Hawthorntime horrors

For Angela and C,

Hopefully a little inspiration to set off your Samhain mojo 

I trawled the internet and found some free templates. ** I've listed them below

With a little bit of scissor action and a lot of snippity bits left everywhere.

We now have a murder of crows cackling above our mirror.

A swarming colony of bats dashing across our wall.

Goulish faces watching our every move.

And skulls adoring our walls.

I've not quite finished, there are spiders and their webs waiting to go up and a few last touches.

AND!

Yesterday we bought two pumpkins -

Just think of the fun (and the soup says Himself and Eldest)

For the spider look HERE

For the Crows look HERE and HERE

For the goulish faces look HERE

For the bats look HERE

Thank you for your lovely comments about my last post, they are a delight to read :)

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For Jo

Thank you all for your lovely comments and hello to Jo, who said in her comments..........

Hello have just found your blog and love it for your crochet and walks, we are always after ideas for new walks with our two children. A quick question, as I have read back through some of your crochet posts and realised you are left handed as am I, do you crochet left or right handed? I am trying to teach myself left handed - it is not easy! Any tips?! Thank you Jo.

Hi Jo, I am steadfastly and resolutely left handed, so crochet using my left hand to wield the hook and my right hand to hold/feed the yarn.  

I was taught by my right handed sister in law who was patient enough to do a stitch repeatedly and slowly to allow me to copy (in reverse) until I had mastered it.

Having got the basics I launched myself on the wonders of the internet and youtube and just typed in 'left hand crochet' There is a world of lefties out there doing it very nicely thank you!

My initial problem was understanding and interpreting the abbreviated stitches. I found that there are several different names for each stitch with the main three being UK, USA and Australia.  Because of this confusion I found this site Yarn Forward for a quick and easy terminology conversion.

Crochet and More has detailed explanations how to do the stitches too.

Something else that can be a bit confusing - the differing names/sizing given to crochet hooks - this site - Karp Styles crochet and knitting has an extensive list and one I refer to frequently.

 

With all crafts, you learn and you adapt to what feels best for you - my only firm and unbreakable instructions is to try it out and ENJOY! Hope this helps :) let me know how you go one - good luck!

Right, best get on, I have a soggy cat sitting miserably next to me with fur dripping - suspect she either wants drying or the fire or  probably both - *sigh* wish the cats would learn to wipe their feet as they come dashing in - I've only just trained the boys to do it..........

Hearts from Nature❤ and a How-To

Last year I made a heart from sea-worn driftwood and was rather pleased with it. It was duly hung on the wall with a suitably sea bleached dusty blue ribbon. My fav sis-in-law oohed and aahed over it and I decided that I would make her one too. This did take a bit of planning and waiting as I needed to collect the drift wood the next time we were on holiday. Any hoo, it was several months before I was able to complete the project and give it to her for her birthday.

So, today's heart is a combination of Hearts from Nature❤ and a How-To rolled into one :)

Firstly - collect sufficient amounts (lots and lots) of small pieces of drift wood (I want to try with heather twigs collected from some of our local walks)
Have a glue gun (a wonderful gift from an arty friend)
Paper and pencil
Ribbon

• Draw out on paper an outline of your heart shape

• Lay out your pieces of drift wood until you are happy with the shape you are making. I am always surprised how many pieces I need.
• I have tried just gluing as I go along and find that I run out suitable curves and infill pieces - best to do a trial run first.
• Once you have created your shape,  you will need to now make it again but this time using the glue gun to hold into place. 
• Once dry - doesn't take long - turn over and glue to the back of the heart the ribbon you have chosen.

I didn't take a photo of the finished heart - silly me!

It is an easy and affordable way of making a gift and gives me a wonderful excuse to continue beach combing!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

First post for the new year in which I waffle and do a 'How-to'

After having posted for 30 days consecutive I thought that I would need a break. Strangely after just one day, my head is buzzing with ideas so I am back!

Something I am a firm believer of is recycling, up-cycling, reusing, re-purposing, remodelling, remaking (which ever word you know and use) and this year I want to try and improve my track record and aim to decrease my carbon footprint as much as I can. As I go along I will share with you the highs and lows and invite you to suggest anything tricks and ideas I can try out.
To start the ecologically friendly ball rolling, here is with my first 'How-to' for 2012.

We get, every year as so do you, Christmas cards. We hang them up for a while but as soon as the decorations come down (usually on New Years Day) so do the cards. I have never been comfortable just tossing them away - albeit into the paper recycle box, so I cut them up to make tags for next year's gifts. I love the selecting process of choosing the best angles and really enjoy the simple pleasure of cutting and trimming.



HOW-TO 1 - making free gift tags

• Remove the back of the card, checking the reverse of the picture side doesn't have any advertising or writing. This particular card quite happily provided two tags.

• I use both straight scissors and pinking shears to cut the tags and then punch a hole in a corner ready to have a thread or ribbon added.

• Some cards have writing - I love having tags with script or poems as well as festive images

• This card gave me three separate tags - each so different. A cutesy cottage, a festive greeting and a gold and holly tag. I try to match the tag with the person I gift to and this card has given me such a good choice.

• There! - tags made and awaiting their ribbons and cords (all saved through out the year from received gifts) and all for free - now that can't be bad :)

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

Look look look!!... or as my hens would say... clook clook clook!! A Henny-How-To and a clutch of tiny Hearts

But first......................................................................

Today's hearts 

are brought to you 

by my work colleague

 ... tiny tiny little wooden hearts

obrigado!

