You're nicked!

At least cuffed, so consider yourself nicked.
I spent a few hours yesterday and today whipping up a little something for a girl that has put a smile on my face many times. If you would be so kind, go and check out her magic.

She lives in my town/ city/ village (it depends on my mood what I call Leeds, today it's positively a village!) and is one of the most generous, helpful, JOYful people I have encountered online. And, boy, is she talented! She makes the most gorgeous little art clay critters you could ever hope for, and if you manage NOT to fall in love with her wee beasties, please let me know how you did it.
She made a wee mouse for my Mum before Xmas and kitted her out with black forest gateau- just because she can. At no extra cost, and it was her idea entirely- can you believe that?

Anyway, I owe this lassie big time (for more than just black forest gateau, because it turns out she is also a wonderful friend far, far beyond mere customer service!), and I thought I'd make something for her.
Take felt in various colours, embroidery thread and a whole lot of patience, and you get this "you're nicked... well, cuffed, anyway" bracelet.

It's posted, so all my doubts about it come too late, right?

It's a test run, I've never tried to make a felt cuff bracelet before.
I hope the recipient will not dwell on the shortcomings (like uneven stitches... oh man, I am blushing even thinking about the stitches!)... if anybody wants a tutorial to outdo me (easy!!), I'll be more than happy to let you know what I did. It's not hard, just very time- consuming.
Anyway, I count this as my RAK for yesterday as I spent more hours on this yesterday than I did today.
Hope I'll have something to show you tomorrow; I started something RAK- wise today, but that was as bad a fail as ever you'd see.

Love y'all, don't forget to be kind to random folks as they come along!




Oh, I nearly forgot- proof I delivered my spider- eyed surprise:

We went past the house today and I couldn't see any police cars OR the bug- eyes. I hope my dahlias- to- be were received kindly!

A Valentines quickie :)

Sorry, I just couldn't help it.
This is something I whipped up this afternoon when a silly idea crossed my mind.
Well, not so much an idea, as this has been done before, but how about giving your loved (little) ones a message in a bottle for Valentines?
Not sure about you (well, those of you who have regular access to a pint- sized version of homo sapiens, anyway), but we kind of delight ourselves in how little it usually takes to make the minions happy. (again- I stole this term from Sunny over at Life in Rehab- you'll find the link in my side bar and I strongly suggest you pour yourself a glass of wine and head over! Maybe finish reading this post first, though...?)
You buy them an oversized toy, and they end up playing with the box. Just like cats. *sigh*
Personalized stuff always hits a straight 10. A few weeks ago, we got them a little set of cutlery each, Abigail got one engraved with little hearts, and Aaron got Dinosaur paw prints. Guys, that was the first time ever I saw the wee bugger polish off his entire plate, no kidding! It might have helped that the veg was cut from an ancient dinosaur forest, and the drumsticks were dino thighs.
You get the picture, right?
And now you'll get the pictures

I thought you could print them out for the wee boys and girls in your life, stick them to some empty bottles (do I hear recycling?) and leave a little love note in the bottle.
I remember when I was a child, my grandmother would write me little poems before I had to do class tests or other unpleasant stuff. She might not have been the best responsible adult, but she used to be quite the poet! So, if you need a little "extra" to spice up a kids' day, maybe this helps.

I made the labels using artwork by cagedbird, redju, mdl and Raspberry Road.

Click on the image to get the full size version. I hope you like them, and I hope even more that the little ones like them! You could maybe soup them up with some glitter or, for the wee men, the odd occasional screw attached to the bottle?

I intend to make my own message in a bottle, I need to justify keeping all those old bottles around anyway :)

OWL tell you a tale!

