Monday 28 February 2011

hooking happiness


I love those colours!

Well, those of you who know me, know I love to make my hands happy. Hooking with the softest merino yarn has made my hands happy and allowed my back to rest. I did go to the quack's this morning just to get everything checked out. You will be glad to hear it was just a pulled muscle and nothing more sinister. Enough moaning. This is what I have been making this weekend. Boy am I happy.



I am making a cushoin cover from random granny squares. I love these colours.

I did a bit of reading around. I have crocheted granny squares but I did not like how they looked and thought I was doing something wrong. I did not know that you had to block them to get the best from them. There is a great visual tute on FLICKR that shows you how to do it. The ones that are blocked will be nice and easy to work with when the cushion cover takes shape. Just need to look up ways of joining them together. I will share my findings.

Saturday 26 February 2011

fabric boxes

This tute makes it oh so simple. I did this one tonight. I need many many more. I have so much fabric that it should not be a problem. This one uses some floral fabric and upcycled denim from an old pair of jeans. I am pretty pleased with the result if not the image.



My daylight bulb has has its last day. It was a day for things dying today. My iron gave up too. Luckily Argos had this little beaut on offer at less than half price.

Buy Philips Azur GC4413 Steam Iron at Argos.co.uk - Your Online Shop for Steam irons.

It is more than a match for my old one.

Did I mention my dodgy back? Well as I get older this thing seems to get worse. A twinge here or there years ago has not progressed to my not being able to walk or bend properly. Well enough moaning. Sitting still has meant that my fingers have been happy all day engaged in fun making. (well not all day, but you get my drift).

He hum. Tomorrow is another day. I have much in mind for project fun and play. :)

Friday 25 February 2011

could it be Friday?

How did we get to this day? Well I knew I would not have much time for blogging this week being half term and all, but I did not think it would take me five days to make a post. Whoops! Well my fingers have been happy making other people happy this week which if you know me, makes me very happy indeed. I have completed some swaps and finished bits and bobs that were hanging around needing the attention of my fingers. I like completion.


This morning my kids and I have been finger happy, making hama bead geekery. The image above shows what we made. The little things in life really make me smile. My little people, those little beads and the silly little things we have made.

What will you do to make your fingers happy today? Share some finger happiness with the loved ones in your life.

Monday 21 February 2011

half term begins

ETAMade e it to the post office. Sue your cupcakes are on their way. I also posted the mug rug in the post below. I need to make another one now.

Today is officially the beginning of half term. Spring is in the air, the snow drops and crocus are sprouting everywhere and little buds are appearing on trees in and around the area that we call Scrapsville.

My fingers have been happily reorganising my very cluttered and untidy crafting space. I still have a way to go but considering I have been at it for nearly four hours now, I ask myself why do I let it get in such disorder. I know why, crafting definitely does take presidence over tidying. I know this is not the most reasonable reason for mess, but it is the one I am using. I promise to upload pictures of my crafty corner of Scrapsville later. Hold tight.





I need to get to the post office so I am downing tools so to speak, until I get back.

Saturday 19 February 2011

a crafting first...

It is indeed a rare thing for me to post twice in one day. Today is the exception to this quasi rule. Well my fingers are ecstatic. I made this today:


I love it. It is for a swap on swapbot. I do hope my swap partner is happy. This is the very first thing I have ever quilted. It is a mug rug measuring 6"x8". The hexagons are spares from my patience project. I popped them all together last night. The background is red linen and the binding is made from some random cotton I had lying around. I hope you like.

zero calorie cupcakes & v groove cutter splutters


I have been making cupcakes and I am wondering if SUE who always comments and makes me feel like I really know her would like these instead of the shells I promised from my give away. Let me know sue if you want them. If you do they are yours hunny.

Yes my fingers have been made happy here in the world of scrapsville. I have been carving away. I love carving and I keep saying it, but the reasons are simple, it is quick therefore ultra satisfying, each stamp is unique and therefore a great sense of creativity is achieved once you have completed a carving. The only trouble with this craft is getting hold of the speedball v groove cutters which are nigh on impossible to get. If anyone has any clues please pass them onto me.

More carving ideas fill my mind so I am off to do some more creative things. Keep your fingers happy this weekend and if you stop by leave a comment, that way your fingers make me happy too. XX

Friday 18 February 2011

romantic letter

Well it is not really a letter at all. It is infact a needle book. It is a swap item for swapbot. I hope my partner likes it.



Just a quick post today. The kids are off. We need to get some fresh air. My hands have been made happy. I wonder what you will do to make your hands happy today.

Thursday 17 February 2011

rubber recovery

Today I am being ultra quick. What a week this has been indeed. I have managed to do some quick crafting. A few more rubber stamps for my collection. Sue the shells are in the pipeline. I have a few other things to sort out too. I am waiting until I get a bit of breather for the week of tutorials. That is still on my mind.

