Look how tidy it is!!!

Isn't it lovely - spent all day Thursday decluttering and it was so worth it!!



Here's my first attempt at parchment craft - a bookmark. Really enjoyed it but you have to be sooo gentle - not in my nature at all!!


Hope you like....

Have fun and happy crafting.
Shell x

Crafter's Merchant Chest

So what do you do when you have a tin full of a zillion seed beads that looks like this.....



I know.... It's nasty isn't it!

I took lots of these (56 to be precise)



And glued them together like this (the calendar is just on top to make sure they are stuck well - acting as a weight)

First one way....



And then the other.... :o)




There were initially only 30 drawers but I decided that wasn't enough so added some more.

Then once they were all dried and firmly stuck - I attached some paper fronts using glue dots, a little drawer handle using a selection of glitter and button brads and inked around the edge of each drawer to gunge them up a bit.



I covered the top and the sides with paper adding shading around the edges (this time with paint as I wasn't happy with how long the ink on the drawers took to dry and I'm a tad impatient!)


And added a little flower made out of wooden petals and a button.

I've made a start on sorting the beads in that nasty tin (well the tin is lovely as it's a Kath Kidson) but the contents ain't too pretty :o)






But it will be an ongoing process (don't think I haven't been tempted just to buy new and sorted seed beads but for some reason I just can't) and there are lots of spare drawers to accommodate more beads or embellishments.

It looks quite sweet doesn't it? Well, I'm pleased with it and look forward to filling up the little drawers!

Shell x

Rudolph and The Advent Trees

Doesn't that sound like the title of a book? :o)

Happy start of advent - time to put out the advent trees (which Jack managed to lose an ornament off this morning!! After a half hour of aimlessly hunting around it was eventually located underneath the fire, covered in fluff - all dusted and back in the box now though (:roll eyes:))

And normally I don't put up the Christmas decorations until 12 days before Christmas but decided to make a special exception this year for Rudolph - he took so long to make and it seems a shame that he only makes an appearance for 2 weeks of the year so he can have a while extra.





The fireplace looks tiny in comparison to them - lol - just shows you how big they are!!!

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Shell x

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas!

I've been busy working on my beautified CD tag swap for The Magical Crafts Forum (button on side bar) and have incorporated lots of different elements here -a little bit of painting, appliqué, sewing on seed beads and sequins, using felt and funky foam - just lots of fun and Christmas sparkle! I do hope the recipient likes it (fingers crossed) - it's always a bit daunting sending your work off to someone isn't it?

Then I finally finished all the painting of Jack's tree -I just need to make the pot for it to stand in and we are all set to go!




This is me just testing out the bauble placement - I'll post a better picture of both trees together - before I strip them both again ready for the children to advent-tise them.

The Santa mobile got finished last week and I've not posted a piccie of the finished article - so here he is - it's just a fun thing to have up at Christmas - a beautified CD is his body and the rest are elements of paper, funky foam and wood shapes for the eyes and nose.




I know these aren't the best quality pictures but it's hard to get decent ones at the moment as there's very poor natural light.

Then - on a new tangent - as I'm busy working on a matchbox project and therefore have too many matchsticks to count (or are reasonable for one person to have) I'm playing with new ideas to use them up....

From picket fences




To sunburst flowers








And I've not even mentioning my knitted flowers but I'll save them till another day, so until next time....

Have fun and happy crafting.
Shell x

Magical Crafts Fortnightly Challenge #3

Morning all - I don't know what the weather is like where you are but it's absolutely horrible here - wet, grey, soggy and cold.

It's Challenge 3 time on the Magical Crafts Fortnightly Challenge and we were to use digi images provided by Digital-Ink Co and the sketch below which was provided by Joanne

And I chose to decorate a Christmas Gift Box Lid....

A big thank you to our sponsors and I do hope you will join in the fun with us.

Sands Charity, WOYWW, Altered CDs

Lots and lots to blog about today..... I'm going to start with a Charity Candy Give Away which is being run by Victoria.....

