Felt decorations

So recently I have had a bit of a thing about felt, so I have been making lots of felt decorations. It started as simple padded decorations with novelty buttons and I plan on making keyring's out of the same idea but smaller :)

But its a simple little stitching project that can be used for many different things, murals, key rings, hanging decorations, just let your imagination run away with you.
All you need is felt in a few different colours some templates of your choice (I usually just print out some outlines and draw round them onto the felt), 3 or 4 beads, some thread to make the teasel, 20cm of ribbon and some pretty buttons.

• Cut out two large pieces of felt to be the background.  
• And a few smaller shapes to decorate, you can choose if you decorate both sides. 
• Decide how you want them laid out and glue the small bits to the bigger bits. 
• Stitch round the deigns to make fix them properly and to make the shapes look more interesting (using different colour threads). 
• To make the teasel, cut approx. 20 lengths of thread about 20cm, line them all up and tie in the middle with a bit of thread about 30cm and fold in half, with a piece a thread about 30cm start rapping around the top of the folded in half teasel, and secure with a small knot. Thread the beads onto the the top and knot. 
• Attach the ribbon (folded in half) to the inside top of one of the large pieces of thread and the teasel to the bottom (be careful not to go through the felt with the stitches). 
• Put the two large pieces of felt back to back and with blanket stitch run about the the outside locking them together, use your judgement to leave enough gap to put in the stuffing, once filled finish the blanket stitch. And Bobs your uncle.

Using the same design I also made a big star to go on top of the Christmas tree, it was a bit rushed because my family could not find the fairy anywhere, and we couldn't have nothing on the tree.


Merry Christmas
xx

Button jar labels

So all my buttons were just in a box and I thought I better have a massive sort out (best thing was finding buttons I had forgotten about). So in the interest of organisation mass labelling was needed. This was the outcome.

The problem is that lots of my buttons are in individual stacking pots, sorted into colours and styles, and I don't want to mix them in the jars but keep changing my mind about which ones to put in. Rubbish I know!!!!! at some point I will screw up the courage to mix them all up.

I love them, they are really pretty :-D but yes I know a little on the twee side.
Happy Christmas xx

Vintage Fonts

I thought I would find some vintage fonts that I could stitch onto fabrics. :) These are some of my favourite

Matchbook 

Riesling 

Fontleroy Brown 

Lemon Chicken 

BP Script 

Upper East Side

I plan on using these as soon as possible

http://webdesignledger.com/freebies/30-fonts-perfect-for-vintage-and-retro-style-design

:) xx

Biscuits

So today I though I would make a start on the Christmas food. So here come the cupcakes and biscuits.

Really fatty biscuits but they are amazing.

Only problem is they spread out when cooked which is funny first lot ended up as a blob lol

Ingredients

500g butter, softened

200g caster sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

500g plain flour

Preparation method

1.	Preheat oven to 180 C / Gas mark 4.
2.	Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Stir in vanilla; add flour and mix well.
3.	Put through biscuit press and form biscuits onto baking trays. Alternatively, roll out to 1cm thickness and cut out desired shaped with biscuit cutters. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

Pasted from <http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/6330/shortbread-biscuits.aspx>

Pin cushion

My next task was a pin cushion. Its got a Cross stitch front and a cotton back.

It came out a bit small for the next one I am going to use larger stitch material.

:)

Needle book

I fancied doing something a bit different and I have become a massive fan of felt at the moment. So I made a house shaped needle book.

This is my quirky little cottage.

:)

Christmas socks

So I started on the Christmas socks yesterday and they are going really well. I've so far made 6 with initials on for my family. But they are really simple to make with felt and different coloured tread.

Have much fun
x x x

Skirts

Right so I've not really updated this in a while so there are a few things to catch up on.
So I will get started on the Christmas Stuff soon yes I know I am very late starting but works been mad.

Over the past couple of months I haven't really done very much I have only made/finished a few skirts.
The First a high waisted 'curtain' skirt (as my friend like to call it) which I mentioned before.

The picture hasn't come out very well but this skirt is about 4inches above the knee and is usually warn with a shirt tucked in and a waist belt around the waist band.

The second skirt is a short straight pink and grey checked skirt. Its the first straight skirt I have tried, its not finished very well and the waist band is still a little large and has got darts in it but next time will be better. :-)

  Its got two pockets and is side farseeing. But I love the material its really thick and a lovely colour.

:-)
xx

Spicy tea bread

Nom nom nom
Spicy tea bread
450g self-raising flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
175g soft brown sugar
100g butter
2 eggs
2 tablespoons black treacle
175ml milk

1. sift flour, salt, spice and cinnamon together
2. stir in sugar
3. rub in butter
4. mix in eggs, treacle and half milk
5. slowly add rest of milk till mixture drops of spoon 
6. Cook in a buttered loaf tin at 190degrees (Gas mark 5) for 45mins to an hour 

:) 

yummmmmmmmmmmmmmy

Skipping Cherubs

So like all wonderful children I spent a couple of weeks most summers staying with my Grandma and she was an excellent cross-stitcher, and in most evenings she taught me to sew. Everything from simple cross-stitch to long-stitch and French knots.

Ever since I have made the odd designs and this is my latest, My skipping cherubs, which came from a pattern my Grandma gave me years ago :)

Muchos loves :)
x

Danglely Sparkly things

Its been a while I have started a new job and seem to be working all hours of the day so haven't had time to write any posts :(

But I was in the local needle shop and found this lovely thread which was all sparkly so I though I would have some fun and make some sparkly tassels that could be used for Christmas or to decorate around the edge of lamps and all sorts of fun things like that.

