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    crafts - handmade - PinAddicts Pinterest Challenge - sewing

    Fabric alphabet for little fingers

    September 18, 2012 - By 

    It’s that time of the month, the PinAddicts Pinterest Challenge. The idea is to choose something from your Pinterest boards to create and link up each month. Fabric alphabet for little fingers This month I was totally inspired to make this colourful fabric alphabet by Chez Beeper Bebe. I love reading her blog and she has some lovely free tutorials. I thought I would make a version for our fridge which is covered in magnets. I wanted to use a rainbow of colours so chose a range of fabrics from my stash. I then cut out the letters and pinned them…

  • crafts - handmade - swap

    Swapping like a mad person

    September 14, 2012 - By 

    Over the summer I was busy swapping like a mad person, trying to give me something to think about other than nappies and wiping noses. I took part in two fab craft swaps around the theme of the Jubilee. First up was God Save the Queen swap! hosted by Hookin’ with Laa Laa. We had to send things relating to Britain and Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee. Items were plentiful and I sent a union flag notebook, Diamond Jubilee keyring, napkins and cross stitch, as well as some spectacular Jubilee sunglasses to my partner Crafty Mum. Hales sent me some lovely gifts including a…

  • book review - crafts - handmade - sewing

    Some crafty inspiration and pretty pictures

    September 12, 2012 - By 

    I’ve recently bought three lovely new craft books and have ear-marked a couple of projects to get me through the autumn and winter. You may know I love English Paper Piecing and have been carrying around a little hexagon project for a while. One it’s finished I’m going to start on my own version of the Union Jack Quilt which is one of the projects in Tacha Breucher’s hexa go-go. I thought I might make a cot-sized version for Little Sis’ first birthday in November. Her brother received a dinosaur blanket for his first birthday so I would love to…

  • crafts - handmade - sewing

    Draw string bag

    September 3, 2012 - By 

    Not much to show this week. I am trying to finish some little projects and have brought a bag on them on holiday in the hope there will be some sewing time. At last years’ Knitting and Stitching Show at Ally Pally I bought a fat quarter of a fab print by Echino Ni-Co called Camera in turquoise. It features a vintage 35mm camera in repeat and I thought I might make something for my husband who loves taking photographs. That never happened when I realised a fat quarter wouldn’t be enough to wrap around a lens, let alone his…

  • baking - crafts - handmade

    Inexpensive holiday fun

    August 31, 2012 - By 

    I can’t believe the summer holidays are nearly over. We’re going away visiting family next week so I thought I should pull out all the stops to ensure we’ve had lots of inexpensive fun this week. We’ve been dodging the weather and making sure we spend as much time outdoors as we can. I bought the toddler a box of chunky chalks and he’s been having great fun drawing on the patio. Don’t forget there are lots more ideas for inexpensive play from Play England on Morrisons website. Yesterday we made our own modelling putty for the first time. I…

  • crafts - handmade - sewing

    A day with Julie Arkell

    August 28, 2012 - By 

    You may remember I wrote about a workshop I attended run by Julie Arkell. She’s an inspiring woman and I really enjoyed the opportunity to listen to her talking about her work and what inspires her. Well I never showed you what I made. First up is a Second World War-style brooch, made from cardboard and tapestry wool, and finished off with embroidered leaves and felt flowers. It was actually surprisingly simple to make, using scraps of fabric and wool on a cardboard base. I’ve been busy collecting old embroidery threads whenever I see them in charity shops so I…

  • crafts - handmade

    Cross stitched heart mural

    August 27, 2012 - By 

    To compensate for the fact the poor 8 month old has to share a room with us I thought I would decorate her cot. Our bedroom is in the loft conversion so, unlike the rest of our Edwardian terraced house, it has a really modern feel. Her cot is a simple one from Ikea in plain white so I wanted to give it a little makeover with a cross stitched heart mural. I love the idea of translating cross stitch to fabrics and furniture and have seen some lovely work by Eline Pellinkhof which inspired me. First of all I…

  • handmade - sewing

    Rainbow hexies for a small person

    August 13, 2012 - By 

    I wanted to make a simple comforter for Little Sis and it has taken me a couple of weeks but I’ve done it! It took me a while to increase my fabric stash as when I went to pick out some rainbow fabrics I realised I had lots of prints and patterns but hardly any block colours, not that I ever need an excuse to buy more fabrics! Rainbow hexies for a small person I love my English Paper Piecing and stuck to the traditional method – cutting out paper templates and making up hexies in the colours of the…

  • crafts - handmade

    Fruity summer fun with Club Penguin and innocent

    August 3, 2012 - By 

    This summer on August 22nd Club Penguin will be transformed into a tropical fruit mecca when the island’s summer party – The Adventure Party: Temple of Fruit rolls into town. Pirate penguin Captain Rockhopper will be bringing tropical fruits to The Adventure Party in his big ship The Migrator to celebrate his fruit-finding adventure like only penguins can. Club Penguin is also teaming up with innocent to make fruit even more fun!  From 3rd of August you’ll be able to pick up unique codes on special packs of innocent smoothies and juices to unlock some very special fruity accessories. When…