Paper crafting swap on swapbot.

Something special.

I have this wonderful friend, Kerie. She went to France and brought me something special back with her. Thanks so much Kerie.

Mwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

Seriously, still in sticker mode

still in sticker mode

I have been carving. I have been stamping.

handcrafted stamps and sticker fun

I carved this little treasure yesterday. Well I started it yesterday, but finished it today. I couldn't resist taking a few prints and making stickers.

Holiday mode.

Sleepy mornings with a mug of coffee. Quiet! No rush or frenzied exclamations. This holiday mode sneaks in. Sitting, contemplation, sunshine and time to enjoy nature. Ahh!

I made this yesterday. I made more too. I will upload new images soon.

Fish rock!

Miss Freda and more chocolate

I finished Miss Freda last night. So here she is as a debutant. If you know of any suitable suitors do let me know. He he he!

The chocolate recipe came from here Thank you Simon Rimmer. :) I made mine without cocoa powder and it worked out just fine.

Chocolate

First you see it!

Then you don't

Introducing Miss Freda Verde

A touch of vintage

I think this coin purse is getting to be a bt of an obsession.  I love the vintage detail with that button.  I have used recycled fabric for this one.  That is vintage too.  Hope you like-e

Darcy's round again.

Darcy in turquoise is in my shop now.  I just love that lace detail.

Digging a hole

How sweet is this.  Daddy and son digging a hole.

another coin purse

This one is great and mine.  I love it. :) :) :)

Unlike most coin purses this one has some girth, and because of this is easy to use. You have to admit that it can be quite tricky getting into the gubbins of most purses.  This coin purse however, is not only easy to get into but it can hold cards and coins! 

I love it, but what do you think?
Is is something you would use?  How do you carry your cards and coins?

linen and lace.

 

Click on any  image to go straight to the template.

Today I drafted a pattern for this coin purse. It is so sweet and chic even if I do say so myself. I made it for the swap I am hosting in the coin purse swap group on swapbot found here Not using swapbot. Well it's easy to join and fun, fun, fun.

The pattern is free. Click any image to go to the pattern. 

Remember you are free to use this pattern for your personal use, but please don't use it for any other purpose.

Enjoy and have fun.

Happy hands mean a happy face. Smiles r good!

Click on any  image to go straight to the template.

shawlicious

Well my crochet hooks have been busy this week. I have managed many makes so far.

I've made two needle/hook rolls.One for my knitting needles and one for my crochet hooks. I reused some unwanted jeans of my son's. I cut a secton from the leg. Inserted ric rac and stitched ribbon with slots for my needles. It should be really easy to replicate. Go ahead. We all have unwanted, ready to recycle items. My finished rolls look like this:

I also got to crocheting. I made some playpals for my son search sherbet kitties on the web to find the free and very wonderful pattern. My son loves his new pals.

Heldasland has the cutest shawl pattern using the treble(u.k.)/double crochet(u.s.) stitch. Find that patten here. I added the picot edging for my own personal twist and I used King Cole Riot (magic).

Why I love my sewing machine

Today I have been sewing. I did some voille curtains for a friend. I had to put side hems on each piece. I have been busy doing this for most of the day. It has been a learning curve, but what I do know is that I am grateful for my sewing machine. I could not have done the job as quickly or securely by hand.

The machine was given to me. It is such a splendid gift. I am still really appreciative to the wonderful person who saw fit to give it to me.

Things I've learnt about sewing voille:
it needs to be stretched otherwise it puckers YUK
stretching fabric can lead to broken needles! I've broken six.

The job is done. It's reminded me of two reasons to be grateful and I am sure the friend I've done the job for will be thankful too.

Thankfulness. Today I am thankful for true friends. My friends do their best to help others. It is a rare quality in people which I admire so much. I am lucky to have sudh great friends; people who willingly put others before themselves and are happy doing it.

The weather today has been much cheerier than of late. This morning's grey skies have been replaced by little fluffy white clouds amid azure blue. My bulbs are coming up in the garden and the sun flowers are really growing too. I am having a green finger moment.

There is relative peace in my house. The children are with friends on a trampoline. Kids and bouncing in the great outdoors goes well as mix don't you think!

Well. I've stolen some of my free time to blog and now my time is over, I have to head off into the kitchen to prepare our tea.

What made you feel thankful today? Share I'd love to know or indeed seeing as I've done no crafting thus far today, what has made your hands happy? Leave a comment.

Grateful Giveaway

Today I am grateful for rain. We are not quite a drought levels but the rain is very welcome. I love the smell that is created when it hits parched ground. It really reminds me of being a young girl; watching the rain fall in the summer months from inside willing and waiting for it to break so that I could play outside. I opened the front door before just to drink in that special smell. Funny how smells do that. What smells evoke something strongly for you? Share I'd love to know.

