Birthdays, Bargains and a Ta-Dah!

No, not my Birthday yet I'm afraid.

My Mum's. I made her some yummy (albeit abit GIANT) butterfly cakes.

Didn't you just used to love these as a kid? I don't have enough butterfly cakes in my life I've decided.

I must change that.

I had a play around with some gift wrapping ideas too, here I've used brown paper, garden twine and ...

wallpaper border!

I used a paper punch to cut circles out of the wallpaper and mounted them on scalloped discs (also cut with a paper punch) to make coordinating gift tags.

Not bad huh?! What do you think?

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Today I have had a (very) rare Charlie free day.

I popped into town and some how ended up in a Charity shop (!?!?) ;-)

Where I found this pretty vintage dress. It was initially RATHER LARGE even for me.

So I did the good old inside outy, pin me uppy trick then whizzed it through the sewing machine.

Hay Presto! It fits!

I Love it.

Finally for my Ta-Dah!

I did finish my hexie cushion that I mentioned last time.

It ended up being half the size of the original plan.

Put plans are made to be broken.

Thanks for being here.

Lots of Love

Katie

xxx

Crocheting Gifts

I just wanted to pop in quickly today to share a couple of recent makes with you.

Makes of the wooly kind...

Two little hobby horses, one for my son and one for our god-daughter.

(It would seem I got abit carried away with the stuffing in the little brown horse.)

I found the pattern for free, here.

Crocheting the pattern itself was easy peasy, put the whole thing together, not so much.

Here's a little ear warmer I made for my Mum.

I crocheted a simple DC band and added the flower from a design in Cute and Easy Crochet by Nicki Trench.

The last few days have been boring, to say the least. We have so much snow here it's unbelievable. I've hardly left the house since Wednesday. I have been trying to find little projects to occupy myself (and avoid housework.)

Today I picked up the hexie cushion I started ages ago.

Who knows, perhaps I'll even finish it :-)

Lots of Love

Katie

xxx

Better late than never ... Christmas swaps

I know I know...

Were well into January and I'm only now posting about Christmas.

I have been meaning to share these swap goodies with you.

Like I said ... better late than never.

Firstly, A little Christmas swap with my friend Lynda...

From Lynda:

Goodies Include: Lovely books and magazines, socks, sweet treats, sticky notes, some Cath Kidston goodies, a Hope and Greenwood advent calendar, an awesome Christmassy tea towel, some lovely stitched gifts made by Lynda and lots of bath treats.

All of which were wrapped beautifully in Christmas papers.

(I know, spoilt rotten again, aren't I!?)

This is what I sent to Lynda:

 I made: a little hexie stocking, some felt star decorations, reindeer cake toppers, a toadstool sewing set (scissor fob, needle case and pin cushion), some Christmas spice sugar scrub and a beaded heart decoration.

I also sent: some Yankee candles, a birdy scarf, diary, magazines, mug, labels and tape, Christmas socks, napkins, sweeties, a knitting pattern and ladybird book.

I really enjoyed this swap with Lynda, shes so kind and sweet.

Stocking Swap

Before Christmas I entered a Stocking swap hosted by The Undomesticated Scientist.

This was another great swap. I was paired up with Lisa Wiggins. At the moment, Lisa doesn't have a blog for me to link too (but I'm going to work on that!).

Lisa really is so talented, she makes the most beautiful things, you all really deserve to see the goodies she creates.

This is what I received from Lisa:

She made me: The most wonderful personalised stocking, a cute owl, an awesome card, bath bombs and soap, a russian doll key ring, a brooch, a tree decoration, a drawstring bag and pencil case (in this great Russian doll fabric!) and some homemade brownies and fudges!!!! The best I've ever tasted in fact.

I have asked Lisa to write us a little post with here recipes, so watch this space.

(Like I said, she's very talented isn't she!? And she had been very busy too, making all these wonderful goodies. I am so lucky!) 

I also received: a personalised tree decoration, some Yankee candles and votive, gingerbread men, mulled wine spices, fabrics and buttons, some Cath Kidston and a chocolate orange!

I'm sorry the fudge and brownies did not survive long enough to make it to the photo shoot!

