Waiting for Spring to Spring

A couple of months seem to have slipped by since my last post; I have no idea how this happened, nor where time goes.

Weather here has been total pants. I’ve never know March and April to be so cold. To make matters worse, I’m still carrying a knee injury from they urn if the year – have now been instructed to rest for 3 weeks.

To cheer myself up, I’ve started on this crochet wreath for craft room. I was so pleased with how neat me base turned out, I almost didn’t want to cover it. I bought a styrofoam base from Hobbycraft, which means the wreath us lovely and light and will be easy to hang.

I am especially pleased with the big pink flower and the thistle. Should get this finished this week, although I need to set aside some time to clean my desk, as I have a few sewing projects I want to start.

What projects do you have lined up over the next few weeks?

Toodles xoxo

The Rain in Spain

Hello again, Oodlers. Since I last updated, I’ve spent a lovely few days in (not so) sunny Spain.

On the Saturday, we decided to explore Malaga a bit. I fell in love with the city, even though the weather was a bit on the chilly side (okay, I was so cold I thought I might die!) and we ended up leaving early than originally planned, just to get a heat on the bus. Some stunning buildings and we took in the Picasso museum as well. Next time my task will be to take only hand luggage but find space in it for my DLSR camera!

I’ve also managed to master bead crochet and made this necklace for a crochet group swap on Ravelry

The best part of the swap was that I managed to swap in person whilst on holiday, as by a total fluke, my partner lived about an hour away from where we were staying. We spent a lovely couple of hours chatting and drinking coffee.

Here are my lovely swap goodies.

The pincushion will be fab for when I start learning dressmaking (definitely this year – no excuses!), as I’m really bad for sticking pins in my trousers (well, jammie bottoms) and forgetting about them until they stab or scratch me later.

Toodles for now xoxo

What’s My Name?

No finished jewellery to show today, but I do have some name badges I made for the girls who work in a local tea rooms.  The original idea I had in mind for these just didn’t work well, but I am really pleased with the alternative I came up with – I think they have a really nice retro look to them:

I have some almost finished beady things too – really must get them completed -  I hate having stuff lying around that isn’t finished, but I also seem to lose some enthusiasm once I’m about 75% finished – does anyone else have this problem?

I haven’t been doing much beading for the last month or so, which is something that happens every now and again; time just seems to pass me by sometimes.  Luckily I have a week off work later this month, so I’m looking forward to some crafty time, as well as spending time with my lovely hubby.  I even bought a beginners lampworking kit a couple of weeks ago, so definitely planning to spend one day melting glass.  Speaking of lampworking, the wonderful Linda at Inside the Fire gave me these stunners.  I’m really looking forward to making them into something, but also a little scared I don’t do them justice!  The colours are so me – I am like a broken record, the amount of times I say “you can’t go wrong with black, camel and grey”.

Everything else in life is ticking along nicely.  As always, I have a list of things as long as my arm I want to get done…sometimes I even manage to tick one or two of the off the list.  I still need to do a lot of work on my website, and shift this blog over there, but hopefully in the next few weeks, I have that sorted.  At the same time, I also want to tackle all the crap I have in the spare room.  Do you ever feel sometimes you just have way more stuff than you’ll ever need or want – I am definitely feeling this at the moment.  Haha, if there is anything of mine you want – why not ask me.  You never know, the frame of mind I’m in at the moment, you may just get lucky.

Until next time…

Lisa xoxo

Beady Bonanza

Definitely back on track with this blogging lark again.  To prove it, I have some finished pieces to show:

Firstly, this Alhambra Tiles bracelet, made from a tutorial by Callie Mitchell, The Peregrine Beader.

For this, I used some lovely Toho size 11 seeds with a hybrid Picasso finish, delicas, size 15 seeds, Swarovski chatons & 4mm bicones and Czech fire polished 4mm beads, also with a hybrid Picasso finish.  It was also my first attempt at cubic right angle weave – definitely a stitch I will do again.

Next up, is this Ruby Pools bracelet, which was my own design (A.K.A. “making it up as you go along”).

I used June’s Acorn Club beads from Oak Tree Crafts for this.  There are size 8, 11 & 15 seeds and 4 & mm Czech fire polished in it, stitched in a combination of right angle weave and peyote.  I love when these wee kits come through my door.

