March Bag challenge.' Embellish It'

The March Bag challenge over at Frosted Petunia's was to take an extisting bag and to 'Embellish It'. Not having a suitable bag to use I popped into my local charity shop and picked up 3 bags which I thought would be ideal to change. I then let my followers decide which bag they wanted me to change the most. The cream bag below came out as the winner. So what to do with it. Firstly, I discarded the gold threaded strip of material on the bag flap and replaced with a piece of pale pink velvet and attached the leather buckle back on. Then I added a piece of 20yr old lace over the top and made a flower using a different 20yr old vinatage lace ,17 yr old ivory satin and some beads.

Add a bit more bling.........

And this is the result.

As previously mentioned I said that once completed I would offer the bag up as a giveaway so if you would like the chance to own this bag then just be a follower and leave a comment on this post (saying you would like the bag)and I will pick a winners name out of the hat next Sunday April 10th 23.00 hrs (GMT).

Linking this to Handmade Monday.

Workdesk Wednesday 96

Whats on my workdesk this week? A trip down memory lane and a spot of nostalgia. I finally brought down the last of my sewing bits and bobs from the loft namely my sewing box which when I opened it still had patterns in it. These are just some of them.

The pattern in the middle is my Wedding Dress. If you do a close up it is view 2. Still inside the envelope was a piece of the actual crepe material I made it in showing on the selvedge that it was Swiss made. The two patterns on the left are of beach robes that I made for us both back in 1970!!

A delve into the depths of the airing cupboard produced the following :

Mine View B.

and 'The Docs' view 3.

So what is monkey up to this week?

He said he was having a tea party and inviting some friends over and would I take some photos of the occasion. How could I refuse!!!!

Hi, this is my big brother 'Side Kick'. He normally lives in Mrs A's car and sits between the driving and passenger seats and holds The Doc's sunvisor cap for him.

and this is my new friend Jam ( Just A Monkey).

He is going off to USA shortly to meet his new family.

(Hope you like him Terry. Your very own Valery Anne loveable.)

If you would like to have a browse around more desks then pop on over to Julia's blog where you can find over 100 other crafters all busy at work.

Stanley.

The Make it Monthly March theme over at The Felt Fairy was to make your very own Stanley Kidston from the pattern that Annie very kindly provided. Monkey downloaded it for me and so here is my version of Stanley attempting to strike the same pose as in the picture. Rather a handsome chappie I think complete with his rhinestone collar. (Sherry if you look closely at his collar it may look a little fishy to you!!)

Tried to post this yesterday but my computer was having none of it and booted me off the web so I couldn't go and visit any WOYWW's or followers. Most frustrating as I do like seeing what everyone else in blogland is up too. (Being a snoopy snout as The Doc would put it).

Workdesk 95.

Well my desk this morning appears to have been taken over by Monkey who is busy downloading the pattern for Stanley the dog. In the foreground you can see the pattern pieces have been cut from felt in readiness. To the right is a piecce of material I was doing a practice stamping on. In the dish you can just see a blue and yellow bird I have made using shrink plastic. I drew a bird outline onto the shrink plastic. Cut out and then coloured in using water colour pencils. Punched a hole and then shrunk using my heat gun. It really does shrink down to 7 times its size. Amazing stuff. I have been making buttons with it too but they are on their way to America so can't show you those at present.

I have been shoved off onto the side table by Monkey where I am working on a swap item, again destined for America. Here is just a sneek preview of it. Something I have not tried before

stamping directly onto material as the design. I'm quite pleased with how it is going.

Lastly Monkey wanted to show you his glasses he made.

Personally I think he should have gone to Spec Savers!!!

Hop on over to Julia's blog to see what the rest of the WOYWW crowd are doing on their desks.

Where's the rest of the team!

Meet my next little Footballer 'Boyo'. He is a commisssion that I have just literally completed (5am this morning)for a Birthday. As he will be going to his new home tomorrow and they do not have access to my blogg it is safe to show him to you now. Hmm! Wonder which team he supports. Lol. He is made from felt purchased from my very good blogging friend Annie of The Felt Fairy . I will be posting him as my March Make on the Monthly Make flickr page just in case I don't get my Felt Stanley dog made in time. I am going to enter Boyo into the following challenges: Pile it on: Asking for Cutie Patootie. Crafty Creations: Asking for In Stitches. 1st Unique Gifts: Asking for Handmade Mondays.

Workdesk Wednesday 94.

I have a lot of projects on the go at the moment but can't show as they are either swap items or commissions so are under wraps until they have been sent out or received.
I'm a bit miffed that monkey called my work in progress last week a pile of rubbish!


What can I show you on my desk this week? This may just look like a roll of plastic bags with one cut into strips but thanks to my late FIL I have found out about the art of "Plarning".
(To plarn with plastic instead of to knit with yarn is an easy explanation.)
I don't think my FIL ever threw a plastic bag away, either new or used consequently we have inherited hundreds of them. Even allowing for the piles that have been taken over to the local tip we still have rolls of unused bags to last a life time. What to do with them then. I have found on You Tube various tutorials showing you how to knit using strips of plastic bags so I thought I would have a go myself. Well its certainly different. Knits up very strong and quite stretchy too.
One thing you can make it into is bags so I will let you know how I get on.


Now last week someone left a comment asking how monkey manages to read books bigger than himself? Well I think you will find he is a very enterprising monkey!!!!

Have a great Wednesday and if you'd like to have a snoop around other desks then head on over to Julia's blog here.

Workdesk Wednesday 93

Oh. Hello. Were you expecting something else?

It's just me today. My owner says that I'm costing her too much in monkey nuts so she has set me to work to pay my keep.

Iv'e got to knit a jumper! I have been sat here for ages knitting. Er how long is a piece of wool please? Crumbs I just lost a stitch . I had 10 a minute ago. Anyone seen my missing stitch?

I got to read all these books too cos I'm being tested. on em. Whats a gesso and how about stumps.I dunno the answer do you!!

Before you go I have to show you whats on the table next to where I'm sitting. Nothing has moved since the weekend. Looks like a load of rubbish to me.

If you want to see some real working desks then head on over to Julia's blog where you'll find over 100 desks to snoop around.

Bye for now.

Monkey.