Nautical Beach Bag - Red Stripes

This is the reverse side of my Nautical Beach Bag in a more eye-catching red and white cotton. It's octagonal, it's large and it fits in much more than you'd think!

The wide denim handles have a charming deshabile paint-splattered detail. (No, it's not a result of an accident, that's how the fabric came...)

To see the other side of this bag as well as more details, click here.

You can find it listed here.

Linked to:

Annemarie's Haakblog

Red and White Flower Hair Clips

Flower hair clips in a cheerful red and white.

These floral hair accessories measure just under 2 inches and are attached to baby alligator clips making them very easy to clip into or onto hair. 
Ideal for fine, whispy little girls' hair.

Linked to:
Annemarie's Haakblog

March Bracelet

Today is the first day of March!

Starting today, tradition has it that folks wear red-and-white twisted string bracelets.

The wearing of such bracelets has its roots in ancient Greece and is always connected with the welcoming and celebration of Spring. It also acts as a talisman of sorts, as it is said to protect the sensitive faces of the young from the harsh rays of the sun.

 It's worn for a month and upon the close of March you put it on a rose bush or tree for the newly arrived swallows to find and use it in building their nest.

Mine are made of waxed cotton cord and I've added some red and white beads to two of them. I've used adjustable knot ends that make the bracelet easy to wear and secure. You can see them here.

See traditional and non-traditional March bacelets here.

Monday Moodboard - Christmas Time!

1. Misty Aurora

2. CraftsAndPhotography

3. PetalGirly

4. TenderBlue

Monday Mooodboard is a game played by the members of the European Etsy Team every Monday. The moodboard is a selection of items from the team that reflect your mood on that particular day. Anyone in the team can join in. Just link your very own moodboard to the host of the game Star Of The East.

Bow Hair Clips

This was by far my favourite fabric this season: pretty, red and white striped, soft to the touch, natural cotton.

(I also made my Absolute Beginner Scarf Tutorial with it.)

While it reminds me of Christmas candy cane this close to the holidays, red and white  is one of those classic combinations for throughout the year.

 I sure loved making these little bow hair clips with this cotton.

Bows are one of those things that have been on my -very long- to-do list....

I've been dreaming of some in other pretty, girlie fabrics but also in tulle.

Now all I have to do is find the precious time to make some more....

                                 
                                         Linked to:
               Annemarie's Crochet Blog, Petite Hermine, Tatertots and Jello, Six Sisters Stuff, Nifty Thrifty Things, It's Overflowing, Polkadot Pretties, Or So She Says, Today's Creative Blog

How To Make A Simple Scarf - a DIY for Absolute Beginners

This step by step instructions tutorial on how to make a simple scarf is for absolute beginners. 
While the scarf in the photos is a small square scarf, the steps are the same for any shape and size you would like to make.

1. Decide on your fabric and shape.
(This tutorial is basically for fabrics that fray, like cotton, linen, etc when you want to have a neat, stitched finish.) 
If you want a perfectly square scarf, and you don't want to get out your tape measure, just  fold your fabric over until you make a perfect triangle. 
Cut. 
Open it up, it's a perfect square.

 2.If you're pretty new at this and are not confident of your sewing skills, or if you just want everything super neat and tidy, it helps if you use an iron to flatten out all your seams before you stitch them.
This is how you do it.
Fold over a thin strip of fabric making sure that it's the same width all the way down. Press this down with your iron untill flat. 

 Once you've done this, fold it over again, in the same way, and press it flat with the iron again.
Do this for each side.

3. Stitch over all sides paying attention to the corners.

 Use pins to keep the fabric in place and help you make them align perfectly.

Tip: When stitching something that will see a lot of wear, backstitch a little so that you don't have unravelled stitches later.

4.Congratulations!
You have just made your very own scarf!
Now you can go ahead and make some more for your friends and family! 
 They make for cute Christmas gifts.

Linked to:

Threading My Way, Annemarie's Crochet Blog, My Creative Space

Monday Moodboard - Flamingo Pink

1.  BarbaraSzepesisucs

2. MyTailorIsFun

3. Dreamzzzz

4. MoonGardenArt

Monday Mooodboard is a game played by the members of the European Etsy Team every Monday. The moodboard is a selection of items from the team that reflect your mood on that particular day. Anyone in the team can join in. Just link your very own moodboard to the host of the game StarOfTheEast.

