Wooden Toy Christmas Wreath

I saw the idea for vintage wooden toy wreaths on Pinterest and just loved them, and set my heart on making one, although the prospect did daunt me.

I had a small collection of vintage wooden toy decorations picked up in various charity shops over the past couple of years but wasn't sure if I had enough to complete a wreath, it was touch and go for a while, but after searching every single nook and cranny of my crafty drawers and cupboards I just about managed it.

I started off using a card ring that I have had for ages and simply covered it with a gold lame ribbon that came with the Christmas hamper Marc sent me for Christmas, gluing it in place with my glue gun.

It looks OK from the front but because it was just a tad short, the back is a bit dodgy, but there again, no one is ever going to see the back but me.

I also used my glue gun to attach all the wooden bits and pieces, sorry no pictures of a work in progress until the very last part because I was sooooooooo engrossed in what I was doing.  To fill in the gaps round the edges I used small, bottle brush trees  (The Works) 

It was when I got to the stage (above) that I needed to search high and low for bits to fill the last small gaps. So far it had cost me nothing to put together as I already had everything in my stash and to stumble at the last hurdle to either look for (and buy) something on eBay or even worse, leave the project unfinished until the months running up to Christmas to see what I could find in charity shops ....... that, I was determined wasn't going to happen!

So in the end, not everything I used was wooden, or vintage, but it still works. Small, wooden, flat backed teddies and resin Santa's and snowmen helped to add layers and fill the gaps.

I need to alter the string on the back ever so slightly so that it hangs a little more to the left using the yellow figure at the top as my guide, but that's me being ultra picky.

If I see any more tiny wooden/resin flatbacks I might be tempted to add a few more.  Initially I was also tempted to add a few beads and stars to the bottle brush trees, but I know I must resist the temptation as that would really over egg the pudding, as well as spoiling the vintage feel/look I was looking for.

I wouldn't mind repeating the idea, so if I find anymore similar wooden decs. on my charity shop travels and they are going for a song, well, it would be rude not to buy them wouldn't it?

The Crafty Adventures Of Sam's Study - Cabinet 5 and Ladder

To be honest I was dreading putting this Cabinet 5 bookcase together ..........

........ but I have to say it all slotted together very easily ........

....... with very little gluing ........ if only every piece was that easy!

The stepladder wasn't too bad either, despite my reservations.

The only fiddly bits were the two small slates ........

....... that fit on the back ........

........ and needed to be held into position for a minute or two to stop them from slipping.

Please excuse the gratuitous glue shots, I promise all trace will be removed when everything is finally put together!!

I think I got away very lightly with these two pieces ...... having looked ahead at the instruction manual, I am not so sure it will be such plain sailing with the next three!

A Rainbow Jumper For Bertie

I have started knitting again! Well, I have just completed the back of a jumper so far.

Bertie loves wearing bright colours and said he'd like a rainbow jumper, so I decided to take the plunge. The pictures (above and below) don't do the colours justice, as the dark blue is actually purple and the cream, lemon.  About 30 odd years ago, when Tom and Lu were small, I was never without some knitting on the go, but as they grew up hand knits weren't what they wanted to wear, so I started crafting. However I kept my knitting bag, needles etc. until I moved to Evesham when I gave them all to a charity shop along with all my patterns .........

......... except for my hand knitted by Helen Geddes labels and two 1950s patterns, that were knit for me and my brothers way back when (the cross over neck style) and then I knitted, after tracking the pattern down on e-bay for Tom. It was so easy to knit and sew up and looked so stylish and just a bit different. I might even knit another for Master Bertie yet.

I bought the 100 gram balls of wool from the Crafters Companion store  up at The Valley, just outside Evesham.  It cost £1.99 per ball.  I cadged the knitting needles of other Granny Denise.  However, if I decide I still rather like knitting there is a charity shop in Evesham that has hundreds for just 20p a pair.

The pattern is also from Granny Denise and is as old as the Lovely Laura, in fact I am pretty sure I had the same pattern which I used adapt for my two, using my own designs rather than Thomas.

