Sunday 31 October 2010

Happy Halloween!!

Sophie had a great time with her friend,all dressed up as Witches. Above is our carved pumpkin and I also found the little Munchkin Pumpkins, which I had never seen before. They were rock solid to try and cut. Eventually I managed to cut a little dip and use it as a candle holder.
Sophie's bag was well used and I am glad that I double layered the handles. When we got home there was a knock at the door and Sop0hie said that if they were trick or treating they could have some of hers as she would not eat it all. Ahhh! I think that maybe I am dragging her up right after all.
I got some excellent pictures of her all dressed up which I shall send to Grandparents. Once she settled down at home all of the excitement turned into a massive headache and she went off to bed a little quiet but looking forward to seeing here friends at school tomorrow.
Honestly, I wish I was seven again................
xx

Sewing Heaven.................


OOOh I wonder what this could be?
Harry Potter's new abode? A kitchen cupboard leftover?

No, it is my new toy, my early birthday present to myself (yes, the age goes up a notch again at Christmas, oh goody!)
My new sewing table.

The small door on the left opens up to show a storage area and a drawer. The door itself supports a flip over counter which can be seen better further down this post.

The right hand side also opens up to show further storage areas and this door again supports another flip over counter space. You can see my machine which sits on a weight controlled counter lever platform so that it can be stored away when not being used.

Underneath the machine in the picture above is the area where it is stored when not in use. There is also a space to keep a plastic insert which drops into the table top to fill in the gap left behind when the machine in stored away.On the other side of the sewing cupboard there is a flap which extends the surface area even further!!! Ideal for making quilts.


It is supported by a section which flips out at the back of the sewing cupboard.

We have set it up in the attic and it can be put away if any one comes to stay.

Needless to say that the above picture is not what the table looks like at the moment. Just imagine a tornado has been locked in the attic for a weekend!

More on that another time. You can imagine, I am sure, just how thrilled I am with this. I actually have somewhere to work that is not the kitchen table and I can leave it out over night if I need to. I have a craft Fair next month and I am busy making up some new items to take.

I first saw these tables years ago and thought lovely! Ideal, but I have had to save up to be ale to buy one without feeling guilty. Well...ok....maybe just a little guilty. It will last me for years and Sophie thinks it is great. The first project to be made on this lovely table?? Sophie's Halloween bag and PDF. Sophie had her own work area and she thought it was the Bee's Knee's!!

Have fun to night and be safe too.

xx

Saturday 30 October 2010

Featured here...............


I was approached a few weeks ago and asked if some of my tutorials could be used on a blog that features free tutorials. Now after the Turkish experience I was not sure to start with, but what made this different was the fact that I was asked. So I said yes. The first to be featured is the button bracelet shown above and it can be found here or on the banner st the top of this post.. The rest will be featured over the coming days.

There are loads and loads of ideas and tutorials on this blog site and I have become a follower as a result of looking for myself.

I may well post again later today as my sewing table post is taking longer than I thought. The old picture loading problems again.

See you later.
xx

Thursday 28 October 2010

Halloween Bag PDF



The PDF for the above Halloween items are now in my Etsy shop.
Plenty of time to still make them up.
xx

Wednesday 27 October 2010

Happy Halloween Bag


Sophie came home just before the holidays to say that she has been invited to her friend's house to go Trick or treating. Mummy alarm went off but then I was told that hubby and I are also invited and we go with them at a safe distance.

Guess what was next! That's right......"Mummy can we make a bag for me to take?"

So last Friday night the above bag was created, we had loads of fun making it and I promise that I will show you my new table tomorrow, it is just that this has sort of taken over.

The tinsel came from ASDA believe it or not and I dare say other places will sell something similar.

Then we had another idea...............
Ghostly Egg Cosies, we like novelty Egg cosies in our house! Sophie made the grey one all by herself. Hilarious, aren't they?

I have decided to add another section to my Etsy shop (as a bit of an experiment) a pattern and PDF section "Pattern Palace" Here you will find the pattern and fully illustrated instructions for this bag which I can email as a PDF. So still plenty of time to make one. I have other ideas that will need to be tired out first, but hopefully one idea every month or so will hopefully be added.

Then I will try and stock the felt to go with my patterns too, but I need to look into that more.

Well hubby and Sophie have gone swimming and I am shortly due to go to my sewing group.

