I love to hand sew, I love to make things for my children and it’s the perfect hobby for giving my brain a rest from blogging. As soon as I saw Crafty Dolls by Jane Bull I thought of Little Sis. She loves her dolls and she loves it when I make things for her and I really hope she will be interested in making things like this soon. Crafty Dolls, the latest in Jane Bull’s successful craft series, shoes you how to create your own adorable doll collection at home. You can choose from more than 30 knitted and…
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Petit Collage is a collection of 25 vintage modern handcrafted designs for children and families, from award-winning designer Lorena Siminovich. The fun, imaginative projects range from a paper toy dollhouse and personalised baby blocks to an adorable bunny clock and Petit Collage’s signature name plaque, growth chart and paper mobiles. Many can be made with the help of your children and there are ideas throughout to make them ‘kid fun’. The book also contains gorgeous photography, step by step instructions and additional tips for each project. Petit Collage will help parents create handmade items for kids that adults will also…
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The DIY Wedding Manual by Laura Strutt is “packed with everything you need to know and creative ideas to help you achieve your dream wedding – from veils and cakes, to flowers and invitations”. The step-by-step guide to creating your perfect wedding day on a budget and I really wish this book had been around when we planned our wedding back in 2008. Many savvy couples are getting creative when it comes to planning and arranging their wedding, in order to make their ‘big day’ unique, meaningful and affordable. Packed with creative suggestions, step-by-step projects, money-saving hints and inspirations for…
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I hope it’s clear from reading my blog that we love cooking and baking together. My 4 year old has wanted to make pizza for a while and we finally got round to it. We made our pizza over two days, leaving the dough overnight in the airing cupboard. The children were very excited and fortunately patient. Finally the next day they were able to make their pizzas with a little help from daddy. Everyone was able to roll their dough and make their own pizzas. Whilst they were having fun with the dough I prepared a plate of toppings.…
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I promised myself I would spend more time on my hobbies and am trying to finish off lots of sewing projects before I start any more. However when a copy of Little Quilts by Sarah Fielke & Amy Lobsiger landed on my doorstep there was a project I just had to make straight away. Craft books are a major weakness and indulgence and Little Quilts is my kind of book. I love making little quilts for Little Sis to play with and I’ve already made a couple. Little Quilts features 15 step-by-step projects for small quilts using traditional and contemporary…
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Battered boots? Tired trainers? Then why not add some glitz and glamour to everyday shoes! Charlotte Liddle offers the perfect solution for those who need to spruce up their shoe collection with 35 ways to make your feet more fun. We were sent a copy to review and my head is bursting with ideas! Removeable fixes are a non-permanent way to add life and colour to a tired pair of shoes with clip-on flowers and ribbon laces leading the way. You can transform really old shoes more permanently and add a splash of colour with vibrant fabric paints, a splatter…
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I love to craft with my children and since Little Sis started nursery two mornings a week those times are quickly becoming craft time with my 3 year old. He loves to craft but it’s difficult to juggle two children with different needs and abilities so now we take our opportunities by planning in advance! We spent this morning making fun glitter tree cards. They were so simple; cut out a Christmas tree shape from a piece of card, place over a sheet of paper, glue liberally and sprinkle with glitter. Oh my. It was the first time we had…
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A lovely new craft book has landed! Make Your Own Woodland Creatures features 35 simple 3D cardboard projects. Using simple slotting techniques, you can make a whole menagerie using just cardboard, found paper and scissors or a craft knife. From the crafty fox to the elegant stags, from the cute koala and her baby to the mischievous squirrels, every animal is specially designed by Clare Youngs to require a minimum of effort to put together. The projects are inexpensive, too, as cardboard is so readily available and easy to find, so anyone can have a go at creating a cute…
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A new book recently landed on my doormat which combines my love of upcycling and home-making. Creating the Vintage Look by Ellie Laycock encourages you to discover how to make unusual and unique homeware through 35 gorgeous step-by-step projects. What I’m reading: Creating the Vintage Look Upcycling is about taking something old, vintage, treasured, or possibly even broken and giving it a new lease of life by trying it into something new. It’s a thrifty way of decorating and enhancing your home that avoids waste, but is also stylish, and Ellie Laycock shows you how you can make truly beautiful…