what a great idea!

oooh i wish i'd seen these before i bought christmas crackers. i am definitely going to be making some of these in the future .

http://www.notmartha.org/tomake/surpriseballs/

inspiration

these easy mini apple tarts look yummy - i may be making some soon!

http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/dessert/recipe-nearlyinstant-apple-cinnamon-minitarts-068904

you may know i love penguins - and this amigarumi version is the cutest i've ever seen!

http://www.instructables.com/id/Crochet-a-Baby-Penguin-Amigurumi/

this year, my tree is very homemade and fun, but looks a bit like a kid made it. next year i have determined i will have a bigger tree, only white lights and then some homeade things like this:

and this:


ah roll on christmas 2009. and another thing. next year i am definitely taking more time off in december!

yule yumminess

no posts for months, now two in one day. had to just post a couple of pictures, as much as anything to remind myself that seeing things thru a picture doesn't give you an all round picture. was moaning earlier about having no time, but i guess thru a picture my christmas still looks pretty great so i cant complain so much !

also at the bottom, the towel bale i bought today (half price dahling). i am ridiculously happy about these towels , and amused at myself for being able to get so excited about it. but aren't they yummy? :)


happy yule everyone! x

no time :(

i am feeling envious at the moment of other people having much more time on their hands to do all the fun things christmas should be full of. all the crafting and wrapping and baking - i haven't had a chance to do any. the decorations got thrown up in between dashing about. the present shopping is finally finished but most of it is yet to be delivered and i am still trucking back and forth from london every day for work.

not how it is in the magazines - that's for sure!

i am now focussing on the fact that i finish work on friday - then have my yule do on sunday - but i can't even enjoy planning for that as i have another one to go to on saturday, so will have to tear around the supermarket on saturday and still make it to that on time.

basically the only day i have is monday 22nd on which the only thing booked is the making of mince pies, and presumable all the wrapping of presents. so i shall just have to look forward to that one.

well now i've had a moan i feel better.

i did have one very pleasing thing happen at the weekend. last year when i started putting bird feed in the garden i had alot of blue tits and coal tits would come by, but gradually they seemed to have been forced out by three pairs of sparrows who've made it their own. but on sunday morning there were three little blue tits eating the last of the rose hips. i was so pleased to see them! maybe they don't tend to stay around in the summer- i shall have to try and find out more about their habits, see if i can encourage them.

hopefully i'll be able to get some nice pics to post here of my xmas decorations and the wrapping and mince pies next week...

autumn and halloween

phew long time no post ! there's been alot going on - the birth of a new nephew, halloween, and some fun potato printing for xmas wrap (which came out really well despite sounding like a kindergarten game). i have more halloween craft pics on the camera which i have to put on here sometime, but here's pob the pumpkin plushie. i was quite sad to have to put him in the cupboard after halloween was over.



nerdbunny and i had a great fun evening making xmas wrap using potato printing :

another labour of love was the baby blanket for the newcomer. i was really pleased with this and so was my sister. i also made the pink one for my neice to give to her baby doll.

i am sick at the moment, so missed going to see any fireworks last night. luckily there is another display nearby on saturday so i will hopefully get to go to that instead.

x

very quick update

this is a super quick update because no photos have been put on for ages i thought i'd quickly add some. i've been growing things, and cooking quite a bit recently, but not taking pictures. but here's some things i've been working on. some lovely cards to start off. amazing what a difference a gold pen can make :)

i have been doing a few mini cross stitch experiments, with good results ! not sure what i'll do with these yet, perhaps put them on book covers, or bookmarks for christmas gifts maybe. I'm going to keep the tractor for myself tho- i love it!
this is my threadcatcher - my solution to the threads that were collecting on the end of the sofa ! bit different from the normal straight ones, just made from card attacked with a hole punch, and you get a lovely colour wheel into the bargain. hurrah!

A death in winter

today the guardian has an article, and subequently many comments, containing poems about death. this one grabbed my attention.

poem by Jeni Couzyn, from the Bloodaxe Book of Women Poets.

A Death In Winter

Beside the exit, seated at a table
is a grey clerk with a ledger.
At his feet is a kind of box --
a trunk perhaps, a hope chest or
a rubbish bin.

