craftyguider – Page 7

My Autumn Garden

Last Spring, eldest Craftyguidelet planted lots of annual seeds for her Brownie Gardener badge. She cared for them, watered them, thinned them out, transplanted them, weeded and produced a fabulous display throughout the summer. This weekend, to finish her badge, it was time to pull all the spent flowers up to prepare the beds for winter.

She attacked the task with enthusiasm (once I’d dragged her away from a game involving every single toy she owns by the look of the playroom). After clearing a section of her allocated bed, she found this beauty hidden away.It made me think about all the other plants in my garden that were still flowering their socks off. This Fuschia is called Baby Blue Eyes. I bought some for eldest Craftyguidelet’s grandparents when she was born as she had the biggest blue eyes.The Craftyguidelets grew sunflowers from school as well as some 8ft tall monsters.This is my favourite plant in the garden at the moment. I first came across Stipa tenuissima when I studied at gardening college (an RHS evening course equivalent to a gardening A level). It is so touchy feely. I’ve got 2 clumps in my garden near the paths so I can run my fingers through it when I walk past.This Brunnera shows that you don’t need flowers to create an impact.And this Heuchera combines flowers and beautiful leaves.So go out and appreciate all that Autumn has to offer.

Simplicity 2828 – WIP Finish

2 years ago (or was it 3?) when Craftyguider was still starting up, I made a duffel bag for eldest Craftyguidelet’s PE kit at school. One of the mums at school saw it and asked if I could make one for her daughter. She wanted something in a dark fabric that would be quite hard wearing, so off I popped to the local habby and found this.
I love this navy corduroy with the embroidered flowers on it. I bought some for the bag and got a bit extra to make a dress for youngest Craftyguidelet.
I was taken by Simplicity 2828. I don’t think I’ll be making the fluffy hat somehow, but the pinafore was spot on. The Project Runway patterns enable you to pick different design elements to personalise your own creation. I didn’t want any of the ruffles or bows so I just did the basic square neckline dress. Earlier this year I got on and cut out all the pieces for an age 5 girl so that youngest Craftyguidelet could grow into it. She is now 5 and a half and tall for her age so perhaps she won’t have that long in it. My fault for stalling all this time! Note to self: don’t trace patterns or cut fabric until you are ready to make the whole dress!
Et voila! I love how it has turned out, and luckily little Craftyguidelet loves it too. It even goes over her plaster cast at the moment which is a big plus.
She was so pleased with it that she brought me a mini curlywurly from the chocolate drawer. What? You don’t have a chocolate drawer in your house? You are missing out!

So about 3 years after I planned to start the dress, it is now finished. Have you got any long term WIPs in your basket?

Book Bag Tutorial

The Craftyguidelets are very lucky to go to a school where they can have piano lessons during the school day. Eldest started last year, and youngest has her first lesson today.

During the summer holidays, eldest Craftyguidelet reminded me that I had promised to make her a bag to put her piano books in last year. This prompted youngest Craftyguidelet to ask for one too. As we were standing in the fabric department in John Lewis, I was cornered. I am naturally weak when it comes to resisting the purchase of fabric anyway, so I bought some lightweight black denim for the main body of the book bags. Eldest Craftyguidelet chose the nice Tim Holtz music fabric, and youngest Craftyguidelet chose the owls.

I was going to make book bags with a velcro fastening flap like their normal school book bags, but instead we compromised on a simple tote bag style (these bags were made the night before their lessons so I was going for the easy option!). My finished bag measures 41cm long x 30cm tall (excluding handles) so check the dimension of your books and adjust accordingly before putting scissors to fabric.

To make a bag you need:

* 1 piece of fabric 42cm x 46cm cut from main fabric
* 2 pieces of fabric 16cm x 46cm cut from accent fabric
* 2 pieces of webbing 45cm long

I’ve used a 1cm seam allowance unless stated otherwise.

1. With right sides together, attach one piece of the accent fabric to each end of the main fabric, matching the 46cm sides. If your fabric design has a top and bottom, ensure the bottom of the pattern is next to your seam line or your owls will be standing on their heads!Neaten edges and press the seams flat.

2. Prepare the hem for the top and bottom edges by ironing a small fold and then a larger fold to make an enclosed hem. I used 1cm and then 3cm.

3. Position the handle 14cm from each edge under the fold you have just ironed. Fold the hem back over the handle and stitch the hem closed close to the edge.

