Lavenderhouse

Twittering on about me - sorry!

This week we have been finalizing artwork for the Open House in July.  I have had a real nightmare with my computer and email.  Doesn't technology just drive you mad some times!  All creative thoughts have been focused on this so if I am to blog today then it will have to be about that as I have done nothing else creative to post - sorry! 

 

We had to think up some text to put next to a brilliant line drawing of my house, that the very talented Nadia, one of the people showing in the house, has drawn.  She is soooo clever!

We came up with the following:- 

A mosaic of art, textiles, vintage and jewellery that will get you all of a twitter.

As you can see the text was definitely influenced by what we will be showing.

You have seen this before but I will be making more for July.

I need to get some photos of everyone elses' work so that you can oooh and ahhh at their talent.  Have a really great weekend, probably should have a quiet one as a prelude to the eggciting Easter holiday! 

Orla Flowers

Today was a beautiful spring morning.  Every Wednesday I attend a mosaic course for complete escapism from the everydayness that sometimes is a trifle boring.  What I mean by that is that if I could sit and make and create things all day that would be wonderful.  However, the tedious paperwork, domestic chores, getting the car fixed, washing machine fixed etc get in the way.  So I really like that I am booked on this course and that it is a really good excuse to do something just for me!

Do you know what I park my car and then I always catch myself skipping around the corner, literally with glee, to enter the workshop where I can forget about all the chores that need doing!   The ladies on my course are really lovely - we have had some very deep, meaningful and sometimes rip roaring funny conversations. 

Today I managed to finish this mosaic and grout it.  I love the Orla Kiely type flowers.  I have a rough old coffee table that is going to be our Easter project to mosaic.  It is addictive!

On Monday there was a lovely present in our post box for our Harry Potter Obsessed child.

 Just look at that happy smile and please note the package was delivered by Owl not Royal Mail!

Even Madame Hooch had included a letter with the Quidditch outfit.  There was also a green frog and a slithering snake!

What a marvellous, inventive friend! You know who you are - thank you so much!  Jasper is extremely puzzled.  His main question is - how big was the owl that delivered it! 

Have a great Thursday everyone.  Love you all lots ....

Embelished crochet cardigan

In these days of yukky money problems I thought I would do a post about a cheap cardigan (£12)  that I have altered very easily.  This cardigan did not inspire me one bit, when I saw it on a hanger in Sainsburys when we were in London recently.  However, I did notice the slight open weave in its texture.  It reminded me of some colours that are blended in a lampshade that I have hanging in my little work room.  I knew I had some wool that would make a good contrast - some varigated wool (my name for it - you know different colours on one ball of wool - similar shades all on one ball).  I had been looking in Charity Shops for something similar but to no avail. 

I have to say whether money is a problem or not I find it very stressful to think about wearing a cardigan for example from Per Una, M&S at age 41, only to find an old lady of 88 wearing the same thing and looking a whole lot better in it than me!  So altering my clothes so no-one else is wearing the same thing definitely appeals to me. 

I don't have a before picture but it was just a boring, plain deep pink cardigan with no stripey edging on the sleeves/bottom of the cardigan/around the neck and no corsage. 

Under the corsage is a plain knitted covered button that I was able to dig the crochet hook in to the edge and make a flower.  Then I sewed a mixture of pink and orange beads over the top of the button.

I used left over wool from two different balls of wool (both varigated!) to edge the bottom of the cardigan, the sleeves and the neckline.

I have added removable velvet ribbon.  I am not sure the ribbon would hold up in the washing machine!  You know how precious velvet ribbon is to me!!!

I realise it is not everyone's cup of tea but it would be a boring world, wouldn't it if we all wore the same things - Susannah & Trinny!!!!!

Christmas Ideas No 7 - Mantle Piece - Paint a Christmas Picture

I found a wonderful Christmas card one year.  I loved the picture so much I made a canvas for my sitting room mantle piece wall.  I hang it up each year and it completely changes the tone of the room.  It never fails to make me happy.  It is called Doves of Peace.  I love the whole idea of PEACE - Are you listening my little children.  I said PEACE please!!!!

