Self Promotion - You can buy Christmas Gifts from Me

I have been busy making and have lots of new and lovely makes available, so I though I would have a little self promotion, as I can not see me getting these all on the Folksy shop before Christmas, so here they are.  If you are interested in purchasing anything, then please e-mail me or tweet me.  I except payment by paypal.

Tea Cup Candles (please click on the image for more details of the scent) large ones are £8.00 plus £3.00 postage and the small ones are £3.25 to £3.20 each.  Each candle is lovingly crafted by myself with 10% fragrance oil added.   They are made with 100% Eco soy wax, which has numerous benefits including being longer and cleaner burning (Soy wax is non-toxic and burns cleaner than paraffin, with no petrol-carbon soot which can blacken walls).  You can wash the used tea cup in hot soapy water and reuse the tea cup.

Washable learn to set the table mats.  These are again made my myself and are backed with towelling and make the placement of cutlery child play. £6.00 each, plus £1.90 postage.

 

Crayon (£4.00) and Pencil (£6.00) rolls complete with the pencils and crayons, postage is £1.90.

Mini bunting, the pennants on the bunting are 4 inches to tip and there are 12 on each length of bunting.  £5.00plus £1.90 postage.

Feel free to contact me with any questions.

Children's Craft Showcase - Dying fabric with Permanent markers

Materials

Permenant markers

Surgical Spirit (from the chemist)

Jam Jars

Plain Fabric

Elastic Band

Syringe

Method

Put your fabric over the jam jar and secure with the elastic band.  Using your pen draw a pattern on the fabric.

Circles work best, but any pattern will do.  Leave a gap between the lines for the colour to bleed.

Take a syringe and fill with surgical spirit and then drop in to the centre of the fabric.

Move the fabric to a blank area and repeat as required.

I washed the fabric after we dyed it and some of the colour did come out, but not much and then I heat set it with a hot iron.

Teachers Gifts 2010

Maxi made mugs for his teacher and teaching assistants.  We used porcelain paint from my stash and some 50p mugs from Morrisons,  He used his finger and thumb to make prints on them, which we turned in to pigs, beas, a caterpillar and flowers.

Mini and I made lavender bags for his Preschool teacher and the teaching assistants using fabric that Mini and Maxi had previously dyed (tutorial to follow).  Mini picked the ribbon from my stash and sat on my knee to help sew (I use the term help very loosely)!

The cards were super easy to make, we punched heart shapes out of tissue paper and used a paper brad to hold them on the card.  I then printed out "Thank you for helping me bloom" and the boys stuck them on to the cards.

A few of my recent makes

A gorgeous table setting mat for children which is washable and backed with towelling, also available in blue - £8.00 plus postage 

A selection of girls back to school hair slides and bobbles.  Can be customised, just ask.  Prices from £2.75 to £4.50

A variety of hair grips and clips, made with stunning buttons.  Prices range from £1.50 to £2.75

I have committed (or should that be need committed) to holding a stall on Sunday at the Gala at my SIL and Brothers Social Club - hmm, must get busy making, which wont be easy with the boys at home too!

Children's Craft Showcase - Fathers Day Cards and Presents

Fathers day will soon be upon us, it is Sunday 20th June this year and I have been busy thinking about cards and gifts for MadDad.  If you are anything like me then you would prefer to give a home made card every time.

I have a couple of very simple ideas for you.

I was inspired by Valerie at Frugal Family Fun Blog for this card.

Materials

Card stock

pencil or pen

circle stickers, various colours

scissors

Method

Initially fold your card stock in half to to create a greeting card shape

Draw a number of lines horizontally across the card to make the wire for the birds to sit on.

Depending on the age of your child, you can either cut the stickers for them or help them.

You use half a sticker (semi-circle) for the birds body, a sixth of the sticker to make the tail feathers and an eight of the circle to make the birds beak.

