What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday?

There is loads I should be working on.....

I'm a couple of weeks behind with my personal challenge of making something new every week, for starters. I've had lots of ideas of course, but as yet nothing has taken shape yet.  Then there is Stanley the Dog which needs making for the Monthly Make Challenge over at the Felt Fairy.  Plus I have committed to have a stall at the Warkton Village Craft Market in May so I really need to be making some stock for that.  And if all that wasn't enough, Little Princess turns 4 next month so there is a fairy themed party to plan and prepare for too.    

And then of course there is the day job (Jumbleberries Play).  I need to design a crafty project for a children's party we have scheduled on Sunday.  I need to finish off putting together our new range of play packs we are going to have available at our Messy Play sessions.  There is an Mother's Day Afternoon Tea and Craft Market to organise (to promote and support local business mums) AND I am trying to launch a new session next month, (all about craft of course, but this time it's just for mums).   
So here I am, up with the lark, to finish (or even start) some of these projects before the mad rush of packed lunches, book bags, etc, etc, starts. So what's on my workdesk this Wednesday morning?  Well I got distracted - Mr A's mum gave me a lovely book on baking at the weekend and I have itching to have a go at the Whoopie Pie recipe .... so this is what I have spent the last hour doing:

At least the children will have something for their lunch box!

What's on your workdesk this wednesday?  Hope you have a productive day.

I have been 'making', promise!

I know, I know, I set myself a challenge of making something new every week and then after just 4 projects it all goes quiet.  Well, without making excuses things have been a bit hectic in our house recently.  We've had two birthdays (a big birthday for Mr A) and a 6th birthday for little Superhero (which obviously needed a big party to be planned).  Mr A and little Princess were poorly for a week or so and both needed a bit of tlc, then we went away for a few days and then it was half term and before I've realised it it's the end of February, eek!  So big apologies for not blogging for a while, however I have still been making, promise!  Here's the evidence:

A card for Mr A
As mentioned, at the end of January Mr A celebrated a big birthday.  He really didn't want to make too much of it, so we just had a small do with family at home.  However, a birthday means an excuse to make a card, right?  So I made this phone inspired one.

I had seen a version of a phone card in a magazine before Christmas and thought it was great way of making something really personal as I could incorporate mini pictures of the kids.  I'm really pleased with how it turned out, although I am not sure he appreciated my declaring his age on the front!

Share the Love

We were away for St V's Day, so I do have to admit I didn't actually make anything valentine related this year.  However, I did recently take part in my first every swap, which required me to make a handmade heart.  I made this hanging decoration of 3 hearts (in my favourite purples, of course), which I thought would look lovely hanging in a little girls room.  I received a lovely email of thanks from my swap partner, which, as this was the first time I'd shared my homemade creations with anyone else, absolutely made my day.      

Tooth Fairy Pillow
We have just spent a lovely week in the New Forest, a great place to be in early Spring when all the snow drops are just starting to make their presence known.  Even on a wet day, I always find walking in the woods quite magical and indulge in childlike daydreams of enchanted forests....  Anyway, thoughts of fairies and woodlands gave me an idea for my next make, when I got home - a toadstool shaped tooth fairy pillow.

 

It's made from red and white felt, is slightly padded and is embellished with little flower beads and white buttons.  There is a little pocket behind the door, perfect for holding a small tooth or shiny coin.  I've used some cute red and white polka dot ribbon, so it can be hung on the end of the bed to await a visit from the tooth fairy or just as a cute hanging decoration.

Learning a new skill
As I'm quite new to crafting I have recently joined a local crop organised by the fab Deanne over at Quirky Boots.  It's been brilliant at helping me make some crafty friends as well as giving me the opportunity to learn some new skills and techniques.  Well as you can see I am currently loving making things out of felt so it was with absolute joy to arrive at the crop last week and discover that we were going to learn how to make our own felt!

Love it, love it, love it! What great fun and what a fab product to create.  I'm completely addicted now and had to purchase a small stash of wool so I can continue felting at home - and with such beautiful colours available, how could I resist!

