Quilt while you're ahead

Christmas... 'idees'

I don't speak French.  At all.  I can understand it a little because of its similarity to Italian and I'm learning by osmosis through No 1's homework (I'm very good with the days of the week and numbers up to 12!).

This lack of knowledge has never stopped me from religiously buying Marie Claire Idees season after season, and the latest number is brilliant.

Check this out:

those little birds on a branch... and the scrappy ribbons...

Also I'm a firm believer in seasonal wreaths:

felt, buttons, ribbons and little pincushions; what's not to like?

simple, green and with origami paper stars

very sophistiscated... felt leaves and flowers... (gotta find me some decent felt)

of course this is the boys' favourite... but it wouldn't last long, me thinks...

candy canes decorations... genius

and what about a simple hanger full of gorgeous decorations?

I HAVE TO DO THIS!!  how cool is that? a wrapped door? (Mr M is looking at the ceiling wishing time to skip to Dec 26th...)

washing up cloth animals? why didn't I think of it? they're the cutest stocking fillers!

And these are just my favourite pages... seriously if you find this issue, grab it, it's brilliant.  I've been stalking my newsagent for days and even so I just about managed to get my paws on the last copy.

What are you waiting for? get going!!

which one...

do...

you...

like...

best?

If any?

when it's cold outside

it's nice to paint

 

and to rip and to stick and to trace and to cut

 

and to cut and to stick

(and then to leave mum to clean up the mess)

(idea taken from kidscraftweekly.com)

readdressing the balance

there is too much white outside.

   

so we made our own colours

 

and then we ate them.

Paper tree

I know it's a bit early for this

 

I just couldn't resist the simplicity of it

 

don't you think I need to grow a whole forest?

(instructions found in 'Homes and Garden', Dec 2008)

... books

I've given myself an early birthday treat:

Lotta Prints is full of gorgeous and inspiring projects and  simple explanations. 

How to make books was suggested to me by Ali and she wasn't wrong (is she ever?), clear pictures and instructions that free your imaginations instead of  'tell' you what to do. 

I fell in love with Pretty knits when in Loop last weekend... I feel really girly and sophisticated just by dreaming about all that lovely knitting...

Talking of books I still haven't finished the cloth memory book I made at the Jessie Chorley workshop, but here's a sneak peak anyway. 

Just think of it as only sketched for now...

I'd like to substitute the red stitches here for a blanket stitch

Add words and stitches here

And there are a couple of more pages that need filling.

All this random stitching can be very addictive... I warn you.

that was the weekend that was

and what a fab weekend that was too!

It started with a train journey on Saturday morning

and it finished with another train journey on Sunday evening

and in between there was a lot of this

and a gorgeous picnic under this tree

(these were divine... from here)

and whole day of learning knitting secrets  here.

The greatest thing was meeting in person other like minded girls:  Ali (again), Christina who doesn't have a blog and of course should..., Tracy, Val and the mastermind of it all Alice.  What a laugh.  Ali and Alice have got a much more detailed account of the event so head over there if you want to know more.

I can't stop smiling.  Do you know that feeling?

(A special thanks goes to Mr M without whom this weekend wouldn't have been possible!)

cookies and flowers

is there anything nicer?

(well, there is... I've got ahead of me a weekend of divine crafting: on Saturday a workshop with Jessie Chorley and on Sunday a workshop at Loop.  And yes, Mr M is looking after the boys... and yes I'm in good company)

But a part from that I love flowers and I love 'cookies'. 

These ones in particular:

Thanks to Nigella's super quick receipe... mmmm nice, especially with a glass of ice cold milk.  Needless to say they didn't last long.

And who says boys and flowers don't mix?  Check this out (thanks to www.kidscraftweekly.com):

Colourfull muffin cases, some long wooden skewers, felt circles, sticky tape, glue, a pot and a couple of potatoes.

Voila'.

Indigo dyeing (and the new kitchen)

Have you ever tried indigo dyeing? You should.

It's magic. 

You take a white piece of fabric, you fold it, stitch it, roll it, knot it.

Then you dip it.

And when you take it out it's dull green and  it smells  horrible BUT right in front of your eyes... it turns this amazing shade of blue... (something to do with the oxygen in the air)

this

turned into this

this

became this

and this

surprised me with this

But my favourite of all is this

which unrolled into this magic piece

Magic or what?

Oh, and the kitchen... drum roll please...

ta dah!!!

So clean and white and calm and new and MINE!!!!

randomness 2

My favourite thing about blogging is the inspiration and motivation I get from reading other blogs.  A case in hand?

I had all intention to do something with all the Christmas cards that were hanging around the house well past their expiry date (they kind of had become part of the decor and didn't really notice them anymore... I kept forgetting to take them down).  First I thought about keeping them and turning them into paper globes .  And then I thought about cutting them instead and use them as gifts tags... I hate having to spend money on gift tags... they're so expensive for what they are and I always tell myself how easy it would be to make some...

But then of course I forgot/started doing millions of other things and the cards went into the recycling bin.

Until I read this.  Suzanne's post was the proverbial kick up the backside I needed to go outside excavate the recycling bin for the aforementioned Christmas cards and do something about it.

Shocking, eh?

Actually there has been a lot of sewing and crochet done too... but nothing that's ready for the big wild world.  Like big Arnie once said... I'll be back.

Soon.