I made this

1. I was making homemade play-doh with the kids this afternoon and it occurred to me that I could make some really cool Christmas ornaments for our tree and gifts. I reckon all I have to do is get a cookie cutter, make the play-doh, make a hole in the ornament and bake. I was thinking I could solve the necessary hanging hole by pushing a button or something into the ornament that can be ‘popped out’ after baking.

2. I’ll be giving a knitted wrap to Debbie. I’m using really huge cartoon like needles to knit an old Shetland lace pattern. It’ll be quite holey once blocked. Very unlike the one I did for Susan.

3. Felt heart shaped ornaments embroidered with the year and something special to the recipient.

4. I’m embroidering a couple of door hangers for some very close friends. They’ll have a sweet saying and some buttons or something cool.

5. Sewing a couple of personalized draw string gift bags.

6. Baking some mexican wedding cookies, rocky road fudge, gingerbread cookies and sweet potato bread. Then I’ll divvy them up into little parcels and give them as gifts. (Will also be doing these for school Christmas Fayre)

7. Making a homemade gingerbread house with the kids. (that I totally intend to eat!!!)

8. Knit a couple of scarves for teachers’ gifts.

Those are some really big ideas, but I’m working on them!

Tomorrow’s Halloween and we’ll be going over to Wayside to celebrate. I can’t wait for the spooky walk up the lane. All the kids will have flash lights and the adults will be hiding, laying in wait for them to pass by. Then we’ll creep up and scare the living daylights out of them. Or at least I will be! I love that part. I used to love a good scare as a kid.

While it’s Halloween, it’s also parent evening at school. So we’ll be attending in costume. Should make for some interesting discussion.

What are you doing?

OK. Here’s what I’ve been up to today. And I mean today. I started this around noon and finished 3 and 1/2 hours later. Mind, I did have all three children to tend to as well. But still. I finished just in time to wrap it up as a gift for Ruth’s pool party. I hope she likes it. It’s supposed to be a bracelet. Here’s a different view.

I’ve also been doing a bit of embroidery. I got the design idea from this site. I’m not sure whether I’ll keep it or give it away yet. It’s not finished yet. But I’ll probably keep it because I hardly ever actually finish anything. And when I do I never keep it. So there. I’ve decided!

I’m also knitting a Christmas present scarf. I can’t show it yet because Debbie will see it. I’ve got to go to bed now. But I will write more about what’s been happening in and around the household soon.

Here’s my latest creation. I thought it best to get a head start on the Christmas gifts.

1. It took maybe 5 minutes to tear the fabric into 2 inch strips. I used around 4-5 different fabrics and about 5-10 strips of each. I like them fat, maybe half an inch wide. I don’t bother trying to make the strips even. I like the texture you get from just eyeballing the length and then tearing it. Much nicer. I just trim the ends if I need to after it’s all finished.

2. I did sew a circle onto the hessian fabric before starting. I’ve tried this before, too. It looks ok finished. This keeps the fabric from falling apart. I cut it out in a square then trim the edges once finished. I think it’s easier when you have that little bit extra to hold on to.

3. Then I just pulled them through hessian until I liked I got the desired effect. Now this is completely subjective and is down to your personal taste. You’ll see once you start. If you make pull through lots and close together then the effect tends to be full and bushy. If you pull the through fewer strips and farther apart, you’ll find that the fabric lays slightly flatter. You can see the fabric a bit better as well. But that’s how I like it. You might like it a different way altogether. But that’s the great thing about a project like this. Everything ends up looking great!

4. Don’t forget to trim the edges to make it nice and pretty.

5. Add a pin to the back anyway you can/want/like. I end up sewing it right onto the hessian with cotton floss/embroidery thread. I’d like to ‘finish’ the back before adding the pin, but I don’t know how. So this is what it looks like on the other side.

I originally found the pattern last year if you want to take a look. Oh yeah. Try to use cotton or something similar because otherwise it just doesn’t look right. Anyway, there will be more to follow. And they’re easy peasy. So have a go with your leftovers!

CLicK mE

cartoon thanks to natalie dee

1. This is a really cool site, particularly for those of you who crochet.

2. Anyone who appreciates quilting should see this.

3. Cool idea for those IKEA tiny chest of drawers.

4. Wonderful and fun learning site for children.

5. How long has it been since you’ve checked out the story?

Take a quick look at my new site, why don’t cha?

Do you like to make things? Sew? Knit? Crochet? Craft? Scrapbook? Paint? Cook? etc… etc… etc…
It’s pretty simple, really. If you’ve got something homemade and are LOUD and PROUD, then come on and be the first to join my new web ring. This is a ring for anyone who is creative.

