Business Cards

Hellooooo :)

Just a brief post before I embark on a super creative day with my lovely friend Jill.

This week I had some more exciting post (in addition to the stuff I told you about in this post yesterday). I received my business cards.

I am so proud of the tiny bits of cards. Despite the fact I am not going into business or anything, its just that sometimes I find I really could do with one. Sometimes I get asked to make bits a bobs by friends and family. Or I get chatting about blogging and need something with the link on. I also need something to write prices on when I do craft fairs.

So ........ here they are ...........

Simple, but informative. I didn't spend a lot - just £2.50 for 250 so for the cost I am quite pleased with them. I also splurged on a stamp .... which I have to keep stopping myself from stamping every where .... it is really cool.

Yesterday I got to use them.

After my aunt visited from Christmas and saw my little table runner she asked me to make one for her. So I used it as an opportunity over the Christmas break to start learning some new quilting skills.

I really enjoyed making the table runner and due to immense concentration and excitement I didn't really photograph all the way through. I just quickly took a couple of snaps once finished.

Reds and greens, with lots of lines, in the ditch quilting and some fun little reindeer's (a red sequin for Rudolf's nose or course).

And here is my first proper commissioned sewing  piece .... all bagged up with a business card. I felt like a true professional crafter!

It feels very fitting that after blogging about quilting for family that I point you in this direction ... a beautiful post by a beautiful blogger.  Lazy Daisy talks about how she restores a quilted cushion her Grandma made. You won't be disappointed!

Kate x



Packages, postcards, letters & dead heading!

It is a great thing this 52 Weeks of Happy. I love reading everyone's happy blogs. Short and sweet overdose of happiness .... the origns come from this lovely post ... its amazing how things can spread!Happiness can go a long, long way.

Here is mine for the 2nd week of 2013.

1. My favourite flower still going strong. I thought the last flower was about to die when all of a sudden two new buds popped up. Cyclamen's were apparently my Grandma's favourite flower, and for some reason I can keep them going and going ... this one was brought me as a gift in August. I think the trick is to put in a cool but bright place, water from the bottom (not too much, but never let go dry) and to dead head on a daily basis!

2. A lovely bundle of vintage fabric. I order these as a treat from Bobo Bun's Etsy site. She has an offer on until the end of Jan. The fabrics were beautifully pressed, tied up with string and then wrapped in lovely tissue paper. A treat to come home to after a long day at work!

3. A card of my Granny. Post is simply a happy thing in itself. But when it's off your Granny ..... well that's happy beyond happy!

4. Some new postcards to sit nicely by my spice shelf. We brought these way back in September and I misplaced them. I am so happy they are now firmly on the wall so I can enjoy them.

Kate x

1/52 Weeks of Happy

Four photographs to celebrate the first week of 2013.

1. Two fantastic walks up the Chase ... and a bit of deer spotting.

2. Delightful crochet flowers patterns and getting a deep sense of satisfaction when complete.

3. Another crochet photo ... however, as much as I enjoyed crocheting up these hearts I would prefer a photo of me swimming (practically a no-no) as I have enjoyed swims early morning before work and before bed. Blissful.

4. Bargains .... 3 bulbs of hyacinths for £1 which I places next to my Amaryllis. I love waiting for bulbs to pop. What is the fun of buying already popped ones???!!!!

This week has been lovely. Full of optimism and tidying ... and not just the house. Mind body and soul too.

Happy New Year.

xxx

100th Post - last one of 2012 - what a year!!!

Today is the last day of the year when I found my love for crafting. And coincidentally it is the 100th post of the this little blog which I have enjoyed soooo much.

I thought it would therefore be best spending my 100th post, and the last one of the year, reminiscing on the journey I have made by celebrating all the ta-dah moments over the past year!

I first posted in May not really knowing where things were going to take me but I had discovered blogs like Attic24 as I was first learning to crochet and thought "I could do that". And I am so glad I did. Blogging has introduced me to a whole community ... not just online but also in my town.

Although I was very very ropey both in blogging and crocheting I made my first blanket. For a baby, which sadly never came ... but without my new found hobbies I don't think I would have ever got through it. This blanket is now safely in a box with a few other little memories.

