Simple 10th Anniversary Card

My friends celebrated their 10th Wedding Anniversary a few weeks ago and I had no idea what to put on their card as I didn't want anything too traditional. I had seen pictures of stitched hearts on cards so used that as the starting point and went from there...

Very simple but that is how I like it. I really dislike the current trend of buying lots of pre-made stuff, sticking it on a card and passing it off as your own, where is the creativity there?! I take that back, was in a really bad mood when I wrote that and Wendy made a fantastic point in the comments, that everyone has to start somewhere and I suppose using premade stuff in card making is no different to me making clothes from patterns rather than designing my own :)

Anyway, off to revise, I have a 'test' on Friday morning to tick off some more boxes to becoming a fully qualified Beaver Scout Leader..... Who knew when I volunteered to help last year I would end up as a leader, I hate camping but I better keep that quiet :)

Linking to these fab linky parties!

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8/52

Little e : Splitting logs with Daddy!

Big E: Immersed in a nature programme on the TV, he is so interested in everything, definitely going to be a factual book boy like his Dad!

 Joining up with Jodi again this week for 

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013."

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Map the Sewintists

Have you heard of Map the Sewintists yet? Vicki from Another Sewing Scientist has started a map of sewing folk all over the world, go have a look and see if there is anyone in your neck of the woods, I have found some other Scottish Blogs which is quite exciting!

<div align="center"> <a href="http://anothersewingscientist.blogspot.ca/2013/02/map-sewintists-goes-live.html" title="Another Sewing Scientist"><img src="http://luckylucille.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/mapthesewintists.jpg" alt="Another Sewing Scientist" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

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A crazy amount of crafting!

As the title says there has been rather a lot of crafting going on in this neck of the woods... I have a table at a craft fair on the 9th March and am desperately trying to make stuff to (try and) sell!

I still have lots to photograph and more to make but hopefully I will have a decent amount to take so my 6ft table does not look bare :)

If you see anything you fancy you can buy online!

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Stashbusting little bags

Continuing on my stash busting mission I have been making some wee bags.

I used a mish mash of various techniques which is not really advisable but they worked ok!

First up was a wash bag made from an Ikea pillow case and old shower curtain waterproof lining.

Next was a small wash bag for my son to take to Beavers camp. It is made of an old pair of my jeans and I gave it a lining that would make him smile!

 Next a rather squint attempt at a velvet 'ladies things' bag, it will do as it will spend its life in my bag!

It was made with an old Ikea cushion cover  and lined with cream fairtrade organic cotton.

Last but not least, a teeny change purse so I don't have to lug my big purse about all the time.

The zip is a bit wonky on this one... never mind!

Not much of my stash gone but it was good to practise putting in zips, which I hate!

Linking to some of these fab linky parties!

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7/52

All better this week but a sore nose from constantly stroking it whilst sucking her thumb!!

I won't stand still!

Joining up with Jodi again this week for 

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013."

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DIY Mens Dress Shirt to Ladies Blouse

I have been hanging on to my husband's shirt he wore for our wedding for the last (almost) 10 years. It wasn't new when he wore it for our wedding (we were broke, my parents paid for the day and we didn't want to waste money on things that didn't need replacing) , in fact I think he may have worn it when we went to our school prom together... Anyway, after the wedding and another couple of formal outings its collar and cuffs were not longer presentable. He wanted to throw it out, I wouldn't let him, so it has sat in a suitcase under our bed since then....

Now I am drowning in a sea of fabric and old clothes and am desperately trying to deal with my stash so decided to have a go at refashioning it into a blouse for me.

I placed a blouse that fits me on top of the shirt and drew round it (not the sleeves though).

I then forgot to take pictures, but cut the shirt out, sewed up the new shoulder seams and put the blouse on my dress form and drew the new neckline. I then used another old shirt to make facings for the neck, sewed them on, then top stitched round the edge.

I put in bust darts and shaped the sides of the shirt.

I then cut the arms of the shirt roughly where they fitted then new size armholes. I attached the sleeves, gathering them slightly to fit, then cut the sleeves to the length I wanted. I finished them by putting two bands of fabric (that were just a wee bit bigger than my arm) round the bottom and gathered the bottom of the sleeve to fit.

Finally I have a blouse that fits!

Tucked. I cut my head of for your sake, it was a gruesome picture :~)

Untucked. It is bad when the best photo is one of you trying to get something out of your eye...

I made the skirt I am wearing in the pictures last November and used a vintage pattern.  I had to increase the size of to accommodate my large waist, forgetting that it maybe wasn't the best time of the month to be taking measurements and making skirts... So, before Christmas, the skirt fitted for one week a month and now I have lost some weight it doesn't fit at all. I am going to have to eventually take it apart and re size it but until I have reached my target weight it will remain cranked in at the waist with a belt looking totally unflattering!!

Linking to some of these fab linky parties!

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Oliver & S Girls Pleated Skirt

I am continuing with the stashbusting challenge at Cation Designs and February's challenge was to make something for someone you love, a perfect time to make a skirt for little e.

I used an Oliver & S pattern I have had for ages. I made the tunic in 2011 and have now made the pleated skirt.

Image from Oliver & S web site

It is a fantastic pattern and the skirt was fairly easy to put together, I made it in an evening.

The fabric is a cotton tartan I bought in Florida in 2011 and has been sitting in my cupboard of doom since. It is a bit lightweight, so doesn't hold the pleats very well, but little e likes it (although the elastic needs tightened as is it a bit loose at the moment!

This is not the look we are really going for, this pic was caught in a small window that little e was feeling ok this week.








Linking to some of these fab linky parties!

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6/52

Driving the remote control monster truck!

Flu :(

Joining up with Jodi again this week for 

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013."

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An exciting new venture!

Little e has had flu all week so we have been housebound. Not much fun for her but really productive for me!

I set up a facbook 'shop 'a while ago trying to sell some of my crafty things. I have sold a few things to friends and family but not to anyone I didn't feel was just being polite :) With the ever looming prospect of little e going to school in August and me being home alone I decided to bite the bullet and make a proper web site for this new venture and am planning on booking a table at our local farmers market!

The new site is called Coo Creations, feel free to go have a browse and let me know what you think!

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DIY Lavender Hearts

I have signed up the the stash busting challenge of 2013 over at Cation Designs. I have pledged to use 50 % of my fabric stash in 2013....

The January Challenge was to tackle scraps.

I had a huge overflowing bag so sorted through it, recycled the stuff that was too small or rubbish fabric and got to work on some of the rest.

 

I made 4 lavender door hangers / wardrobe hangers, 4 pairs of pants (underwear briefs not trousers so not pictured!) and a string of bunting for my daughters room (but she won't let me put it up because she doesn't like it...).

For the scented hearts I printed a heart from word, I just inserted the heart then changed it so it was the shape I wanted then printed. I then cut the hearts with pinking shears (mine are a bit blunt so didn't give the crisp edge) and sewed them together leaving an inch gap at the top then inserted some lavender and stuffing to pad them out. I sewed the gap closed with a loop of ribbon in between the layers.

Not sure what I am going to do with the rest of the scraps but I can't bear to chuck them!!

Linking up to Cation Designs and some other fab linky parties!

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5/52

Investigating the frozen bird bath

At last some good bike riding weather!

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013."

We have finally had a break from the wind and rain and had a glorious day today so the birthday bike got its first outing!

 

Joining up with Jodi again this week.

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