Not too long ago, my wonderful blog friend Mich held one of her competitions- guess the mystery thing.
She makes a quirky piece of jewellery out of a totally unexpected thing of everyday... things totally taken out of context and makes you guess what the heck it is. Q- tips, automotive vacuum hoses and aquarium plants, to name but a few.
In her endless generosity, she awards a prize not only to the first correct guess, but also to the most crackpoteative guess.
I was lucky enough to be a creative crackpot and win her automotive vacuum hose competition.
Since we had been burgled not too long before that, she promised she'd throw in a little something on top of my prize to put a smile on my face... brace yourselves, peeps, this is what I found in the mail the other day:

Please take some time and look up those pieces on her blog, you will not believe what they are made from!
If you hop over, please leave her some love and let her know if you'd be interested in a tutorial for the beautiful little bracelet she made for my bff Abigail (which I will save for a Nikolaus treat for her, but that's for another post) I, for one, am all for it, because then I can make one my size!!

The necklace, featured on her blog on August 10th, actually inspired the little piece I showed you in my last post, but please head over to see for yourself.

I wear my new bling with pride and am so proud and glad to have such a wonderful friend in La- La- Land! Let me repeat myself here again, what's a couple of stolen items compared to truckloads of love sent my way?

Today, a frozen postie knocked on the door and brought a parcel full of felt. All the colours of the rainbow and then some. This year, most of the Christmas gifts coming from the Three Bed Semi will be handmade, and I had something in mind I wanted to try.

You might know about my slight obsession with owls? Can't help it, I just love them, and one of my dreams is to see one in real life. A short while ago my Mum was lucky enough to encounter one , and I am sure I will one day. Until then, I will have to make do with what is available.
So I decided to make a little stuffed owl brooch for my Mum to always remind her of her Day Of The Owl.
Since my little camera is pretty crappy, so are the pictures, and this is not a tutorial, but I guess all you savvy crafters out there are way ahead of me anyway and have long since passed the stage of owl crafts.

Here's what I did:

I received the book amongst other things today in a big parcel from Mum, but that, as well, is another post as I will just well up with "I miss my Mum" tears again if I go there now. Gotta chew and digest first. Never mind.
So... take an incredibly cute image for inspiration, draw something entirely different and cut the felt to size. (body twice, wing twice, eyes twice or once if shaped like figure 8)
Stitch on eyes with embroidery floss, realize your talent is non- existent and add two seed- beads as pupils. Laugh at self. Add beak.
Stitch two body shapes together inside out, leave bottom open and reverse.
Use old pillow- stuffing to stuff.

Ignore silly questions like "why are you disembowelling that cushion? I am still using that!" and stitch together the bottom.

Add two remotely wing- resembling shapes on the sides, be proud of yourself and laugh some more. Make onlookers feel compelled to congratulate you to your mad skills by reminding them that otherwise they'd fall out of favor (and this is an important step, ladies, make sure you go the extra mile and make everybody feel really guilty about smirking in the first place!!).

Realize you don't have a brooch back and call it a day. Blog it.

Hey... by my standards, this IS a tutorial! It would be better if a few folks actually knew what the heck I'm trying to say, but that's alright, I let you off.

I shall now enjoy a fine glass of wine, regardless of the fact that my owl kinda looks like an (admittedly sort of cute) potato sack and, as Germans say, let God be a good man.

Have a lovely day, love you all!


Disclaimer: The Man wasn't really that cheeky, but I do think he's getting fed up with Twits and Twoos!

Mad giveaway from Mich L. in L.A.!

Right... there's this crackpot woman over in L.A. who designs the maddest jewellery ever. You think the Mad Hatter is gaga?

Or do you reckon Weird Al is off his tree?

Reconsider, folks. Mich is in a league of her own. She makes jewellery from, let me think... trash baskets, Superballs, novelty yarn and even tennis balls. Yeah, you read that right. No need to mention the zip ties .

So, now she's doing this giveaway. As you do.
Does she want you to follow her blog, buy anything or even review her on facebook? Nope. All she wants you to do is to guess what this is made of:

and you can win.
Told you the gal is mad!

Head over and meet Mich, she is a wonderful blog friend, the most creative soul, and she'll crack you up with her dry humour as well.

What'cha waiting for?

Disclaimer: Mich doesn't have the faintest clue I'm penning this. Just because I lurve her,that's all.