More Christmas Makings

  First finished "Christmas make" this week is a "twist" scarf. it's long enough to wrap around the neck three times. Nice to wear with a jumper or a coat and there's no ends to try and tuck inside the front of your coat and get caught in the zip. Made in bright girlie colours to match the lovely bright girlie it's going to live with.

 Second I have made a "Daddy's little Angel" minibook, this is for carys' daddy to keep in his desk draw at work and remind what he's missing everyday when he's not with her.  

 

I made the minibook in a wrap around style (new to me) using more than a few sheets of Bazzill to make the cover and pages. The book measures just over 6x4.5", and stays closed with two magnets, hidden beneath the journal spot on the cover.

 Each page measures 6x4.5". I scored and glued each page at .5" on the width and stuck them firmly on top of each other, to form a side spine, so that the pages open with a fixed hinge effect. 

 The pages are held in the book with two large Stampin' Up brads, with a panel of CS on the back to cover the brad backs and add extra support. 

I used a new 6x6 pad of papers from Jillibean Soup, stickers and Journal spots from Jillibean Soup & October Afternoon

I also used some Journal spots and tags that I have made myself on the computer, embelishing them using a mix of stamps, punches and the sewing machine.

 

 

This stitched heart was inspired by something I had seen in Pinterest

 

TFL

Px

Carys Ann's Birthday Trip

 I wanted to add a few photos of our 1st Birthday trip to Seaview Bird World(Flamingo park or whatever they are calling it this week)

Here's the little lady in question on the morning of her birthday looking a little over whelmed with all the early morning photo taking and excitement from Daddy.

Neither Trav or I had been to Bird world before and really didn't know what to expect. I have to say I was amazingly impressed! It's a very well thought out animal park with plenty for little (and not so little, as you will see later) kiddies to do. There are human friendly birds wandering about all over the place, who enjoy being hand fed (by the brave) or will just happily follow you about as you scatter bird seed on the floor for them. There is a nice coffee shop but two large pic-nic areas, which we used both were under cover. The only part I wasn't too happy with was the size (or lack of) of the Grey Owls flight pen. Otherwise it was a brilliant day out!

 Friendly Ducks and Geese running about all over the place. 

We stopped in the activity centre to give Carys a chance to get out of her buggy and crawl about.

 She enjoyed the rocking green things

 as did Trina and Myself!

 Lunch was of the packed type, eaten under one of the large covered picnic area's

 we were joined by a large flock of Guinea fowl

 and a small cockerel that of course Trav just had to pick up!!!

 They have successful breeding programmes for 3 different types of Flamigo

 a large area for rescued pet parrots (many of whom sang or spoke to us)

 and my favourite of all three beautiful Otters who were extremely entertaining!

There was so much more than just this, if you are planning a trip to the island do make sure you plan a day at the Bird park in Seaview. it's well worth it!

Happy First Birthday Carys Ann

I can hardly believe it but Carys is one today!!!!!

  

 She is just so adorable and such a huge part of our lives, Every time we see her she has changed in some small way, standing most of the time now, it seems strange to see her upright ;) I think it won't be long before we see her walking about the house followed by a band of loving dogs (all waiting to see what she might drop for them to eat). We are off to the Zoo today to celebrate her birthday and then joining the rest of her family for a tea party this afternoon.

  

Part of Carys' present from us is this cozy I made a few weeks back. 

 

It's a simple repeated granny square blanket, small enough to use for a little one, but big enough to curl up under on the sofa for an afternoon nap with Mummy or Daddy as she grows.

I edged it with my favourite trim it's a quick and easy two stage stitch but I like it as it looks really effective.

TFL 

Px

A Mission to Handmake Christmas cont....

 I have managed to complete two more pressies for my Christmas gift box. 

A purple "twist" scarf and a pair of VERY pink slippers :)

I have already started another two projects so my little gift box is quickly filling up. I'm also wrapping as I go as one of my least favourite Christmas tasks is wrapping all the gifts, it's the one I always leave until the last minute.

Have a great Sunday, we are off to Appley Beach with all the dogs later this afternoon to meet up with loads of our puppies for our ninth "Cockers on the Beach" walk.

Newest Tattoo

I'm just back from the tattooist. Here's my latest piece of body art. I'm really happy with how it's turned, out I took my inspiration for it from a one similar one on pinterest but the lines of infinity were broken and I wanted my infinity lines unbroken so I had the original image changed slightly.


While there Sam found a beautiful Dragonfly in their art book and decided to add to her collection as well



It's so pretty, and so Sami.

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

My Mission to Handmake Christmas

So sorry to mention the C word, I know we are only just into October but I think if I am to succeed at my mission then i really need to get a move on.I have written out my "To Make" list and sourced all the patterns I think I will need (some bought from Etsy others downloaded free from Ravelry). I have a mix of slippers, scarfs, gloves and a pretty hat or two. My wool basket is brimming and ready for use and I just need to get a move on now with the actual "making" of things. I started with my pink slippers last week and was really happy with how they turned out so made two more pairs this week. the first is for Sam for her Birthday (just before Christmas) she has seen them as I needed her to try them on (they look freakishly small in the photo, but she has very nice normal feet I promise.

this pair are for her daughter Bea, if you look closely you can just see I have sewn a bee on one of the flowers. These slippers take about an evening for each one, but if I really focused (and ignored the other jobs about the house) I think I could complete a pair in one sitting. only seven more pairs to make!!!!!

