Silent Sunday

Sticky Saturday: Dinosaur Craft Box

Sticky Saturday: messy play fun with kids

Since its the Summer holidays, there's no messy play at Tots group, but lucky for me we've got my craft boxes to do (available here).

Oh my gosh, it's so quiet...

Bean painting his 3D dinosaur kit

He's very pleased with his brachiosaurus.

Carefully taking the kit apart...

Bean's lovely triceratops.

Friday Inspiration: Baby Headphones Hat

Friday Inspiration: a picture of anything that makes me want to get creative.

Freaky baby doll but epic and easy to make hat :)

#tbt: Rose Hip Cottage

Throw back Thursday: taking a look at stuff I've made in the past.

This was the first miniature fairy house I made, for no purpose other than pure joy.

My intention is still to make an entire village...

Wreck it Wednesday: Attach these Pages Together

Wreck it Wednesday: a page from one of my journals.

I love this page. The bunting was fiddly but completely worth it.

 

About 'Wreck This Journal' by Keri Smith

(Description from Amazon)

It is book for those who've always wanted to draw outside the lines but were afraid to do it. For anyone who's ever wished to, but had trouble starting, keeping, or finishing a journal or sketchbook comes Wreck This Journal, an illustrated book featuring a subversive collection of suggestions, asking readers to muster up their best mistake - and mess-making abilities to fill the pages of the book (and destroy them).

Through a series of creatively and quirkily illustrated prompts, acclaimed artist Keri Smith encourages journalers to engage in "destructive" acts - poking holes through pages, adding photos and defacing them, painting with coffee, colouring outside the lines, and more - in order to experience the true creative process. With Keri Smith's unique sensibility, readers are introduced to a new way of art and journal making, discovering novel ways to escape the fear of the blank page and fully engage in the creative process.

Tempting Tuesday: Purple Potato Salad

Tempting Tuesday: trying not to kill my family with my experimental cooking.

So, of course, I would turn up to a friend's BBQ with purple food. 

I was aiming for pink, but I guess I put too much beetroot in. 

Half a purple cabbage, cut finely,

4x spring onions, chopped, 

4x potatoes, diced and boiled,

3x (not 4) cooked beetroots, grated,

Half a cucumber, sliced & chopped,

A small tub of plain yogurt,

2x tbsp mayonnaise. 

I also intended to put 2x grated carrots in too but forgot. 

It's very tasty, I assure you. 

Monday Make: Amended Tee

Monday Make: This week's project

One of the many joys of being a larger chick, is that it is such a struggle to get cool t-shirts. I live in the typical mom uniform of jeans, tee and pumps, so the last thing I need is a boring tee, even if it is only gonna get puked on. 

This is something I've done to t-shirts since my college days. I buy the biggest size in men's, so I have the most amount of fabric to work with. Over the years there have been some brilliant (if I do say so myself) creations. Having a lot of fabric to mess around with means you don't have to leave the logo where it was originally intended and you can do what you like with the sleeves.

Using another vest top that fits me and has a similar amount of stretch (note: most vests have far more than the average men's tee. You can always make it too big to start with and keep amending it til it's right). Lay them out together and trim as desired.

Then it's just a case of seeing the side seams together and back stitching the shoulders so the seams don't fall apart where you've trimmed. 

I've kept it rather loose fitting, just because I don't want my clothes tight right enough to see if the baby has been fed lately (busting boob bulges).

I'm pleased, and now I have a Stampy tee, much to the envy of my children, even if it is a cheap eBay copy (I wasn't in the mood to spend loads, only to cock it up).

Silent Sunday

Sticky Saturday: Mixed Media Fun

Sticky Saturday: messy play fun with kids

It's amazing the fun you can have with tin foil, PVA glue, tissue paper and glitter.

Friday Inspiration: Crochet Stitch

Friday Inspiration: a picture of anything that makes me want to get creative.

#tbt: Crochet Zigzag Blanket

Throw back Thursday: taking a look at stuff I've made in the past.

I bought this wool a few years before I actually got round to using it and it was originally intended to make the boys a cute blanket for their room. At the time I was thinking granny squares in a lovely pattern. I got as far as drawing out the design but of course I've no idea where that's gone.

I came across this stitch when I first taught myself how to crochet, in the bloody brilliant book I used to do so. I always thought it'd be amazing to try, so at some point, possibly about three years ago, I went for it.

It's actually really simple once you get into the swing of it.

I don't know how long it took me, but it must've been at least a year. It was one of the projects that sits around in the living room, driving Mr Strawberry barmy, but since its been finished, it's been draped over one of the sofas and it's completely gorgeous.

I kind of wish it was slightly bigger, but that's all the wool I had so never mind.

If you're thinking of giving it a go, google 'spike crochet stitch'. I'm sure you'll get better instructions than I can provide ;)

Wreck it Wednesday: Cover This Page Using Only Office Supplies

Wreck it Wednesday: a page from one of my journals.

I totally raided the kids stationary drawer...

 

About 'Wreck This Journal' by Keri Smith

(Description from Amazon)

It is book for those who've always wanted to draw outside the lines but were afraid to do it. For anyone who's ever wished to, but had trouble starting, keeping, or finishing a journal or sketchbook comes Wreck This Journal, an illustrated book featuring a subversive collection of suggestions, asking readers to muster up their best mistake - and mess-making abilities to fill the pages of the book (and destroy them).

Through a series of creatively and quirkily illustrated prompts, acclaimed artist Keri Smith encourages journalers to engage in "destructive" acts - poking holes through pages, adding photos and defacing them, painting with coffee, colouring outside the lines, and more - in order to experience the true creative process. With Keri Smith's unique sensibility, readers are introduced to a new way of art and journal making, discovering novel ways to escape the fear of the blank page and fully engage in the creative process.

Tempting Tuesday: Energy Fuelled Flapjack

Tempting Tuesday: trying not to kill my family with my experimental cooking.

So, with a new baby to feed, I am super hungry these days, and usually too busy to sit down to a hearty meal other than dinner time, so I need grab-able, nutritious, belly filling food.
Flap jack is brilliant for that and with a few additions makes it the perfect breastfeeder's snack.

My usual flap jack recipe has 400g of oats, but because I want to add a shed load of nuts and stuff, I've changed it to 300g, just so it binds together. Experience tells me if you get the syrup/oat ratio all wrong it'll just crumble and I hate that. I also put less sugar in and swapped golden syrup for honey.

Ingredients:

300g oats

30g flax seed

200g nuts and dried fruit of any kind you fancy (I opted for a bag of trail mix)

100g butter

100g margarine

100g honey

80g sugar

Simply heat honey, butter, marge and sugar in a pan until blended.

Chop up your nuts and stuff and mix with oats.

In a large bowl, mix oat mixture with honey mixture and blend thoroughly.

Squish it all in a baking tin and bake at 175°C (fan oven) for about 30 minutes.

Slice when it's cool.

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Monday Make: Dog Embroidery

Monday Make: This week's project

I made this for some friends with one of the craziest (but friendliest) dogs I know.

I had to properly Facebook stalk their photos to get enough pictures to do a good sketch of her. I wanted to capture those ears of hers without missing any of their insane pointiness.

My initial sketch, tidied up in photoshop.

Traced onto the fabric with a water soluble pen.

Stitching done.

Little black beads for eyes.

I'm super pleased with it and looking out for more cute doggies...