my creative space . . . weekend crafting

Last Sunday I started experimenting with slightly longer sections of crochet lace I've been practicing making  . . . . after a little playing around with them and draping them around my wrist, I came up with . . .  

. . . a sort of a lacy wrist cuff - very ornate as you can see, but I just decided to go a bit over the top with it as I was enjoying the whole process of putting it together and  playing with the textures and shapes.  I'm not sure if I'm quite lady-like enough to carry off such a fanciful, romatic cuff - but maybe someone else would, so it might end up as a gift :)  Here's some more shots of it . . .

I added a chain loop for closure and  a wooden button, plus a little pearl button at the top for extra snug fitting . . .

I think it needs a hand with lovely long fingers and nails to show it off properly (my nails are only a little longer than usual as the pesky nail clipper has done a disappearing act again - that's my boys for you!!)

I've basically added a couple of rows of treble crochet to one edge of lace and double crocheted the two sections together on the reverse side - and hey presto, it worked a treat!  (it was a bit of a fluke really, if I'm honest, hehe)

I really like it just as a little art-piece in it's own right - this  crochet lace thing has really got me hooked, hehe!

P.S.  The lace is really not difficult to make from the pattern (Learn to Crochet by Coats).  I used a 3mm hook and 4 ply cream cotton yarn (Lyrics Puppet cotton).  

I'll  definitely be making more lace - very addictive!

More creative goings-on over here- Byeee :)

Alison xx

Still catching up . . .

Apologies, I may be over-blogging at the moment - is there such a thing??? LOL

I'm trying to wrap-up the last month's crafty activity - these are some 'tweedie' pouches, one complete and two WIPs , which I was working on just before I disappeared off the radar at the end of July . . . 

Sorry - it really is a bit darker here this morning! (hence wobbly images, or is it a wobbly camera-woman!!)

The view out of the living-room window is a bit wintry today . . . 

It even crossed my mind briefly last night that it might be time to put the open fire on - Oh,  come on, it's only the end of August - eeeks!

On a more cheerful note I have enough crochet pattern books to see me through a VERY long winter, hehe :)

Here's a closer shot of the inside of the cupcake applique purse . . . 

. . . there's more cake inside of course!

I'm quite pleased how the applique purses worked out - so I might be working on some more of these designs, better finish off these ones first though!!!

Bye for now

Alison x

P.S.  I'll post better images of the 'tweedie' purses once I list them on my website (she says hopefully!!!!) :)

'Doggy paddling' and a lovely blog award :)

I'm still doggy-paddling a bit and trying to catch up after getting the boys back to school and organising some other stuff which has been going on in the background, but I'm getting there!  Alessandra awarded me this lovely blog award towards the end of my break - so without further delay, here's the deal!  Firstly I must  post the award on my blog and thank the person who awarded it to me - well, that's easy, I love Alessandra's blog - great photography, great 'makes' and a  fun personality - what more can you ask from a crafty blog, hehe!  Thanks Ale! :) :)

Next:  "Give the award to five bloggers that have less than 200 regular followers and inform them about the award with a comment or via email."

Now, I don't really get a lot of time to catch up with new blogs - I'm a bit of an old faithful friend and tend to stick to my 'regulars'!  Here's five I've come across though which I've found very inspiring:

www.curiouspebble.com/

www.biglittletales.blogspot.com/

www.seaweedandraine.com/

fruitfulfusion.blogspot.com/

myredwellies.blogspot.com/

As I've said, I don't get a huge amount of time to read  blogs but I do love to visit them from time to time and get such  a lot out of them when I do.  Some of these talented ladies will possibly have more than 200 followers - but I did TRY to follow the rules, honest Aslessandra!!!!  :) :)  I will try and inform these lovely ladies this week - I'm guessing some of them might be a little like me though - doggy-paddling* like crazy, so I won't hold it against them if they don't manage to respond!

* My use of the term doggy-paddling is a metaphor for 'frantically moving in the water, trying to stay afloat, while juggling a hundred and one things at once'! (. . . and probably not managing many of them!)   

Sounds familiar,hehe!! :D

Bye for now - lots of crafty stuff to report later in the week!
Alison x

P.S.  Sorry - my font-size has gone a little funny in this post - ooooops again! :)

P.P.S. - sorry, I can't leave my post without adding some craft stuff - I just couldn't do it LOL!  Here's  a lovely gift I received from Juliet - it's a long story, but isn't her quilting work just amazing - her attention to detail is  just incredible :) :) 

And a little close-up (sorry it's a bit dark and cloudy here today - apologies for poor pics) :

Love her choice of fabrics too!  Thanks Juliet, and the chocolate was yum too - sorry no pics of that, I ate it too quickly, hehe!

Lastly, I haven't forgotten my 'Granny Square a Day' - so here's a couple I made during the hols - I think that's me covered, pheeeew :)

OK, I'm definitely going now - Byeeeeeeeeeee :)

Better late than . . . .

Oh my - I didn't mean to take a whole month away from my blog, but looks like I did!  There's far too much crafty stuff I've been doing to fit into one post, so I'll have to eek it out over a few posts here and there.  

And,  yes, I was on holiday - but we holidayed 'at home on the croft' this year, giving me lots of time to do some experimental crochet which I loved - the sewing machine came out this week after an absence of 3 whole weeks and that was to make something for myself, which I'll reveal at some point.  So a complete break  from crafty business but not from crafting itself - I had  lots of relaxing fun!  We had some glorious weather here too, the moor is in full bloom with glorious purple heather . . . 

Some beautiful, clear blue skies, so I didn't feel too hard-done-by . . .

Some yummy cake on my birthday . . .

And some fab, new crochet books (I don't know how my boys chose the perfect books for me, heehee!)

. . . both are great books for quite different reasons - very inspiring!  (Crochet Motifs is in American terminology so watch out for that, but you get used to it)

And quite a bit of experimental crochet, I was particularly excited about being able to make my own crochet lace, whooooop!!!! . . .

NB: (I made these samples from one of my older 'How to' crochet books (Learn to Crochet by Coats) just for info . . . 

a little close-up (you can tell I'm excited about this!) . . .

Little S made some lovely jam tarts to celebrate his big brother's exam results - these are the ones which were left . . .

Sun, food, and crochet and a little decluttering of our wee house (just a wee bit of Domestic goddess, but not too much!) - that's a brief summary of the last few weeks - I feel quite rejuvinated, so I must have had a  holiday that 'did the job'!

Another lovely surpise was receiving a blog award from Alessandra - she is too kind!  I will try and respond to this as soon a I'm back in the blogging mode : )

I have way too much  other crafty stuff to drone on about - but I think that's enough for now though!!!

Cheerio an Drasda :)
Alison x