Sorry it has been so long between posts, but my son moved back home with all of 48 hrs notice. As a result the house has been turned upside down, boxes everywhere and trying to find a home for all the things he has acquired since leaving home. We are still trying to get straight and he has been back for two weeks. So this has meant lots of stress and no crafting, terrible isn't it. All of my daughters and my craft stuff is now crammed into our conservatory off the front room, I think we are going to have to be ruthless and have a purge. All those bits of paper, scraps of fabric and assorted bits and pieces we have saved because they could come in useful are going to have to go.
So I'm suffering from crafting withdrawal symptoms, the magazines are full of projects for autumn and winter and I haven't had the time or space to do any. I'm sure I'm starting to twitch whenever I see a picture of lovely fabric or trimmings. To make it worse my sister has started getting Christmas fat quarters and her winter fabrics in. She has been a busy girl herself lately, making more bunting as well as some letter templates for people to buy and use for bunting etc themselves. Every time I talk to her when she is at home she seems to be sewing, her eldest commented sarcastically the other day that every evening she sits on the floor and sews. He wasn't impressed, but he is 11 and things mum should just run around after him!
Someone had posted a picture on her Facebook page of a sock snake they had made from their children's old socks. The kids had helped and looked really proud of their snakes, it's lovely to see kids being involved in crafting. Christmas is a great time to get kids involved in crafting and it doesn't have to cost a lot. Keep watching her page, Make Me Fabrics, I'm sure she'll have more ideas on it. It would be lovely to see some of your makes on there as well.
Hopefully we will have some photo tutorials on here soon as I'm going to photo Carolyn doing some projects, these will have instructions and a list of things needed alongside. Years ago we both made a button fairy that goes on our Christmas trees each year, but you can make them for anytime of year. They are quite simple to make and very effective, so that will be one we put on, as well as how she does the letters. If there is anything you want to see, please let her know on her page. If we can we'll have a go, although nothing too complicated please!
Well I'm off to see if I can actually do some crafting, I don't know what I'm going to do. I just feel the need to be creative this afternoon, I'm sure as fellow creative types you understand what I mean. Hopefully it won't be so long between chats next time,
see you soon
love Louise x
Saturday, 31 August 2013
Saturday, 3 August 2013
Who wants homemade?
Not long ago I went to the Summer Crafting workshop day at Doncaster race course, it was tiring but a really good day. We sat on round tables of ten people with a helper shared between a couple of tables. It was the first time I had been and I would definitely recommend it if you like card making, I'll be going back next year.
As I started chatting to my fellow crafters we discussed how our homemade items were received by others. All of us did more than card making, there were quilters, knitters and jewellery makers. We had all had different reactions to our produce, some people were delighted with their gifts and understood the time and effort that went into making them. Yet others looked at these items as second best, as something you gave them because you couldn't afford better.
These people obviously never bought craft supplies! It would often be easier to buy something ready made and cheaper as well. But we make things because we enjoy the process, we create from the heart. Our gifts are made with love and attention to detail, keepsakes to be treasured. All we want is a simple thankyou, we don't need to be fawned over, that's not why we create, but appreciation would be nice.
Good manners cost nothing, I have always made sure my children said thankyou for anything they received. It may not be a gift to your taste, but a thankyou and a smile for someone else's effort should be a matter of course not an exception.
My daughter is 19 next week and as we are starting our Christmas crafting, she said she didn't want anything buying this year. So we are making our presents for all our family this year, they will be made with care and love and it is hoped they are received the same way. I suppose there will always be those who understand homemade and those who don't. Another couple of weeks and it will be time to make our Christmas cakes, the children have always helped me, they stir in the luck. Of course now they are older and have there own lives, but my son will be having a cake as one of his presents (I like mine the Yorkshire way, no icing, but spread with butter).
It won't necessarily be cheaper but they will be thought more of hopefully. Another present for the kids will be tree decorations, every year I took them to buy a few. They were given an amount of money and allowed to pick there own. Every year their collections have grown and they always hang their own on the tree (and when my son isn't looking his sister rearranges his decorations!). Last year I made them instead and will be doing so again this year, so I have started scouring You Tube for ideas. Michael always went for birds and Jessie for fairies and they still prefer those kind of things, they might be adults now but they haven't changed that much. We'll see if the not wanting anything for Christmas lasts as well!
Well ramble over, I better start actually making things. My CFS and Menieres have been bad lately and I haven't been capable of doing much. I look around the house and see things that need doing, things that are apparently invisible to everybody else in the house! Am I the only one that sees the dust and notices the bathroom needs cleaning! So I have a choice, do a little bit of housework or craft, no choice really is it? Off to get the Christmas stamps out then.
See you all later,
Love Louise xx
As I started chatting to my fellow crafters we discussed how our homemade items were received by others. All of us did more than card making, there were quilters, knitters and jewellery makers. We had all had different reactions to our produce, some people were delighted with their gifts and understood the time and effort that went into making them. Yet others looked at these items as second best, as something you gave them because you couldn't afford better.
These people obviously never bought craft supplies! It would often be easier to buy something ready made and cheaper as well. But we make things because we enjoy the process, we create from the heart. Our gifts are made with love and attention to detail, keepsakes to be treasured. All we want is a simple thankyou, we don't need to be fawned over, that's not why we create, but appreciation would be nice.
