Cards with Button Embellishments

Examples of baby cards and a Christmas card using buttons from my store, created by my sister Sue

Merry Christmas card using a Theodore Cleave hand painted wooden button

Baby girl cards, using BG2143 -  Baby Girl flatbacks, BG301 - Baby Value Pack and DD1201-42 - Paper Tags with Aluminium rims

I am so lucky to be part of a large talented family, who all enjoy a variety of crafts which also include cooking and gardening.

Judy

Quilt and Owls

My sister Ann has been busy again and has sent me photos of her latest quilt.  It was a "Natalie Ross in Stitches" pattern called "Lullaby in the night sky".  Pattern was bought in my store Cat 'n Cart Crafts .

The colours are bright and cheerful and would look lovely in any child's room.  She also made some of my little owls, and it looks like she could not stop at one ... they are so easy.

Enjoy your day

Judy

Craft with Children

I had a wonderful weekend with the unexpected arrival of my brother and his family.  The children always like to come and play in my craft studio and be creative.
The first question asked was " Is the Craft Shop open? "  What this relates to is, are we able to make something?
Saturday morning the craft shop opened at 10:00 am and Thomas (6) was the first arrival.  He wanted to make an owl (see previous post here) and a bag.

He chose his fabric, pinned and cut out ... a study in concentration with the "big" scissors

All the children were able to operate the foot pedal of the sewing machine, while I steered.  It gave them an opportunity to control the speed, and use the machine without being in any danger.

Thomas sewed around his owl, turned right side out, stitched the running stitch for closure, after spooning in the pellets.  I controlled the hot glue gun for the eyes... and a cute little owl was made

Next the fabric was chosen for the bag, great Australian print, and we sewed again... drawstring was added, and he had a great little bag for all his treasures.

His hour was up, so the next to visit was Matilda (4) - she wanted to made a dog, cat and a owl ... wow, in 1 hour?  We compromised to begin with to make a cat, I can draw that ... she wanted pink ... fabric selected, sewing done, whiskers chosen... how cute is this cat?

We also had time to made a gingerbread man, with a stitched heart.  I put the needle in the fabric and she pulled it through.  All colour selections were made by her and she also did most of the stuffing. 

Next came Olivia (9), I had to have a coffee break, so I tempted her with a hot chocolate before we begun.

She had brought up a large pine cone, that she thought would make a owl, how right she was.  She went foraging in my craft supplies, found some small polystyrene balls for the eyes, used a black marker to colour in the pupil.  Cut out felt for the beak and tongue (cheeky).  It needed to be put on a stand.  One of my rusty bed springs was ideal, wound with some greenery, then glued onto a mdf board with was covered with fabric.  It is so cute, I am not sure if the photos do it justice, but it is wonderful.  The only assistance I had with this owl was to hot glue it onto the board, the rest was all created by Olivia.

She wanted to continue with the bird theme, so the crafts supplies were raided again, and this bright bird was the result, she even had to add some food 

I love working with the children as much as they love playing, the colour combinations and ideas that they have are so unique, so it was not just my nieces and nephew that had a great time, I did too...

Until next time

Judy

Still waiting

I am still here, pushed into a corner, please finish me.....I know I can look better than this!

Judy

More Covers

As always with new technology there are bits and pieces that we become dependant on for our business. Mine is a portable expansion drive - I have two.  One to backup my computer (essential) and another one that stores all my photos etc.
They have just been stored in the original boxes, however today they have a new home in specially made covers.

This burgundy one fits the 1TB seagate drive and has a little pocket on the outside back.

Back, showing pocket

Then I changed the design (as you do) to make a brown one for the 500 GB Seagate drive, this one has the pocket on the inside for the USB cable

Here are the pair of them, side by side. Very different, but each very useful.

A friend has asked me to make her a couple of loyalty card holders, so that will be another quick and easy project.   Pity about Ernie Elf who has been sitting neglected for two weeks, his body is made and sewn together, however he has no face or clothes. Poor Ernie!

