Friday Finds : Christmas Food!

I can't believe how quickly this year has gone, how is it the last day in November already? Only 3 more weeks at work til Christmas! Yay!

When I was little I would get excited about Santa coming and seeing what gifts he would bring, and what my parents gave me. We didn't have loads but I always loved what I got. the best presents were the ones Dad made for me and my sister. One year he made us a dolls house, which was awesome, and another year he made us a playhouse for the garden. That wins easily as the best Christmas present ever, it even had windows that opened and a folding table inside! We had hours of fun.

Now I'm older I still get excited about Christmas, but for different reasons. I love seeing my family and spending time with them. It doesn't matter what we do (which generally isn't much) but it's always lovely. And of course, Christmas dinner! My mum makes a delicious roast, and at Christmas with all the trimmings and followed by Christmas pudding and loads of yummy foods I can't help but stuff myself full. Thinking about my mum's awesome cooking has decided my theme for this week, Christmas food!

I love this tea cosy by Twin K Knits. It's so cute and seasonal. when it's cold out a cup of hot tea is a fantastic way of keeping warm, with a fancy tea cosy you'll never be without a cuppa!

Gingerbread men are fun to make, decorate and eat. Show off your love for them with these adorable earrings by Sweet Venom Jewels.

The UK Christmas Store have got it spot on with their cushion cover. I will most definitely be following the instructions and pictures!

Ok, so I'm being a bit naughty by sneaking in one of my own designs, but hey, I love Christmas puddings so much I couldn't resist!

To give the gift of making head over to Jane Crick for this fabulous tea towel, which is also a kit to make your own cute Ginger bread man doll! (I can't resist mentioning her name either, as my middle name is Jane and I'm from a village in the midlands called Crick!)

For a last little slice of sweetness then take a look at this tasty piece of Christmas cake by Tea By Design. If it weren't for the earring hooks they'd look like real Christmas cake!

Happy Shopping!


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Stackable Beads!

About 2 weeks ago I received a lovely stash of plastic stackable beads from nosnowsupplies. They come in all shapes and sizes, and looked fabulous on their own. Check out her Etsy Shop for a browse of these fantastic flower beads.

 

 

I couldn't wait to start working with them, so I got busy stacking them and discovering all sorts of contrasting flower stacks, complimentary flower beads. I used different amounts of beads too; some looked great as just two types of stackable flower beads together, and some looked fantastic with four or even five different beads stacked together. Then you can lay them out to give you an idea of a finished design, such as a necklace.

                                    

 

 

 



The large beads at the bottom are flexible, which is great as it makes them so easy to use. The smaller beads are hard which gives them more structure, and holds all the flowers in place together really well. They're really easy to stack and stay in place, so you can easily keep re-designing until you're completely happy with the finished effect. There's definitely no worries about making something and then realising that actually, it doesn't look that great, or the colours don't work together with this system. And I've defiantly made items I've not liked once I've finished making them, I'm sure we all have and it's such a waste of time.

 

I've used some felt to make leaves for some of the jewellery, and I've added some round beads for flower centres.

 

I've had a go at making a few things, what do you think?

 

Christmas Flower Brooch available on Etsy here

 

White and Orange Flower Ring

 

Black Flower Pendant available on Etsy here.

 

Flower Hairclips available on Etsy here.

 

 

Now that I've started, I can't wait to keep going with the rest of the beads! I've got ideas for some dangly earrings, a couple of necklaces and some more brooches! If you want to try your hand then head over to nosnowsupplies on Etsy and check out all of the beads available, you'll be surprised how many different colours and styles there is!

 

 Happy Browsing


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Giveaway Winner!

Last Monday I launched my first ever Giveaway as I reached a massive 505 follows on Facebook! Whoop! (I now have an even more massive 508!). Thank you very much to all of my facebook likes, and to those who entered my Giveaway! I used the random number generator to pick a winner, and the winner was no 3!

So Congratulations to Catherine who choose these lovely ladybird earrings!

