Along similar lines

Do you remember how I was making

 lots of headbands for a local shop ?

This little sideline has grown a bit .

I have been busy making stuff and didn't really

want to confuse it with my other craft adventures .

So I decided to design some new cards to go with my stock .

I wanted them to be me but not really Clare's Craftroom

as I wanted to keep production line work separate .

I still wanted my house logo that is

 on my usual business cards .

But just a little different .

Who you ask is Mabel?

Mabel is my dear old sewing machine .

This all makes perfect sense to me !

What do you think?

Tuesdays Treasures

Another family treasure .

This weight was the doorstopper in the family

home when I was a kid .

It is now the doorstopper in my home .

I see my kids and husband casually slide it aside

with their foot and it takes me back

as I remember myself and my brothers and sisters

sliding it away years ago in exactly the same way .

Such a simple action brings back lovely memories .

I'd love to see your treasures but I

 am away at the moment

so I might be able to visit but not leave a comment .

I have very cleverly scheduled this post to

pop up on Tuesday .

I hope I have anyway , am I here ?

I only pinch the really good ideas !

Did you know my Toby post was a giveaway post?

I think it also may have been my 250th post too .

I stole this idea from Jodie at Ric Rac

about letting you know afterward

because I really appreciate my regular readers

and thought I'd give away a pattern to someone

who commented on my Toby post just because they're nice !

So who gets a copy of Toby?

 Melody from The House on the Side of the Hill  does !

Thanks for the response to Toby it was amazing .

Lots of orders for him has kept me

 off the streets this week .

PS . I did ask permission from Jodie to use this idea

'cause that's what polite bloggers just do .

Thanks Jodie . and hugs to Baxter .

Looking for a friend .

Here I am , I am Toby , Toby I am .

I have been gone for a long time while

Clare gave me a makeover .

I have been gone so long Chris the Crocodile and

Frances Frog forgot about me .

They play a bit too rough .

All my stitches are still new .

I asked the pretty cat to be my friend but she said 

she was too busy .

 

I asked a very friendly , quiet dog to be my friend .

He said yes !

He also said he would share his food with me .

I am such a lucky dog .

Overseas visitors may not know of

The Dog on the Tuckerbox .

The Dog is very famous here in Australia .

It just so happens to be in my town so

of course I took advantage of him .

The pattern for Toby is in my shop , finally !

Thankyou to those who knew I would finish one day

and preordered the pattern .

Tuesdays Treasures

I consider my scrapbooks treasures .

I have only done a few and really must do some more .

If ever there was a fire I would be grabbing these .

The kids school photos need to be done as

the plan was to do a page for each year so

when they are older their whole school life is in one album .

I have done pre school and play group pages but no school ones .

10 and 8 years of school means a lot of photos .

Maybe I should get a move on doing them

before they finish school .

Can't wait to see your treasures !

At my house

At my house today it is quiet .

My son left yesterday for a 15 day school trip

to the outback .

I have the day off today so I am going to

clean his room from top to bottom .

I might even find his football .

I think it's fairly normal at 5.30 am

as you're leaving for the trip of a lifetime

to climb up on sheds looking for your football .

Well it's a pretty normal thing to do at my house .

See houses more normal than mine at Lou Lous .

Toys to Sew winners and a guessing competition .

I know I said I would draw the winners on Sunday night

but I was up with the sparrows this morning and

I think I am going to fall into bed very early tonight which

means I would forget about drawing the winners .

We have winners oh yes we do !

Thanks to everyone for entering.

 I am so happy to be able

to send the paperback copy of Toys to Sew to Trash .

The hardcover copy goes to Tania .

Would you both please email me with your details .

For those who missed out what about a

little guessing competition ?

Guess what my new softie is that is being

 made in the fabric in the photo .

I am fairly confident you won't

guess but in case you do

I'd better have a prize for you .

I will give the correct guesser the

 very first copy of the pattern .

This pattern is due for release in mid October .

But wait there's more ....

Toby will be here on Wednesday , phew !

Toys to Sew , craft book giveaway .

Would you like to make some toys ?

This book has 25 for you to make .

There are two copies to be won .

One hardcover copy for Australian bloggers.

One paperback copy for Overseas bloggers .

Exactly the same book but the paperback

will be a little cheaper to post overseas .

If you would like a chance to win

please just leave a comment on this post .

If you wouldn't mind just adding an OS at the end

of your comment if you are not in Aus it will

just make it a little easier for me .

That's it , so easy !

All welcome .

I'll draw the winners Sunday night Australian time

or maybe I'll get Toby to pick the winner .

This giveaway is now closed .

Thankyou for your interest.

Tuesdays Treasures

My treasure for this happy Tuesday is this drawing my

son did for me almost 9 years ago .