Using either a pencil or a fine liner add some feet and eyes for the birds

It is really easy, simple, very effective and then all that is left is to add your cheesy bird quotes

Next up is a twist on our favourite chick cards, we have done this for my niece who is 5 this week.

Materials

Card stock
Paper
Scissors
feathers
Googlie eyes
Glue

Method

Again very simple, Mini cut out two bird shapes (semi circle) and stuck them to the folded card stock.

We used two triangles cut out of foam for their beaks and a feather for the tails.  He also used foam shapes to add an age and name on to the card.

Scrap Art Book Marks

This is a super way of using up and making purposeful bits of art that the children have done.  For ours I used our Mable Paintings.

Materials

Card
Scissors or paper cutter
Scrap Artwork
Paper
Glue
Laminator or clear sticky backed plastic (also know as contact paper)


Method

Cut and matt the scrap artwork and your choice or card, making sure that the artwork is slightly smaller than the card backing and glue on.

We made a back for the bookmark out of paper, which read Happy Father's Day 2009 and then mini decorated it and stuck it on to the rear of the bookmark.

I then laminated them, I got four in to one pouch leaving space for the sheet to adhere between the bookmarks.  If you don't have a laminator (mine was £5 from Tesco), then you can use clear sticky backed plastic or contact paper.

I then used my guillotine to cut them up to individual double sided book marks.

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I hope I have inspired you to get crafting for Father's day this year  and if you do, I would love for you to come back and link here, so that we can all see and maybe have a try of your ideas too.

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Good enough to Eat Swap

I took part in the good enough to eat swap, where I was partnered with Gill The Vintage Gardener

Gill is a very talented lady and she sent some wonderful things, all tied up with gardening twine

A fab lavender heart and marching bookmark

Some delicious fabric

Two wonderful pot stands, we are using these on the dining table

Look at these stunning tags, Gill makes these and sells them at her Folksy Shop

I also got this divine pouch filled with more tags, which I adore

Plus some lovely stationery (which for some reason blogger wont include the right way up).

 

 

Come over and take a look at TheMadHouse Makes - Blatant Self Publicity!

As you know I love to craft and make things, whether that be with the boys or for the boys.  They have certainly brought out the creative side of me.

So in order to help fund my fabric addiction and also to try and bring in some extra money (which we sorely need -  £82 for 2 pairs of school shoes!), I have decided to start selling some things that I make.

Now I have no idea what will sell, so I am dipping my toe in the water, but I would also like to say that I can make to order should anyone wish.

So please take a look and subscribe or become a follower on my new site TheMadHouse Makes.

I am also busy stocking my Folksy Shop too, which can be found here 

So here is an idea of the things I can and have made:

Fabric table mat with place settings - £6.70 inc postage. 

Pencil rolls - £6.50 including postage

Children's celebration crowns - £15.00 including postage

Mother of Pearl button hearts - £5.00 including postage

Soy wax tea cup candle, Jasmin scented £10.00 plus £3.70 postage

Quilted Laptop/Mac book covers - £25.00 including postage

I am more than will to work with you to personalise and choose fabric, if you are interested then please get in touch.

A bit of Making

I am starting to get my creative mojo back after a nasty bout of Flu and Vertigo and it feels good.  No it actually feels great.

Inspired by the signs of new shoots and Spring outside my front door I have made new cushion covers for both the sitting room and the conservatory/playroom.

Simple envelope style, in the sitting room from some seconds Laura Ashley picked up last year.

Something a little more funcky in the conservatiry, Pop Garden By Heather Baily.

I have also been making birthday presents for Maxi's friends.  Simple personalised purses filled with wooden beads.

Sugar cubes, inspired by ......  I can not find the post, so if it was you, please tell me.

I am not sure where the sun has gone this morning though, it is very dark and grey.  I am off to the GP for some blood tests (Still feeling not right) and then for a day of play with my boys. 

We are really enjoying our Easter Holidays.