WE ARE HATCHING BUNNIES....

Ok , so I know that they don't hatch but it sounded fun!!!!

We've been really busy over the past few days, now that Easter is just around the corner. Tonight we had our Cub Scout Annual Den Easter Egg Scramble at our local park. The kids always have such a great time ...... we had around 400 eggs this year for the kids to collect!!!!

I also made sloppy joes and barbeque shredded beef for the first time ever......... Don't all laugh - I'm new here.... we don't eat things like that back home in the Southern Hemisphere. I must say it was rather delicious though - the proof was I came home with two empty crockpots:-)

I have managed to get my nieces Easter gift finished..............yes, once again it's going to be late getting to her..... it's all too reminisent of her Valentines gift isn't it:-) I really need to sort this time problem I have out before she gets to the age where she's able to understand that nothing Aunty Kerry ever sends arrives on time!!!!

Here she is............ a bigger version of the bunny I made for the swap I mentioned a few posts ago. She also has the cutest carrot!!! ( I found the link to the tutorial for this carrot on One Pretty Thing blog) I attached a piece of velcro to the carrot and to bunny's hand. That way I thought it could do dual purpose as a bit of an interactive toy too.

Isn't she so cute..............she'll look even better cuddled up in little Miss Jessica's arms.........two cuties together!!!

I love her little dress. In fact I have plans (and the fabric) to make a few toddler sized ones for the little lady herself.

We were given our April theme for the YOE Swap today- Val always works so hard to give us really fun stuff to do...................this year long swap is fantastic, I'm loving it!!! The theme is songbirds. I have already found a number of VERY cute ideas...........hmmm, which one shall I do!!!!

While I decide you all keep crafting away!!!

Until we visit again:-)

I HAVE MY OWN PERSONAL MAILMAN....

well that is what it feels like this week:-) I have had lots of lovely little packages left on my doorstep this week.............lucky me!!!!

All my swap packages from the various swaps I've taken part in have arrived this week, it has been so exciting.

For anyone of you who haven't taken part in one and wonder if you should................go for it!!! I have made friends with some lovely ladies who are so talented, and that's before I mention all of the beautiful goodies I've recieved. It has also afforded me the chance to make things I may not have ever got round to making.

Year Of Enchantment Swap - February package. (This months theme was Fairies)

This is what I sent my partner Kim...

This is only a small taste of what I recieved from her..... If you want to see more go here http://yarnigras.blogspot.com/. Click on year of Enchantment Swap and check out my post there.

There are even little babies in the cacoon the lady fairy is holding!!!!

Then I took part in an international Swap hosted by The Dutch Sisters from The Netherlands. For this one we had to send our partner a Handmade Spring Gift and 2 fat quaters. I was partnered with a really great partner from The Netherlands.......we will continue to keep in email contact I'm sure:-)....See what I mean about the friends you make along the way....

This is what I sent my partner Roos:

I got this pattern off a link I found on Amazing Mae Blog...........It was so easy to put together, but is a really sturdy, pretty and roomy bag. It comes with the instructions to make fabric handles too, but I just loved the bamboo ones...............they scream Spring to me:-)

and this is what she sent me.............her crochet skills are amazing!!!!

I can't crochet more than a granny square - sad I know, but true:-(

I love the fat quarter with the little clogs and Dutch people on - I will keep that until just the right project comes along.

So as you can see I've been spoilt and I've made new friends along the way.

I have one more swap package to share with you, but it'll have to be patient..............I need to replace the batteries in my camera.

Have a lovely evening.........until we visit together again:-)

A SPRING CREATION...

Today a bunny was born in our home.....no, not the fluffy, cute, living, breathing kind (oh, how Girl Child would LOVE for that to have been the case!!!), but a little girl made of fabric with the cutest pom pom tail and a pretty spring dress. Her stay here is short though - she'll be on her way to her new home in Kentucky tomorrow:-)


She is my creation for a Spring swap/challenge that I took part in. We were given the pattern we were to use for the body, arms and legs.........and then the rest was up to us!!!! We could add anything we liked and we then had to dress our creation.


She evolved as I went along, and if truth be told, she is completely different from what I originally had in mind...........but that is what I love about the creative process. You just never know what the end product will look like until it's done:-)


So without further ado, let me introduce you to the new baby.......





Here she sits nestled among the flowers..............

Until the next time...........I think it is safe to say that in our neck of the woods Spring has finally Sprung!!!
Happy crafting.

LITTLE NOTES.....

During a stroll around World Market the other day, I came upon some little scroll notelets. I fell in love with them, they were just so super cute and different. However, I wasn't so much in love with the $1-99 price tag that came with each one!!!

So what is a girl to do when you know you just have to have some, but won't part with that much cash.................yip, you guessed right - work out a way to make your own and that's exactly what I did.

Here is the result....

Here it is all rolled up....

and here it is open. Imagine how fun it would be to unroll it and discover the sweet words it holds inside:-)

To make it I used some dowel, furniture buttons (those ones you buy in the craft store) and some pretty paper from my scrapbook stash. I finished it off with some string and a bead, which holds it all neatly rolled up...............voila, a scroll notelet!!!!

I have already made 2 packs of them as gifts - I made 4 scrolls, using 2 different papers along the same theme. I then popped them in a cellophane bag and put a gift topper on the bag............very, very cute!!!

Here in Texas we're bracing for a freeze (snow in March.............where does that come from!!!)

I guess I'll have to be crafty as to how I use the time we'll be forced to spend indoors over the next day or so:-)

Enjoy your weekend and happy crafting.

