tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19363617416033290342024-03-13T10:49:51.232+00:00CRAFT-WERKCrafts & Style.Sonja @ Craft-Werkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10913431564020496518noreply@blogger.comBlogger193125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1936361741603329034.post-90556177045469680382013-03-30T14:09:00.002+00:002013-03-30T14:09:43.538+00:00A Pastelly EasterAll set for Easter? The eggorations have been up for a couple of weeks now and I have not really added anything new this year. In fact I re-used stuff again, in a slightly different way. The old frame keeps getting used - it really has been the best decorating device <b><span style="font-size: small;">ever</span></b>.<br />
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I had actually planned to take the little strings out of the frame once I took my Valentine-y <a href="http://craft-werk.blogspot.ie/2013/02/spring-time.html" target="_blank">love heart display</a> out of it. But then I found my paper eggs from three years ago in the box of Easter stuff. Three years ago - my oh my, I had all but forgotten that I had made them, but as it turns out, they were one of the really popular posts here on my blog. Back then I wrote a whole tutorial about making them. <a href="http://craft-werk.blogspot.ie/2010/03/easy-easter-eggorations.html" target="_blank">Check it out here</a> - there is also a template you can download. It is very easy and the sort of stuff you can do with your kids. In fact, the initial egg came from my daughter, then 8 years old.</div>
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With the eggs all slightly pastelly, I had to forego my usual red deco on the kitchen mantle. Good thing I still had all those white and pink Easter eggs from the Euro shop from last year. They were popped into a vase, and together with a few white bits and pieces, the kitchen this year has a slightly paler theme.</div>
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All that remains now is to look forward to my first piece of chocolate in 6 weeks tomorrow. Honestly, I can't wait! </div>
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Happy Easter, all! </div>
<br />Sonja @ Craft-Werkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10913431564020496518noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1936361741603329034.post-40550216448306456302013-03-18T16:13:00.000+00:002013-03-18T16:13:50.270+00:00PeekabooAlright, with Patrick's Day out of the way (belatedly happy Paddy's Day, all afiliated Hibernophiles out there!), I can finally get down to the first decorating highlight of the year. Easter is around the corner. And don't I know it - this year's fasting exercise is streeeeetching my patience. No chocolate since mid-February. A self-imposed Facebook ban. No crisps. I am surviving, but I *am* looking forward to a chocolate feast on Easter Sunday. But I digress. It's still about a week too early to bring the Easter eggs out. Mr Craft-Werk objects, as you know. Especially when we are talking silly relics of religious rituals. But where there is a pair of scissors, there is also a will.<br />
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I came up with these whimsical little bird houses with chicks peeking out of them after I found a whole stash of those pipe-cleaner chicks in my craft-materials box. "What can I do with them?" I thought to myself. I came up with a little paper birdhouse that is very easy to make - all it needs is some nice cardstock, glue and a pair of scissors.<br />
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First of all I made a template from which I could cut a number of those shapes. I drew it up simply by estimating and experimenting. Feel free to use the image to the right: Print it on a piece of card stock to use as your template. (I scanned it at the highest resolution I could - just resize in the size that you need.)<br />
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When you look at my template you will hopefully see the lines that I drew on the template. They are the folding lines. Fold up the two main bits - the front of the birdhouse with the hole in it, and the back. before you then fold the sides over so that they form the two sidewalls and the roof, fold the edges in, in order to glue them to the front and back of the house. Ah, you'll work it out as you go along.<br />
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For some nice, colourful paper in spring colours I "blasphemed" and ripped photos out of a book on funky wallpapers. (I feel bad about destroying a book - there is something sacrosanct about books, isn't there?) The pipe cleaner chicks were simply popped into the finished birdhouses and secured with a drop of glue.<br />
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And that is it - here they are, my colony of chicks, frolicking in- and outside their houses. They blend in pretty well with the first branches of forsythia from my garden. They bring a smile to my face, every time I look at them.<br />
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Happy spring time!<br />
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<br />Best,</div>
<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/107/239A5C6D4B194ED02D26BDF5869651E4.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><br />Sonja @ Craft-Werkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10913431564020496518noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1936361741603329034.post-68590824213332417552013-03-04T18:41:00.000+00:002013-03-04T18:41:51.059+00:00Wishi-WashiFinally, two years in, Sonja jumps on the washi bandwagon. Yeah, it's been a long time coming. I have watched the rise to crafty stardom of the modest Japanese tape. And when I recently was sent a homemade gift as part of a Valentine's challenge that featured lovely washi tape, I knew I had to act if I didn't want to be overtaken by the bandwagon. So a week into my love affair with wishi washi washi tape I finally got the reason and purpose for a washi tape project.<br />
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Essentially I had to reward myself for finally, after about three years of living with an extremely heavy, guilty conscience, I did my tax returns. Which in turn left me with a number of documents that needed to be fiiled for possible perusal by the authorities. I had the file - but it just looked shite with its scratched out file label. <br />
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Yeah, even the carefully placed vase of flowers cannot disguise the fact that there is ugly in the picture. Apart from the fact that I wanted a fresh start with my paper <strike>mess</strike> tidy, and that meant labelling things properly.<br />
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So I printed a label and out came the washi tape. Just a simple sticking job.<br />
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There. That's better, isn't it? I think I can now move on to spring. Yay!<br />
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<br />Sonja @ Craft-Werkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10913431564020496518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1936361741603329034.post-52394954363788365792013-02-12T10:39:00.001+00:002013-02-12T10:39:37.145+00:00Featured :-)In lieu of a real post - too busy with work at the mo, so my projects have to wait a little longer - I am just sending a little bit of blog love to Lindsey of <a href="http://www.betterafter.net/" target="_blank">Better After</a>. She has just been kind enough to feature my little <a href="http://craft-werk.blogspot.ie/2013/02/spring-tide-y.html" target="_blank">shelf-re-purpose</a> on her blog. See it <a href="http://www.betterafter.net/2013/02/random-acts-of-design-ness.html" target="_blank">here</a> together with a few inspired re-do ideas: A fridge make-over? A bbq re-do? A folding chair re-furbish? And you thought you had seen it all...<br />
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If you are heading over to Better After, don't forget to leave a little comment and share back the love ;-)<br />
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<a href="http://betterafter.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i484.photobucket.com/albums/rr207/a4christ/beforeafter/feature.png" /></a> </div>
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<br />Sonja @ Craft-Werkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10913431564020496518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1936361741603329034.post-4551305426623230092013-02-04T14:08:00.000+00:002013-02-04T14:57:54.861+00:00Spring Tide-ySomething terrible had to happen for me to finally get down to the business of tidying up and organising some of the worst hot-spots for my mess. And most fittingly it did so on the second day of spring (in Ireland), on Saturday. I had to tidy up my messy desk, and as I was already at it, I went straight on into my bedroom to finally tackle the mess on my dresser. I had been meaning to do that for a good while, and now I can finally show off my latest re-purpose: a really handy and easy-on-the-eye jewellery organiser:<br />
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I love costume jewellery, particularly earrings. Lately I had acquired so many of them that my previous way of holding them was proving ineffecient. I had them hooked over a plastic cup.<br />
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Moreover, my dresser in the bedroom was becoming a dumping ground for all sorts of crap. That, in turn, didn't make dusting any easier, and so the dresser and the bits and bobs were finally vanishing under an ever thickening layer of dust... Something needed to be done. And while I was tidying up the study, I realised that my shelf-gone-ribbon organiser had lost its function and would make a much better jewellery display than a ribbon organiser. Here's a little before-and-after of my ribbon shelf (you can read about it <a href="http://craft-werk.blogspot.ie/2010/02/tidying-up-loose-ends-ribbon.html" target="_blank">here</a>)<br />