Here goes with this week's rubber makes:

I will do more tomorrow. Blogging that is. I have planned a very crafty day.

Tuesday 15 February 2011

Slowing Down

The weekends are always busy. This weekend Nanny has been here. I don't know about you guys but MIL's can be prickly. Enough said on that score.

My poor neglected fingers. Well they are semi cheerful becuase the laptop is fixed.

Over the next day or so I need to please my unhappy fingers. Handmade things will follow.

(*__*)

Wednesday 9 February 2011

one lonely sole

Pun intended. My fingers got to working with this puppy yesterday. I am pleased with how it turned out. Now if I can just make another to approximate this one I will have a pair. I have used this wool




In other news:

Last week my very old PC died. I later found out that it was just a fuse and phew, because I changed it yesterday and talk about in the nick of time as my less than a year old lap top decided to die this morning. Well what can I say. How would I get to Scrapsville via blogland with no computer access? I spoke to the nice Samsung people this morning who informed me that it was dead and needed to go in for emergency treatment. I have been told to expect a courier over the next day or so. That is rather lame as I could do with time and date. Oh well we will see. I will update with the adventures of my laptop as and when they develop.

Thanks for stopping by blogfriends remember your fingers like to be busy. Sit still for a while and let them have some fun.

X

Monday 7 February 2011

the facebook experiment and other happy ramlings

I have toyed with the idea of facebook for ages. I understand cyber space and enjoy some of its functions but facebook is in your face. I tried it. I don't fit in there. It felt overwhelming and I quickly came to the conclusion that I would be better off without facebook.

On the upside I have a very tidy house. I have spent the weekend in spring clean mode. I wonder how long it will last.

As for crafting, well my fingers have been busy, but with cleaning products, cloths vacuums and brushes in hand. Sometimes we need to slow down to catch up so that we can keep going. Hope that makes sense.

There endeth my happy ramblings.

Saturday 5 February 2011

another purse

I love quick projects. This knitted purse is a quick and simple crafting treat. I am part way through the second one. Here's the WIP:



And more of yesterday's creation in better light. Tis not great light. We need the spring.


Friday 4 February 2011

a knitted purse is not a distraction

much!  I should be tidying my house doing other household chores.  I should be but I have been knitting.  Yes knitting.  I have not knitted for ages, but I do love it.  I am knitting a coin purse for a swap on swapbot.  To be honest it needs its zipper and embellishments and I think it is done. Do I want to give it away?  (not 'cos I am mean like, just tis very purty and I love it, love it loveit!  Can I see me making another.  YUP!

Tis pinkylicious and small and cute:



Still feeling a bit yucky.  Hopefully mega rest today should do the trick.  The kids seem to be bouncing back. I am sure we should get there in another day or so.

Fingers need fun, let your fingers play today.

FINISHED



Thursday 3 February 2011

bluework embroidery

While resting yesterday my fingers were kept busy with bluework embroidery.  This craft is very simple.  It requires very little in the way of needlework knowledge, yet it is very effective and definitely relaxing.  I sat and sewed thinking of those ladies in the olden days before television and the other distractions.  The nimble fingered ladies who would ridicule my efforts. See what you think.  I really enjoyed it.  So much so that I worked from my own design inspired by Scandinavian florals.  I produced two samples for my swap partner.  I hope she likes them.







As for being sicky-boo.  We are still recovering. I do feel much better but I know I am germsy so I will keep the little foes to myself.  I don't feel 100% but I am improved upon from yesterday.  Thanks so much for your well wishes.

Wednesday 2 February 2011

bowled over

Thanks for your comments on my junk jounal.  I am having a blast with it.  Today I have been working on some bluework embroidery.  I will post piccies tomorrow when the light is better and I have to complete the gift album I have for the two members of our congregation that are leaving. I will share images from this project over the next day or so also. I have had the pictures processed now which means I can start with the cropping and pasting.  I am so excited.  I can't wait to see how the whole thing turns out.  I have had real fun getting back to paper crafting.

We are feeling much better today, but still not right.  I went back to bed this afternoon with Angelo and slept for well over an hour.  This just proves that I am sick.  I never ever do that.  Another early night is necessary.  This way I am giving my body the chance to recover.

Back to picture blogging tomorrow.

Tuesday 1 February 2011

not so icky

I went to bed really early and I have gotten up really early.  They do say 'early to bed, early to rise'.  Yep!

My head is very clear this morning.  I have a list of jobs to take care of;

shopping for hair products
photo printing
ingredients for soup
fruit

I have already cleaned and laundered.  There is more to do so off I go, but before I do I must share my most recent pages;