A Monthly Make Challenge - January 2011

As well as my personal challenge of trying to make something new every week, I have also joined the Monthly Make Challenge 2011 organised by Annie the Felt Fairy.  I am really excited to see what others have made and a bit nervous truth be told about showing off my little projects - but nothing ventured and all that.  So here is my make for January:

When I'm not crafting (sewing, knitting, baking, card-making ....) I like nothing more than enjoying a hot creamy latte in our local coffee shop, preferably accompanied by a large piece of cake and all enjoyed whilst reading an Agatha Christie - heaven.

Luckily my little Princess (who is still only 3) is quite happy to accompany me on my (very regular) visits to the coffee shop, providing of course she has a stash of books, magazines and colouring to keep her busy.  She is such a good girl and I love our little outings together so I thought I'd make her a little crayon roll, that she can keep all her favourite colours in and use when we are out and about.

I've seen a few of these recently and thought that they were really practical and knew that it would be just up her street.  As she's a girlie-girl I made my version using her favourite pink and lilac colours and added a little flower detail for added cuteness.  A little bit of pretty ribbon keeps it all neat and tidy.  I'm really happy with the end result - what do you think?

Are we nearly there yet?

Well I don't know about you, but we are suffering with the January blues a bit in our house, so Mr A decided that we might all benefit from a little holiday.  As you can imagine the kids are super excited (as am I to be fair) and regularly ask whether today is the day we are going on holiday.  So I had an idea to help them count the sleeps until we go away and made them these little blackboards which they can update with chalk every morning.

They were really fun and quick to make and were a perfect way of using up a couple of summer-themed Sizzix dolls I had left over from a kids beach party we organised last summer.... and more importantly the kids are really enjoying using them - perfect.  

A very special make

January is definitely a month for birthdays in our family – not only is this a great excuse for a party, but it also provides lots of inspiration for crafting projects.  My latest project has been extra special to make however, as its a gift for my little sister's new baby, who arrived at the beginning of the year.

This is the first time I’ve had a go at making a name banner, so am very pleased with the end result.  You’ll notice that I used the same materials as for Little Owl (coz I liked them) and the same shabby-chic style (because I’m not very good at neat). Mr A suggested that is was a good job that she had been given a short name which contained letters with straight edges – cheek!       

Meet Little Owl

I’m very pleased to tell you that I have stuck to my challenge (which is a challenge in itself for me – lol) and completed my first make of the year!

Meet Little Owl.  He was made for Mr A’s niece’s 7^th birthday (Happy Birthday Sweetie x).  I really like the design I came up with and am really pleased with how he turned out.  I love the his shabby-chic look and think the materials work really well together – particularly as I managed to use some pretty tea-towels that I found in the sale in Wilkinsons and a pair of Superhero’s jeans that he never got to wear as he grew too tall, before he was round enough for them to fit him round the waist!  I know that Little Owl has been hung up in niece’s bedroom already, so all in all, I’m rather proud of my first make.

A new challenge

Mr A and I decided that we wanted this Christmas to be a bit less commercial and a bit more personal, so set ourselves a little challenge to make as many of our gifts as we could.  We referred to this challenge as the 12 Makes of Christmas - this is what we made:

1.  4 Children's Door Hangers
2.  An Apron for Mr A's mum
3.  15 Christmas Cards, picture designed by our little Superhero
4.  5 Felt Brooches
5.  6 Bird Feeders, Mr A's design
6.  A Christmas Wreath for the front door
7.  12 Mugs of Snowman Soup for the kid's friends
8.  A batch of Reindeer Food, which we left for Rudolph on Xmas Eve
9.  6 Hair-band Holders, for our nieces and god-daughters
10.  10 Salt-dough Christmas Tree Decorations, decorated by our Little Princess
11.  3 Packets of Spiced Orange Chocolate Brownies, for Superhero's Teachers.
12.  2 Felt Christmas Party Hats

Not bad?  We really loved being creative and are very proud of our end products... but now I am completely bitten by the making bug, so have set myself a new challenge to make something every week for 2011.  I've already started my first item - I'll let you know how I get on.