4. Fold the handles up and sew in a cross pattern to secure. Repeat for the other handle.OCD and perfectionist crafters look away now.It was late at night when I did this so my cross isn’t sewn to my usual high standards!

5. Fold the fabric wrong sides together (yes, wrong sides!), matching the hems. Stitch the side seams. Trim the seam allowances slightly.

6. Turn inside out and stitch again to make a French seam, making sure you enclose the raw edges fully.

7. Turn right side out and press.8. Marvel at the lovely bag you have just made in hardly any time at all!

You can use my tutorial to make bags for your own personal use only. Please do not reproduce the tutorial in any way without permission.

Getting to Know You – Ice Breaker Activities

It’s the start of the new term at Guides and as usual we have some new starters. I do my Guiding in a fairly rural area, so most of the Guides know each other from the main school in the village, but it seems that there is a huge gulf between the lofty year 7’s and the new year 5’s.

Looking for some new ideas, I stumbled across icebreakers.ws which has a number of interesting games to get everyone talking and learning more about each other. Who knows, they may actually find out that the year 6’s aren’t an alien species and are quite interesting!

I’ve tried the Bingo style games before where you have a sheet of paper and have to go around finding someone who has an elder brother, someone who is left-handed and someone who can’t stand One Direction. This is good at making the Guides talk to people outside of their normal friend group because Nancy the new girl is the only one with a hamster, and if they want to get that signed off, they need to share the fact that they hate marmite.

Another suggestion on the website is the blanket game where you hide one person behind a blanket and everyone else tries to guess who it is. I find this works best when you know each other a bit first. Rainbows won’t peek while you are hiding someone, but Guides aren’t beyond a bit of cheating. Or is it just mine?

I think I’ll be trying the connecting stories game within the new patrols. One person starts off a story such as “I had jam on toast for breakfast this morning” and then the next person needs to provide an anecdote related to this such as “my mum made strawberry jam this summer” followed by someone else’s “I went to a pick your own farm and we picked 3 punnets of delicious strawberries”. The linked stories have to carry on as long as possible.

With my old unit, I played the “move to the left” game where everyone sits in a circle on their own chair. The person in the middle makes a statement such as “move to the left if you have an older brother”. Anyone this applies to has to move to the left and sit in the next chair. If a Guide doesn’t have an older brother, they stay put, which can mean they get someone sat on their lap. If there is a complete pile up, you can rescue the poor unfortunate Guide left sitting underneath 4 others by making a statement that you know applies to her alone.

Do you have any good ice breaker activities to share?

Girlguiding is the leading charity for girls and young women in the UK, with 553,633 members. Thanks to the dedication and support of 100,000 amazing volunteers, we are active in every part of the UK, giving girls and young women a space where they can be themselves, have fun, build brilliant friendships, gain valuable life skills and make a positive difference to their lives and their communities. We build girls’ confidence and raise their aspirations. We give them the chance to discover their full potential and encourage them to be a powerful force for good. We give them a space to have fun. We run Rainbows (5—7 years), Brownies (7—10 years), Guides (10—14 years) and The Senior Section (14—25 years). If you can give some time to help support or lead a unit, just click here or call 0800 1 69 59 01.

Craftingspiration: Craft Kits

I am addicted to magazines, especially craft ones. There are always new things to learn and people to be inspired by. I can’t pass by a WH Smith or a supermarket magazine display without trying to find an excuse to buy something. This is on top of the titles I subscribe to that handily pop through the letterbox every month. I love the ‘thump’ they make on the doormat. I could get the electronic versions posted to my tablet, but then I’d miss the free kits that are usually attached to the front and I’d feel cheated. Sometimes the kits stay in the storage box (erm, read boxes) for some time. These Christmas themed houses were from a Cross Stitcher Magazine kit a few years ago. My box of kits is where I go when I need a small portable craft for a trip. Much as I’d like to take my sewing machine with me everywhere I go, it’s hardly practical (and I think husband would protest a bit too), however a small envelope containing thread, a needle and a bit of aida is easy to pop in a bag. Just remember to stick the instructions in as well! Kits are also good if you want to achieve something quickly. This travelcard holder from Mollie Makes (again over a year old!) was knocked up in less than 30 minutes on the morning I went into London on the train. It was the crafty hit I needed in the middle of the school holidays. A bit of time for me.
Sometimes it’s nice to try something new. Having a kit on the front of a magazine has shown me the basics of how to make these keyrings without having to source all the bits.
Not all the kits I collect* (*hoard) are from magazines. I subscribe to the Crafty Creatives boxes and this cupcake cross stitch was a quick, sit-in-front-of-the-TV-and-craft project finished in an evening.
Another Crafty Creatives kit. I wouldn’t have tried kumihimo if it wasn’t included in one of the boxes. But didn’t this used to be called Looby Loos when I was a kid? Albeit with plastic strands instead of fabric ones!

