Pinterest Challenge - Twitter Cushion

Cushion making is something that I love doing but in general I don't. This is mainly because there are several ladies in my local area who have stalls making almost exclusively cushion related items and as I am in competition with them at craft fairs, I find making different stuff increases the interest in my stall. Machievellian? Or just ignoring a market? I do find that there's a limit to the amount of cushions and stuffed lavender hearts people will buy, and I have always had this terrible urge to swim against the tide...... However, this might be a wrong-headed approach as my bunting and owls (quote circa 2009: I will NEVER make bunting or owls) have been the most financially successful products I produce so there's a lesson in market forces for you!

Recently I was asked very nicely if I would do a children's craft party for a friend. Normally an instant nope, but I know the girl is super into sewing, and at 11 more than capable of using a sewing machine and keen to improve her skills. Apparently her friends also have some sewing smarts, so I was OK with providing some materials and know-how. It might be fun, and I do have a primary school teaching background so am not afraid of a small group of happy girls! They want to do cushions, I'll give them some applique tips, provide materials and templates, and encourage them to design their own. 

To get my creative juices flowing, I made a Pinterest board and thought it might be a good idea to make myself a cushion to get restarted on the old cushion making. 

So I am entering this little beauty into the Pinaddicts Challenge this month because it is a pinterest inspired piece. If you tune in tomorrow I hopefully will be posting a bit more on how I made it because it was a nice EASY project and good for scrap usage too, which we always like here at scrooge central. I have called it my Twitter cushion because after I made it I realised how good it would be as the prize in a giveaway I was planning to run on Twitter. So I'm afraid this cushion already has a new home. It's gone to Amy's Button Box who was the lucky winner of my 700 followers prize draw. Sorry!

Beautiful Stained Glass Giveaway

Giveaway is such a weird word to type - it always looks wrong to me. Should it be give-away or givaway?! Anyway! Just a little post, shoehorned in while the children are hard at work churning up the lawn and the baby is having a good snotty snore in his cot. 

My friend and all round wonderkind Amy, the stained glass artist (@Amyorangejuice on Twitter) is having a nice simple honest-to-goodness giveaway in return for follows etc. Just press here to visit and view the details on her very interesting blog.

Quite fittingly, as she wants you to tweet for them, the items to be given are lovely birds!

 If you like Twitter you can also follow me @Madebydolly

Chicken Jumpers

 Copyright 2008 Jo Eglen

My mother sent me the most fascinating article clipping through the post today (From SAGA magazine though, sigh) about the plight of bald rescue hens. In the article it showed a number of fabulous pictures of hens which have been provided with natty jumpers by benevolent charity knitters. There aren't so many pictures on the online article sadly, but there's no need as you can go direct to the website of the Little Hen Rescue Centre that needs them. It made me smile to see those poor baldy chooks in their bright sweaters. If you don't knit there's a pattern to make one in fleece.  I note that they are currently well stocked for the knitted variety but if you are looking for a good cause to add to your list of to-dos ... (not me, I can barely lift cup to lip at the moment without some new vital task presenting itself to me. Usually in the form of a nappy)

Happy browsing. x

Felty Goodness - a giveaway

OK so yesterday I was moaning a bit, but today I bring you festive joy! not my own, I am afraid, but a very nice giveaway from That Fuzzy Feeling who makes the most lovely felted goods.

For a chance to win chocolate and adorable felted things (I mean just check out these owls in a nest) please click on the link above to go to her blog. Good Luck!

Win yourself a little Pecker...

Yes you read that right - Misses Pinkerton or Polly Pecker to be exact, which you will be soo excited about if you are already a follower of Sew Sweet Violet, a crafter of im-peck-able taste (sorry). Anyway, for a chance to get your hands on one of Jooles' glorious robin decorations just go to her giveaway and do what the lady tells you.  Good Luck!

Hundredth Post!

I have just noticed that the last post I did was my hundredth post! It almost feels like I should celebrate or something! But I won't go overboard..........

