I’m enjoying my 3-week-long Christmas holidays IMMENSELY! Who wouldn’t want to be a teacher?!? We’ve been back in the UK for the whole time, visiting our families in Staffordshire (mine) and Devon (the in-laws), and celebrating New Year at a hotel in Cheltenham. We’ve had a wonderful time over here, and it’s going to be pretty hard to get back into the routines of ‘real life’ when we go back to Düsseldorf tomorrow.
I have to say, though, it will be nice to get back into my crafting room! Being away from home for so long, I haven’t achieved very much crafty-wise. I only brought some knitting needles and a little bit of yarn with me. So, my crafting has been on a very small scale (hence the title of this post).
I found a fantastic tutorial for little knitted knot brooches on the Cornflower Blue blog. I’d tried lots of different ways of making knitted ‘BOWS’ prior to finding this tutorial, but they all turned out looking not-quite-right after I’d tied them (even my mom, who’s the world’s best bow-tier, couldn’t get them to look good). But these ‘KNOTS’ tie up easily, and sit really neatly when they’re attached to a pin and then to a cardie! So, I've been making lots and lots of bow brooches while we’ve been away. My favourite (of course) is a red one! And here it is (looking christmassy) on my favourite green cardie.....
My other mini-project has been making up the freebie gift that came with the latest issue of ‘Mollie Makes’ – a Belle & Boo needle case.
It took about 10 minutes to make, and is cute, Cute, CUTE!!! Definitely my favourite magazine freebie to date! I fell in love with the orangey-red cotton I found in my mom’s sewing basket (and it looked great against the turquoise felt), so I decided to add a little something extra with it, and embroidered a little ‘C’ for ‘Carly’ in the corner. Here’s my finished needle case.....
If you haven’t seen Belle & Boo stuff before, by the way, you should check it out. I think you might like it!
Although it’s not actually a ‘crafty project’, I also wanted to show you these.....
I had a mooch through my nan’s button tin, and picked out these beauties! Every time I visit her, there seem (magically) to be more buttons in her collection. This time, these red, brown and creamy-coloured ones caught my eye.
Well, that’s all I’ve got for this show-and-tell. Until next time.....
Carly
x
Hi Carly,
ReplyDeleteThe needle case is lovely, I've been thinking of making myself one and you've decided me! Also, I love the buttons, I've inherited my mum's button tin and I love to look through and pick out ones I remember from my childhood. I haven't bought Mollie Makes because of the cost but now see there's a magazine starting called The Art of Quilting. Oh dear. Maybe I'll just buy it sometimes.
Take care,
Love Emma xxx xxx
Dear Carly,
ReplyDeleteI wish you a very happy, peaceful, creative and EXCITING new year! I am so glad you have had a good break. Where near Cheltenham were you? One of my sister's lives there; fabulous part of the world.
Good luck with the return to normality. Usually the comfort of finding one's own space again outweights the disappointment of the mundane, hopefully! ;-)
I love Mollie Makes! It really perks me up when it arrives! I've also found that my two week Christmas break has been good for me craft wise. I have loads of new projects and ideas on the go and 3 blog posts partly written already! Sometimes your brain needs a break :)
ReplyDeleteHi Carly, I dont think I would want to go back to work after a long lovely break like that!
ReplyDeleteI love buttons too and have recently bought lots from charity shops/antique places.Havent quite thought about what to do with them yet but I do like looking at them.
Love that little bow! So clever!
ReplyDeleteOh my, that bow is adorable! And so is that needle case!! Is that cute illustration on cardstock?! Brilliant!!! Those buttons are great too! This post was filled with eye candy. Delicious.
ReplyDeleteI love your little bow! It's sooooooo cute! You should definitely put some of those in your shop :)
ReplyDeleteHappy 2012!
Thank you for your lovely comment over at mine. Tea and cake sound good! I've finished Laura's Handmade Life and enjoyed it. I'm jealous of where she lives though!
ReplyDeleteLove Emma xxx xxx
Just found your sweet little blog...oh how I love Molly makes.....living in Canada we always get the issues a few months behind....still looking for the Christmas issue.
ReplyDeleteOff to take a peek around....happy weekend.
Very cute bow, I could think of so many uses for those (shoes?!) and button tins...just can't enough of them! Very kind of Nan to let you mooch too :) x
ReplyDeleteHello!
ReplyDeleteThank you for popping by!
I think you can follow me by adding me to your side bar......
Happy blogging!
I've just updated!
Melx
Gorgeous needle holder! Looks like you will be very busy with all your crafty books! Thanks for your lovely comment on my blog:)
ReplyDelete