One more dress & WOYWW

I finished dress No 6 late last night. Here it is in the nice summer sun we have at the moment.

A matching head band and bright red ribbon bows.

This is how it started out in life

And this is how much is left of it on my desk early this morning.

The bodice part is still complete and will go to make up another dress using some white material

from my stash. The long strips are the shoulder straps so really all that is left is the 5 little scraps in the middle.!! Waste not want not.

Onto my desk later this morning.

Wimpey should have been going to the vets at 8am for a blood test but I had to cancet so he had a reprieve and breakfast and I had time to have a play with a few bits and pieces. Over at the Craft Barn they are running a challenge to make 12 Calaendar pages one for each month and I have decided to join in. It's all Neil's fault as I have been following the pages he has made on his blog and now I'm hooked. Got 4 weeks to catch up on though. Wkl (January) was a blue and crackle theme so this is the one I'm toying with here. The yellow pad leaning up is to guage the size I want the page to be and the Amazon packaging will be the sturdy backing. There are a few of Ann's lovely crochet flowers left that I have been using on the dresses. The pencil pot is destined to be a bird house but it got waylaid enroute! What else can you see. Oh yes the little arch shaped gadget is for switching on all my electrics in one go. So the compter, day light and sewing machine all come on together. Clever hey!

Playing with blue icicles and crackle paint at the moment. I sort of have a smidgen of an idea lurking in the background.

And just behind my desk hanging on the wardrobe is the next upcycling project. I love this dress but don't wear it anymore. It has two layers of flounces so I'm planning on getting 3 little dresses from it for the Dress a child appeal. If your very observant you might just spy a white square of paper on the notice board which has Wimpey and Wrappers weight written on in lb's. They have a few health issues at the moment so are being monitored. Next weigh in is on Friday for them.

Quite a long post from me today. If you want to have a nose around other crafting desks then why not take a smooch over to Julia's blog. Have fun. Tthe Boys are posted below.

Autumn is Here WOYWW 121

The boys have been helping to clear the leaves up in the garden and the zillions of Scycamore seed pods that come in from over the fence.. If they aren't picked up now we end up with saplings growing everywhere in the spring.

Sorry boys keep shovelling. There are at least another 20 sacks to go yet!!!!

Norm asked to have his photo taken showing his new jumper (well new to him but the 32yr old last wore it when he was erm Norm's size!!!!!)

1980's Fabric Desk Set.

I recently did a 1980's themed swap and this is what I made my partner in USA who has received it in the post. I really wanted to make something using genuine fabric from that era but having nothing suitable I found several on ebay and put bids in . I lost the first three but managed to get this French material which was from the 1980's being confirmed by the printing on the selevedge when it arrived. So what to make. I hummed and arrrr'd but in the end decided to make a vintage desk writing set and included a fold down tray similar to the one I made for Bernie.

I edged this tray with hand made twisted cord and placed the button/ribbon fixings on the end instead of the sides. Pencil pot is trimed with single cord bow.

I completed the set with a writing paper box and cut and bound matching coloured paper to go inside. I again edged the box lid with whipped twine.

I would like to enter into the following challenges.

Dream Valley: They are asking for Buttons on any project.

Top Tip Tuesday: Asking for 2 or more ribbons/twine/lace/fabric.

I have used 2 different ribbons and made two diffrent twines.

By the Cute and Girly: Want to see fabulous colours on your project.

Rumbled. WOYWW 120

I think wev'e been rumbled!! Do you know what the pass code is Monkey?

How am I going to buy my Pj's now!!!!

Gothic Arches.

