love letters

Last summer, when we were over in sunny California, although it might sound a bit crazy bonkers, but there were some days we just tired of frolicking on the beach.

Some days {or at least for a bit of the day} we just wanted to stay at home and make stuff. Or colour stuff in. Or cut out stuff and glue stuff. I guess we just kind of missed the British weather, a bit, maybe, kind of…or at the every least we missed having a rainy day indoors kind of day.

So we’d scour our 'home away from home' for anything we could use for our crafty pursuits.

Hidden away at the back of a kitchen drawer was an abundant stash of disposable wooden chopsticks.
Just begging to be dolled up they were. We used them to make flags, and tissue pom pom stick type things and puppets and twirly ribbon twirler whatsits and all kinds of things.
AND we made these message arrows. Which are just a bit super easy and kind of fun to do I think. They just popped into my head thinking about Valentines Day tomorrow so thought I’d share.

T O    M A K E
Using the chopsticks as a base {but straws or wooden skewers would work just as well}, and papery bits for decoration {wrapping paper, magazines, envelope liners, wall paper, photocopies etc}. We cut two triangles for the tip and two feathery type shapes for the tail, which we stuck with glue to either side of the stick.

Decorated with all sorts of things, ribbons and tape cut from nice shopping bags  {the sort you get nice shoes and clothes in, not so much a Tesco’s plastic bag}, washi tape, sequins, buttons, feathers…..etc, etc…. the more preloved the better.

Use special words and letters cut out of magazines and catalogues, yes, a bit like a kidnappers ransom note, but it’s all true love baby!

sunday scraps

Not to be confused with the usual sibling scrapping that can occur from a sunday with nothing to do and nowhere to go. Ooohhh, let’s just ponder a while on that last bit…..nothing to do and nowhere to go………… Ahhhhhhh…….Nice.

The sunday just gone was that exact sort of day. Bliss. It’s been a while since we’ve had such a day. 

A typical day of iffy weather. Which meant an expedition of sorts was completely out of the question but for a quick jaunt in the garden for a go on the swings, a bit of mud pie making and the planting of the first tree in our new improved garden - but that’s a whole other blog post.

So, it occurred to me a while ago that the paper recycling was becoming a mountain of epic proportion every week. And a lot of what was being recycled was actually quite nice papery bits. That could be used for cards and gift tags and garlands and well, all sorts of things really.

I seem to get a lot of catalogues through the post. Actually, loads. Some are very uninteresting but some of them, well they are like little magazines in themselves. With stunning images and layouts. It seemed a shame not to reuse some of the pages, as too when throwing out those free calendars you get with magazines { such as Mollie Makes etc }. I don’t buy so many magazines of the papery kind anymore. I’ve become hooked on the digital versions* of all my favourites that I can peruse with ease on my iPad. I think this is why I’ve noticed the beauty in all these free catalogues.

So anyway, on sunday. Our lazy, blissful sunday. While the nippers enjoyed a bit of communal colouring in, I enjoyed a bit of sunday scrapping, armed with a couple of paper punches { mainly scalloped circles }, a stash of willing papery bits and a cup of tea. 

I’ve been doing this for the past year or so now so what began as an envelope full of paper cutouts has now grown into a box.  I could probably stop now as I have plenty but I must admit to finding it just a wee bit addictive. 

* My favourite digital mags are; Donna Hay Magazine, Martha Stewart Living, Mollie Makes ‘Gathered’, Country Living , Gardens Illustrated and Selvedge.

I admit it. I am a Mag Hag.

✴ happy monday

I've been flower mad recently. Dismayed at the lack of floral prettiness in my garden I've been researching the diy option and along the way have discovered a vast array of paper and fabric flower tutorials on t'internet. 

I'm normally crafting fake fabric flowers and twirly, ruchy, frilly bits for hats and headdresses so it was quite pleasing to find some ideas of the paper variety and the larger and more decorative the better.

So on friday afternoon me and the little lady sat at the kitchen table and buzzed away in our little creative spaces, me with cutting and pleating these petals while she got messy with paint and brushes.....

{we are still trying to comb dried paint out of her hair...}

This giant poppy was made from a Martha Stewart tutorial. I changed it slightly, using fabric as well as paper and stuck a large vintage button in the centre. I must say it was a sheer delight to make and pretty simple and quick too. 

This one ended up as a gift for a birthday girl. It was such a calming and relaxing pastime that I'm sure I'll be making more, watch this space....

Happy flower filled week. x

✴ it's a wrap...

Tonight I should be supping cocktails with Mr H at the wrap {or almost wrapped} party for this. 

But for this nasty flu/cold, pouring rain and lack of babysitter, here I am sat at home thinking of the other, more festive type of wrapping...

Being poorly, and with a little poorly poppet to boot, has meant the 'make' to do list has remained firmly unmade and undone...anything stitchery has been dumped at the first hurdle. A head cold doesn't make time for pattern cutting, counting stitches and threading needles...oh no, forget that. 

So instead I've turned to the next best thing....a bit of crafty retail therapy.

And some simple festive gift tags....made with mini tags from Ryman, snowflake stamps from Muji and blue & white bakers twine from Shabby Pea Designs.

Festive crafty supplies I've spotted;

Stamps @ Cox & Cox :: Noolibird :: Billet Doux

Tape @ Dots and Spots :: Papermash :: Prettytape

Stickers @ Creative Flourish :: Cavallini & Co :: Moo

&

Doilies @ Packagery / Sweetie Bags @ In The Clear / Ribbon @ Knot and Bow

❄ ❄ ❄

Handmade Christmas Challenge at Knicky Knacks

✴ a gift

Aunty Lulu has started her new course in London, so we get to see her a couple of days a week, hooray!

The first visit, she arrived with a gift for the new one year old. A beautiful origami Kusadama Ball. Just like this one she gave to me on the eve of my wedding. A good luck charm and so pretty to boot.

Pretty origami petals carefully folded and put together to form flowers which are then put together with other flowers to form a ball. Very clever. So delicate and intricate and such patience the paper folding expert has.

It's a gift, this paper floristry. The beautiful thing is that they last forever. With love and careful handling. And absolutely NO water required!

Paper Gifts {cut::folded::painted::loved}

                                  *

                                  * 

My wedding invitations.

{Snowberries & Winter Anemones}

Ella's 1st Birthday Card

Mexican style flowers

{ * Images and all work Lucy Bates}