IT'S BEEN FAR TOO LONG!!!

So what has kept me away for soooo long.....

We took the kids away camping for the first part of Spring Break. We had a wonderful time.....ok, so to be honest, it was freezing cold and windy at night, but we survived:-) We've decided that Girl Child makes the best camping beds - they were certainly the warmest.

What's camping without smores??? or Dutch Oven cooking (I love doing this........we made lots of stuff in it again.......Apple Dump Cake, Peach Cobbler, Funnel Cakes...........do you see a trend here.......dessert!!!)

Today I've done quite a bit of crafty stuff - I have 2 swap packages that need to go to the Post Office within the next few days, so I've been putting the finishing touches to those.

I can't share what I've made for my partners with you yet, as neither of the swaps are secrets. I promise as soon as I know they have recieved them ,I'll post pictures. We don't want to go spoiling the suprise now, do we!!!

I did make some of these little fellas today, after seeing some beaded pins on a website. I thought they turned out to be quite sweet!!! I used sculpey to make the little mushrooms.

We didn't do much for St Patricks Day this year - I did get the kids St Paddy's Day donuts for breakfast though (donuts for breakfast is a big treat in our family). My contribution to it this year was a cake I was asked to make for a friends daughter. She needed cupcakes....cupcakes frosted green didn't really fill me with much excitment, so after much thinking this is what I came up with...........

The leprechaun, his pot of gold (aka chocolate coins) and a rainbow:-)

Thanks for stopping by my blog.........I really appreciate it.

Until next time............keep crafting, it makes the world a much happier place.

FAIRY TUTORIAL...

Hi there everyone

I think (and I'm saying this in a whisper, in case I chase it away) Spring may have come to visit for a while:-) It is so pretty outside - warm but not that horrible Texas heat we'll have in a month or so!!!

After my last post I had a number of people ask me how I made the fairies, so I thought I'd put a tutorial together to show you. Let me say right up front that they are not my original ideas - I found them on the internet. What I'll show you though, is how I put mine together.

Have fun making her - she is so pretty, and quick to make.

WHAT YOU NEED:
- A silk flower (I prefer the ones that have a bell shape )
- 2 Pipe cleaners (make sure the color you choose works with the color of the flower)
- A tiny wooden flower pot
- A wooden bead (for her head)
- A butterfly (the ones you find in the floral dept of your craft store)
- Glue
- A small piece of thin ribbon to match your flower
- Ribbon or thread to use as your hanger
- Acrylic paint (to paint her eyes, nose and mouth)

Now you have all your supplies, let's get to it!!!

STEP 1

Pull the flower apart, so you have a fairly tight bell shape.
I remove the center piece of the flower and a few of the outer petals.
This part really is personal preference.
You will need 1 big petal kept aside though - this becomes her shirt.

STEP 2

Fold both of the pipe cleaners in half.

STEP 3

Thread one of the folded pipe cleaners through the little pot.
You may need to make the hole in the top of the pot a little bigger - you can do this easily with a pair of scissors.
You now have her legs, and the pot will stop her skirt falling down!!!
Thank goodness for flower pots..................fairies can't loose their skirts!!! How undignified:-)

STEP 4

Slide your flower onto the pipe cleaner - upside down.
The bottom of the flower will be facing up - the photo explains this better.

STEP 5

Take the 2nd pipe cleaner that you folded in half, decide where you'd like her arms to be, and wrap the pipe cleaner around the 1st pipe cleaner at this position.
Don't you think she looks like a ballerina?

STEP 6

Take the petal you saved, and thread it onto the 1st pipe cleaner, so that it rests on the arms.

This part is a little fidly.
You need the petal positioned, so that you can fold a section of it around each arm to make sleeves.

STEP 7

The photograph explains this next step well.
Put a dot of glue on each petal, and wrap the petal around her arm to make the sleeves of her shirt.
Tie the piece of thin ribbon around her waist............ sit back and admire the gorgeous outfit you've just made:-)
Dressmaking's not that difficult after all!!!

STEP 8

Thread the wooden bead onto the top of the pipe cleaner to make her head.

STEP 9

Thread a leaf or flower onto the Pipe cleaner to make her little hat.
This step is optional - she looks just as cute with nothing on her head.

Thread the hanger through the loop in the top of the pipe cleaner.

STEP 10

This next step might hurt.................ouch!!!
Cut off the antennae of the butterfly, and remove the piece of thin metal that is attached to the butterflies underside (if it has one.)
Now glue the wings - right side of the wings should be seen if you look at the front of your fairy - to the fairy.
The picture on the left, shows the back view and the one on the right shows the front view.

STEP 11

There is no photograph for this step............it is not proper to take pictures up a fairies skirt!!!
You need to turn her upside down and put a few drops of glue into the wooden pot - this ensures that her skirt doesn't slip up and down her body.

STEP 12

With the acrylic paint - give her eyes, nose and a mouth.

I used the bottom of a wooden skewer to paint them

And there she is - one VERY pretty and magical fairy, to decorate a little girls room with or to hang on your Christmas tree. I also think they'd make great gift toppers to put on any little girls birthday gift........... How about tucking one into an Easter basket - the possibilities are endless:-)

I'd love to hear form you if you make one of these little fairies.........just leave me a comment. Let me know too if something doesn't make sense - I'm new to these tutorials and am still learning. I'd be glad to answer any questions you might have.

I will post the tutorial for the other fairy next week, so you can give her a try too.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and for all of you that leave such sweet comments - I really appreciate it.

Until next time...........keep crafting