Loving: Crafty inspiration

The fabulous thing about living up at Mums is that there is Mum & Pops, Shar Shar and Monkey, Moise, me and kids here at moment. Which mean plenty of sharing of jobs around the place and more time to do other things like CRAFTING AND BAKING.

1. I purchased some really interesting wool the other day with the hope of having some time to get a stash to sell leading up to Christmas. I have found a really neat headband pattern that is super quick, easy and simple enough to change the sizing.  As always my dear internet friend Ralvery is the source for all my crochet needs.

Here's Monkey modelling my first one:

I'm thinking of making a few and finally getting that Felt account started that I keep thinking about. They are super cute and I have some awesome colour ideas.


2. My next crafty is an idea I pinched from a lovely Kelly over at My Next Big Idea. Kelly had this wonderful and simple idea for plastic bag holders here. I have been meaning to get around to making one forever and guess what? I finally did. I couldn't not once I saw how simple Kelly's idea was and seeing I had this spare time on my hands.

It was so simple:

One tea towel
Cotton
Sewing machine
Elastic
Ribbon
scissors

I took elastic (which the length of is half the width of the tea towel) and found middle of towel and pinned middle of elastic to it (about an inch from top hem). Then pinned it to each side. Then zigzag stitched the elastic on, stretch the elastic to fit as I went. (Kelly used a casing and popped elastic in there which is another perfectly good way to do it. I was just saving extra sewing)

 Repeat for other end.

Place right sides together and sew a 1/4 inch seam down the length of tea towel.

Cut a piece of ribbon, fold in half and sew inside one back seam to make a hanger.

Finished! (and if you are super smart like Kelly was and I did the same buy a two pack of tea towels and make two)

3. While walking past the local thrift store here in Ruawai yesterday, I spotted a novel I liked the look of in the front window. In I went hoping to find some good summer reads and out I came with 3 novels and two sets of sheets. Yes you may be thinking I'm a little strange but I had good reason for the sheets.

Traditionally called the pillowcase dress, maybe mine should be the sheet dress? There is a simple enough to follow tutorial here at Little Big Girl Studio to give you a few ideas to get started. Mine would be the Fabric Tie casing dress with added band on the bottom if you followed this tutorial. I made my band a frill rather than a straight band to add detail. There is a printable pattern to use, otherwise if your like me and save money (hence recycled sheets not new fabric) then you can just freehand, or freecut the pattern.

Jaybug also is modelling another one of my super quick headbands from 1.

4. As it is Friday and I'm not in New Plymouth anymore I am missing Friday Morning Coffee Group. We are a group of Mums who get together in the fight against housework, literally we have a magnificent excuse to not do housework from 9am-12.30pm Fridays. We have an alphabetical fridge magnet list of our names and numbers. We turn up at whoever's house it is according to the list, thanks to list Mum, and they feed our hungry tummys with tasty treats they have whipped up and fill our needs for coffee, tea, milo or whatever else is on offer. NO HOUSEWORK is the best part for the guests who have fled their homes in seeking refuge else where. There was eight of us on the list, but there have been two new recruits with my leaving - yes we are invitation only, horrid snobs huh!

Seeing I was missing out today I had to make my own treats and coffee. List Mum makes an amazing brownie from the back of the nestle cocoa pack but seeing I didn't have a tin I went in hunt of my own recipe. I found one here at Baking Makes Things Better. It is now a blog that is going on my following list. The brownie was divine and there are many more delicious looking recipes I want to try.

Here are my brownies:

And the best part is the recipe is part of a fantastic Christmas Gift idea!

5. Here are some pictures of my wonderful Coffee Mum's who I missed dearly today. There is 3 of the yummy mummys missing from the pictures but that doesn't mean I don't love you too. I just don't have any photo's with you....

Left to right: Guacamole mum, List mum, Tupper mum, Preg mum, ME, Baker mum

Me and Guacamole mum

Watch out Australia, you're in for a special treat.

Tupper mum and Me

Tupper mum, Preg mum and Baker mum

Guacamole mum, List mum and Clean and Tidy mum

By the way coffee was consumed in the making of these photo's as well as some other liquids....

Please note ladies that I only added my own embarrassing photo and not yours!

I miss you my wonderful Coffee Mum's and I hope to be able to take my much loved Friday morning coffee routine with me to the lucky land. Was thinking that I may be able to feature some of you and your amazing recipes??

Linking in with PaisleyJade: Things I'm loving