But luckily for you, I did manage to take this picture (before they got scoffed!)

I sent Lisa:

A crocheted stocking, pig, owl and robin tree decoration (all made by me).

Some nuts and chocolates, candles, glitter pens, a Cath Kidston makeup purse, button soaps, an owl hand warmer, handmade card, a dried fruit hanging decoration and some crafting goodies.

I was so disorganised before sending this swap, that I forgot to take a picture.

Thank you Lisa very much for taking this photo and sending it to me!

last but by no means least...

The Advent Swap

This wonderful swap was hosted by Lynda at Hookin with Laalaa.

(unfortunately I can't link to Lynda at this time)

As you may know, this swap included 24 little presents (one for each day of Advent) and one larger present to be opened on Christmas morning).

I had intended to add pictures of the goodies to Flickr. I think I managed to do the first few days, before finding myself "snowed under" with Christmas preparations.

So instead I thought I would do a quick round-up.

I was paired up with the wonderful Judith. Judith is also not a blogger, but with out this swap we never would have met and I'm so glad I have. She also makes the most wonderful things.

To Judith:

I shan't list all the goodies I sent and received, we would be here all week!

I thought I would just give you a little detail about the handmade items I sent.

These Included: Some star decorated (like the ones I sent Lynda), A heart garland and beaded heart decoration, handmade reindeer cake toppers in a handmade envelope and a crocheted lavendar owl.

Whilst thinking about how I would number the parcels (and rummaging about in my "fit to burst" craftroom) I came across some tiny envelopes with matching cards. Just what I needed! I stamped numbers 1 - 25 on the mini envelopes and stamped a different Chrsitmassy image on the inside of each little card and coloured them in. These really remind me of a picture advent calendar we had as kids, I was so pleased with them.

From Judith:

Lucky Lucky me.

Each day I opened a parcel, I was just blown away by Judith's generosity and talent.

Amongst the items I received was:

A magazine, painted dolly pegs, drawer liners, a tea towel, yarns, soap, bath products, candles, diary, a mug.

I also was lucky enough to receive a hand knitted washcloth (by Judith), some of her lovely cross stitch, a wonderful handmade card and (perhaps my favourite thing ever!) a hook roll, made by Judith to hold all my crochet hooks.

All in all, three wonderful swaps. I can't thank Lynda, Lisa and Judith enough for their kindness.

Thank you for reading and well done if you made it to the end!!!

Happy new year.

Love Katie

xxxx

Tutorial : Christmas Tree from milk bottle tops

O.k Ladies, here goes ...

My first tutorial.

This Christmas Tree decoration is really easy to make. My Nan made one of these for me a few Christmas's back and I really wanted to share this with you.

I hope you like it!

First things first.

You will need:

Green and red felt (or fabric)

26 plastic milk bottle tops

A scrap of card

A pencil and compass

Scissors

Soft toy stuffing

A needle and strong thread

Hot glue gun

and

Buttons and twine for decoration.

Draw a circle measuring approx. 9 cm across, on your scrap of card.

Cut this out, it will be your template.

Using your template, cut 21 discs of green felt

and

5 discs of red felt.

Tie a knot in a length of thread. Using a running stitch, stitch around the edge of one disc.

Keep the needle attached, you will need this to sew in the ends.

Take the first bottle top and fill the middle generously with soft toy stuffing.

Place the filled bottle top upside down in the middle of your disc.

Pull the thread end tightly, to close up the disc around the bottle top.

Sew a few stitches over the opening to make it tight and secure.

Repeat this process with the remaining discs and bottle tops until you have 26 completed "puffs".

You should have 21 green and 5 red.

On a piece of green felt, lay out your puffs using the picture above as your guide.

The discs now need to be glued in place, using your hot glue gun.

Place your glue on the base of one disc and press it firmly into position. Take the next disc and do the same, but as you go, place a little blob of glue on the side of the disc already glued in place, to stick the puffs together as well as to the felt. This will help your finished decoration to be a little more ridged, otherwise it will be all floppy when you pick it up!

Once all the puffs are in place and the glue has cooled.

Cut around the Tree. This is usually easier to do from the back.

(Take care not to cut into your puffs!)

By now you should have your completed tree base.