Cross-legged in the doorway
my friend sits, watching light
stream in through the opening.
It soaks her in beauty.

She has given back her future.
In character, neatly folded, she placed it
carefully in the box
and the clerk ticked it off.

Now she takes off her feet, like shoes
gently, one beside the other;
she takes her speech and returns it
syllable by syllable
she unpicks it thoughtfully, like knitting
unravels it, one plain, one purl
meaning by meaning;
she gives back her hands --
lays them down in the box with a smile.
There is no regret in her.
She knows their excellence.
And now she gives back continence, choices,
understanding the strange
comings and goings about her.
Everything she returns is fine and cared for.
The clerk ticks it all off in his ledger.

She is hardly human now
she is almost entirely love
she has given back her children
and very little of the personal #is left in her heart.

To the left of the doorway is a linen basket.
A plump girl, laughing, kneels besides it.
She is handing out gifts
to the souls who come trooping
in through the opening like sunlight.

Hands to grip a finger
feet to walk
the first smile
Mama, Papa, I want, I think
all the trappings of the journey.

My friend smiles across at the girl
as if she were a daughter.

The radiance streams in and over her
soon she will take off the last of her body
and step out
into the stillness.

hemming curved edges

this is a Brilliant tutorial on hemming curved edges .

http://www.burdastyle.com/howtos/show/1125

once again this reminds me that adding an extra stage in (the ironing) actually makes things much easier and saves time in the end. i'm lazy and always cut out whatever i consider unneccessary stages. but once again i am reminded that this rarely pays off when in comes to sewing.

now, i just need to find a tutorial to show me how to hem curves going outward (eg necklines)...

well a quick search did NOT come up with any genius solutions for curved necklines, but it did turn a quite brilliant tutorial for making a dress out of a pillowcase !

http://www.askingfortrouble.org/crafts/2008/03/07/pillowcase-dress-tutorial/


and i almost failed to write my biggest bit of crafty related news of all! i have finally just ordered myself a brand new (and therefore fully working!) singer sewing machine! it should arrive on monday... i'm so excited to finally be able to sew again without feeling the dread that comes from battling with a useless machine .

fun with wordle

depends

the phrases were taken from shinzi katoh products: What can you see out of the window? The view depends on your feeling; Here is the crossroads of your life. Which road do you choose? you can decide; It depends on your heart whether your life is fun or not.

888

it will soon be 8th august 2008, and to celebrate flickr have started a group for people to take a photo of anything they like, so long as it was taken on this date. Moo cards are going to print some of them as postcards later in the year too. learn more here.

today i planted carrots, spring onions, and salad leaves. i have let it a little late really but the autmns are so mild i think it should be fine. this is my first attempt at a veggie garden, i'm very excited!

festival girl

oops, i am so bad at updating this summer! i have been to festivals and camping trips, getting an awesome tan, getting rained on, getting drunk. have been crafting lots in between, but not blogging or taking photos. terrible form.

for now i can but offer one snap of my postcard frenzy that followed on from reading the griffin and sabine books. i have hopefully brightened a few letterboxes by sending these ...


also, here is a plushie i made for my boyfriends birthday, from an old jumper and scraps. if you are a fan of neurotically yours, so may recognise this fella .

bad girls don't keep journals because they're too busy having fun

blimey it's been ages... because i have been so busy doing fun things, which is nice to say, as usually i'm too busy because of work! :)

i got the gorgeous Griffin and Sabine trilogy of books for my birthday, and these heavily inspired my to start making all sorts of lovely postcards, the photos of which are on my camera, but not yet on the computer so i will share them later.

i have also been Wrecking a Journal, which has proved to me the destruction can indeed be creative, and reading Radical Simplicity, in which Dan Price tells about living in tipi's and variou underground and self built structures. Very inspiring especially when combined with a couple of excellent recent camping trips. oh the outdoors calls me so :)

i have more photos to add soon, but in the meantime , here are a couple i meant to post aaages ago.

the heart phone cover was the first i made, and i kept
it for myself. the camo print one was a mission and i was
pleased with the result! it was for a friend's birthday.

another phone cover, made for a friends birthday

i had these gorgeous fabrics which i finally put to good use on a little
zip up pouch and passport cover - aren't they cute?!

that's all for now, more to come tho...