So back tomorrow.

xx

Sunday 24 October 2010

Latest Christmas Block

This is the latest block for the Around the World Christmas Quilting Bee. I sent it off ages ago as I have been trying to collect a series of pictures together, otherwise I end up with so many picture files.

It is a poinsettia which I found at free quilting patterns dot com. There is a printable pattern to be found there.

This particular block is sewn on using applique. It went quite well for the first attempt and the colours went well with the original block.

There has been a massive gap of time since then, with no sign of another quilt coming through. seeing as it is half-term this week I really hoped that something would arrive.

I saw the other day that it is about 60 days until Christmas, I can not see this challenge finishing in time, but you never know.

Take care

xx

Saturday 23 October 2010

Halloween Holidays..............

I found this picture on Craftzine and thought it was great!
It is half-term and until I start to feel more human some key words to sum up things at the moment:
* Shattered
*Brain Dead
*Gardening
*Birthday Cake Trial Run
*My new sewing table (more on that later)
*Searching Ebay for vintage Polly Pocket Compact toys(I buy one for Sophie's birthday each year)
Halloween Bag making
*Switched off ALARM!!
Back tomorrow with some pictures and crafting news.
Take care
xx

Monday 18 October 2010

Tuesday Treasures


Do you know what the above is?
This is called a Jiko and it is used my families to cook on in Kenya. I was lucky enough to go to Kenya to teach and my friend and I decided to bring one of these back each. This was in 2006, before all of the restrictions on luggage etc. We wrapped our clothes around them and they went in the hold of the plane. We crossed our fingers that they would not get damaged. They are made of a soft metal, so not too heavy. There is lining of terracotta and this is heated my putting charcoal in a little door in the base. Then there is a grate above whereby you put your pan or frying pan.

They give off very little smoke, if any, so are often used in the house but often outside.

This is how food lessons are taught. One reason why we should be very grateful for the ovens etc that we enjoy in this country.

Now I have used this several times since bringing it back and Sophie loves it. Above you can see onions being cooked on one of the nice days that we had this summer, and it uses the same charcoal as BBQ's.

I can also cook Mandazi using this which is a traditional food which is a bit like a doughnut taste, and they are gorgeous. I just wish that I could find my recipe but I have found one on the internet.

Take a look as you can have a go at these if you have a small deep fat fryer or a deep saucepan to put a good depth of oil in. Do not have the heat too high as it can be dangerous, keep a close eye on it and kids well away. Sophie can only watch at a very good distance and I only make these in the summer so that I can cook outside. They are lovely with icecream or chocolate sauce.

Take care all

xx

Saturday 16 October 2010

Lets go Fly a Kite...........

A couple of weeks ago we invited Year 6 in to school and this year I decided to make paper kites. We only had 45 minutes and three groups to see.

There are many tutorials on the Internet to make these little paper kites but I made this years ago as a little introduction project to get to know my new tutor group. I can not remember where I got the idea in the first place but it went down really well.

They were put on display for parents to see in the evening and then collected to go home.

Those not collected were packaged up and taken to the schools by the Liaison teacher.

Hope to see them all again next September!

xx

Thursday 14 October 2010

I wish I could do that..................

I found this handmade and iced cake on the Martha Stewart website. I can not believe that this has been handmade it is just fantastic!!

I reminds me of a Victorian Ball dress that I saw in the V&A some years ago, and may well still be on display. The care, attention and detail to create this is well, mind boggling really.

I also found a related article on craftzine too and I tried to find it again but it must be archived somewhere. i shall add it once I have tracked it down. I am prone to finding things then forgetting to post about it and then losing track of the links of where I found them! Must start to write them down I think.

Do you want to see another?


This is so lovely that I would not be able to bring myself to cut into it. It is soooo clever.

So I shall come back down to earth now and start to think about Sophie's birthday cake as next week plans will need to start for her 8th birthday party. Eight years old for goodness sake, where has the time gone.

As I am sitting here typing this she is practicing her guitar, it was not that long ago that she was sitting in the same place on the sofa having her bedtime warm milk!

One last look at some cake gorgeousness.....

Well..... I can dream of being this good, but for now I think I shall have to stick to cupcakes. Now there is another story to tell but at another time.