 
I then picked up the hook and yarn bug ever so quickly ....... I literally went mad for it!!! I made some birthday bunting, which now traditionally gets hung up on all of the families birthdays, some olympic bunting which me and my sister waved like crazy when we went to London 2012 (and is still strung in my car's back window).

These quicker projects gave me much needed breaks while I tried to complete my brightly coloured vertical strip blanket. This is now a much loved beach/picnic/chair cover blanket! A new family heirloom.

 I must take a second out from the yarn ta-dah's and just salute the Queens Jubilee (wasn't it fantastic!!!!) with my little Patriotic Felty Birds which still hang with British pride in my kitchen and get the most attention from visitors!

While completing my first projects I also learnt how to knit. I didn't really pick it up as quickly or with as much enthusiasm as crocheting, but I did stick with it and I am glad I did. I started off with some easy projects and did a sample scarf with some sneaky crocheted flowers to hide the mistakes. My granny wore it every day we went out over the Christmas holidays and I am glad to say it looks alright!

In my knitting class everybody made a doll to send to Africa, which I embraced and learnt a whole lot whilst making it. I definitely want to do some more charity knits in 2013.

I also made a little Mrs TT Mouse which my sister-in-law took to Thailand as a good luck charm during her travels.


By this time, its was all clicking and boy was I on a crafting high .... a high I don't think will really ever go! I felt confident enough to start making things for the home and learnt to Tunisian crochet some arm covers and cushions for our living room and a nice beach inspired rug to hide a stain on the carpet in our bedroom.

I started to use wool to make gifts as well .... scarfs and snoods for friends and family, baby blankets for new arrivals and decorations and felted bags and mice for Christmas gifts.

 

For my birthday in September my husband also brought me a sewing machine .... I was too scared to touch it for weeks but as soon as I did I caught that bug as well .... just in time for Christmas. I made some lovely little advent bags for my mum and dad and in laws (as well as myself) and filled them with some little goodies to help with the build up to Christmas. I went to a couple of amazing workshops and learnt new skills and came out with some festive stockings which are now with my godchildren in Oz and a Christmas Tree table runner ..... which has inspired my first commissioned pieces; a table runner for my Auntie. I also have made the most out of scraps with bunting and hanging tree decorations.
 

Phew ..... I think I have covered the main bits! Wow what a year! What an achievement.

Other than crafting I have had a nice year, a tough one, but a lovely one all the same. Some lovely holidays, new Friends, a weekly crafting circle to go to and our lovely chickens (in the picture is Jill .... the one that got away)! I have so much to be grateful for and would like to thank you all for taking my on the ride as well! You are all wonderful and lovely and inspiring!!!!!! Thanks!

So 2013 ....... a few goals.............

• Keep crafting and blogging and getting better!!!
• Try some craft fairs (I have already booked on one at the end of the month) to raise some money for materials.
• Read 12 books (one a month). I have already decided on six.
• Try mediation.
• Do a charity knitting project.
• Loose some weight.

I am sure I will keep you posted along the way!

Love and best wishes for 2013

Kate aka Granny Taught Me To Crochet.

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Scrappy Christmas Bunting and Scented Christmas Tree Decorations using scraps from the scraps)

I had almost forgot to post about my thrifty delight that is "scrappy Christmas bunting".

I was the most perfect-simple-oh-so-satisfying couple of hours I spent on the morning of Christmas Eve.

I had a fair bit of joined up jelly roll strips from the Christmas Table Runner (if you haven't yet seen it .... follow this link ... I hope you like it! I am uber proud!) so carefully snipped out some triangles and then some plain fabric in festive green.

I then whipped up 10 flags and then raided my "pretty little things" (whilst humming this tune) and added some cute little bells and charms that fell out of the most beautiful little Paperchase crackers I purchased in last years January Sales .... I knew they would come in use!

These little pretty things were tooooooo pretty to just tie on with any normal thread! I used my precious vintage roll of gold thread that I received from the lovely mum in a parcel she sent me during the Bloggy Blanket Chain (if you go and check out this post I did about it then you can follow the link to Mum's page .... she is so brilliant and does do a great job of looking after all of us bloggers!).

Anyways ..... what more fun could I be having ..... creating-Christmas-crafts!!!!