What do you do with your craft kits? Are you a hoarder or do you get them done before the next issue comes out?

Dear August…

Oh August. Our relationship started so well. You gave me time to start blogging again, I started creating, I got things done.
My nephew came to stay and then later on there was the celebration of his Christening.
Husband’s birthday came and went, and the Craftyguidelets’ vision of a sailing themed birthday cake was realised.
The Craftyguidelets and I found 38 Books About Town book benches in 3 different areas of London, did some sightseeing, fell in love with the impressionists in the National Gallery, and completed the summer reading challenge at the library. Oh August, you kept us busy.

But towards the end it went wrong. A trying extended-family holiday culminated in little Craftyguidelet breaking her arm and spending 2 nights in hospital. How could you let that happen August? My little girl looked so tiny on that big bed as they wheeled her away for surgery under general anaesthetic.
You brought me flowers – hydrangeas to remind me of our lovely holiday in Cornwall and roses from husband for our wedding anniversary.
But it’s too late August. The pain of the hospital stay and seeing my poor little girl’s deformed arm, and now the huge cast that she has to carry around is too much.

It’s over August. I’ve decided to give September a go. The Craftyguidelets will be back at school and my volunteering with Guiding, the WI and school starts up again. I’ll need to be busy preparing Craftyguider for Christmas, as well as starting my own preparations. I’m also joining the Trefoil Guild and hoping to start my Voyage Award.

So long, and perhaps I’ll see you around some time in the future.

Craftyguider x

Smash Books

One of my many crafting loves is scrapbooking. I enjoy the process of selecting a photo, working out a layout, choosing the papers, thinking up a title, adding journalling and enjoying the result.

A version of this process which doesn’t take as much time and finesse is smash booking. Whereas a lot of preparation is needed for a scrapbook page, a smash book is more of a ‘bung it in as you go along’ type of process. You go with the flow, pasting in photos, leaflets, ticket stubs, feathers, stickers, notes, new year resolutions and anything else that will glue (or usually in my case, attach with washi tape) on a page. A smash book doesn’t have to be pretty or perfect. Just ‘smash’ your elements in. There are no rules.
I have a couple of smash books by K & Company which have preprinted pages that you can either use to theme your page, or you can just cover them with your mementos.

This year’s summer holiday was to Cornwall, and I took my smash book supplies with me to journal the day’s events each evening before the memories faded. It is much more portable than a scrapbook, and all I had to do when I got back was to add a few photos. Job done!
I have a pinterest board on smash books and scrap books. Why don’t you have a look!

Follow Louise Craftyguider’s board Smash Books and Scrapbooks on Pinterest.

We’re Jamming – Craftingspiration

Sometimes creativity and vision leave me. I sit there and procrastinate and end up distracted. When this happens, I need to find a way of focussing and finding some inspiration.

As well as my encyclopaedic stash of craft materials, I also have a crafting library to rival Amazon. It’s time to dive in and actually use them. Cue a rummage on the shelves to find something to create.

I’ve had this Good Housekeeping Preserves book for many years. I think it may have been a purchase from one of those book clubs that leave piles of books in workplaces. As I left my last workplace about 8 years ago before working from home and raising my girls, it’s been on the shelf for a long time!

In all that time, I’ve only made one recipe – a rather yummy rhubarb and ginger conserve to use up a glut of rhubarb from my garden one year. As a WI Vice President, I feel it is my duty to have more adventures in the world of jam.9

900g of strawberries, 1kg of jam sugar and 1/2 a lemon later and ta-dah!
Result – 3.5 jars of very yummy strawberry jam. I can hold my head up high in the WI, and I’ve rediscovered a book I’d forgotten I had. Flicking through, there are lots of recipes for jams, marmalades, pickles, drinks and sauces to try.

Anyone for lemon curd?

Books About Town Trails

As a family, we love trails. Mr Craftyguider loves orienteering and the Craftyguidelets and I have done a couple of string courses. Going round a museum captures the interest of a child more if they have a series of exhibits to find. We are also geocachers and spend time lurking around trying to look nonchalant whilst one member of the party digs out a hidden tupperware box to log our find without being spotted.