Candy Cane Inspired Organza Flower

The approach of Christmas always make me think of red and white and candy cane stripes.

Red and white is a combination I'm particularly fond of, so I  just had to try  my hand at it.

This is what I came up with:

Bridal white organza  petals and layers of delicate white tulle.

Bright red, large and luscious-looking  glass beads in the centre.

The leaves are also tulle with one of my favourite appropriately bright and festive red threads.

These can be worn as a hair clip or corsage.

And not just for Christmas. 

 I will definately be making a headband - wrist corsage out of this particular flower as well.

What do you think?

It's already listed in the shop.

Linked to:

I Heart Naptime, The Gunny Sack, Craft-O-Maniac, Sew Many Ways, The Dedicated House, Homemaker On A Dime, Debbiedoo's

Newest Fuschia Hair Clip - Brooch Listing

Latest in Fairytale Flower.

Supergirly Clutch Purse - Project 2 - Umbrella Prints Trimming Competition

Here is my second project for the Umbrella Prints Trimmings Competition. (Here  is the first.)

It's a clutch in the supergirly pinks and reds of this trimmings pack.

I love the fabrics I had to work with. 

Pinks and reds together are my latest addiction and the touch of white is just perfect.

The abstract flower circle with the leaves is basically my circle brooch turned flower. It's an idea I've been working on this past week and I'm very pleased with it. 

I toyed with the idea of making it detachable, and I was very tempted, but I went for the sewed-on version in the end.

I have never made a lined clutch or pouch before and since they aren't the same as bags  I had a bit of trouble figuring it out....

I'm so thoroughly smitten with it that I think I'll keep this one for myself.

Now I have to go and finish project number three.

Linked to:

Today'sCreativeBlog, Homework

First Ever Organza Flower Key Ring

An organza-flower-and-leaves collage for your keys - it's been on my list forever. So I'm thrilled to finally make one!

This is actually a gift for a friend who's not the kind of girl to wear organza flowers on her person -incomprehensible, I know!

Now she can carry it around with her keys.

The long ribbon is not only for girly bows. It's to help you fish it out of your purse easily.

I've been making a different version of this for my keys for the last few years 

and it's so great to always be able to find your keys on the first try.....(I'll try and make a tutorial for it one of these days.)

The red and pink tones are in tune with my latest red craze that isn't showing any signs of abating.

I teamed it up with the cutest red and white polka dot box I could find.

I wish I'd taken a picture of it with it's pretty purple ribbon.....

Linked to:

Today's Creative Blog, Homework, My Creative Space, Petite Hermine

Tickle Me Tuesdays - Etsy Girls - Past and Present

These are some of my recent favourites:

1. 1932 cover of Canadian magazine Chatelaine by Jape.

2. One of the wonderful original llustrations of  FeelingArtsy Studio, made to look like a Vogue magazine cover.

3.Who could posibly resist this little beauty by UtterMabness?

4.  Perfect! Portrait photo by jkphotography.

5.1943 Coronet magazine cover with bathing bombshell by MidCenturyMonkey.

If you want to check out other people's favourites this lovely Tuesday, then just click on Yes, Teacher!

Monday Moodboard - Who loves red and white?

1. OliveAndVince

2. DueAlberi

3. StarryBlueSky

4. KajaDesign

I know I do.

Monday Mooodboard is a game played by the members of the European Etsy Team every Monday. The moodboard is a selection of items from the team that reflect your mood on that particular day. Anyone in the team can join in. Just link your very own moodboard to the host of the game Star Of The East.

Monday Moodboard - Sweet Valentine

1.QueenAndEye

2. ThePurpleBalloon

3.Schalle

4. PatchworkMill

Monday Mooodboard is a game played by the members of the European Etsy Team every Monday.   The moodboard is a selection of items from the team that reflect your mood on that particular day. Anyone in the team can join in. Just link your very own moodboard to the host of the game StarOfTheEast.

Tickle Me Tuesdays! - Christmas Edition

These are the wonderful things that have been making my mood just a little bit more festive these days:

1. ABirdInTheHand

2. HandworkStudio

3.WildPeaceOrganics

4.StrangeWoodArt

5.TheNewtonLabel

For more Tickle Me Tuesdays posts just head over to Yes, Teacher!