Doodle Stitch Along (week 3)

Hello again! I was a super lucky girl this Christmas and got lots of really awesome craft books including Amiee Rae's 'Doodle Stitching Motif's' book which I have fallen in love with! However having not done any freehand embroidery before I wanted to get some practise in, and as luck would have Amiee and her friends over at Lark Crafts are doing a doodle stitch along with a magical woodland theme!

Every week there are a few patterns to choose from, I missed week's 1 & 2, but have done both week 3 patterns and will hopefully ctach up. I am stitching mine into squares for a mini-quilt but there are loads of fab examples of what else to do in the flickr group and on Amiee's blog.

Here's my week three!

Scalloped Table Cloth

Hello All, have been doing quite a bit of making and sewing this week, but quite a few bits are presents so have to keep them secret for the moment. I did have a go at a really easy technique for scalloping I found in my sister in law to be (the crazy gecko)'s book collection. I plan to make a few more scalloped edged things soon so will make a tutorial to share as I go!

Christmas Blog Update

Hello All! It has been a little while in the making, buit I have returned, with a newly edited and decorated blog. There's still a few technical difficulties to overcome, but for now here's a few Christmassy pictures from my house to keep you going!

Present for Lily

Some of my lovely friends are moving this weekend so fingers crossed it all goes to plan, their new house is gorgeous. My wonderous friend Eartha also has a big work day coming up - am sure she will be wonderful so lots of love for her too xxxxxxxxx

I also spotted the most wonderful felt sewing machine on 'A Beautiul Mess' for sale for $50! Sadly with postage this is a bit much for the UK, so I figured I would recreate one, here's my effort! Will be winging it's way to my pretty niece soon so she can have fun copying her talented mummy (check out *the crazy gecko* for her makes)

That's all for today, off to eat curry! K xx

Ribbon Hair Bands

Happy Saturday! Have felt wiped out all day but did pop out to get some new buttons and ribbon for a secret project, and while I was there I picked up some extra ribbon and more buttons for these:

If you fancy making your own here are some brief instructions:

1. Measure your head, mine was 56cm.
2. Cut your ribbon, I cut 40cm, you could take away 15-18cm from your head measurement for yours, for kids perhaps 10cm.
3. Cut a piece of elastic, mine was 12cm, you could take away 4-5cm from the remaining distance around your head, 3cm for kids.
4. Stitch the elastic to the ribbon using a sewing machine, more stitches = stronger join.
5. Select some felt/some other ribbon/some buttons and hand stitch this over the join to make it neat. My decoration sits behind my ears slightly so is hidden from the front but visible from the sides.
6. There you have it, a completed headband!

Will share the rest of the buttons later! Kx

Tea & Art

Hooray it's UK Bank Holiday, does mean I have to go back to work tomorrow after an ultra long 6 weeks of nothingness, fabric and baking but I am kind of ready now! I apologise in advance for my lack of posting for a few days, we have guests and I always get a bit snowed under when going back to work.

Anyway, yesterday we took my lovely mans parents to London to have a look at the BP portrait competition in the National Portrait Gallery and for some lovely food in HIX. Both are highly recommended, will certainly be going back to HIX for some drinks soon, they have an amazing underground bar, really relaxing and serves punch! How fun :)

I really so many of the portraits, these 2 (by Tony Noble and Miriam Escofet) stood out, although I ended up voting for an amazing Oil on Wood by Raphael Rodrigeuz, if I could find a decent picture I would show you it too! Our guests are total tea addicts, so I also made them some tea flavour biscuits, they taste like you have just dunked them in tea and control their withdrawl symptoms pretty well! If you want to make them just whip up any standard shortbread recipe and add the contents of 2-3 teabags when adding the flour! Earl Grey and Chai are amazing, still need to try the rest of my tea collection!

Charity Shop Finds

Hello all, has a nice last holiday day charity shopping and baking! Black forest cupcakes and new jumpers make me very happy!






Are the stars amazing or what!