Beautiful Blogger Award!

What a lovely surprise I had on my birthday (Monday), not only did me and PR go away for a few nights to Edinburgh, but I have been nominated for the Beautiful Blogger Award! I was nominated by Creative Pixie because we both encourage each other’s love of all things crafty! How lovely 🙂

It is a wonderful concept where bloggers nominate their favourite blogs for the award.

The rules are:

1. Thank the person who nominated you – ‘Thank you so much for nominating me – was a lovely discovery on my birthday! I have thoroughly enjoyed following your blog from the beginning and  your lovely comments on my blog are greatly appreciated’ 🙂

 2. write a few interesting (?) facts about yourself.

• I work as a Staff Nurse on a very busy surgical ward looking after Head & Neck Cancer patients and also Breast Cancer patients.
• I am getting married on October 12th 2012 to my best friend. (Awww 🙂 )
• I like rock and metal music.
• I used to swim competitively  for my home county and won many awards for fastest time in my age group.
• My eyelashes are so long they touch my glasses.
• I have a habit interrupting others when talking.

3.paste the award on your blog – see above!

4. link the person who nominated you for the award – http://creativepixie.wordpress.com/

5. nominate up to about 5 of the blogs you like with links to their sites.

These are some of the blogs I like to read and have nominated for the Beautiful Blogger award:

• Made By Patch – love the fact that she also has a huge passion for beautiful fabrics and yarns like me! http://madebypatch.wordpress.com/
• The Little Room of Rachell – love her ripple blanket. http://thelittleroomofrachell.wordpress.com/
• Rambling Designs – I absolutely love her crochet tiny top hat! I want one 🙂 http://ramblingdesign.wordpress.com/
• Sheri Crochets – has made some absolutelty delightful granny sqaures http://shericrochet.wordpress.com/
• The Coffee and Crafts Chronicles – love everything about this blog http://thecoffeeandcraftschronicles.wordpress.com/

 

Monkeying Around

 

This is what I have made today – my little sock monkey 🙂 I think he should be called Maurice – other half thinks Trevor. What do you think he should be called – or her for that matter!

By making this, I managed to perfect the use of the magic ring to start. I have never used the magic ring technique before, but its actually not as hard as I first thought. There are lots of You Tube videos, and written tutorials on how to do it – see Crochet Me for written/pictorial step by step or see the video post below! Hope these help 🙂

 

 

 

Magic Ring Tutorial from Crochet Geek.

 

When making this monkey, it was vital to use a stitch marker (if you do not have a stitch marker a different coloured bit of wool will work just as well). I’ve not used a stitch marker before when making something and it turned into a disaster! So my one bit of advice to you is always use a stitch marker when advised!

Think I might make another page on my blog for some of my favourite crochet patterns – will obviously test them first as I know all too well about working on a pattern for ages and then you realise the pattern is totally not up to scratch. Check back in a few days and hopefully I will have managed to post a couple of little patterns for you to hook up.

On another note, I have really wanted to produce another tutorial for a sewing project that is brilliant for the environment (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle is what the project is all about) – just have not got round to it yet but I will, I promise 🙂 In fact, I haven’t got my sewing machine out for quite a while now – too busy with my crochet hook at the moment.

Well I’m off to try and do a few more rounds of my hippy crochet.

Ta Ta For Now

Miss C x

Finally Finished Crochet Bag

 

I have literally just finished my first ever crocheted bag. What do you think? I’m fairly pleased with it – although if I did it again think I would make the strap a little longer.

I have lined the inside of the bag and sewn a little pocket on the lining too. The strap is also lined with interfaced fabric.

Had a tricky time attaching the strap to the sides of the bag but managed to sew them on with matching wool with fairly good result.

I have decided to start my cross stitch project next and because it is a large piece, in between I think I will crochet a little purse to match! *must stop adding to my to-do list* 🙂 My to-do list is growing by the day however I am quite pleased that I tend to finish projects before starting another. Unless they are huge then I might have more than one UFO on the go! 😀 How many UFO’s do you have on the go???

Miss C xx

 

Treat Yourself To A Handmade Quilted Craft Bag.

I have now posted the tutorial I promised a few days ago, on how to make a quilted craft bag. Has taken me a while to get it typed up – I blame my brain not wanting to function in a technical way!

Head over to the tutorial section and check it out. Why not treat yourself to a new bag for Christmas to hold all your fabric, wool or whatever crafty bits you want!

This tutorial has been the first time I have properly attempted quilting. Hope you all like my first attempts (and definitely not my last :)) Please feel free to post any comments or questions. Happy quilting! Miss C xx

My Kinda Sunday :)

Been on the sewing machine all day! Only stopped because the light was getting poor 😀 Seriously need to invest in a daylight bulb for my crafting room.

Made my first serious attempt in quilting today, and I am quite pleased with the result actually (still need more practice though! ). Have a look at the picture below and let me know what you think??

As you can see from the photo, I have finally made the craft bag I was blogging about! I will post the tutorial tomorrow, so make sure to check back!

Next on the agenda is going to be more cross stitch and crochet (made into yet more Christmas decorations most likely :D). Obviously I will keep you updated. Also I will try and post some crochet patterns for some of the things I have made (if there is one in particular that I have made then please let me know!).

Miss C xx

Finally Finished…..

This morning I have managed to finally finish off these little cross stitch houses. They came free with another one of my cross stitch magazines, CrossStitcher. Have had them nearly finished for ages, just needed to slip stitch the gap closed after stuffing them. What do you think?

Trying to start making more of the free gifts I get as they are beginning to pile up now, what with all the other projects I want to do! 🙂

Not quite sure where I am going to hang them…. but I’m sure I will find a place!

My supply of new wool came this morning, which has made me very happy…. shh! don’t tell my other half but I am actually waiting on another lot! Ooops hehe 😀

Seriously need to make myself that craft bag I was telling you, I am going to have no space in my plastic bag(!)  for my new wool! Must go, have more things to make 😛 Miss C xx

Make Your Very Own Needle Roll Up.

Head over to the tutorial section to find out how to make this easy and very practical needle roll up. Perfect for organising all your needles, hooks etc, but you could adapt it to hold any other stitchy items! Get making now and give it to someone new to knitting/crochet at Christmas ( could even include a few needles and hooks to get them started). As usual, comments and questions happily accepted. Enjoy and have fun making!

Miss C xx

My New iPhone/iPod Pouch

I have been busy perfecting the make up of my iPhone/iPod pouch.

Only took me two go’s which I think isn’t bad. First go wasn’t quite big enough, was too much of a tight fit for the iPhone. However, it is now done and so my tutorial is now available for you all to see! 🙂

Make it quick as it would make a lovely thoughtful Christmas gift for a tech savvy friend!

Head over to the tutorial menu for a step by step guide on how to make your very own pouch. Hope you enjoy it, Miss C xx

A new ‘How to’…..

Finally I have managed to post my first tutorial. To find out how to make an envelope backed cushion, head over to the tutorial menu. Let me know what you think! Miss C xx

Almost forgot about Mack!

And here is Mack……….

My first sock monkey!

Watch this space for a tutorial on how to make a sock monkey like Mack….. what will you call yours???  Miss C xx