"Sugar sweet Honey Pot" Apron

Well I was certainly busy before christmas sewing away finishing off commissions and handmade presents! I wanted to post a picture of this lovely apron I was asked to make for my boyfriends' Mum! - I believe she loved it!

"Sugar sweet Honey Pot" Apron, with honey comb (shop bought) cotton printed fabric an old duvet & some gorgeous candy stripe fabric off cuts, -donated to me by Crafty Ginge Designs Thanks Kelly Joseph, take a look at her lovely blog here!!

The apron has Lots of large pockets to pop all your utensils, pegs & extra bits in. Please email or message me if you would like your very own custom made!!

A little Cuppa Christmas Cheer!

So I'm trying not to be a scrooge, I decided there was nothing to gain from being gumpy about Christmas, so after my boyfriend (he's taken to referring to me as his "partner" - apparently it's more grown up sounding.) and I finally painted our livingroom. I thought I would spruce it up some more with a few home-made decorations that I've been selling at my various christmas craft fairs. So far they've been going pretty well, I've made some new friends whilst hanging out with some extremely (sickeningly) talented old friends...aka Katie Hanratty, I would have all of her illustrations on my walls.

Also Jim (my boyfriend) made me an absolutely amazing lamp last year for my birthday from a teacup & saucer (he loves me, I know you're jealous, but you can't have him!) The only thing was the bulb stuck out so much from the cup it was blinding, so I quickly punched a few holes in a tin can & popped that on top...looks awesome doesn't it??? (I wander what he'll make me this year? It's my birthday on the 14th so he hasn't got long.)

I've also popped one of my little fabric strawberries on the saucer because I couldn't resist it looks so pretty on there! I plan to do some more festive things to pop around the house, but I'm super super busy at the moment & barely find a minute to breathe!

The little christmas tree, I have to be honest hasn't been stitched together properly yet...oops! - It's just layers of mini suffolk puffs (of varying sizes) pinned together & then balanced on top on a plant pot, but it works, doesn't it? Check mini monster Me & Jim too, if you knew us personally you would know how amazingly exacting they were Helen is a genius, check out her website!! (get yourself a mini-monster you!) -My extremely talented & awesome boyfriend made her site.

Chrismas Paper Crafts...But not too Christmassy (incase you don't actually celebrate crimbo, or you're a bit of a scrooge!!)

So the Doves are "turtle peace & love doves"


and then the love hearts & circles are recycled paper baubles.

They're really great fun and super simple to make, the Stitched Up crewe will be showing people how to make them (plus more decorative ideas!) on Sunday the 4th at Creative Corner Cafe in Whalley Range and I will be in Horwich selling some little bits & pieces, PLUS offering a workshop to make the paper decorations for only 50p, all proceeds from the workshop will be donated to Bolton Hospice, so I hope you can join me and make something fun!!

Mine and Kelly's Stall

We had a fun day!

Christmas Crafts...

Yes It's November so already getting ready for some little bits and pieces!

Christmas stockings, fabric trees, little suede robins, paper love hearts and loo roll wreaths! Everything is recycled!

The frugal Christmas, instead of buying tat, make something lovely! :-) I shall be selling some of these at a craft far on Sunday the 6th at Lowry Outlet Mall in Salford Quays Come down!

An Upcycled Vintage inspired Apron...

Can you guess what this apron was made from? I made this for a friends mother, it's apricot and a bit of creamy and white whipped cream cupcakes...I hope you like it, I really enjoyed making it with double pockets at the top and a double pocket of the skirt part of the apron, it also has an adjustable necktie too, fastened with vintage popper-buttons.

the main tie is extra long so a lovely big bow can be tied at the front...

I also created a label and added some spare vintage popper buttons just incase they need replacing and wrapped it all up very neatly in some stitched up pages of Vogue, I hope my friends Mum likes her apron!!! I know I do!!

I had originally taken some photographs and wanted to make a tutorial, however...I got carried away and just made it...but please let me know if you can tell what it's made from!!

Freebie from BagsReborn! Thanks Twitter!

Well as mentioned on previous entry I am now a fully fledged tweeter...and it turned out as a new "follower" of BagsReborn I won a free gift! How fantastic, look how beautiful this purse/wallet is!

Now I've never won anything in my entire life, so I'll be honest with you I felt skeptical that I had actually won something, but this lovely little parcel arrived with a handwritten note in the post today!!

It says on the label;


"Each Bag is made in a family run business based in a small village in South East Asia. The sold products help sustain jobs for villagers in a very poor country. The products are hand-made from recycled rice, cement, fish food & soil bags and presented with a rustic finish.