The thread comes in all sorts of sparkly colours but I choice sliver. Although to make things more fun you could use more than one colour in the tassel or the tassels in one colour and the fixing in another.

1. Cut lengths about 6inchs long I did approx 20 lengths (but you can use as many as you wish for a thicker tassel).
2. Fold in half and secure using another pieces of thread by rapping it round and round.
3. Thread a needle this a length and thread through folded over loop and secure to what ever you which to decorate. 

Hope you all enjoy the effect. 

My skirt is all but finished just needs hemming so picture will be up soon. 

Muchos loves 

:)

Christmas decorations

I know its nowhere near Christmas but a Lady I used to work for selling beautiful German Christmas decorations just sent me the link to her new website so I thought I would share it with you all, so you all get a good chance to have a look before the celebration season starts.

http://www.ac-christmasdecorations.com/

AC Decorations sells some beautiful stuff. I help sell these beautiful items 2 years ago at winter wonderland in Hyde park and I can vouch they are just as beautiful up close as in the pictures.

My favourite are the hanging snow faeries. :)

Hope you all enjoy the website :)

Muchos loves

Katie

Children wall hangings

Hello All

I've managed to stay away for a whole day lol.

Anyway these are designed to hang on childrens walls. They have simple designs at the moment I've only done boats but I plan on making planes and tractor designs. They are meant to be left open and backed on 1/2 inch thick wooden boards.

This is backed felt with material and felt backgrounds.

This is also a felt background but the design is from Cath Kidston boat design.

The Cath Kidston design are from one of my current favourite book for sewing which can be found at http://www.cathkidston.co.uk/p-14616-cath-kidston-cath-kidston-mini-make-book.aspx

Enjoy

Muchos Loves

Katie

Paintings

As previous said I will be over blogging for a while so I apologise for that. Also my spelling yes I now know that Clothes has an e in it woops.

But anyway, recently I went to Scotland to visit family and feel completely in love with Findhorn Ecovillage, http://www.ecovillagefindhorn.com/ if you ever get a chance to visit it is incredible, when I'm old enough to move  up there its going to fabulous. lol

Anyway the point of this post when at Findhorn I found my favourite artist, Jonathan Wheeler, who is a watercolour painter. http://www.jwart.co.uk/ and in Findhorn he has a gallery and if your lucky enough he will be painting there.

Edinburgh castle 

Inverness 

Urquhart Castle, Loch Ness

The Urquhart castle pictures where so amazing that I had to presward my parents that a tourest trip on the Loch Ness was the best idea ever so I could see the castle close up. So we went on a boat trip across the Loch to the castle. 

It was great and well worth it if you ever get up there. 

Anyway hope you enjoyed these pictures as much as I do.

All the pictures are Jonathan Wheeler Art and can be found on his website http://www.jwart.co.uk/

Muchos loves 

Katie

Clothes!!!! Past and currently in the making

So I see myself as a bit of a seamstress not really sure if I'm any good but I enjoy it. I dont use patterns I get ideas from magazines, websites and adapt them to what I want.

So this is my summer dress

Front 

Back

As shown this is a simple yellow dress with pink flowers and detailing. 

This style dress is very simple and easy to make and can be beautiful when the right colours are chosen. 

I plan on making another dress like this in black and white for my sister, so watch this space. 

Skirts 

As you may have guess I love flower pattern material and my skirts are no different. 

This skirt has two horizontal panels, an elasticated waist and a lace trim, and goes with pretty much anything. 

My next skirt was inspired my a magazine (The Sunday Times, Style Magazine) 

Its a high waisted old fashion material skirt, that looks long coz of where it starts but is realistically quite short.

But below is the beginning of my version of this skirt. So I will let you know how it all goes. 

I hope this was interesting for someone but I've enjoyed writing it and putting up the pictures of things that normally only my family see :)

Muchos loves 

Katie

Cupcakes :)

I have realised the best bit about being a new blogger, being able to show off all the past stuff I have made :) and can over blog of a few days coz I still have loads to say.

So starting with yesterdays cake fest cupcakes, lemon cupcakes with butter icing. Yummy

The cupcakes 

• 125g butter (for baking is best), softened
• 125g caster sugar
• 1/2 large lemon, finely grated zest only
• 1 tsp of lemon flavouring
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 150g plain flour
• 1/2 tsp Baking powder

Put in the oven at 180 degrees and cook for 15-20mins, although I always find I spend the whole time looking through the door till they look perfect.

The Icing 

• 50g baking butter 
• As much icing sugar as needed 
• Food colouring
• Lovely decorations (silver balls are still the best)

Hints:

• Pale coloured icing always looks better so don't go over board, plus its easier because the icing doesnt go as runny. 
• Baking powder it says 1/2 tsp to much and the cakes go funny and end up with a solid sugar layer on top which never look as good and are harder to ice.  

Hope you all enjoy making them 

Muchos loves 

Katie 

First post, excited

Well here goes on the first post ever.

The plan for this blog is to be a place for me to showcase my crafts and let you enjoy the outcomes.

I am 22 and in my free time I make cloths and cakes and occasionally if something catches my attention I will make other things such as decorations for children rooms and cross stitch.

At the moment I'm working on a dress for my sister and skirt for myself, pictures to follow shortly. And yesterday I had a bit of a cooking day and suddenly my house if full of cupcakes and fruit cakes :)

So hopefully this went ok and next time I promise to be more organised and will have pictures all ready but was way to excited about my new blog so just wanted to get a post up.

Much loves
Katie