Flickr Toys Thing

found this on nerdbunny's blog, and decided to have a go, its very cool! Make yours here

1. What is your first name? Kat
2. What is your favourite food? Thai Fishcake
   
3. What school did you go to? Beacon, Crowborough
   
4. What is your favourite colour? Lime green
   
5. Who is your celebrity crush? Dave Grohl
   
6. What is your favourite drink? Caffe Nero's Frappe Latte
   (without the sugary powdery crap they usually add please)
   
7. Where is your dream vacation? Too many to count, but i am becoming obsessed with San Francisco atm...
   
8. What is your favourite desert? Pret's Love Bar
   
9. What do you want to be when you grow up? A Mother
   
10. What do you most love in life? Being in love
    
11. One word to describe you? Creative
12. Your Flickr name? Hells Kitten
    

credits: 1 Gigi & Kat, 2 Thai Fish Cake, 3 Misspent Youth, 4 Cake, 5 Dave Grohl, Sun-kissed, Outside of the Grammys, February 10, 2008, 6 Frappe Latte, 7 This is San Francisco, 8 Pret Love Bar, 9 Happiness, 10 __Lovin'_in_All_Stars__, 11 Untitled, 12 *Hint* the food bowl is empty!

oh ooh

i have started a minor makeover on my front room, of which i;ll add photos soon, but in the meantime its getting me all fascinated in / jealous of other peoples gorgeous places....

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/uimages/sf/5-30-silver1.jpg

hmm too late to post more now - home time!

where are you from?

i just found this cool poem template:

http://www.swva.net/fred1st/wif.htm

via this lovely completed poem:

http://bitterbettyindustries.blogspot.com/2008/05/for-my-mom.html

i am posting it now so i remember to do one for myself later, i will come back with the results soon!

Oh! the fine line between inspiration and pure jealousy.

these 'sneak peaks' at crafters beautiful homes are enough to have me crying into my coffee...

http://www.designspongeonline.com/category/sneak-peeks

the photo blog - finally!

starting with the most recent thing, i made this little amigarumi cactus this morning as, like so many others, the weather has kept me indoors.

have been making lots of crochet flowers and making them into hair clips. i love wearing these they make any outfit feel more glamorous!


was going to post pics of all the phone covers i've been making, but now the photos seem to have gone missing! i will get another pic later on, but heres one of the ipod cover:
lots of crochet indeed, but i am also getting into a spot of applique after i bougt a cute vest from the charity shop, only to find it had a grease stain on it. noone will ever know ... and now i have a new way of updating my wardrobe in time for summer!

I am loving Brought my lunch photo group! more inspiration of the bento variety
http://www.flickr.com/groups/broughtmylunch/pool/

decorate your office supplies!
http://howaboutorange.blogspot.com/2008/05/decorate-office-supplies-with-fabric.html

this blog has so many gorgeous things it impossible to choose one thing to link to:
http://craftapalooza.typepad.com/

these kokeshi dolls are so cute!
http://mylittlemochi.typepad.com/my_little_mochi/2008/03/baby-kokeshi-do.html

i love this comic, she drew one page every hour for 24 hours.
http://www.mypoorlydrawnlife.com/

Amy Butler is giving away patterns online for all sorts, including quilts, and a cute cat pillow. if only she was giving away all the gorgeous fabric too hehe.
http://www.amybutlerdesign.com/products/free_patterns.php

here's a better way of keeping buttons together for brooches / pendants etc
http://www.craftypod.com/?p=464

there *will* be a proper photo blog by the end of the week, i have much to post.

indie moods

ooooh isn't it lovely? who doesn't need a mood board?! i love calling spring cleaning a 'rite of renewal' lol. it is beginning to become very apparent that i made all the interior decorating decisions for my flat during the winter months. i need some bright and sunny things to cheer it up!

