Christmas decorations 2013 - the unveiling

Right, so it IS beginning to feel a lot like Christmas. 
Here is the final result of this year's decorations:

This is the result of some of the lovely ideas I found on the internet and the materials that I had at hand. You can see some of the inspiration on my Christmas board on pinterest here. 

And this is how the Christmas tree looks like:

Do you like it?
What about your Christmas decorations this year? Show us!

You can see the post that started it all here & the 2nd & final clue here.

Christmas decorations 2013 - 2nd AND final clue

Right, so this is the 2nd AND final clue before it's all  reveled:

You can read the post that started it all here.
You can see the final result here.  

Christmas decorations 2013 - clue

I have refused to use the "X" word for weeks now... until today. But since it's the 1st of December, I think I'll give in. Here is a clue of my Christmas decorations project this year.

Do you want to see more of it?

I promise not to drag it as much as my previous "guess what is it" saga!


See clue # 2 here. 
See the final result here. 

Handmade but heartfelt brooches

I had some felt left over from the booties I made as my last craft project. So I looked up for some small little thing to do with it. 

This is the result: 

And then I got carried away...

They are handmade but heartfelt. ;-)

Do you like them? 
Which colour is your favourite?
Would you like too see them in any other colour?

Approximate cost of materials: €4

Chronicles of an announced gift - the end result

As promised, here is the final result of the gift I've been working on this week:

Gorgeous, aren't they? I first saw these booties when I was looking up for things to do with felt and I loved them.  When my friend invited me to her baby girl's christening, I thought: now it's my chance to give them a go!

This is the tutorial on how to make them. 

As you can see, my results is a bit different: I decided to experiment with a different colour stitching and my stitches are closer to the edge, which I'm not convinced about. But that is the beauty of handmade stuff, I guess: each piece is unique. 

I hope you had fun following this chronicle!

Check here for the clues previous to this final post.
Cost of the materials: €8-10 approx.

Chronicles of an announced gift - clue # 3

So, tomorrow is the big day and the gift is finished, phew!

This is final clue before the mystery gift is revealed - a little detail:

Make sure you come back on Sunday if you want to see the final result. As you'll understand I don't want to spoil the surprise! I hope she likes it...

Do you know what it is yet? 

If you guess it right, I'll make you one for free!


You can read the post that started it all here and the one that followed it.

Chronicles of an announced gift - clue # 2

Is it a cupcake? Is it a boat?

What do you think?

I'll keep you posted on the progress!!!

Read the post that started it all here.
And clue # 3 here.

Chronicles of an announced gift - clue # 1

Well, I have a do this Saturday and I want to bring a present. 

Being short of cash but having loads of time -I'm off today- and materials at hand makes you craftier. "I'll rustle something up", I thought. 

As the first clue, here is the photo of the colour scheme:

And no, I'm not making up a flag for a new country. 

Do you dare to guess what material is it?


Check here for clue # 2 & clue # 3.

Smiley mug

I have seen different tutorials about how to make this & I liked the idea. So I decided to make my own. All you need is a mug or a cup and a marker. 

I choose simple red mug as opposed to white and a gold marker instead of a black one like most of the examples I found on the web. 

The instructions are very easy: 
- wash the mug, let it dry properly
- draw your design on it with the marker
- bake in an over at 350 degrees for half an hour
- let it cool down completely before taking it out & wash it again

My oven only goes to 250 so I had no choice. I only baked it for half an hour instead of increasing the time because of the lack of temperature as I was secretly expecting it to explode any minute. But it didn't. I left it cool, wash it again and it's ready to use. 

This is the final result:

  

I love it! 

Note: They recommend you to hand wash it. I'll keep you posted whether the design washes off eventually or not.

Cost of the materials: €3-€5

Priceless frilly ankle socks

I did these about 3 years ago. I searched for something similar in the shops and on the web but couldn't find what I wanted. So I did them myself.

-7 pairs of black ankle socks, €3.00
-half a meter of ruffled red ribbon, €3.00
-thread, needle, salt tube, left foot & drop of blood: model's own
-a good time, some pricks and a cool pair of socks... PRICELESS!

socks

elasticated frilly ribbon

start sewing the ribbon around the edge of the sock

oops, something went wrong

ouch!

to stop the bleeding, maybe?

nah, to fix the other problem!

the end result

the end result (x 2!)

