More Handbags at dawn!

Here are the latest wonderful creations from the WI.  Such creativity!

Thank you ladies for a lovely workshop.

Latest Crafty Workshop!

This Monday I was invited by the lovely Wimborne WI to demonstrate how to make 'Handbags and Manbags' and 'Origami Easter baskets'!  Was such a lovely time.  Here are their wonderful creations! 

Some very creative bags.  My favourite part of any workshop is watching all that creativity evolve.

Here are a few baskets I made in preparation for the workshop.

Just so you know ... The cream eggs didn't survive the journey!  (actually they never made it to that day!)

These little baskets are so easy and fun! I have made a few kits for people to buy so they can make their own.  Kits contains enough papers and cut flowers to make 2 bags! Oh and instructions of course!

Well another workshop booked for next week, hopefully this will go just as well.

Thank you Wimborne WI for a lovely afternoon.

Story Stones

I know that it is nearly Christmas, my craft room would testify to this! Hoever I have been making a few non Christmassy items for friends which are prooving to be a great success and are great for presents.

Once Upon a Story Stone ~ £25

I am currently selling these on Etsy.  They are a set of 12 double sided stones.  All handdrawn and designed by myself each stone is varnished several times in order to make them as durable as possible and to avoid damage while they are in their custome made bag.  Each imagae has some sort of relation to the image on the reverse side.  There is also a book with instructions and ideas for ways to use them with children or adults, large groups or small!   

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/AllTCrafty?ref=l2-shopheader-name

Once Upon a Story Stone ... The Gruffalo

These stones aren't for sale but been given as gifts.  Mainly due to copyright issues as they are so similar to the original images so not quite sure where I would stand on this front! But thought I would share them anyway!

Once Upon a Story Stone ... Room on the Broom

Again these were a gift but I was so please with the finished result!

Christmas Craft Parties

Well it is coming up that time of year.  Argggg some would say, and to be honest, when the first Christmas craft displays started showing themselves in the local shops in late August I had to immediately text everyone I knew to demonstrate my disgust at how early Christmas had started...However!!!!! I have decided there is too little time, when now in October, I have far too much to do!  I declared this year there would be 'NO MORE' Handmade Christmas cards for anyone and so far all the card making items are still safely stashed away in their respective boxes.  Don't let me fool you  though, there is Christmas everywhere in my craft room!

This year I am branching out into giving crafty parties and workshops.  After my very successful demo to the lovely WI from Dorchester I now have a party and another workshop booked.  As Christmas is nearing the theme for these will be ..... (wait for it).....CHRISTMAS (surprised?). 

Here are some of my creations, I will be making them into kits to buy so you can make them yourself or if your local you could always book a party and you and your friends can make some while having a glass of wine and friendly banter.  

Here we have two handbag boxes, lidded box, exploding box and a treat pocket.

Here is a close up of the treat  pocket.  An easy little craft which can be used for teacher gifts, friend gifts, tree decorations or even advent calendars.

This is the exploding Box close up.  Once the lid is removed the sides fall down to reveal a card and 3D Christmas tree.

Here are some of the creations the ladies at my last party created! We had a wonderful time and I was so impressed at all those creative juices flowing around!

Everyone got the chance to make a Handbag box with card and a treat pouch.  There was also time for some tea and cake and a raffle!  What a wonderful afternoon.  Thank you ladies.

If you would be interested in a party or demonstration don't hesitate to contact me on bouncytigglet@hotmail.com.  Keep checking here as new courses will be added soon.

Handbags at dawn!

Well it was nearly handbags at dawn! I was up early enough preparing some of these beauties for a craft demo I gave today for the lovely ladies of the Dorchester WI.  

What a fantastic few hours with a lovely bunch of ladies making these bags.  I really wish I had taken photos of their creations as there were some truly wonderful bags made.  These humble offerings were mine.  The larger ones are made from 12x12" scrapbook heavyweight papers, the middle sized one was 9x9" and the baby one 6x6".  The card you can see was an example of the cards we made to go inside!

Also hidden among these luscious girly bags is a 'man bag' (without a handle!) it is meant to look like a mans shirt, the tie lifts with the collar to reveal the box inside.  The paper I used for this was 12x11".

'But what could I do with them? I mean they look nice but...' I might hear you say.  Well in the past I have bought large tins of sweets and split them up between the bags so my daughter can give them as thank you presents to her teachers.  (that is if there are any sweets left I have tested a few out...wouldn't want to give them gone off sweets would I!)  Other ideas? maybe you could roll up a pair of socks, or pop in a lipstick and a mini tube of hand cream.  I occasionally sell my jewellery in them as they provide a good open space inside and look fab.

If you would like to see how to make these bags I did a tutorial a few years ago which you can find on this blog under tutorials, or follow this link http://alltcrafty.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/handbag-tutorial.html there are a few differences as I have developed the design since creating this video.

Happy bagging!!!!

Story Stones

Well I have been exploring the wonders of story stones recently.  Inspired by a great friend who wanted a set of Gruffalo story stones painted ...

I am so pleased with them that I had to do another set straight away!

After larging it up with the Gruffalo I thought I would try something different, so after yet another trek to the beach (my poor family) i set about painting random images onto smaller pebbles.  This was then the inspiration for after dinner frolics when we each had to choose 4 from a bag and tell as story including each one!  

Next move.... what could i possibly paint now??? I know my fav kids book 'Room on the Broom'

The broom stone is reversible! I am so pleased with them! What do you think?????

New Makes

I haven't stopped!!!!!

Honest!

I have been busy crafting as and when I have been able to, what with a baby to look after as well! I have managed a few bits and bobs as birthday presents so thought I would share some of my latest things!

A new style plastic bottle bracelet, the beads look a little like roses and like the other upcycled plastic bottle pieces I make the colours are easy to customise! I particularly liked these colours and felt they suited my friend just right.  Hope you like.

This Peg bag is made from water resistant material and with the flap that can be pulled down your pegs won't get wet and rust if they are caught short in a little rain!  This was really just an experiment, the design criteria was to use fabric a little like Cath Kidston fabric but to be better proportioned to hers and to also be resistant to sitting in the rain occasionally! This one seemed to do it and was v successful!

Heart Bunting.  I love this! each heart is made from upcycled cereal boxes and then covered in scrap papers.

This Quilled J is using thinker papers than my previous experiments, it worked far better in that it was more solid but due to the larger paper it didn't work well with a tighter pattern like my other designs.  That said however, I think I may try an ornate one with the 10mm paper next time.

Quilled B, this is using 3mm quilled paper in a variety of blues, I used 5mm papers around the edges to form the template but all the rest are narrower.  It worked well I think although I do find that the paper buckles a little sometimes and it is hard to make a straight line look truly straight!

Cake Pops!   MMMMMMMMMMM  a commission for a birthday party.  I made these ones with a proper cake pop mold, they were very yummy although I think I may prefer my other, denser recipe with out using the mold.  Advantage of the molds however is that they always come out round...ish! and they are a lot lighter for decorating.


I have done a few other bits as well but just can't find the photos anywhere! Oh well that will give me something to post next time!

xx