More handmade embellishments - shabby chic fabric hearts.

Well, it was my attempt at shabby chic, or a vintage look, anyhow!  I was really excited starting these - I've been inspired by a very talented friend of mine who has a small business - Castle Crafts - and makes the most gorgeous fabric hearts and other fabric decorations.  I wanted to have a go myself - hopefully to use in my upcoming project (though not in the way I originally planned!), and so here is the result.  I actually don't love them in the way I hoped I would, but they're OK, and I won't give up - I WILL try again....and again......and again.....!!!

 

 They're not backed or padded yet, I still have to pin down exactly how I'm going to use them before taking the final step.

Handmade Embellishments

My current project is kind of a big one, which is why I haven't really added much of late.  It's taking a lot of embellishment.  Initially, I was scouring the internet to buy bits that I felt would suit my project, but amidst my browsing, I realised - why was I doing this?  Why not make my own?

Soooo......shortly before Christmas, I taught myself to crochet!!!  I surprised myself by just how much I've enjoyed crocheting - I've accidentally managed to pick up a new hobby, just when I didn't even have enough time to fully indulge my current one....!  Ah, well, one day I shall have more time, and then I'll even be able to throw in reading a book to the mix :-)

So, here's how it's going:

 The practicing......

(I should probably point out that the large pink heart in the top centre was not crocheted, instead it was stitched together, and made of chiffon!)

 

 The final cut!

These two are included in my current project, which hopefully I'll be finished with soon.

 

 

As well as crocheted embellishments, I'm also experimenting with fabric generally - as in the chiffon heart in the first picture.  I'm midway through a couple of other pieces which I'm pretty happy with - and am planning on uploading them as soon as they're complete.

Kids thank you card

Just a quick post.  It's been a hectic few days, preparing for Christmas.  My boys decided they wanted to make cards for their friends this year, but the grand endeavour ended up being abandoned about a quarter of the way in, so I found myself having to finish for them. On top of that, I had agreed to make thank you cards for my eldest to give to the friends who had come to his 7th birthday party last week.  Now, none of the above were complex, but throw in Xmas wrapping, & ferrying everyone to & from their respective Xmas engagements, and you get a slightly frazzled Mum!

Now for the card part - I actually found the thank you cards I made to be far cuter than I'd even hoped for, despite their simplicity, so I just wanted to put them out there as an incredibly easy (yet cute) kids batch card.

 

I will concede I seriously need to work on my photography skills, the lighting is shocking!

I used the Martha Stewart stars border punch, a wood mounted thank you stamp that I've had for ages, and the alien & car stamps from Melanie Muenschingers Wee Tees stamp set, from Gina K designs, which is just so cute!  Et voila!  Throw in some Promarkers, & there you have it!