CB's Craft Zone

I've got the lead role in a new action film...sort of

2012-02-24T15:55:00.001Z

OK, before I tell you the exciting news here is a piccie of my latest project. A lady's lingerie case. The older ladies amongst us will remember Mum or Granny having one of these to stash their undies in when they went travelling. Anyway, I made one for a friend for Christmas and then got this fab material to make some more.

It has 2 internal pockets, so plenty of room and the ribbons provide the fastening.

And here are some slippers for little girls knitted with a double strand of DK wool. Cute or what. You should see the little ones I've made for newborns. And then there's the ones I've made for us bigger people.

An update for another day is my new found skill of crocheting thanks to the excellent teaching of Jo from JoZarty blog. Although it now means I've found the Black Sheep Wool place.....

So the exciting news.....the new action film.....

Well, I jest....but it got you reading. I've decided given what's going on in my life at the moment that I will write an action film with Angelina Jolie playing the lead (that's me) as she does her own stunts just like me!!!

However, I don't think she makes such a pigs ear of them as me. Pray tell, I hear you ask. Well yesterday, there I was minding my own business, crossing the road when down I go rather spectacularly and after travelling a few feet, well maybe a few inches, along the road I landed on my face. So glasses broken, face bashed, knees cut and bleeding, hands cut and bleeding and shoulder now a nice shade of black I think I have earned the lead role.

On top of that today I have been for a blood test and 2 holiday vaccinations so I now have 2 very sore arms.

Off to cast the rest of the film. Have a good weekend, x

Another Layette Basket

2012-02-07T13:14:00.000Z

Phew, this was a more difficult wool to knit with. This time I followed the instructions more closely by using a chunky wool, doubled for the sides. It is beautiful and soft and resembles baby lambs coats but not easy to knit with and I don't think it looks or feels as sturdy as the one I made in pink.

Below is the inside circular pattern. I had to increase the circle in a different way as the yarn was too awkward to create the lace effect of the pink one.

I'm sure once its laden with nappies, talc etc it will be absolutely fine.

It may be a while before I make another.

Hope you're all managing in this cold weather, x

Knitting to share

2012-02-05T14:37:00.001Z

Told you I'd be back. This is my first attempt at a circular layette basket. I've made it for the same friend's daughter who's card I've just shared with you. She is expecting her first baby in May, a girl, and I fancied having a go at this. I'm really chuffed with how its turned out especially as I made it in DK rather than the stated chunky.

Below is a close up of the moss stitch

And here is a close up of the pattern created as I've made the circular base. I'm now making another in a chunky knobbly wool for my Step-daughter who is due her second baby next month. I'll share that with you as soon as its finished.

Finally, here is another poncho I made for my neighbour as a gift for her niece.

Hope you like my recent uploads and I'll be back as soon as possible. In the meantime keep safe and warm.

So I've lapsed again.....

2012-02-05T14:32:00.000Z

Not too bad but I've not got back on here as quick as I'd planned. Anyhow, I hope there's not too many of you stuck in the snow. We've had about 4 inches here but it is showing signs of melting, thank goodness.

At last I've managed to make a few cards although my Mojo was somewhat reluctant. This little cutie above is for a good friend's daughter who just adores pink.

Below are two views of a twisted easel card I've made for one of my good neighbours who has a birthday this week. She is so good at looking after our cats whenever we're away.

That's all for this posting but I'll be back in a minute with some more knitting projects to share with you.

TTFN, x

Only a Week this time - Getting Better

2012-01-24T13:56:00.001Z

Yep, I managed to get back to you after only a week, not bad considering everything that's going on over here. Here is a piccie of our beautiful Grand-daugher all dressed up ready for her first Rugby League match with Barbie in Grandma's first attempt at her wardrobe. Casey absolutely loved the rugby and is already talking about going again. She was so good too. As for Barbie, well, she decided to be a couch potato and stayed home, lol.

Here is one of my recent makes, a knitted cover for a mobile phone or i-pod. Thought it would make a great Valentine's Day gift.

Well, that's all for now. I have a workshop to prepare for and I keep finding other things to do instead....
I may just go to work........

Bye for now, x

2012 - When did that happen???

2012-01-17T21:33:00.003Z

Oh Boy! Just had a look and I haven't blogged since 14th December and now its 2012..... I didn't realise time had marched on quite so fast. Anyhow, I've not been idle as you can see from these pics. Yep! I'm still knitting. Plenty of ear and hand warmers and now I've made a little poncho. I made this to gauge the size as I want to knit one for my Scottish Grand-daughter and embellished it with a hand knitted flower and button. I'm really chuffed with it and I've popped it in my Folksy shop and my new Etsy shop. Click on the links in my side bar if you want to have a nosey.

Here's a close up of the flower.