The swap over at the Art 'n' Soul flickr group for September had the Title Gothic Arches.
We were asked to make 3 Gothic Arches using the template provided covering both sides of the arch and to attach together to make a book. The theme was Musical Instruments/anything Music or song Related.
After much procrastination I finally came up with the idea of using quotes by famous people that were music/song related. A quick search of the web provided me with several free sites that had quotes listed and I quickly selected six that I thought appropriate and that I could incorporate into the pages.
I was determined not to make it all pinky even though I love pink so I chose pale lilac and grey bazzill card stock from my stash. I have a musical notes embosing folder so I cut the card using the template and then ran it through my Big shot using the folder. I sandwiched a mauve and a grey together with thin card in between to make each page more stable. I made the flowers from a mixture of white paper coloured with water colour pencils , then spritzed over with water and purple paper which I chalked over.A splosh of glossy accents and a sprinkling of tiny beads finished them off. Finally I joined the arches together with purple organza ribbon from my stash.


This is the front using the lilac card.


Quote by Shakespeare.
1564 - 1616 English poet and playwright.


Quote by Robert Fripp.
1946 - English composer and record producer.


Quote by Sidney Lanier.
1842 - 1881 American musician and poet.


The back using grey card.


Quote by T.S. Eliot.
1888 - 1965 Playwright and poet.


Quote by Richter.
1915 - 1997 Soviet pianist.


Last quote by Heinrich Heine.
1797 - 1856 German poet.

Linking to the following challenge.
Cupcake craft challenge: The Dark side.

Birdcage Swap.

Time to reveal the Birdie swap organized by Frankie of Dragons Web.

The swap idea was to make a tag or a postcard using the TH birdcage die. I don't have this but Sherry very kindly came to the rescue and sent me three cut outs to use in different mediums. Here I have used the one cut from grunge paper. I painted this using crackle paint in 'Brushed Corduroy'.( Must admit I was a bit disapointed in the crackle effect. I expected it to look more crackled but as this was my first attempt at using the paint maybe I was too light handed with it and should have caked it on more.

The colour theme came from the background paper which is from the 'Chatsworth Vintage Collection' by Paper Mania. (This came in a pink too but I have been determined to steer away from my favourite colour when doing swaps so as and not to inflict it on everyone.)

Birdie is just stamped with distress inks 'Stormy Skye' and 'Tea Dy'e to give a speckled blue birdie effect.

The feathers I plucked from (its all right no birds were hurt in this production) the River Thames. The doc and I went for a picnic on the river a week or so ago and sat dangling our legs in the water when these feathers just happened to float past so of course I just had to wade in (as you do) and collect them up. They were from the flock of Canadian Geese that were grazing further along off the bank on one of the little islands. Got enough to stuff a pillow with now!

The flowers were made from cream card stock circles soaked in water and spritzed with distress ink. Once scrunched up and dried they were layered up with glossy accents added.

Words were made up using my alphabet stamps and the bead trimming from my stash.

Here is the back just to show I managed to sneak the butterflies on. Would have spoilt it I think to have a butterfly on the front. Fortunately my partner for the swap loves blue. Phew!!!

There are more lovely tags/postcards to be seen on Frankie's blog from the other swap partners.

Side by side.

Here is another one of my dresses. Now much too big for me to wear anymore. I thought it would make into two dresses for the dress a child appeal. It didn't take as long to unpick this one as it was single layer.

The first dress made up easily and I used a couple of crochet flowers that are from Ann which she sent me in the whimsy jar swap we did togther. The green was a perfect match. No pockets as the print is quite fussy and the skirt full but I did make a head band as every little girl loves to have one to go with her dress.

I spent two evenings just piecing the remaining bits of the dress together along with the help of MIL's petticoat lace as I was determined to get another dress. I actually like this one the most. The top of the dress in the end came from the sleeves which had been quite full and the bodice front. Just enough material left to make the flower for the head band and casing for the elastic.

Here they are side by side a slightly better camera light. Dresses 4 & 5. These have now gone off to Louise at Sew Scrumptious and I'm onto the next make over. It will probably only make one dress but you never know! You may have twigged by now that I'm into flounces and gathers and colour.

Anything left?

Not much mostly 2" scraps but I'm keeping them just in case!

Still can't show what else is on my desk as it is for a swap and partners have not been allocated yet and I also did a massive clear up yesterday so there is nothing on the floor either!!!