I’ve noticed that a lot of people who stop by my site are interested in several different crafts. It ranges from fibre arts to photography to cut paper to quilting to photography to cooking to recycling thrifted goods. The list is endless. And when I had a look at the different rings available, I didn’t find one for those of us who like to do A LOT of different things. So that’s where the I got the idea. I’m hoping it will serve as a great starting point for new projects as well as a way of sharing ideas.

So if you’re interested in being the first brave soul to bare your goodies, then

CLICK HERE

see ya there!

I’m secretly creating a garden of flower brooches in my living room. You’ll remember these. And this, (from this pattern) which I modified to create this. Oh, and this too.But you haven’t yet seen my latest attempt!

Now don’t go judging too soon! I’m using this pattern and am only half way through. There’s more to go yet. I have another piece of fabric I’ve sewn in preparation for another flower. But I had a ureka moment and decided to make a purse instead. It’ll look something like this, basically. I’ve got all sorts of haberdashery to add.

I was trying to make one of those really sweet door hangy thingies. You know the kind. They usually say HOME SWEET HOME or something like that. I had that in mind when I made these.

Here’s a bit of detail.

Now I think I may have stumbled onto a good thing here. As you can see, all I’ve done is embroider onto the fabric. What do you think? They were originally destined for the teacher’s pile-o-gifts but I liked them so much I hung them on our tree. I have decided to start making my own ornaments. At least one a year from now on. Here’s one that I had to turn into a pin cushion because I screwed up the ribbon bit that hangs it. You can see I’m definitely self taught! I particularly like this one because it’s made from Alex and Elizabeth’s old clothes. So sentimental am I.

I’ve been going mad over here. I tell you what. All that guilt I usually feel about being a crappy mom is quickly going out the window. MY KIDS DRIVE ME CRAZY. Sometimes. But they still do. And it’s the ’tis the season’ season that means I’m walkin’ the line. We saw Santa today at Alex’s nursery. All the little children were sitting quietly with their gifts that Santa had given them resting nicely on their laps. Alex tears into hers and shouts, “It’s sweets!” All gifts being exactly the same, this pretty much ruined it for everyone else. Jackson ate breakfast with his hands. It was everywhere. Why do they do it? Oh, did I mention we had PORRIDGE? Do you have any idea how hard it is to get that out of hair?

Betty has discovered a new trick. She crawls behind the sofa, sets herself up in nook you can’t reach and plays with the light socket, turning it on and off on and off on and off. I’m so glad we don’t own a rabbit. Visions of Glenn Close dance in my head. It was so icey here today that it looked like a light fall of snow. Even the poor spider webs were icey. So Alex skips, jumps and hops everywhere, insuring serious injury. As it turns out we made it to the end of the day with only minor calamities to her hands and knees. We were walking home this afternoon and I said hello as we passed another mom from the school. I’ve never actually met her. She’s seems really nice, though.

Alex- Who’s that, mom?

Me- A friend of mine.

Alex- What’s her name?

Me (thinking fast)- Gerberia. Pronounced (soft ‘J’) Jerbereea. (Yes, I made it up)

Alex- Maybe we could give Gerberia a Christmas card.

Me- Yes, let’s do that.

I went to start a load of laundry this morning and found a treasure trove of toys and junk that Elizabeth has put into the HUGE box of laundry detergent that we keep in the kitchen. (Our washing machine lives in the kitchen, which is the norm over here.) She was really offended when I took them all out and stopped her from reinserting them.

I became quite miffed today when a lady with a pushchair jumped the queue and got on the bus ahead of me. I felt like smacking her into next Sunday. (A phrase which Alex repeats to my dismay… and delight!) Instead I sent her the evil eye. I handed over the teacher gifts this afternoon. I hope they go over well. I made rocky road fudge and Mexican wedding cookies.

Both recipes from the Joy of Cooking given to me by my lovely sister Susan a few years back. It’s my cooking bible. I also made some honey and clove soap. (from soapflakes… NOT cold process, although I’d LOVE to learn how to do that.)

I’ve been busy trying to on top of the homemade gifts recently. I’ve made another fabric flower brooch for a friend. She requested pink. I’m thinking I may have to make her another one. It may be a bit orangey-yellow rather than pink.

Graeme got rid of the Volvo and bought an Audi Quattro A8 instead. My first impression was that we weren’t grown up enough to own a car like that. Certainly not with three small children. The car seats really fit a lot better, though, I have to say. I’ve passed my theory test so the next step is buying a car! Whoo Hoo! Independence and Stitch-n-Bitch here I come!

I’ve found some cool stuff thrifting today. I’ll post later. Working it into Christmas gifts. Here it is!

Well, Betty’s crying and Jackson’s not asleep yet. It’s 9pm and I’m beat. Better go and put her to bed. Bye for now.