Mini xmas angels - Day 269

A little extra on our tree… little angels. Scruffy and quick, but seems to fit the style of our crazy house.

NZ Design - Day 267-268

I am experimenting with the masking tool in Manga. 
This allows each section to be decorated and played with, without risking overlap and ruining another section. Basically, it means you can't colour over the line!! 

Another tool I am enjoying is the symmetry rulers. The 12 point symmetry ruler is just fun!! Reminds me of the spyrograph fun from the early days. Even the teens have had a bit of fun with this. Looks really good with a mix of colours.

Fairy Skirt - Day 266

This was a joint craft with my daughter. In fact, I started her off but she finished so I could complete bunny sets. 

 Oh the joys of a no sew fairy skirt!! 
I have seen a few of these around, and after a slightly disastrous fairy skirt last year that frayed horrendously, I opted for the tougher tulle. No fray!! 
This couldnt be easier really. The only stitching you need to do is the elastic waist band.
Once that is done, you just get a mass of strips cut from your coloured net, some matching ribbon strips and start adding them. With each long strip, double it and then slip knot around the elastic. Alternate colours and ribbon till you run out. Then settle down for a while because you need to tie the strips togehter. You take one strip (light pink) and tie to one strip of the colour next to it (dark pink), just keep going around like this. Once done, you can trim any extra long bits (my white was a much softer netting and was longer). 

Another xmas present done!!

Finger Misery - Day 265

A random craft born from slight stitching misery. I have been stitching LOTS the last 2 days, completing 2 orders for the bunny playset. But I have had issues. My left wrist has developed a niggling ache, so that cant be good! And I have cut the side of my finger, ouch. On top of that, I have managed to mangle the top of my middle finger while trying to hand stitch on super stubborn velcro. Silly me, I had the sticky back velcro, which was great for placement and temporary stickiness, but with use wont last so needs to be sewn. It turns out this is not so easy!! My sewing machine was not impressed, the glue was transferred to the needle, which then became sticky and stopped the thread from working. Many battles and a new needle later, I had to move to handstitching. Again... silly me... I dont have a thimble, I needed a thimble!! The needle took a fair chunk of effort to push through. I bent 2 of them pressing against the table to get the needle through. But my finger kept slipping and the back of the needle kept stabbing me. The next day, cursing brilliantly, I brought sew on velcro!! So much easier. But, a couple of areas still needed handstitching, and my finger is so sore. I had to whip up a makeshift thimble/finger guard. This is scraps of felt, with a double layer of felt sandwiching cardboard on the top and sides. I had to add an extra piece at the bottom so it stays on my finger. Ok... this is a rant based post. back to work!!
And I am aware I could have brought a thimble when I brought the velcro but i forgot!!

Hot Chocolate Sticks - Day 264

Christmas and chocolate. Can't beat them! 

 I saw a very fancy package at an exclusive shop selling these cubes of chocolate on a stick, that you swirl into hot milk for a decadent hot chocolate. A cute idea I thought, but not at $3-4 per choc. 
So I researched on line at may different recipes (links soon) and opted for this one. I chose this one because there were less ingrediants, but the condensed milk based ones will be my next batch so I can compare. 
I think the choc and cocoa ones last longer too. But I managed to make 11 x25g hot choc sticks for $5. Me and z tested these, and yum! Will wrap up all pretty with wrap and ribbon.
Probably could have got the same level of choc by adding an extra spoon of hot choc mix, but swirling and watching the choc slowly melt, as well as the little extra nibbles of the melting choc, does make it a bit more special. The marshmallows turned out to be just for decoration though, as they melted with the choc and disappeared. Probably need the big homemade marshmallows to have a marshmallowie layer on top.

Beaded bracelets revisited - Day 262-263

These are extra stocking stuffers. 

A number of shops around here are selling versions of these, but as usual, its so much cheaper to make your own. I tried on of these back on day 120-121 (my tutorial that I'm following here) , but the yellow one turned out longer then it was meant too.  I think I was crocheting too tight, as it twisted up as well. These are just crochet, so quick and easy.

NEW JOB - Day 261

JUMP FOR JOY!!



Just found out! I am now a Technology facilitator at a local Intermediate. I like how the word they used was 'facilitator' not teacher, it sounds better somehow. This is a big shift from normal primary teaching. This job entails working with and guiding the students to create their own designs/projects across the key technologies. So hard technology (woodwork), soft technology (eg sewing) and bio tech (eg food production). Lots of creativity in an "organized chaos" environment!! Perfect!!

So a celebration picture today!