And finally, here is me modelling them with my beloved Firetrap shoes:

Cost of the materials: €4 each pair approximately

Camisetas "love"

He estado haciendo estas camisetas con "love" cosido a mano para mí y como regalitos.  

¿Os gustan o las amáis ?

  

Tutorial: (lo colgaré pronto, prometido). 

Coste de los materiales: €8-10 aproximadamente

Love t-shirts

I have been doing these hand-stitched "love t-shirts" for myself and as presents.

Do you like them or do you love them?

  

Tutorial: (coming soon, promised). 
Cost of the materials: €8-10 approximately 

Crafty crafts-keep up the spirit

Have you ever found yourself stuck while doing some crafts because you didn't have a certain tool or material?

Once I did use a spirit level to measure the length of knitting project I was doing at the time. I couldn't find a proper measuring tape and I remember that the spirit level had a ruler side. 

Photo courtesy of David Jones

www.flickr.com/photos/dgj103

It all would have been ok, only for some unexpected guests turned up on my doorway as I was using the spirit level in this unusual manner. My friend being a DIY expert couldn't help but smile as he asked: "are you making sure the knitting is leveled?"

I hope you found that funny. If you don't... well, maybe you had to be there. 

What is the weirdest thing you have used while crafting ?

Needle felting

I can't believe I did that workshop back in November last year!!!!  
I really need to keep up with posting things....

Needle felting basically consists in "felting" with a needle. Or in other words, turning "loose" wool into felt by pricking it with a needle. And believe me, as therapeutic as it can be - it somehow feels like you are practising vodoo on a doll - you might want to watch your fingers. Like paper cuts, the pricks on human flesh might not be life-treatening but they surely are painful.  

Anyway, I'm saving the results of the workshop itself for again (when I posted, you'll understand why). Instead here are the results of the left over material from the Needle Felting Workshop that AZ Atelier organised and Maru from Fieltrunguis delivered. 

Hope you enjoy it!

Pulseras de trapillo

He hecho estas pulseras con trapillo. 

¡Espero que os gusten!

Los cierres y adornos son de Bibi Kala, la tienda de abalorios para hacer tu propia bisutería (relativamente) cerca de mi casa, en Arrecife, Lanzarote (España). 

Coste de los materiales: entre €3 y €5 aproximadamente, dependiendo del estilo del cierre y el número de adornos utilizados. 

T-shirt yarn bracelets

I made these bracelets with recycled t-shirt yarn. 
I hope you like them!

The clasps and decorations are from Bibi Kala, my (relatively) local jewelry and beads shop in Arrecife, Lanzarote (Spain). 

Cost of the materials: €3 to €5 each depending of the style of the clasp and how many decorations. 

Crocheted rustic basket

OK, still in the process of catching up with the new things I've done...

I attended a workshop organised by Zuri from AZ Atelier where the initial "oh, no, I don't feel like getting up on a Sunday morning" gets replaced by a little bit of magic with an always pleasant and smiley instructor and equally shiny and like-minded people as classmates. The fact that breakfast is included and this time we were presented with yummy home made biscuits helps too.  

This technique is as easy as effective. The kind of one that when you are showed, you go: "d'oh! why didn't I think of  that?". 

Basically two different threads are used: a thicker rustic one is used as the "inside" base and the thinner one is used to crochet around it. 

This technique can be used as well with t-shirt yarn and wool, for example. The only requirement is that the "inside" tread needs to be rigid enough to hold the shape of what you are making. 

The pattern that we used was in Spanish so I won't reproduce it here. But for anyone more or less used to using a crochet hook and its basic stitches this shouldn't be a problem whatsoever. 

Rather than talking you through the whole process, I'll just show you a few photos so you get an idea:

the materials

the elusive "magic ring" to get started

detail of both threads being entwined

base of the basket taking shape
with sample mini basket 

yours truly in action

I hope you enjoyed watching them as much as I did doing it.  

Until next time!

the final result - as a gift basket