Wordless Wednesday - Today

Craft in Progress

We've had a crafty start to the week...

It began with a trip to Fiveways Arts and Crafts yesterday morning to buy fabric paints and cartridge paper for today's craft plans. The rest of the afternoon was spent helping my friend Selena tissue paper a willow UFO for this year's Children's Parade.

Last night I sat under a blanket by the radiator drinking tea, peeping at the snow outside, watching Being Human on the iPlayer and starting an Easter wreath. Chris makes the Christmas wreath and I have been so inspired by all of the spring wreaths on Pinterest that I decided to make an Easter one.

It's a craft in progress!

My vision of a peaceful Tuesday afternoon linocut printing was disrupted by the kids being off school on a snow day. Rather than shelving my plans till next week I let them join in. 

As they are both obsessed with how far away Easter is we started making some decorations. They both drew Easter designs on Lino that I cut it out for them. This is Jacob's egg:

Ruby chose yellow ink and had a great time making about 6 sheets of prints. She picked up the process really quickly and had her own counting system for the length of time she spent rolling the Lino. We decided that counting to 100 each time was probably too long, especially as it was me doing the counting.

I was amazed by how much Jacob enjoyed it. He can be a reluctant crafter sometimes. Begrudgingly starting something to find he gets really into it after a while. The printing held his attention for a whole afternoon and he now has some lovely prints and posters that he is planning to decorate the house with.

I printed some more owls, this time in different colours. I love the yellow on the white paper background. I'm not sure about it on the fabric though. I think the fabric paints I have used were not the right consistency for what I needed. I'll read a bit more of this book before I have another go.

Some of the blue prints will be on their way to you soon Sara Brown!

The last project that I have on the go is making a little case for my Lino tools. It's cut and ready to go, I just need half an hour at my sewing machine...

 What projects have you got on the go?

Making our House a Home

We are one week in to our bathroom makeover and there sadly isn't much progress to show you. This is because we chose to go into town last weekend and buy me some quad skates (big smile) and attend Craftaganza. 

This weekend we must get on with it and I am envisaging that after roller skating (I am hooked) on Sunday I will be spending the rest of Mothers Day tiling.

Some progress shots for you...

Uh oh, when the tiles came off so did the plaster. The job suddenly got a bit bigger!

Look at the original lino checkerboard tiles Chris found under the vinyl!

The Wickes trolley!

I've been busy drooling over penny floors on Pinterest. I'm saving up! For what I think is going to be a labour of love!

Flashback Friday - Jacob and Ruby Learning to Sew

Whilst scrolling through iPhoto looking for some Flashback Friday inspiration I came across these pictures of Jacob and Ruby learning to sew.

Jacob must have been about four and a bit here when he sewed a M for Marmalade cover.

He spent ages working away on it. Check out his chubby hands and cheeks! they've gone now that he is seven.

Ruby was a lot younger when she started sewing, I am guessing that she is just under three in these photo's. Look at that hair and concentration on her face. So cute :)

I remember learning to sew on Binca at primary school. When did you learn to sew?

World Book Day - Dressing Up

Jacob's school dressed up today for World Book Day. 

Can you guess who he is?

Gandalf from The Hobbit!

Wearing a travelling cape made by me earlier this year and a wadding beard that I wasn't sure would last the day but it did!

Apparently the expression on his face is his Gandalf face?!

Did you or your kids do anything special for World Book Day? 

Wordless Wednesday - making Blur "Coffee and TV" t-shirt cushions

Mosaic Making at Treloan

I'm a bit obsessed with tiles this week and have spent today looking at grout for the bathroom. I came across a mosaic website and it reminded me of this... 

I'm about to let you in on a little secret (don't tell Chris I told you!)... we fell in love with Cornwall three years ago and have been here every year since. We went for the Jubilee bank holiday and whilst we were there we attended a mosaic event run onsite. I had only ever tiled a bathroom and kitchen before so I was excited to have a go. We were there for hours and everyone added a little bit. I think I did the B, I and an E in Jubilee. Ruby and Chris did some of the black border and Jacob did a lot of cutting with the nibblers.

I love the mosaics by Charley Harper and using them as inspiration I would like to have another go and make some art for our garden.

Have you ever made a mosaic?