The other entrants aren't empty handed though, They all have been given a 20% off code for my Etsy Shop!

Please leave me you're email address, or email your address to yousewshould@gmail.com and I will send these in the post for you. (I do also have other colours available, please check out my Etsy listing to have a peek and let me know which variations you would like!

Congratulations and Thanks!


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Friday Finds: Monsters!

Monsters have featured in everyone's life at some point, whether it was hiding under your bed, or scary eyes staring at you out of the dark. It may have been the boogieman, a werewolf, or just something scary. My sister (and me, though I pretended not to be) were both scared of being at the back when out walking, especially in forests in case a wolf or bear jumped out and got us (We were quite young, firstly there's no wild wolves or bears in most of the UK (I think they're trying to introduce wolves to parts of Scotland) and secondly, they would definitely have heard us coming, and would probably have ran away!).

Then there's cute monsters, especially with films such as Monsters Inc, making them fun and friendly, and a bit cool. They don't have to be scary, they are just the unknown. Which leads nicely on to today's selection of fantastic items, but no need to be scared, these are cute monsters!

Kids will love the cute monster decorating this notepad by Crafty Mushroom Cards. Who am I kidding, us big kids will love it too! It's simple, bold and bright. With a furry body and stalk eyes, what more does this monster need?!

Mythillogical's cute devil felted brooch manages to be sinister in a cute way, with it's searing orange eyes. It's pretty quirky, and is obviously happy to be seen,. judging from his grin!

It's cold and dark, and most definitely time to wrap up warm. Jarg0n's funky monster eye hat looks warm and cosy, and will inject some fun to a cold night. Check out the other colours available too!

If you're in charge of any little monsters give them a smile when they're not quite right with these cute monster stamps from Fishcakes. Caution: They may be wrong on purpose just to get a funny stamp!

If you're handy with a crochet hook then head over to larissas custom shop to try your hand making these monster eye slippers. If I knew how to crochet I would be doing just that. In fact, maybe I'll start to learn...

I like a good cookie, and my boyfriend is quite a fan, so much so that I tease him about being a cookie monster. If you're one too then take a closer look at these cute earrings from Merus Handmade Haven.

Happy Shopping


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Subversive Cross Stitch

Subversive Cross stitch is becoming ever more popular and widespread. It's cool, and quirky, it can be funny and a bit rude. It ranges from bad puns and geeky jokes to the more obvious naked lady's and swear words. It's a bit of fun and it's something a bit different, helping to drag cross stitch from the more traditional stitches to something more modern and steam punk.

Some of it I like, some of it I don't. Some of it is just too rude for me, (I'm really not a fan of swearing). The type that appeals to me most are the funny, cheeky, and humorous ones. The geeky ones (especially science, being one myself) and groan inducing bad jokes and puns. Cheeky fun appeals to me.

Most of my cross stitch is small things, jewellery, keyrings, bookmarks and cards, but I have recently started trying my hand at producing samplers. My first one (Home Sweet Home) is very much in the traditional style, and even looks a bit vintage when stitched onto natural coloured fabric in muted colours, rather than the retro brights available today.

 

 

I like it, but it's not particularly exciting. I fancied trying something a bit different, something a bit cooler, funkier, and definitely more modern. It didn't take much thought ( thanks to my reputation of smacking friends bums quite a lot) to come up with this effort, available here on my Etsy Shop.

 

 

 

What do you think?

 

 

 

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Giveaway!

Hooray! I've reached over 500 likes (505 to be exact) on Facebook. As a result, I'd like to offer all of my fans a chance to enter a giveaway competition! You even get a choice of the  cross stitched earrings and rings below, Just leave a comment below with your choice and your email address, so I can notify the winner!

The winner will be drawn next Monday (the 26th November) so you have plenty of time to choose!




Option 2: Red Ladybird Earrings

 

Option 1: Silver Heart Earrings

  













 

Option 3: Gold Anchor Ring





Option 5: Santa Hat Earrings

Option 4: Cupcake Ring

 



Thanks for entering, and good luck!


