twenty twenty

That was what i had when i was younger, now that i am older it's not so good anymore. I tried to do beading today but it was not a good success. I think i may be in need of a new pair of glasses or possibly get that magnifier light out of the cupboard. I bought this a while ago and was very surprised with how good it works. I paid $45 at bunnings and have seen them well into the $100's in catalogues. It is a large circular magnifier with a slim flouro tube ring around the edge. The cover on the tube means all light is directed to your creative work. Unfortunately a natural part of the aging process is the change in the shape of your eyes and therefore we perceive things as blurry.
Maybe i should just use bigger beads.. lol

suffolk puffs meet crochet

I was on the hunt for a good tutorial for suffolk puffs, little circles that you make into flowers, when i saw this amazing idea for a bib necklace using them. I would never have used this idea this way, but have made jewelled necklace bibs similar to this design. You know the kinds with cabuchons and seed beads. Please visit her site to see her lovely crochet (this is not my thing but i think it wonderful she has taken a modern twist to an old craft).

Please visit her site for the tutorial http://www.pompomemporium.com/category/popular-keywords/crochet

Have a look at all the lovely styles she has created using many kinds of craft medium, read the comments for other great ways to make them that others have tried. The thrift/charity shop is a great option for bits to embellish with.
You will find the tutorial for the wheel shaped Dorset buttons here http://www.craftstylish.com/item/42688/how-to-make-dorset-buttons

lights, cameras, action

well, after finding my last camera with a shattered screen and managing to retrieve all the pics, i now have a lovely new camera.  i will have to take lots of lovely photos of all the interesting and crafty things that i enjoy....smile

extreme upcycling

we all like to upcycle as much as we can but this moves it to extreme (and it does look pretty cool too)

http://fluffyland.com/blog/index.php/starburst-wrapper-bracelet-tutorial/



good thing i like starburst lol

vintage love

Ok, i love the idea of a knockoff and i really like those vintage jewellery finds and i really like all my fabric stash (new, old, retro, floral,  i love it all) so now i think i can get the best of both. My last anthro knockoff is this beauty from http://www.flamingotoes.com/2012/09/crazy-easy-anthro-knockoff-bracelet/

i now know i am a happy blogger



original above, knockoff below

anthro knockoff

this has to be the easiest necklace to make a knockoff from, but really don't we all have a stash of old charms, earrings etc that we need to use somewhere. i made a bracelet years ago from all the little charms and necklace pieces i had as a teenager, some were just too cute or sentimental to throw. Now i can make a necklace to go with it.

please go here for the tutorial http://www.flamingotoes.com/2011/02/anthro-cameo-collage-necklace-knockoff/



anthro above, knockoff below

skippers necklace

Once before i showed you a twist on an anthologie dress. We do not hear much of this store over here but i have found a lovely necklace that you may like. The skippers refer to skipping stones on a pond. Please visit this site to find a very easy diy tutorial

http://ebony-ivory-rainbow.blogspot.com.au/2010/09/anthropologie-inspired-skippers.html

 

anthropology above; and diy below

vintage brooches

I love finding lovely old vintage brooches and earrings, but sometimes they may be slightly not 100% perfect. I came across this idea for a beautiful bouquet using brooches that i think might be a way to use those lovely finds and have them on display rather than in a box.





Please go to this site for a very detailed tutorial to make your own:

http://www.fancypantsweddings.com/how-to-design-a-brooch-bouquet/

this one is made with fresh flowers but i think you could also try good quality artificial or silk flowers. It uses large and small flowers, also leaves.



There are so many clever people

Felt friends

Today i received a book from Amazon that i must show you. This is just too cute! I have since struggled to find really decent felt (i want the wool mix not the scrapbook type), so until i find the right kind i will just have to look at the cover and smile. The writer is japanese and was inspired to reproduce the retro toys of her youth in Japan. I must admit the cover deer was very similar to one i had as a child where you pushed the base and it made the deer fall down. It had string inside. Reminiscing



author is Naomi Tabitha

Bags, bags and more bags

I really enjoy wandering around the fabric stores and also flea markets for fabric swatches. Sometimes i will find the most stunning piece of fabric but it is a skirt, shirt or pillowslip not enough for a big project but certainly enough for these lovely ideas, all using the equivalent of just one fat quarter...what do you think? They are so clever,  follow the links

