Crafty threading

My girls have enjoyed making something everyday as much as me I think this holiday. They have found craft kits from Christmas and many birthdays as we have de-cluttered the house this holiday. Today they had a go with the FAB FELT machine. I didn't have high hopes. These sort of things usually give great promise on the box but never quite deliver without massive adult intervention but this little machine is truly FAB.(at the top of the picture there)

We had a little jewellery making session today. Big Sis made felt balls and Little M threaded coloured beads.

 

 

She made the felt balls with the said FAB FELT machine and they looked really professional.

 

 

Might have to have a little play with that when she has gone

to bed later! Jo x

 

Scrapbooking

Today we are going to a family wedding but sadly the fascinators don't go with my dress, so with weddings on my mind I made this scrapbook page with the gift tags I mentioned earlier in the week. It was difficult to know how to present them without getting glue on them so I went for a pocket.

The pocket had a sweet message and little pearls along with some journaling about the wedding event and of course a wedding photo.

 

"How do I love thee, let me count the ways"

 

I am glad I have recorded this because my little girls would not have known what those little tags were for if they found them in an old envelope in 20 years time. Now they tell the whole story.

Jo x

 

Fantastic Fascinators

You are gonna love this...Bloke had a wardrobe clear out and gave me lots of stuff to recycle. I made T-shirt yarn in various colours and the denim bags from his old jeans. So what do you think this is?

 

He gave me a few silk ties that he said didn't go with his shirts anymore. So I got sewing and curling and creating and made this fascinator. I don't know who for or when for but it was a really enjoyable little project so I made another.

 

 

I had some inspiration from my little book '50 fashion looks that changed the 1950's' which was a Christmas present from my best mate. I had seen a lady making something similar at a craft group and thought that looks good but I never thought I would remember to do it. They do look a bit strange modelled without hair but they look great on. I am just a bit short of a photographer today! (ahem)

 

Do you like them? Jo x

Hooray! upcycled hottie cover

If I look at an old item of clothing for long enough something pops into my head. This poor Boden dress made from wool with 25% angora would have been so lovely for Little M but the person who gave it to me in a hand-me-down bag had already sort of shrunk it a bit so it had a strange texture. I boil washed it and it made the most comfy felt.

 

So handbag, pyjama bag ... still thinking... Hot water bottle cover! It is so soft.

 

The casing and the tie were already in the dress, I hand sewed the top and did a neat blanket stich around the bottom.

It is a one hit wonder.

 

I think I will put this in my 'Christmas box' for one of my family or friends. Just need to get a bottle to fit it now and Hey presto! Today I made a hot water bottle cover (with useless pockets!)

Jo x

 

Tea Party Tuesday

This is a Rhubarb crumble cake. I know, cake and crumble together! Amazing...

We will have it for tea tonight warm with thick cream. Mmmmm. The recipe is from the National trust but I can't find it on the website now (I did collect it years ago).

We always make a hefty batch of crumble and split it into bags and freeze them to make crumbles when the autumn fruit gluts kick in. I reckon plums and apples are going to be prolific this year.

 

I kept one portion back to top the cake.

 

 

Big Sis made the cake mixture in her new apron from France, very apt as we used eggs from our chickens.

 

 

 

Topped the cake mixture with cooked rhubarb, sprinkled crumble on the top and there we have it - Rhubarb Crumble Cake. Can't wait to see what you are having for your tea party today. Jo x

 

Rhubarb Crumble Cake

Cake

3oz soft margarine

3oz sugar

3oz SR flour

2 eggs

 

Crumble

3oz Flour

2oz butter

1 tbsp. oats

1 oz sugar

 

Rhubarb layer

3oz Rhubarb chopped and softened in 1 tbsp. sugar

 

 Cream butter and sugar until pale, add eggs and flour, beat into a batter. Spoon into a lined tin. Gently spread over the Rhubarb and then top with the crumble. Bake for 40 mins on Gas 5. Serve warm or cold with either yoghurt, cream, custard or ice cream.

Hearty and heavenly.

Little bit of Vintage

I am currently scrapbooking my family photos. I have some great black and white images of farming at the turn of the century and some older portraits from the late 1800'S - well dressed fellows and frilly ladies with stiff upper lips, all of whom are my family ancestors.

Today I found a little envelope...

 

It contained all the gift cards from my Nan and Grandad's wedding and there was such a huge mixture. Some were pretty bought ones and others were recycled postcards that had been cut up into shapes.

 

 

Such beautiful joined up handwriting.

 

And messages from families and farms I know of and can place today. Now all I have to do is decide how to display them in my scrapbook. That is what I am making today. Jo xx

 

Hooray! Car Cushion

Big Sis loves to sleep in the car but since she has gone into the big seat, she finds it really hurts her neck as there are not sides to lean her head on. I can be quite traumatic (for all of us) when she wakes up really crotchety with a sore neck from a car induced deep sleep. So..... I went on my pinterest board for children and found one of these. (Use the pinterest button on the right to find a link)

 

 

I had loads of this spotty material given to me from one of my crochet students. I have used it to make an apron, line the PE bags and for this quick-fix-need item.

 

I can't tell you how I made it because it is just a sort of sausage with some Velcro on to hold it to the seat belt but boy does it work. We went out for the day yesterday and after the girls had camped out in the garden with their dad the night before, I knew there would be some tired children on the way home.

 

We went to the Butterfly farm at Stratford-Upon-Avon and had a lovely time, then we visited Coughton Court for a picnic, run around the garden and a look at the garden sculptures. What a packed day!

 

 

 

I love that Little M did all she could to get a butterfly to land on her; she wore yellow, put a flower in her hair and stood very, very still. She was rewarded lots of times and really loved the experience.

 

Are you having a lovely weekend? Jo xx