Hair Clip Organiser Tutorial

I thought I'd blog about something which caused a lot of comments on my stall on Saturday, (mostly "Oh what a good idea - I could make that") so I thought I'd show you and tell you how I made it.

Its a hairclip organiser!

 This is one I made one originally for my daughter, as every morning we have a frantic search at half past eight for school hair clips (preferably two that match) no matter how often they are replenished seem to vanish into thin air never to be seen again.

This is the one I made for my stall on Saturday.  Its so easy and you can probably see immediately how its made, (so it feels a bit silly calling it a tutorial!).

Find a nice frame, this one used to be gold I think, and paint it your colour of choice. I like to use spray paint or Annie Sloan paint.

Take the backing board and add some wadding to pad it out slightly, then staplegun your chosen fabric and the ribbons to hold the clips onto the back of the board.

Cover up the back of the board with some felt, (I glued this) and that's it!

A pretty solution to the hair clip problem!

If you'd like one but don't feel like making one, I will be putting this one for sale in my Etsy Shop!

Sally xox

Our Country Show

Yesterday I had a stand at our local Country Show, and despite a few heavy showers, the sun shone in between and it was a great day.  Luckily I was in the Craft tent, which quickly filled up everytime the heavens opened. Would you like to see some pics of my things?

  Free machined and appliqued rosettes

Sleepy Creatures, Strawberry tea cozies and bunting 

"Hot off the press" Bunting Hire leaflets, Vintage Twinkle Bunting, Cards & Giftwrap

Lovely display for the 160th Show outside the exhibition tent 

 Crocheted bunting, peg bags, sweetheart sewing kits, and my most popular item, my Tooth Fairy Pillows with a secret pocket (which I am now pleased to be selling through www.dorothyandtheodore.com, a beautiful new website showcasing selected handmade special products for children).

Quilted placemats, crochet monster egg cozies, christmas stocking garlands (I did worry it was a bit too early, but apparently not!, patchwork bobble hearts, patchwork notebooks, doorstops, napkin rings! Phew!

And heres my stall! My husband made the two display units for me which have been so useful.

Fab day, great people, lovely comments = happy and tired me! 

Don't panic!

One week to go until my next craft fair and I haven't got a great deal in stock!

Luckily my wonderful parents in law are looking after the children today and I am looking forward to spending the day whizzing away upstairs on my sewing machine. Here are a couple of things I did manage to make this week.

Some button and pearl brooches and a kiltpin brooch..

And can you hear the

its the first of my christmas collection!

one of my mini christms stocking garlands with jingle bells!

Have a lovely day everyone. Strictly's back tonight too, whoo hoo! xxx

My Top Five

I must have spent a fortune over the years on beauty products, moisturiser creams and makeup, shameful amounts of money on expensive moisturisers, designer shampoos and on department store make up counters, but older and wiser I've found that expensive doesn't necessary mean best. These are my top top five beauty products.

1. Bare Escentuals foundation

What a brilliant invention. Idiot proof. So easy to put on, buff it on with a brush (you don't even need to look in the mirror its so easy), and really flattering, I've been using this for about five years now and wouldn't use anything else. Lasts for ages too.

2. Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish

I love all her natural products, and have used this for ten years. Creamy cleanser you wipe off with a hot cloth. For me it's the best! Smells so nice of eucalyptus and wipes away even really stubborn mascara really gently.

3. Pitrok Deodrant Spray

Because of family history I have an increased risk of breast cancer and I'm very fussy about what I'm prepared to wear under my arms, this one has no nasties in it and it works.

3. Boots Protect and Perfect

I was very late to the party with this, I remember it being in the news a few years back, but I only got round to trying it this year and love it. I noticed a difference the first time I put it on, less visible wrinkles on my forehead and the horrible 11 lines (still there but much less visible). Yipee! I use the serum and now both the moisturisers too. Less expensive than other ones I used to use (you can usually get them 3 for 2 as well) & for me a better result!

5. John Frieda Three Day Straight

I'm a recent convert to this too, as I have my hair coloured I don't like to wash it every day, but it has never looked good on the second day, until now! Spray it on damp hair, dry as normal then straighten and you get straight hair for three days. It actually works, although I always wash after two, it looks just as good the second day as the first and shiny.

Would love to hear about yours, go on share your favourites!

My Creative Space

Hello Everyone!

I don't know about you but for me September always feels almost like the start of a new year, a fresh school term, new uniforms ...

new shoes (always my favourite thing about going back to school!)...

... a big spring clean of the house following the holidays (it took 6 hours to restore normality!)...

and I always make plans and goals to achieve in the coming months, and my ticklist for christmas.

The last week of the holidays was a particularly busy one for me as I was busy making bunting for two christenings, I've just worked out I made 338 flags in total! One christening was for a girl, and one for a boy, so there was lots of lovely pink and blue fabrics whizzing through the machine. Would you like to see?

Beautiful Melly & Me monkey fabric in the bunting to co-ordinate with the table decorations and colour theme.

Matching Appliqued bunting specially made for the guest of honour!

Co-ordinating blue polka dot and gingham bunting (from the Robin Red Bunting Hire range).

In situ!

And for the girl, pretty Pink polka dot and gingham bunting (also RRBH)!

So with the "big clean" and "mammoth iron" completed at the weekend, and the twins back at school, today was marked as being a "me" day! With it being a bit grey outside, I decided to get my craft room in order so I could start making things for upcoming craft fairs and things in an ordered clutter free zone. (It is a grey day here so I apologise for the poor lighting in the photographs..)

My room is located up the stairs...

at the top of the stairs are the shelves where I store my fabrics,

(some of!) my buttons and felt balls,

labelled tins (zips, embroidery threads, button making bits and bobs)

(all freshly labelled this morning - I went out and bought a glue gun this weekend, I'd been meaning to get one for ages, when clearing through the clutter I found I already had one that I hadn't used for years! I definitely need to stay more organised - more labelling required!)

and my collection of Ladybird books and PGtips cards.

Over to my workstation, nice and clear at the moment. See what I mean about the weather?

This is one of the most useful things I have ever made, a pin cushion and place to put your clippings and threads. I made it on a brilliant Treasure Trove workshop at Hope & Elvis a couple of weeks ago. No excuse now for threads all over the floor - a nightmare to get up with a vacumn.

Next to my desk on one side my books, threads, felts and files, spare sewing machine and a huge box of lavender on the floor.

And on the other side of my desk..

my beloved sewing machine (can't say how much I love my machine!), bits and bobs in my Ikea drawers that I decoupaged with Mod Podge, some of my bias bindings, piles of fabrics in the cubby holes and then the scrap fabric baskets on my cutting table. (I always bang my head when I'm working on this table!)

Behind the desk

Magazines, ribbons, more buttons and the wicker basket and ck bags on top are full of yarn for knitting and crochet projects.

Hanging off the cupboard door is my Dead Robin. I made him last year, he stood up for a while on his perch but then one day mysteriously took ill and refused to perk up. I don't know I've got used to him being like that now!

Lastly my running & tri medals hanging off the banister which I'm very proud of, but sadly due to various running injuries I reluctantly accepting I have to hang my the trainers in favour of my yoga mat nowadays.

There it is. It's a compact space, full to bursting with all my crafty bits, and I love it.

As last week involved a lot of sewing I'm planning a bit of buttony jewellery/brooch making for a change this afternoon.

Hope you all your back to schools went well xx