I have also been thinking about my Christmas/Yule Journal, I ordered some papers the other day, not too many as I still have some left over from the last three years worth of JYC and JOY's. I'm still waiting for OA's new holiday range to be in the UK shops as I am buying the whole range!!!! i made a start on designing how I want the book to look as I am trying a different format this year and I also made up some dates to use on each page.

I just worked out how big the outer black circle needed to be, to fit outside my SU scallop punch and added a plain circle and a dotted circle inside along with a text box (grouping the whole lot together for ease of copying and moving). then I added numbers or words to each text box. Once I was happy with them I printed them out on red and kraft CS punched them out and bagged them ready to use. If you would like a copy of this file to use yourself drop me a comment (or an email) and I'll happily email it over to you.

I'm off to town now to get my new tattoo! Have a great Wednesday 

Px

Making pretty slippers

So after Tuesdays ugly slipper episode a have had another try at making my own slippers (with the view to make a few pairs for my handmade mission to Christmas) So rather than trying to sight make slippers from pictures on pinterest and ending up dissatisfied again. I found a lovely little shop on etsy and ordered three different patterns. They were emailed through to me within a few hours and last night, and this evening I have been happily hooking away to a very clear pattern for "sorrento ladies home slippers"

and here they are

Excuse the dark photo please. I took it with my iPhone.

I'm over the moon with how these have turned out and also very surprised at how easy the pattern was to follow. I added a ribbon tie purely because the first slipper I made is slightly too large but I can see where I made my mistake and made a much better job of the second slipper. I thought the flowers just helped make them pretty :)

• These are very comfy
• Lovely and warm
• Not a bit ugly!
• Defiantly not for the dogs to play with :)

So now I have about 7 pairs to make before Christmas is here!

TFL

Px

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Never buy UGLY Slippers again!

Make them instead ;) 

Ok all joking aside they really are very ugly! Now whether that's due to my crocheting skills (or lack there of) or the colours of chunky wool I had available in my wool basket yesterday I don't know? 

What I do know is:

• they are slightly too large (even after a hot wash and a go in the tumble dryer)
• It really hurts to walk on all those little knots
• they are UGLY ( Oh I said that didn't I?)

 I also know:

• I stayed up til 01.45 last night to finish them
• They are warm (that is their ONLY redeeming quality)
• I made them..... so I will wear them! Dammit!!!!
• I secretly want Bella to steal them and eat them ;)

 They are another find from Pinterest, and while I was really looking to make a pair of pretty ballet type slippers I don't think my pattern reading skills are that advanced yet. Although they had better get that advanced and quick as I have just ordered a few patterns from Etsy as I really can't wear these slippers for long....... they hurt!!!!

 Each slipper is made up from 6 granny squares (like you would ever want to know to make these yourself). I know that they aren't the same and that was done on purpose you see to make sure I always put the on the correct feet (as they are both the same) the one with the pink square "isn't RIGHT" get it?????

 Well now I have blinded you all with my Horridly UGLY slippers I thought a little puppy lOVe was required.......... Here's the Gang.

Bella-Donna

  (please chew my slippers)

 Gracie-Lou

 Diggory

and last but by no means the least my lovely baby girls (who are scarily now both 6!!!!) 

Suki-Su and Maggie-Mae

Have a great Wednesday!

TFL

Px

Crafting from Pinterest again. Happy Halloween

 Last year at Halloween I dressed up my back garden all spooky like and invited all the local kiddies in for a pretty handmade bag of treats and a scare :) I feel this year I will get just as many little dressed up callers as last so I thought I would make a start on the goodies I plan to handout.

Last years bags were time and stash consuming I can't really afford a big spend out on Halloween papers this year, so I spend a good few hours looking at tons of pins on Pinterest and found these little darlings. I haven't got a clue who made these originally as the Pinterest link is to a passworded website that I am not a member of.

I sorted through my scraps box and found all the colours of cardstock I needed along with six sheets of A4 brown card. 

Digging out my trusty Bigshot (the first ever real tool I bought way back in 2004) and the wonderful Top Note dye from Stampin' UP (gifted to me by a beautiful friend)

 I cut 24 Top Notes out of the brown CS

 and scored them all width ways, down the centre point. The black line you can see on my score board was so I could easily  lines up the Top Note points to the same score line.

 I then selected a range of punches

 and punched out 50 of each size circle and just a whole ton of hearts.

My first Owl face......... I was a little heavy handed with the glue, but it drys clear so no probs.

 I had made a whole stack of them in no time at all.

 Stuffed Owl

 Here they all are waiting for the end of the month. I do think I might have to make a few more as I have a feeling 25 won't last me very long. But as the only thing I have had to spend out for so far is the tin of chocolates (and they are half price at the moment) I think I can manage to make another batch.

 TFL