Fabric flowers

On Sunday I took a zoom class with Clare Mackaness from Beautiful Things. You can find her on youtube and Facebook or her website. I love how Clare makes everything achievable and fun. She teaches crafts, sewing and crochet to name a few things I’ve learned from her. Definitely recommend her if you are looking for something to learn online. 

The flower was made with circles of fabric, some machine sewing and some hand sewing. It could all be done by hand if you don’t have a sewing machine though. 

A button is used to finish it off and hot glue or fabric glue also comes into play. I yet again survived using my glue gun. Some days I just impress myself 😁 

I used a hair alligator clip to finish it off and for it to be able to wear it. In fact I put it in my hair and forgot it was there until I got ready for bed that night. 

A very fun class that leaves me ready to grab some of my scrap fabrics to make more. It’s and excellent project to use up scraps and odd pretty buttons we keep hold of. Great coordination items to go with home made items. Or even up cycling some well worn favourite clothes. 

After my last craft failure it was great to do something that worked well and came out well. Thanks Clare 

New failures in craft

I’ve always admired the art of pyrography and the people who can do it. I can’t draw well so didn’t ever think I could do anything like that. Then I watched a YouTube video using a chemical burn pen or a scorch pen. Simply draw on apply heat with a heat gun or an iron etc. And be left with a lovely masterpiece. To be fair they showed their failure too. 

In my defence I think there was to much of my stencil to colour in with pen and I oversaturated it possibly. It all started so well. 

I used my Cricut to cut out 2 designs to apply to some wood slices so I could colour them in with the pen I bought from Amazon. 

So far so good. Then I coloured them in. And removed the vinyl. 

Then I used my Cricut mini press and covered with paper abs heated for only 5-10 seconds and that’s when it all went wrong. 

Obviously way to much of the pen. After closer inspection the pen says you don’t need a lot of it. Next I turned the wood over and tested the amount, simple lines and writing, then, applied head again and it worked much better.

Definitely worked better this way. Light handed is the way to go. Will give this another go soon and hopefully will produce better results. Was hoping to make some tree decorations with the wood slices. 

Meanwhile I’m off to do something I know will work to boost my confidence up a bit. Tomorrow’s another day. 

 

Cricut foil transfer kit

Sometimes I am so easily amused and this was one of those times. Having not hung out as much online with other Cricut users I was a bit behind the times. Didn’t discover about the foil transfer kit until after it came out so splashed out and treated myself. Up until now I’ve not gotten around to having a go of this. 

It’s a system that uses pressure with your machine and comes with 3 nibs to go in the housing with fine, medium, and bold settings. 

The pack also comes with foil sheets and sticker tape to tape the foil down. Surprisingly, the foils more robust that they appear. As a last minute whim last night I got out the kit and card to give it a go. I found the shell in design space and set things up as instructed.  It came out of the Cricut looking like this. 

Next time I will take more care with the sticking down of the foil sheet and tautness. However, as I pulled back the foil after the Cricut had finished its job it all turned out ok. That first peek took my worries away. 


So pretty and shiny! Even the used foil held up to the light was wondrous to look at and play with in the light. 

I’m hoping to find a perfect family tree to try to do with this foiling technique because I am in love with it. Photos do not do it justice of how shiny and beautiful it came out. 

This design was about 3.4 inches tall I think it was so quite detailed for the size of it. I used the medium nib and one of the silver sheets of foil that came in the pack. It came with 6 each of silver and gold. 

Great tool to have in your repertoire, especially if you like to make cards and decorative bits and bobs. It can also foil faux leather I believe and will look into other materials it can be used on soon. 

Hogwarts house masks

Up until now I’ve not really made that many face masks. We have them of course but we have some ready made ones and a few home made ones. However, we have a Harry Potter related event happening with 4 people and I had some fat quarters of the houses so I had to make some face masks. I followed a tutorial from the stitch sisters on YouTube for a basic mask and it worked well. 

