Halloween Wreath

I've gone a bit Halloween mad the last couple of days - I'm using the excuse that I have a young child but really I think the inner child in me is trying to get out! Anyway, I've seen loads of gorgeous Halloween and Autumn wreaths in blog land so it inspired me to have a go. First I covered a hoop in hessian (burlap) glueing it down with my hot glue gun (and I've got the burns on my fingers to prove it!). I made various fabric flowers in autumn colours and mixed them with silk flowers. I also added a couple of plastic spiders and bats to make it a bit more spooky. The witchy sign came from the local 99p shop to finish it off. I'm pretty please with how it turned out.

Flower Earrings

I've come across loads of tutorials lately for making pretty fabric flowers and decided to have a go - now I'm totally addicted to singeing the fabric. I made a couple of flowers for my daughter's hair first, then made these earrings for me. I am really pleased with the result - I think I'll be making these in lots colours. They're cute and give a quick crafty fix!

embroidered cardigan

Here's another recent project. I used some scroll designs from Embroidery Library and edited them using Stitch Era embroidery software so that the designs would stop at the collar. I also did some shirring (there is a great tutorial at Create & Delegate) around the collar and the back to give the cardi a better shape. I will definately be using these techniques again.

button necklace 2

I spotted these gorgeous buttons on ebay and just had to have them - I didn't know what I was going to do with them but I HAD to have them! (Do you get like that or is it just me?). Anyway, after making Bethany's button necklace, I thought I'd have a go at making one for myself. I chose 7 buttons, which was very tricky let me tell you; they are all so lovely. I just threaded a large needle with some gorgeous organza ribbon and started threading it through the holes; with the four hole buttons I did it twice in a x - I always stitch 4 hole buttons that way. When I finished I attached a clasp and there we have it!

button necklace

It's been a rainy dull day here so to keep Bethany & I busy I pulled out my button tin. She loves looking at all the colours and picking out her favourites. She asked me if we could make a necklace so I thought I'd give it a go. These are the buttons Beth picked out - interesting mix eh?

As I was making the necklace for a child, I decided to use shirring elastic threaded on a large needle. I've never made a necklace before so I was kind of making it up as I went along. I stitched through each set of holes twice to make sure the buttons were secure. At the end I went through the first button again to finish the circle.

Bethany just had to have the big doggy button on the necklace so I put it in the centre. She was pretty pleased with it as you can see. I think I need one now (minus the dog) ...

kid's embroidered drawing

Bethany, my 3 year old daughter drew this lovely picture of herself with me & daddy (the big one with the hairy chest!) the other day; it was so cute and funny I wanted to find a way to preserve it so I thought I'd have a go at digitising it into a machine embroidery design. First I had to scan it in, then I used "Digitize n Stitch" by Amazing Designs to convert it into a machine embroidery design. Finally I stitched it out on my Husqvarna QD2 using bright pink embroidery thread on cream cotton fabric. Now, I just need to find a frame to put it in but I'm really pleased with how it turned out. Me thinks the rest of the family might be getting embroidered Bethany portraits for Christmas!

thanks mum...

My lovely mum rarely goes anywhere without bringing me something back, even to the supermarket. When she took my daughter shopping on Wednesday whilst I was working this is the present she bought me - isn't it great?! It makes me smile everytime I look at it. Even my husband thought it was funny. Thanks mum...

Loads of jobs to do today, but I couldn't let the day pass without a little bit of craftiness.

I've had these lovely red photo frames for ages and the edges have started to chip slightly so I started off (with a little help from my girl) by covering the chips with nail varnish. I bought the feather butterflies from Poundland - I didn't have a use for them at the time but couldn't resist the gorgeous colours. I stuck them on a angles with some tacky glue and job done!

Love Stitched Giveaway from Little Miss Momma

Take a look at this fab giveaway on Love Stitched from Little Miss Momma. Two fantastic blogs and some gorgeous rings & hairslides. I love the Victoria Chrysanthemum Statement Ring with Dangling Heart Charm. So cute.

