off the cuff

fabric wrist cuff...although it would look stellar on a coffee cuff
mmmm coffee... where was I?

In my further adventures of not doing the things I should be doing, I made this little fabric wrist cuff. What exactly I should be doing I have no idea, perhaps you can tell me, because I haven't got a clue. I have seen wrists cuffs on etsy (some pretty and some very expensive) , and looked at a tutorial that was sort of triangle shaped and that seemed not quite right. Then I thought I would just have a play around with whatever scraps of fabric were currently breeding dust bunnies on my desk.

it is slightly more even than it appears..
the book kept folding up on me...honest

The fantastic alphabet fabric was sent to me by the brilliant, talented and funny (funny ha ha not funny peculiar...although come to think of it...nevermind...) Jodie (of Ric-Rac infamy), yeah that one, and if you don't know her blog, get your bum over and have a look are her creations, with or without the mad scientist laughter. Anyhoo I think I may have lost the plot...I think I best go find a new one or at least a slightly used plot to upcycle into something else.

is it just me or does the big button look like a record?

Clarence the cat

say cheese!

Meet Clarence the Halloween Cat! He is a little bit shy but fancies himself a wildlife photographer...

Whoa... dude did you see that?

the only problem is he has this tendency to eat the mice he is supposed to be taking pictures of....His ambition is to have a coffee table book of nocturnal creatures. Unfortunately Clarence is deathly afraid of bats, owls, moths and spiders....

does my bum look big with this ribbon?

Did I mention Clarence is terribly vain, and likes to bathe in a mixture of coffee, vanilla and cinnamon?

primitive candy corn

I wish I had the real thing

This is my first foray into the world of primitive arts and crafts, though some may allude to my more primitive style to begin with. Its a muslin triangle machine sewn and filled with poly-fil, painted with acrylic paints, then dirtied up with a mixture of espresso grounds, water, cinnamon, and vanilla extract, and then baked in the oven for a bit. The whole house smelled like autumn, it was gorgeous. For a first attempt I think it turned out pretty good, and I may do some more candy corn to make a lovely Halloween display on the heart as Halloween is by far my most favourite holiday. I started a black cat in the primitive style as well but it has yet to be dirtied up and baked... I'm just happy to have the time and inspiration to craft again!

p.s. I wish I had some candy corn....

p.p.s. I did not make any typing or spelling errors on this blog post... shocking isn't it?

recycled t-shirt cushion

more fun with old t-shirts

More crafting with H's old t-shirts.. I was going to make some more knotty t-shirt yarn but the graphics on the front of some of his shirts won't pull out into yarn so I thought I would try something different with them. They are wonky and the tiger was quite close to the neck of the green shirt so that make it difficult to salvage, but for my first cushion cover it looks OK (from a distance).

I hope H likes it when he returns home, It's meant to go into the shed/summerhouse which is being built today, despite the fact it feels freezing out. I have a few more old shirts of H's to play around with and see what I end up with. I didn't use a pattern I just put them together and they were the right size for a small cushion I had so I turned the small patchwork of t-shirts into a cushion cover. I had thought about a throw as I saw a t-shirt throw on etsy last year and the idea must have stuck in my little brain.

I'm freezing... I need a coffee... take care you lot that still read my ramblings.

of teddy bears playing guitars and little chicks

zippered pouch

*trumpet* do you see this here? this is a zippered pouch and I sewed it! its wonky but straighter then most of the other things I have been making, and I am pleased as punch that it turned out so well for one of H's little school friends birthday party this weekend. Its not lined, give me a bit before I even attempt to do a zippered pouch that is lined but I think it turned out fab. M says I shouldn't have given it away, that I should have sold it in my etsy shop instead. I can only hope that it will be well received by the little girl. H has requested that I make him a zippered pouch for his treasures with the small scrap of robot fabric he has been eyeing in my modest fabric stash.

zippered pouch at a different angle with one of my mini moo cards

H and I also made this little lavender and rice warm bag for his "buddy" at school. She leaves to go to junior school and H is sad and asked if we could make her something special to remember him by. I think that about broke my heart it was such a nice thing for him to want to do. He picked out the fabric, and helped me to sew it on the sewing machine, and then he scooped out dried lavender and rice to fill it up, as it had to be just the right amount. We will be working on teachers gifts later this afternoon when he gets home from school.

chick lavender and rice warm bag

The last few weeks seemed to have been very long and stressful but today had been a good day and have Book Group later tonight. which is a good excuse to have a chat over a nice cup of coffee and to try to ignore the fact that Friday is H's last day of reception year. That means I best start thinking about activities to fill the summer days.