http://indiefixx.com/2008/05/06/spruce-up-your-place-indie-home-decor-challenge/

lunches

I forgot my insulin today, so i can't really eat anything of substance. this may be why my thoughts have been erring towards food and lunches.

interesting question: how come lunchboxes are tres uncool, but bento is about as hip as a lunch could be? it's japanese for lunchbox....? thats not to say i'm not falling for the idea of lots of little sections and eating noodles and salad instead of another sandwich...

however there will always be sandwiches, but i hate having to use sandwich bags all the while. i bought some that are sturdy enough to be reusable, but thats nothing compared to the coolness of this idea:

totally reusable and cute sandwich wrap! i *must* make one - its brilliant!

i think with this, the sandwich could be cool once again!

*gasp* i just rembered some cute fabric with cupcakes on it that languishes in my cupboard... this could be just the project for it!

summer lovin'

i must make some of these pumpkins in time for halloween! they're *SO* cute. ok, halloween sounds a long time away , but time goes so quickly...

http://laura.moncur.org/wp-content/photos/crochethalloweencuteness.jpg

slightly more in season, i am considering attempting a bikini top. I am finding some lovely patterns, which typically i am rubbish at following patterns, i'll pretty much combine a couple of these to use as inspiration:

Inspirede by granny squares! very cool.
http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/en/visoppskrift.php?d_nr=78&d_id=29&lang=us

color changing wool and wide borders/straps. love this one.
http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/na_other/article/0,2025,DIY_14142_5656039,00.html

I like the idea of incorporating some beading too, as i haven't done crochet with beading yet and this seems like the perfect time to start!

there are loads more bikini patterns here:
http://www.crochetpatterncentral.com/directory/beach.php

London in the Summer Time

ok not summer really, but its a Chilli's lyric and seemed appropriate.
funny how this year May 1st literally turned us over to the warm weather. today especially, travelling to work reminded me what a different place london is in the spring / early summer, when it's all lunchtimes sunbathing in the park and evenings drinking outdoors by the river, but before the dreadful heat when the buildings seem to sweat and you can't breathe anywhere. i love this time of year.

last night everyone in hove was barbequeing on the beach, i sat outside sewing for much of the day, apparently on friday we are playing football in the park at lunchtime (well, for my part - my position of choice is spectator - but it'll be fun all the same).



KOOTSAC: AN ALTERNATIVE TO THROW-AWAY PLASTIC BAGS
i have been thinking about a reusable alternative for when buying fruit and veg, but these guys seem to have done a good job already:
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5621296

TOP TEN ECO FRIENDLY YARNS
http://www.bhg.com/crafts/knitting/basics/eco-friendly-yarns-youll-love/

MAKER FAIRE
Many posts about Maker Faire from the weekend, here's Bitter Betty's fashion photo journalism, which is doing nothing to lessen my wish that i was there! http://bitterbettyindustries.blogspot.com/2008/05/maker-faire-fashion.html

finally! some actual creativity!

have been so caught up the last few weeks i've done very little on the creative front. and i really missed it. finally last night and today i had some time to myself and had alot of fun making and doing.

first was my take on the little octopus as inspired by Mizu*
i am not good with patterns, i tend to just wing it, so mine is smaller and different, but i'm very pleased with him - and i'm loving his button hat - i named him olivier.

this morning to my joy the sun was warm, so i took my cake (let over from the 'witches of southwick' beltane tea party) and coffee and headed outdoors to do some fun line art doodles.
(jumping on the whole tea and cake photo bandwagon here:)

another thing i mentioned in my last blog were the great toadstools from LucyKate
i decided to make some of these as they are so cute and a great way of using some scraps of fabric that have been laying around. i love these so much i may end up making a whole fairy circle!

so all in all i'm feeling much happier having had a bit of an outlet (and output!) . now i just need to get the glue out for a messy collage session and i'll be a very happy girl indeed.

first though, i better do the laundry...

happy may everyone!

where i wanna be...

ever go through those periods when life seems to keep reminding you of something over and over?
at the moment everywhere i turn is another comment / image / article pointing me to san francisco.

