My Creative Space - Flexi Frame Purse

Here's what I have been up to......

A very tiny purse, perfect for holding some coins

I used a 3.5 inch flexi frame

and the felt daisy was made using this tutorial...

its tiny but hopefully perfect for the recipient, a 9yr old girl.

And now this is where I finally spread the word!

no backing out now

If you would like to make one for your little girl in your life

I will be offering this as one of my patterns for sale.... 

and it gets better I will also have a range of purse frames, purse feet, magnetic snaps and general purse making goodies.... including these flexi frames.

Website and patterns are in the works, but for now this was your sneak peek.... hope you like?

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Boys Pressies

Since we put up the christmas trees this weekend, my mind is focusing in on the pressies.

I want to try and make the bulk of the kids presents this year.

And first on the list are these hacky sacks

You can find the pattern here and there is a link with game ideas

And they're colour coded to avoid scraps over who's is who's.

I also recommend the great tip on the comments of the pattern page: use a pantyhose pouch inside the sack to prevent the beans getting lose between the stitches....

I used some old opaque tights and those plastic pellets.

Another great gift idea

The boys would enjoy hours of fun with these

Source: thebroodinghen.blogspot.com via Laura on Pinterest

On another note... we have had potty training success today.... the end of nappies is in sight!

Christmas in November?

After weeks off pestering from the boys,

 I finally gave in this weekend.

The Christmas trees are up!

I got clean bedrooms and and clean lounge out of this, so I'm not complaining.... that was the deal.

Lil miss has been in awe of the christmas tree and its twinkling lights.... she has also tried to eat a few apple decorations.

Also I am hoping to make some more handmade decorations like this to hang...

But this time I will sew less crooked.

Anyone else got their Christmas decorations up in November?



Mending on my mind

I was changing the kids beds the other day, and as I was putting back one of the blankets on the bed, there was that hole again..... normally I would just ignore it and quickly put the duvet on top, then it would be out of sight, out of mind.

 

But with the approaching move in the next few months I am in a spring cleaning mood, and with that comes, either throw it, donate it... or fix it.   Plus with my newly found crochet skills, I thought why not mend it..... my kids have had these blankets since they were little from their grandma...

 its her favourite past time while sitting down, and now every extended member of the family has atleast one of these 

As I was fixing this, I thought I might take a few pics and write a step by step.... afterall, I'm surely not the only one that has come across this problem.... and then there's the op shoppers, that come across the odd granny square blanket.

So here's the breakdown

I cut out the granny square that had unravelled, and counted the rows that I needed to replace. I needed 3 rows. Starting with a new yarn, I crocheted in pattern stopping at the second row.

Now you will be crocheting your last row into the original crochet.

I recommend cutting out the old stitches as you go, that way the loops of the original crochet stay intact until you need them.

With working yarn to the back, insert hook from right to left through the loops of the double crochets from the original blanket.

Then pick up loop from the new row of crochet stitches and pull through secure with a chain 1.  See Picture above

Working in pattern

make three double crochets into the row before.

See picture above.

When you get to the corners, follow the same method, except work 3 dbl crochet into the previous rows corner, chain 1... then pull the loop through all the loops of the original crochets corner, chain 1 to secure, work 3 dbl crochet into the previous rows corner.

When you finish your last row slip stitch to close and fasten off.

And there you have it, all finished.....

and if you're like me you'll pat yourself on back....

 and wonder why you didn't fix it 2 years ago :)



Crochet Flowers Anyone?

I've really been enjoying crocheting lately..

can you tell?

Especially these flowers

pattern from Rose Hip

they are really addictive, I even started timing myself... 

and now I have to think up ways to use them.

I'm thinking, hairclips?

Lil Misses christmas tree decorations?

 Any other ideas?

Loving this week - Dyslexia

Last night I went to a seminar about Dyslexia.

I went there in hopes to find a way to understand my Little J

and instead I found myself having alot of those "Ah ha" moments.

My school years, my first office jobs.... my difficulty understanding written instructions..... the list goes on.

Laughton King was the speaker and is himself Dyslexic,

or what he likes to call Diesel...

he was very entertaining and well worth listening too.

I'm loving that I made the effort to go along...

I walked away armed not only with valuable information to help my boys, but also a better understanding of myself

plus a few other family members

Laughton King is doing a small town tour at the moment... so if you see his name in your parts.... I strongly recommend going along for a listen.... I don't think you will be disappointed.

Joining in with Paisley Jade here

25 Reindeer finally finished..

Just took me four years to complete.... yip another one of those UFO's...... now I just need to back them with velcro and finish the advent calendar wall hanging.....all in time for December

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Crochet Collar Dress

Here it is, the finished Crochet collar dress....

I love it!



Bring on summer!

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