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Friday Finds: Vintage Pin up

Those of you who follow me on facebook will probably already know that I went to a vintage make up class on Tuesday evening. I was going for the vintage look at the weekend too, although this time it was cupcake decorating! I'm not normally very vintage, but there are quite a few things that I really love about Vintage fashion, such as the 1940's and 50's dresses (I love the cut of them and wish I had more in my wardrobe). Lots of the retro home décor and accessories are really cute, and of course, there's the Vintage Pin=Up girl! I love the sassy sexiness and fun loving energy that they exude, so it's no surprise that Vintage Pin ups are this weeks Friday Finds theme!

I love the cute sauciness of the vintage pin up girl on these cute plug earrings by Plug Club. The subtle teasing and sense of style means they will work with any rockabilly outfit.

I have a bit of a cheeky personality, (we all do really) which is why I think these retro ceramic coasters are fabulous! Its hard to pick a favourite from Baubles and Kitsch's designs, but I think mines the top one, what's yours?

If its a statement piece you want, then look no further than this striking limited edition artwork print from Emma Young Art. It's perfect for adding a touch of glamour to a luxurious boudoir!

 Cheeky Rosie has hand painted this alluring vintage burlesque girl onto an everyday tote bag. With this in your hand, even boring every jobs can be glamorous!

 

 

If you like making your own wall art, or just enjoy cross stitching like me then head over to Wicked Lady for this fabulous chart. With a pattern as seductive as this, you'll be finished in no time!

 

 



A more subtle homage to the vintage era is this beautiful necklace by che655. I'm intrigued to know who this lovely lady is blowing her kiss to...

Thanks for reading, and if there is a theme you would like to see, or if you have a product you'd like me to feature next week, please leave a comment below!

Happy Shopping


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Cupcake Decorating!

I spent my Saturday afternoon in a lady's conservatory learning a few techniques about how to decorate cupcakes in a vintage style with a couple of friends.All cupcakes, icing and tools were provided, so it was a lovely way of learning some new techniques! She does other cupcake decorating classes too, check out her website for more information.

 

At the end of the class, we got to take our beautifully decorated cupcakes home, and I have to say, they taste as good as they look! (although I didn't want to eat them at first as they look so good!)

 

First up was the bow. When we made the 'trousers' (the tails that hang down) we were a little dubious. Firstly it was really hard to get a straight edge or make it even (practise, practise, practise...) but as the bow came together and we dotted the top it looked lovely. What do you think?

 



 

 

Next up was the cupcake above with the ball on top (or nipple, according to one of our friends). This was the only cupcake that looked good without the top being cut off to make if flat, as the lines drew your eye to the top.

 

 

 



 

The third cupcake was flowers. I struggled with this the most, despite having cutters to cut the flower. It was the ball rolling to shape the petals. (I managed 1 1/2 flowers in the time my friends made 3 and 3 1/2!) However, I definitely want to practise this technique more as Its one of the prettiest and most delicate looking cupcake decoration. The fourth technique was creating a cameo, and this was the easiest as the sugar paste was pushed into a mold. The flower molds proved by far the post popular, and I love the contrast between the colours and the pearl effect from the piped icing that frames it.

 

 

 

The fifth technique was a brushing technique, we used flower cutters as an outline to then ice and brush towards the centre to create a 'feathered' effect. Our teacher found this very therapeutic, but we weren't so sure. It looks nice but I enjoyed making some of the others more, however, I also think it would look better if the colours were more contrasting. The sixth one was for us to do as we wanted, so I chose another Cameo, this time adorned with a few little flowers.

 

 

The cupcakes were all given to us in a lovely cupcake box. Which is your favourite? 

 

Happy Decorating!


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Friday Finds: Clouds

The leaves have fallen, the trees are bare, the clouds are grey, it's hat's we wear.