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I realised the former towel/ribbon holding bar was ideal for hooking earrings over; and the hooks were great for hanging my collection of <strike>hardly ever worn</strike> necklaces. Plus, the shelf could hold trinkets, rings and bracelets.<br />
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I moved the shelf to the bedroom and then arranged all the crown jewels on it. It works absolutely fab - the earrings are in reach and can easily be chosen; the necklaces are behind where I don't need to get at them that often. And rings and bracelets plus stud earrings are on the shelf.<br />
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It looks quite well, too, doesn't it? I got all excited about the little thing and took lots of pictures, playing with the dof of it and all...<br />
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If you want to recreate that but haven't got a ready-made shelf like this, I am sure it would be easy enough to copy. In fact, I had to put in the little holding rod myself, when I gave the shelf the initial make-over. It is merely a piece of doweling. Just make sure it is not too thick to hook your earrings over.<br />
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For posterity, here is a before/after of the whole dresser. Now, that looks better, now, doesn't it?<br />
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Best,<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/107/239A5C6D4B194ED02D26BDF5869651E4.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><br />
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<b><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">PS: Linking to</span> <a href="http://www.creativelylivingblog.com/2013/02/monday-funday-link-party-2.html" target="_blank">Monday Fun Day Link Party @ Creatively Living</a></b><br />
<b><br /><a href="http://diyshowoff.com/2013/02/03/that-diy-party-2/" target="_blank"></a></b>Sonja @ Craft-Werkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10913431564020496518noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1936361741603329034.post-1400391188385014622013-02-01T20:43:00.000+00:002013-02-04T14:58:16.933+00:00Spring TimeToday is the beginning of spring. Sounds mad - but in Ireland it traditionally is the first day of spring on St Brigid's Day - the first of February. High time for me to get rid of my New Year's message that had been gracing the "Frame of Frills" in my kitchen.<br />
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I wanted a quick and nice update to my <strike>show off area</strike> empty frame. That was easily done by actually chucking the previous display into the bin: the letters spelling H A P P Y N E W Y E A R were all warped and I felt not the slightest pang of regret when I put them in the bin. Instead I put up this:<br />
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Just a selection of photos, strung up with tiny little wooden clothes pegs. I went for a bit of a friendly theme with the hearts. No connection with Valentine - but it would probably fit the occasion as well.<br />
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This is just one of the easiest deco things you can do. Go through your photoalbums and dig out all the nice memories you want to surround yourself with. Or follow a theme - mine was "hearts" and "red/pink". You can easily create polaroid-y prints by cropping your images into squares and then printing them on paper/card/photo paper. Just cut them in such a way that you leave a wider edge of white at the bottom. Or, for those who want it even easier, I recommend online photo converters such as <a href="http://www.polaroin.com/" target="_blank">polaroin</a>, <a href="http://www.instantizer.com/" target="_blank">instantizer</a> or (my personal favourite site) <a href="http://bighugelabs.com/frame.php" target="_blank">bighugelabs</a>. - After that it is just arranging and hanging.<br />
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Kitchen mantle February style. Bring on the winter depression, I am ready...<br />
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Best, <br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/107/239A5C6D4B194ED02D26BDF5869651E4.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><br />
<b><span style="color: #a64d79;">PS: Linking to</span> <a href="http://somedaycrafts.blogspot.ie/2013/02/valentines-categorically-crafting.html" target="_blank">Categorically Crafting @ Someday Crafts<span style="color: black;"><br /></span></a></b><br />
<b>, <a href="http://diyshowoff.com/2013/02/03/that-diy-party-2/" target="_blank">That DIY Party @ DIY-Show-off</a></b>Sonja @ Craft-Werkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10913431564020496518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1936361741603329034.post-75870426659197487362013-01-24T16:30:00.000+00:002013-01-24T20:13:43.817+00:00My Bloody ValentineCraftworld is probably going to dismiss me dishonourably for writing this - but I really do NOT care for Valentine's Day at all. The craft-blogging universe is full of hearts this and pink that. A difficult time of year for me. So I would like to point out that the following project is NOT a Valentine's project. But hey - if you want a heart display for your Valentine's decor, then be my guest. It fits the description...<br />
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This is something I had been meaning to make for a long time. You see, I tidied up my wardrobe last autumn and threw out lots of wire hangers. Except I held on to them, to make wreaths with them. (I made a nice bauble wreath before Christmas, alas, I was not active on Craft-Werk at the time, so that'll only see the light of blogworld next December...) And then my friend-in-blogdom Jutta of Organized-living-solutions posted <a href="http://blog.organized-living-solutions.com/2013/01/valentines-heart.html" target="_blank">this darling little heart wreath</a> of hers a couple of weeks ago. Combined with the recent crocheting craze that I have been going through, I had the perfect project cut out for me.<br />
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And this is how made my ruffled heart wreath:<br />
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You need a wire hanger and some fabric. I happened to find a looooong off-cut from some silvery curtain material in my stash. I think I cut that off when I <a href="http://craft-werk.blogspot.ie/2009/08/another-lampshade.html" target="_blank">covered a lampshade</a> with that, yonks ago... Anyway, you want a two-meter long and about 10 cm wide piece of fabric for this.<br />
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Fold in half lengthwise and just sew together, creating a long tube.<br />
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Next bend your wire hanger into shape. This is best done while the wire has not been untangled at the top. Simply pull down the straight bit in the middle, smooth out the bumps at the side and then push down the hanger top to create the dip of the heart. You might find it easier to do that lying the hanger flat on a table top. <br />
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Undo the two wires from each other to open up the heart. <br />
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Thread the fabric tube onto the wire.<br />
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Presto, here is your undecorated but already ruffly heart-shaped wreath: <br />
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I decided to add a bit of colour. My crochet flowers had to be incorporated somewhere. After sewing brooch needles on the back of the flowers, I then simply attached them to the fabric.<br />
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Word of advice: the lighter your decor in weight, the easier to arrange on the heart. My crochet flowers kept pointing downwards with the gravity. I eventually fixed that by keeping them in place with some cheap pearl earrings - they actually make the flowers look even better than without them.<br />
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The great thing is, the wreath itself is pretty neutral - so I can redecorate this any time of year - with some sparkly stuff for Christmas, some punchy flowers in spring time and some fluttering butterflies in summer. Maybe paper deco works best here as heavy items will drag the ruffle fabric down... the crochet flowers are about as much as it will take.<br />
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I am hanging the wreath on the drawing room door - as I haven't got a useable front door, this is the first door in my own living space that my visitors see. I welcome them with an open heart ;-) </div>
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Best,<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/107/239A5C6D4B194ED02D26BDF5869651E4.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><br />
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<b><span style="color: yellow;">PS: Linking to </span><span style="color: #bf9000;"><a href="http://www.somewhatsimple.com/blog-link-party-with-craftstack/" target="_blank">Blog Link Party @ Somewhat Simple</a></span></b><span style="color: #bf9000;"><b> <a href="http://www.theshabbycreekcottage.com/2013/01/transformation-thursday-no-188.html" target="_blank">Transformation Thursday @ Shabby Creek Cottage</a> </b></span><br />
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<br />Sonja @ Craft-Werkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10913431564020496518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1936361741603329034.post-12530192663676826172013-01-20T11:00:00.000+00:002013-01-20T11:00:03.143+00:00Knitted Collar/ScarfAnother project from my recent Knitting Renaissance came courtesy of a friend who passed on a knitting kit to me. It came from a great new initiative called Supercraft which aims to get people crafting and creating. Such fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah, that's me, having a bit of fun while working on that project...</td></tr>