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As you know, last weekend we were busy building Chickenham Palace, but due to the weather and the fact the weekend suddenly ended (they do that you know, end suddenly.. anyway I digress),  by Monday we still needed to sort out a suitable nesting spot when gz from "ook?!"  suggested I had a look at this link for bucket nests and I am so, so glad I did !

Fired up with enthusiasm and then soon after being offered three buckets, I couldn't wait to get started.

1. My three glorious buckets just prior to their bath

2. The now clean lid, divided into three segments (drawn in pencil)

3. The lid segments now cut (I used a hacksaw and the recycling green bin as a workbench...!)

4. Segments on the buckets to make a threshold (to prevent the nesting material falling out) but the cut edge is a bit sharp for henny-feet so I followed the instructions to add wooden battens.

5. Measuring and marking the wood

6. Cut and ready to attach to the  lid segments (I used a wood saw this time to cut the battens and the buckets as my workbench)

7. I attached the wooden battens to the back of the segments with roofing tacks (recycled from a previous shed) 

8. In situ to see how they fit and look

Step further back to look again (see the mini solar panel top left corner? It powers a gentle light inside of Chickenham Palace all through the night) I am feeling distinctly pleased with myself.......

........All the time, I was being watched through the pop hole.

Suddenly I noticed the time, the boys would be finishing school soon, I quickly downed tools,  reluctantly abandoning  the project. But first I had to make sure the buckets would not roll around and frighten the birds then a quick tidy up before jumping in the car and heading off for the boys. 

Happy hennies checking out their new nesting boxes and looky looky what was in the middle bucket after I returned from collecting the boys from school!! Yay!

And I wasn't the only one who made their girls nesting boxes - Gwnïo from Gwnïo's Adventures also make bucket nest boxes for her birds!




Girl power!

Wet weekend, Baking and "How-To'

What a wet weekend.

That is all I am going to say on the matter.

Grrrrrrr.

So, instead of me waffling, here for your perusal is a pictorial account of our weekend. (sans rain) (oops wasn't going to mention that wasn't I?)

The boys did baking - Eldest did his first 'solo' cake and made an apple topped almond loaf

Talk about yum!

Youngest (with me as his side kick) made courgette, carrot and apple muffins

very yum too, 

especially while still warm with a little bit of butter and raspberry jam

My patchwork freeform crochet has now been 'felted' and blocked. 

It hasn't 'felted' as much as I hoped but it is still progressing nicely.

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Continuing the Revolution - here is the first 'How-To' of 2011.

Due to us all suffering one form of lurgy or another we have 'enjoyed' the associated snotty noses that go with it. The boys very quickly ran out of tissue and resorted to loo roll. I could not bear that but understood their need. So I came up with this idea - and it worked really well, so I now share with you....

The Tissue Bag (or as the boys affectionately referred to as the 'bog roll bag' - *sigh*)

1. Carefully remove the centre card roll by kinking it inward, gently twisting then removing it.

2. Equally gently find the 'end' of the paper and tease out (will need this later)

3. I then dabbed around the exterior of the roll with a proprietary decongestant (although there are other varieties on the market - we really like this one) The decongestant pervades the whole roll and helps keep noses clear.

4. I had previously made drawstring bags from vintage cottons which  I commandeered for the rest of this 'How-To'.

5. Place the loo roll inside the bag

6. Pull tight the draw string ensuring the tissue paper is easily accessible

Final step - pass to a snotty child - Job's a good 'un!!

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Well, that was our weekend, it seemed to go by in a flash - never mind hopefully by next weekend we will all be fighting fit and raring to go :) Been nice chatting to you, must go, got to get the boys ready for school tomorrow. xxxxxxxxxxxxx

15 and nearly halfway through December....... and another seasonal 'How-To'

Today's number 15 has been brought to you by an NHS approved medicated cream, please note that there are other creams also available on the market!

I had to resort to lugging my camera to work yesterday in the hope of finding a couple of numbers to add to my collection for this month's self imposed count down (up?).

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And look what I made this morning!

Talk about quick and easy, 

1. Have yourself some nice twiggy sticks, sharp secateurs, silver spray paint, some sparkly sequins, glue and wire
2. Cut twiggy bits into nice sizes and wire into a roundish sort of round, trim off any extra lengths that spoil the look (optional - stop to find plaster to plug hole in thumb where a small piece of wire stabbed it)
3. Spray silver (optional - avoid spraying foot, right hand and side of jeans) 
4. Wait til dry, then spot glue various sparkly things in a random happy sort of jumbly way
5. Add ribbon, hang up and admire handy work whilst wondering if just tossing the jeans into the washing machine will remove the paint and the blood drips from my thumb.....well worth the effort!!

 

Ta daaa!

12 and counting And a seasonal 'How-To'

Today's number has brought to you by a well known cooking product which has been around since 1840.

A combination of chores and homework has kept us at home today.  Besides it's rather cold and damp outside.

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'How to' - make sparkly tree decorations

1. Feel creative......and indignant at the cost of purchasing similar decorations

2. You will need some chunky pine cones, glue gun,  glitter, wire and  PVA glue

Cut the wire into short lengths and bend at either end - one side will be glued to the pine cone and the other will be used to hook the cone on to the tree.

3. I used a glue gun to spot-glue the end of the wire in between the scales

4. All the cones now with their hooks, ready for a bit of slap and glitter!

(optional step - stop to make lunch for the three ravenous males in the household)

5. Daub the ends of each scale with PVA glue 

6. Now for the best part - sprinkle, sprinkle, sprinkle away!

7. Tap off any excess glitter

8. Some of the sparkle-cones drying before the final step.

9. Hang the cones on the tree, stand back and admire your handiwork.

Ta daaaaaa!