Pop on over to Julia's to see what everyone else is up to this week and the post below for some fun with the Monkeys.

Stone the Crow WOYWW 119

Monkey feels like a huge weight has been taken off his chest!!!
The boys got a bit worried last week after Liz left a message asking if the large stone wasn't someones hip replacement. They then rememebered that our house had been built on the site of an old pig farm. None of us are sure what a ham knuckle bone looks like so as we didn't like to involve the coronors office we thought we would put it back in the garden asap!


I made Monkey a repalcement from Sculpt Dry clay which we painted in stone like colours.

Norm has been feeling a tad cold these past few mornings so after a tip off from Di (thanks Di)

he has been looking at pyjamas on line at a certain store that stocks them in his size!

They are off now to look at some work desks over at Julia's and might see you there later.

All my ducks in a row.

I have finally finished the oil painting that I started back in July.
Again I have taken pictures of it as I have gone along.
This was the first stage where I put in the sky, mountains and grassland.


Next came the water which took several weeks of gradually building up the colour and letting each coat dry throughily in between. Then the rocks and reeds.


And finally my ducks in a row! I'm quite pleased with the result as this is only my fourth oil painting.





And this is the magazine picture that I took the drawing from.


Have started the next one already. I will leave you to guess as to the subject matter from the Title I have given it.
'Whose a pretty boy' ?

Linking up today to
1st Uniquegifts. Handmade Monday.

I don't do cards But!!

I don't do cards but I did make this one for Sis as it's her birthday today. Happy Birthday Sis.
I saw this is the September ' Craft Stamper' magazine and decided to do my own twist on the design.
Sis is an avid knitter so thought this would be ideal for her.

This is my 1st go using promarkers.
What I didn't appreciate was that if you use coloured card stock it changes the colours so the green circle I had originally planned to use (sis loves green) got disgarded and replaced with cream which I actually think looks better.
Card is green brazill card stock embossed with a flower design. The backing paper is handdrawn and coloured to match the flowers on the girls dress.(the same technique used in the magazine).
Then I added a strip of knitting using basket weave pattern for the embellishment and a wool bow.
Promarkers used were peargreen, blossom, and antique pink. Stamp is Toodles and Binks Play time child knitting.

I don't do cards!

Holey Stones! WOYWW 118

The Boys like to have their morning coffee out in the garden by the pond weather permitting.
This morning Monkey spotted something he has been looking for for ages.


A Holey Stone.!! Ever since Mrs A. adopted Norm and he arrived to live with us Monkey has wanted a holey stone just like the one that Monkey, Darrell and Nigel gave to Norm as a safe journey gift. The boys have searched the local beaches and lakes and rivers to no avail but today Monkey found this one right in their own garden under their very noses.


Hmmm. I think this one is a tad too large Monkey!!



Can't guarantee that there will be other monkeys blogging but why not pop on over to Julia's blog you just never know. What there will be though is lots of desks to rummage around on.

P.S. Monkey has just gone to bed early complaining of a stiff neck!!!.

A Caty Tale!

Our two Persians are highly trained. When Wrapper and Wimpy need the loo they know where it is.!!!

Unlike one of the local tabbies who has decided our front lawn is the new place to spend a penny.

Now as you can appreciate this has upset 'The Doc' greatly. So much so that he has been to the local pet store and purchased a packet of 'Poo' sticks. The idea is that you place them in the ground at l metre intervals and as they are impregnated with a citrus lemon smell it deters the said cat from doing its business and will move onto somewhere more salubrious (fine by us).

This has been working well for the last 3 days , our lawn has remained in pristine condition.

Not so this morning though cos someone has nicked our 'Poo' stick!!! The 'Doc' is very annoyed.

Now this does beg the question has the cat learnt to remove the sticks with it teeth and chuck them away or do we have a 'Poo' stick thief. So if you reading this and its you can we have our stick back please.

The only other explanation which doesn't really bare thinking about is that there is now one very demented cat running around the neighbour hood with what appears to be a firework stuck up its nether regions.