Janette's Crafty Goodies

Jack Skeleton - Nightmare Before Christmas hat and Scarf set.

Being the strange child (almost an adult) that my niece is.  This was the perfect gift for her.

Still a Big Kid Really

Ok, so although Lauren is 16, she really liked the I-spy bags that I made for the little ones.   So I had to make her one of her own.  More suited to a teenager this one had things like a mobile phone, hair staightners, camera, skull, sandwiches and loads of other bits in it.   Made with the same fabric as her lamp, because as usual I had bought loads more fabric than I needed.

Skull Lamp

My niece is a strange sort of girl,  which is great as I love making strange things for her.  I'll often see something I know that she will love and set about making it for her.

Struggling for ideas for things to buy her for christmas, I decided to craft for her instead.  This lamp is just one of the things I made.  I had picked up the base months ago at a car boot sale,  the shade frame was from an old bedside lamp I had,  and I bought new electrics for it.   I really enjoyed making this, although it took forever to hand stitch all the beads to the bottom edge.

I-spy Bags

Found someone in the states selling these for about $25.  Loved them, but thought I could make those.  They are a bean bag with a clear window filled with loads of little goodies hidden amongst the beans for you to find.   The Christmas one was a gift for my nephew and has santa, snowmen, bells, snowflakes and loads of other goodies to find, The Thomas one was for my son,  and includes Lightning McQueen, bugs and animals.   They each contain 30-40 items to find and keep the kids amused for ages.  Even my 2 year old daughter loves playing with this,  I'll have to make her a girly one at some point.

This Little Piggy Went To Market.

Ok, so I havn't been on to update since Christmas Eve,  I've been having my post christmas crafting lull,  I don't know if it's the weather, but I can never get motivated to craft at the start of the year.

I've recently started on a few items, but I havn't got pics yet, so I thought I'd get some of my older things put up for you all to share.

Mary (from the farmers market) asked me for some piggy earrings, phone charm and stitch markers.  These are what I came up with.

She obviously liked them as I've seen her wearing the earrings a couple of times now.

Warm Snowballs

Snow is cold, and we have a serious lack of it round our way,  so I thought lets have a snowball fight anyway.  These little critters were made out of a recycled teddy bear.

Almost Christmas, time to crack open the wine.

Too cute to resist, these little fellows were made from wine corks and fluffy wool.  Will have to make sure I only buy wine with proper corks from now on,  I have a few gaps on my tree that will fit these nicely.

My Own Little Snowman

There’s only so much you can make with fluffy wool,  hats and scarves being about my limit,  anything larger and its just too much.  I had intended to make a white hat and scarf with red trim for Christmas, but after the white part of the hat was made it was just begging to be turned into a snowman.  So here’s my little darling modelling her new snowman set.  (I made matching leg warmers too, but she hasn’t got them on in this pic.

Candy Cane Mice

Christmas, much as I love it is really for the children.  It’s a great time to craft with the little ones as there are so many fun things that they can make.  Kieran (3yo) made this candy cane mouse (I cut the shapes he put them all together.)

Angels

The angel kit from was just too adorable to resist.  At least this one didn’t involve pins and sequins so I managed to make these fairly quickly without doing myself any damage.

What to get for the person with everything

Nothing!!!!!  But lets put it in a jar, so at least they have something to open on christmas day.

Barbie clothes.

Not something I usually make (Yet! my daughter is still too young for Barbies).  I crocheted these for The MS Society.   I can’t wait to start making these for Libby,  She’s gonna have the best dressed Barbie dolls in town.

Feed the Reindeers

Christmas Craft Fair.

My Sister has organised a Christmas Craft Fair in aid of The local Multiple Sclerosis Society.  This is being held on Saturday 8th December from 10am to 4 pm, at Cleator Moor Civic Hall, Cumbria.

I have a Stall booked at this to sell my own crafts, but the MS Society roped me in to making some Items for them to sell.  I tried to keep the items cheap and cheerful, and to make things that I usually wouldn’t make and sell myself.  My son (3yo) helped me make this reindeer food, with a little persuasion in the form of a letter from Santa.

And a close up of the tag, so you can see the text.

Coca-cola Christmas

I love the coke Christmas adverts,  With the red and white Santa, It always feels like Christmas when they start showing them on the TV.  So as a tribute to coke and their take on Christmas (and to find another use for empty cans)I made these.

Never Again

I love pin flair decorations, I have seen them time and time again on Create and Craft and thought about buying them.  I picked up a couple of kits recently and set to work.  Thought it would be easy, but I couldn’t find my thimble and my fingers ended up full of holes and blisters.  They look lovely and will have pride of place on my Christmas tree, but we’ll have to look after them as I’m never making any more. 

Mmmmmm Chocolate!!!

One for all you dieters out there,  Now you can have those chocolates without worrying about the extra pounds

Recycled tea light holders (the bit you usually throw away!!)

A few weeks ago at the farmers market and craft fair Shelly unintentionally set me a challenge.  She arrived with a collection of metal tealight holders (you know, the bit that’s left after the candle has been used, that most people would throw away) and asked me if I had any use for them.  Never one to let a simple thing like not having a clue get in my way I said I was sure I could use them for something.  After many long hours thinking about them, I came up with this

A simple church candle decorated with wire, beads and stars made from the tea light holders.

Fluffy stuff and Football matches.

So out came the blunt hooks and a random ball of fluffy wool.

Several football matches later, I have a whole range of them.

Lego - Not just a boys toy

Introducing my new range in lego jewellery.  The possibilities are endless!!!

Spangles

I used to love spangles as a child,  yet another childhood favourite that isn’t available any more.  Those that are still for sale (Opal Fruits, Marathons, etc) have all had a name change so they’re not the same anymore.  These beads were calling to me and as I can’t eat them this is what I created.