As for cards.....well I've managed a few quickies but I'm afraid the mojo is playing up again. It must be all worn out with the knitting.

Well that's all for now and hopefully I'll be back before 2013, lol, x

Catching Up

2011-12-14T18:25:00.001Z

Just realised I've been MIA from Blogland for over a week. Where did that week go???

Anyway, I haven't really much to share with you at the moment as I've been busy knitting for my Folksy Shop and for private orders, plus doing the Christmas pressie run to Scotland for the grandees, and of course battling with the weather. However, I wanted to share this beautiful card I received from the lovely Jayne as part of a pink card swap in honour of breast cancer awareness. I love how she's made the flower.

Below, is a pair of hand warmers, or fingerless mitts, which I have been making following a request and they now seem to be selling like hotcakes.

And here are some ear warmers in beautiful autumnal colours. They didn't stay on the shelf long either, lol

So, I'm now packing ready for our trip to Barcelona on Friday to celebrate hubby's 60th birthday. I will try to pop back next week when we return but our days will be short as next Friday we fly to Cyprus for Christmas. So just in case I go AWOL again let me wish everyone who celebrates a wonderful Christmas and here's hoping 2012 is a happy and healthy one for everybody.

Merry Christmas, x

Last Cuddly Cushions for a while

2011-12-04T10:28:00.001Z

Good Morning. Just a quick post before I shoot off to work to show you my latest additions to my Cuddly Cushions range.

I'll be back later to have a proper hop around blog world but in the meantime if you like what you see hop over to my Folksy Shop for more information and piccies.

Have a good day, x

More Cuddly Cushions

2011-12-02T18:55:00.001Z

OK, so I know its back to the 'S' word again but I've now ventured into the world of machine sewing. My beloved sewing machine has been sat in my wardrobe for too many years to mention. I bought it nearly 40 years ago with money my Grandad left for me when he passed away. It still works perfectly and its made it so much easier to run these cushions up in double quick time.

I've 2 more, stuffed and ready to finish off so I'll share those with you over the weekend.

BTW, I bought the cute little dog for illustration purposes. Isn't he sweet.

In the meantime I hope you all have a fun weekend whatever you're up to, x

Craft Barn Calendar Grand Finale

2011-12-01T23:24:00.001Z

Well here it is. My Grand Finale...

I've used my bind-it-all to attach all the pages to the cardstock stand I made and just added some ribbons for a bit of flourish.

The first 6 months are ready to go and once they have been flipped over the stand all I need to do is turn it round and I have the second 6 months.

Hope you like this idea and here is the link for the Grand Finale :-
http://thecraftbarnblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/calendar-challenge-grande-finale.html

Craft Barn Calendar Week 12 - December

2011-12-01T23:18:00.001Z

Good Evening everyone. So sorry I've not been on here a lot lately but its just busy, busy, busy here in West Yorkshire. Also I must apologise for not visiting your blogs recently but that will be rectified asap.

Anyhows, here is the last instalment in the Craft Barn Calendar Challenge and this time it was to use red and green, pine trees and sparkle.

I've stamped the polka doodles trees onto DP and then cut them out. I've added copper stickles to the trunks and some adhesive stars to the top left corner for the sparkle bit.

Here comes the challenge link and pop back to my next posting to see how I've connected the pages together, x
http://thecraftbarnblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/calendar-challenge-week-12.html

How to keep your ears warm...

2011-11-29T20:25:00.001Z

Good Evening. Hope you're all well.

Just a quick posting this evening to show you some of the ear warmers I knitted for the Christmas Fair last weekend. Unfortunately the piccies aren't brill and these were the best of the shots I took but I was doing the finishing touches the night before the Fair.

I also made some in a deep red colour and some were decorated with beads rather than buttons, but you get the gist. I sold 7 out of the 8 I made so I was well chuffed. I'm now busy knitting the next batch as I've received some orders.

Just to make it clear. You wear these like a headband but pulled over your ears to keep them warm. Great when you don't want to wear a hat.

Hope you like them, x

More Bits for Christmas Fair

2011-11-26T17:26:00.001Z

Just a last couple of bits to show you before tomorrow's Christmas Fair. Above is the final calendar and below a selection of quick and easy bookmarks.

I'm frantically finishing off some ear warmers and will share those with you tomorrow. In the meantime enjoy your weekend. I'm off to knit and sew in front of the TV as its a Strictly night, x

Rude Comments

2011-11-26T17:15:00.001Z

Firstly this is a warning to any of my followers not to take any notice of a certain individual who is posting unpleasant comments on our blogs. I was told that my work lacked uniqueness and the text should have been printed lower....Whatever!