 

I haven't finished shuffling everything around for Christmas yet, but here is the picture above my mantle piece.  It isn't quite right yet though ...  for example if I lit the candles in the tall silver(ish) candlestick holders then the canvas would catch fire!  - not good or may be, if you don't like it,  you think that would be ok!

Christmas Idea No 4 - Sarah Smith Dish Cloths Christmas Bunting

I am on a bit of roll post wise.  However, the next couple of days are busy so I thought I would post this one early.  Please look back at previous posts if you want to read everything as I have posted a couple today.  This one is going to make you laugh.  Most of you will remember the gorgeous front cover of Country Living Magazine this month.

Well I can't offer you a crochet pattern for a little dog (although Lucy at Attic24 could probably!) -  but I can offer you a really low cost and effective way of making some bunting for outside.  All you will need is two Sarah Smith Dish Cloths and some ribbon or lace.  The flags are fantastic because they do not need edging.  Just literally cut them out and then sew ribbon or lace along the top to hang them up.  Obviously, they are extremely washable! 

The whole project cost me £2.00!  Two cloths are £1.00 and I used cheap red lace from the odds and sods basket at my local fabric shop, which was £1.00.  You can buy gingham ribbon for as little as 50p a metre if you can't get red lace.  I reckon you could also get away with stapling or gluing the flags on to ribbon if you really didn't want to do any sewing!!!!

Interior shot due to sleet outside - sorry!  I will try to photograph them in situ another day!

This is a bit cheeky using this photo as you don't need half the things although you might like to embelish the flags with buttons or bows.

I thought I would do a tutorial on it if you wish to follow it.  Each cloth makes 14 flags if you cut it logically.  So two cloths makes a really long strip of bunting. 

Edited:-

The lovely people over at Sarah Smith's Company run a blog.  They have read about the bunting and have set us all a challenge to make other things from the Sarah Smith range!!  I don't think oven gloves on the feet for slippers counts though!  They have been very nice and called it the Lavenderhouse Challenge!  How fabulous is that!  Click on the Lavenderhouse Challenge and it will take you to their blog!  They are offering a Sarah Smith goody bag for the best idea!  Don't forget to come back for the tutorial if you need it! 

Tutorial

1    Take one cloth and cut in half.

2    Then fold in half.

3    Then fold in half again.  Measure and mark the half way point.

4    If cutting with scissors then mark the line from the top to the bottom in a triangle shape.  If using a      rotary cutter and mat then cut along the ruler as shown.

5    Repeat again on other half of cloth.  Repeat on next cloth.  This produces 14 flags from each cloth.  I used cheap red lace to sew to the flags.  

I have just got to find the other bits and pieces to make my porch look like the Country Living Magazine now!

Sunrise

For three whole mornings now my little girl has NOT argued about anything and everything that has to be done before going to school.  It has been a hard time.  I have pointed out that if she doesn't go to school then ultimately I have to go to prison......  So now there is no argy bargy we have time to enjoy the early mornings.  We now have TIME to notice the BEAUTY of the sunrise. 

Just as you think things are going really well though Jasper appears in my bed with a nasty temperature.  His cold is finally getting him down - he really is a little superman when it comes to illness usually.  No man flu for him.  However, he stayed at home today for a rest.  He helped me run errands.  I missed my mosaic course (again) but we popped over there to pick up my work in progress so I could catch up at home.   As you are aware, my blog is called Lavenderhouse.  This is because we live in a lavender blue house.  It is proving impossible to find some paint to redecorate that is the right shade - Jasper and I had a good go at it today though .......

By the way I know some of the colours are green!! We are also looking for a suitable colour for the window insets.

In the kitchen I have managed to practice setting up my stall for the Vintage and Handmade Fair today (tried it once and had to take it all down before I could finish) - The kids just want to play shops!  They would like to have an open art day at the house.  Skyla is obsessed about making an 'open' and 'closed' sign!  I have a lot more to do - more earrings and brooches to make, pricing etc and then I need to pack it all up logically so it can be put up quickly on arrival at the hall! 