Today has been a stay at home and craft day. I did have a reason not the leave the house as I was awaiting the delivery of my youngest's first bed. Well the mattress. I got the bed last week. It is now almost ready for him to use. I need to rearrange a little before he sleeps his first night in his very first bed.

I carved these today;

The light is not much cop. But hey you get the idea.

Grateful giveaway means that you can be the owner of these stamps. I would like to gift them to you. Please leave your email address in your comment. I moderate all comments and I will delete your information before your comment goes public.

carving fun & blue skies

I made these yesterday in the garden.  The sun shone brightly and the wind blew briskly meaning I stayed out for much of the day.  Weather-wise we have more of the same here. 

This morning I am grateful for; waking up early to glorious sunshine and blue, blue skies; having a quiet cuppa and blogging.  The day has indeed begun well. 

Later we are off to the library. I hope to get to the park with Angelo too.  That should be fun!:)

How will my hands be made happy?  I am sure I will think of something and I will share later.

Have happy grateful hands.

being grateful

Gratitude is important.  Sometimes reflecting on the blessings in life helps.  The focus is positive rather thank negative.  Looking at what we have as opposed to what we do not.  The glass full approach.  I hope you will join me in being mindful of your own blessings.  Write them down and read them often. 

1   My relationship with God has to come first.  But not just that I have a relationship with him, but what that means to me.  I have real love in my life.  So many blessings have come from knowing God.  I have direction and purpose.  I marvel at the wonders of creation and feel close to him.  When I am troubled I pray or turn to the scriptures for comfort and I find it there. 

2 Being mum!  My kids mean so much.  Their absence this week has shown me how rooted they are in my life.  My eldest is making his own choices and seems to have gone his own way, but I love  him with the same intensity that I do my two boys who still live at home. My role of mum is so important.  It is such a big part of me.  I almost did not know how to be me when they were missing. Their being here makes me happy.

3   Friendships.  Genuine friends are like rare gold.  I love my friends.  Not because they know too much; which does make me laugh, but because they are fab and totally loveable. Friends are the family we choose.

4 Crafthappiness.  I love making things.  I love making things for others.  Happiness is split between the making and the giving.  I have to find ways to make my hands happy :)


5  Sunshine.  The warmth of the sun combined with its light makes me glad to me alive.  It doesn't matter where I am, the sun will always have this affect on me.  It reflects the wonder of creation and brings me back to God.

For the next month I am focsing on being grateful. 

XXX  Happy hands and a grateful heart.

stitched and carved

carved

I made time for play. 

Dishcloth addiction

I've started another one.  I like this sit still craft.  Useful too. 

KNITTING

I have to admit, making dishcloths appeals to me.  It sounds simple and quick.   A while back, I bought a ball of dishcloth wool.  Yes there is such a thing.  All I needed was a pattern.  I found this book in the library:

I love Erika Knight's style.

Here's what it looked like.  I love the texture. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

THE WEEKEND IS HERE

This week has not been productive for the craftiness.  I have been so busy.  I must do better next week. 

My Superhero

I was asked to do a favour for a friend yesterday.  Her son is having some kind of royal wedding celebration before they break for Spring hols.  I think boys had to arrive at school dressed as princes and girls...  you guessed it princesses.  To cut a long story short she arrived with a well cut our curtain which needed sewing before it would make a great cape.  I did the sewing and what emerged was something I did not want to part with.  Angelo modelled it and he looked fab.  I made another for him and this is the result.

And this is him about to take flight.

Amazing

4.10.11.
A date I will never forget! 

until now

I haven't been able to share my recent carvings.  I have been super busy.  Here's a quick peek at what we made this weekend.

The image was inspired by this illustration my son did at the weekend.

We had a nice time sitting, carving and chatting.  It was a really nice way to reach my almost teenage son.

Three ways to use your handcarved stamps

1   Stamp the image on address labels.  They look great.

2   Stamp the image on each leaf of an inexpensive note pad.   You can personalise all types of stationery.

3    Stamp your image with waterproof ink on tissues.  (Pocket tissues)  This is so cute.

coincidence or great craft timing

Cathedral windows are a real buzz at the moment.  Look at what I happened upon yesterday.



Look familiar?

Go compare!  (sorry could not resist).  Here's mine.

Click the Charming Windows link if you would like to go to that tute.

Well it is very cloudy and April-showery here in Scrapsville.  I long for sunny bright days and apparently they are coming this weekend.  Better get my crafty skates on over the next day or so as when the weather perks up I know I will want to be out and about.

My happy hands are crafting carved stamps, solid crochet squares and my hexagon love keeps growing.  I did a quick count this morning and I have 695.  I double checked so I think this is an accurate tally.  I am almost half way there.  1667 is what I need. Only just under a thousand to go.  Right I am going for a quick lie down.  My head hurts.  It had to be the maths.  X