Now It's time to decorate.

I've used buttons for baubles, secured in place with hot glue.

If you have one, thread a star button onto a length of twine.

This will be your hanger.

Knot the twine securely at the end.

Again, with your hot glue, secure the twine to the top, back of your tree.

Take a scrap of green felt and glue over the twine end.

Now your tree is complete and ready to hang.

I also wrapped a long length of twine around the red base of the tree and tied a bow in the front to finish.

(see first picture)

Advent Idea

This tree uses 26 puffs, but I did think it would make a nice advent calendar. Stitch a pretty design on one disc of green felt and embroider the others with numbers 1 - 25. Make up the puffs and secure together to make your tree. Use a decorative brooch or pin to count down the days.

I hope someone finds this useful. Start saving your milk tops!

Have a lovely week.

Love Katie

xxx

It's Curtains ...

Good morning Ladies.

I have been meaning to show you this curtain refashion for a little while.

For one reason or another things here have been a bit hectic and I have so much to tell you about.

All in good time.

For now, It's curtains ...

As you know I'm not a whiz on a sewing machine. In truth they make me a bit nervous!!

But I faced my fear to give these curtains a face lift.

I have two windows in the dining room, before they were hung with some green curtains that had been passed on to us from a family member. They never really suited the room and made it feel quite dark.

I didn't want to get rid of perfectly good curtains, but they weren't suitable.

One morning while tidying in Charlie's room I had a brain wave. Charlie's room also has two windows, the curtains where light which meant he needed blackout lining to avoid very early morning during the summer!

Blooming things!! These liners were so heavy and bulky they just looked awful.

So killing two birds with one stone the dark green curtains retired to Charlie's room and block the light perfectly (no more blackout liners!) and the light curtains from Charlie's room would look much better in the dining room.

But there was a problem ... the light curtains were better, but they had pencil pleated tops.

I don't like them. So thought I would TRY converting them to tab tops.

I used my sewing machine to make the tabs for all four curtains. All 64 of them!

They were turned right side out and pressed (again).

Then I chopped off the pencil pleat from each curtain, turned it under and attached the tabs at regular intervals. Then more pressing and whizzed each one through the sewing machine once more.

Sounds simple right?! Well it was, but it did take me ALL day to finish them all.

I was chuffed with my attempt at converting the curtains and like the contrast between the creamy yellow curtains and the pink gingham tab tops.

But they needed a little more pink to bring them all together.

So I turned my thought to the tiebacks. I knew in the depths of a vacuum storage bag they would be tiebacks for these curtains. I hunted them out and went to work demolishing some crocheted tiebacks I had made for the original green curtains.

For each set of curtains the tiebacks were slightly different.

I simply sewed the flowers to the ready made tiebacks.

The room feels brighter, I spent nothing and I'm getting over my sewing machine fear!!

Can't be bad hey?

Sorry for the waffling Ladies.

Until next time.

Love Katie

xxx

P.s I brought this little embroidered hankie from a vintage fair. I really love it and I was lucky to pick up a teeny embroidery frame on a charity shop trip for 20p! Bargain.

This now hangs from a length of ribbon hung from a tieback hook next to my "new" curtains.

A few thrifty buys ...

Good Afternoon Ladies.

I just wanted to share with you a few of my favourite thrifty finds.

Flowery doves, Liberty oven mitt, Rosey coasters and pomander...

Sweet tapestries - Quiet as a mouse and Busy as a bee,

Birdie pomander, rosey bedspread, some pretty hearts from a craft fair and a few more books for my collection.

I want to tell you more about the books another time and you may have noticed my little pile of hexies propped up again my Bee tapestry. I'll also come back to these soon. 

Short and sweet...

Have a lovely week.

Love Katie

xxx

Brightening up wash day ....

Well as the weather hasn't been on our side, I had to find another way to brighten up wash day...

I have been in need of a new peg bag for ages.

My ugly plastic thing made me cringe every time I hung it on the line.

I was making this Cath Kidston bag using the free kit in "Sew" when I unexpectedly acquired two free Cath Kidston handbags! Did I never tell you about that?!? How jammy am I, I couldn't believe my luck!

