New Year's Eve Doodles

I have spent the day at home with my littles ones today, we have been busy making cakes and playing. I thought I would try out my new BAM stencils and so took my latest copy of illusion magazine for some inspiration. I decided to try out a snake face on my youngest son. I have greens, gold and some wicked new liquid gold bing which I have been dying to use. I did this face in a few minutes - probably about 5 or 6 and am quite pleased with it, however, next time I would use a darker green for the outlines.

After finishing this I decided to practice my unicorns - I had been watching Lisa Joy Young on YouTube this morning so thought I would give it another go.
I need more split cakes in unicorn / rainbow colours but not a bad little doodle.

Glove season

I have made my first pair of fingerless mittens. I got the pattern out of "The Art of Crochet" which I have delivered to my home every month. Its the first thing I have made (been subscribed for 2 months now!) and it incorporated a new stitch for me. The ribbing in made using relief treble back - which I had never even heard of until yesterday. But it looks quite nice. Was a bit tricky to get my head around it initially and will probably look neater the more I practice. The main pattern was a "v" stitch and the completed item is quite pretty.

They only took me a day to make the pair. These are for a very good friend of mine who spends a lot of her time outdoors, so I hope they keep her warm. I have used double knitting acrylic yarn in a mustard / honey colour.
I think if I make any more I will make the ribbing longer and the sleeve a bit shorter.

I'm pleased with my first attempt though.

Painting Christmas Smiles

Today I had a job at The Teddy Workshop in Quay Street, Haverfordwest. It is a lovely shop where children (and adults) can go and build a bear and dress it up. They also sell all sorts of other lovely things including wooden crafts, nappy cakes and decorative bags.

I set up shop there and painted some Christmas faces, I took my two little ones along and they had fun making toys while I painted. I also got to try out my new BAM stencils - even got a couple of glitter tattoos in.

Here are the pics of the day

Face painting for Christmas

Yesterday I helped out at the town's Christmas parade. I offered face painting services free of charge along with three other ladies for a local charity. We were so busy I never had any time to take any pictures but all the children appeared very happy (even some of the mums got painted too, which was nice).

I am hoping to be invited back again next year as I really enjoyed myself and even got to see Santa. We were provided with refreshments and even had an invite to the Mayor's Christmas party in the town hall, which I had to decline as I had to go home to the kids. Was a worthy cause and a true test of working under pressure and the lines were so long for the face painting I didn't think we were ever going to get home.

 My cousin's daughter was one of the happy customers (she is the beautiful young lady on the right), who I had the pleasure of painting. The other young lady was painted by someone else.

This is me working at the Christmas parade.

Christmas is coming.......

I have started my Christmas makes. Today I have managed a pair of Mary-Jane slippers - I am going to make them for all the ladies in my family if I have time, and in a variety of colours I hope as I will get bored if I keep doing the same old thing. I got this pattern from "I love crochet" magazine, however the first pair I made fit my 6 year old daughter. So I used a bigger needle size and added a couple of extra rows here and there.

My second Christmas make was a ribbed ear warmer headband. I love this so much I am definitely going to make one for myself

My husband is however, asking me to make him a willy-warmer!! #heneedshelp!!!

Spiders, Spiders, Spiders!!!

Last week whilst shamelessly promoting my facebook page, I had a request to make "woolly" from Woolly and Tig - this I have found out is a Cbeebies TV show. I had a look at the character and it appeared simple enough - I just needed to make 8 sausages for legs and convert my snowman pattern to make the body. I posted a picture

which led on to another 8 requests for Woolly - he is very popular and there are very few toys available. This is not official merchandise but my own interpretation. Here is a pic of the next two that I have made

I am going to be busy for a few more weeks I think :)

I have been sooooo busy making  spiders that I have not had time to come on the computer much, they take three days in three days in totoal to make each one and so far I have made 9 of them!!!

Heather Green face painting workshop

On Thursday the husband and I travelled to Bristol  to attend a workshop with Heather Green from Silly Farm. It was arranged by Illusion magazine's Claire Pick. I really enjoyed the day and discovered how much I still have to learn. I was given loads of tips and pointers to improve my work. The other attendees were lovely and I even got to meet the FACE welsh area rep - which reminds me I need to contact her and sort out insurance!
I practised during the day using a mannequin head which was a bizarre experience. I have only ever painted skin and faces prior to this. The texture and amount of paint / water you need is completely different, and the heads stain loads!!
Since returning it has renewed my desire to keep on face painting - so look out kids, Mum is going to get you!!!
Here are the photo's I took of the day. Heather, Jennifer and Claire were all amazing!!

I am also going to save up and get some BAM stencils as they make the art so much more spectacular.

Sponge bob square hat

The weather is getting colder people are think of Christmas. I had a request this week to make two Sponge bob inspired hats - one for a 2 year old and the other for a 4 year old. As Sponge bob is square I thought a square hat would be appropriate. I made a few visits to various websites to check out  what colour his clothes are. I then went into town and four shops later found the right shade of yellow. 
Here he is 

I would have liked to have added his teeth but that would have made the hat too big. Doesn't look too bad for a first attempt.