Hopefully this project won't take me too long to complete, though I have to admit it's not entirely been plain sailing with quite a few dropped stitches needing to be picked up plus a few rows having to be undone and reworked ........ so watch this space.

Felt Easter Carrot Brooches/PIns

This is just an Easter idea I am playing with using the self adhesive carrot embellishments I found at The Works this year.

There are sixteen carrots per pack for £1 and measure very approximately 4.5cms at their longest by 2.5cms at their widest.

My first initial was they would make cute pin badges for Iris and Bertie to wear at Easter and I think they worked out pretty OK.  As they had a self adhesive backing I simply stuck self adhesive cotton fabric scraps on the back and then applied a couple of coats of PVA glue to help stiffen it.  I then used E6000 glue to attach the small bar pin fastenings to, hopefully, really secure them.

The final touch just had to be a pair of googly eyes each  ......... I think they will go down well with the dynamic duo.  I might make a few more, but if I do, I would most likely put them on a small presentation gift card to make them look a bit more professional!

The carrots have a "certain""potential for card making, but for the moment I am looking to Pinterest for that inspiration for ideas beyond Easter.

Iris's Half Term Holiday Homework .......

I have had these pictures ready to post since November last year, but have just not got on with it until now.

Iris had to write all about her autumn half term holiday for her homework. It had all been very exciting, for the first few days she had gone to France with her mum to stay with a friend and when she got back there were another few days in Salcombe with all her family, staying with friends...... 

......... but bless her, according to her mum, The Lovely Laura, she was absolutely determined to be back in Evesham for my Halloween Sleepover!

Her picture shows Iris and Bertie, the bunting and the all important, brand new, especially bought for the event, Pick 'n' Mix sweetie dispenser!  

....... but it was the drawing of me that made me howl ...... the kid just got it so right, come hell or high water, my (Primark) reading glasses are ALWAYS perched on the top of my head!!!!  What is she like?

Easter Rabbit Brooch/Pin

This wooden brooch/pin is a bit of an experiment ............

I like it as it is, plain and simple, but I can also see how it could be embellished a little bit more, by adding perhaps tiny eyes, bows on the necks, a tiny white tip on the tails and some faux stitching round the egg???????

However, this first effort was to see if the wooden bunny and eggs shapes had the potential I thought they might have after seeing them on The Works website.  There are thirty shapes in each pack in three graded sizes.

For the brooch I chose the largest egg along with two middle sized rabbits.

I covered the egg with a spring type patterned paper and coloured the rabbits with a Sharpie pen, before gluing them in place in front of the egg, and then sealing it all with several coats of Gloss Lustre Modge Podge.  When everything was dry I turned it over and added the pin fastening.

The brooch measures 7.5cms at its widest, from tail to tail and stands 5.5cms tall.  

I think the idea works, I am thinking of making them for all the staff in Bertie's nursery class for Easter, using different coloured rabbits and papers, after experimenting a bit more with the aforementioned extra embellishments, so watch this space ........

Small Easter Card

This card measures 5cms x 10cm and is part of a pack of 50, including envelopes from Papermill Direct........ because of its size I think it's going to end up as another gift card to pop on an Easter egg or small Easter gift.

I've used scraps of paper in spring colours to create a background and then simply added foam effect, puffy Easter stickers to finish it off, with a little faux stitching and clusters of three dots here and there, using a black, fine liner pen

I'll be honest I am not that over enamored with it, but I am sure Iris and Bertie will appreciate it  (..... a lot more than me)  I was determined to work my way through the two sheets of stickers I had used for this idea, but I/they have exhausted my creativity, so what I haven't been inspired to use so far will be passed on to Bertie's nursery., where I am sure they will find a use for them.

The Crafty Adventures Of Sam's Study - Cabinet 2 and 3

Another two cabinets down in my great Sam's Study adventure ......

...... fortunately these two didn't prove to be as taxing as the first one which, I have to say, almost did my head in!

I found the fiddliest part was cutting and bending the drawer handles, it would be lovely to be a total perfectionist and make them truly square, but I am afraid life is too short!  It was a little disappointing to find that one of the beads that go on the handle wasn't originally pressed perfectly, so bits were missing, but I am sure once the whole thing is put together it won't be that noticeable.

