Who'd have thought

That when I decided to have a little break from blogging, basically to catch up with friends in real life more and to sit in front of a few box sets creating new knitting and crocheting projects it would be for over a year!!  Well the time has returned when I feel the need to get off my settee, throw open my door and step out into the sunshine and be more social online again. I have to say I have missed the enthusiasm and inspiration of blogs as I haven't been reading any for a while now but I have still spent most of my crafting so don't worry I have loads to share now!

My first showing is going to be my new found love of the Toft Edward menagerie items.  When I first saw Clarence the Bat hanging on a stall at the NEC I knew I had to have him, so in the theme of the ever popular elf on the shelf craze here are my much loved new crocheted additions to our home:

Clarence the Bat aka Ed in the Shed

Next to come along was Georgina the Hippo, here she is as Ed on the Bed

Then a challenge and the loveliness that is Blake the Orang-utan showcased as Ed with Ted

Then at the NEC this November I fell in love in with this pirate - those who know me will understand!! so here is Ed on the Seabed:

Thank you to the lovely Shelley over at Motivate Me Now for the loan of the fish tank!

Then here is one of my own creations as when I bought the doll emporium book to make the pirate I was inspired by the grooms coat to make a vampire - don't ask me why but that is just how my mind works!!! so here is Ed the Undead:

Lastly, but not least, I managed to grab Dylan the monster for a bargain from John Lewis so he was lovingly made and given to my youngest for Christmas and here he is as Ed on Santa's Head:

Hope you have enjoyed my little display of cuteness, these lovely items now have pride of place on my lounge bookcase.

Thanks for looking, still reeling about Carl Grimes from Solihull

Seth Apter challenge

Back in February I met Seth Apter at the Stitches trade show and he set me a challenge to make something using some scraps that he was going to throw out - here is my finished card:

I decided to use the scraps (which are the orange and blue squares) as window frames to depict two cats talking to each other across rooms.  I know I should have used a brick patterned embossed background but I was in a hexagon mood and let's face it anything goes with me!

The background is embossing paste through a hexagon stencil and then inked with Fossilized Amber, Mermaid Lagoon, Wilted Violet, Abandoned Coral distress inks and then sprayed with both Gold and Silver distress sprays.  The cats are from Tim's Crazy cats stamps and dies and coloured with Mowed Lawn, Spiced Marmalade and Spun Sugar.  The window backgrounds are made up with Card-io backyard blooms - the spider and web and a brick wall stamp by Prima.  Whole card and greeting are then edged with Hickory Smoke and Black Soot inks.

I actually made this card way back in April but as you can see I have not been blogging much recently!  I have however been busy crafting away as usual so will hopefully get back into the swing of blogging more regularly and will showcase my stuff then - I still haven't done much in the way of papercrafting though (in fact this is the only card for months!) but am still busy knitting and sewing like a trooper here.  Such fun.

Anyway this card goes to show that no matter how small it is don't throw anything away!!  Any scraps can be made into something quirky if you put your mind to it.  Saying that I have spent the last two weeks decluttering and reorganising my craft room - am now raring to go again so watch this space!

Thanks for looking - Busy getting back into the swing of things from Solihull

Recycled jeans

Don't worry all I am still here!  Have been busy working behind the scenes with lots of new makes, most recently this has been lots of knitting!  I have returned to an old passion of mine and whilst creating myself a complete hand made wardrobe I decided to throw in some knitwear for good measure.

I have also finally gotten around to using up some old jeans from the pile I have amassed over the years.  Here are my first attempts at two handbags:

Here are the backs:

and of course I have fully lined them and included extra pockets:

Thanks for looking - recycling fanatic from Solihull x