I clicked on the attached link and it took me to a Pakistani shop. There didn't appear to be any virus attached I just think its some very unpleasant individual who gets a kick out of trying to p--- people off. Well he/she failed. I also think its odd that other affected bloggers seem to be linked to each other in some way so I suspect they've googled onto one of our blogs and then looked at our sidebars to see who we follow. If said individual is reading this then let it be known that crafters are made of stern stuff and won't be affected by petty minded little people. Go get a life and leave us bloggers in our creative worlds.

To everyone else ie pleasant people...have a lovely weekend, x

A Very Poppy Birthday...

2011-11-25T16:15:00.001Z

Good Afternoon, said I would be back. This time with a card using one of my fav images. I just love Poppies and this one's from Penny Black. I've coloured it with copics to blend with the DP which is 'Madeleine' by Prima. The copics by the way are: E27, YG91, 95, RV25, 29

Here's a close-up of the ribbon bow effect that I tried and below the inside of the card stamped in Versafine Smokey Grey with just a hint of the poppy.

I'd like to enter it into the following challenges:-

Tuesday Morning Sketches #121 - Sketch
http://tuesdaymorningsketches.blogspot.com/2011/11/tuesday-morning-sketches-121.html
The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop #4 - Buttons and Bows
http://theprettylittleribbonshop.blogspot.com/2011/11/november-challenge-4-buttons-and-bows.html
Paper Sundaes #96 - Beautiful Bows
http://papersundaes.blogspot.com/2011/11/paper-sundaes-challenge-96-beautiful.html
Pile It On #47 - Anything with a 'P'
http://pileitonchallenge.blogspot.com/2011/11/pile-it-on-47-anything-with-p-and-dt.html
Fab n Funky #100 - Happy Birthday
http://fabnfunkychallenges.blogspot.com/2011/11/challenge-100-happy-birthday.html
Hope you like it and I'll be uploading another of these in my Folksy Shop, x

Hug A Mug

2011-11-25T07:34:00.001Z

Good Morning Bloggers.

I'm not known for my early mornings but I'm beginning to think my age has something to do with me not needing as much sleep. I hope it doesn't last, lol.

Anyway, a quick post to show you some of the mug cosies I've made for the Christmas Fair. So simple and quick to knit up and ideal for campers, caravanners or even workmen to keep a drink warmer for longer.

That's it for now, off for some brekkie and I'll be back later with a card.

The Craft Barn Calendar Week 11 - November

2011-11-23T21:09:00.001Z

Well almost there, only one more week to go in this brilliant Calendar Challenge.

Here is my page for November. Our challenge was to use grey, pale yellow and incorporate bare branches. I also had found this lovely November poem in an old book which I have been keeping for this page.

Not much to say really as I'm not sure where the stamp is from, I think I came by it in a grab-bag.

Anyhow, hope you like it and here's the challenge link:-
http://thecraftbarnblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/calendar-challenge-week-11.html

Less Is More in Less Than 10

2011-11-23T21:00:00.001Z

Good Evening Everyone. After I had created this card I realised it fitted into the challenge over on our KCUK Yahoo Group so I shall be off to upload it there too.

In the meantime let me tell you that the image and the sentiment are by Creative Expressions, both stamped directly to the card.

I can see me doing a batch of these quick and simple cards which will only need a small letter stamp.

Here are the challenges I'd like to enter it in:-

Totally Papercrafts #93 - Black and White
http://totallypapercrafts.blogspot.com/2011/11/challenge-93-black-and-white.html
Allsorts #130 - One Layer
http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/2011/11/week-130-one-layer-card.html
Less Is More - Silhouettes
http://simplylessismoore.blogspot.com/2011/11/week-42-theme.html

Sewing in a Caravan

2011-11-21T20:08:00.001Z

Evening Peeps, I said I would be back. This time with some more sewing projects completed over the weekend. It was so much easier to take some material, cottons, needle and scissors away in the caravan rather than all the papercrafting stuff I usually cart around. As you can see above, I've made some more lavender pomanders for the Christmas Fair, although the middle one I'm going to wrap as part of Mum's Christmas pressie. It will freshen up her bedroom if I hang it on the bed. It's actually made from an old serviette that she embroidered over 60 years ago. I wonder if she'll remember.

Here's another of my designed cushions. This time in really vibrant colours. Again with the pocket on the front and the hand-stitching up the centre to divide it into 2 smaller pockets. I added a couple of buttons for interest. I've decided to call these CB's Cuddly Cushions on the basis that a small cuddly toy can be housed in the pocket. See below. I'm going to pop this one on my new Folksy Store. If you want to take a peek just click on the piccie in my side bar.

Here's a close-up of Casey's little hippo keeping snug and warm.

This sewing malarkey is getting a bit out of hand now.....the sewing machine has ventured out of its cupboard.... I also have to admit to clacking away on the old knitting needles over the weekend, again making bits for the Christmas Fair. So far I've made 6 mug cosies. I'll upload these very soon. Again, another easy peasy thing to take caravanning.

