creme eggs

I love all things sweet, a little known fact about me - actually anyone who knows me knows well of my sweet tooth. My OH (he has a sweet tooth as well) & I  have been on a serious health kick since Christmas, it's been very successful so far, so can you imagine the horror of Easter, chocolate nightmare.... I am especially fond of Caburys Creme Eggs.

This year we have limited ourselves to only a few (ok yesterday a few too many) mini creme eggs, a truely satisifing little yum, but imagine my amusement when I found a felt creme egg by British Cream Tea

A calorie free option? As I ambled around Ouissi's Etsy shop, I admit I felt peckish, but that's only because her pieces are so life-like. Worth stopping by for a look. Now I'm off to maybe squeeze in another mini creme egg :)

Pondering a Panda

I made this little guy from the felties book. Just so I could practice some hand sewing and trying to get back to sewing work.

I'll show you a couple more characters from the book when they are done. I think he might make a lovely keyring, or bag charm. But he's cute whatever he is used for, even if it's just to be something cute to look at.

New Book

A new book to drool at has popped through the letterbox.

I am not only a fabric-aholic it seems but also a sewing-book-aholic, is there any hope for me?

A little felt work

I love working with felt mostly because it is so easy to handsew. My OH bought me Softies: Simple Instructions for 25 Plush Pals for christmas. It was full of pretty pictures, which tempted me to have a play about.

I can whip most things up on a machine but my handsewing leaves a lot to be desired at times. I do doodle around with felt, but I have wanted to work on some new stitches. However I started with just a little easy one with just a little whip stitching

Yum

I saw this on the front page of Etsy yesterday. Two of my favorite things - felt and chocolate yule log. A fab creation by Becky M.

Exciting Places

It is amazing where a day can lead you. Today was planned as a lunch date and catch with a friend who has just come back from some grown up back packing. I had arranged a playdate for my hubby so he did not feel abandoned as this was the third day in a row I have a girlie lunch date.

I went to pick him up from having coffee with my brother and he told us, that he and his partner - Sally the Artist - were going to the play resource centre and did we want to come along.......did i want to come along - silly question ..... I have heard people talk of this special place you need a card to get into and of all the wonders it had inside. So of we went on an adventure.

I will try to explain what a play resource centre is: it basically has two parts. One part is a shop with lots of craft bits - more of this later - the other half is full of free (yes free) resources. There were things like corrugated plastic, giant sheets of cardboard, silver and gold card...... then there was odd things like thread cones, waxed paper, old seat belts. It was just paradise, it really was a find a box and dive to the bottom and see what you find. These things are free because companies maybe make cardboard for sweet boxes and there is a misprint, so instead of throwing it out or paying for it to be removed they donate it for artists and youth groups. It was fantastic.

The shop side was equally as fun, lots of craft resources for you to buy - I came home with some paper fans, a big block of mutli-coloured felt, a giant bag of buttons and some ribbon. I was just so excited to finally find someone with an access card I will have to go back for another nosey soon. No pictures of the centre I'm not sure that's allowed but here's what I got from the shop.

I haven't decided what I will use any of these things for yet, but that's what I love about craft shops. You can go, like things, bring them home and then it hits you.

Oh Christmas Tree

Last week when I was cutting out some christmas trees, I got a little bored and cut a new design. Here's what I come up with.

I really like the long skinny design, now all I ned to do is create more hours in the day to sew and to be honest a few more days in this month would be great.

I finally got a gingerbread boy finished and tagged so here he is.

I've popped him in my Etsy shop, so more people can get to see him.

Christmas is coming part 2

As well as the lovely Gingerbread Men & Ladies, I also make these. Hanging trees. I personally hang them from places like door handles, but there is one or two on my "Colonial" themed tree. In a few weeks I have been invited to attend a meeting to show of my bags, explain the processes involved and sell my craft, and these little lovelies are coming as well.


The dilemma is to tag or not. I usually don't, however, I normally only give these items away as gifts. The further dilemma is the tag. My usual tags look like this.


Which don't really fit in with the whole handmade Christmas decoration vibe, so I have come up with these.

This is what it looks like from a distance. I just really don't want the tag to take away from the overall look of the little tree.Ginger is also being tagged and this is the alternative I have come up with, although I think the tree tag may work equally as well.

I had promised to show some Gingerbread Boys, but they aren't baked yet so those will have to wait a little while longer, by which time I will have made up my mind regarding the tags.

Christmas is Coming Part 1

I just love Christmas, it's not really the presents , it's all the other things. I love the meaning behind it and the general feeling of goodwill. I adore the colours and the lights, I like to wander around with coats and scarves on and feel the cold air on my face. Most of all I like the endless opportunity to make things.

Ribbon in Proper Christmas Colours

I like to make little decorations, not really just for trees, but for anywhere you can hang them. Here are two of my little Gingerbread Girls.

Almost there, just waiting for the all important bow and buttons.

Here is a finished girl, she just needs to get a little hanging ribbon.

Just in case you think I have a girl only production factory, I do make little Gingerbread Boys, but none are currently cut out. I will post one soon. Traditionally I only give them away, to good homes of course, this year I am toying with the idea of selling them at my Etsy store.

While I was digging around in my felt box I discovered these little stockings.
I started to make these the first Christmas my husband I were married with the intent of stringing them together and making a garland, with the J & K in the centre. It appears I never got around to finishing them, so on my to do list for before Christmas this year is to finish the garland.