AW14 Style Inspiration
As hard as it is to admit, summer is pretty much over and it’s time to start thinking about a winter wardrobe. I’ve started scouting for new season colours, fabrics and prints so that I can get to work whipping up a new AW capsule collection and I thought I’d share with you some of the my AW14 style inspiration. Tartan: Tartan isn’t going anywhere but this year, rather than the classic red, tartan is moving to darker colours with greens and blues becoming more prominent. Checks: Not to be confused with the tartan, grid print checks are going to be everywhere this season, from duster jackets to tailored trousers…
How to Decorate a Minion Cake #2
Earlier this year I helped my friend make a minion cake for her little boy’s birthday and recently I was asked to make another one with a twist – a minion in a pirate costume! I’ve already written a post on how to decorate a minion cake so I won’t bore you with too many details but what I did want to show is that practice really does make perfect! Most of the techniques I used were the same as last time although there were a couple of changes I made: For the eyes I used pastry cutters to cut out the outer circle of grey and dusted it with…
The Handmade Fair 2014
Recently I was invited to attend The Handmade Fair that’s going to be taking place in Hampton Court on 19th – 21st September 2014 but unfortunately I’ll be sunning myself in Spain so won’t be able to go. It sounds like alot of fun though so I wanted to tell you all about it in case you can make it. The Handmade Fair brings together crafters from all over the UK alongside celeb DIYer Kirsty Allsopp to create an event for anyone who loves to craft. There are lots of things going on during the day including skill workshops, a “Super Theatre” with talks from craft icons life Cath Kidston…
How to Update Denim Shorts with Ice Cream Applique
Following on from my love of fruit motifs I’m also quite fond of food in general, particularly if it’s unhealthy! A while ago I saw Caitlin from A Little Dash of Darling had posted this image on instagram and the ice cream cone was so cute and simple that it inspired this DIY! Ever wondered how to update denim shorts to make them a bit more fun? This tutorial is for you! I had some old denim shorts that I’ve upcycled here but you don’t need to update your denim shorts if you don’t want to, the design would work just as well on a jumper or a skirt or…
Katharine House Recycling Centre, Stafford’s Best Kept Secret
As any keen DIYer knows, finding the perfect piece of furniture for upcycling is tricky, particularly if you’re on a budget. Luckily for me (and now you) I have stumbled across the most amazing place and, being in the Midlands, it’s pretty accessible! This upcycling mecca is Katharine House Recycling Centre – it is full of incredible bargains like a grandfather clock for £80 or a solid pine cot for £25! It has a big selection of all types of furniture, from wardrobes to sideboards to sofas. There’s also an awesome collection of crockery, ornaments, board games, DVDs and the list goes on! The recycling centre works on donations from…
DIY Camera Strap Tutorial from Riley Blake Chevron Fabric
Before I made the leap onto WordPress I had a Tumblr account where I posted my recent crafty projects, since then and even after porting it over to a new platform, one of my most popular posts has been this DIY camera strap tutorial made from a pair of old jeans. A year (and lots of use later) and I decided to make a new camera strap – a change is as good as a rest after all! I bought a remnant of this Riley Blake chevron fabric ages ago and haven’t been able to make up my mind what to do with it until now. To make the camera…
Upcycling Ideas: DIY Gold Birkenstock Sandals
When I was little that my grandma had a pair of two strap Birkenstocks and I remember thinking to myself every time she wore them how ugly they were, how I wouldn’t EVER wear shoes that were so clumsy and old lady looking… probably shouldn’t admit that based on what I’m about to tell you! 20 years later and I’ve pretty much changed my tune, I love Birkenstock style shoes, they are SO comfy and I now appreciate that they’re so ugly that they are, in fact beautiful. Especially when they’re gold! I bought these white double strap slider sandals from Topshop a couple of months ago and have worn…
Orange & Lemon DIY Clutch Bag Pattern
I few weeks ago I posted about how I’m loving fruit prints at the moment, it’s such a cute trend and quite 80s inspired which always wins style points with me! This clutch bag was meant to be a lemon but I didn’t have enough yellow felt, in the end though I love it a little more now that it’s both a lemon and an orange, two for the price of one! I made the clutch bag large enough to fit all the essentials – iPhone, keys, small purse, bits of makeup. Unfortunately, it’s not big enough to hold spare shoes (an essential for a night out in my eyes)…
DIY Flower Crown Tutorial #2
After my visit to Glastonbury I fell more in love with flower crowns than ever, they were everywhere, but it also highlighted that ALOT of people shop at Topshop or ASOS so if you want to be unique then you’ve got to DIY! As my first DIY Flower Crown Tutorial used pre-wired artificial flowers from a garland I thought it would also be useful to show you how to convert any old artificial flower arrangement into your own DIY flower crown. To make your flower crown you need: – Artificial flowers (mine are from eBay – just search for “fake flowers” or “silk flowers”) – Glue gun – Garden wire…
DIY Doily Envelopes: Things To Do With Doilies #4
I think this is my favourite use for my doily die that I’ve found so far, miniature doily envelopes. They’re super cute and can form part of a number of awesome craft projects – even better they’re really easy to make. To make DIY doily envelopes you need: A doily (I made mine with the DoCrafts Doily Die) Paper glue A ruler (Trumpton design optional) 1. Fold the sides of the doily towards the centre, use the ruler to keep the fold straight and even. 2. Fold up the bottom of the doily so it overlaps the two sides. 3. Place a strip of scrap paper inside the newly formed…