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The paperbag contained a couple of buttons, some stitching thread, elastic thread and a stitching needle. Everything that was needed to complete the proposed project.<br />
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I opted for a collar/scarf which was extremely easy to knit and took one afternoon to make. What usually puts me off knitting is the annoying sewing-together you have to do at the end. Now that all the tools were at hand, I had no excuse to finish the scarf and therefore it got done.<br />
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I sewed a one-off, hand-made glass button as a decoration onto the collar, to give it a bit of bling.<br />
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And here it is:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Suffering from overexposure again... sorry.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8324/8083555707_9b44f33b5d.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>Sonja @ Craft-Werkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10913431564020496518noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1936361741603329034.post-54170874463645279212013-01-19T13:05:00.002+00:002013-01-19T13:24:18.324+00:00Knitting HellRecently I have been doing a lot of traditional hand-crafts. It all started when I decided I needed a crafts project I could take on my summer holiday. Yep, already an age ago, but there you go. Crocheting or knitting, I didn't really care, as long as it kept my fingers busy on the family holiday in Denmark. I set my mother on the case and she got me a lovely project in the local yarn shop.<br />
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Even for beginners, the project I settled on was one of the easiest you could start with. I knitted a triangular scarf. The special thing about it was that you had to knit it with needles with different thickness, in order to get a row of really big stitches and an alternating row of tight stitches. As the scarf will be growing in width as you go along, you best knit on a circular knitting needle.<br />
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When I bought my wool in the shop, the assistant actually did a great sales speech and sold me a nifty knitting needle where the ends are not fixed permanently but you can exchange them. So I had a thin needle at one end of the circular knitting needle, and a thick one at the other. The sizes used were 2.5 and 9.<br />
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And then it is only knit - purl - knit - purl all along.<br />
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You start off with three plain stitches on your thin needle. For the second row you also just knit the three stitches. After that, in every row, you add one loop at the beginning and one at the end. That way your scarf becomes a triangular shape.<br />
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Once I finished my scarf, I made three tassles from the remaining wool. I pulled the bits of wool through a loop at each of the three points, then threaded a wooden bead from my daughter's jewellery box on to the wool and secured it with a simple knot.<br />
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I really love my scarf and have been wearing it quite a bit this winter. Sonja @ Craft-Werkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10913431564020496518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1936361741603329034.post-39731519773034679792013-01-17T09:36:00.000+00:002013-01-17T09:36:00.387+00:00Frame-WorkOk, I better show you this before January passes and it is <b>definitely </b>too late to have this message anywhere:<br />
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It's the old trusty empty frame again... It has been keeping me company in my kitchen for four years now and it has seen many transformations. Essentially it has framed anything from a bunch of milk jugs via wreaths to an assortment of Christmas baubles.<br />
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I actually put the thin silver string into the frame for my last Christmas display. It was an idea I had when I came across a pack of 50 mini silver pegs and silver string in the Irish equivalent to the Dollar Store. It was € 1.50 and was actually meant for stringing up Christmas cards. Instead I fixed the string to the frame and then hung all those misc Christmas decorations on there that usually just sit in a corner of the empty Christmas deco boxes. Here's the Christmas frame (sorry, anachronistic, but just for comparison purposes...)<br />
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Oh Cod, the photo quality is atrocious. Don't tell anyone I am a photographer. I was being lazy and only snapped pictures with my iPhone. That has got to stop from now on, back to proper photographs.<br />
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Anyhow, there you have it - the frame doing its service. I am already thinking up a slightly Valentine-esque display for February. Watch this space!Sonja @ Craft-Werkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10913431564020496518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1936361741603329034.post-68730402253359953872013-01-16T14:23:00.001+00:002013-01-16T14:23:25.400+00:00Comfy Cat CushionThe recent cushion-making spree was actually started by this:<br />
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No, my cat Skittles is not that good with her paws. But she took possession of the cushion you see underneath her there in her box - and thus forced me to come up with alternative cushion covers for the sitting room.<br />
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But this is the starting point: For aaaaages I had been hanging on to what used to be one of my favourite summer tops. It's an Empire line knitted top from H&M that I loved to bits - literally, because eventually it had small little holes right across the belly and became unwearable. But I always liked the material and left it sitting at the bottom of my wardrobe for an alternative use.<br />
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Then at the weekend I finally set to sewing a cushion cover from it. I simply cut the top of the shirt off and then cut straight up the bottom of the fabric.<br />
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I sewed it with an overlapping back for easy removal. The A-line dimension proved to be difficult to deal with - the resulting cushion was a bit wonky. I put the cushion aside - and Skittles immediately took up residence on the cushion and claimed it to herself.<br />
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Ah well, she deserves to be comfy, too. </div>
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Happy end. She got a comfy cushion, and I moved on to sew my <a href="http://craft-werk.blogspot.ie/2013/01/oriental-bling.html" target="_blank">six small Oriental cushion covers</a>. </div>
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<br />Sonja @ Craft-Werkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10913431564020496518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1936361741603329034.post-43572625929281403532013-01-14T10:55:00.000+00:002013-01-17T09:08:14.113+00:00Oriental BlingSo this is how I spent my Sunday afternoon:<br />
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No, not lounging on the sofa in front of a cozy fire. I was a busy bee and sewed the cushions that are just visible there on the couch. This had been made necessary by the fact that my <a href="http://craft-werk.blogspot.ie/2010/10/well-cushioned.html" target="_blank">previous cushion project</a> had become not only threadbare but cat-flea infested. Arrrrgh. So out with the old and in with the new.<br />
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On my post-Christmas shopping spree last year I snapped up six Ikea cushions at € 0.50 each. They are 35 x 35 cm in size, and since I had six of them, they called for a coordinated effort. Ahem.<br />
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A look in my much ignored fabric stash brought out a large piece of fabric that a friend had brought back from China for me. I cut the fabric to size, ironed it and then set to it with my sewing machine. Incidentally I found the reverse of the fabric nicer and more fitting with the rather orangy red of my sofa, so I made four of them and two of the actual fabric front. The cushion case is removable, so it can be thrown in the wash if the cats get too familiar with them, again.<br />
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With my recent Ikea bargain - the golden tray table - it looks as if I have a bit of an Oriental thing going on in my drawing room now:<br />
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I think this calls for a pillow fight, actually...<br />
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Best,</div>
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<b><span style="color: yellow;">Linking to:</span> <span style="color: #f1c232;"><a href="http://www.theshabbycreekcottage.com/" target="_blank">Transformation Thursday @ Shabby Chic Cottage</a></span></b><br />
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Sonja @ Craft-Werkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10913431564020496518noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1936361741603329034.post-76387048376818176702013-01-13T21:19:00.000+00:002013-01-16T21:15:22.480+00:00She ChokesA great day, just the way I like Sundays. I spent all day crafting. Well, that's after I got out of bed at about 11 am... *theshame*. But then it was all systems go with MDF, a circular saw and paint, as well as a sewing machine and some fancy fabric. Project MDF is not ready yet and Project Sew needs to have photos imported. But since I am impatient to get stuff out here, I'll post Project Choke. Forgive me for the bad quality pictures - the next post will be nicer to look at (because it won't feature me in it!!!)<br />
