AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ONE AND ALL

As I was so busy making Christmas presents for my friends and family on the run up to the holiday I didn't get a chance to write on my blog - more's the pity.  However I do have photos to show what I was up to!!

I made these for my older daughter - she loves animal print, 

hence the cushion!!

I made these for my younger daughter but didn't have time to 

make everything I wanted and, as she is in Dubai and couldn't

come home this Christmas, I have more time to finish the other

presents, which I will post as soon as I've finished them!!

Well, it's going to be the New Year in a couple of days with lots of new projects in the pipeline for me to complete.  I'm hoping that my new course "Bead and Wire Jewellery" proposed for January at the adult education college, will have enough students to run, as I am planning a great selection of projects for them to do.  

Nearly all my students from my Mixed Crafts course have signed up for the follow up course in January so I need to think of some fun projects for them to do.  I'll be going to my favourite craft site, www.favecrafts.com for inspiration!

I am so proud of my patchwork student who made some lovely items on the run up to Christmas which she gave as presents to some of her family and friends.

Very good combination of materials which depict

the sun, sea and sand!  

Again a great colour combination & pattern.

Anja actually made a third cushion which I loved 

but I don't have a picture of that

I think the combination of the red and tartan 

make a stunning bag which Anja couldn't 

bring herself to give away and she is using it!

Each new year I try to find a new craft to master but haven't decided as yet what it will be!  Actually there's not a lot left that I actually want to do!  Maybe I'll have thought of something before I write my next blog. 

Surfing the web earlier this week I came across www.paulinespatchwork.co.uk - no nothing to do with me - they have just moved to Dorchester and sell a wonderful selection of patchwork and quilting supplies and materials and they also run workshops!  Ummmm, most interesting!  I must check them out further. Luckily I bookmarked them so I'll be able to go back to have a more in depth browse when I've got more spare time.

Well, that's it for now, back to housework or crafting??  Crafting won...... !!

Happy New Year to everyone

All best wishes

Pauline

Bah, Humbug!!

It's been snowing for four days!! College is closed until further notice - the schools are also closed too.  My car is covered in snow and cannot go anywhere as the roads are impassable. Being a side road ours isn't cleared or gritted.   I'm fast running out of bread and such!  The delivery lorries can't get through to the supermarkets, and in the smaller towns and villages they are actually rationing bread, eggs, milk etc!!


As for the transport system - the trains are not running, planes are grounded, buses are cancelled and where do I live?  Outer Mongolia - no - the U.K.  -  and as usual everyone has been expecting the snow for a couple of weeks - if not more - and still the country is caught with it's pants down!!

this shows how thick the snow is...

bamboo bowed right down under the weight of the snow and paw-prints are from a lone fox....

the conifer tree outside our lounge a few days ago...

I'm busily making one of my daughter's Christmas presents and when I can get out to the shops I'll be able to finish it.  I think a handmade present is worth much more than a shop bought item.  Each stitch is sewn with love!  When it's finished I'll post it along with a few other things I'm in the middle of making.

Well, this is just a short entry as I wanted to rant about the snow.... and I'm feeling very Scrooge like at present! 

Pauline 

December Already!!

The last two weeks have gone past in a flash - I can't believe it's the 1st December already!! Last week was really sad for me because it was my Aunt's funeral, she had been ill for a very long time, and went into hospital for a straightforward procedure, but ended up having a major heart attack, which unfortunately she didn't recover from.  She was the last link I had to my Mum.  As a floristry tutor (among my many other attributes!) I was able to make a very pretty open wreath and spray of anthirriums:

It started snowing during the night and then all day yesterday and no matter how high I turned the heating up, I was, and still am, so cold!! My poor bamboo growing in the garden was almost beaten to the ground by the snow as you can see from the photo below.  

I've had to spend the day at home because the roads are so treacherous and driving is a nightmare! I just moved the car yesterday morning from the bottom of our road to nearer our house, which is nearer the top of the road, and managed to get the car stuck, but luckily I had the help of two strong neighbours' who gave me a push as I was slipping on the ice.  


Hopefully my craft class will run on Thursday, and the college won't be closed, and I'll have some more photos to post here.  My students will be making pretty indoor Christmas wreaths from small boxes,  and Kusudama paper folded Balls - watch this space. 


Well that's all for now and I'll write again soon.


Pauline

The decorated frame in my previous post inspired me to make one of my own and, as I am totally addicted to patchwork and sewing I thought I would theme the decorations around that hobby.  Here is my decorated frame - let me know what you think:

 

I found scissors, sewing machines, thimbles and cotton reel buttons in the scrap-booking section of our local craft supermarket and the other buttons were found in a tub of buttons.    All in all a good buy! 