Every item is one of a kind durable design. The bags are eco-friendly reusing materials which would normally be wasted."

Now this is the perfect wallet for me! It's unusual, ethical and fun. So thank you BagsReborn! I love my gift!
I have to say it reminds me alittle of a dress I recently bought for a friends baby girl from Clothing With A Conscience in Afflecks Palace.

Anyway I hope you all like my new lovely purse, and please go and "like" Bags Reborn! PLUS you should all follow them on twitter!!

p.s.

AND I've just started volunteering at Oxfam! I love it!! x

Busy Times...

Well I've been busy with everything Stitched Up to be honest and everything else too! I've really gotten into tweeting, which I'm not quite sure if it's a good thing or a bad thing, I do enjoy it & I've "tweeted" with some very lovely people!

I'm also at the moment sewing a rather marvelous apron for a friend of mines mother, I'm making it from an old anorak, and some cotton/linen napkins that were given to me, I know it sounds rather bizarre at this point, but when you see the finished product and the actual photographs I'm sure you will agree that it's adorable!

There really is so much you can do with things that are something else!! - I love transforming them & I love telling people what they used to be! - It's sort of magical. I've been looking at a brilliant couple of blogs recently, the first one is http://www.upcyclist.co.uk/

"JOIN THE UPCYCLING REVOLUTION...

UPCYCLIST reports on beautiful and innovative upcycling projects around the globe. We like restoring, recycling, reclaiming, reviving, remaking, repurposing, reusing, reloving..."

It's a brilliant & inspiring blog, with fantastic photographs & reports of wonderfully clever designer & makers. Also the second blog is http://refashionco-op.blogspot.com/ which is fantastic for practical tutorials etc. I absolutely love the whole concept! It's all about sharing & encouraging others to upcycled & refashion too! I think I need to get on with cr

eating some tutorials, I find that when I'm creating something, I do it VERY organically, so sometimes I find it hard to remember to take photographs inbetween each stage...there is no set formula I just do it & play and replay & get carried away and lost in the process...but one of my summers ambitions is to create some more tutorials!

Also another wonderful blog is that of the marvelous Betty Bee, she is now also writing for the Guardian & a friend of a friend. She seems to be promoting how lovely vintage living can be! As far as I'm concerned, it's more ethical than buying throw-a-way fashion.

http://talesfrombettybeetowers.blogspot.com/

And this is my new label...Simple & to the point

These are a few little images that my wonderful boyfriend has taken from the Craft fair I did at Ordsall Hall Sunday 3rd! I had a bit of a mad weekend to be honest!! Please take a look at my blog entry on the Stitched Up blog! I shall be adding some more photographs from the Moving Image Green Fashion event soon!! Oh And pop 20th July in your diary for a FANTASTIC event!

Stitched Up: Announcing our first workshop!

Stitched Up: Announcing our first workshop!: "For all you Mancunian upcycling fans or wannabees out there, don't miss our first event, 'Pimp Your Party Frock'. Bring a dress, or garme..."

Some stuff For Ordsall Hall 3rd July Garden Party!

These are just a few bits and bobs I've been making for the Ordsall Hall Craft fair on Sunday the 3rd July. I'm looking forward to going along!! I hope it's good fun! I will be taking down some lovely aprons and pinnies along with tote-bags and hand-bags too...I hope to see you there!!

Chic & Ethic Shoot

Here's a sneaky cheeky preview shot from the Chic & Ethic photoshoot, accessories and outfit made by me from recycled stuff! They've done a great job of the photographs! This dress was dyed at home using natural vegetable dyes.

Weddings!

So I went to a wedding my lovely friend Caroline got married and as I made a promise to myself nearly 3years ago now, that I would no longer shop on the high street I really needed something to wear...so well I had got a fantastic green satin and silk a-line dress from a swapshop that was actually slightly too big and a not very flattering A-line, so I decided to turn it into a parachute dress and then made myself a fascinator to match!!

FC United Play-scheme We had an amazing time!

Another fantastic week with FC United and the Play scheme. I really enjoy these sessions, the kids are fantastic, responsive and massively creative and appreciative. I feel sorry for poor Phil though, apparently the day I wasn't there they were chanting for me! Katie Hanratty was amazing too, I honestly don't think it would've been as successful without her amazingness!! click here to see her blog!

The first bar we did the workshops in yesterday were really dingy so I'm amazed at how well everyone did...today were were moved to a better ventilated lighter venue, phew!