cute chicks

blue needlebook

little blue needle book

A little blue needle book made for no particular reason at all, inspired by a scrap of blue Laura Ashley fabric that was just big enough to make the needle book. The button is a vintage one from my little jam jar of vintage buttons. I had meant to do a lovely long post about the swap goodies I received but H has come home early from school with a tummy ache and I must go tend my poorly little man.

from tin can to penholder

pen holder

behold a little pen holder, my brain possibly may have ran away at the time of its creation the other day, but I think it's turned out rather nice and functional too. Its a small coffee tin (Waitrose espresso) covered with a vintage dictionary page that I sewed three fabric tear shapes onto, and stamped the words "...three tears like bitter jewels..." I'm not entirely sure why but that's what popped into my brain when I dragged my stamps out, so that is what I stamped. Its glued to the can with some multipurpose glue

pen, scissors, knitting needle,and random twig holder might be more appropriate name

Ahem..... anyway it works

the 50's B Movie Swap (what I sent)

vampire kit needle book

My partner for the 50's B Movie Craft Swap was Juanita who is utterly fabulous and I was in a terrible tizzy over what to make her for the swap. I was full of ideas and inspiration, and the swap was my idea in the first place so I wanted to make something that was fantastic. OK maybe not fantastic but something that Juanita would be happy to own and not hide away in a dark corner with only a 5 legged spider, a dead fly, and a dustbunny for company.

inside the needle book

Ok I probably made up that last bit about the dustbunny. I doodled in my sketchbook, and decided to make a needle book with a vampire theme, I sat down and figured out what I wanted to do and then I made the needle book, its a bit wonky (mostly the stamped words are too far to the left to be perfect) but I loved the wonky black lines and the gingham drop of blood. I really wanted to keep it for myself, and I may just have to make another one for my etsy shop (do you think you might be interested in that dear readers?) The next thing I made was a painted page of a B-Movie Scream Queen, the illustration turned out better than I dreamed it would.

B- Movie Scream Queen

And because I'm a dunce I forgot to photograph the the third thing I sent, a little felt alien head pin that I stuck on a headband/alice band. That little alien was a complete bugger to get made as I had never really used felt before and it is rather small, but the hairband was simple to make, its really just a piece of ribbon sewn together with a hair tie. I may have to make another one or at least a little tutorial, but I'm all out of ribbon at the moment.

everything I sent Juanita
(I forgot to take pictures so snagged this from her blog)

I'll show you what Juanita sent me tomorrow as the pictures I took don't do it justice, but if you can't wait you can have a snoop on the flickr group for the swap.

Vintage Doily Warmbag

vintage doily warm bag

Today I made this and uploaded it to my etsy shop, I think that has got to be a first, I'm never that organized. I think it looks great, anyway and maybe if it sells I can buy a new note book or journal, because a girl can never have too many notebooks, or pens!

needlebook for Vintage Violet

needle book for Vintage Violet

I made this little needle book yesterday while H watched X-Men Evolution. I was really inspired to get this done as Megan was mooning over the fabric on her blog the other day. I left a comment on her blog saying I make her something with the fabric in exchange for some of her hoard of vintage buttons. She agreed to the swap even after my dire warnings of my wonky sewing abilities.

The button is a vintage red button from a previous order from Megan's haberdashery shop (go on you know you want to visit), so knew the button would be perfect for the needle book. I love the wonky lines of the black thread on the needle book, I think it looks fab, and I really like creating needle books, its been fun and is a small item to craft that leaves me inspired and not frustrated. I have a few ideas for a few more when I receive the fabulous Alice Wonderful fabric tape I ordered from Lilla lotta, and the cute fabric I ordered from Matatabi.


I wish I had ordered more from each shop but I promised M I would be careful with my ordering and not spend more than what I sell in my etsy shop. So in that case I will be adding a few more items to my etsy shop very soon!

Vintage Doily Needlebook

vintage doily needle book

I admit its probably a scrap of lace, not specifically a doily but I'm still over the moon with how this little needle book turned out. This is by far the neatest sewing I have done so far, which isn't to say its very neat but its getting there. The fabric is the same linen and cotton blend that I have been using for my warm bags, the inside of the needle book has beige felt and a blue with white polka-dot cotton fabric. The red button is from Megan, and I may need to hit her up for some more vintage buttony goodness very soon.

inside the needle book

poison apple

one poison apple

I'll admit its quite happy looking for a deadly poisonous apple, but that's its charm and allure. Its my first attempt at making a plush fruit, and though its far from perfect, there is a charm to it. its filled with polyfil and some rice and dried lavender to weigh down the bottom (it could be used as a pin cushion or paperweight. the stem is a small twig that H found for me awhile back and I had promised him that I would craft something with it. The leaf is a scrap piece of green felt with vintage button detail.