Had loads of photos lined up to post showing a project I have been working on, but that will have to wait until I can find the cable that allows the internal memory of my camera to speak to the computer. It is lost. Everything in the house is in disarray or has been chewed. The crawling baby has well and truly struck! My sewing output is down to things I can do on my lap late at night. In the meantime here is a small gallery of bits. The black cat and Toto are to buy on Folksy.

October Folksy Fest - Bring it on!

In an effort to get myself all busy in prep for Christmas I have decided to take part in this months daily listings challenge over on Folksy. Everyday we (the members of the challenge) will post up at least one item each. It's a bit of a personal push, and then we help to promote each other's handiwork. Already after just 2 days I have seen so many great things I will have to keep my paypal hand steady!

The first image is my latest: Christmas Bunny, and then also, a few of the beauties which have caught my eye.

Steampunk Pocket Watch Pendant by London Fogg

Birdy Bag Charm Keyring by Leanne Woods

Brooch by Pants and Paper

Red Reindeer Print by IAlbert

Showcasing a worthy cause

Today's Sunday Showcase is a Folksy shop that not only sells cute items, but all proceeds are going to the Alzheimer Society. Spaldilocks will be off on a London to Paris Cycle ride soon, so support her now by digging out a few coins for items such as this adorable owl card.

Cheep Cheep

Here is the latest item for my shop, another applique bib of chicken birds. They are so cute I don't really want any baby sick on them, but I have to accept that that will happen!

Pinecone Owl

After getting some great ideas from my Facebook appeal for fir cone ideas, I had to post up this cute owl that my friend sent me. I think his legs are made from pipe cleaners and his beak/tail from felt. She did some fir cone animals with her class at school but as cones are available right now, it is a good summer holiday activity. Lets face it there are suddenly more hours in the day when the children are at home all the time!!!

Little birdies and a Flickr Group!

Another day another 5am start! It's alright for babies they can go back to sleep again whenever they want. Grr.

As I am up now I will tell you all about a few things I have been up to this week. First up, new item listed on Folksy, an applique bib which is the first in a series of Chicken Coop Bibs that I am making using some cute chickenwire pattern background fabric. Added a waterproof layer inside to make it all the more practical. I have been producing quite a few bibs lately but most of them are going straight onto the baby!

Also I have created a Flickr group to view by Made by Dolly Folky items, other makes, and hopefully in the not too distant future other people will post photos of stuff they have made from my Folksy Tutorials etc (when I have done some!!!!)

On the home front what I have mostly been doing is making 40 gingerbread biscuits for the toddler group party, which was a bit of a mammoth effort. They were put out as an activity with icing and sweets to decorate them with. Unsurprisingly, this table was very popular and the biscuits and sweets disappeared in the twinkling of an eye!

Crazy Pheasants

Just when I am thinking about birdy inspiration last night these crazy fellows turn up for a fight on my lawn.

Cushions

On the other hand, for the bird room, I have also got some amusing 60s style tree print fabric which I got from IKEA that would make a good cushion. And then I could also team it with homemade copies of my current favourite high street cushions from John Lewis! OK that's the cushions sorted - I reckon white walls................

New Fabrics new wool

Mmmm just got the latest newsletter from Cotton Patch. They have some interesting avian prints in at the moment. Better get on with that knitting before I get to stuck into making cushions etc. Am also planning a little jacket for my cousins baby which needs to be Aran but not keen on the suggested DB Cashmerino. I heard that it pills. I wonder if there is a better more hard wearing solution. It seems a shame to knit something for someone that they are afraid to wash! Babies clothes should not be handwash IMO. Have a bit of a hankering after Noro Kureyon but it's a bit pricey.

Spring Birdies

Despite the grey skies today there has been a distinctive spring mood about the place lately. Today, I heard the first cuckoo and have been musing on home decor of the avian variety ever since I got my new lampshade through the post. Now planning my reading room around the crazy bird cage that will dominate it!