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on its way...

I signed up for backtack 4 even though I know I really shouldn't have. Although it has been a bit of a stretch to fit it in, I am so glad that I did. Such a pleasure to steal a bit of time here and there to do something that was not on my must do list, but rather on my want to do list.
Finally, my parcel is ready to go and will be on it's way tomorrow. Once my partner at blooming heather has received her package I will pop a few photos up.
Now, the must do list calls.
Loudly.

just add glue...

A few evenings ago, I really needed a break from all thing wedding and moving related. Out came the paper and glue and I made a start on these decorations for Christmas.

Really, there were so many other things I should have been doing...which is probably why I enjoyed the simple act of cutting and pasting so much. A welcome change indeed from stitching meters (and meters) of silk chiffon ruffles.
I need to add a little bit of something shiny and they'll be ready to hang.

brown things....

are not usually my thing.
Howvever,these paper mache decorations caught my eye when I was hunting down a particular shade of pale green cotton to finish the girls flower girl outfit.

I thought that in my spare time when I have finished The Horror and before I pack up and move I might squeeze in a bit of Christmas craft.
Maybe.
Maybe not.
At least they won't take up much room in the shipping cartons.

Learning to....

sew on a button - I believe everyone should master this very basic skill.
Especially considering the shoddy job most manufacturers do with attaching buttons to garments these days.( one of my pet hates are buttons that come off after just a wear or two.)

We have been making these rosettes to put in party bags for Rose's friends.
Scraps of fabric, a button and a brooch back ( or safety pin will do) - with just a few stitches you have a pretty rosette.
Rose is quite proud of the fact that she has helped to sew these. And I'm happy that she has learned how to deal with those loose buttons!

paper mache cubes...

part of the class artwork I am co-ordinating for Rose' class.
Sort of a 3-D shadow box-like sculptural thingy.
All clear on that?
Firstly the children will cover the box shapes made from recycled milk cartons) with paper mache and paint them white .They will then decorate the cubes with drawings, mono-prints and collage and I will  build a shadow box to display all of the completed cubes.

Should look good.
(I hope.)

neat...

I'm really very happy with how this crochet roll has turned out.
Fabric from the stash and a big red button to finish it off.


There a few gift giving occasion coming up so I am trying to get the handmade gifts sorted out early.


Simple, useful and satisfying.

small distractions....

I find myself looking for any way to distract myself in these last few weeks (or possibly days)  of pregnancy.
So of course, when I saw the tutorial for this patchwork ball, I started one immediately. ( Many thanks to Lil Birdie for the how to and photos.)

Now what's next?......

(Two weeks to go)

chicken love.....

Look what turned up from the generous Ute in Zurich, with a bundle of Marie Claire Idees, chocolate, buttons, ribbons and sweets.....

Chicken eggwarmers! Ute's great aunt, Mamie Jeanne ( who lived to be 99!) taught her how to make them. Mamie Jeanne knitted hers- Ute has adapted the pattern and crocheted them instead. Ute suggested that if you didn't fancy boiled eggs, that they could be used as a finger puppet instead. The girls loved them both with and without egss! With Ute's permission I am planning to try and make a few for stocking stuffers - thanks Ute and of course Mamie Jeanne!

chicken love.....

Look what turned up from the generous Ute in Zurich, with a bundle of Marie Claire Idees, chocolate, buttons, ribbons and sweets.....

Chicken eggwarmers! Ute's great aunt, Mamie Jeanne ( who lived to be 99!) taught her how to make them. Mamie Jeanne knitted hers- Ute has adapted the pattern and crocheted them instead. Ute suggested that if you didn't fancy boiled eggs, that they could be used as a finger puppet instead. The girls loved them both with and without egss! With Ute's permission I am planning to try and make a few for stocking stuffers - thanks Ute and of course Mamie Jeanne!

We're really enjoying the spot of fine weather that is with us at the moment. Long ,lazy days spent swimming and just doing nothing ( nothing of course,after you have finished the morning run of washing, cleaning and cooking and before you start doing the afternoon/evening routine of washing,cleaning and cooking!). Love it!

In between times, I have been having a bit of a play with constructing fabric bowls based on a pattern found in this book ISBN4-579-11088-9.( highly recommend this one by the way!)

 

I  felted an old cream baby blanket for one bowl and used a heavy blue linen for the other ( it has been tipped over in the picture below,so you can see the stitched base). Here is the cream bowl at the almost finished stage.

A few french knots and a bit of running stitch and you have a bowl!

I still get emails ( and photos, thank you very much) from people who have made this felt box. I had been planning to make a few more and then came across the fabric bowl pattern. I decided to try those instead. They are a little more wobbly looking than I expected ,but in the end I have decided that I quite like the whole effect.Sort of soft and sculptural looking.....

These bookmarks, also from the same book, are on the to- do list.

In my world, you can never have too many bookmarks and I think that these are particularly appealing.