Cacti in the Snow....

So on Friday we awoke to an almighty dump of snow. My friend Grace is currently staying with us from London and she'd asked the night before if she thought it would be a problem going to work the next day and I'd been so sure of myself when I told her we were too close to the coast for it to be a problem; more likely just get slush and freezing rain here! Oh how I gleefully ate my words! This was our view at 7am that morning!

Grace was a good girl and missioned it into work.I however had the day off to play with Thom and run around the fields at the end of the road :)

After we returned in from our play time I felt inspired to crochet; so I made a few cacti!

I'd spotted a pile of old pots in the garden so after I washed them all out I set to fill them with fun easy to maintain greenery.

 

This one i made by crocheting an oblong of ribbed by only going into the back loops and then used a running stitch to gather it in at the top. The others I created by crocheting in the round and then stitching the blobs together. I'm enjoying the fact that there are endless possibilities!

Unfortunately for now I'm not very well and am feeling very frustrated at my body for being weak and pitiful. I've had to turn the brightness on my laptop screen down to one to be even able to squint at it! Meh!! I do have Zorro keeping me company though.

You've Been Framed

So this week has been more about looking after the cat and getting him sorted. My sister's cat Zorro came to stay with us about 5 weeks ago and after 3 days managed to escape out the cat flap and that was the last we saw of him for 4 1/2 weeks! He'd come down from London and people kept saying maybe he'd tried to go home which wasn't helpful! But he was sat on the kitchen table last Saturday morning when I got up. We've been to the vets quite a lot this week getting him checked out and sorted with antibiotics and painkillers; he had a weird limp :(

So in between all that chaos there's been a slowing down on the craft front. I have managed a few bits so I thought I'd share them now whilst enjoying a lazy Sunday at home.

I picked up some old annuals for the Green Living Festival workshop that I took part in a few weeks ago and had a brainwave of other fun things I could do. My first project for them was picture frames. So I got the ol' Mod Podge and Stanley knife out the box and set down in front of the telly yesterday having a fun Saturday play afternoon!

I used a pack of cheap Ikea frames that I'd picked up ages ago ( one of those stupid shopping moments when you don't want to come away empty handed; yes I realise I'm being a slave to consumerism). They had a good wide frame though which I thought would be better for showing off the comic strips.

Check out how lovely the two colour screen printed pages are.

I used the craft blade to cut around the edge of the comics and shape them to the frame. I used the Mod Podge to stick the strips and to varnish over the top. The one I have leaves a lovely matte finish but you can get others in different finishes. It's good that you can finally get it in the UK, I've always seen so many lovely projects on crafster.org using the stuff and have always wanted some; pretty  pleased with the results so far.

Finished frames. I ended up making four different ones; it was great that they used to use different colours for the two colour prints to keep the annual interesting and define different stories.

There was a final story in one of the books that had a full colour 'Tarzan Jane' story that I couldn't resist using too.

After my last embroidery piece I wanted to do another screen print/ embroidery mix up. This time I used the carousel horse repeat that I'd printed onto a pink and white polka dot fabric.

I think it needs just a tad more before its finished but I thought I'd share anyways :)

I finally kinda have a day off... but not really!

This has been a busy action packed week and now I'm exhausted. Started off on Monday with a stall at the Buffalo Mini Mart in Cardiff that was fun.

This was me sorting out my rail of things to sell beforehand!

I also made a few new tote bags to sell at the fair. Here's a couple of my favourites.

I'd printed a pile of bags when I was printing on the skirts etc on Sunday and then finished them off with the lace on Monday. Here are a few pics I took when at the PrintHaus.

The rest of the week has been a couple of days sorting tshirts at Visible Arts and then preparing for the One Planet Living Festival. I finished the flags (I'm waiting on photos to put up) and made some more bunting for Becca.

15 metres later... haha! ooh and fixing new zips in vintage dresses for a shop in town.

So then yesterday was the big day and it was awesome! Loads of people milling around which is great. I was running a little workshop making wallets or purses out of woven paper. I'd picked up a pile of old annuals from a carboot and we used those and a mixture of magazines to make them from. Spot the Beano in there!!

I used gaffer tape to edge them and keep them together, this one's white but I did indulge and bought a host of colours for everyone to use!

Jude and Nigel from the PrintHaus had the stall next to me so I had a great view of my designs getting printed. The kids were loving my cat on a bike design!

Dan's niece looks like a happy customer :) thanks for the picture!

My other design too!

Go Gavin!!

So today I am taking it easy(ish) after the mamouth washing up pile, I admit the house worked slipped this week haha and I ended up with a Daisy from Spaced in the kitchen moment of horror!

I've started putting some fabric in hoops that I'm going to embroider into, sneak peak -

The top one is just a pretty Ikea fabric I like but the bottom one is one of my screen prints.....oooooooh! So now I'm sat back in bed watching Grey's Anatomy and doing a bit of stitching with the cat curled up next to me. Thom (my yummy Mr) is off recording music with the band he's in with my brother; can't wait to here it later! Hope you're enjoying your Sunday Afternoon too x