Judy

Loyalty Card Holder

Do you have a number of loyalty cards from various shops?  I used to have them all in my wallet, until it broke and I had to buy a new one (wallet, that is), which did not have the capacity for all the cards.

So, today I made a couple of little holders, one for my coffee cards and the other for shop loyalty cards.
 
Two designs were trialled, one with a split ring so that it can be hooked onto my keyring or inside my handbag and the other just a little holder.

Which do you prefer?

Lucky they are only for me, as you can see that the front is showing the fabric the wrong way up, it is perfect on the back, he he

Judy

Fat Quarter Gift Bags

Are you like me, always looking for a new way to present small gifts.  I came across a quick and easy pattern to make a gift bag from a fat quarter and it also has two little hideaway pockets.  It is lovely and stable due to the way it is folded.  Are you intrigued?  Do you want to see mine?  Do you want to find the blog of the talented Australian lady who has the tutorial?

OK, I will not keep you in suspense ...

Photos of the first two I have made... let me tell you that many more are going to be made and put in my gift box

For a Sewing Friend

Xmas bag

This Christmas fabric bag is for my best friend, who like me, loves everything about Christmas

You can find the instructions here from Kelly Rachel at "em ay kay ee" - {Make}. 
Now the challenge, I dare you to make ONLY one!

Have fun
Judy

Ribbon Bookmarks

I mentioned in a previous post that I had made some ribbon bookmarks - they were such a hit with family and friends, that anyone that visited me last week, went home with one ...

Therefore while I was watching a movie on Friday night, I made about another dozen.  They are so quick and easy to make and they will make wonderful gifts to pop into a card.

Can you see them just hanging out of either side of the book I am currently reading.  I love Jodie Picoult, however I do not think this is one of her best.

I used instructions from The Answer Is Chocolate and have the ribbon clamps in store.  You could personalise them for your friends, with charms that reflect their interests.

Judy

Tiny Spool Trees

Tiny spool trees - these will make lovely desktop Christmas decorations. Maybe even use them with my handmade Santa's - Just playing ...

Wooden spools - wood stained, wrapped with fabric - greenery glued in  - these were the largest spools I had, but I think they would look better if the spools were taller?

Until next time

Judy

Hot Chocolate Cozy

My niece requested a "coffee cozy" for her hot chocolate that she purchases from the school canteen.  If possible could it be green with kangaroos.  After going through my fabric stash I came up with this ...



Front of Cover

Back - showing cute button

Judy

Two cards from La Mode Buttons

My sister Sue has created these two cards using the new La Mode buttons from my store - they are simply lovely and show how easy it is to use buttons as embellishments and accents.

Celebrate button - 21st card

Joy button - Christmas card

Thanks Sue for letting me show everyone how you used the buttons

Judy

Creative weekend (no photos)

Although I do not have the photos to prove it (yet) I had a very creative weekend.  The weather was wet, cold and miserable, so what better way to cheer myself up than to craft?

I finished -

• two coffee cozies
• five ribbon bookmarks  - The Answer is Chocolate
• two fat quarter gift bags - em ay kay ee
• four wooden spool christmas trees

It was too dull to take photos, either inside or outside, so will load them up later in the week.

Believe it or not, I also had time to do the housework, grocery shopping, bake, visit, process and post orders - all in all - a great weekend

Hope you had a great one also
Judy

A pretty 5 minutes

I have had a busy day on the computer, updating the online store. I have completed two boxes of products, and now only have two more to go.  However a day is not complete if you cannot do a little craft, even if it only takes 5 minutes, it is still counted, isn't it?

I purchased some magnetic needle cases, they were plain / boring, but not now. They went from this:-

to this:-

Much cuter, I think and a lovely little gift to give to sewing friends.  The graphic and idea came from Happybirds Crafting Haven  - thank you

Judy