Shiny Happy Easter Craft

One of my most popular craft ideas ever, because it involved eating a bag of these..

Obviously there'll be mountains of them being munched over the weekend, so thought I'd post this now in case you fancy a go, and want to salvage some foil before it gets ripped to shreds and ends up in the bin...or sprinkled about the place like tiny shiny bits of confetti that you'll be hoovering up for weeks..

The trickiest bit is getting the foil wrapping off in one piece..or even two. Then you just need to decide what to decorate. We went for a butterfly and a dragonfly. I drew half the shape on a folded piece of cereal packet - cut out and open up.
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We flattened our bits of foil and cut them into strips and squares. A glue stick worked best - the foil can be fiddly and sticks to fingers with over enthusiastic gluing!
My daughter spread some on the cardboard first before sticking down the pieces she wanted for her foil decoupage.

Very impressed how she mirrored the pattern on the wings.

It really doesn't matter if bits hand over the edge because they can be tucked neatly around the back.

Turns out we needed more coloured foil than I bargained for, so had to break into another Easter egg... shucks hey? I think this is what you call craft with benefits.

Please excuse blatant advertising! We used every decent sized scrap we had..

A pipe cleaner taped to the back makes good butterfly antennae and we added a few more shiny bits.
You could make smaller ones and attach them to plant sticks - they'd look good fluttering above a herb pot.

I think there's a very strong chance we'll be making more next week!

Hope you have a lovely Easter.

Linking up with Red Ted Art's Kids Get Crafty and For the Kids Friday

Rolling out the trolley

Jumper chopping has been put on hold for a few days so I can finish doing up my trolley. It's been sitting about in the kitchen for ages and was starting to attract piles of clobber - a spare space doesn't stay spare very long around here.
I knew exactly what I wanted to put on it though, I wanted to cover the trolley in my small collection of vintage knitting patterns. Well it seems such a shame to tuck them away in a drawer.

I've been buying them for the classic and totally fabulous pictures rather than the patterns. Some really are in a league of their own.. in a League of Gentlemen kind of way..

I bought an extra bundle from a charity shop for a pound, and at the counter the lady said, 'You're going to be busy!' I just nodded enthusiastically - didn't feel right to tell her I was sticking them on a piece of furniture.

The trolley came from our local auction and only cost me £2. It did need a thorough clean and a few repairs before I primed and painted it with a chalky emulsion - lovely shade called moonstone grey. Luckily there was enough in the tester pot for two decent coats on the legs and around the edges.

I spent quite a while cutting and arranging the patterns before getting the glue out. One great decoupage tip I was given recently, is to use a piece of kitchen roll to smooth down the picture, gently rubbing over the paper continuously, to push out bubbles and wrinkles. Time-consuming but definitely worth it - plus it reduced anxiety levels.. There are still a few bumps, but shouldn't be noticeable when the sewing machine goes on top and my sewing box has a new home below.

I kept the pieces on the drawer black and white for some of contrast, and picked out plenty of fairisle patterns because I love a bit of fairisle.

Now it just needs a few coats of clear varnish and a good spray of WD-40 on those squeaky old wheels..

Linking up with Magpie Monday at Liz's
 and Lakota's Ta-dah! Tuesday 

Jumper challenge - Part 1

I've made quite a few things out of old jumpers since the Christmas calendar cushion. And I've been trying to get my hands on a tatty blue cashmere one my 8 year old has adopted, but he's taken to wearing it in bed and isn't at all willing to give it up. So instead I bought this bright pink cowl neck jumper in a charity shop for £2.50 and cut it up before I remembered to take a photo...
Not cashmere, but a nice soft wool mix.

There are loads of brilliant upcycling ideas out there - some friends run craft workshops in Hereford, and one they offer is making a cushion and fingerless gloves out of an old sweater. But I wanted to see how many different things I could get out of this particular top.
And I can absolutely guarantee all of them are easy to make, because I'm still getting to grips with my sewing machine. I've already come clean about how mine has spent most of its life in a cupboard.
I'm more enthusiastic now, but find that's not quite enough sometimes...far too familiar with my stitch unpicker. So tend to look for ways round things I'm not sure about. Like zips.
This small cushion cover is zip-free. And using the rib at the bottom of the jumper for the edges of the opening means less hemming.

I cut a square out of the front - 12" plus a little extra for a seam allowance.
The other piece from the back of the jumper is the same width, but about a third longer to make the envelope pocket on the back of the cover for the pillow.

The only thing to watch out for is that this extra bit is folded over and pinned on the right side of the jumper (the side you want to see) making it the same size as the other piece. Then pin the two squares together, inside out along three sides, with the ribbed edge and folded edge matched up and left open. The folded bit will be inbetween these square pieces, so it won't be visible while sewing the sides.

When finished, turn it back the right way, put the cushion pad in and pull the pocket part over the top of the opening, so it's all tucked away.

The heart was cut from a small piece of vintage material, and edged with some purple bias binding.
I used the shape to cut a few more out of the jumper sleeves. The first one looked a bit big so I made the next ones smaller and filled them all with lavender.

The cowl neck is now a snood with bias binding sewn over the raw edge. I've been wearing it out gardening and like it because it doesn't flap about and get in the way.

Part 2 is still at the ideas stage, but I'm thinking pin cushions, mice, a doll's outfit and possibly a pigmy owl keyring?

Linking with Lakota's Ta-dah! Tuesday

Bargain button bracelets

I have a huge collection of buttons. A collection verging on Pearly Queen proportions - and I am especially keen on the shiny, pearly little shell ones that catch the light. I really don't need any more, but a big bag of them for £1.50? Hard to pass up a charity shop button bargain. You could easily pay that for a small card of 6, and they don't take up much room..

So another few hundred to add to the tins (note plural) - a button for every occasion. And quite fun checking through the bag for any beauties.

I'll have to think of something special for the etched ones, and maybe the interesting cross shaped button might work on a choker?

My 5 year old picked out the ones she liked, and rather than put them away, I pinched a wristband idea from a friend that's perfect for showing off your best buttons. It's also good for using up small pieces of braid or lace.

We made some with a felt base and added colourful embroidered trim and our buttons. Lace on felt looks great too, and maybe a few beads or sequins for a little sparkle. I used gold thread to sew the bits onto the bracelets, and to finish off around the button holes.

OK, so I haven't made much of a dent in the pile - but I have been checking out some other use-up-your-massive-hoard-of-buttons ideas online, and there are loads. Do you have any favourites or top button tips? I'd love to hear them.

Found any secondhand lovelies lately?
Plenty of thrifty inspiration over at Liz's Magpie Monday 
and Lakota's Ta-dah! Tuesday