The drawers/cupboards don't open, they are just fronts, and to be honest the sizing of the pieces doesn't give much for any margin of error ....... so I am just grateful that the glue is pretty slow to set.

The small pink shelves proved to be really easy to put together, however when the time comes I need to very carefully remove some of the glue I seem to have managed to smear everywhere!

When I put cabinet 1 and 2 together I discovered that they don't exactly line up straight when put together, I don't know how that happened .......

........ but I think I can get away with it, because  I am pretty certain that I going to glue each cabinet in place when I come to put the study frame together. It's not a toy but not one to be too precious, I am sure it's something that will fascinate Iris and Bertie so I reckon the more key pieces I can  battened down the better!

Two Snowflake Christmas Tree Baubles

It's never too early for a couple more Christmas baubles!

I already had a box of medium sized, translucent baubles from Paperchase from way back when that needed to be used. So far this year I've used four to put wired beads in them, these two will make six, which then leaves me with two for another idea ....... and I am already thinking Halloween!

The slightly puffy, glitter, snowflake stickers came from Lldl, picked up at the till without a second thought and then not used in time for Christmas 2019, but then you can never have too many snowflakes.

From past experience I knew that they have a good stick to them, so I simply placed them straight on to the baubles.  I think they should last the distance, but if they should start to peel at the ends before they get used this year, a dab of clear, strong glue should fix it.  I was quite surprised that just two smallish baubles used up almost the whole sheet.

I then added a clear, flat backed gem to the centre of each snowflake to complete the effect.  I know I am on a minimum crafty spend this year, but should I be so tempted, a few really sparkly Swarovski crystal gems would be a good investment for projects like this.

I am so chuffed with how they have turned out, the pictures don't really do them justice, but they really do look expensive and top end, if I do say so myself!

Two Small Easter Bunny Cards

The cards measure 10cms x 7cms and are pre-scored from Papermill Direct (pack of 50 with envelopes for £10 https://www.papermilldirect.co.uk/card-blanks/7-x-5-white-plain-card-blanks)

Another pair of small Easter gift cards for your delectation today.

The self adhesive, felt bunnies and frames came from a Hobbycraft sale, I can't remember when, but now they are used, they owe me nothing.

I can't think what possessed me to buy the Express Yourself stickers as they are always soooooooo expensive, I guess they must have been reduced to a rock bottom price for me to have bought them, but after being tucked away in a box for quite a while they have finally come into their own.

The cards have both been put together very simply, no great skill required, just plonk, plonk, plonk to be honest!

The size of  these little cards make them perfect to pop onto an Easter egg or Easter gift ...... it's a size I don't think I have ever used before, I think I bought them to make up a bundle in order to get free postage or something ..... however after being in my cupboard for at least 18 months they are beginning to grow on me!

Heads Up - Matalan Easter Decor

You know I love to "dress" my flat with Iris and Bertie in mind for Halloween and Christmas, but although I usually have a special lunch, followed by a few Easter games etc., I don't usually put anything else out other than a wreath on my front door, a few ceramic bunnies and chicks here and there and an Easter egg tree and to be honest, that's probably as far as I would ever go ..........

HOWEVER, I couldn't help but be inspired by a few things I saw in Matalan's home department section on the Malvern Retail Park, which I thought I would share with you.

The duvet sets are quite lovely, perfect spring designs and colours for an Easter sleepover, but also suitable for a child's bedroom at any time of the year and at £10 for a single set, not bad value.

I thought the tea towels were cute too.  I have tea towels for Christmas, that just get hung, more for decoration than to use, but then again I am pretty sad!  £5 for 3 - the other design features hedgehogs.

I liked the rabbit cushion too, which would certainly bring a Spring/Easter flavour to a lounge, but could also, quite easily, fit into a child's Peter Rabbit/Beatrix Potter themed bedroom or nursery.

My flat really is complete these days.  If anything comes in, something has to go out, so unless I have a complete brainstorm, I find myself just looking these days, but it's nice to imagine and dream.  Lu and I always say we need two houses, one to actually live in and the other to dress up!