 

After using some lovely left over spotty red bias binding to join all the flags up I decided the wall in our kitchen could do with a little bit of jollying up .... so two tacks later (and a little help from Craig) our kitchen wall looked like it was celebrating Christmas too!

Ta-Dah!!!!!

And if that wasn't enough fun for the morning!!! ..... There were scraps left from the scraps!!!

So I made lots of little triangles and made some Christmas Tree Scented Tree Decorations!

Oh so easy, oh so smelly, oh so lovely!

Firstly I got a bowl and put in Christmas smelling stuff ..... Cinnamon sticks, orange peels, mixed spice, cloves ..... etc .... your all Christmas loving peeps ..... you know the whiffs!

I mixed it together and took a sniff .... but being careful not to sniff too hard .... I didn't want to Christmas over-dose!

I then filled my little tree's with toy stuffing and and teaspoon of the smelly-stuff and then joined up the gap with a tree trunk!

These were used to wrap up little gift bags of homemade fudge to give to my guests coming in the afternoon for coffee and mince pies .... and they went down a treat!

So that was my little morning of sewing ..... ahhhhh .... it seems like so long ago ... I wish it was Christmas Eve again, everything is over so quickly when you grow up .... I guess it won't seem like a minute until the next one arrives though!

Thanks for stopping by.

Love xxxxxxxxxxx

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A Tutorial on how to make bunting.

Cut long strips from various fabrics. Either all the same width (including your seam allowance) or at variant angles and widths (this is easier when your a beginner).

Join the strips by placing two pieces the right side together and sewing a hem along the long edge. Keep adding a strip until you have the correct width. Then press the seams.

Next use a template and cut out all of your flags (plus one triangle for the back - I used plain green fabric) from the new piece of stripey fabric you have just made.

Then, place your front piece and back pieces together, the right sides facing in. Go around each of the triangles on your sewing machine, leaving the straight, top edge free.

Turn all of your flags out the right way and iron them. I then trimmed the top edge as this was a little wonky now.

Arrange onto your bias binding (there are some great videos on you tube if you want to know how to use it) and then zoom up the row of flags with your sewing machine.

I then added some little trinkets on the bottom. You can add buttons on the binding in between the flags as this looks nice too.

If you want to see a crochet bunting tutorial then check out this link to one of my previous posts where I made some Happy Birthday Flags!

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Snowflake Swap Goddies!

I feel so elated to finally be able to tell you what I got in my snowflake swap with Helen from Moonstruck Creations.

When I received my swap a couple of weeks ago I put all the gifts under the tree and on Christmas eve transferred them into my stocking. It killed me not being able to open them!!! They were wrapped in the most adorable paper and there were so many exciting shapes to think about!!

The first thing I did very early on Christmas morning was to tip out my stocking onto the bed and get to opening up those goodies.

I had so delightfullllllllllllll snowflake window stickers which I loved! Plus a little light up snowflake .... which reminds me. I must put that in the window tonight!

A 2013 diary to keep me organised, some Christmas tissues, a cute compact mirror and lip gloss in the shape of a cupcake.

I also got a Yankee candle in my ultimate favourite Christmas scent!!! Again today I will burn it to carry on all the Christmas jolliness! Also I got the first chocolate item of the day. A little chocolate teddy bear.

So ....... for the final reveal....... the crocheted snowflakes!!!! ...........

Aren't they just lovely. I am so pleased with them. They have lived for a few hours on my welsh dresser, and are now hanging from the tree!

I love them, thank you Helen!

xxxxx



I do hope you all had a lovely Christmas day. I was sooo lucky and got spoilt rotten by my family, friends and husband. Too much stuff to even start..... from recipe and crafting books, knitted slippers and scarfs from my crafting friends, diamonds (oh yes Craig knows how to spoil me), fabrics and kitchen things ........ anyway .... I wish you a Merry Christmas and hope that you have a lovely day today and a great festive week.

Love xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Star and Tree Christmas Garland Link

http://theroyalsisters.blogspot.com.es/2009/11/grandma-tree-tutorial.html

Oh what a lovely tutorial!

So quick and satisfying ... great for last minute garland gifts!

xxxxx