Paper Stars

Hello again, dear friends!

Only 5 days to go!!!  

I've been making paper stars (Froebel stars) galore this month!  I learnt to make them a few years ago.  And, every December since then, I've made a stack.  They're so easy to make - and SO addictive!!!

Here are some of this year's batch.....

I'm going to attach strings to them, and hang them on our tree.

For these ones, I found a kit (from Rico Design - here). The paper strips come ready-cut, which cuts out the boring bit of the process.

I had good intentions to write a tutorial on making Froebel stars this year..... but it didn't happen, I'm afraid.  Sorry!  It's on my list of 'must-write posts' for 2015.....

I hope your Christmas preparations are going well (and that all your shopping - and crafting - is done and dusted)!

Until next time.....

Carly

x 

Christmas Day Bib

Hi there,

We're going to be visiting family over Christmas.  So I've scheduled this post (and a few more) to pop up while I'm away.....

This is just a quickie!  A little show-and-tell of Bo's Christmas bib (I made it for him to wear on Christmas day).....

If I'd had a stack of that Christmas tree fabric, I'd have been tempted to make myself a Christmas day dress to match!  ;-)

Carly

x

Happy Little Cloud Baby Toy

Thank you all SO much for the wonderfully kind comments you left for me and Simon following my last post - they were HUGELY appreciated!

Now, I hope that you weren't just kidding (or just being kind) when so many of you said you were looking forward to seeing lots of baby-related craft projects popping up here.  If you were, sorry, because.....

..... I wanted to do a quick show-and-tell of the very first little thing I made for our Little One.

I got the idea for it from Pinterest (where else!?!).  I have to admit that I've been spending WAY too many hours hanging out there lately.  Does anyone know if there's a 'Pinterest-aholics Anonymous' group out there anywhere, by the way???  You know - just in case!!!

It's a little smiley, happy (and very random) could toy.....

  

I'm very happy with how he turned out.  He makes me smile, with his cheerful face and RAINBOW COLOURS!

If you know a little person who might like a cute cloud toy (or if you want to secretly make one just for yourself), you can find the tutorial I used here.

Until next time.....

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

Wrist Keyrings

Next Friday is our school Christmas Fair, and I'm going to have a stall there.  Exciting stuff!  

I thought that, over the next week or so, I could do a bit of a show-and-tell of some of the things I've been making in preparation.  

And, first of all, here's something new that I haven't tried before.....

.....  keyrings that you can wear on your wrist:

What do you think?  Good idea or silly idea?  I'd really like to know (honestly) what you think on this one!

I'll be back soon with some more showing-and-telling.....

Carly

x

Rosette Pin Tutorial

I'm making these little pretties all the time!  They’re quick and easy – and brighten up any outfit!  They're also a great way of using up fabric scraps that are too cute to throw away.  So, I thought I'd share a quick how-to with you.....

   

What you’ll need:

- A 7x24cm strip of fabric

- A big-ish button in a contrasting colour (I used a button-covering kit to make this one)

- A brooch pin

- Some thread

- A needle

- Scissors

- A sewing machine (if you’re lazy like me)

    

What to do:

1. Take your strip of fabric and fold it in half, so that the right sides are facing each other (as in the picture).

2. Sew a 1cm seam along the short (raw) edge, to make a tube.  Remember to backstitch at both ends.

3. Press the seam open.

4. Now fold the fabric tube in half, so that the wrong sides are facing each other (see the picture).

5. Press the fold.

6. Take a length of thread (about 80cm) and fold it in half.  Thread your needle.

  

  

7. Starting just to one side of the seam, stitch all around the raw edge.  The stitches should be about 1cm in length, and spaced about 1cm apart. 

8. Pull the two ends of the thread, to tightly close the hole in the centre of the fabric and create the rosette.  Tie a few knots in the thread, but don’t cut it yet.

9. Now use one of the ends of doubled-up thread to sew on your button.  This is a bit fiddly (as you can see in the pictures).

  

10. When the button’s secure, neaten the underside of the rosette by sewing the pleats together.

11. Now sew on your brooch pin...... 

12. ..... and you’re done!  

Now make heaps more, so that you’re got one to suit every mood and liven up every outfit!

If you give this tutorial a try, I’d love to see the results.....

Carly

x

Handmade Fathers' Day Card

Happy (British) Fathers' Day to all the Dads out there!  And an extra-special happy Fathers' Day to the best dad of them all - mine (of course..... well, I think so)!

I've been really good so far this year in working on my aim of making more (and buying less) greetings cards.  But, so far, I haven't made any cards for men.  Making for men is difficult, don't you think?

So, I decided to challenge myself to make a Father's Day card.  And here's what I came up with.....

  

I hope he's going to like it.....

And, because I know he reads this (that's how brilliant a dad he is)......

HAVE A GREAT DAY, DAD!!!  LOVE YOU!!!

Carly

x

2nd Blogging Birthday Giveaway

Today’s my second ‘bloggiversary’ – hooray!  I really can’t believe that I’ve been doing this for two whole years!

I LOVE blogging.

 
I sometimes feel as though I put too much pressure on myself to get posts up, and I sometimes get annoyed with myself for spending too much time sitting in front of my computer. I get a bit nervous before I post things about myself, or before I do a show-and-tell of something I’ve made. I worry that people won’t visit me here, or that they might not like what I’m doing. I feel guilty if I haven’t visited certain blogs for a while, and I feel bad if I don’t get around to replying to the comments people leave me here..... 

But, I REALLY DO LOVE BLOGGING!!!

I love playing at being an author and a photographer, and I love keeping a record of all of the crafty (and some not so crafty) things that I do. I love receiving comments and emails from 'visitors', and having the chance to ask for feedback on what I’m doing. I love visiting other people’s blogs, getting inspired, and chit-chatting with like-minded souls from all around the globe. And, most of all, I LOVE all of the wonderful bloggy FRIENDS that I’ve made over the past two years!!!

I really can’t believe how great blogging pals are – and I’m so grateful to all of you for visiting me here, writing to me, encouraging me, and just being such blinking brilliant friends!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! 

 
And, to say THANK YOU once more, I’m going to host a little giveaway. If you enter, you could find yourself winning these summery Crafted by Carly goodies:

There’s a stripy (CK fabric) sunglasses case.....

..... with a spotty-dotty lining.....

..... and two little rosette pins (one blue and one red).....

All matchy-matchy, of course!

To enter, all you need to do is:

1)  Follow my blog

2)  Leave a comment under this post, letting me know what’s YOUR favourite thing about blogging 

Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy!

I’ll leave the giveaway open for two weeks, and randomly pick a winner on Tuesday 25^th June.  Of course, it’s open to everybody, no matter whereabouts in the world you are. 

Good luck!

Hugs to you all!

Carly

x