Dream hotel
http://www.virginmedia.com/travel/destinations/features/greenhotels_1.php

Dream Craft Festival
http://www.makerfaire.com/

Even the map on igoogle defaulted to San francisco yesterday, despite having set it default to london.

i *will* make that trip. one day.

i'm in dire need of a day to craft / draw / crochet. haven't crocheted a thing in ages, decided i need camera and ipod covers, & have another phone cover, and another ipod cover to make... plus, after having looked at some amigarumi lovliness today i am keen on trying my hand at making some lil animals, i especially like this octopus, and after seeing a plushie toadstool it made me think of crocheting one ....

octopus photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lauradiez/2387508870/
octopus pattern: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lauradiez/2434083387/
toadstool: http://lucykatecrafts.blogspot.com/2008/04/toadstool-tutorial.html

i also bought a lovely mini sketchbook for my bag (not moleskin but one of the cheap knock offs in that style) and am enjoying doing some line art doodles. i am dreaming of a day of glue and paper and mess too.... i have just heard i'm finishing up here next friday so perhaps a day or two to myself could be in order...

pauvre monsieur kitty

if you liked kitty wigs you'll *love* international cat hats, check out the ninja balaclava too.



y'know people used to respect cats till the internet came along, it's not really surprising they're so grumpy these days.

i have a headache

the kind of splitting headache that affects your eyesight. and there's no real reason for it. i took painkillers with codeine and it had no effect. currently drinking loads of water and hoping for the best.

i also fell asleep on the train (as i do most mornings - gives me and extra 30min sleep most days :)) but this time when i woke up i really couldn't remember for a minute if i was going to work, or going home. think i am spent too much time on trains and not enough time sleeping recently. good job i am going on holiday next week.

i wish blogger linked up with live journal, i dream of a non segregated bloggiverse....

this morning i saw this: http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2008/apr/09/uk.ecolodges
and now i want to go live in the trees again. watching people swarm in and out of train stations is like watching ants. i want to live in one of those curved roof lodges pictured - somehow they remind me of olden times gypsy caravans, and i've always dreamed of owning one of those too :)

Also a totally pointless, but kind of amusing article on cloth shopping bag snobbery.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/apr/03/ethicalliving.plasticbags
i know this to be true, my moorsbag and lovingly made patchwork bag from nerdbunny definitely have higher status against the shop ones. or is it just that they're prettier? the article makes me want a bookshop bag too. how silly. :D

**ADDED**
My garden is famous! king_prawn posted a photo of my garden in the snow on an american website. strange but true.
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/04/the-view-from-8.html

comicky goodness

I have been making some very cool phone pockets recently, and as soon as i'm at my own computer i will post a photo or two. in the meantime have some comics to make you smile.
i got directed to freak angels today from another comic feed, and will be going back to read the rest once i've posted this :)

new gorgeous comic, Freak Angels. read this now!
Post-apocalyptic goth types with superpowers
http://www.freakangels.com/?p=23

Boy on a stick and Slither
the cutest political philosophers you've ever seen
http://boasas.com

Bunny
Surreal, cute, funny,
http://www.frozenreality.co.uk/comic/bunny/index.php

Little Gamers
Cute Cute Cute! geek humour, with added ninjas, whats not to love?
http://littlegamers.com

April Fools

As usual on april 1st, i forgot. and got a bit confused by certain reported stories. then woke up and went looking for the best of the april fool's articles.

The Guardian got me til i spotted the author's name. because let's face it, this is actually just the sort of thing you would expect after last week's madness.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2008/apr/01/7

The Metro reported BMW waging war on dogs who pee on their cars
(quoting one Lola Forpi - read it and weep anagram lovers)
http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=130296&in_page_id=34

The Sun take the Apr 1 classic UFO story and bring it up to date with a Google earth twist:
http://thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article985644.ece

Speaking of Google, they really upped the ante by creating a whole site and inviting us all to join them on mars ("the open source planet").
http://www.google.com/virgle/index.html

That's all for now, as i guess i should really get *some* work done this morning.

If thats not enough for you, here's an article listing some of the best April Fool's jokes from previous years.
http://www.metro.co.uk/home/article.html?in_article_id=130213&in_page_id=1

**ADDED**: Penguin related BBC April Fools. hurrah!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23qDl1aH9l4

Happy Spring!