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My beadbox, as I noticed today, is littered with lots of beaded half-domes. They are the residue of a craft project I went crazy on almost three years ago. (My, is it already that long ago? I would've thought it was only last year...) You can read about that <a href="http://craft-werk.blogspot.ie/2010/01/bead-balls-exercise-in-patience.html" target="_blank">here</a>. And <a href="http://craft-werk.blogspot.ie/2010/02/lots-of-bead-ball-objects.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Eh, and <a href="http://craft-werk.blogspot.ie/2010/01/bead-ball-earrings.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Anyway, I don't like loose ends and I wondered what I could use them for. Since I didn't have any tulle to make more of these <a href="http://craft-werk.blogspot.ie/2010/01/corsages-cant-get-enough-of-them.html" target="_blank">corsage flowers</a>, I had to think of something else. <br />
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A choker, she choked. Indeed. Should I ever be invited to a Baroque-themed costume party, I am ready.<br />
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I had a bit of ribbon left hat I used for this little project. Also, I needed some velcro and the bead dome.<br />
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I basically stuck my velcro onto the ribbon after determining, how long the choker needed to be to fit snugly round my neck.<br />
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I quickly sewed over the velcro to keep it in place. Then I hand-sewed the bead dome onto the ribbon.<br />
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That's it. The photos aren't great, sorry, I was using my iPhone and I might try and take some better shots of it if I have time. Also, I didn't stage myself very well in this - wearing my usual fleece top instead of dressing up appropriately. But there you have it, I am too impatient to re-do the whole shoot now.<br />
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<span style="color: #ffd966;">Linking to:</span> <span style="color: yellow;"><a href="http://somedaycrafts.blogspot.ie/2013/01/whatever-goes-wednesday.html" target="_blank">Whatever Goes Wednesday @ Someday Crafts</a></span><br />
<br />Sonja @ Craft-Werkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10913431564020496518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1936361741603329034.post-12819649410334828872013-01-12T21:07:00.000+00:002013-01-12T21:07:00.738+00:00Happy New YearFlowers in September? Well, that's what you saw until now on this blog. And all of that in the middle of January. I may have completely ignored Christmas 2012 in my blogging life (at least in *this* blogging life) but intend to be back in business in 2013. So this is for you:<br />
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By all intents and purposes Craft-Werk seemed to have gone into hibernation. And yes, for the last while I haven't done much but get my equilibrium back after the disconcerting end of my student life. Then I got very busy with my professional life - both old (in journalism) and new (in photography) and that sucked all my creative energy. (Yes, I know you have heard that before *sighs*). But then January comes along and somehow in deepest darkest winter there is always this creative volcano that keeps prodding from beneath the surface. With college out of the way for good, there is no reason not to let it erupt.<br />
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So I got crafty after New Year's. What really brings it out is my Protestant frugality. But of course I will only admit to contemporary goody-two-shoes mentality aka environmentally mindedness *coughs*. Because the New Year's display above came from this:<br />
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A heap of waste paper from the Christmas crackers at my lovely sister-in-law's Chrimbo dinner. They were just too nice to throw away, I loved its sparkly design and I knew I could do something with it.<br />
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And so I got the old trusty scissors out, printed myself some nice alphabet templates and cut away...<br />
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The whole arrangement now sits in the drawing room, where before the Christmas tree took up space and then left a rather big gap. (For a previous Christmas cracker project, check out my <a href="http://craft-werk.blogspot.ie/2012/01/birds-of-bling.html" target="_blank">"Birds of Bling" post</a> from last January) It's all a bit bling, silver glitter on twigs and all, but at least the geometrical vase keeps it all a bit grounded - an Ikea bargain, btw, at € 2, bought in the January sales.<br />
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So there we are. Back in business with crafting. I have a few ideas up my sleeves, involving...<br />
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<li>MDF</li>
<li>loooooads of tennis balls</li>
<li>and some white tulle</li>
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Not in the same project, though... But watch this space.<br />
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Happy new year, crafty friends! <br />
<br />Sonja @ Craft-Werkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10913431564020496518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1936361741603329034.post-19125702387810550152012-09-18T09:00:00.000+01:002012-09-18T09:00:03.053+01:00Last Attempt at FlowersRight, the summer is nearly over. As usual I find it hard to accept that. I am fighting it tooth and nail. And just to spite the outdoors which is now beginning to deprive me of fresh flowers, I am bringing the flowers inside.<br />
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It all started here. One of those flower garlands. One of my nieces had played a little bit to roughly with it and the string broke. So I decided to take the whole thing apart and use it differently. After all, poor Claus (the rocking horse) was beginning to feel a bit confused, sporting a pink flower garland, anyway...<br />
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Essentially I picked the whole thing apart. You are left then with pieces of flimsy fabric, cut into a vague flower shape. I simply just stuck these shapes onto the branches in my vase. The hole in the middle where the string had run through, was handy for pushing the flowers onto the branches. And now the branches have miraculously flowered in mid-September, much to the surprise of my niece.<br />
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Yes, it is Tack City. But I like a bit of colour every once in a while. And for a free and easy bit of decoration this was actually fun...<br />
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There are a few bits of fabric flowers left over on the string. I already have a cunning idea up my sleeve how that could be used up. Stay tuned...<br />
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<br />Best,</div>
<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/107/239A5C6D4B194ED02D26BDF5869651E4.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><br />Sonja @ Craft-Werkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10913431564020496518noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1936361741603329034.post-63900614980152761472012-09-17T15:13:00.000+01:002012-09-17T15:13:11.107+01:00The Season of Fruitful Mellowness<a href="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8030/7995903272_78a962bb7b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8030/7995903272_78a962bb7b.jpg" width="239" /></a>It is upon us, that season of fruitful mellowness. In more than one sense. I am free. I have finished my college degree (admittedly already several months ago - but as is usual, I stepped right from the high of finishing three years of college into a depression over the purpose-less future of my now degree-decorated life). So my life is now mellow again and I can return to my second favourite past-time: crafting.<br />
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And with the season that is in it, my first project revolved around the fruitfulness of autumn. Yes, it is foraging time again. And after shamefully missing blackberry season last year and having to resort to shop-bought berries for my raspberry jelly 2011, I was adamant I was going to pick some blackberries this year and make that jelly truly my own.<br />
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And so I did - I went blackberrying yesterday, up the back of Bray Head on a narrow country lane. The blackberries were not all ripe yet, and you had to look hard to find them. Some even grew in the grass at the bottom of the hedgerow. And the bushes certainly resisted me - in concert with the nettles they seem to team up with. My poor hand bears the reminders of nettlesting and bramblescratch. In the end we came away with what turned into nearly two and a half litres of blackberry juice. <br />
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(If you want instructions on how to make jelly, check <a href="http://craft-werk.blogspot.ie/2011/10/she-do-use-jelly.html" target="_blank">this post from last year</a>.)<br />
<a href="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8453/7995893898_ba01452dd5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8453/7995893898_ba01452dd5.jpg" width="400" /></a>Much to my delight, the jelly set beautifully. I came away with six and a half jars of what I call "really fruity" blackberry jelly. This is jelly that is made with jam sugar that uses twice as much juice for the amount of sugar that is usually recommended. The result is a slightly less overly sweet, but much more intensely fruity jelly. (Unfortunately I yet have to find a jam sugar brand that produces this kind of sugar in Ireland. I actually imported the jam sugar from Germany this summer. Over there it goes by the name of "2:1".) A second batch of jelly had to be made with the remainder of normal jam sugar - i.e. you use as much sugar (in weight) as fruit juice to make it. This is my so-called "really sweet" jelly, a stash of only three jars.<br />
