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 :-) 

Tic Tac Toe, Noughts and Crosses and buttons DIY

One of the things I always remember as a child was my Nans then my Mums button tin.  Such a source of amazement and wonder sorting through and playing with the buttons. Plus they came in handy for when you needed buttons of course. Over the past years I have slowly built up my own tin and it still feels like a wonder going through and discovering the right button for what you need or imagining what they belong on.

Today though, I was on the search for buttons for a game of noughts and crosses as we tend to call Tic Tac Toe here in England.


The idea came about knowing I had a few of these little cotton drawstring bags left over from another project a while ago. Having seen little games in similar bags I set out to make a set of my own for something the granddaughters could possibly play with on a rainy day or when bored.

Went for a rummage through my bag of vinyl and heat transfer vinyl scraps and found a perfect size of silver holographic HTV. It was fairly quick and easy to make up the grid in Cricut design space by manipulating squares into long lines and welding them together when in the right layout.

Pressed the HTV onto the drawstring bag and filled with7 buttons each of 2 colour flower buttons. I know you don't need 7 for a game but a few are probably at some point going to get lost.  If they all do then the girls will just have to discover the delights of a button tin themselves and come and find some new ones.

All in all a quick and easy satisfying project. All things were on hand just laying around my craft area somewhere. I'm really embracing this use what you have challenge I have myself doing.  It's making me look at things a little differently and thinking up new ways to use older supplies.

Thinking about it if you didn't have or can't use HTV you could used fabric paint or markers to make up the grid, It really is quite adaptable. All sorts of things could be used for the counters to.  Obviously needing to be age appropriate due to choking hazard etc.

Music on t-shirt and crochet

My youngest is obsessed with music.  Like most teens, a lot of music resonates with him. He also uses it as an escape when the world around him becomes too much and he needs to control the noise around him.  Often in stressful situations, his headphones will appear and he will use his music to relax and cope with the situation. 

So when I saw this design on Designbundles.com by Caty Catherine I had to make it up for my 16-year-old on a t-shirt for him. He loves it and said it was perfect for him. Hopefully, this will get a lot of wear out of it.

The red vinyl is a true red and not orange like the picture shows, it seems that despite having the darkest and coldest few days the sun decided it had to come and appear in this picture skewing up my colours. Such as life, was good to see some sunshine through the clouds at least

Keeping up with the using what I have on hand to craft with I came across a few hair elastics and decided to crochet around it with a small amount of cotton yarn. It's simply made with closely double crocheting all around the elastic. I have an urge to get hold of some velvety soft yarn now to do this in.  For the amount I need it's not worth buying a ball for it though. 

Wearing this one today and so far it's holding my air better than the elastic alone would and isn't pulling on my hair so I'm happy with it and may make a few more.  Having very thick and full hair it can take quite a bit to find something to hold it back or up and out the way. 

Having not been feeling to brilliant the past couple of days I've spent a little time doing a little crafting and resting.  Seems to be working, I've enjoyed the downtime but think I am ready to rejoin the land of the living and venture outside tomorrow. Meanwhile, I have to decide if unicorns or a flamingo is to keep me busy tonight!

Crochet and cricut

 Well two shower puff thingys made. I swear I have more of this cotton yarn somewhere in a blue colour, and black, but no idea where it’s been safely stashed. When I find it though I think wash cloths or some more of these will be made up. I’ve made a grand total of 3 of these altogether having made the first one a while ago. It’s a very easy addictive make. Very forgivable to if you lose count now and then.  

One was made on a 4 Mm hook and the other on a 5.5mm hook. Obviously the 4 Mm one is more condensed but until they’ve been used I’m not sure which one I will prefer. 

T-shirt wise I pressed the htv onto a black shirt for kiddo today. Am still chuckling over it. After knocking up my own Mercury symbol a lovely person let me know there are periodic symbols within Cricut Design Space! Could of grabbed one free as I’m on a months free access to there at the moment. Lesson learned though. Check the resources to hand to make life a little easier maybe. 

Kiddo is happy with this and I’m pretty sure he will be wearing this tomorrow for me to get a better picture in the daytime and on. 

Lovely daytime spent with my granddaughters today. They are off on holiday next week so this is the last day I get to spend in person with them for a bit. We ended up gluing sparkles, drawing and painting things today. A truly crafty day was had by all. 

Half term has flown by so fast, not sure how it’s got to Friday already but there you go. Relaxing weekend needed before Monday rolls around I think.