Folksy Friday - 18

Coming up very soon is my God daughter's 18th birthday - can't believe she's 18 - and I wanted to send a little something to mark the occasion, rather than just a cheque. All my goodies are too young for her, and inspiration hasn't struck me yet! I have to be honest and say there didn't seem to be a great deal of choice and I really wish Folksy had a filter on their search results, as I wasn't looking for a card. But I did find some very lovely things.
So my four for Folksy Friday are . . .

Holly's Closet



An 18 photo frame made from scrabble tiles from Holly's Closet

Panda Paws Design

This cute personalised angel from Panda Paws Design

Kristi-Krafts

I really liked this personalised heart sign by Kristi-Krafts, but just didn't have enough time to organise it.

This is what I ordered!

Finally this personalised necklace from Rubys Charms , and this is what I've ordered for her, and I'm now waiting for it to arrive.

Pickle-Lily is out and about this Saturday, at the Albemarle Centre in Taunton, so do come and say hello, if you're around. Have a good week-end!

Mixtures

It's been another busy week in the Pickle-Lily house - a mix of  school stuff for me, dancing for Pickle-Lily ( four times a week at the moment) , cadets and a birthday for Pickle (teenage son) and work for Mr P-L. It does mean that not much crafting has been happening here, and my fingers are feeling restless. One thing I know I will do this week is visit the other blogs on Handmade Monday. Pickle-Lily and I have a book to look forward to as we won a giveaway on Wendy's blog, as part of 100 Handmade Monday's. Thank-you Wendy!
I have done a lot of mixing today, as the bottomless pit (son) is home all day, so we have fruit tea bread, lemon drizzle and flapjacks filling the tins at the moment.

How long will these last?

Pickle-Lily is busy making nautical bunting

Ironing to be done

and the boys are watching the rugby, so quite a laid back day today.
When I have had a chance to knit, I've started making bunnies again. I use James Brett merino yarn that is just so soft, and this year we have yellow hoodies as well as lilac and green. I've also made some new dolly mixtures in pinks and reds, with heart fabric skirts and a heart on the their top.

dolly mixtures

The final mix was for the winners of the mini giveaway, a heart kit and an Easter egg kit
and the winners are

Twinkle Star for the Easter egg kit

and Ali for the hearts kit.

Congratulations!

the tale of the beastie boys

Beastie boys pencil toppers

Once upon a time, last Friday, Mrs P-L decided to do a post about ants, what a strange lady!As she did the school run she began to think. Now everyone knows that when Mrs P-L decides to think, she'll have an IDEA!
"Run, run," Mr P-L shouted "This is a dangerous thing!"
It usually means that Mr P-L will have to help. Luckily for Mr P-L all he had to do was agree with the strange lady and go to John Lewis on his way home from work.
Mrs P-L thought about all the little boys who have to go to craft fairs with their mums, and might like a little something for themselves.
 "How about an ant pencil topper?" said Mrs P-L.
First she got some felt and cut out circles, big ones and small and arranged them several times. When she was happy she sewed them in place, and it made her smile.
The ant then met some friends - spider and caterpillar and they decided they wanted to join the story as well. So they decided to go on a blog hop and say hello to all the new friends and old at Handmade Monday.
What happens next?
It's up to you!

Four for Folksy Friday and a a a

I've been toying with two ideas lately about doing something different with the blog - one is a crafting alphabet and the other is joining in with Folksy Friday. So today is my first fumbling step into this.
First the crafting alphabet idea. Well. my first thought for a - was ants! As an early years teacher who has taught phonics for many moons, a means 'a .. a ...a ... ants' (coupled with my fingers climbing up my arm). All the teachers and mums out there know what I mean!
Now I had ants on the brain, and I was - to admit it - stuck! I couldn't think of a recipe or a make to do (Actually I've come up with several, after the drive to school!) with ants, so I had a look on Folksy and it came up trumps.
So my Four for Folksy Friday are ...


Textile Mug by Miwary

This cute fabric mug from Miwary

Bean bag by Zoe Est Kids

A beautiful big beanbag from Zoe Est Kids

Backyard Party fabric by Michael Miller from Stitch Me Lane

Fab fabric from Stitch Me Lane

Card from Suzy Taylor

This amazing paper cut design from Suzy Taylor

I'm off now to make some ant related items (good for the beastie lovers out there!). I'll post some pictures when I'm done. As an aside, to all those in the know about Jolly Phonics, I have now got the song 'A a a ants on my arm' going round and round in my head!

A little giveaway

Heart kit

Happy Handmade Monday! I tried really, really hard to get round to everyone's blog last week (I don't know how Wendy does it), but I know I didn't quite make it so thank-you to everyone who posted on here. The problem is I get distracted, I read a post, I see another, I see one that looks interesting in a side bar and I'm off blog hopping!