Still soooooooooooooo much to do - yikes ............

Flowers

Wednesday - a good day.  Before the children started school I noticed on blogs that people seem to be quite creative on Wednesdays.  The course of the week does lend itself to being creative today.  Lots of housework has been done, the paperwork is under control and lets face it we really could do with a moment away from the boring! 

Well, I forgot to take my camera to my mosaic course so no photos and you definitely do not want to see a photograph of me in my swimsuit at the gym!  So instead here is a vase of flowers for you all.   It is some nuno felt that I made and then embroidered (not today though!)

I have led you up the garden path!

I fear I may owe you all an apology - my previous blog was very upbeat and hopeful.  I feel like I may have led some of you up the garden path.  I do not know that anything good is going to happen, but despite a disgusting virus and feeling really lousy (how many days can this go on for) I feel very positive and hopeful.  Last night the weather man used such flowery language to discuss the weather e.g sparkling (!) that I actually thought at one point I was watching a spoof/comedy weather report. 

Something (minor) did happen that was very nice.  After an appointment with my daughter, this morning, we had to pop in to Tesco for some supplies for lunch and tea (bad mummy - rolls, cheese, cookies and muffins and apples and strawberries - do you have to eat five strawberries or 5 apples  to get your 5 a day - no answers on a postcard - I was being sarcastic!  By the till there was about ten lovely Cath Kidston bags so I treated myself and one of you lovely readers.  

I am doing a giveaway.  Your chances are really high at winning as I have bugger all readers compared to most lovely bloggers! 

Anway, here it is - a lovely Cath Kidston bag, which you no doubt all have!

In addition, I would like to send the winner a little affirmation brooch that I have made.  Here are a selection.  The winner might like to pick which one they prefer. 

Just leave a little comment and then one of the children will pick a winner at random.  By the way, any good remedies for shifting stupid stubborn viruses - any including alcohol greatly received!

Added later - I definitely do not mean to sound ungrateful about my readers - I really love you all very much, it is so great that some of you follow my bimbling along life!  I do really mean though there is good odds on winning!  I am also not fishing for compliments - but you have been very kind - just wanted to share some CK goodness!   Not much being shared in the world at the moment that is positive - the blogging life is very good for us all isn't it.  As I have said many times before, it keeps us focused on the good in each day ......rambling now, sorry!

Felting

Well yet another grey day!  When I pulled the blinds this morning this fishing boat was begging to be blogged.  It was a great shot of colour against a very dull background!

Julie from life as it is for us blog has recently had her birthday and received a felting book.  She has asked me to blog my bag that I made when I was on Gillian Harris' day course.  Gillian's book is fantastic - lots of beautiful pictures describing great projects.

I made this bag which has a stargazer lily on either side.  It is reversible.  I can really recommend doing felting as it such fun.

Examples of projects from the book are:-

Or this!

I feel more fun coming my way in September when the kids are back at school.  I think I am going to run out of time trying to get all my projects done.

By the way, this made me laugh.  I know the car needs cleaning but this is ridiculous! There is no rubbish in the car but boy there is sooooo much sand.  My children put all these plastic bugs on the dashboard.  I reckon it would be possible to grow some wildlife in the car due to the dirt!

Moon on the sea

This is the beautiful moon shining on the inky sea last night when we returned from Pasha's 'team building' evening at her new school.  (We did sneak fish and chips and wine in G&Gs garden last night before coming home as they were looking after the other two).

This morning, we made some crayons, which many people have shown on their blogs.  I cannot remember exactly where I saw this so I apologise for not crediting the person.

All you do is put broken, knackered old crayons in to a silicone tray.  Then I heated it in the oven at 180oC for 10 minutes.  Turn them out once they are cool - heat wise as they are very cool to look at too!

A picture of my thrifted camping kettle - great for £2.00!