Craft round up

Hi,

I am just quickly doing a catch up of the crafts I have completed since my last blog. I am going to bed after, and I have had a niggle in the back of my head to record it all in my blog space!!

So here it all is. Some old skills and has always some new ones too.

Patchwork crazy 

Ceramics

This lil piggy, money banks.

Winter tile/coaster, custom order.

I painted this and I am quite pleased with it, I am no means an artist!!

Four seasons hand painted tiles/coasters.

Wedding signature platter sample.

              

Hand painted birthday present trinket box. 

Hand painted celebration plate samples.

Hand painted caravan tile. 

This is one of the favourite ceramics I've painted recently.

Crochet 

Mini crochet garland for my kitchen.

Crochet garland in the making. 

Sewing bags

My new bag design. Think I may keep this for myself. Love it!!

Soap Making

I haven't done this for about a year. I didn't get on with it first time round. But, I never give up, I just set it aside and just unconsciously work on it in my mind. 

Here is the results. Lovely pink and white layers. It is so appealing on the eye and lovely to use, but the smell, oh boy the smell. I used rose blend essential oil, which is lush, but I also used surgical spirits to help the layers adhere and get rid of bubbles. The smell is like germolene, hospital smell. The resources say this will disappear. I hope so, or this beautiful soap is wasted. Fingers crossed. 

Well that is what I have been up to. I will be popping over to see all of you I follow sometime this week. 

I will leave you with crafting with the kids yesterday. I had them all to myself whilst the other half went golfing!!! Nice for some!

Loom bands (before they went into the vacuum cleaner!!) and our home made maker!!

Homemade chocolate lollies.

Making lemon drizzle. 

Drawing on t-shirts.

Busy, busy busy. 

All pictures and not much natter. 

Enjoy your week.

kel x 

Spring in a pot

Hello, 

Hope your are well.

I just wanted to show you my lovely little jug I painted. I decided that I was going to paint something for my self, for the studio, something to hold small delicate flowers. 

Ta dah! It turned out really well, so sweet. I'm so pleased. I wanted the look of a summer cottage garden or wild flower meadow. I filled it with fresh sweet williams and popped outside the studio on a little table . . . love it. I kept glancing over and feeling rather pleased and springy!!!

The thing with pottery painting is you have an idea when you start out . . . the colours are very pale and absorb into the bisque, you never know how it will turn out once it is glazed and fired. Sometimes you start out with one idea and the paints and brush strokes take you somewhere else. I am always excited to open the kiln at the end of a firing (with fingers crossed that everything has turned out well)!!

I am going to Yorkshire tomorrow for a one night stay, not long enough but looking forward to it.
Take care
Kel x 

(p.s thanks again Joy for the picture collage tips, love it)

Last week

Hi all

I got some great response from my rainbow flower and the cardigan I showcased last week. Thank you everyone for your kind comments.

Last week also saw me take my first steps in the new chapter of my life . . . a very big exciting, nerve racking one. But, if you don't try you will never know!!

Even before that, we celebrated a 3rd birthday in out house and we had a great day out at the snowdome in Tamworth. It was great fun. The kids went tiny tubing, sledging and then we all went swimming, 

We all slept well that night!!! 

I attempted a birthday cake for the birthday bot. Now, I like to bake but I am not a cake decorator and this is my first attempt at covering a cake . . . 

No laughing!!! If you can't tell what or who it is, the bottom layer is Mater and the top layer is Lightening Mcqueen. They are chaacters from the Disney film, Cars. My little boys fave film!

I was a good bake, made with traditional sponge mixture. He does't like jam so it was just a butter cream sandwhich!!

I made a couple of bags last week that I wanted to show you. I made them at the beginning of the week, whilst I was biting my nails off waiting for the news of my shop.

What do you think?

A draw string bag, or a pump bag as we called them in my day!!

I added a lining and it was quite simple after getting a few tips from the blog from 'skiptomylou'

Another small messenger. Pattern pieces are from michellepatterns.com

I think the red lining really brightens the pinstripe up. 

I added a flower to my bag that I made a few weeks ago. It compliments the tweed quite well I thought. I think I am addicted to these crochet flowers!!

Can you tell I am cramming in as much as possible?? I know I have some busy few weeks ahead!!!

Below is some more pictures of the beautiful building where my studio will. I am so happy that I will be situated in this beautiful period building. It used to be the hospital for Shrewsbury/Salop. 

This picture is a bit blurred, but this is the lower ground level where my studio will be. It is full of quirky shops of loveliness . . . I think it needs a yarn shop and then that would be the icing on the cake!

The whole place has a great cosy feel. The other shop keepers are so friendly and welcoming . 

This is the view from the terrace. The small arch window on the left is my little space. You can tell they used to be doors. It is a shame they blocked them up, it would be fab in the summer to sit and paint a pot, looking out at the river Severn. 

This is the view of the river Severn from the terrace at the back of the building. It will be divine in summer. The cafe is next door and is currently being refurbished and they have doors and a seating area onto the terrace it is such a fab place to sit and ponder.  

On a Sunday we usually have a treat of pancakes or a bacon butty for breakfast. But today I fancied something different. I looked for a breakfast muffin recipe on the BBC website and tweaked it to our liking.

I added mixed berries and oats and made a cuppa in my favourite Yorkshire mug. 

They went down a storm with everyone!!!

Catch up soon

Kel xx

 

Happy pots

Hi

I was in my local Morrison this week when I spotted these funky daff bulbs in yellow pots.
I get these every year because they sell them for just 66p each, we all love a bargain.

Anyway, I had some inspiration from Lucy at Attic24 and my new crochet book 'Simply stitches: crochet' by Carol Meldrum. It has a beautiful crochet hook case, in rainbow colours.

I didn't follow a pattern. I basically made a chain a couple of stitches smaller than the width if the pot and dc'd in rows. Changing the colours when I felt like it. I also finished off with a shell edging and stitched it together at  the sides.

EaSy :-)

One for me and one for our childminder. I just love giving home made gifts (and she loves receiving them!!)

These are additive and WILL be making more.

Now I have to go and get my first batch of pots out of the kiln, I know they aren't great because the glaze was too thick. But better to do that on my practice pieces. Post about it later. . . disasters and all!!!

Back soon

Kel
xxx