Its a poison apple due to my obsession with writing my Poison Apple tree fairy tale, which I keep putting off finishing because I'm afraid it will turn out to be a terrible story, whether it is bad or not it will seem so to me. I keep going back to the theme over and over again, I have embroidered, painted, doodled, and painted the tree several times, and I have an idea that it could turn into a fantastic quilt if i god talk someone into helping me turn it into a quilt. But the story must be finished first. Oh and then there was that silly promise I made to Katy about getting a small tattoo of a curling black apple tree branch with two blossoms and a wee apple. (I'm a coward like that is ever going to happen? unless Katy drags me *looks about worriedly*)

I need to get some red fabric though to make it more true to the story in my head, in my heart, and half written on my writing blog (and a bit more saved in a file on my little laptop. And paint the stem of the apple black, and a few more details I haven't figured out how to make perfect yet.

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edit: I just recipeved this beautiful stamped silver pendant in the post from simply*u*jewelery that I won from papernstitch blog giveaway. I asked for "poison apple" to be stamped on the pendant and here it is, draped over my plush poison apple, perfect!

poison apple stamped pendant from simply*u*jewelery

One Red Tear

Today I have been messing about with different vintage book paper, scraps of fabric,lace, pen, pencil, and a small bit of embroidery too. It went a bit funny along the top and I'm not sure I like it but it is something creative right? I may leave it alone for a day or two and then look at it again and see how I feel, I do like the different textures of fabric and paper, so it definitely merits another go at mixed media some time soon, and its been ages since I did any book page paintings.

There is still time to sign up for the Attack of the 50's B-Movie Swap so please sign up, you know you want to!

Misanthrope Owl

he may be vaguely cute and cuddly but really he hates you. OK so maybe he isn't altogether that cute and cuddly but he is a softie/toy/plushie whatever you may call it...the first I have really attempted to make, and he was started weeks ago, and hidden away in a dark box due to my frustration in not getting him just right. he still isn't perfect but at least he is finished and no longer hidden in a box of jumbled craft supplies.


He is made from some small pieces of fabric I had lying around, the grey is from an old skirt, I used the same material to make H's owl lavender and rice warm bag, the fabric on his back came from the owl swap so it was only fair that it be part of a little owl. The little tag is a bit of ribbon Katy sent and the buttons for his eyes are from Megan's Vintage Haberdashery shop.

He is wonky, which is probably why he is such a misanthrope. Hopefully the next attempt goes better than this one... whenever that is.

p.s. if you haven't already signed up for the Attack of the 50's B-Movie Craft Swap please sign up!!!!!!!!!

tattoo lavender and rice warmbag

Sewn using the smallest piece of tattoo fabric cut from the edge of the half yard of fabric I bought on Bainbridge Island, WA. I was too cowardly to cut a larger piece just yet so practiced with a small piece and made this small lavender rice warm bag, a perfect little warmer for your hands or small aches and pains. I plan to make another with the fabulous tattoo fabric, I think I may be in love with it its so cool, and far less painful that a real tattoo, unless I manage to sew my fingers together. Which is always a possibility with me.


I started the bag with the intent that I would make it for Katy, in the umpteenth time I have attempted to make a present for Katy and it ending up being not quite right. I'm probably my own worst enemy in that regard, and imperfect perfectionist, if such a thing even exists it most definitely is me.

M thinks this is one of the best ones I have done, I mumbled that its off center as it was on the edge of the fabric, he said he liked the stars along the edge. Which I guess I do too, I may be popping it in my etsy shop a little later and see if anyone is interested in it. I suppose I best go get something useful done in the mean time, like putting the kettle on, a very useful thing.

things to do with doilies when you're dead

linen scarf with vintage doilie

well obviously not really dead because one would assume it would be very hard to sew what with the rigamortis and all....ahem..anyway...

I have had this idea bumbling around in my head for ages, since I found a vintage doily at the little junk shop at Cromford Mill, that I would make something with it. I wasn't entirely sure what it would be I thought about maybe a little tote bag, but then the idea for a scarf started forming in my wee little brain. I wasn't sure exactly how to start and dithered around before deciding today would be the day.