Take care xx

Tuesday 12 October 2010

Tuesday Treasures

Tuesday's have a habit of sneaking up on me and so here I am again and it is 11.30pm and only just posting it. Sorry, but the old day job does get in the way so much. Anyway on to more interesting things other than my forgetfulness.


Above is my first big attempt at hand needle felting! I sat down on a Friday evening with a book and a few tools and kept going until my eyes nearly gave out. It was one of the best evenings that I have spent. Hubby was out and Sophie was in bed so what else could I do but discover a new addiction!

In fact I like this so much it features in my side bar. Since then I have explored this idea further by making miniature pictures and I am now developing some card embellishment ideas too.

Recently at school I purchased a Janome Embellisher and during half term I intend to play and learn about all it will do. Then the GCSE exam groups can have a go and see how that can use it in their work.

Quite a recent and inexpensive treasure, but a treasure because it was a "First" for me.

Have a good week.

Monday 11 October 2010

Christmas Craft Sparkle

I have increased the stock for the above in my Etsy shop. I do have higher quantities than shown as you do get charged for the number of lengths that you list.



Oh..... and whilst having fun making my collage in Picasa I forgot to include the silver.

Oops!

I am busy making things for the Christmas Craft Fair since I have found a bit of motivation. I have not really felt like making much lately for some reason.

However, what a lovely day that we have had in Cornwall today. Do you reckon that it will last until half term?

xx

Sunday 10 October 2010

Interlaced Star Quilt Block

I decided to have another try at the interlaced star block and this time use a different proportion of colours. It turned out completely different!
With this block you definitely need to sew it all in the right order otherwise you end up in dreadful pickle and have to unpick it start again.
I have started the next one ( I had three quilts all turn up at the same time) and this time it will be more applique based to try and achieve another effect.
Just a quick post today as a friend bought round loads of fruit and veg from her veg patch as a gift and a thank you and I need sort it all out before it spoils. I think that my neighbour will also be receiving some so as not to waste it. More there than we first thought. Very generous indeed.
I have also signed up for a Christmas Craft Fair in late November and making items for it has been difficult to do as the work load for the day job has been really heavy these past 5 weeks. I seem to have spent very little time at home.
Anyway, enjoy the rest of the weekend.
xx

Friday 8 October 2010

ATC.. SPACE....................

I signed up for the September ATC swap with a group of fine ladies who are members of UKhandmade. There is a different theme each month and this time it was SPACE.
The above picture has not turned out as black as it should have done, a bit of flash in there I think.
There is a black paper background with swirls of black felt with silver stars on it. I then used silver glitter glue (looks blue in the picture) and used this to add some iridescent sequins.
I was rather sorry to have to post it off but I did and Jane has received it and is very pleased. Pop over and see her here as Jane has tried out my scarf to bag tutorial. Lovely fabric has been used to.
I am sorry that I have not posted much over the past two weeks but I have been getting error pages come up. It happens on my hubby' laptop too so I think it might be problems with blogger. I shall do a bit of blog hopping this weekend and try again.
Have a good weekend.

Monday 4 October 2010

Tuesday Treasures

I found this highly beaded bag on Ebay! It was used to go with an evening dress which I was also lucky enough to find in a sale. The bag is gold and a burgundy sort of colour, very difficult to describe and the picture above is not quite right either. There is not a label inside so I doubt that it is by any named designer, but I like it and so does my daughter Sophie, who incidentally has her eye on many of my bags and she is only coming up 8!!

Plenty of room inside for all that you need for an evening. It has a handbag length handle but this can be swapped for a longer shoulder bag strap, both of which are made from a twin metal interlocked chain.

It will definitely be used this Christmas as we have just booked our do at a hotel in Newquay.

Have a good week.

xx

Sunday 3 October 2010

An apple a day.............

Yipee, these are the first apples to come off our little fence hugging apple trees!! The red ones are gorgeous to eat. I have since picked more and crumbles and blackberry & apple jam is on the horizon.
I somehow managed to finish a scarf for the up and coming Christmas Craft Fair in November, it was a bit of a struggle as I have had some virus thing going round and since last Wednesday I have had a bad head. I cn only describe it as a bit like a bad hangover without the fun of getting there, if you see what I mean. I have gotten off lightly, at least I have not had the vomiting that many colleagues and students have had to endure.
Hope your weekend was a good one.
Take care and keep well.
xx
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