grow old



They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

From Laurence Binyon's poem For the Fallen which was written in 1914.

October ATC - Teapots

I can finally post my picture of my October ATC swap. The theme was 'Teapots' ...

I used Portmeirion Pottery as my inspiration. The teapot is a classic Portmeirion shape, and the colours and motif are also inspired by Portmeirion designs.The background is a calico fabric which i've decorated with tiny matt blue seed beads.
I loved doing this card, and managed to fill a few sketchbook pages with other embroidery ideas in the process.

Tuesday Treasury - Simple Knitting

Following on from my review of Erica Knight's "Simple Knitting" book yesterday, I have gathered together a collection of my favourite cream and ecru knitted goodies from Folksy this week ...

Cable knitted cushion, luxurious and warm -
http://www.folksy.com/shops/tinyinc

Hand knitted cotton dishcloth, almost too lovely to use -
http://www.folksy.com/shops/amagpieandadove



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Cream Wool Chunky Scarf, "Snuggle" -

http://www.folksy.com/shops/MissFrekkles


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Cream cable "Mug Hug" -
http://www.folksy.com/shops/knitsandbobs

Another mini-treasury next Tuesday ...

Simple Knitting - Erica Knight

I bought this book at Fibre Flurry last weekend, so now i've read through it a little I thought i'd better review it.

I have tonnes of knitting books and magazines, but liked the look of this one because, although there are projects in the book, it's more of a book that encourages the reader to take the next step and develop their own design. But don't be put off if you are new to knitting, because all the basics are in their too, there are some clear, well illustrated instructions.

Most of the projects are knitted in neutral colours, so you can immediately start thinking of adding your own mark onto the designs by your colour choices or by changing the surface pattern.

I also like the fact that there are projects for the home, such as these knitted notebooks.

The first project I want to try is this sock pattern, the socks are 'fully-fashioned' and knitted on two needles.

Just about every aspect of knitting is covered and every new technique is explained in detail. I would actually make everything in this book (if I had the time)!