Crafty Cupcakes & Clipboard Folders

My weeks have been busy creating crafts lately and I know I haven't been regular enough with my blogging - but I'm finding there are only "so many" hours in a day and I'm not able to accomplish everything I would like to sometimes, including my blog updates.  This next month is going to be crazy for me while I prepare crafts and run craft workshops for our upcoming school fete, so please be patient with me.  I will try and update you with my craft stall ideas as I go along.

 

Here is something I finished off today.  These cute little cupcakes are one of the items we will be selling.  They are made by using a facewasher, folded up to resemble the shape of a cupcake.  This is placed into a silicone cupcake holder and then decorated with coloured pins to represent the sprinkles and instead of a cherry on top - I have little rose bud flowers. 

I think they look quite cute and wouldn't they make a lovely little gift for someone!

This is closer photo to show you the detail.

I've also been shopping and picked out some great corduroy fabrics which are ready to be sewn into heat bags.  These are always a very popular selling item and we make them in all shapes as sizes to suit everyone.

Another project I have been working on is decorating clipboard folders.  These are all done using my papercraft supplies.  This is my first attempt at ever working with Mod Podge so I'm finding I am learning the best techniques to use with it as I go.  I've also used a sealer spray to finish everything off, I like this better rather than just leaving the Mod Podge as the sealer on top.

These started out as plain wooden clipboards.  I'm loving the colours!

Well that is about all that I have actually taken photos of at the moment. This week I am starting to work on decorating some canvases.  That should be fun!!

Have a great week everyone!

Craft Market Projects

I know that I am always saying how busy I am, and it is true, believe me! Well a few weeks ago I was asked if I could take on co-ordinating the craft stall for our upcoming School Fete - how could I say "no" to something I love so much?  So of course I said ÿes".  I probably did over-commit myself in the process, but this only comes around once a year and it is helping to raise funds for our school and my involvement is doing something I love - so not too hard really. 

 

Co-ordinating the craft stall means a whole lot of things, sourcing supplies and donations, making crafts and we are also running craft groups for school mums who can come along to help make things for the craft stall while the kids are all in school.  We start that next week, so I really need to get myself organized.  But for now, while we have been on school vacation, I have been making a few things here at home.

 

First up are these little babushka dolls which I made up from a drawing I did.  They still need keyrings attached and then they are finished.

Next are some ruffled tea towels - I love how they turned out - ruffles are amongst my favourites!

I do have quite a few other things I have made but haven't had time to take pictures of everything yet.  Over the coming weeks I will show you some more of the craft projects that are being made for our craft stall. 

 

I am still constantly searching the internet for ideas, so if you know of any simple, inexpensive crafts to make for craft markets/school fetes, I would be so, so, so grateful if you could reply and let me know.  I am relying on a team of helpers and I know that what might appeal to me may not necessarily appeal to someone else, so a wide variety of ideas is essential.

Above are some of my felt creations - chocolate and strawberry tarts and pancake stacks with berries and cream - don't they look great - and so edible!  If only!!! 

In my little part of the world it is now school vacation time and we have just been away on a camping trip as a family over the Easter long weekend.  We went with a group of friends and had such an enjoyable time together. The best part was that when you stay in a place like this which is so peaceful, it forces you to just stop and take a break from the usual frantic pace of life.  I really needed that! 

While sorting out my photos today on my computer I have come across some quilts which I have made but don't think I have ever shared with you - so I thought it might be a nice opportunity to do that today.

 

I really love the simplicity of this design.  It is called a Disappearing Nine Patch.  Made with 9 squares of fabric sewn into a block (3 rows of 3 joined together), then the finished square is cut into quarters, straight down the centre, horizontally and vertically. All you do then is rearrange the squares and you get this neat combination.  It makes the quilt look more complex than it actually is.

 

I fell in love with the Moda Charisma fabrics by Chez Moi when they were around quite awhile ago but couldn't think of a quilt design that would show them off nicely, until I came across this.  What I liked was that even with a collection of very busy looking fabric prints, it still looks great.

 

 

Here is another version of the same style quilt, this time made with Moda Nature's Chorus by April Cornell.  Again, these fabrics were around quite awhile ago.  I will often buy fabrics I see and love then put them away until I can the perfect use for them.

 

So if you are looking for an easy afternoon or evening of sewing a quilt, then why not give this quilt pattern a try.  To make it even easier, all you need are 2 packs of the Moda pre-cut Charm Squares and you won't even need to cut out the squares to begin with.  It really is that easy!!