Salt Dough Handprint Decorations

It's Christmas Eve!!!  

I just wanted to get in one more post before Christmas.  And I saved my favourite christmassy make 'til last.  It was my favourite because it was a joint craft project with Bo - his very first craft project!

We made salt dough decorations, with Bo's teeny-weeny handprints on them, for family Christmas pressies. 

Here they are.....

I wanted to do something to preserve them, so that they'll last year after year.  So I gave them a couple of coats of acrylic varnish.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the varnish will make them last a long, long time! 

Of course, I made one for us too - and hung it on our tree.....

Now, all I have left to say is MERRY CHRISTMAS to you all!!!  

And see you in 2015.....

Hugs,

Carly

X

Baby Elf Hat

Ooops!!!  I just noticed that my last post was almost 2 months ago.  That's shameful, isn't it?!?  I've been a very BAD blogger!!!  I hope Santa hasn't noticed, otherwise I may well be getting coal in my stocking this year!  Just in case Santa happens to follow crafty blogs, I'm going to try to be a GOOD blogger over the next few weeks.....

Probably even more shameful than my lack of blogging recently has been my lack of crafting!  After Bo was born, I didn't touch my sewing machine, crochet hooks, knitting needles or pretty-paper-stash for months.  Then, about six weeks ago, I picked up where I'd left off all that time ago (though it only seems like 5 minutes ago), and started some serious crafting again.

So now I have lots of show-and-tells in the pipeline.

For today, I wanted to show you a little baby elf hat that I made for Bo. It was the first crafty project I managed to finish since our little elf's arrival.

Here it is.....

I sort-of made it up as I went along.  I couldn't find a pattern that was just right for what I wanted.  I made a similar hat for a friend last Christmas (which you can see here).  It looked very cute when I'd finished it, but it was a bit small and not quite the shape I'd hoped it would be when it was on.  So, for Bo's, I did my own thing.  It doesn't look as cute off, but better on (if you know what I mean).  

You can see for your self how it looks on, anyway.  Next time, I'll share some photos that I took of Bo in his elf hat.  

Until then.....

I hope you're all keeping warm and well, and getting lots of christmassy crafting done!!!

Hugs,

Carly

x

Another 'Little Geranium' Dress

Well, there are so many show-and-tells I want to do on here at the moment (and so many of your wonderful blogs that I need to catch up with).  But there just doesn't seem to be any time for anything at the moment.  Where is time disappearing to???  I think it might be that, when we get home from school at 5:00 in the evening, it's already properly dark - and so feels like bed time!?!

Not that I'm complaining about the dark nights.  They mean, after all, that Christmas is coming.  And they mean long, cosy evenings watching festive movies in the glow of the candles and Christmas tree lights.

Today's post isn't a christmassy one, though.  I just wanted to show you another 'Little Geranium' dress I made for our friend's beautiful little girl.  You can see my first attempt here.  And here's attempt number two.....

I was pleased with it.  The only problem was that I now want a dress for MYSELF in these exact fabrics and colours!  :-)

See you all again soon.....

Carly

x

Bags of Bags

So, tomorrow's Christmas Fair day at school.  I think I'm all set to go.  Everything's packed up by the front door, and I'll be setting up my stall during lunch break.  Does anyone else feel stupidly nervous before craft fairs???

Here's another quick show-and-tell of what I've been making, in preparation for the fair.  Today's 'topic' is bags.....

A grey, yellow and white stripy one:
      

A white, red, turquoise and grey spotty one:

A green, yellow, brown and white spotty one:

A turquoise, blue, lime and brown stripy one:

And an orangey-red, lime and yellow one: 

My favourite's the turquoise, blue, lime and brown stripy one.  I want to keep it.  Is that bad?  I may have to sneak it off my stall and keep it for myself.  We'll see how the willpower goes tomorrow.....

These bags were all made from the 'Buttercup Bag' pattern, from Made by Rae.  You can download the (brilliant) pattern for free here, and you can buy a license to sell them if you wish to do so.  

I'll let you know how the fair goes..... 

Bye for now!

Carly

x

Baby Quilt Christening Gift

I have another crafty show-and-tell for you today.  It's another quilt!  

A friend wanted a special christening present for her soon-to-be Godson, and commissioned me to make a fleece-lined quilt with the baby's name on it.  She didn't want it to bee 'too babyish', as she wants him to be able to carry on using it for some years to come.  And she wanted it to include some dark blue fabrics and star motifs, to tie in with other things he already has in his bedroom.  

With such a special gift to make, and such a specific brief, I was pretty nervous about how it would turn out.  But, in the end, I was really, really happy with it.  So was my friend.  And so were the parents of her new Godson.  Phew, phew and phew!!!

Here it is:

  

To begin with, I wasn't sure about appliqueing the name on. I was worried that it would spoil the 'overall look' of the quilt.  What do you think?  Does the name add or detract???  I'd be grateful for any comments on this.....

Carly

x   

Sewing for Mom

In my last post, I showed you the birthday cards I made for my mom and my sister.  

I also made my mom some pressies.  Before the summer holidays, I made myself a passport and travel document wallet (you can see it here), and my mom really liked it.  So I decided to make her one for her birthday.  

She likes blue, and she likes stripes.  So here's what I came up with.....

I decided to make a matching rosette pin for her too (you know how awful it is when your passport holder doesn't match your brooch).....

You can find the passport wallet tutorial I used here, and my super-easy rosette pin tutorial here.

Now I guess I'd better set my mind to 'Christmas Crafting' mode!  Have you started yours yet????   

Carly

x

  

Birthday Candle Cards

It was my sister's birthday last month, and my mom's birthday last week.  I wanted to make cards for them both.  So I did what I always do when I'm seeking inspiration - visited Pinterest! 

I saw a card with a birthday candle on it.  The style of the card wasn't really 'me', but it gave me an idea. And here's what I came up with.....

For my SISTER:

And for my MOM:

I got to use buttons, pretty papers, ribbons, and my letter stamps - so many of my FAVOURITE things..... to make birthday cards for my two FAVOURITE ladies!!!

Carly

x