More flowers for the garden

More flowers for the garden

crafty stuff utilities

Hello. I didn't make it to Crafty Club this morning, I was busy with a man in my house. A very nice man actually, someone I have known for about 20 years. That's got your attention hasn't it, oooh, I am a tease. The man in question is our local plumber in the village. There are other plumbers but I prefer to stick with Michael as I know he does a good job.

He used to be a lorry driver working in Rugby Cement at the same time as I was. He didn't like it very much so he paid a lot of money to retrain as a plumber/gas fitter. He is fully qualified with the certificates, and has been self employed for a long time now. He gets all his work from recommendations and never needs to advertise. He doesn't even have his name on the side of his van. He is so busy I had to wait a while until he could find a slot for me.

So, my boiler is serviced, water tank and radiators checked, two hot taps upstairs removed cleaned and put back, gas fire in the living room completely stripped, checked and serviced, and an overflow leak in the upstairs toilet rectified. He has done a good job at a reasonable cost. Michael the plumber is brilliant.

Someone mentioned that the flowers I made from drinks cans could be made with plastic. Yes, they certainly can, and here is the proof.

If you are going to do this you need plastic that is flexible and not too thick to be able to cut it with scissors. Some plastics are brittle and will break when you try and cut out the shapes. Look out for plastic containers, boxes, and anything with a flat surface. Large square bottles are ok, but round ones wouldn't work so good. Some large cardboard containers have plastic lids.

Here is a little video.



Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
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Free flowers for your garden

Free flowers for your garden

crafty stuff imagination

Hello. Have you seen those flowers on a stick things that you can put in a plant pot or stick in the garden? You can get them from the £1 shops and discount stores, a bit of cheap tat to brighten up your garden. I thought I would have a go at making them, here we are, I made five today and they cost me nothing. 

Here's some instructions in case you fancy having a go. You need some flower shapes in three different sizes, small, medium, and large. I trace mine onto greaseproof paper, copied from magazines. You need colourful aluminium drinks cans, cut off top and bottom with small scissors, and cut up the side to make a flat piece. Put the pattern on the top and prick out the outline with a map pin. Then cut out the flower with small sharp scissors. Nail scissors are ideal for this. 

Next you want a button, a piece of wire about ten inches long, and some tape. I've got insulation tape, it's plastic and won't fall apart in the rain. Three different sizes of petals. To curve the petals use finger and thumb to pull and bend them.

First you bend the wire in the centre, then thread the button on it. Next stab two holes in the centre of the petals and thread them on starting with the smallest. Pull the wire tight and twist the two ends together on the back. For the stalks you need old knitting needles, the thinner the better. Mine are metal but plastic would do the job as well. 

Push the pointy end of the needle through the wire loop and pull it down not quite all the way. Then wrap the ends of the wire around the needle in opposite directions. It doesn't matter that an inch or two will show at the front. Secure the needle to the back of the flower with two pieces of tape. And there you have it, so simple.

I don't have many different colours, look out for discarded cans.

Add them to any kind of pot plants. You could put one in each of your pots, or put several in together.

You can stick them into a thick conifer hedge.

Or you can stick them on top of a hedge.

Very colourful, I'm going to make some more. Home made is much better than shop bought. Make your garden unique and individual. Are you going to try it?

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
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Light up the garden

Light up the garden

cheap crafty stuff garden

Hello. I've been playing today. The mayo jars are quite dinky, I like the rounded shape, so what to do with them? I know, make tee light holders. Wrap a bit of wire around the top and make a handle, and daub some nail varnish on them. I didn't want to spend a lot of time painting neat patters, so I just did some rough stripes, and added spots with a permanent marker pen. They look good hanging on the pink sticks. 

Or in the lilac tree, which is regrowing after I hacked it down last year.

I tried them out after dark.

Put them on Bugsy's grave, looks nice.

Put them on Rocky's grave, looks nice.

I've got some more jars, I'll make a few more. The lights are still shining, I can see them from my window, they've been out there for three hours. I need to buy some more tee lights, I only had these two in the cupboard. Easy to make, why not have a go.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
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One tree and some flowers picture

One tree and some flowers picture

arty stuff crafty stuff sewing

Hello. I think I have done enough on this now. I don't think more stitching will make it any better. It was supposed to be a woodland but I stopped at one tree. I wasn't going to put glass in it because the texture shows up more without it. I took the photo's without, then put the glass in, and decided it looked better so left it in. It's 15.5 inches square including the frame. 

I think the gold frame suits it fine, there are small roses around the inside edge.

Time to move on to something else.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
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Walking Group call out. Log your miles here.