Well, being diabetic and non-christian, easter means little more to me than an excuse for a couple of extra days off work, and confirmation that it is nearly spring. It was also the vernal equinox this week- and with the shops full of bunnies and yellow gingham its hard not to feel spring-y, even when outside is sleet and hailstorms!

i am going to visit the family later today, and in the absence of easter eggs i decided at the last minute to make some easter egg shaped cookies! aren't they cute :D

i was going to decorate them with icing and sprinkles, but the spirals came out so well i decided no to.

aisde from that, work has been keeping me very busy recently, and i've been doing clothes alterations: good for me - not so fascinating for blogland.

i'm coming on nicely with the sampler blanket and have 11 or so large unique blocks, and have even taken to making up some patterns of my own which have come out pretty well. i'll have to blog these soon.

Happy Easter / Spring / Bank holiday weekend all!

x

cakes, cards and buttons!

We had a wonderful birthday tea party last night for my bestest crochet buddy (with added wine and scrabble) and i finally got to put my cupcake obsession to good cause to make birthday cupcakes. Yum. :)


finally got to play with making button push pins today, which i'd been dying to try since reading this.
i think they came out great!


Also tonight spent some time making some pretty butterflies for birthday cards, and sewing a little rustic felt chick as i'm getting excited about the vernal equinox (not to mention two bank holidays!)

i have had so many cakes and cookies this weekend i feel like a kid after a birthday party (which i suppose i sort of am), hence not being asleep despite it approaching 1am. apparently we are due a big storm tonight, so i am hoping i don't wake up to find my basement flat flooding!

so i've been feeling low again of late. mostly i think this is to do with being off st johns wort for a few days when i ran out, combined with the joys of PMT this week.

even if thats all it is, i still feel rubbish. i feel sad and angry, and philosophical in that irritating way depressed people have of knowing without a shadow of a doubt, that all human endeavour is ultimately pointless, and the only way to cope is to surrender and live like nothing matters. how depressing. lol. i am sure it will pass by next week.

when i feel down, one of the places i seek solace and little moments of light is in craft & stationery shops. sadly at the moment, these comfort zones keep letting me down! the other day, having stood waiting to pay for some buttons in a fabric shop for 10 minutes, the girl behind the counter - having already admitted she didn't know who was next - told me to go to the back of the queue that had formed behind me. naturally i walked out, leaving the one little bit of hapiness behind unpaid for. and today, i got two little things picked out in paperchase, when we were all herded out into the street on a fire alarm.

so shopping has let me down. its a sad state of affairs indeed.

• i do have four panels for a new blanket tho.
• and a great book which is keeping me absorbed on the train (my dirty little book of stolen time by liz jensen).
• and carbs. someone bought Krispy Kreme donuts into the office today. good news indeed for a girl who forgot her breakfast.
• i am taking monday and tuesday next week off. at least one of them i have
  to work from home, but at least it means no trains, and no london.
  
• i have a massage booked for saturday afternoon. oh boy, do i owe myself that one.
  

quick round up

1. i finished the mitts, but it has taken a while to put the photo online:


2. I bought some lurvely fabrics... good old ebay:


3. I am obsessing over cupcakes still. but it seems the rest of the world is too, so there is plenty of cupcake-themed cute stuff in the shops to keep looking at. for me it was the above fabric that started it off, i need to think of something suitable wonderful to make with that soon....

4. i also bought funky vintage style card toppers, so cute!

5. i have a rash on my face and don't feel very well. poor me. at least it means i get to curl up on the sofa instead of go to work today.

6. i need to take photos of all my growing projects (spinach, basil, garlic and chives all doing well - my bathroom looks more like a greenhouse these days!)

7. i am thinking of cushion covers, little folk-art felt birds, easter themed plushies, fimo cupcake keyrings and shelving for the bathroom greenhouse. i am also thinking about the lovely homespun fabric that i've been looking at on ebay for approximately 2 months (its photo is currently adorning the background of this page), and have finally just bought. hooray!

things that are filling my head with sugar and spice