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But as usual I cannot get the ultimate satisfaction for a job well done unless even the details are right. In this case the jars needed labels - because they had to be distinguishable for the two types I made. And I couldn't rest until I had designed my own little label to my own specifications. Such fun to play around...<br />
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Now, with the labels stuck on, I am really happy with my jelly. Can't wait to taste it. (Feel free to copy the image and edit it for your own use. Just by cutting out my name and the month you could re-use it for your own purpose.)<br />
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<br />Best,</div>
<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/107/239A5C6D4B194ED02D26BDF5869651E4.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><br />Sonja @ Craft-Werkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10913431564020496518noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1936361741603329034.post-44288760337048231132012-03-20T09:00:00.012+00:002012-03-20T09:23:23.703+00:00Wake up to YellowYou haven't asked for it, but you are gonna get this anyway - an insight into my bathroom. Incidentally it is trend city: dark gray and bright yellow accents seem to be en vogue. (Just put "gray and yellow" into Google and see what comes up.) Alright, I admit - gray was actually my better half's idea. I was not so enamoured with the colour of rainclouds. But true to form and nickname, I came up with the bursts of yellow and together the combination really rocks. So follow me on a quick tour of my bathroom.<br />
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Now, just to give you a bit of context: The house I live in is over 200 years old. Hence it would not have had a bathroom/toilet originally. The bathroom was tacked onto the house about 110 years ago, I reckon. It sits on top of a three-storey extension at the back of our house. The sanitaryware is original!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7198/6994351605_d93c17d23f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7198/6994351605_d93c17d23f.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>And it has a funny little dome that illuminates it from above (just about visible in the image above).<br />
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This is what it looks like when you look up - the dome is a octagon shape.<br />
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(I need to do something about that awful light fitting. I know *sighs*) Above the sink you can see my lovely soap holder. I can tell you, I had *some* fun with that implement when I tried to get it onto a plane in my handluggage...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7041/6848220022_e0f0fff7fa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7041/6848220022_e0f0fff7fa.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> The security guys had never seen a thing like that before and were very suspicious. Apparently it is a 1950s design from France, available at <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_947433194">manufactum</a>. The walls of the bathroom are wood panelled and painted in this luscious (!) dark gray that makes the yellow stand out even more. Here we have a detail of the sink with my toiletries in the background (actually: some lemon soap bought in <a href="http://www.sweny.ie/" target="_blank">Sweny's Chemist</a> on Bloomsday!!! Once a James Joyce-fan, always a James Joyce-fan...)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7184/6994337297_77ae0ee5e5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7184/6994337297_77ae0ee5e5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Let's slowly turn to the left from the sink to the bathtub. It's an old tub - but unfortunately not remotely ornate, therefore encased in panels, too. It had to be re-enameled a few years ago as the water seeping from the original taps leaves brown stains on the enamel. As you can see I placed one of my new yellow prints by <a href="http://dimpleprints.com/" target="_blank">dimple prints</a> which I found through one of my regular blog reads, <a href="http://tatertotsandjello.com/" target="_blank">Tatertots and Jello</a>, above the tub. <br />
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On the windowsill I have a little nod to the sea - a collection of shells, starfish and those simple birds. Love them.<br />
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<a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7040/6994254923_8af83dc32b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7040/6994254923_8af83dc32b.jpg" width="266" /></a>Oh, and the ducks. They are an ongoing collection. The biggest of them came courtesy of my previous employer, the other two were found in the sea!!! <br />
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Turn a bit more and you see the other end of the bath. I put the other print there - it's my favourite one "you are my sunshine" and I placed it there so that you can see it as soon as you enter the bathroom (the door is to the right of the sink). With the light streaming in, it reflects in the glass of the frame, so you can't see it properly. (Check <a href="http://craft-werk.blogspot.com/2012/03/good-morning-sunshine.html" target="_blank">yesterday's post</a> for a couple of close-ups!)<br />
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I wish I had a before-photo of the bathroom, but unfortunately it was never up to much, hence I never documented it on film or digitally...<br />
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Last little turn now, and we will arrive in the final corner of the bathroom...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7041/6994331381_e96e5d22fd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7041/6994331381_e96e5d22fd.jpg" width="253" /></a></div>Here I have quite sneakily left out the towel warmer in the corner beside the cupboard. The brown cupboard is actually a bedside table which stores towels. Beside it is the towel warmer - a nasty 1980s design that is a disgusting beige colour. Spray job? Maybe! The in-built cupboard is courtesy of the better half and houses swimming togs, soaps and assorted bits and bobs. On the shelves are our toothbrushes and some of the most-frequently used creams. Oh, and a picture that used to hang on the bathroom wall - it's an old soap advert from an antique magazine from roughly 1913. "Erasmic Soap" - first time I saw the ad, I misread the ...-asmic bit *oooops*...<br />
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Anyway, that's the downstairs bathroom. It mainly gets used by guests these days because our bedrooms are a floor and a half up from this bathroom and therefore we eventually built a new showerroom upstairs. I have to say that the fresh colour scheme of the downstairs bathroom almost entices me to walk those two flights of stairs and come down there to use it... Nah, just kidding.<br />
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So, there we are. Hope you liked the little tour of the little bathroom. <br />
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</div>Best,<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/107/239A5C6D4B194ED02D26BDF5869651E4.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Sonja @ Craft-Werkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10913431564020496518noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1936361741603329034.post-37567299798827771462012-03-19T10:04:00.000+00:002012-03-19T10:04:46.892+00:00Good Morning, Sunshine!The other day I saw this really <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/75459915/good-morning-sunshine-print-in-sunshine?ref=sr_list_27&amp%3Bga_search_submit=&amp%3Bga_search_query=yellow+prints&amp%3Bga_noautofacet=1&amp%3Bga_page=4&amp%3Bga_search_type=handmade&amp%3Bga_facet=handmade%2Fart%2Fprint%2Fdigital" target="_blank">cute print on etsy</a>. It really spoke to me - not just because it was yellow, but because it said "Good morning, sunshine" - and sunshine used to be my nickname, years ago... It would be the perfect picture to wake up to or to be greeted with in the bathroom when I get up to do my early morning shift. And it got me going...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorry, boys, I have to release you and wipe you down!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>There <b>is </b>actually a yellow zone in my house. It's the downstairs bathroom. It has a few splashes of yellow here and there but it needed some more. And when I came across some free printable yellows courtesy of <a href="http://www.dimpleprints.com/" target="_blank">dimple prints</a> via <a href="http://tatertotsandjello.com/2012/03/you-are-my-sunshine-free-spring-printables.html" target="_blank">Tatertots and Jello</a>, I got the kick up my backside to finally do something about my yellow love. I scoured our "frame cabinet" - a cupboard in our sitting room which is full of old frames with some unnamed ancestors in it. And I found two nice frames. But *eeeeek*, look at the state of them:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7183/6847590890_1a79e5b16b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7183/6847590890_1a79e5b16b.jpg" width="149" /></a></div>That's already better, isn't it? No idea who the ancient tottie is - the family had four daughters, so he's not one of "ours"... I had to dismantle the frames to wipe them down - and of course I cut myself in the process. That's one thing I hate about the old stuff in the house: I am always slightly suspicious of the dust of the centuries that covers everything in here. If I vanish from the blog, you'll know that my right middle finger has turned gangrenous *ggg* <br />
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It also turned out that the frame on the right was actually not grey but green. Oooops, doesn't quite go with my colour scheme, but well...<br />