Next up, one I actually completed at the Bead Retreat; a Granada brooch, from Sabine Lippert’s Beaded Fantasies book.

For this one I used Swarovski pearls (in my favourite powdered almond colour), bicones and a rivoli, along with some size 15s.  I am so happy with the colourway of this one – it has a lovely vintagey feel to it.

Finally, a Monochrome Spiral bangle.  One of the very first bits of beading I did was to make one of the these, and I had always intended to go back and do another one, but never quite got around to it (until now):

For this one I used seed beads in size 6, 8, 11 (3 different colours) and 15 (2 different colours).  The only downside to this bangle has been that one of the colours of 15s is frosted and they are very brittle.  Not great when combined with a very stiff bangle, the outcome being that a few of them have snapped.  Hopefully it won’t get any worse, at the moment you can’t really see where they have gone, but definitely something to bear in mind if you are making one of these, especially if it’s for someone else.

Have lots more to share with you all, so will be back soon with another update.

Lisa xoxo

 

Oops…

…time ran away with me and the next thing I know, my couple of days has turned into a couple of months.  I am going to try to be a better blogger though!

The unfinished bead embroidery and bracelet I showed the last time I posted is still no further forward, but I do have some nice beady creations, just sitting waiting to be photographed.  As soon as I’ve done this, I’ll blog them.

Remember my desire to start dressmaking?  Well I now have a date in the diary with the lovely Lesley to make a duct tape dress form.  It’s not for a few weeks yet, so that gives me plenty of time to sort out all my treasured belongings crap, which has migrated to the spare room.

Talking of dressmaking, I have acquired some luscious fabric since my last post:

I am planning to make a weekend bag with the oilcloth, a winter skirt with the grey cord, a bag and/or kitchen stuff with the ducks and dots, and something fabulously amazing with the brocade.

I have no idea how we managed to get halfway through the year.  I really wanted to have a go at millinery and corsetry this year, but time always seems to be running away with me.  I suppose that is the price I pay for having to work full time, trying to get fit, cooking in order that we eat few processed foods, and trying to squeeze in some craft time whenever I can.  Doesn’t help matters that I’m a bit of a procrastinator.

On the subject of getting fit, I have started roller derby training with Fierce Valley Roller Girls.  I used to be pretty handy on skates in my younger, Coasters days, but changed days now!  To be honest, I was a bit disheartened the first week of training when I couldn’t do all the things I could in my mid teens (well over 25 years ago).  Of course, once I got my realistic head on, I remembered I couldn’t do all these things when I started, the skills came with many, many hours of practice.  I am just so happy I’m getting to skate again.

I’ve also rejoined the gym and been swimming a fair bit.  I’m also keeping up with my yoga and burlesque classes (hence the no time I mentioned earlier).

Will be back in the next few days (I promise this time) with some beady beauties.

Fabulous Fabrics

Greetings, oodlers.  Hope this week has been good to you so far; mine has been pretty good and to top it off, I’m away for a long weekend on Friday.

I took a trip, with my good friend, Lesley, through to Mandors on Sunday.  Mandors is a fantastic fabric shop in Glasgow -  those of you who know me in person, know I’m not much of a shopper, but I could seriously spend all day in there.  I was lucky enough to have an itison voucher, which saved me some money but still spent a fair bit (and could have spent way, way more!).

Would you like to see what I got?  If not, please look away now, because I’m going to show you anyway.

First I got this gorgeous (and very expensive) wool crepe.

The photo doesn’t really do it justice.  The feel of it is amazing and I can’t wait to make my 1950s stole from Decades of Style using it.

I also got this fabulous tulle with large velvet spots and some nude lining:

This is going to end up as a party skirt (my favourite item of clothing).

What do you think of this atlas oilcloth?

I think it will make a great weekend bag.  I’ll be using the weekend bag pattern from The Bag Making Bible by Lisa Lam.

Finally, some fabric for cushions:

I’m hoping these will be perfect with our sofa – they certainly seem to go well together in the photo.

So, my wallet may be lighter, but I’m really looking forward to using these fabrics to make (hopefully) wonderful creations.  The reason I am so keen to learn dressmaking is to have really well cut clothes in beautiful fabrics, not to save money.  I really want to move away from quantity and end up with a few really good quality pieces.

What skill do you want to learn in 2012, and why?

