My Christmas Shop

I know some people think it is too early, but I have just begun to put together my Christmas Shop.

I have loads of handmade Christmas Gifts and decorations. Including the Nativity story Bracelets (above)

salt dough  decorations (Top) and Salt dough nativity  (above)

I'll show you more tomorrow.

or, if you can't wait ..... go and have a look HERE

Autumn

As aging summer spreads her hands
To catch the falling leaves,
She turns them into wondrous shades,
The autumn patterns she weaves.

To make them whisper and to shake
She gently blows them round
Allowing sun to glint on gold
As they flutter to the ground.

The floor is now a carpet of bronze
An amazing sight to behold
The artists pallet could not improve
As onward the season rolls.


Poem by Carol

South Cave Show 2011

This is what I was doing at the weekend

Craft Tutorial ~ Make your own rainbow crayons

Skirt Drama Update ~ Latest in the skirt saga

Continuing the saga I am having with school uniform skirts,
School uniform ~ Arrrggggghhhh
and the follow up: Bad News
here is the latest episode

Parcel finally arrives today Wednesday.  I go into the house, open it up and discover not the black 26 x 22, but a grey 24 x 20.  I just sat and stared at it.  How can an order be quite so wrong?
I phoned the company and got the expected apology, but that doesn't help when they don't have the skirt I actually ordered in stock.
So I have now to send back this skirt and find another.  Hopefully my new selection of company can do better!! ... well they could hardly be worse!

Hydrangeas

So Madonna hates hydrangeas.
Personally I love them. They are so romantic and English Country Garden with their beautiful heads of clustered tiny flowers. Here are some beautiful examples of modern and old varieties.

All these photos are from Hydrangeas! Hydrangeas!

Chalk Board Paint ~ Custom Colours

how useful it would be to have a chalk board in your Kitchen or hallway.  Now you can make your own chalkboard paint in the colours you would like.  The tutorial for  custom coloured blackboard paint is available on Martha Stewart's Blog

A follow Up

This post follows on from Yesterdays post about the uniform issues:
Well we waited and watched for the postie to arrive this morning and as the red van turned down the road and pulled up we held our breath.  out she got and walked up the path to our letter box.  There was no bulky packet, no padded envelope.  No Skirt? ..... NO SKIRT!
So it is to be hoped that those uniform police are not very vigilant.
The company who I ordered the skirt from and who promised it would be here today simply said "Sorry"

School Uniform ~ AARRGGGHHHHHH

When I was at school, all the primary schools I went to (5) did not wear uniform, so each day was get out the clothes that were clean and pop them on and go to school.  I don't remember having issues with fashion or what other people wore etc.  When I started senior school 1980, The uniform was a navy skirt, navy jumper, blue shirt and black shoes.  Everyone went to the uniform shop and bought from a very limited style choice.  As I entered the sixth form I rebelled and wore an extremely long blue skirt from C&A's, but on the whole we all just wore the uniform from the uniform shop.

How different it is now a days, Most primary schools now have uniform and the one I've had contact with were fairly relaxed and allowed any grey skirt and maroon sweatshirt.  In the summer the girls wore red gingham dresses and there were lots of styles available.

The local senior school is a lot more strict on uniform.  They state that the skirt should be knee legnth, black and A line and not made from the t shirt style fabric that rides up.  So that would be fairly simple then, at least that's what you think.  The school produce a skirt but it's the style that suits and more importantly fits only a few.  There is no adjustable waist and no waist band so the possibility of adding elastic is not there.  In reality, to get the correct waist fit for a skinny, you'd be having a few sizes smaller and so the skirt would be too short.  So after attending a very hectic uniform evening, I decided that I'd get one from a local  shop.  

So we trolled around M&S, British home stores, Debenhams, Tesco's Asda, Sainsbury's, New Look, Next and many more.  I was tearing out my hair.  Every shop was so near, but so far.  Some had the right style, but only in younger girls sizes,  but the overwhelming thing was pleats.  They were everywhere and not only that, they were all short.  After all the who ha, I decided that the best place to go and probably where we should have gone first was the trusty uniform shop, the same one I'd got my uniform in all those years before.  Believe it or not the school uniform shop only had one style of skirt in  and that was a pleated kilt.  I was beginning to panic.  It was far too late to order a skirt from the school  and so I began to trawl the internet and on the 25th August, I located the perfect skirt, selected the exact size and length and pressed al the order buttons, sat back and waited.  And Waited.  And Waited.  

Finally last Wednesday I rang and asked where it was and was told it would be in on Wednesday and sent straight out.  But by Saturday I was getting frantic and accosted the post woman, but she had no delivery for me.  So in panic I rang the shop and the lady agreed to post it out to me.  Now I have my fingers crossed that it arrives in Monday's post as it is needed for Tuesday's school.  Should it fail to arrive, I have no plan B.

Uncork The Wine ~ & Use Up The Corks

Cork is a natural material that has many uses, but probably the oldest and best is the use of cork for bottle stopping. So next time you pop the cork, save it and put it to some of these wonderful uses.

Plant Markers ~ Tutorial HERE

Make A Bath Mat

Make A Notice Board

Make Large Wall decoration Initials

Only 112 days left ~ Grab Your Glitter!

Christmas is coming,
If you are planning to go handmade, then you need to start planning and making.  Before you know it, it'll be Christmas eve, the craft shops will be shut and it will all be too late.
If you are looking for idea's of things to make for decorations, food, gifts etc then I have put together a Handmade Christmas Blog which has all the tutorials, eye candy and music to accompany your handmade Christmas endevours.  If you have a christmas related item you would like me to showcase there then let me know.
Happy making!

Papier Mache Bowls

I have been playing with papier mache for the last couple of days.  Typical that I want to make papier mache the day after I put the bins out for recycling.  In ended up scrapping phone books.

I used the cooking method and a home made binder using flour with a little wall paper paste for the anti fungal properties.
I have made four bowls to start with.  One is almighty big and the other three are more moderate (25cm).  One of them is a deep ball shaped bowl which has yet to have a base added.
Over the next couple of weeks I will decorate them and varnish them.

The Perfect Summer hat

I am in love with this stunning hat.  The PDF pattern is available HERE

But and it's a huge but (like mine!)  it's in Japanese and even with Google translate it is still in Japanese.  So sadly I will just dream

Button Fun ~ Button Inspired Ideas

Gift Decoration by Love Maegan

Button Art by Mod Podge Rocks

To The People Of Wootten Bassett

Wootten Bassett is the town through which, (until today) our brave dead service men pass on their journey to the coroners office  after arriving at RAF Lyneham.
What began as a couple of elderly ex service men making a public salute grew and grew until many many people line the route and welcome our hero's back and life in Wootton Bassett pauses.  Families of the soldiers often line the route too supported by the community.
To the people of Wootton Bassett I want to say thank you for the dignity and respect you have showed to these fallen men and their families on behalf of us all.  You are a wonderful community.