He was so proud when I loved it so much that I framed it .

In fact I loved it so much I turned it into a stitchery

and he watched and sometimes helped .

My little artist is now almost 15 and is a healthy , responsible young man .

He is leaving this weekend for a school trip for 15 days

and although the house is going

to be so much quieter

I am going to miss him very, very much .

Add your link , leave a comment and play along !

At my house

At my house today I am a little flustered .

There is too much going on around here 

and I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment .

I see this view

 each time I park my car at home

and as I have teenagers there is a lot of driving in and out .

It was good to take the time this

morning to take this photo,

sometimes I just need to slow down

 a bit and enjoy the view .

See how others cope at their houses over at Lou Lous .

Edited to add - Just reread this and thought it sounds like

a big whinge , it's not meant to be .

I'm busy with lots of great stuff , life is good

and I'm extremely grateful .

Almost

Hello Toby here .

Clare said to say she has almost finished pattern writing .

I have been almost ready for some time now .

You can't see but while my legs are crossed

I am tapping my foot impatiently .

Almost , my Aunt Fanny !

Clare did say that while we are waiting

we can have another book giveaway .

I want a pattern giveaway so that you can make me .

I'm a bit tired of being almost ready .

Clare said she will have a softie craft

 book giveaway very soon .

What about me ?

Am I ever going to be a real softie or am I just

an almost ?

Looking for some craft ?

                                                         

I've looked in here

and in here

and here too

I can't find any craft happening here at all .

Maybe if I had a little more of this

and a little less of this

 I'd get a bit more done !

Nothing too serious my daughter dislocated her knee

and got to ride in one of these .

I'll bet they find me to give me the bill !

Tuesdays Treasures

In honour of Father's Day on Sunday my

treasure this week is one of my dads shirts .

My dad was a hardworking man but when we

saw him in this shirt we knew he was all ours for a bit .

All of my family remember the lovely hikes to the local

beach with dad who was often wearing this shirt .

We would spend hours looking in rockpools and just

hanging out together .

When my dad died I was obviously very upset

and slept with this shirt for many years .

It now lives in my linen cupboard and

is the only nice part of having having to change

sheets as every time I go to the cupboard

I see this shirt and smile .

All welcome to join in and show your treasures !

Sew Darn Cute Winner !

Hi everyone , yes we have a winner of Sew Darn Cute .

It is Sally from Virtually Sally

Sally would you please email me with your details .

There will be a pattern giveaway next week .

I like a post to have at least one photo 

so I decided to put this one in . 

My stitchery pattern for Flutterby was published in the 

latest Patchwork and Stitching .

Just thought I'd tell you that !

See you tomorrow for Tuesday Treasures , be good !

Last Craft Book Giveaway

Well for a while anyway .

This book is Sew Darn Cute !

Full of lots of cute ideas and fun , easy projects .

Would you like a copy ?

Simple , just leave a comment on this post .

Giveaway is open to all .

I'll draw the winner early next week .

Good Luck !

This giveaway is now closed , thankyou

for your interest .

Pattern giveaway next week !

The Great Apron Swap

I had to pay Teresa Green Supermodel a lot of money to come

out of retirement for another photo shoot .

Here is Teresa modeling the apron I made for Duchess

in the craft forum apron swap .

She wasn't as cooperative when it came to modelling

the beautiful aprons that Duchess made for me .

Models can get a bit snooty I think !

Thankyou Duchess for being such a generous swapper .

Shaggy Flowers Tutorial

Shaggy flowers are a great way to use up some scraps

and as they are meant to be shaggy your

stitching doesn't need to be perfect , 

just right for someone like me !

You will need fabric, wadding and felt scraps

as well as a button and a bit of cardboard to make a template .

The flowers I made are about 3" .

Draw a very basic flower shape onto the cardboard .

Cut the shape out , this is your template .

Trace the flower shape onto the backing fabric

(this can be plain as you won't see the back of the flower)

Sandwich a piece of wadding between the prepared backing

and the printed fabric .

Printed fabric down , wadding , prepared fabric with outline on top .

Stitch slowly and carefully around the penciled flower shape

through all three layers .

Only joking it really does not have to be perfect ,

 wonky is good !

Use pinking shears to cut around the flower shape

 close to the stitching .

Cut a circle of felt a bit larger than your button and

stitch the felt and button together to the centre of your flower .

All done and so easy !

These can be used on gift cards or stitched to ribbon

and used as shelf edging .

Or you can secure them to the front of a bag instead of a button .

You could even have one to match your outfit made into a brooch .

 Stitch them to fabric and put them into a hoop

as a decoration for your space .

Let me know what you think of these and

if you make some please tell me as

I'd love to see them .