Although I'm not entering for the candy myself (not being a card crafter and all that) - I thought what she was doing was really special and wanted to donate some items for the Sands Charity, which helps families affected by stillbirth and the death of an infant.  Please visit Victoria's blog if you feel that you have a card or crafted item that you could donate.  These are what I'm going to be sending, with love, to a very special cause.

Next, I thought I would join in my first 'What's on your Workdesk Wednesday' which is hosted by Julia at the Stamping Ground - just for a little bit of fun.... I've been nebbing around other people's crafty work areas for the last couple of weeks, and as I had such a good crafty session last night, and my shed is in a state of pure creativity, it seemed like a good time to join in.

Glue, Paints, CD's getting altered, Felt.... crafty mess

More Glue, Paints, Mess, Baubles Base Coated (on the tile at the back), my new Crocodile Punchy Thing

Just at the front Funky Foam, Ribbons in Pink Box, String and Kitchen Roll and Freezer Paper on Line and just at the back there you can see the Rudolph I made from altered CD's.

Oooooh, and can you see the HobbyCraft Bag - yes, I sneaked in a bit of crafty shopping yesterday.

I hope you've enjoyed looking at my first WOYWW entry x

Then behind the desk, and to go with the base-coated ornaments, Jack's advent tree is coming along nicely, remember he wanted one that was more grown up - well, I've got the tree more or less complete, just need to add all of the picture hooks (oh, my poor thumb... AGAIN!!!)

I went for a snowy effect on the tree as I couldn't have just a plain tree.

And finally, here's a close up of one of my first altered CD's (well 2 actually), wonder how many I could fit into one project!!!  A plan is formulating but more of that later hehehe.....

I think that's it for the moment - I will leave you will a picture of my new toy, wonderful and adored... oh, the fun I'm gonna have with this little beauty.

If it's wrong to say I love it, I really don't care..... COS I LUUUUUVVVVVEEEEE IT!!

Until next time, have fun and HAPPY crafting :o)

Shell xx

Knitting Pattern for VersaSkirt

Well, here it is - all finished... it really didn't take long at all and looks great.

Here is a side view




But it also has other uses too - how about a scarf without the dangly ends




Or a snood




Of course I could have sewn up the bottom - attached a long strap and made it into a bag... Or as Carol Ann suggested also a cushion cover! The possibilities are endless.

The wool that I used was Palette Vintage Series 120pt/219 - colour Port Wine.

Needle - 2.75mm circular needle (80cm)

Cast on 137 stitches using long tail method.

First Row - slip 1st stitch *k3, p1, repeat from * until you reach the last stitch where you will purl two together (the last stitch and the stitch you slipped at the beginning of the row) joining the circle and leaving 136 stitches. It is very important to make sure all of your stitches are facing the same way with no twisting before you join the loop otherwise all of your knitting will work out wrong and there is no way to fix it - so make sure the 1st round is correct and check on the 2nd and 3rd to avoid late discovery.

Place a round marker (just a loop of alternative wool) before commencing next round.




Row 2 to 10 - *k3, p1, repeat from *

Knit 1 row increasing 2 stitches within the row to give 138 stitches.

Pattern Rows
Next row * slip 2 stitches onto a cable needle and bring to front, k2, k2 stitches from cable needle, k2 - repeat from * to end of round.

Next 3 rounds knit

Repeat patterns rows 2 more times.

Now knit until work measures 11 inches (or required length)

On the final round before rib commences decrease 2 stitches on round to give 136 stitches.

Work 10 rounds of rib (k3, p1)

Cast off knit.

The skirt can be made larger or smaller by adding or deducting stitches in multiples of 4 and by lengthening or shortening the garment.

And a massive thank you to my model Eleisha x

** This free pattern is given in good faith - I have tested it myself but cannot accept any liability for errors therein. If you find any errors then please let me know so that I can correct them - apart from that please enjoy the pattern. ***

Have fun and happy crafting.
Shell x