Oh and the photo was taken by my daughter when I went to visit her in Dubai earlier this year.  It was so hot on the sand I was hopping around on the beach trying not to get burnt!!


I must say, I have a great group of students for my Thursday craft classes.  They are willing to try almost everything I suggest to them, so to pay them tribute I am including their photo with the cards they made the previous week  - shame my photography wasn't better:

From left to right: Gaynor, Christine, Sheron, Irene, Jagdip, Sara, Louise and Pam

Their frames were amazing but not quite dry so a few of the buttons started to slip as I photographed them:

The black frame was decorated with coloured gems, while the frame next to it was decorated with rolls of coloured paper.  All in all a very good effort.

It's amazing how, when given a project and told the materials needed, how they all turn out so differently.  The second from from the right had textured wool tied in knots to add a rustic feel, while the pink button frame was totally feminine and ideal for a little girls room!


Another of my pet loves is altered books and I've got my favourite which I take every where with me when I need to take notes.  It started life as a boring notebook with a black cover!!
Just look at it now....:

Well let's see how my students get on with their decoupage boxes this week.


That's all for now.


Pauline

My Patchwork Bag is now Finished!

It took me a week and a half -  on and off - stitching, but I've now finished my bag and am feeling very pleased with myself. I haven't attempted a bag before and had doubts about putting the lining in, but after a few tries, and undoing it several times, I finally got the hang of it.  I now can't wait to start on my next one which will be embroidered and beaded.  I wonder how long that will take me?? Christmas is fast approaching and I want to  make a few as presents.  I wonder if anyone else has the same problem following a pattern?  They just don't seem to be written in a way that makes it easy to understand.

My Event Planning course started last Saturday and all 15 students turned up!  The room was full to capacity ....

I have a great mix of ages and abilities and the next 15 weeks look as though they will be extremely interesting for everyone ..... watch this space for future reports.

Thursday will see my craft class attempting to decorate a plain wooden picture frame with loads of assorted buttons or failing buttons, rolls of patterned paper.  I love the button frame so much I've added a picture below.  I found it on www.favecrafts.com which is one of my favourite craft sites.

They have everything on there from sewing, knitting, crochet and loads of other hand crafts.  Check it out, I think you'll agree it's a great site.  I'll take photos of what the girls do and we can compare notes!! I'll also be taking pictures of their cards from the previous week and I'll add those too....

That's all for now

Pauline

What a Week!

Well it's been quite an eventful week!  It started out  extremely sad, with me hearing about the death of my Aunt - the last link to my Mother.  And it is finishing with me starting a new course tomorrow with 15 new students.  I always get extremely nervous before a new class begins but I am sure it will be fine once I get to know everyone!


My mixed crafts class is a joy to teach as all the girls are so eager to learn new crafts and techniques.   We made easel, rocker and pop up cards this week and here are some of my examples.  Next week I'll post a picture of my students efforts as they were finishing off their cards at home as we ran out of time!! Should be interesting.... watch this space.....

I must say thank you to Craftystash.com for their marvelous downloads. Check them out - they are not expensive and their graphics are brilliant.  The Christmas Tree is one of theirs and I think you'll agree the design is great....




That's all for now - wish me luck for my class tomorrow!

Finally Decided to Have My Own Blog!!

Well - here goes....


My name is Pauline and since I was "knee high to a grasshopper" I've loved crafting, so a few years ago I decided to pass on my love of crafting to others and started teaching.  I even studied for my teacher training diploma through Canterbury Christ Church University!  


Quite a feat for a person approaching retirement! But heck who's going to retire - I have so much still to achieve and so much knowledge still to pass on.


My last project was making a padded sewing box which was inspired after I saw a friend's, and the results look pretty good (even though I say it myself) and I'm really proud of my handiwork - here are a couple of photos : 

The smaller box was made a few months ago when I was feeling bored and had some cardboard and material scraps left over from another project - just goes to show - a little material and a little imagination goes a long way.  I'll be making a few as Christmas presents but will add tassels or beads and brighter material - look out for the pictures!

 

I also just finished teaching a course at our local Adult Education College entitled "Introduction to Event & Wedding Planning" where one of the sessions involved the students creating floral arrangements suitable to use as table arrangements for a wedding.  See the results below along with two of my students:

They were pretty pleased with themselves as you can tell from the photo....

I'm currently working on a patchwork bag and as soon as I have finished it I'll post it here for all to see.  Meanwhile why not check out my husband's website - www.dickslane.com - he's a very good photographer and can always use extra work!!!

That's all for now will be back soon.  Hope you have enjoyed my first blog and please leave me your comments.