Thursday 31 March 2011

Busy Week

I think I managed to work out how to set the right time on my posts last night, so any new posts should show the UK time I've actually posted them, which it hadn't done so far.  (Exciting blog news, indeed!)

I've been bursting with craft ideas this week, but have been so busy in the evenings that I've barely had chance to create anything - very frustrating!  I have been ordering more supplies like a crazy person, though - so it's not all bad!  Fun packages keep turning up... just need to do something with them!

However, I have got a picture of yet another cupcake that I managed to squeeze in.  I didn't have enough felt for a stuffed cupcake, so this one is flat.  (Don't panic, I've ordered more felt!)

I wanted to try a different colour combination to the stuffed one (from my previous post) after some market research.  By 'market research' I mean thrusting the cupcake in the faces of a couple of the engineers at work to see what they thought.  Being men they didn't quite understand the purpose of them... (being pretty is a purpose!) ... but were helpful enough to suggest that the 'cake' colour felt should be on the bottom part of the cupcake.  I'd used pink, as if the cupcake was in a bright pink cake-case, but I was willing to give the new suggestion a try!  And here it is:


I think they were right - it does look better!  Also, the good thing about the flat cupcake is that the shape looks a bit better, because it doesn't become distorted by the stuffing.  This could now be sewn onto anything, as a pretty embellishment, or used for card making.  It could easily be glued onto a card - you can't beat a nice cupcake card!  Here is a cupcake card I made a year and a half ago:



Not the best picture, with the flash shining on the card, but you get the idea.  I think the shape of my new cupcake is better, though...

Wednesday 30 March 2011

Fun with Self-Cover Buttons!

It's time I shared one of my recent obsessions - self-cover buttons!  A month or so ago I decided to make some fabric-covered drawing pins for notice-boards, using self-cover buttons and drawing pins.

I ordered a whole pile of self-cover buttons, so that I could make enough for me, and some to try to sell.  The first lot arrived, and it turned out they weren't suitable for glueing drawing pins to - d'oh!  Maybe I should have ordered a smaller amount first... oops!  But, they were still suitable as buttons, so I got to work and revamped a cardigan!

Cardigan before:

Cardigan after:

Closer view of buttons:


How much nicer the cardigan is now!!

Eventually I found the right sort of self-cover buttons, and managed to make myself some fancy pins, and here you can see a few of them, clustered in the corner of my notice-board:


I made the notice-board as well as the pins (had to have a board for my pins!) but will show you the board in it's full glory another day, after I get a good picture of it!

I have also made more pins since the above photo was taken, so I have more of a varied multi-coloured selection!  Again, there will be more of that when I've got some good photos!

How can you wait?  The excitement must be too much....!

Tuesday 29 March 2011

Crafting is Eggcellent!

About a month or so ago, I came across an amazing post on an incredible blog (paper-and-string) and was inspired to make some felt easter eggs!

I'd already been planning to make an Easter Tree, after some sunny days had put me in a cheery Spring mood.  I'd tried blowing eggs to paint, but they seemed a bit fragile (after I cracked one!) and I wanted something I could keep and bring out every year.  Colourful felt eggs was the perfect solution!

I got to work and created my version of the gorgeous paper-and-string eggs, and here they are:


Even better, when I showed them to the girls at work it started a crafting frenzy!  Here is a picture of our eggs all together so far (taken on a desk at work with a mobile phone camera!):


On the left we have Caz's 5 eggs, in the middle are my 6 eggs, then on the right are Dawn's 4 eggs.  All different interpretations, and all looking great together!  More eggs are in progress so there may be chance for another egg picture before Easter, and there will definitely be a picture of my completed Easter Tree when it is made/decorated!

Monday 28 March 2011

Dinki Dots Labels!

I've decided today to buy some sew-on labels for my handmade goods!

Here is the design I think I'm going to go for:


It's not my full Dinki Dots logo, but it's a "black and white label-representation" of it!  Does the trick I think...

I'm just in the process of ordering the labels, and thought I would blog about it as I did so... just to give me a few moments to make sure I want to go through with the purchase!

My new Dinki Dots business (if you can call it a business!) seems to involve me spending lots of money on supplies, without much action happening in the way of making any money back!  Unfortunately it is great fun ordering craft bits, so it's hard to resist.  These things are needed, though - it's the initial start-up!  Hopefully at some point I will have a product range that I can start to sell.  Maybe I should spend more time on that, rather than craft shopping online...!  All in good time!

Right, definitely going to order the labels now - exciting!!