I'm really pleased with how it turned out, though I don't know what to do with it, keep it or give it away as a present or sell it, though I'm worried it wouldn't really sell as I'm not remotely the best seamstress. The buttons are vintage mother of pearl from Vintage Violet's Buttons, a fantastic Folksy shop run by the lovely Megan. The scarf needs photographing around someones neck (not mine) and possibly a better ironing job than I did in my hurry to get it photographed in the fading light.

back home and back dated crafts

tea towel drawn by H and hand stamped with a little help

Were back from our holiday to visit my parents in Idaho, jet lagged all to hell and H currently having a major hissy fit as there is cheese on his sandwich...? We had a great time, though not enough of it and I will blog pictures later on in the week when I have stolen them from M, and can be bothered to sort them out. For now I will show you a few things I made the week before going away and didn't have a chance to blog.

lavender and rice warm bags hand stamped with Pappy and Grammy

H helped sew the lavender and rice bags, picked out the fabrics himself, and filled them with the aforementioned dried lavender and rice, then together we stamped the ribbon with "PAPPY" and "GRAMMY" least they forget, as well as getting him to draw a picture to trace onto a simple cotton tea towel from ikea, and then stamped it with my alphabet stamps and fabric ink.

a slightly better picture of the warmbag for my Mother

A few days before heading to the airport was my friend Flamesparrow's birthday, so in an effort to cheer her up I sent her a parcel of books, with a homemade card (which I think is one of the best I have ever done) and a small faceted onyx bracelet. The parcel didn't arrive until we were at our airport hotel so i never blogged about them either. I suppose I could have set the posts to post at certain dates then things would have been secret until my creations were in the hands of who there were meant for but the week before going away was chaotic to say the least.

onyx bracelet for flame

I know in my last post I promised a giveaway, but you will have to give me a few days as I have nothing made to actually giveaway. I did buy some crafty treats, fabric and stamps while away so I do have supplies to make some lovely things, and hopefully inspiration to get them made as well. And I have a lot of writing to do to, somebody kick me up the backside please, in a day or two though when I'm not so lethargic and jetlagged.

Flamesparrow's birthday card

Alphabet Stamps

Alphabet stamp set, fabric ink, natural cotton ribbon, and fabric all from Karaku. I ordered these last week and they arrived Thursday and I am absolutely besotted with everything. The fabric, and the fabric scraps are adorable, and the first bits of fabric I have ordered online, I have been experimenting with the alphabet stamps and fabric ink for the tea time swap, though I can't show you what I have been making yet. There may be spies reading my blog. *looks around paranoid*

scrap Japanese fabrics ordered

more scrap Japanese fabric

H says he wants the robot one made into a lavender rice warm bag, its a secret who its for but I think I can guess it will go no farther than his room. I don't know what I will do with the rest of the fabric, probably more lavender sachets, door hangers, owls, and lavender rice warm bags.

the lovely fat quarter of Spool fabric

I would really love to make little zippered pouches and small bags, but my brain doesn't always interpret tutorials well, I love to read them and look at them, and if there are enough pictures something clicks in my brain and translates what I have seen and read into something I can understand. Which I'm not sure anyone else would understand but I guess that would probably just be me.

lavender sachets for Out Framed

Hey look aside from drooling over all of the Japanese crafting goodies I have actually done some crafting the last few day. Only a small amount of lavender sachets for Out Framed Gallery. Tomorrow I have a huge to do list for getting crafty things done next week, but its Mothering Sunday today and I'm not starting any projects that I know I won't finish. Happy Mother's Day!

OMG I never posted my Owl Swap Goodies!

Owl Banner across the hearth

It comes to my attention that I am a complete scatterbrain, I'm sure many of you dear readers will have come to this conclusion all by yourselves. I was comepetely over the moon when I recieved my owl swap parcel from Hope, I took pictures and I carried everything around the house with me, I uploaded pictures to flickr and promptly forgot to actually blog what I got! As Homer Simpson would say..."D'oh".

a close up of the adorable owl banner

Hope made me this adorable owl banner, in lovely brown cream, and natural colours, with little orange beaks, on their tummies are little letters spelling out Apryl. Along with the banner I got all the lovely goodies you see below, an Owl journal, an owl stamp, adorable little owl note cards, stickers, an owl printed in green on a canvas tote, and as my treat (as if all the rest of that wasn't enough) some fabulous squares of fabric. I think they are quilting squares but as I don't quilt and only use small pieces of fabric in the things I sew they shall make for some fantastic crafting.

yummy goodies

That pink wood grain fabric is my favourite, I think, though I'm not even the biggest pink fan. What did I send Hope in return, well.... erm.... I have one photo of the little Owl Hanger I sent her, but I was in such a hurry to get everything sent off in time I completely forgot to take pictures of the chocolate, few bits of trim, fabric and the bracelet I made and sent her. I know I'm useless.

little owl hanger I made for Hope