I am totally on a roll now with the whole make-something-from-a-pillowcase thing. This time, it's a skirt. The inspiration was a post on upcycling a pillowcase into a dress at Mummybrain, which I found through pinterest. I took her basic guidelines for making a circle skirt as I has the perfect pillowcase for such a craft. The frilled edge of the floral pillowcase begged to be used, so I unpicked it at the beginning and put it to one side. … [Read more...]
Pillowcase Pyjamas Part 1
I have been inspired to get the sewing machine out in recent days. I so enjoyed making the dresses and skirts for the Girls this summer, and have quite a few random pillowcases lying around which I bought when making dresses for Sew Scrumptious' campaign. I was keen to use them to make some sweet pyjamas for the Girls to wear at Christmas, and was beyond excited to see a pin which used pillowcases to make pjs. Step 1 is to launder your … [Read more...]
Have you met the Sharon Fruit?
Did you ever have one of those lightbulb moments that opened up something to you that you had previously dismissed because it looked too hard? For me it was when I saw Lady W use a peeler to take off the skin of a butternut squash. I had no idea you could do that, and it really made me embrace the squash as a vegetable. Before it seemed like such an effort just to get the skin off and I lacked the enthusiasm. Now tell me have you ever come … [Read more...]
Poppy Wreath for Remembrance Day
As Halloween grows to be a bigger and bigger event in this country, I can't help worrying that Remembrance Day will become less and less significant. I suppose the traditional view is that it exists specifically to remember those who fought and gave their lives in the two World Wars, and as the generation that lived and fought through those wars are lost to us, so too is the connection with those event, and their significance. And yet … [Read more...]
How to paint fireworks
I recall as a child that a painting of fireworks was de-rigeur for this time of year, along with the Public Safety adverts that put the fear of God into me as far as spending time with actual fireworks. Even now I am happy to watch from the safety of my own home, pick up the detritus from others' fireworks that has landed in my garden (man that stuff travels) and teach LBG how to make a fireworks painting with a cotton bud (that's Q-tip to you … [Read more...]
How to make saltdough Diwas for Diwali
Today is Diwali, the Hindu celebration of truth and light. Having time on our Half-term hands, LB and I thought we'd have a go at making some Diwas from salt-dough. I've been meaning to try Thinly Spread's super-white-cornflour dough for some time so was delighted when LBG decided she wanted to make pretty lights after watching them being made on CBeebies. Half an hour later, and we had a small 'dispute' about the shaping of the … [Read more...]
Breakthrough Breast Cancer Biscuits with fondant icing ribbons
I spent a couple of hours with a big blob of sugar paste last week so that I can bring you these biscuits. So, first you will need a batch of your favourite biscuits. I tried an all butter recipe, but I wasn't all that impressed and tend to favour the biscuit recipe in The Biscuiteers book. Who wouldn't? Anyhow, make your biscuits and cut out circles, then bake and leave to cool. Once cool, then pipe a line of white royal icing around the … [Read more...]
