Just more bags

I made this bag for a Christmas parcel.

It's lightly padded

and has an internal pocket that has a tape measure attached to it so it doesn't float away like mine always do.

I made this one from an invented shape hoping it would work well.

It doesn't really.  I still use it but it's really too wide and not quite deep enough. 

Back to the drawing board.

My craft room

I think I'm going to leave these photos in small format.

My craft room isn't one of those beautiful, straight out of a magazine rooms, it's in a constant state of needing to be tidied up.  I don't create neatly!

Sometimes it's in a worse state than others, especially when things just get 'shoved in'.

 This is after a bit of work.

I did eventually get it very tidy, and then I did some craft and it got messy again. 

Then I had to clear a space for my husband's 'home office' so stuff is shoved down one end, but I am trying to go through and get rid of things not just organise the clutter into piles.

I'd like to say that one day I'll have it looking picture perfect, but when it's like that I know I won't be using it (in fact I didn't craft for ages once it was clean because I just knew that would make it messy again! Catch 22)

Rainbow Cake

 I was feeling very creative for my husband's birthday at the end of last year and the kids were only too happy to encourage me.

 "We" (and I use the term loosely as I did all the work and they did a lot of looking and licking) made this b-i-g cake...

 Which, when cut, had a lovely rainbow inside of it.

Yes it was a bit more work than usual, but it was worth it.

 I didn't put icing in between layers, it actually had jam and cream and I didn't even my layers out with a knife, I just added more cream in between.

Thankfully it froze well because we could only eat it slither at a time.

Doll sized skirt

 I offered to test the Mini Floreala pattern seeing as DD loves her big Floreala.

Of course the fly in this ointment is that DD and DS don't really have any dolls to test the finished product on.  Lots of teddies and soft toys, just not really anything dolly like.

Still, I figured I could find something so I gave it a go.

 I did find someone to try it on!  She is/was mine and back when she worked she had a record inside of her (that you could change) and said various things.  Records long gone and I'm not even sure if she would work now.  [And just an aside, the only clothes I have for her are a pair of pjs my Granny made!].

 

 She is very tall 23-24 inches, so it's quite a long skirt.

(Not my colours but DD has unique taste and along the bottom is a gold metallic thread that she loves.) 

We tried it on Ruby the Build a Bear Bunny, but it's more mu-mu like on her.

The pattern was quick and simple and would be a good way to practise before you make the big skirt.

A special 90th birthday bag set

 My Nana turned 90 in September 2011 and Mum organised that I made her a bag (or two) and she'd make her a knitting needle and crochet hook wrap.

One is a mini sort of box bag with a magnetic closure...

 The other is more of a tear drop shaped bag with a button closure.

The material was a lovely raspberry colour and the lining a nice light pink.

I was happy with how they turned out.

PJs for a Little Guy

 I have been making the kids pjs now for quite a while, I just never seem to get around to photographing them.  

My kids love home made pjs and at the moment it's the only thing I make that they'll wear!

Anyway, one of my friends from Ravelry mentioned that her nephew was going through chemo so we all decided to send him some handmade things to let him know that we're all thinking of him.  He is about the same age as my son so I thought I'd make him some jammies to take to hospital.

I made a little bag to take his dinosaurs and books in too.  (His name begins with L, my kids love things with their name letters on them.)

 I was happy with how they turned out and I hope they make him feel comfy when he's in hospital.

How to keep your teapot warm

There is a tea cosy competition in Morpeth every year.

It's a great competition, free to enter and they send your tea cosy back.

Last year I made several tea cosies, but didn't end up sewing them together to get them up to Morepeth for the competition (or let's face it, just to be put on display for my tea cosy), but we did go up for a visit so you can enjoy some of the  tea cosies too.

The cosies don't have to be made of wool or knitted or crocheted - they can be sewn too.

Love the Grug one, might have to make one of those.

This one was beautiful - a warratah.

This one was the grand winner (there are categories).  I thought it was great, but my kids weren't impressed, they liked the novelty ones.

And this is what inspired the above tea cosy.

 DS loves koalas so this was his very favourite.

 

 Another Grug.

 I reckon this frog is unhappy because he has a teapot up his backside.

 The kids liked the penguin too.

 One of the ladies from my knitting group won a prize as well, here is her entry.

And downstairs they have a huge teapot display.... here are some to enjoy

 

Not quite teapots, but they'd love to be having a tea party with most of them.

Enticed by the teddies.

 

And the mini teapots for those that don't have room (or money) for the big ones.