Day to Day

House & Car pencil toppers

Here are the pencil toppers for the girls that asked for them.

For the little home, stitch the door and sew the buttons into position first.  Then, cut out two houses from the pattern and 1 roof (using a contrasting colour of felt).  Machine stitch the roof into place as you sew up the pencil topper.  Remember to leave a gap at the bottom to slide the pencil into - then use a clear glue to hold the pencil in position.

For the car you need to sandwich the two pieces of felt together and then stitch the buttons into place - ensuring you stitch through both pieces of felt (front and back of car).  Then stitch the car window (just through the top piece of felt) and machine stitch up the rest of the pencil topper.  Add a little clear glue to hold the pencil in position.

Right hand click on the template below and save to 'my documents'.  Then print out on an A4 piece of paper and cut out.

Yesterday we made gingerbread men and spiders (ice cream and lemonade).  Some of the gingerbread men got a little out of hand with big tall tummies while I wasn't watching.

While reading Sarah's blog a little while ago I came across a link for a yummy online shop - Kikki K. Talk about gorgeous things.  They are having a New Year's clearance (50% off a lot of things) - I just bought a few things from the sale section to put away for James and Bella.

Also, while I'm sharing links - this has to be my favourite Etsy shop - lots of Japanese fabrics, magazines etc..  Leslie is super lovely too and wraps everything so beautifully.  She also stocks these print gocco machines that I'm longing for.

I also love this online store - Ten Little Indians.  They have the sweetest things.

Well, I think that's all for today...have a lovely day!

Mintie wreath, new toy & babushka toppers.

I know, I know...two posts in one day, that's a bit crazy.  I finally have my camera back though.

The mintie wreath is for James (to eat gradually over time).  The lovely lady at our local art shop told me about this idea. It's a coat hanger twisted around into a circle and then you tie on a whole batch of minties with sewing cotton (so that they can be pulled off quickly and easily).  I was thinking to myself perhaps a packet of minties would fill the wreath but over 100 minties later and about 2 hours of tying them on, it was finally finished.  Really, I should have added more up the top to bulk it up a bit more...but I was slightly sick of tying them on (slightly being a huge understatement).

James thinks it's wonderful!

My new toy for Christmas...I can't tell you how excited I am to finally have an overlocker...now I just need to work out what to overlock with it!

I've also been stitching these babushka pencil toppers for our school fair next August (yes, crazy hey starting so early).  The idea came out of my Cotton Time magazine - they had the dolls stitched onto a gift box. 

Here's the pattern if you would like to make some.  Right hand click on the template below and save to 'my documents'.  Then print out on an A4 piece of paper and cut out.  Use the template to cut out a back and front for the pencil topper.  When stitching it together, be sure to leave an opening for the pencil at the bottom.  Add a touch of glue after you slide the pencil in to hold everything nicely in position.

I'm also doing two other designs - house and car.  If you'd like the patterns for these let me know and I'll post them here also.

Day 6 - Christmas Pencil Toppers

Inspired by these gorgeous pencil toppers.

Materials:

Felt scraps

Sewing machine

Various ribbon for the bow

small beads or buttons plus a clear glue for adhering (I've used dimensional magic)

Pencil/pin/scissors

Right hand click on the template above and save to 'my documents'.  Then print out on an A4 piece of paper and cut out.  (Sorry I don't know how to do a pdf file, but this should work nicely).

Pin the template onto 2 pieces of felt and cut out.

Machine stitch the two pieces of felt together - ensure that you leave the bottom edge open so that the pencil will slide up nicely.

Poke the pencil up the tree and use a clear glue to hold into position.

Adhere a scattering of beads (or buttons) over the tree.

Tie a bow using ribbon, twill etc.. under the tree.

These make great little gifts and are fast to make.  Ours are going in the advent calendar as little gifts for James and Bella.

Thankyou very much for your lovely input on the photos - it was very close, but number 5 photo won followed by photo 4 and then 2 - only 1 vote between those three!  Thanks everyone. See you tomorrow for Day 7 of Christmas craft....farout I can't believe I've been doing this for 1 week already.