I've also finally succumbed to pinterest! I realised that I've bookmarked so many interesting and inspiring things in my favourites folder, that I didn't realise what they were. So now I'm pinning them to my boards so I can see them all, and again it's addictive! I dare you to have a peek!

This week I haven't been busy on the making front - I've been to school (no snow day for me), I've been on a teacher's course and on Thursday I went to the craft4crafters show at Exeter. I had a lovely day morning there and was very restrained with my purchases. 

I have been making up kits ready for my first fair next Saturday, Heart kits and Easter Egg kits. I know it's early, but I am trying to be organised!  So I thought I'd have a mini giveaway...

Easter egg kit

A heart kit and a Easter Egg Kit - you can find out more about them here



How to enter

Follow my blog and then leave a comment to say you have done this. If you are already a follower (thank you) please just leave me a comment.

For extra chances to win you can....

'Like' me on my Facebook page and leave a comment on my blog and on my facebook page to let me know you have done this and say which kit you'd like.
If you already 'like' my FB page then please just leave a comment here to remind me!
If you would like to blog about my giveaway this will give you another entry. Again leave me another comment here on my blog.
I'd like to boost Pickle-Lily's own Facebook page, so for an extra entry, please 'like' her page and  leave another comment on here.
Please ensure that I am able to contact you. Pickle-Lily will pull all the names out of a hat on Friday 8th February. Good luck!

Handmade Love



Mug Hugs

 An early Festive Friday for Valentine's Day, and to give you time to make. A felt mug hug.
I actually made two - one for Valentines and then Pickle-Lily said 'How about a Mothering Sunday?' one?

Mug Hugs

These are very simple to make.
My mugs came from Sainsburys - they are special offer at the moment, less than 50p each! I chose them as they had straight sides, rather than curved. To start with, make a paper pattern, by measuring from the base to just below the top part of the handle. I made my hug a bit short so I didn't get a mouthful of felt as I drank. Cut out the rectangle from a piece of paper - it will be too long and overwrap. Then wrap that rectangle around your mug, marking on the paper where the short edge 'joins' to make a complete cylinder. Or, measure the circumference of your mug and mark that onto your rectangle. Add on a tab section at the top of the rectangle. I hoping the picture will explain!

Make a paper pattern

Next, cut out two pieces of felt using this pattern, and embellish one. For the letters I used some wooden letters I already have as template. In the olden days, I used to draw round paper letters, cut them out, mount them and then re-cut to uses as labels for displays at school. Now you can just print them off! A good font to use is vag rounded for this style. I then stitched them into place.
Stitch the two felt pieces together to make a sandwich.

Finally, wrap the hug around the mug and mark where the button will go to hold it in place. Cut a buttonhole through the felt and stitch the edge to neaten, being felt don't worry about fraying . You can put the buttonhole in the tab or the main part, depending on which fits best with your design.
These could be made for any occasion - Father's Day, an apple for the teacher or just put a name on.
And of course you can fill the mug with chocolate hearts, marshmallows, teabags, homemade shortbread ....
Enjoy x

Winter Warmer

... and bottomless pit filler!
In my never ending quest to fill the bottomless pit that is my teenage son, this week I created -

Zap Pudding

This is a simple sponge pudding, like a steamed pudding that can be made in minutes.

You need ...

110g of butter or margarine

110g caster sugar

110g self raising flour

2 eggs



Before



Mix these altogether - the all in one creamed method.

Grease four large cups or mini plastic pudding bowls (I got mine from Lakeland), put a large spoonful of jam or syrup or marmalade in the bottom of each one and then share the sponge mixture between them.

Cover with microwave film, and then

ZAP in the microwave.

Mine take 1 minutes 20 seconds in a 800W / E microwave.

Leave for at least a minute before eating as the jam is HOT!

You can substitute two tablespoons of flour for cocoa powder for chocolate pudding, and I'm going to added currants to the next batch.

After



Jam sponge with custard

I'm sharing this on Handmade Monday this week, I wonder if there will be any more yummy recipes on there? It is also the 100th Handmade Monday this week, so pop over to join in the fun! A big thank-you to Wendy for hosting every week.
Inspired by the snowy weather I've made some felt mug hugs ready for Valentines or Mothering Sunday, and I'm hoping to share them with you as a tutorial soon. I've also been watching the birds from the kitchen window and the bird feeder has been mobbed at times. I've discovered I am no wildlife photographer, as every time I've tried to take a photo, they've flown away! We have had some new visitors to the garden, a group of redwings, very pretty to watch.


redwing

As you can see most of the snow has now melted, leaving our lawn looking like a swamp, but more snow is forecast tomorrow...