Jan May

Sometimes the simplest things really are the best aren't they?  Saw this image on Pinterest (where else!) and wondered why this hasn't been adopted en-mass as a way of storing threads of all sorts.  So easy to wind around and secure the ends.  I'm already thinking embroidery threads and narrow ribbons. Tracked the original source down to the Cozy Homemaking blog - where I may now be lost for some time. (Re the blog, I seem to have been lost for some weeks - a combination of summer, circumstance and illness.  Where does time go?)

It's so easy to do! Word Art pictures seem to be taking over this season.  Everywhere is stocking them.  And for quite a while it's been really bugging me.....   How on earth do you do them? I've found a few different apps, but nothing has been quite what I wanted.  Today I've found it! Prepare to be lost in the world of TAGXEDO   - where you can make up a word picture out of just about anything.    There are a host of shapes to choose from, or you can upload your own.  You can even do words.  With a wide choice of text and a host of colour templates to pick from - you may be lost some time!  If you don't want a shape, you can have a word "cloud".  By jiggling around with the controls, you can totally change the appearance.  I have been lost there for most of the afternoon. Best of all, as you create a picture you are happy with you can save as a jpg image in a variety of sizes - even big enough to print ...

For any crafters who have a few minutes to spare - why not make a star for Estella? This is my little effort above.  The heart looks really wonky in the photo, but it doesn't look too bad in real life.  The stars can be as simple or as complicated as you like, and are for a great cause. Pop over to Estella's Wall for full details.   You have until the end of July to create your star, which will be displayed in memory of Estella at  Bluebell Hospice   Stars can be made in any craft form.  The only requisite is that they measure between 5 and 15 cm, and be able to attach to a wall.  They must also be child friendly.   Not sure where to send my finished star to yet, but I've left a message on the Estella Wall blog, and hopefully will receive a message back. Happy crafting!

I have a bit of a thing about buttons.  Memories of childhood and rooting through my Gran's button tin. Sadly I've now used most of the vintage ones that belonged to my mother and grandmother - but the fascination still remains. So I thought today I'd have a button day, and share some of the latest lovely makes I've discovered.   by Amanda Meadon on Folksy How charming is this little picture?  Simple, colourful and quite pretty by Saphire Moon on Crafster  Not sure what these are... cuffs?  Loving the way the colours blend What a fabulous necklace.  The colours!  And some of those buttons are amazing.  Found this on Pinterest, but sadly there is no link. by Mike Smith on Folksy  A fabulous piece of button art.  What a fantastic idea from Homedit.com     A little bit in love with this lampshade - and so easy too! Another pretty piece of button art.  So effective. Yet ...

Considering I'm the least Christmassy person I know, it's a bit of a mystery why I entered a decoration swap.  I saw it on Twitter (as you do) and thought - why not?  Today, with a name and address sitting in my inbox awaiting a delivery, I thought I'd better get cracking and make something. I'm not sure which one I'll send yet, but there's a choice of two.  The "Noel" heart above.  A red corduory heart, reverse appliqued behind a cream wool outer (I'll get rid of this huge blanket eventually!).  I've chain-stitched the wording using white Perle 12 thread.  The flowers are simply "yo-yo's" which I've stitched into the centres a few times to pull in to form petal shapes.  To hang, I've used a length of vintage brocade trim.  It's a bit big for the Christmas tree, but I think it may look rather nice on a door handle or at the window.  So..... do I send the heart?  or do I send Frosty?   Frosty is about the sam...

Yes, it's a time waster and pretty pointless - but......  I've just found this snowflake generator online and it's jolly good fun....  I don't relish the prospect of attempting to cut this out of paper, but it's a matter of moments with the mouse online - and then you see your snowflake falling in a little snowy flurry.  Great for doodle time during coffee, and I bet the kids will love making them too.  (This big one does!) Create yours here..... Popular Front Snowdays

a simple heart pattern - two make a lovely little gift bag.  I made this one for an online swap  There's something about crochet that I absolutely adore.  For me it beats knitting hands-down.  I can do both, but I'd much rather be following a crochet pattern.  I suppose the first thing that comes to mind when you mention crochet is a granny-square blanket - surely everyone can remember there being one in the family at some time or other.  The perfect "use-up-your-yarn" project, that can be made with hardly any concentration whilst sitting watching the television.  Oh - but crochet can be so much more! You can achieve so much with just the basic stitches, and it's really easy to pick up.  Once you have grasped single, double and treble crochet - you have all the stitches you need to make a wide variety of items. A basic blanket (I made for the dog basket) - so simple to do If you've always wanted to try crochet, but been baffled by any ...

This week I was delighted to receive a book to review for the Popular Crafts Magazine.  With the lovely weather we've been having, it seemed totally surreal to be sunbathing whilst reading a book on Christmas crafts from cover to cover.  Whilst the review will be in the December issue of the magazine, I'm told I can share it with you in advance.  This way, I get to show you some lovely photo's of the makes too! After reading this post, why not pop over to the Popular Crafts  website.  It's a great site, with lots of features, a crafting forum and a book club.  It's free to join, plus, if you join the book club where this and many other books are reviewed each month - you get the opportunity to purchase at a specially discounted rate.  Got to be worth a couple of minutes tapping away! Christmas Crafting In No Time by Clare Youngs (Cico Books)  50 step-by-step projects and inspirational ideas. If you would lik...

I'm delighted to be have an article in the Autumn issue of Creative Crafting Magazine - Open publication - Free publishing - More art I'm so pleased with how it looks.  I can't wait to start writing a new article for the Christmas issue.

What to do on a drizzly afternoon when you have no car, an unkeen tween, and precisely 78 pence in loose change rattling around in your purse? I decided I had to do something creative or I'd be up for the world record attempt in hours spent wasted on Twitter in a day.  Looking around for inspiration, I spied the denim jacket that my daughter Sophie had dragged on earlier when we popped out to the Post Office.  It fits her perfectly, but hasn't seen the light of day for months and months.  I don't know what it is about denim jackets.... they never really go out of fashion do they?  I love the style and have several, albeit none are plain denim - I find the colour drains me.  I prefer pastel shades, corduroy or suede.  Anyway, I digress.  Back to the point of the blog! Take one jacket (originally purchased for £1 at a car boot sale) Add A piece of pretty fabric.  A fat quarter would be ample.  I'm using a patchwork wrap-around skirt....