http://www.made-by-rae.com/2009/02/free-buttercup-bag-sewing-pattern/





Craftster.org has suggested that you could increase the pattern on a photocopier by 125% to make a bigger bag. Or you could see their changes to add a zipper

http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=298323.0

this lovely clutch uses only a fat quarter



http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/2009/02/fat-quarter-handbag-tutorial/

please also see the etsy site of this creative lady

retro and vintage fair

I don't think i have been very good as i have not posted to this blog for a while. Ok, my camera got smashed so everything sort of went pear shaped for a while and knocked the wind out of everything i wanted to achieve, but now we are back and raring to go.
This sunday is the vintage and retro show which i've tried to get to for quite a while but always find out the day before (and i work sundays...don't ya luv retail), so as it's my last day of a two week break i am going.
I hope to get a few good pictures of some interesting things and post them later.
Will have to get my 14 year old to help me there, i think.

A talented lady

This lady is very talented and i would like to share a link to her page where she has seen an idea and made it her own

http://jaynsarah.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/anthropologie-tangerine-flicker-dress.html?showComment=1335231733355

Lisa Lam

This lady is so talented, just check out her free tutorials for her bags

http://u-handbag.typepad.com/uhandblog/freebie-.html

    

these are just a few. Please check out her new book.

Please note at the bottom of the page she gives permission for you to make and sell on Etsy, Ebay, etc but not machine mass produced.

Here is a link to her Reversible Bucket bag (courtesy of Sew Mama Sew)

http://www.sewmamasew.com/blog2/january2011/BucketBagPDFFinal.pdf

Retro knitting patterns

OMG i so like these womens hats. This site is a wonder to behold with so many original knitting patterns all available for you to make without any problems. These have not had the copyright renewed so go for it girls. All you Mad Men fans will love these.....here's a few to get you interested

http://www.freevintageknitting.com/

Make it yourself

I have noticed that there is an awful lot of tutorials on the net and sometimes we don't always have time to do them but want to make them at a later date, so i have decided to put up links to some really interesting things to make for yourself.
Now i spent a while today reading about copyright and authors permission etc on a blog where she really went to town on what she thought of a magazine reproducing her item, so without further ado.......please understand these are only for your use or as a gift or charity.
Please enjoy these links, however some do require signing in but are worth it........all are frrreeeee
This will be a continually updated post

http://www.patonsyarns.com/pattern.php?PID=5751



http://www.patonsyarns.com/pattern.php?PID=5781



They will look great on my anodised aluminium teapot that i bought at the church jumble sale two weeks ago

You can't go past this site if you want to make any kind of carry all, over 160 tutorials

http://pursepatterns.com/free_bag_patterns.html

    

http://www.jcarolinecreative.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Store_Code=JC&Screen=TOTEBAG

Cupcakes

A small morsel of love. Mmmmmm



These cupcakes
(from donna downeys site http://donnadowney.typepad.com/simply_me/2010/05/i-finished-the-sweet-cupcake-goodness-i-love-these-little-colorful-cakesi-got-the-idea-and-pattern-from-tone-finnangers-boo.html )

are definatley not going to put inches on your waistline

Retro style

The queen of retro fabric style with Cath Kidston has to be Amy Butler. Her fabrics are just so fun and retro which is why after having got two of her books i am putting up a link to her web page


http://www.amybutlerdesign.com/inspiration/



and also a link to her page of free downloads

http://www.amybutlerdesign.com/products/free_patterns.php

and this for a bag pattern by Amy Butler (from Sew Mama Sew site)


http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/september2010/StyleStitches.pdf


Hope you enjoy looking at the designs even if you don't make them

Tilda Finnanger

Tilda's books are my favourite at the moment, her style is so simple, Scandi and naive all at once
Visit her site for the cutest dolls, bears etc

http://www.tildasworld.com/index.php

I haven't seen her books in my part of the world but not much happens here these days, so maybe i'm slow to discover her

Dori Csengeri beautiful jewellery

I came upon this designer by chance and believe she has the most beautiful pieces ever created. Please visit her site to see eye candy of 10 out of 10

http://www.doricsengeri.com/

if i can only be a quarter as talented as she is, i will be a very happy person. these are all made from embroidery and beads

Follow my blog with Bloglovin