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Anyhow, I stuck the sunny prints into the frames and *boom* instant lift!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6096/6850049696_de362161ed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6096/6850049696_de362161ed.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br />
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Curious what the rest of the room looks like??? I'll give you a look tomorrow!<br />
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Best,</div><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/107/239A5C6D4B194ED02D26BDF5869651E4.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Sonja @ Craft-Werkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10913431564020496518noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1936361741603329034.post-92018561456399273102012-03-17T10:46:00.003+00:002012-03-17T10:50:21.602+00:00Happy St. Patrick's DayEverything's going to be green today! And since I have taken leave of absence from Facebook, I am communicating to all my friends all over the world via the blog - <b>have a great day, Irish or not.</b><br />
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<b>Smile if you <span style="font-size: large;">like </span>the Irish!</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7047/6989457393_086b37ef13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7047/6989457393_086b37ef13.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>The leprechauns were pretty active around here. When we sat down to breakfast, they had turned our milk green. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7204/6989458455_7eef6700bf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7204/6989458455_7eef6700bf.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>And guess what, that made our customary bowl of Weetabix green, too. (Hm, not sure if I really like the look of this...) <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7203/6843336114_36aac7b171.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7203/6843336114_36aac7b171.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>Sure, even the little buns came out green from the oven... <br />
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The plan today is to go down to Dame St and watch the parade. I have to admit that I am not a huge fan of this - mainly because the streets will be so crowded that with my height of a mere 1,68 m I will really only be watching the backs of other people's heads. I usually bring a stepladder along - but my kids will be sharing that with their friends while good old Mama has to stay at ground level. *boohoo* I suspect I'd have a better view of the parade on TV...<br />
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Happy Paddy's Day!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Best,</div><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/107/239A5C6D4B194ED02D26BDF5869651E4.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Sonja @ Craft-Werkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10913431564020496518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1936361741603329034.post-18322561713241825262012-03-16T23:29:00.002+00:002012-03-17T11:20:31.870+00:00Felt FlowerThe momentum was kept up today with not one but three crafty things I did. It's already late now and tomorrow is Paddy's Day, so I won't have time to write up all three, but I'll show you todays favourite piece of creativity - a felt flower.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7067/6987558759_9a9be8ee66.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7067/6987558759_9a9be8ee66.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
The inspiration for this easy flower pin came from pinterest - or actually a craft blog called <a href="http://www.homemakerinheels.com/2011/11/chloe-easy-no-sew-fabric-flowers.html" target="_blank">Homemaker in Heels</a>. I saw the flower there and decided on a whim that I should try it out. And I did and was lucky at first go. Goes to show how easy this project really is!!!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sonjaindublin/6987523941/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Untitled by Dublin Sonja, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="239" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7036/6987523941_853781b1ff.jpg" width="320" /></a>Here's what you need: A strip of felt, scissors, a glue gun and a brooch pin.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sonjaindublin/6987525827/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Untitled by Dublin Sonja, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="239" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7052/6987525827_3eefd12e64.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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Cut off a piece of felt, about 12" long and 4" wide. Never mind whether it is ironed or not - it won't make any difference to the outcome of the project. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sonjaindublin/6987527689/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Untitled by Dublin Sonja, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="239" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7195/6987527689_5d978af250.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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Fold the strip in half. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sonjaindublin/6987549195/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Untitled by Dublin Sonja, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="239" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7200/6987549195_a2df0acd19.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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Sew down the length of the strip and then cut the felt almost down to the seam. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sonjaindublin/6987544255/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Untitled by Dublin Sonja, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="239" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7041/6987544255_38300583d1.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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Roll up the length of felt. Secure the last bit with a drop of hot glue. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sonjaindublin/6841428092/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Untitled by Dublin Sonja, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="239" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7065/6841428092_4a6eb631c1.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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Now fix the flower by putting hot glue all into the rolled up middle of the flower. Before the glue has hardened, bunch a bit of felt into the middle there to fill it in a little. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sonjaindublin/6841430708/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Untitled by Dublin Sonja, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="239" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7193/6841430708_001be94a9c.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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Cut a bit of felt and cover the bunched up back of the flower with it. Hot glue a brooch needle onto the back and tidy up all the glue strings. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sonjaindublin/6841433556/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Untitled by Dublin Sonja, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7182/6841433556_f08bfc2501.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
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Presto! <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sonjaindublin/6841433344/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Untitled by Dublin Sonja, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7205/6841433344_52d8690226.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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Look how extraordinarily pleased I am with my flower pin. I am grinning like a gingerbread horse (sorry, direct translation from German - but you get the picture... I am happy as Larry, pleased as Peter and delighted as Delilah...) You can almost <b>hear</b> me say tadahhhhhhhhh... <br />
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Anyhow - if you are looking for a simple flower brooch to update an outfit, to prettify a hat or to bump up a bag, this is the project to do as you will more than likely have all ingredients at home. I think I will make many more of these - as pressies for friends, mums and goodie bag contents for the next girly birthday party. It even looks good in my tin of shamrock, planted just in time for Paddy's Day.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sonjaindublin/6841434072/" title="Untitled by Dublin Sonja, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7183/6841434072_45102e3a29.jpg" width="374" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Best,</div><br />
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Linking this to:<br />
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<a href="http://www.504main.com/2012/03/tickled-pink-no-90ish-because-it-is-not.html" style="color: magenta;" target="_blank">Tickled Pink @ 504 Main</a><br />