(Image from Little Miss Momma)

Sewing: Heirloom Cut Chenille Baby Blanket

(photo from Aesthetic Nest)

Take a look at this blanket on the latest blog I've discovered Aesthetic Nest - what a clever idea and the colours are great. Bethany would love this. Another project for my "to do" list!

Sewing: Heirloom Cut Chenille Baby Blanket

Thread Storage

I am addicted to buying embroidery thread but storing it has been a problem...until this display stand was donated to me.

Grey does nothing for me, so I gave it a couple of coats of magnolia gloss. I bought some wooden dowel rods from my local DIY shop and cut them at various lengths to accommodate the different size spools. I painted them too and knocked them into the holes, playing around with how close I placed them together. Then I prettied the stand up with some bits from my scrapbooking stash. I am so chuffed with the result; I even have a place to store my hoops and ribbons!

Oh and I nearly forgot, I had to add some embroidery somewhere so I stitched the "Keep Calm and Sew Stuff" design from Urban Threads and mounted it onto some thick cardboard. I love it love it love it!

Re-purposed Jewellery Board

Ok, so it turns out that I am really bad at posting. This doesn't come as a great surprise to me as I am always full of good intentions that don't last. But I have read so many great blogs lately it has prompted me to have another go.

So this is what I have been working on lately; a new place to store my ever increasing collection of jewellery. I aquired a couple of peg boards from a shop that was closing down. I knew they would come in useful for something someday!

I started by painting it with cream coloured gloss. Then I raided my stash of scrapbook paper and choose come pretty flowers to cut out. I applied them with Mod Podge (my first time trying this product and I think its great!). Finally I gave it a de-stressed look by using sandpaper around the edges of the board and voila! I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. Now I can see all my pretty necklaces in one place. Next I need one for my hats and bags!

In the hoop postcard

Well I had a couple of hours to myself this afternoon whilst Bethany was at playgroup so I thought I'd have a go at a fabric postcard. I'd seen them on Etsy and loved the idea, so I bought an "in the hoop" design from Embroidery Library. I found some pretty fabric from my stash and the great thing about these postcards is that you don't need very much material - a fat quarter will make loads of them!

I was pretty pleased with how it turned out, considering this is my first attempt at an "in the hoop" project and I've only tried applique a couple of times too. When it came to the back, I couldn't resist dusting off my box of rubber stamps. I knew I had a postage stamp one somewhere and when I found "You mean the world to me", I just had to use it. I can see another addiction coming on!

and it's still snowing...

I love to watch the snow fall, there is something so magical about it isn't there?... then the novelty wears off when I realise we've ran out of milk or something and I've got to go out and fetch it. Anyway at least today I have the new designs at Embroidery Library to drool over (http://www.emblibrary.com/). I love this site; apart from the fantastic new designs every week, they have some great tutorials and a gallery which always gets my creative juices flowing. My laptop is having a new hard drive fitted as we speak so hopefully Lily (my embroidery machine) will be up and running again soon. Until then I have been browsing through Flickr for more ideas - there are soooo many fabulously talented people showcasing their creations on that site and I've discovered some really great blogs that way too.

Whilst my laptop has been out of action I have had the chance to get back into crochet. I hadn't done any in years and there is plenty of room for improvement but I was pretty chuffed with how this little crown hat turn out for my daughter. She really likes the gem stones on it. It's prompted me to have a go at a waistcoat for myself and I've just won a vintage tank top pattern on ebay so thats another project to add to the list.

Welcome!

Thanks for stopping by to read my first post and Happy New Year to you! We've got off to a really chilly start in the UK and I'm told its going to get worse later this week so what a brilliant excuse to stay indoors and get crafty (not that I usually need an excuse)! I'm hoping to share loads of ideas instead of them just swimming around in my head and vanishing in the mists. I'm into most creative pastimes - sewing, cardmaking, scrapbooking, crochet - but my BIG passion is machine embroidery. I have a Husqvarna Quilt Designer 2 which I lovingly call Lily after my nan who was the queen bee of creativity! Lily and I share many a stolen hour in between working, doing the ironing, hoovering, toddler taming ... well you get the idea. Anyhow, my laptop is currently sick which means my embroidery exploits are limited at the moment because I can't download anything to my card so in the meantime, I'll have to show you some of my recent projects.