I didn’t even mind all the pressing/ironing the pleats in. Anyone who knows me knows I dislike using an iron. For sewing it kind of essential for a good finish though so was well worth it.  Here they are all pinned before final top stitch 

And here they are finished. Used a yellow thread because they all have yellow in them. Huge bonus and didn’t have to keep rethreafing machine for each mask. 

A while back I made my lively daughter in law this wristlet key fob and a scrunchy out of the same hufflepuff fabric and she was delighted with it. 


Just recently I have been doing smaller projects. It’s very satisfying to finish things all in one go and not stress about time for finishing them. 

Jamming it

It’s been a wet cold miserable day. It seemed the heavens opened every time I had to go outside. It’s ok though I quite like the rain and hearing it fall. Somehow though, it left me with the need to hunker down and feel I had done something worthwhile. Having been lucky enough to be gifted with 6 rather fine stalks of rhubarb I started reminiscing about a jam I made about 8 or 9 years ago Rhubarb and vanilla jam. Totally reminded me of one of my childhood favourites rhubarb and custard sweets. With a little looking around Pinterest and my own books I worked out what I needed and was delighted I had it all. Very simple but worked so well 

I used 

1kg cleaned trimmed and chopped rhubarb

700g of granulated or caster sugar (I used half vanilla sugar)

Juice of half a lemon 

2 teaspoon of vanilla extract 

This made enough for 2 biggish jars. That I cleaned and sterilised before hand. I actually did 3 as wasn’t sure how many I would need. 

I started by stirring the chopped rhubarb and sugar together until it all came together and looked like this. No liquid was needed at all. I then stirred through the lemon juice and put onto heat stirring and making sure it didn’t catch. 

It didn’t take long foe the sugar to dissolve and the rhubarb start to break down and release its juices. It looked like this after just a few minutes. 

220 f or 105 Celsius is the setting temperature for jam.as it reached this temperature and was taken off the heat I stirred through the vanilla extract.  This was close but just under as wasn’t taking the picture at a level angle with the jam thermometer. I also took out a teaspoons worth and placed on a cold plate and after a minute checked it was holding it shape especially when pushed with a finger and formed wrinkles/ridges. 

At this point I decanted into jars and put the lids on. They are now being left overnight to cool and set up. Not the pink of rhubarb I know but the smell and taste is amazing. 


Hidden in the back of my cupboard is a jar of sugar I keep with used vanilla pods in and they flavour and scent the sugar. As I didn’t have quite enough caster sugar in the cupboard I took out the jar of vanilla sugar giving me more of a vanilla kick. I simply left the pods in the jar and topped it up putting it back in the cupboard until next time I want it. I keep forgetting I have it. Had to hide it as the children kept eating it and I was left with none for my baking. 

Hubby isn’t a fan of rhubarb so that’s more for me and youngest son to tuck into. 

I haven’t made jam in a few years and forgot how easy and enjoyable it is. Best of all is that over the cold dark days ahead we can have a lovely comforting rhubarb jam on or toast or in cakes to remind us of warm sunny days. 

It’s beginning to cost a lot like Christmas!

Don’t know about you but my mind sang that title line. As I did when I saw this design on designbundles.net It’s been a long while since I did a heat transfer vinyl (HTV) project with my Cricut and decided today was the day. Did the day cooperate? No it didn’t but finally got there in the end. 

I used to keep my spare canvas bags and sublimation bags in separate places. A while ago I decided to organise everything craft wise and put them in the same place. Then promptly forgot and dragged out so much looking for a tote bag today. After much coffee and muttering to myself I finally had a brainwave and remembered. By that time I had to go do my motherly and grandmotherly duties and had to wait until this evening to complete this tote bag 

Another bag to try not to forget when I go shopping  somehow I’m hoping the pretty shiny and sparkling parts will catch my eye and make me remember to pick it up. I’ve used standard HTV, glitter and metallic. It’s so pretty and apart from the wording it was all done with my off it’s so didn’t cost to much to make. 

Might have to make a Halloween themed bag next. I did make some trick or treat bags a few weeks ago for my granddaughters. They won’t be trick or treating but they can receive the bags with some treats from me :-)