}

Sunday 30 October 2011

Scraptacular

Finally, after many months of cutting and piecing, cutting and piecing....

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I have a quilt top!

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I am super nervous about quilting and binding it (this being my first quilt and all).
Note to self....

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You can find the pattern (yes there is a pattern - as higgledy piggledy as it is) HERE.

Sunday 23 October 2011

Things to do on an Autumn day

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Head Outside....

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Find an oak tree....

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Collect some acorn cups, yes, just the cups!

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Roll some felt balls...

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and pop them in the cups!
We have these hanging all over the house, and boy do kids like to make felt balls.
If you have a minute, collect some sticks too, any sticks will do, and voila, no plastic bobbins required.

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To Make Felt Acorns, you will need:

100g of roving wool (any colours)
Acorn Cups
PVA glue
Soap
Water
Lots of little hands

1/ Pull the wool apart and gather a small amount, roll it gently between your palms until it forms a loose ball.
2/ Dip the ball in warm water and gently squeeze off the excess, then add a tiny bit of soap to the palm of your hand, and roll, and roll and roll. Gently at first, you will see the soapy felt ball coming together nicely, as it gets firmer you can apply a little more pressure to your rolling.
3/ Set the balls aside to dry. Once dry, paint a little PVA glue to one end and push into the acorn cup, leave to dry.
4/ Dangle them hither and thither from every hook and cranny, make a sweet garland or attach little paper labels to make perfectly prettyfull name settings (we like this one best - a perfect Sunday Dinner special).

To Make the bobbins, take one stick, some floss, and wind.... easy peasy.

Tuesday 18 October 2011

Reconnecting

Oh my! It has been a while... is anyone still here?

I have been tentatively thinking about returning to my wee blog for a while, for despite the lack of blog posts the crafting has continued, and life too, as it does. So I have much to share over the coming weeks.
I got a little bogged down with projects and swaps before. I have decided I am a terrible swapper and will not be partaking in anymore swaps, my life is simply too topsy turvey to be committing to such endevours, as I invariably end up flaking out and letting someone down.

Also, I realised that though I have been "making" for sometime, so few of the things I have made stay with me. So I am focussing right now on finishing up a swap I am very late with and completing a couple of gifts that will be flying to their new homes soon.
Moving forward, I am working on much slower projects, projects with no deadline (for the most part), so I can enjoy the process of making, no rush, just taking my time. I feel quite relieved now that I have made this decision and slowed down. Life is full of deadlines, I think that creating should be seperate from that, at least for now.

Anyways, my blog looks a little different and for this I must thank the very lovely Clare Owen who kindly designed my new banner and buttons, aren't they sweet? I am delighted with the result of her handiwork, what a talented bunny she is! You can see more of her work here and she sells her lovely artwork HERE.

I haven't picked up my camera since my last blog post, so the summer was missed, via the lens at least. I am marvelling at the fresh burst of colour that Autumn has brought, nature is clever that way, just as the weather turns and the chill in the air forces us to pull on extra layers, nature turns with a brilliant show of warm hues, cosy oranges and deep reds, crisp leaves turned brown, dancing in the wind, the last dance, before winter.

I am enjoying Autumn this year, normally I grieve for Spring and Summer, this time I am embracing it. I am liking leaves right now, alot.

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I feel better and more alive, the rest was good, it's good to be back.