Hellooo.....

Blowing away the cobwebs in here after ten months.
It's January, one of my favourite times of the year. New year, fresh start, clean page, all things that spark my creativity.
I am not making any sweeping resolutions about how often I plan to post or how much stuff I am going to make or what new goals I have in mind. I am just going to start by sharing the first things I have made in a long time - two cards for the first week of the 52 card challenge on UKS.

Not Quite a Teabag Holder

I haven't had a lot of time to blog this week so I now have quite a few projects lined up ready to share. This one is my most favourite one though.
Following the blogbits links on UKScrappers I came across this lovely teabag holder made by Amanda. It reminded me of something I've been meaning to have a go at making for a little while now for my 12 year old daughter. It's not for teabags but for her to discreetly carry - let's just say - personal items, that she doesn't need yet but will do anytime.
The best bit is I made it with fabric cut from some of her old items of clothing that I saved when she grew out of them.

The bunny on the front was saved from the pocket of a denim skirt she had when she was about six and the main red cover is made from the sleeve of her primary school sweatshirt. The lining fabric is from a pretty top she had when she was about seven or eight.

I love upcycling! I've got a suitcase full of my kid's clothes that I've kept to turn into something else one day. Enough to keep me busy for years.

More Yellowy Goodness

Ha! Can't get away from yellow now that I've started.
With the longer hours of daylight that we're getting (hurrah!), my chickens have started to lay again. So I have once again been pondering the ways to use up more eggs and that of course means a return to one of my faves: homemade lemon curd.
Really quick and easy (I make it in the microwave) so within a very short time I'd gone from this:

To this:

It's so easy to make and tastes delicious! You just melt the butter with the lemon juice and zest and then heat with the sugar for a little longer (don't let it get too hot or the eggs will start to cook when you add them). Next beat in all the eggs and then heat slowly, a minute at a time, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Pour into sterilised jars and you're done.

One warning though - it won't last long. Well it doesn't in my house at any rate!

A Little February Sunshine

When I took down the wreath of jingle bells from my living room door after Christmas, I decided to leave up the hook in an effort to encourage myself to make my own 'all year round' wreath.
It worked! Hurrah!
A few weeks ago I spotted this gorgeous peg wreath on the Hambly blog and pinned it to my 'things I want to make' board on Pinterest - a step towards my wreath.  Then last weekend I found a pack of fifty wooden pegs in the pound shop - further encouragement. All I needed was the final push to help me decide on a colour scheme and then I stumbled across this post on Julie's blog and I was away!

It was really easy to make and didn't take long at all. The pegs are covered with strips of paper from my scraps folder and all the other bits (ribbon to hang it, circle cut from chipboard and the little wooden heart) I already had so all it cost me was a pound!

I've hung it on my living room door and it's brightening up my hall already. Hope your day is bright!



Little Knitted Chicken (My first Monthly Make)

I loved the little juggling chooks that I saw on the Red Ted Art blog - so cute! I wanted one of my own but instead of sewing I picked up my knitting needles. Not that I am a real knitter you understand; I can just about cast on and off and my only stitches are knit and purl. I just had the urge to knit last night though, it's very theraputic and maybe with it being half term I have too much time on my hands this week???
So here I was wanting to knit and wanting a little juggling chicken - why not put the two together? This is the result. Because she's a bit stretchier, as she's knitted, I managed to shape a couple of wings for her too. I love her! She's telling me she needs a friend though.......

More Catching Up

Half term means a little extra time so here I am catching up again. I've had sooo much fun making these cards! I've used stash that I'd forgotten about, techniques I haven't used for years and colours that take me out of my comfort zone. All this fun and a stash of cards ready for when I need them - brilliant!

Week 4 was based on a sketch and I liked it so much I made two versions:

 

Week 5  prompt was to use any kind of aperture. I made a very clean and simple one for this with circles 'floating' in the square apertures.

 

Week 6  prompt was Hot pink, butterfly and paper. Hot pink is not in my usual repertoire but I did find some leftover paper from a kit swap from a few years back (I think it was Rusty Pickle?). Butterflies I love so no problem there.......

Week 7  A colour prompt this week: cool pastels. As it's Valentine's day tomorrow I chose to make this one for my dh. I think he'll like it.

 

I'm loving card making right now and being inspired by all the other cards people are making. 



 



Better Late Than Never.

I have promised myself I will absolutely make time to be creative this year. When you're out of the habit of creating it's difficult to get started sometimes. I occasionally sit here surrounded by mountains of tools and stash with an hour or so to spare but just can't kick start my mojo and instead waste that precious time surfing the net. Not this year - OK?
In an effort to get me going I decided to join in the 52 Card Challenge 2012 over on UKS. The first few weeks of January have flown past with no spare time but yesterday, at last, I managed some time to create! I'm late, but I've caught up and have made and photographed my first three cards - hurrah! Very happy to be making again.


Week One: new, circles, scallops

The circles and scallops speak for themselves. The new was using my new Martha Stewart Scoreboard to make the rosette.


Week Two: primary colour, handmade embellie, journaling spot

OK - not that much of the primary colour but I made the little flower paper clip thingy (it's actually a book mark) and stamped Happy Birthday on the journaling card.

Week Three: bunting, banners, flags

I absolutely loved the inspiration pictures for this challenge! Gorgeous little flags and banners and all sorts of clever little ideas. I feel a few more cards coming on inspired by this week's ideas.