This summer we are looking for brightly painted benches in the shape of books on the Books About Town trails in London.
There are 50 benches to find on 4 trails. We started with the Brick Lane bench near the Museum of London on the City Trail.
There is also a quiz to download so for some of the benches you need to look a bit harder at the detail to answer the questions.
The backs of some of the benches are as stunning as the fronts. This is from the Great Expectations bench on the Riverside trail.

The bench I really wanted to spot was the Dr Seuss bench which is near More London outside the London Assembly building.
The Craftyguidelets loved the Axel Scheffler and Julia Donaldson bench.
I love the bench, but we took ages to spot it. The list of benches says it’s in the Hay’s Galleria near London Bridge station. We walked round, underneath, around, through, and eventually found it a few metres down the riverbank and not in the Galleria at all.
The Mary Poppins bench was a bit damaged. It was the first bench of many where we had to ask an unsuspecting tourist to move so we could photograph it from all angles! Luckily everyone was OK about it, especially when two cute Craftyguidelets were looking hopefully at them.
We have now found all the benches on the Riverside trail and 5 on the City Trail.
New events are being added to the website all the time including a competition to design your own Shakespeare bench to win prizes.
The book trail runs until 15th September, after which the benches are being auctioned off in aid of the National Literacy Trust. Could someone get one for me please? With the exception of the Fever Pitch bench though. As a Spurs fan, I have to draw the line!
16 benches done over 2 trips to London. Can we do the other 34 by the closing date?

Museum of London – Review

With the Craftyguidelets learning about the Great Fire of London in KS1 and Stone Age to Bronze Age in KS2 next term, we planned a day trip to the Museum of London near St Paul’s Cathedral to do a bit of ‘research’.

The museum is right in the heart of the history it is curating. Parts of the London Wall are ‘displayed’ through windows on the upper level. I’ve no idea why the man in the picture appears to be taking a selfie lying down in the shade of the wall!

We were met at the door by a member of staff who asked us about our visit. She showed us to the various activity sheets for children which you can also download before you leave home. We picked up the War, Plague and Fire one for youngest Craftguidelet. As there was nothing for eldest to have, the staff member got her some leaflets with pictures from the gallery, and also lent her a clipboard and A4 paper to draw pictures and take notes on. She also met up with us later in the day and showed a genuine interest in what the Craftyguidelets had done. It’s great when someone goes above and beyond the call of duty.

Photography is permitted in the museum but flashes aren’t so forgive the dodgy pics!
The galleries inside take you on a chronological journey through the history of London, starting in the ‘London before London’ gallery. This took us from the Stone Age through to Bronze Age with displays of artefacts discovered in the London area.
This Bronze age helmet is supposed to demonstrate the ferocity and virility of the owner. Not your normal head gear for a night on the pull any more!
The Roman area had this mock up of a Roman house. I love the mosaic floor.

Moving on through Medieval London and past a 100 year old model of the old St Paul’s cathedral, we arrived in the War, Plague and Fire gallery. There was a quite disturbing film presentation of the spread of the Black Death which we moved on from, and then on to the Great Fire of London.
It was great to show 5 year old Craftyguidelet examples of houses and how people lived in 1666 when the fire happened, as a background to what she will be learning about in the classroom. The museum is also in the area where the fire took hold, which also gave her another perspective.
These fabulous dresses were in a recreation of the Pleasure Gardens. I was a bit confused by the film dramatisation that was projected as part of the experience though.

After travelling through the Victorian shop recreations, we carried on moving through history to modern London.
This is a bronze lift from Selfridges from 1928. I love the grandness of it.
The Suffragettes were also featured with a large display, including this embroidery from Holloway Prison.
This was from a display of equipment from a bakery demolished in 1966 to make way for a new development. Being a Master Baker and Confectioner’s daughter, I am drawn to bakery memorabilia.
Probably the most thrilling part for me was the story of the development of the Olympic cauldron from the 2012 London games. The actual petal for Great Britain was displayed. I didn’t realise there were 3 cauldrons made – one for the Olympics, one for the Paralympics and one for testing. The scale and the detail were staggering.

We really enjoyed our day out at the museum. It held everyone’s interest throughout our visit, and there are probably details we missed to go back and see another time. Entrance is free but we did leave a donation in the box.

This review is based on my own opinion of our family day out. I received no incentives to go or to write a review.