A New Cookbook

Yesterday I received this book, The CRUMBS Family Cookbook which I won through the book give a way on Cut Out And Keep. Its the kind of cookbook that I like. No long lists of ingredients or instructions and after looking through the recipes I found that a lot of the ingredients I usually have in the house. I do hate buying ingredients for one recipe then for it to be left languishing at the back of the cupboard never to be used again.

The first recipe that I have tried from the book are these banana and honey oat cookies which have almost gone already.

Hello

.. I hope that everyone had a great Christmas ( seems a bit daft saying that so far in to January ). Anyway craft wise I've not been up to a great deal. I've crocheted a couple of things, nice and simple patterns that I've been doing while catching up with Sons Of Anarchy and watching American Horror Story.

Little L received a new baby doll for Christmas and asked me to make a new blanket for it. She chose her own colours and she thinks its fantastic. The orange colour is shocking. I don't know what I can use the left over wool on.

I also made this neck warmer using this free Silver Shells pattern from DROPS Designs.

I never make New Years resolutions simply because I never can stick to them and if I really want to do something I can do it any time of the year. I have been looking at challenges mentioned on blogs though. There seem to be quite a few reading challenges about but I think a decluttering one would be more beneficial in our house so over this year I'm going to try and clear out 365 things. It does sound like a lot of stuff to get rid of but I'll have a good go.

A Surprise Present

A couple of days ago I arrived home to a lovely surprise package. I first thought maybe it was a Christmas gift that I had ordered but had forgotten about, had a good prod and poke before opening it and found I had won a tote bag. Recently What Katie Did asked for votes to chose their new bag design then gave away 25 of them. These bags are not available to buy so I feel really lucky to have received one. Isn't it gorgeous .. I think the hair and gold colour give it an Art Deco feel. My favourite design period.

What Katie Did sells vintage inspired lingerie from the 1940s and 50s. It was my love of vintage underwear which soon led me to WKD years ago. I'd bought some new Lady Marlene pieces from US Ebay but soon I noticed the prices rising, not as many listings appearing then saw the company had ceased manufacturing. Then I found WKD online. ( I think it may have been before their London shop opened ) I've purchased several items, all of exceptional quality and arrived quickly, beautifully packaged. There is always something I'm drawn to, currently 6 strap garter belts. When we married in 2005 I wore a WKD under bust girdle under my 1940s style dress. 
The designs below are on the bags that I have bought from What Katie Did previously. ( my teenage boys are never too happy if I ask them to hold one of these in public )

My Mum and Gran both think it hilarious that I love vintage style underwear. My Mum has seen my things drying and said 'Come on !, I bet Anders thinks he's married to an old woman '. Actually my husband prefers vintage style to modern underwear so that is not a problem in our house. My Gran ( who is 91 years old ) told me that she couldn't wait to get married and move out so she could wear a garter belt because my Great Gran would only let the girls wear lace up corsets. When I asked about lacing up, she shared a bedroom with two of her sisters so they laced each other up. 
I have to put this in about my Grandad who has now sadly gone. Before I married I rang my Gran and asked about what she wore, the subject moved on to underwear and French knickers. My Grandad shouted down the loud speaker on the phone ' You don't have any do you ?' .. I replied that I had ... He started chuckling then said ' Well aren't you kinky. In my day we called them easy feelers '. I'd never heard that before nor been so embarrassed by my Grandad for that matter.

Christmas Jackalope Ornament

Today I've been making some Christmassy jackalopes to hang from our tree.

I drew a silhouette of a rabbits head using a photo then added some antlers. The head and antlers were cut from thin vinyl taken from showroom sample books.

A hole was made with a hole punch in the top of the head and the antlers were painted. I didn't have any metallic paint and wasn't keen on Little L's glitters so I painted mine using nail polish.

When the paint (nail polish) had dried, the antlers were then glued on to the head and a length of thin ribbon was used for hanging up the ornament .

This is the template that I made to make the jackalopes.

Woolly Christmas Ornaments

At this time of year I start searching the internet for Christmas ornament patterns. Usually I look for something using felt but this year decided to make some knitted and crocheted ones instead. Once I began looking I founds loads of free patterns. These are the ones that I made. I've put the links for the patterns that I used underneath each photo.

Crocheted Star Ornament

Crocheted Christmas Tree

Small Knitted Trees

Toy soldier Christmas ornament

Knitted mini Christmas stockings

These are what Little L has made for both of her Grans. They just need some magnets gluing on to the backs now. As long as the charts aren't too complicated she makes these on her own but I tend to get the job of being the bead sorter. 

Grandad's Presents

This week Little L decorated some mugs as Christmas presents for both her Grandads. I printed out this alien design for her to use. 

The pen we used was a Posca pen which I purchased from Hobbycraft. This range of pen can also be used on metal, plastic, glass, textile, wood, paper and cardboard, there are seven different sizes of nibs to choose from and are available in a wide range of colours. 

Little L is undecided as to what she wants to make for her Grans but its looking like either Christmas decorations made with Hama Beads or make them both a candle.

This Weeks Sewing

This week I've mainly been machine sewing. Little L now has her skull print pj bottoms. This ended up being a very speedy joint project with my Mum. I had asked if she would mind overlocking the fabric to prevent it from fraying and when she returned them she had sewn the body and leg seams together so all I had left to do was to add the waist band and hem the legs. I used an old pair of Little L pj bottoms for the pattern.

Little L's doll George has his dungarees.

The body seemed very baggy so I sewed in a line of elastic at the back leaving enough room for clothes underneath. One of my cousins commented that the dungarees looked very nice but reminded her of the Chucky doll which I can see myself now she's mentioned it.

Last week I made this neck pillow for Little L to put in the car ( I should have used a thicker fabric or doubled it over so the thread at the back couldn't be seen ). When my Mum saw it she asked if I could make one for their car and I made this one.

Its meant to be a panda but I'm not sure if it looks like one especially after my Mum said 'well you can tell it's supposed to be a creature'. The tutorial for the first neck pillow can be found here.