<a href="http://www.findingfabulousblog.com/2012/03/frugalicious-friday-giveawaylittle.html" style="color: #45818e;" target="_blank">Frugalicious Friday @ Finding Fabulous</a>Sonja @ Craft-Werkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10913431564020496518noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1936361741603329034.post-40123279932167274762012-03-15T09:55:00.005+00:002012-03-15T09:55:00.139+00:00Easter NestThe zesty lemon has obviously revived me. My creative juices are literally boiling, it seems. Mind you, I am only doing little projects here, preferably something that is done in ten minutes. Anything else and I have a major guilty conscience because I *really* should be doing my college homework and not some nimsywhimsy crafting... But look what I made:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7064/6982261625_43075dd538_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7064/6982261625_43075dd538_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Easter doesn't get any easier than this! Took me five minutes do make this little nest. It had been on my to-do-list for at least two years. Chances are that you have everything you need for these little beauties at home, anyway: some beads and silver wire.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7058/6982329191_4189e6e43f_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7058/6982329191_4189e6e43f_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>For my first little nest I didn't take any pictures, but I have created another one just to show you in a tut how these are made. Start by threading your beads onto the wire. I think that three work best, but you can use any number.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7058/6836201366_744a7af717_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7058/6836201366_744a7af717_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Now start winding the wire around the three beads. Just keep going and going. Occasionally, change direction or move the wire right underneath your developing nest, just so the wire rounds become a little more irregular.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7036/6836199794_0dfaf4a722_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7052/6982228451_3ecfa9e2ea_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7052/6982228451_3ecfa9e2ea_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Continue until the nest looks big enough. You can fix a pin to the back of it by simply threading the wire through the holes in it. Unfortunately my nest is not really big enough to disguise the pin - I was just too impatient to finish it.<br />
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Anyhow, these are really cute. They are about the size of a thumbnail and might be suitable as pendants or earrings. I am also thinking that they could look sweet as decorations on the Easter table.<br />
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Happy Easter decorating...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
Best,<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/107/239A5C6D4B194ED02D26BDF5869651E4.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><br />
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</div>Sonja @ Craft-Werkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10913431564020496518noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1936361741603329034.post-74889939461155690842012-03-14T10:10:00.001+00:002012-03-14T20:39:26.417+00:00Ch-ch-ch-changesHello hello - yes, I have woken up from hibernation in Hibernia. It is quite evident - not only in the fact that I have already posted a crafty project this week, but that I could not rest until I had spring-cleaned my blog.<br />
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Well, it's a bit more than a spring clean, I guess. It's a complete make-over. I just couldn't bear the bright read any longer. Inexplicably I have recently developed a "thing" for bright yellow. I have no idea why. I never particularly liked yellow - too garish, too cold, too sour. But at the moment I simply cannot get enough of yellow. I have been posting quite a bit of that on <a href="http://pinterest.com/sonjashoots/" target="_blank">my Pinterest boards</a>. Maybe I am craving the colour of the sun after months of winter? In any case - since I cannot really re-decorate my house in bright yellow (it would just look out of place, I think), I am revamping craft-werk instead.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EXdVj3dFyr4/T2BsBtB35oI/AAAAAAAAAis/Z76pNun0m3I/s1600/craft+werk+yellow.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EXdVj3dFyr4/T2BsBtB35oI/AAAAAAAAAis/Z76pNun0m3I/s640/craft+werk+yellow.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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Grey is pretty much on trend, too, and doesn't it look great with yellow? I couldn't resist and drag the spring-theme even to the header and reappropriate one of my earlier projects, the bird magnets, for the header illustration. Read about them <a href="http://craft-werk.blogspot.com/2010/01/christmas-is-over-lets-hear-some.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Oh, and one thing hasn't changed: I am still a geek. And therefore I had to change my favicon from the white scissors on red background to a sleek little factory. (If you want to know how to make your own custom favicon, here's <a href="http://craft-werk.blogspot.com/2010/02/i-am-turning-into-computer-geek.html" target="_blank">my post</a>.) <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5187/5653957051_87ffb077c6_o.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5187/5653957051_87ffb077c6_o.gif" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7195/6836781902_ca90f3e8e6_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="311" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7195/6836781902_ca90f3e8e6_o.jpg" width="400" /></a>That, actually, is my general logo for my RLW (real life work) as a journalist and photographer. Incidentally, if you wanna have a look, check my new photography website which I am currently revamping, too (so not entirely glitch-less yet). It's called <a href="http://www.sonjakrollimagewerk.com/" target="_blank">image<b>werk</b></a> - of course... <br />
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Anyhow, hope you like the new look. While I was at it, I had to change my blog signature, too. After all, it all has to fit together, somehow - the organic look, so to speak. So I made myself a new signature on <a href="http://mylivesignature.com/">mylivesignature.com</a> It's dead easy - so had over there and get yourself a personal touch, too ;-)<br />
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</div>Best,<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/107/239A5C6D4B194ED02D26BDF5869651E4.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Sonja @ Craft-Werkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10913431564020496518noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1936361741603329034.post-39512223351063980752012-03-13T21:00:00.001+00:002012-03-14T09:16:15.813+00:00Spring into SkirtsWhy hello, tonight I am writing from my iPhone rather than my computer, just because I am so flippin' pleased that I can't leave my latest creative creation. I have been skirting again...<br />
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<blockquote>My love affair with skirts began, which was rather late for me,<br />
Between the end of the Chatterley ban, <br />
And 1963.</blockquote><br />
Eh, no, that's actually quoting from my second favourite poem by my favourite poet, the wonderfully laconic Philip Larkin (name of the poem: Annus Miserabilis, <a href="http://www.wussu.com/poems/plam.htm" target="_blank">check it out!</a>). My love affair began - late, admittedly - about four years ago. At the time I had lost a whole lot of weight and I suddenly discovered that maybe I wouldn't cut such a ridiculous figure in a skirt anymore... The first skirt that I bought was a tame, grey, sporty number. Lots of pockets and zips and details.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7185/6974217203_afa0f23015_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="297" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7185/6974217203_afa0f23015_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh dear, an iPhone photo again. Sorry, very grainy...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Sadly, I never wore the skirt that much. It was just before leggings made their big comeback, and I was just not a very "tight" girl... But I wore it occasionally, then less frequently, and for the last two years I think it just sat sadly in my wardrobe. <br />
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Until I came across it today. I had it in my hands to add it to the bag of charity clothes which is about to get another boost thanks to spring cleaning. And then a wave of nostalgia hit me and I felt that I should give poor little skirtie another try. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7049/6974219135_d08997c7d9_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7049/6974219135_d08997c7d9_z.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I quickly put my finger on the reason why I haven't been wearing it for so long: it is too long. It looks like a weird mix of old-fashioned mid-calf length and trendy side-pocket-style. But I decided that the trouser heroine aka moi was going to apply her clothes-saving magic to a skirt for a change. Tada! So out came the scissors and scrupulessly I cut of a good hand's width at the bottom.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7059/6828100312_b9e0ef3ea7_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7059/6828100312_b9e0ef3ea7_z.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Here it is, shortened but not yet hemmed. I managed to cut off the bottom rather neatly and slightly rounded. However, because there are side pockets that reach down all the way to the knee, I couldn't cut it too short. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7190/6828102492_b790606723_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7190/6828102492_b790606723_z.jpg" width="149" /></a></div>I actually even went to the lengths of removing this little badge from the cut-off bit with the intention of sewing it back onto the skirt somewhere. The little tool here in the picture is actually my favourite sewing implement: the seam unpicker is a great little thing that I couldn't live without!!!<br />