Walking Group call out. Log your miles here.

crafty stuff recycle reuse walking

Hello. I dropped lucky yesterday. I stopped off at the Cash and Carry on my way to town and there is also a junk warehouse which is not open very often. The man was there, with second hand furniture spread about on the yard, so I had a nosy inside. I found a brown table lamp with a green shade, the perfect colour. He wanted £1 for it. I have scrubbed the shade with soapy water, it has come up a treat, and added some pink trim to the top and bottom. There was already some white trim on it which looked a bit tatty, so I just stuck the pink over the top. I'm very chuffed with it. 

This is it's permanent place next to me when I am on the computer, it is within easy reach so I can switch it on and off without getting up. I only need a light when I use the keyboard.

This is the brown lamp which it came with, it looks ancient, like the old fashioned bakerlite. I wasn't expecting it to be working, but it does. I've given it a clean up, it was filthy, and put this old shade on it which looks perfect. It must be about 40 years old, it was on a lamp which I bought for my mum, which I am still using on my bedside ironing table. 

Right, it's the 1st of the month, you know the drill, this is where all the members of the Walking Group congregate together to share their stories. I want to know how you have been doing, or not been doing. Do you need praise from me, or a kick up the bum?

I have finished the first three months of the year on 375 miles. I would have done more if it wasn't for the twisted muscle in my leg, but that's gone now thank goodness. The weather is hopefully getting better so I am looking forward to a few day walks this month.

So how is it for you, don't be shy, spill the beans.

Lunch time, belly is rumbling, so I'll leave it with you. Lets have those miles come flooding in. You can update at any time in the month, just come back to this post on the 1st.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon. Have a nice weekend.
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A new jacket, and a confirmation

A new jacket, and a confirmation

crafty stuff free television

Hello. A small lamp came home with me a few months back, found at a car boot sale for 20p. There was a box of oddments on the floor so I had a rummage through it. It now has a new look, it was cream coloured pottery, and now has a multicoloured woolly jacket. I started at the bottom with a crotchet circle, then kept going round and round, increasing the chains around the widest part, and decreasing as it got narrower towards the top. The electric flex has an on/off switch half way along it so I had to put the jacket on and work round the flex. Without a switch, I could have just taken the plug off and pushed it through before it got too narrow. 

Now it has a pretty base. I have a shade but it is very old and doesn't go with it. I can either strip the fabric off and recover it, or look for another one in a charity shop.

A letter arrived today, confirming that I don't need a TV licence. They contact me every two years and each time I say, still the same, with the addition that I do not watch BBC iplayer. Anyone who is giving up watching TV and tells the licensing people for the first time, will get more letters asking if they are watching. They don't give in easily and will pester for several months. I don't get any bother now.

Hey, it's the weekend and the sun is out. Time to get off the computer and go out. Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
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PS. Note to the Walking Group. Don't forget to come back tomorrow with your mileage. Thank you.

Crafty ladies visit Hull Scrapstore

Crafty ladies visit Hull Scrapstore

crafty stuff Scrapstore sewing

Hello. Four of us went to Hull Scrapstore today. The other three ladies hadn't been before so were curious to see what it is like. Scrapstore is a charity and relies on donations from businesses. Tracey is the van driver there and she goes round and collects anything that can be used for crafting purposes. There is lots of fabric, cardboard, paper, haberdashery, paint, plastics, wood, anything that businesses have no further use for and need to dispose of it. Here is the Facebook page for the Hull store. Other towns have them, gooooglie to check if there is one near you.

Shopping at a Scrapstore is not like shopping in an ordinary shop. You never know what you will find there. They rely on people visiting and buying materials for their craft work. Teachers pick up supplies for their classes. It's best to go with an open mind, draw inspiration from what you see. If you go looking for something specific you might not find it. Best to take a good selection and think up ideas for what you can use it for. If I find I have fabric which I haven't used and no longer need, I will take it with me and donate it back to them. Our shopping is loaded in the car, mine is the biggest bag, and the tins of paint are mine. 

A good selection of colours. Some great fabric to make sturdy shopping bags. I donated some of my bags back to them today, they can sell them in the shop.

I did a yellow sticker shop last night, and found some bargains. I also gave two shopping bags away to two very surprised people. It makes me chuckle. I have made a video showing what I bought, but I've got to load it on yooootoooob, which will take a while. Be patient, I'll post it here tomorrow. 

It's been raining a lot here today. I won't be going out walking in it. I've also got a sore left leg, it's quite painful, so I'll rest it awhile. I had a massive cramp early Monday morning in bed, jeez, didn't half make me leap about. The calf muscle twisted badly, I massaged it, but it's still not quite right.

It's time for dinner, so I'll say toodle pip until tomorrow.