It might be dark early now, and grey and cold, but that doesn't mean that clouds don't look good! They're not all grey and dull and miserable looking, plenty of them are white and fluffy, or orange tinted, or even a bit sparkly. Let's not forget the pretty clouds while we're plagued with the grey ones, and here a few fantastic reminders of the clouds we love!

Whimsyandmagic prove that rain clouds aren't all dull and miserable, they can be shiny and cute too! I would love to see a weather girl wearing these funky silver earrings!

The positive message behind this bright artwork by Inspireuart is a fantastic reminder to look for the good despite the bad, every cloud has a silver lining e.t.c... It's a cool reminder and a fantastically cheerful piece!

Check out Accidentalvix for some cute clouds for your little one. The colours are so lovely and vibrant that it's almost a shame to use it!

If you're more of a dreamer with your head in the clouds then take a look at this beautiful shower curtain from Pulaton. I never would have imagined that such fancy shower curtain were available!

I love these cloud leggings by Prettysnake, they are very original and cute too! You'll be a trend setter instead of a fashion follower when you're out and about in these!

Mmim hasn't forgotten about the beauty of clouds at night, this picture frame is gorgeous. I want one! I can just imagine it keeping happy dreams in and nightmares far far away...

Well, I think it's time for a little daydream, my head is wandering off into the clouds...

Happy Browsing


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Treasury-Tastic!

Well, things are starting to get busy on Etsy, I've been featured in several Treasuries this week, including 2 fabulous Christmas ones today! Without further ado, here they are...

'Stocking Stuffers for HER' by dennisluck

A collection of stocking stuffers in Green, Amber, Red and Blue!

Green Leaf Swarovski Cr... CCARIA $26.00	Silk Wrap Bracelet Char... CoastalSoul $24.00	OOAK lampwork glass mob... EmeraldFlameCr... $14.00	Modern Pot Holders, Gre... TwiggyandOpal $21.00
Hand-rolled 100% Pure W... opassoap $12.95	SOAP, Chrysanthemum & H... thecharmingfro... $6.50	Tangerine Post Earrings TheBeadBowl $7.00	Orange & Clove Olive Oi... SmithFamilySoa... $5.95
Nautical Anchor Hair Cl... YouSewShould $6.00	Wooden Amanita Toadstoo... EridaneasBouti... $7.00	iPhone 5 iPod Touch cas... Polar1Butterfl... $14.00	4pc Mineral Lip Gloss M... BeneficialMine... $14.99
Tree of Life Silk Wrap ... BohemianEarthD... $27.95	blue grey wet bag water... forkeepsamanda $20.00	iphone 4 case - Shabby ... CaseHive $16.99	Vintage Blue Bubbles Be... RetroRevivalBo... $12.95

Treasury tool supported by the dog house

Thank you Mosey Rose Designs.

'Holly berries' by sparkymummy

For Craftyfolk weekly featured seller challenge, featuring the lovely mosaic Christmas decoration by Green Street Mosaics

Christmas Decoration, R... GreenStreetMos... $21.00	Counting Pins Marking P... TJBdesigns $6.50	Handmade Felt Christmas... SewCraftyLou $5.00	Felt hair bow grip chri... missbaah $6.00
Christmas Micro Wreath ... MerryGoRoundUK $5.50	Wish Upon a Star Christ... BlingGlamouran... $22.00	Christmas Red & Green R... RasberryGrove $1.85	4 Christmas holly beads... MindieleeSuppl... $5.30
Holly Berry Christmas E... YouSewShould $8.00	8x10 letterpress art pr... FancyThatDesig... $22.00	Christmas card set in b... FluffyDuck $7.50	Set of 5 large Christma... FluffyDuck $8.50
Holly CornishDragon $8.00	Winter wall plaque, eve... damsontreepott... $20.00	Winter Photography - mi... CarolynCochran... $33.00	Holly Berries Christmas... clementinejayn... $20.00

Treasury tool supported by the dog house

 

 

Thank you The Yarn Owls Nest!

Happy Shopping!

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