Want to make a snippet roll too?

There have been lots of lovely comments about my 

snippet rolls - the ones I made for Linda, Margaret, Nathalie and Patty, 

so I thought I'd share with you how to make your very own.

Do you remember these?

well you'll need some cotton reels. I soaked these ones in some walnut ink, but you

can use coffee or tea to dye them.

And you will need some scraps of fabric. Do you remember when I dyed this and 

rubbed it around the concrete to age it?

Measure out how long you want your snippet rolls to be and tear fabric into lengths.

I had to cut the lace, but I rubbed the ends to fray them slightly.

Start layering the fabrics. When you have 2 or 3 layers, start layering

snippets of anything you may have.

I used postage stamps, bits of paper, photos, text from books, anything!

Then when you have all your snippets in place lay a piece of organza 

ribbon over top, making sure it hangs just a little longer than your fabric pieces.

Then pin all the layers together and take it to the sewing machine and stitch down the length of it.

I sewed a vine with leaves. 

However you choose to sew it, make sure you catch all the snippets under 

the ribbon.

Then I attached the top end of the ribbon to the cotton reel with a furniture tack 

which is small tack with a pretty head.

Almost finished...

Just roll it up and thread a ribbon through the cotton reel and tie it up.

These would be great to make with a theme, 

a birthday,

Mother's Day,

Valentines Day with lots of little love snippets.

What different ideas can you think of for snippet rolls?

Have fun!

Carole :)

What's the key?

What's the key to being creatively inspired?

I wondered this while I was practicing my poor drawing skills on these keys.

I decided the key was trying new things, even if you're not that good! :))

The on-line journal class that I ran last year was very well received

and I have had several requests from girls asking if I'd be teaching another class.

So I've decided to run a 2011 class for those who would like to experience

some creative inspiration!

The girls who joined the 2010 class had loads of fun 

and made some incredible journals!

So spread the word,  -  there's a new journal class coming!

 If you missed last years class, 

now is your chance...

call back soon for all the details.

Carole :)

Spot the odd one out!

 

Before Christmas the girls and I decided to do a Christmas decoration swap. 

The decorations were to be made from junk.

Hence the name "The Junkle Swap"

There was only one small problem.

There was no way I was going to get mine finished before Christmas!

Here they are. Spot the odd man out....

This one was made by Patty and has a delicate vintage glass bird.

How it made it all the way to NZ without breaking I will never know!

This one above was cleverly crafted by Margaret

Ummmm, and here's my little effort looking very unchristmasy!

And this little jewel above was made by Nathalie, another junkle that made it without breakages 

And finally here's Linda's junkle made using a jelly mold.

Mine were kind of turned into "any-time-of-the-year" decorations!

Well, do you think mine looked too much out of place?

Oh well, still they were made out of an odd assortment of scraps and "junk" and 

were loads of fun to make.

What do you think?

Carole :)

p.s. you can find links to Linda's, Nathalie's, Margaret's and Patty's blogs under the QB5 links!

I've been working again...

Just in case you all thought 

that there's been way too much swimming and reading and swanning around, 

here's the proof that I've actually been doing SOMETHING in my sewing room!

Today it's far to humid and hot to even think about stitching,

think I need a tall glass with a cool drink in it!

Cheers!

Carole :)

A weekend of vitamin D

I didn't have any time off over Christmas, so a chance to get away for a night was too good to pass up!

Just what I needed, a couple of days of doing nothing.

A mini break involving an overnight camp at Urenui Beach, just north of New Plymouth.

Traci joined us for the weekend and we got to try out our new 3-man tent.

These wee boxes were just over the fence from our tent. I was curious.

They were little nesting boxes for the Little Blue Penguin. They are the world's smallest penguin

and come ashore under the cover of darkness. Although it isn't the breeding season at the moment

the Little Blue Penguin's take to nesting boxes really well.

How cute, I really wanted to add a few homely touches, but I resisted the urge. :))

Ah, lots of swimming, and sun and reading and sleeping. Perfect!

Carole :)

a little bit of paint and water

I decided I would get my paper and little box of paints out and work on another lesson from the class I did a few months ago.

My aim is to be able to keep a journal that uses all manor of embellishments, but before

I start my journal journey I have to learn how to draw, perspective and colour.

-Just the basics would be good!

Oh well, I'm having fun practicing!

Are you learning anything new?

Carole :)

a swap project is finished

OK, I know you are probably in shock after reading that blog post title, but I actually did finish an arty project!

It was supposed to be finished in time for a Christmas swap - PRE Christmas that was!

But hey, better late than never!

So, instead of making a "junkle" Christmas swap, I've made the QB5 girls a

"junkle snippet roll"

When is a Christmas swap not a Christmas swap?

When it's a New Year swap!

You'll have to pop back when the girls have got them to see what a snippet roll is!

Carole :)

Reason number 2

 

The second reason I've not been creating weird and wonderful things from fabric is that I have been writing.

Fiction.

Several years ago I wrote a novel, 54,000 words. Romantic fiction.

I found it recently when I was having a spring clean in my sewing room and going through some of the boxes of papers etc...

I opened it and reacquainted myself with the characters I had created all those years ago.

It was quite an emotional visit, and I know that sounds silly, but I spent months writing that original draft and I was responsible for shaping the lives of my hero and heroine and all those who came into contact with them.

It was like catching up with old friends and a while later I discovered I had been sitting on the floor with a pile of stuff all around me engrossed in the story. I still liked it.

I decided then that I needed to do something with it instead of just filing it away again.

So I decided to write a 2nd draft of it, mainly because I had written it in 1999, and I've done a lot of writing in one way or another since then, I thought it needed to be re-written.

Hopefully it will be finished by February and I will see if it is publishable.

Don't panic though, I'm making my way back into the sewing room, and I have loads of ideas for new projects and adventures in fabric...

Can't wait!

But I just have to finish what I started many years ago :)

Carole :)

I'm still here....

Well it has been a fair old while since I blogged last.

And I didn't even post and wish you all a merry Christmas or Happy New Year!

But believe me, I have been thinking of you all,

And I have been missing my regular visiting of your blogs.

I could make loads of excuses why I haven't been blogging much lately, but there are only two legitimate reasons and I know that you all know one of them, but I don't think you know about the second.

I'll tell you all about that one tomorrow. :))

But today I just wanted to share with you a few of the small things that made me smile during the Christmas break.

A lovely card from Patty with stars from Linda  (above)

and of course an envelope for the card. 

Notice that these chocolates were miniatures?

See what I mean, my they were nice!

And then the holiday reading is covered with these very cute bookmarks!

And little embellishments on the ribbons, thanks Traci.

And lunch under an umbrella on a beautiful sunny summer day

at the Beyond the Bridge Cafe.

I hope you all have a very prosperous year ahead,

that you have goals you can achieve,

and that you keep in good health.

Here's to our friendship as we begin our journey through 2011.

Carole x