Sunday 27 March 2011

Hanging Cupcake Take 2

We've had a great weekend in Brighton, visiting a friend, and the weather has been lovely!

I also managed to re-design my cupcake on Friday, and finished making it today after returning home.  It actually looks like a cupcake, which is a big improvement!


Well, I think it looks like a cupcake... starting to doubt myself now!

Friday 25 March 2011

Failed Funky Cupcake

I got to work last night on my idea and, sad to say, the result was very disappointing.  I wanted to make a bright funky cupcake hangy that I could maybe try to sell, but I definitely won't be attempting to sell this!  The design definitely needs some work!

It started with a quick sketch on a scrap of paper which I thought looked pretty good:


But unfortunately, when it was transferred to felt... the result was as below:


What went wrong??  The design seems to work as a drawing, but not as a stuffed item.  The slanted bottom was meant to look funky, but doesn't seem to work in the felt.  Also, once stuffed, the base of the cupcake has gone too narrow, and has lost the widening towards the frosting.  It looks more like a trunk - making this look like an odd little tree!

I won't deny it... this little 'cupcake/tree' did get thrown across the room at one point - I was so disappointed that my vision had failed!  Not to mention the time, effort and materials that had gone to waste.

So, it's back to the drawing board... I need to level off the bottom of the base and widen it.  Also, maybe the frosting looks too much like a cloud?  Hmn, we'll see what I come up with next!

Thursday 24 March 2011

Idea

Just a quick post today, as I've been busy doing the weekly food shop and a bit of work from home (boo).

Also, I want to get started on a craft idea I had today - so hopefully I'll have something to show tomorrow!

(By the way, the cake went down well at work -  yum!)

Wednesday 23 March 2011

Cakes and Craft

I'm in the middle of making a cake!  It's currently cooling, before I frost it.  We have a cake club at work, where once a month one of us brings in a homemade cake, and it's my turn this month.  I was told in no uncertain terms by the guys at work that the cake baking must take priority over any blogging or crafting!  Therefore I am fitting this into the cooling time...

So, yesterday's craft session... I went with two friends, and we all produced a brooch made of felt circles with a button in the middle.  The trickiest part was picking the colours to use – I was very indecisive, but got there in the end!  After that, making it was pretty simple.  Here it is:


I actually wasn’t sure how pleased I was with the finished item.  Then when I got home my boyfriend gave it a bit of a bewildered (and not very complimentary!) look – clearly not sure what on earth it was and what purpose it had in the world!  I wasn’t sure I disagreed either...

I looked again this morning, however, and decided that I do like it.  Especially after attaching it to the lapel of my white jacket, to give a cheery summery look!  It’s not too bad, after all!



So, all in all, a nice evening with friends – and the chance to make something new, that I may not have otherwise thought of.  (Although, my drive home wasn’t ideal, as the exit I take off the motorway (nice and close to my home) was closed for road works, meaning I had to get off at the next exit and drive back from there... grrr!)

Tuesday 22 March 2011

Lingerie Bags and Mysterious Craft Sessions...


My friend spotted a notice for a craft session tonight, involving buttons.  It is all very mysterious, as there wasn’t much information on the notice, but we gather that we will be using buttons to make some form of jewellery – not quite sure what!  I will report back tomorrow with more details, and there may even be a picture of an exciting ‘buttony’ creation if all goes well!

In the meantime, for no particular reason, here is a picture of a pair of co-ordinating lingerie bags I designed and made for my sister-in-law for Christmas 2009.  A while ago now, but that's no reason to forget them!




These probably took me longer to make than they should have done, because I’m a bit of a slow crafter as it is, and I also insisted on lining them.  It’s more satisfying to look inside and see no raw edges, just nice neatness!  You can see the contrasting lining showing in the picture below.



My sister-in-law loves going on holiday, so they've been on a few adventures in exotic locations!  Lucky them!

Right – time to go and play with buttons...


Monday 21 March 2011

My First Post!

I've decided to give blogging a go!  I will use this blog as a place to talk about - and show pictures of - my crafting and creating.  Hopefully there will be interesting things to read and see...!

I am also hoping that I will be able to expand my crafting and maybe start selling some of the items I make - just as a bit of extra pocket money (to spend on more crafting supplies!)


Above is a picture of my packaging - first attempt!  I'm really pleased with it, but things might change if I manage to develop my craft-selling further... we shall see!

Or maybe I will continue to just make things for my own enjoyment - either way I should have lots of pictures and ideas to share here!


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