Good manners cost nothing, I have always made sure my children said thankyou for anything they received. It may not be a gift to your taste, but a thankyou and a smile for someone else's effort should be a matter of course not an exception.
My daughter is 19 next week and as we are starting our Christmas crafting, she said she didn't want anything buying this year. So we are making our presents for all our family this year, they will be made with care and love and it is hoped they are received the same way. I suppose there will always be those who understand homemade and those who don't. Another couple of weeks and it will be time to make our Christmas cakes, the children have always helped me, they stir in the luck. Of course now they are older and have there own lives, but my son will be having a cake as one of his presents (I like mine the Yorkshire way, no icing, but spread with butter).
It won't necessarily be cheaper but they will be thought more of hopefully. Another present for the kids will be tree decorations, every year I took them to buy a few. They were given an amount of money and allowed to pick there own. Every year their collections have grown and they always hang their own on the tree (and when my son isn't looking his sister rearranges his decorations!). Last year I made them instead and will be doing so again this year, so I have started scouring You Tube for ideas. Michael always went for birds and Jessie for fairies and they still prefer those kind of things, they might be adults now but they haven't changed that much. We'll see if the not wanting anything for Christmas lasts as well!
Well ramble over, I better start actually making things. My CFS and Menieres have been bad lately and I haven't been capable of doing much. I look around the house and see things that need doing, things that are apparently invisible to everybody else in the house! Am I the only one that sees the dust and notices the bathroom needs cleaning! So I have a choice, do a little bit of housework or craft, no choice really is it? Off to get the Christmas stamps out then.
See you all later,
Love Louise xx
Friday, 2 August 2013
11pm and the world is wet
It's thundered on and off all day, there has been some seriously heavy rain and the dog is hiding under the coffee table! He does not like thunder storms and there has just been a massive thunder clap, hence the coffee table. I have Classic FM on and The Lark ascending is playing, so we are chilling out together.
The epic of the granny squares and Jessie's blanket has come to a halt at the moment. It's been too warm to sit with piles of wool surrounding me, so it looks like it's going to be a Christmas present after all. I have painted a couple of mixed media canvases though, they may not be brilliant but I had fun. That's all that matters really and I am sure I'll get better with practice. It's knowing when to stop adding stuff, glue guns can be a bit addictive.
Jessie and my nephew started making a papier mache volcanoe the other day. He was with us for the afternoon to give my sister a break (he and his sister were fighting) and he gets bored easily. I don't know who had the most fun the little boy or the young woman, they both got equally sticky. It's now sat drying out in our conservatory awaiting it's next layer. It's built around a pop bottle so that when it's eventually finished we can fire it up, so to speak. There are loads of videos on You Tube of American kids with frothing volcanoes, have a look, if it keeps raining it will keep your kids busy ( for a while anyway).
He and my daughter were discussing whether to make a chain of volcanoes from different sized bottles, they made some rocks out of scrunched up tin foil covered in papier mache to go with it. I suppose it depends on how long the project holds his attention. His sister is stopping on Saturday so we'll have to look for her a project as well, if one does something more than the other they will fall out again! I'm glad mine are grown up, although that brings different problems. They might not always be kids but you are always a mum.
Well the thunder has stopped, the dog has chilled out and it's time for me to get some sleep. If it starts thundering again I might be back! But for now, goodnight and sweet dreams,
love Louise xx
The epic of the granny squares and Jessie's blanket has come to a halt at the moment. It's been too warm to sit with piles of wool surrounding me, so it looks like it's going to be a Christmas present after all. I have painted a couple of mixed media canvases though, they may not be brilliant but I had fun. That's all that matters really and I am sure I'll get better with practice. It's knowing when to stop adding stuff, glue guns can be a bit addictive.
Jessie and my nephew started making a papier mache volcanoe the other day. He was with us for the afternoon to give my sister a break (he and his sister were fighting) and he gets bored easily. I don't know who had the most fun the little boy or the young woman, they both got equally sticky. It's now sat drying out in our conservatory awaiting it's next layer. It's built around a pop bottle so that when it's eventually finished we can fire it up, so to speak. There are loads of videos on You Tube of American kids with frothing volcanoes, have a look, if it keeps raining it will keep your kids busy ( for a while anyway).
He and my daughter were discussing whether to make a chain of volcanoes from different sized bottles, they made some rocks out of scrunched up tin foil covered in papier mache to go with it. I suppose it depends on how long the project holds his attention. His sister is stopping on Saturday so we'll have to look for her a project as well, if one does something more than the other they will fall out again! I'm glad mine are grown up, although that brings different problems. They might not always be kids but you are always a mum.
Well the thunder has stopped, the dog has chilled out and it's time for me to get some sleep. If it starts thundering again I might be back! But for now, goodnight and sweet dreams,
love Louise xx
Bunting, lovely bunting!
Don't forget my sisters fabric stall is open Tuesday, Friday and Saturday on South Elmsall market. You can find her near the market office, just around the corner from Pastures Green.
She not only sells fabric and haberdashery but makes soft furnishing and gifts as well. Here is a picture of her lovely bunting, it can be made in your choice of fabric and personalised.
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