Embroidery Hoop Decoration detail

 I had a mad 20 minutes last week when i decided to make this set of co-ordinating hoop decorations.

I have a box of these pretty hoops sat waiting for some various tasks...

and i also had a bag of scraps from my bunting making session and always i have little baskets filled with bits n pieces and scraps and ribbons and stuff i made or stuff i bought.... STASH! you know how it is.

 So, they are 3 different sizes and i hung mine as above, getting smaller. You can hang them anyway you like though but i like the 3 different sizes.

The first was so easy. I literally sewed up some long strips of leftover Christmas fabrics. I have used these fabrics and colours elsewhere in my Xmas Decorations so i knew they would fit in with the general home decor theme (if i have such a thing)

 The second two, i then stretched over with matching / co-ordinating scraps.

I have sewn the back of these like you would if you were making a yo-yo / suffolk puff thing. Whipped it round the edge and pulled it in tight - i can do you proper tutorial for some Spring versions after Christmas? Give you some real notes amd photos on exactly "how to" ?

 Anyway, the moral of this semi-tutorial is thus:

1. I decorated the hoops AFTER with the embellishments as they were easier to sew on once stretched in the hoop.

2. i did not plan it at all and just saw whatever happend. I like to work this way

3. it took about 20mins- seriously. 30 mins to hang it too.

4. it is dead easy and you can even take these out and change them if you want.

5. hang yours thus or differently or make a set of 5 or just a few small ones... whatever, it'll look good :)

 I am going to list these exact sets of 3 in the shop (hopefully both etsy and LPF by the end of today)

 But it is a bit close to Christmas now so, prod and remind me we can do this again in detail ready for Spring / Easter. I will be having a sale around February time so i may chuck even more hoop sizes into the mix ready for February...

 If you already have a hoop or 3 hanging around at home, why not use some cute Christmas Ribbons to embellish? My Artisan Bunting below is just an example of different bits and pieces you can add to your hoops.

Merry Front Doors

and

Happy Last Minute Crafting

and Annie.... THANKYOU x x x

Quick & Crafty... Buttons x

 Here is another very quick and crafty idea....

Buttons are not JUST for sewing ya know!

BUTTON FRIDGE MAGNETs

The non-quick bit of this idea is the actual 'searching for' magnets.

Do not be tempted to use any ole magnet that you come across... there is nothing as frustrating as making your own fridge magnet - then discovering the magnet has no strength and everything falls off your fridge. I hate that.

I  *think* i got mine from Staples - and maybe even from Habitat some years ago... a few are quite deep but some are flat - it doesn't matter really. But they were really strong so i was happy to use them.

 Searching for buttons... well that is the easy bit!

you either have some in a pot somewhere (the bigger the better! the more dramatic effect)

or you can buy some from me: http://bigfish.etsy.com/

or you can rummage ebay / carboot / thrift for some unusual oldies.

All i did was to GLUE mine with a super strong glue.

I never recommend Super-Glue as it has volatile properties and you are never sure when the stickiness will give.

You can use an Araldite i think, or a glue gun.

I used Gold Hi-Tack, my most favourite glue of all time.

leave them to dry for 24 - 48hrs. Don't be impatient...

Ace Button Magnets xxx

Pretty Christmas Angel...

Hey! Look who's in the WINTER UK HANDMADE online magazine....? Me n' Her: I was asked if i would like to do a "How to" for the Winter edition... and i was making this angel so, thought she would be a pretty thing to share.

All the instructions and templates and full photos are in the last few pages (save the best till last *wink*) of the UK HANDMADE magazine, if you fancy making one for yourself.

I really enjoyed making something Chrsitmassy 'just for fun' - there are lots of other Christmas ideas and makes / bakes over in the magazine so why not take a look for yourselves and put your name on the email mailing list. It is a really good quality crafty read.

P.S If you do have a go at making this angel for yourself, feel free to email me if you have any questions.

xxx Read on further to see my HOLLY DECO too.....

Holly Decoration "How to - Go do"

I had no intention of making anything for myself today - as often happens, this decoration developed in my hands whilst doing something else... I have been making some Christmas Bunting for my kitchen using the Cath Kidston Holly fabric (below) and there were inevitable 'off cuts' that were too good to get thrown away.
So, the CraftyFish "How to - Go do" Holly decoration:
Firstly, i sketched a holly leaf on a piece of card.
Then i cut it out - and traced around that template onto a second piece of card. I carefully cut around the second template to make a smaller fit. This second template will become the fabric template and the first template is the bigger size, to be used for the felt.

I cut the bigger template on 2 pieces of green felt together. And then i did this again.

The smaller template i cut on ONE cath Kidstin fabric and ONE red spot. So you have the basics for the 2 holly leaves.

Applique the fabric to ONE side of the felt holly leaves, leaving the back of each leaf - blank (or double side them both if you want it double sided?)

Sew all round the edges, following the shape. Leave a gap at the top and STUFF them too!.... then sew them closed.

Then i sewed the two leaves together at the top with a gold ribbon sandwiched between the 2 leaves. Then i added the 3 FELT BALLS as holly berries, one at a time, sewing them securely into the top of the holly leaves.

To keep the 2 leaves from falling away from each other, i used green thread to travel down the back spine of a leaf - not all the way, just to that first spiky tip. This will keep them sitting nicely.

And it is ready to hang! This one is actually quite big. I am making a few of them to hang in-between the bunting to make a bigger 'swag' and look like fat sprigs of holly hanging.

I am pretty happy with how they look!

Please, feel free to use my "How to" and try your own. I need to clarify however (for those who are new to the online crafty stuff) This design belongs to "PaperFish", a Ltd. company. Nobody has my permission to use this pattern to make and sell commercially.

Good ain't it? xxxx