As for the caravanning weekend. We had a lovely weekend on the Chatsworth Estate once a few minor problems had been sorted out. Firstly I didn't pitch the caravan correctly, so after picking hubby up from the station we had to hitch back up and manoeuvre it so that we could put the awning up in the correct place. This we left until the morning as by now it was dark and the light on the pitch bollard was out. I also managed to damage the electric cable although I've temporarily fixed it with some electrical tape, and finally 3 blinking lights blew on the car so that was the first job on Friday morning.

Friday we drove into Bakewell. I've never been before and it is a lovely town and we enjoyed a simple lunch after I'd got the car sorted out. Saturday we woke up to glorious sunshine and were able to walk to the Christmas Market at Chatsworth House (about 20 minutes). I must say we had far too many layers on as it got hotter and hotter. The dogs enjoyed the walk and Joss enjoyed hoovering up the bits of food that people managed to drop. Some mulled wine and several carrier bags of goodies later we walked back to the van to pick up the car and drove into the local village for lunch and some more Christmas shopping. We couldn't get over how beautiful the weather was for November. Of course, when we came to travel home yesterday it was foggy for the whole journey.

That's about it for now folks. So I hope you too had a good weekend and I'll see you all tomorrow, x

A Card at Last

2011-11-21T18:26:00.001Z

Yayy! At last a card to share with you, although not one of my better creations. Too engrossed in the sewing malarkey, lol.

I've specifically made this for #2 Son. No point going over the top with embellishments cos his comment is always the same...'oh! that's nice', lol. Anyway while I'm at it I thought I'd enter it into the current ABC Christmas Challenge which is 'W' for Winter Sports
http://abcchristmaschallenge.blogspot.com/2011/11/w-for-winter-sports.html

I've coloured Edwin with copics: E00, 21, 93, 15, 33, 35, 37, YG63, 67, BG13, 15, R27, 29 and the DP is Christmas Fancy by Dovecraft.

Hope you like it and I'll be back later with details of our weekend and some more sewing projects, x

Just A Quickie

2011-11-16T23:32:00.001Z

Just wanted to show you another couple of hanging pomanders I've made before I log off for the weekend.

We're off in our caravan to Chatsworth for the weekend to take in the Christmas Market. I went last year with a friend but this year hubby and son #2 are joining me. I think we're planning on visiting Bakewell on Friday and then the market on Saturday.

I'll be home Sunday but in the meantime I hope you all have a good weekend, x

More Sewing...I Need a Lie Down

2011-11-15T19:58:00.001Z

Here I am back again with some more hand sewn goodies. Above are 2 cushions made from some lush Christmas fabric. I've added a felt flower cut from a spellbinders die and handcut felt leaves, embellished with a single pearlised pin.

Below are a selection of hanging pomanders. Basically they are made from stitching 2 character panels together, incorporating some ribbon and then filling with some cushion stuffing and dried lavender...Mmmm!

Hoping these will go down well at Mum's Christmas Fair, x

The Craft Barn Calendar Challenge Week 10 - October

2011-11-15T18:25:00.001Z

Good Evening Peeps, hope you're managing to keep warm in this dull and damp November weather.

I can't believe I have managed to keep up with The Craft Barn's Calendar challenge. Only 2 more to go and then I'll have a full calendar. Yippee!.

This week the challenge was autumn colours and leaves. I started off stamping a complete sheet of paper to use as a background but by the time I'd trimmed it and straightened it and then trimmed it some more and then....you know how it is....I ended up with the piece you see, lol. The large leaf stamp is by Personal Impressions and all the colours are shades of Brilliance.

So having ended up with a smaller piece I decided to matt it onto some copper mirri card which I first embossed with a maple leaf and then overlaid a smaller die cut maple leaf.

I hope you like it and here is the challenge link:-

http://thecraftbarnblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/calendar-challenge-week-10.html

Back Home and Calendars

2011-11-13T20:43:00.001Z

Just a quick posting tonight to say we are back home from a lovely weekend in Perth with our friends Linda and Drew. We didn't have a lot of time together but what we did have Linda and I put to good use and made these quickie calendars for the Christmas Fair at my Mum's Nursing Home in a couple of weeks.

The top arrangement of beauty is Linda's work and the bottom piccie are mine. Thanks Linda for creating your masterpieces.

Hope you like them and hope you've had a good weekend, x

The Craft Barn 600+ Followers Blog Candy

2011-11-13T18:48:00.001Z

Hey, look at this. I've just come home from a brill weekend in Perth to find that The Craft Barn have this fab candy on offer
Click on the link in my side bar to go to the site and see what its all about. You have until the 25th of this month.