Any way, that meant this one was sort of surplus to requirement, so I decided it would be my new peg bag.

The entire bag was hand sewn, including buttonholes and every thing.

Because the handle fastens with buttons, I can undo one and fasten it over the washing line or wear the bag so all my pegs are to hand.

And of course, once I had my new peg bag, the ghastly plastic pegs had to go and have since been replaced by nice wooden ones (cheap as chips in the £1 shop!)

Well after I had a pretty home for my pegs that went rather well with my floral laundry basket (perhaps I show you that another time) I turned my attention to the ironing board.

I snapped up this cute cover in Matalan for the bargain price of £3 , well actually I didn't even pay that as I had a voucher code for 30% off!

So the weather can do what it wants, because my florals will brighten up wash day!

I'll leave you with another little drawstring bag I made to go in the bathroom.

They are so easy to make and so useful for storage. I can't get enough.

Also hanging in my bathroom is my "new" vintage summer dressing gown - £3.50 at the charity shop. :-)

How are you brightening up wash day?!?!

Lots of Love

Katie

xxx

All Things British swap goodies

A little while back I join in The All Things British swap hosted by lovely Laalaa.

I was really excited about this swap, I loved the theme and had lots of fun thinking of ideas for the swap parcel.

I was paired up with the equally lovely Sue at The Krafty Cupcake.

I have admired Sue's blog for a long time, so was really thrilled to be her partner. 

She makes the most gorgeous cupcakes and goodies. You will always find something wonderful to read there!

Any way, here are the goodies I sent to Sue.

An embroidered London Bus heart

A little Beach hut bag charm and "Poppyland" box

Tower of London cup candle (I'll tell you more about this one, another time)

Embossed crown gift card

(all made by me)

and

A "British Pride" mug

Mini Cath Kidston "royal stanley" tote bag

London socks

£50 note tissues

Champions sweeties and Tunnock's Teacakes

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I was spoilt rotten by Sue.

She had put so much time, thought and effort in to all my lovely gifts and I can't thank her enough.

Every little parcel was wrapped beautifully with red, white and blue tissue paper and adorned with oddles of coordinating organza ribbon.

This is what I received...

A Gorgeous handmade card

cross-stitched needle case

wonderful patchwork pincushion

Union Jack socks

sea and sand Yankie candle (this made the whole parcel smell heavenly!)

the sweetest little egg cup

Union Jack mug

London Bus necklace

London themed fabric

British icon stampers

London biscuit tin filled with shortbread (no longer exists! was gorgeous!)

Sherbet Lemons

Union Jack cupcake cases and coordinating sprinkles!

Beautiful papers and British themed die-cuts.

You see?!? I was totally spoilt!

Every time I thought I'd reached the bottom of the box there was another little parcel hidden inside.

It made my day.

At the end of the month, my little sister and I are going visiting in London. My sister-in-law has kindly agreed to put us up and we're really excited about seeing the sights.

I have never really been to London (only on a school trip to the Science museum and with college to a beauty show at Excel) so I will need her to look after me and ensure I don't get lost.

So ... to receive all these lovely London themed gifts from Sue, has made it even more exciting!

Thank you all for reading and Thank you Sue and Laalaa.

Lots of Love

Katie

xxx

Simple Sewing

This week I've been enjoyed spending the evenings with needle and thread, happily stitching away.

Now although I have and know how to work a sewing machine, I don't find it relaxing like I do hand sewing.

So all sewing this week had been by hand, and numerous needle pricks and sore thumbs later this is the outcome.

A little CK purse using the kit from "Stitch", it's now the home for loose embroidery threads in one of my many sewing boxes.

Isn't my little Beatrix Potter pin cushion sweet? She was a Charity shop bargain, there is a flap that opens on the front to reveal the needle holder, with Beatrix storybook pictures on each page! Cute!

I've been meaning to whip up some drawstring bags for some of Charlie's small toys. I made both of these bags from one old pillowslip. I used the Chicken embroidery off a tea towel which I loved, that my dog ripped a hole in and an appliqued panel for the other from old cotton scraps.

Thanks for dropping in, I hope you have a lovely weekend.

Put your feet up and enjoy some Oat and Raisin cookies with me.

Love Katie xxx