Fab mail

I've been getting some fab mail recently.  First of all I got this:

It came from the lovely Shell, Harrington and Hannah.  I didn't win a giveaway, Shell is just a wonderfully kind lady and sent it to me out of generosity.  Thank you Shell, you really perked me up whilst I'm going through hell*.  See the pen?  It has Shell's blog logo on it.

Then May's Crafty Creative Kit popped through the door.   OK so that's not strictly true, it was delivered to Mr CA's work, the postman handed it to him and he brought it home.  Not quite so succinct though...

This month's theme is Glamour and this was the kit, it's to make a beaded hair slide.  I may have to make a brooch instead as I don't wear things in my hair.  I'd love to but I tend to look like a pillock when I try on slides or headbands.

Also in the box was some photo glue, an ink pad and stamp, some beads, pink crystals, a rose cabochon, some funky red trim, an FQ of black velvet that has already died some of my white linen after just a few minute's contact and some e-word hooks.  Blurgh.  Wish they'd warned me about them, or even better, left them out of my kit!

You are not wrong in thinking I've yet to do anything with April's box, but the blue paint is out on the coffee table waiting for me to begin a project with it!  The way I'm feeling, it may be there some time.

* I may be making light of the whole "house falling down" situation but in reality I'm at the bottom of a pit of despair.  I find it hard to think about or talk about.  Add to that the fact my depression seems to have come back with a vengeance and basically, life is shit right now.

Don't you just...

Hate it when this happens?

Damn you tape measure ribbon for not being long enough...

A "thing"

When I made my fused glass monster aliens for my brother, I was told off for not showing a before shot!  I forget sometimes that this might be interesting for other people, I kind of assume you all know how to fuse glass, but whilst some of you do, this is a brand new process for others.  So, the Wednesday before last I took some photos of the piece I made before it went in the kiln.

There are two types of glass we use in our classes.  Fusible glass can be put into a kiln and will melt and fuse to itself, creating lovely rounded edges.  Non-fusible glass is used for leading work or copper foiling.  I wanted to use up some of the fusible glass I have so I chose a large piece and cut a square, then just began layering other colours and transparent glass on top.

So above is how it looked before it went in the kiln and below is after the kiln.

This photo is taken on a white piece of paper and makes the colours look quite thick and very blue.  It's so hard to photograph things like this, especially when, like me, you're rubbish at taking photos.

I held it up to the light.  This shows it off a bit better, but it's still not a great representation.

I'm sure you're all now wondering "what is it?".  It's a .... thing.  Yes, one of those ... things.

not-so-cool grandmothers

Morning ladies.  I don't have much to show you this week I'm afraid.  I was busy turning up trousers and mending clothes.  I got some free time and didn't know what to do with myself!  After I'd finished the embroidery on the needle case, it was time to tackle another project from the WIP list.  I have to admit I'm not doing well with the list this month.  There's something about your house falling down that takes the motivation out of you...

So what did I choose?
3. Cotton granny squares - originally intended to be a blanket, now a footstool cover.  And now it's morphed again!  I got out the squares that I'd already crocheted.

I made these a couple of years ago when I first learnt to crochet, using some lovely Rowan Hand Knit cotton. I intended to make a blanket with alternating black- and white- bordered squares.  I made 10.  I got it out again last week and planned to make the top and 2 sides of the footstool in black-bordered squares and the other two sides in white.  I have no black yarn left and only a little white.  New plan!

I decided a cushion cover was in order, because obviously I vitally need another cushion on the sofa... we hate sitting on them and throw them on the chairs where there is a big pile!  I plan to just slot this on over an existing plain blue cover.  I started crocheting.  But which hook?  As you can see, I made squares of many sizes.  The 4mm hook produced squares that were too big, and the 3.5mm hook...

Too small!  It was clearly a question of tension so I went back to the 4mm hook and tried to crochet a bit more tightly.

Two more squares to go and I can finish joining them and sewing up the sides...

Needle case. Again. Bored of it yet?

I've finally finished the embroidery on this project.  I don't think I've mentioned before, but each panel is 3.5" x 4.5".

This panel is the inner back cover.  I did the border in chain stitch and the rest is all back stitch.

I'm not going to follow the making up instructions - except for the scissor pocket.  This is partly because they are incomprehensible, but also because I want to have plenty of pages for different kinds of needles.  I used the lovely needlecase Katherine made me for my sharps, but I need somewhere to store my other kinds of needles.  A piece of ribbon, some fabric ink and alphabet stamps and I had all my page labels done... now to  assemble it.

giveaway win

Yep, I won another giveaway!  This one was over at Ange's blog, one of the few blogger-friends I've met in real life.  Ange does a monthly Craft Book Challenge, so hop over and check it out.

This is what I won!

Pretty suitable for me as I love to make bags and I adore Lisa Lam's first book - The Bag Making Bible.

That's all for today.

alphabet chart

#14 Alphabet chart on the WIP list is an oldie.  I started it ages ago.  If you look at the related posts at the bottom, you'll see that the second post is also the post where I got my first ever sewing machine!  Probably time to get cracking on this one.

It was originally intended as a 2nd birthday present for my goddaughter.  She'll be 5 in September.  5th birthday present then!

P is for pig.  I used a satiny kind of fabric, added a button for a nose and chain stitched around. These are all hand-applique by the way.  As I started this before I got a sewing machine, I was doing it by hand... how much quicker it would be by machine!

I love this little bunny!  I added a pompom for his tail.  It's probably good she didn't get this for her 2nd birthday as all the little buttons and pompoms and stuff would be choking hazards, now I can feel free to add whatever I like.

I found an offcut of a felt-type fabric.  I say felt-type as it's felt-like on the front, but not on the back.  No idea what it is or where it came from, but it works well for a little sheep.  He doesn't have a face.

U is for Umbrella.  Yes, I do know my alphabet, but I'm not necessarily doing them in order!  I'm not too keen on this one.  I was going to add beads for raindrops but I'm not sold on it...


Related posts

A, B, C, D, E, F and G
H and I
K, L and M
J