Upcycled Boden Skirt

I bought a skirt from Ebay for a fiver.  It is blue/chambray, linen Boden, although a little too long at calf length. 

rubbish photo...ebay one - too tiny.

 So I cut off about 5 inches and sewed bias binding to the hem.  Then I added some heart patches - all ready for my themed fete on Saturday.  I'm on a roll baby!

What do you think?

School fete time again...

Thinking caps on....a few things that I have come up with so far, continuing on with the Jubilee/Olympics theme.  It started with red, white and blue...

The Queen of Hearts

 using a hessian sack from my husband's factory..

Attention!

rather scrappy looking, but transformed...

by my husband - I used the wrong colours (apparently!)

I love the little details he added....he was itching to get his hands on them!

Flotilla/regatta theme

Of course you have to throw in a bit of bunting...

and  pirate flags..little treasure maps to go inside chests that I've made in school with the children, along with hats.  More pics soon..

I've found some more pictures!  I made these in school- we printed the 'waves' with string which we coiled up onto a circle of card.  The boat was collaged with newspaper and paper that we printed.  One of my favourite things to do is to go to IKEA and find alternative uses for their products.  The dots were printed with a jelly-like roll of drawer liner from the kitchen department  (just googled it, it's called RATIONELL VARIERA).

and the bunting, nearly finished..oops, just noticed that I've sewn one on the wrong way around, so excuse me I have some unpicking to do..and I've also just burnt the rhubarb crumble..do other people live in this house??? really!! I've got a blog to write!

The Wedding..Jubilee weekend

The table numbers.  Big shot Pro used for these labels (Sizzix Album Tags). Roses: flowers 3D, Frame scallop oval die.

The favour gift tags.  Sizzix framelits used again for the hearts.(heart 657561 and scalloped heart 657562).  I punched a hole and added curling ribbon to attach to the gift bags.

The suitcase table plan.  I lined it with a candy striped paper and doilies.  I used Sizzix framelits to make the flag bunting ( Pennant plain 657570 and Pennant scallop 657571).  My other half drilled holes into the sides to thread the ribbon through.

 

 

 

The bunting.  I managed to find a really pretty green, scalloped binding on ebay.

The bunting in action

The table cards, menu and gift tags in action

The gift bags contained love heart sweets, jelly hearts and chocolate hearts.

I used the same cake design on the menu cards as the invitations.  A mirror disc was centred, with my vintage glass cakestand collection put to good use.  Ikea vases and tealights with vanilla scented candles, silk roses.

The Order of Service.

  I used the ticket design on the front with a paper rose for the Bride and Groom as they had the full service in theirs, with a small loveheart for the guests.  These were tricky as the service was a full Catholic Mass.  The Priest had asked us to print the whole thing!  which was 12 A4 pages long!  We managed to reduce it to 8 pages, so it was 2 sheets of A4 in booklet form - A5.  All this just 2 days before the wedding 45 booklets - wow, was I stressed.  Luckily my other half was put to good use with the (temperamental) printer.  Then sticking them in.  I thought about stitching them together, or punching 2 holes and threading ribbon...but in the end I used a cocktail stick to place glue in the folds to stick it all together.

Back to the wedding...

after that little diversion....

buttons - vintage ones that I bought from Ebay.

 

Two packs of mother of pearl, one pink Czech glass, and one burgundy plastic rose..I love old buttons, the weight of them, the coldness to touch..I have a thank you tag in mind for these beauties.

Two vintage suitcases..have just given them a good clean and a bit of polish...now to re-line them with pretty paper.

and the bunting is coming along...

The Queen of Hearts

Made some tarts......

For my 'One Step' communication group.  These props really help the children learn and understand the rhyme - they're great at it now!  They now know what a knave is...and of course they all want to hold the Queen.

I've used felt to make the tarts, along with Sizzix Framelits, scalloped circles 657552.  I've put a little stuffing inside along with a couple of spoonfuls of lentils for weight.  They feel lovely. 

We also count these in 1s, 2s, 3s, and 4s, and 'share' them out...great for early maths.

Wedding bunting

Using fabrics from my stash/gathered over the last year...including Clarissa from Laura Ashley, and a vintage crocheted tablecloth. I love this binding, a lovely crisp green with a scalloped edge.

The newspaper print fabric (ebay) goes really well with the vintage roses.  I've had to strategically place the crochet and roses though, as the content of the printed fabric was actually a little unsavoury! Be warned...

I've machine stitched over the roses to add more detail - they were cut out of the Laura Ashley fabric.

I did feel a little bad cutting up that tablecloth, but at least it's going on something that I know will be treasured.  Something old, something new....

Birdcage die from Sizzix (they don't pay me honestly!)

and my new die with the Jubilee in mind... the crown, topped off with pastel buttons and pearly sequins.

I intended on using white linen napkins, but the white is a little too white for this combination, so I may add calico with cakes on... keep you updated soon....and of course personalised with the Bride and Groom's names & date.

Wedding Bells

I've been busy these past few weeks making wedding invitations.

In keeping wth a rosebud theme, I've used Bazzill Basics paper from hobbycraft in Slipper pink and Celtic Green.  I've also used a handmade petal pink paper.  The cake is a wooden die ? unknown brand.

Embossed using Sizzix 656509 wedding set #3

I've used the Big Shot Pro Petal envelope die (square #2) in velum which I embossed with a loveheart.

Pearlised card in off white from Papermill Direct.  I printed them on my home computer.  (After much deliberation over Gocco/Letterpress in the shed).

With a matching RSVP card - Sizzix Petal card 654441

The evening invitations - ticket, framelits Sizzix 657569

Envelope in handmade rag paper - Sizzix 654783

and matching RSVP card.

If I can offer any words of wisdom in hindsight: if you are thinking about making wedding invitations yourself....think about the envelopes early on, or even beforehand.  It's much easier to make the invitation fit the envelope than finding the right sized/coloured envelope afterwards.

Baby Bunting

A gift for a sweet little girl's Baptism today

with a bird theme, using these earthy, nature themed pieces of fabric from my stash.

 I've used my darning foot for the free-stitched name.

My much-used bird house die from Sizzix

Baby bird die

The contrasting bird house

Pearly shell buttons add a bit of shimmer.  I've used my tree pop up die here.  I love how these dies are so versatile - cutting fabric as well as card.

A matching card

and tag...brown paper packages tied up with string...