Lisa xoxo

A Bit of Burlesque

It’s been an eventful few days here in Oblibbyland – I now understand how my parents felt when they used to tell me time flies by as you get older.  Of course, when I was 7 or 8 I didn’t believe them, but these days I seem to blink and it’s 4 days later, and weekends just seem to be the shortest 2 days of the week.

On Thursday, Sigrid, Lesley and I started a Burlesque for Beginners class, taught by the inspiring, talented and fabulously funny Gypsy Charms from www.burlesqueandcabaret.com.  It was at our local town hall and I have to say, I’m well impressed with Falkirk Council for putting this on.  My only disappointment is that the classes only run for 5 weeks.

I was back at the town hall on Saturday with Fee, after popping into Sumo for some pre-theatre sushi…

…this time to see Circus of Horrors.  We had heard about their Fringe shows, so were excited to discover they were coming to town.  We must have managed to get virtually the last 2 tickets, which just happened to be in the front row.  The show was great, a bit like Cirque de Soleil meets Rocky Horror, but obviously on a smaller scale.

On Sunday, we did a craft fair as Ootemiso, our banner name.  It went okay, but I think in future we’ll stick to doing the Tryst Craft Fairs ones, as their timings suit us better and we liked that they have lots of variety, yet everything is hand-made.  I did however get a chance to try out my  new display idea, which I think looks really good .

’til next time…

Time for tea

I thought I’d show you this gorgeous vintage china cake stand my lovely friend, Jo, gave me for Christmas.  She made it herself and it’s so fabulous it makes me want to bake loads of cakes and scones.  In fact, I may just have to get some jam and clotted cream at the weekend and have a cream tea, using some of my loose leaf teas from Eteaket (my favourite tea shop).

On the craft front, I’m just beginning to get my motivation back after feeling poorly.  We have a craft fair on Sunday and I don’t have as much stock as I’d like, but I’m sure between Lesley, Sigrid and I, we’ll have enough stuff.  Progress with my Belle Ruffle wristwarmers has been slow – it’s definitely showing that it has been a long time since I knitted on 5 needles (I think I was 7 or 8 the one and only time I did it, and even then it may only have been 4 needles).  I’m now on “take 3″:

It was also my first time knitting on a circular needle, which took a little getting used to.  I’m now at the stage where I’m ready to transfer to my 4 needles.

On the fashion front, last week joined Polyvore – OMG what a time sapper that is, but so much fun; I am so looking forward to making new boards, hopefully with some clothes I actually own (and maybe even ones I make, once I learn how to photograph them properly for this).  I must limit my time there though, as I am looking forward to making lots of things in the next wee while.  I’m off fabric shopping next weekend, so will make something from my Sew What! Skirts book.

I’m looking forward to hearing about everyone’s crafty makes and bakes.

Speak soon

Lisa xoxo

p.s. thought I’d better put a little disclaimer here, after finding out about affiliate links.  I don’t use these – any things or places I link to are places I use, love and want to share with you all

Pretty Baby

My niece may only be 16 months old, but already she’s developing her own sense of style. She loves jewellery and brooches, but unfortunately she’s still to small to wear them, so I decided to modify a plain denim pinafore my sister bought her.

I kept it pretty simple, as it’s just an everyday item, but added a big felt flower, with a button centre to the front of the skirt and smaller ones, still with button centres to the bib pocket and one of the back pockets.

Doing this (and spending far too much time on Pinterest whilst I’ve been recovering from bronchitis) as only reaffirmed by desire to start making clothes.  I’m looking forward to my no-pattern skirt book arriving and definitely going to set aside some time over the next few weeks to rope Lesley into helping me make a duct tape dress form.  After that a trip to get some beautiful dressmaking fabric will  be in order; I don’t see the point in using bog-standard fabric for making my own clothes, even at the beginning stages, as the whole reason I want to make clothes is to have things made in great fabrics.

What project are you working on these days?

Pay it Forward 2012

Just a quicky from me today…

I originally posted this on my facebook page, but have a couple of spaces left, so thought I’d offer them here.  Doesn’t matter where in the world you are, feel free to join in xx

Pay it forward 2012. I promise to make something handmade for the first 5 people who comment. They must in turn post this and make something for the first five who comment on their status. *The rules are it must be handmade by you, and they must receive it before 2012 ends.

Not too difficult is it, so why not join in!