DIY: padded felt heart peg/magnet

 I'm still enjoying my Easter holiday and I've had more time to make lovely things.

I like the ease of felt; it's portable and JOLLY!

I'm trying to put some handmade things together for my sister's birthday and I dreamt up these little beauties after seeing some felt hearts somewhere on my internet travels (can't recall where at the moment).

At first, I thought I could hang loads on a length of wool as a banner but it would take too long.  

Then, I thought as a brooch they'd be a bit too twee, for Katie.   

She doesn't wear things in her hair very often, so I thought they'd be good as fridge magnets for holding lists or photos. 

But they could easily be used as any of the things I've mentioned.

Below you will find a makery guide:

You will need:

2 x Felt rectangles (mine measured 5cm by 7cm)

Scissors

Contrasting embroidery thread

Needle

Fabric Pen

Soft stuffing (or shred the left-over felt from the off cuts when cutting out the hearts - it's eaily enough)

A wooden skewer (to poke in the stuffing)

A peg, magnet or brooch or hair clip.

Hot glue

Free-hand draw a heart (the more lopsided the better!) onto two pieces of felt of the same size.

Until you've got loads

Thread your contrasting thread, making sure the knot is inside the felt pieces.

Back stitch all the way round.

Stuff your heart.  Not too much, you want it to be puffed but not bursting!

Turn it onto its back, knot it and thread the remainder right through for neatness, cut it and gently encourage it back in. 

Next choose your weapon and hot glue the heart onto it.

If you like the peg magnet: hot glue your magnet to the peg.

Hot glue the heart to the other side.

I like it on the wonk.

Tinkety Tonk

DIY = recycled drinks can plant pot

I bought some really lovely drinks at the weekend.  

They tasted really gorgeous: zesty and fizzy and VERY refreshing 

(and I'm not even paid to say it!).

BUT I was sad when I thought that the best I could do with the cans was put them in the recycling bin. 

 They were too pretty.

So, after some thought (clunk, clink) I came up with using them as herb plant pots.

I got the herbs free too - BONUS!

Here's how I did it:

You'll need: Pretty cans, scissors, craft knife, compass, wooden skewer, ribbon and permanant marker.

Make a T shape slit in the metal with your craft so that you can insert the scissors with ease.

Cut the top off your can. You could sand the edges if you're worried about sharpness.

Cut more carefully around any pretty features you want to retain.

Holding your can carefully (or wear protective gloves for safety), poke holes in the bottom for drainage with a compass.

Add your compost.

Put your seeds in and make your soil moist/wet.

Cut your skewer to the length you require.

Tie your ribbon onto the skewer.

Add your plant name to the ribbon with indelible ink.

Hoist your flag.

  Et Voila!

Tinkety Tonk

my weekend = northcourth house

 I've had a lovely Easter long weekend - really doing what I liked: eating, drinking and making merry.  

Although plantlife round here is severly retarded because of the shiver-inducing wind, I went to an open garden at Shorwell on Easter Sunday. 

 Northcourt House, in it's rather run-down state, was a little more impressive than the gardens which were slightly subdued in the grey sky and chilly wind.

So, here is the house rather than the flora, which I hope to see blooming sooner rather than later.

Northcote House, up close and personal

Northcote House, aloof and supercilious

Tinkety Tonk

Happy Easter

Yes, I'm still enjoying myself and haven't got time to stop and chat.

I'll leave you with the presents I'm giving to my nephews for Easter, because you CAN have too many chocolate eggs but NEVER enough sugar!

Tinkety Tonk

What I'd wear

The weather is surprisingly spring-like: changeable. 

And as I am busy enjoying my holiday I am just going to leave you with this precious coat which I would be wearing if I had a spare couple of hundred quid.

Tell me it's not adorable!

Seaside Raincoat by Lizz Basinger Designs on Etsy

Tinkety Tonk

DIY = vintage style votive jar

I'm so fed up with chucking stuff away.  

By that I mean food packaging.  Specifically, jars and bottles.  

I wish I could have my own little farmers' market outside.  

(Yes, I know it's called an allotment, but that would mean ME lifting a spade.)

Anyway, I wanted to do something with jars.  I went on my craft board on Pinterest which is MASSIVE (what else) and found one that I'd been saving for a rainy day.  I followed the link back to the original DIY by Fellow Fellow (just to give credit) but I didn't follow it      I just did my own thing!

You'll find what I did below:

Lovely vintage style material, scissors, thread, jar and ribbon.

If you're NOT lazy you could iron your material...ahem, and cut it to fit your jar.

Hem the long ends together (or hot glue it for speed) You could also hem both ends if you're a perfectionist.

Thread  your embroidery cotton through the bottom end all the way round (in-out-in-out)

Push in your jar (mine was gherkin and, despite washing, still smelt tangy - meh,  it'll burn off)

Then pull your thread taught round the bottom.

Fold over the top edge of your material tube (you could hem it; mine was the edge of the material and didn't need it)

Wrap the ribbon round the neck of the jar.  You could thread it through the material.

Put in your tea light and there you go. A pretty vintage style glow.

Tinkety Tonk

DIY = paper flower easter wreath

A few weeks ago I used the tutorial on the left from the Wedding Chicks to make some paper flowers.  They were beautiful but I wasn't sure what to do with them.  BUT, as it's Easter I had some inspiration to use them on a wreath to give my mum and dad for their front door.  This is how I did it:

Cut a length of bright material of your choice to act as your hanger.

 

                   Hot glue it together, fold the top over and cut a notch

 Make a bow (hot glue again)

 

 Now the flowers, use the wedding chicks tutorial (follow the link)
Then hot glue onto your wreath.

 Hang on your door

  

Tinkety Tonk