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 

Christening Papercut

Oh dear!  I've done it again - almost a whole month with no blog post.  I just can't get it together at the moment!

Today, I wanted to do a little show-and-tell about a special christening present I made.

A few weekends ago, we flew back to England for a couple of days.  We had a VERY important (and VERY lovely) job to do..... Our best friends had asked us to be Godparents to their beautiful baby daughter. 

So we had to come up with an idea for a christening gift idea and - of course - it was going to have to be something 'Crafted by Carly'.

I'd already made little Amelia a quilt (which you can see here), a couple of dresses (here and here), a hat (here), and a soft toy (which I forgot to post about).  So what to make for this occasion???

In the end, I decided to make a papercut.  And here it is.....

It took a long time to draw and cut, but I was really pleased with how it turned out.  

Well, that's it for today.  

I've finished off (and photographed) a few baby bits and bobs for our own little one lately.  So, hopefully, it won't be too long before I post again.  Well, that's my intention anyway!  We'll see.....

Carly

x

Works-in-Progress

After taking a way-too-long blogging break over Christmas, I'm finding it quite challenging to get back into a routine of posting regularly.  

One of the issues is that I just haven't had many finished projects to show you lately.  I've been doing quite a lot of crafting (sewing, crochet AND paper-crafting).  But all of the things I'm working on at the moment are taking a while to complete.  

So, in the meantime, until I have a proper show-and-tell ready for posting, here are some clues as to what I've been up to.....

(making stacks of colourful Froebel stars)

(sewing lots of triangles together)

(working on a giant crocheted granny square)

I wonder which of these projects I'll manage to complete first.....

I'll let you know, of course!

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

Three Handmade Baby Cards

One of my crafty resolutions for 2013 was to make more (and buy less) greetings cards.  So far, I’ve made a wedding card, an engagement card, an anniversary card, a Fathers’ Day card, a Mothers’ Day card, several birthday cards and (dare I mention the ‘C’ word yet).....  a fair few Christmas cards.  

I’ve also made some baby cards – 3 to be exact!  And all for the same baby!!!  As you may have guessed from the photos in my post about the blanket I made for our best friends’ baby (you can see it here if you missed it), they chose not to find out whether they were going to have a boy or a girl.  So, in preparation for either eventuality (and an ‘extra’ one for added choice when the time came), I made 3 cards.....

In the end, when I found out that the baby was a girl, I plumped for the pink one of course!

Which is your favourite?

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

A Birthday Present for a Kniting Friend

Last week, a good friend of ours turned 40.  I'd bought a couple of little gifts to package up for her, but I wanted to MAKE her something too.  While browsing on Ravelry, I found just the the thing to knit for a friend who knits - a teeny, tiny sweater-in-progress brooch.....

..... knitted on a pair of snapped-in-half toothpicks!!!

I found the pattern here.

Of course, I had to make her a card too.  And I couldn't resist making ANOTHER paper and buttons bunting card.....

..... just in a different colour (you can see the red - ruby wedding - version here).

Happy birthday, dear Saffron, happy birthday to you!!!  

Carly

x