Teaching my daughter to crochet!

My daughter has been nagging me all week to teach her how to crochet! She has been patiently waiting until Saturday......today! I have a hook and some yarn for her but had no idea where to start. So good ole Google to the rescue I have found this wonderful site so now feel a bit more confident in where to start.


Two hours of teaching on day one and we have two chains attached to a hair bobble with a bead on the end. I think its going to be a long process but the joy on her face when she made her chains was lovely to see. Such pride in her work - don't often see that when you are only 6 years old. So more crochet chain making for her tomorrow.

Day 2 - As soon as she got up she picked up the hook and wool and started to make more chains. She seems a bit faster today and the chains are growing, she said she is finding it easier than yesterday so that is good. The problem now is going to be to get her to do anything else!

Dinosaur hats

I have had a request to make two dinosaur hats for little boys. I have decided to go for a basic beanie with a tail then add some stuffed spikes.  I am half way through making one and it's looking good so far. So glad the concept is working!  I am hoping to finish the first one tonight as I had to bribe my youngest son into going to breakfast club is morning by promising him that I would make him one too! He is such a task master he will be reminding me everyday until its finished.

Here is the hat in progress

 Completed Dino hat. ^^^^^^^^

 On to the next :)

Both hats now completed and blocked all ready to go to their new owners.

My happy son modelling the hats!

Sugar skull scarf pattern

I have designed a pattern for a skull scarf. I searched and searched the interweb for a basic pattern but could not find anything that inspired me to make it so I decided to have a go at making my own. I am only part way through making the item so the pictures are added as I go along. I have only done the skull design and am developing the eyes and decorations to make it look pretty.

Here is the pattern

Halloween skull scarf


I used dk weight yarn - 50g main colour and scraps from my stash for accent colour
mc = main colour
ch = chain
st = stitch
dec = decrease
dc = double crochet
sl st = slip stitch


This pattern in written in English terms. I used a size 2.25mm metal needle and used purple for the main colour and black for the accent colour.

Head - make 14

Row 1: with mc, ch 12, dc in 2nd ch from hook, dc in each chain across, turn (11)
Row 2: ch1, 2 dc in first st, dc across to last st, 2 dc, turn (13)
Row 3: Repeat row 2 (15)
Row 4 & 5 : ch 1, dc across, turn (15)
Row 6: ch1, dec dc over first 2 st, dc across to last two st, dec dc, turn (13)
Row 7: Repeat row 6 (11)
Row 8: Repeat row 6 (9)
Row 9 - 11: ch 1, dc across, turn (9)
Row 12: attach accent colour ch 1, dc across, turn (9)
Row 13: attach mc. Ch 1, dec dc over first 2 st, dc across to last 2 st, dec dc, turn (7)
Row 14: ch 1, dec dc over first 2 st, dc across to last 2 st, dec dc, turn (5)
Row 15: ch 1, dc across. dc in each row end and st around head. Join to first dc. Fasten off

Eyes

Round 1: magic ring,  6 dc in ring (6)
Round 2:, ch 1, 2 dc in each dc. sl st into first dc. Fasten off (12)

I made 14 eyes and 14 flowers I then decorated the skulls with an eye and flower in each head. 

Making up
Sew together 7 skulls chin to head, twice
connect two separate sides head to head so you have a left and a right side.


Any comments or problems with pattern please let me know :)

completed pattern pic to be added when I have finished

Baby headbands

Today I have been playing with cotton and made a baby headband. I have used scalloped edges to make it look pretty and added a little butterfly and flower to pretty it up.

I previously made headbands using acrylic wool which had more give in them but did not look quite as nice.

my iphone also takes better quality pictures than my old HTC too!

A beautiful little model wearing first headband.

Funky Faces

One of my hobbies is face painting and glitter tattoos. I have three children (two still small enough to humour my fads!) that I regularly practice on. I have got my glitter tattoo box out at parties and weddings and the kids keep quiet for ages......they also keep me busy and active which is good! I have face painted at a few events at my children's nursery, but mostly at birthday parties. I have recently discovered Diamond FX face paints which are brighter and easier to use than Snazaroo which I previously used. I am also experimenting with one strokes and am booked onto a workshop in Bristol in November which I discovered through illusion magazine which I am very excited about.

As you can see from the pictures children are not always happy about having their faces painted!

Toyz and stuff

 I have made a few stuffed toys since learning how to crochet which I have given as presents to teachers at the end of term, donated as raffle prizes and given as gifts to various friends and family. As many of the toys have been one off makes I wanted to keep pictures of everything that I have made so that I don't forget everything that I have done. So here is a collection of the toys I have made.

I will add new toys as I make them. Especially as Christmas is coming I'm sure there will be some festive makes to keep my fingers occupied.