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Anyway, I turned the skirt inside out, pinned the hem up and then sewed around the skirt twice to get the kind of typical, rustiv "denim-y" seam at the bottom. It was actually not that difficult.<br />
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And here is the finished item - sorry, not modelled by anyone, since yours truly is home alone and does not have anyone to take pictures of her *awwww*.<br />
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I am actually mega-pleased with my re-used skirt. It nearly was thrown out - but now it'll get a new lease of life. And I don't have to spend money on clothes (but can spend it on photo equipment, *yay*)<br />
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</div>Best,<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/107/239A5C6D4B194ED02D26BDF5869651E4.png" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;"/></a><br />
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- Posted on Tour, using BlogPress from my iPhoneSonja @ Craft-Werkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10913431564020496518noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1936361741603329034.post-31893640141499982382012-02-14T18:05:00.001+00:002012-02-27T06:58:12.386+00:00Keep Calm and Craft On*Arrrgh*, I think it's got me. I feel lethargic (not enough sunlight?), hungry (possibly caused by dieting) and at loose ends. Right, it's February, the customary late-winter depression has finally caught up with me. There are several antidotes to this: book a holiday in the sun, eat yourself happy and watch TV for hours on end. Costly and ugly solution. I'd rather just craft a bit and make myself feel better that way. So I cheered myself up with a little flower project.<br />
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Yeah, still a bit dullish-February, but that's what happens when this is all that you have at hand:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7055/6856660357_50e523334d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7055/6856660357_50e523334d.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>An off-cut from some black fleece and a cookie cutter. I started off by tracing the flower shape of the cookie cutter onto the fabric.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7205/6856663983_7d58f644fc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7205/6856663983_7d58f644fc.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>From the remaining fabric I cut six circles. (I used a shot glass to trace the circles.) <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7047/6856667175_7dda1693b5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7047/6856667175_7dda1693b5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I made the circles into "hats" by gathering the middle of the circle and then sewing through it and tying a tight knot. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7178/6856670159_f1851fcaeb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7178/6856670159_f1851fcaeb.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I did a little test run and arranged the "hats" on the large flower shape to fit them into place. The easiest is to arrange four of them in a square and after that fitting the two into the remaining gap. You can sew them into place - which is very fiddly - or you can go the easy way and use hot glue instead. There is your flower done.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7049/6856672829_dc93e6b85f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7049/6856672829_dc93e6b85f.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Finally, I used the hot glue to fasten a brooch needle on the back of the flower. If you think your flower needs a bit more stability, then glue the needle onto a circle of fabric first and then glue the fabric to the back of the flower.<br />
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You can see the flower is big enough to fit in my hand.<br />
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Et voilá - here is my flower brooch on my warm, woolly, winter hat:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7179/6857100859_4796dfea3c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7179/6857100859_4796dfea3c.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I spare you the sight of me modelling the hat. It would plunge you into deep depression, too. Anyway, easypeasy flower brooch - after the success of number 1 I feel like trying it with some other fabric and colours, too.<br />
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</div>Best,<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/50/A9460E5FA7EF2918C401BF1244F846E2.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a><br />
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PS: Posting this to...<br />
<a href="http://www.bystephanielynn.com/search/label/Link%20Parties" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="UndertheTableandDreaming" src="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv298/theliebertfamily/party.png" /></a>Sonja @ Craft-Werkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10913431564020496518noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1936361741603329034.post-36922892452600101952012-01-18T17:45:00.000+00:002012-01-18T17:45:01.673+00:00Birds of Bling<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7158/6719505911_8d1a6e3876.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>Christmas is sooo last season. I have set my sights on spring now. I am determined to make it as difficult as possible for the dark, grey thoughts that usually take hold of me in February. And with a stash of blingy bits and a massive creative flash taking hold of me now that my college exam is over, I set to work. Gimme some birds of <strike>spring</strike> bling.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7144/6714407503_935f886590.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7144/6714407503_935f886590.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>Right, these birds started life as... wait for it... Christmas crackers. Yep. Miss Cheapskate here collected the torn up bits of Christmas crackers. Actually, it was even more embarrassing than that. The crackers had been used for decoration at a party hosted by friends and so I actually took the rubbish home from their party... Reason being that I was attracted by the sparkly card board, the black ribbon and the metal tie clips. <br />
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Anyway, at first I thought I might reuse this for Christmas tags, but then I realised that my drawing room was so bare after taking down the Christmas deco and I didn't want to throw out the vase of twigs. Hence the idea was born to craft some decorations for that. And instead of Christmassy shapes I eventually settled on birds - they remind me of spring time...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7152/6714409739_df197fb2c3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7152/6714409739_df197fb2c3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I downloaded a few bird templates from the internet - a simple Google Image search throws up plenty of designs - and printed them on some card and cut them out. Then I used those three templates for drawing the bird shape onto the cracker card.<br />
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The result was not quite blingy enough. But I am one of those loonies who picks up any solitary earring lost in the street and who holds on to broken bits of jewellery and "whimsies". And from that stash I spruced up the birdies...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7025/6719469339_79ecbbca4d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7025/6719469339_79ecbbca4d.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>... with heart-shaped buttons...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7164/6719435775_999ea95577.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7164/6719435775_999ea95577.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>... with the wire ties twisted into a heart-shape... <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7151/6719487847_ec6b9e9eb7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7151/6719487847_ec6b9e9eb7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>... with a little bell... <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7168/6719496801_6369848d11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7168/6719496801_6369848d11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>... with a little red ribbon from my Lindt chocolate bear...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7028/6719444061_602b6daebf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7028/6719444061_602b6daebf.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>... with a heart pendant...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7175/6719428439_15653f1365.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7175/6719428439_15653f1365.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Some of the birds I gave wings by punching a hole into them and then just feeding the black ribbon through. He really looks as if he is soaring, doesn't he?<br />
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In any case, I am delighted with my blingy birds. They are happily hanging on the branches. Best thing: They are so light that every time someone passes by, they flutter in the air. Heck, they flutter at all times - this old house has a fine draft that comes in very handy for that.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A bit whimsical, I guess - and whim is not really something I usually like - but hey, I am waiting for spring time and they will remind me it is on its way. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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Best,</div><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/50/A9460E5FA7EF2918C401BF1244F846E2.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"></div>Sonja @ Craft-Werkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10913431564020496518noreply@blogger.com5