Happy Holidays 2012

Wishing you and your family all the best for the holiday season. May your days be merry and bright!

Handmade Christmas Wish List

I wanted to share my Handmade Christmas Wish List. Mind you, it is more of an Etsy wish list given that all of the items are from some wonderful Etsy shops I found. I just adore these beautiful handmade treasures and will love to get at least a few of the items.

If you are looking for last minute Christmas gifts, perhaps this will give you a few ideas. The image below is a snapshot of the "Treasury." I have also provided links to the items, from top left to right.

via Crafted Spaces on Etsy

Links to items:

Robe Set - Ortupes
Hand-Woven Cowl - Tactile Dactyl & Co.
Earrings - Bella Anela Jewelry
Organic Lip Balm - Winsome Green
Knit Leg Warmers - Three Bird Nest
Leather Tote Bag - Dodo
Organic Essential Oil - Belle River Naturals
Shirt - Gitas Portal
Hand Printed Napkins - Anna Joyce
Stamp - Yours Is The Earth
Cotton Wallet - Cotton Purr
Squirrel Pillow - Secdus
Hand-Woven Cotton Blanket - Bambino Castello
Nesting Lotus Bowls - Whitney Smith
Linen Bedding - iPure Linen
10" Ruffle Cake Stand - Vessels and Wares

* If you are unable to link to these items, you can also do a search on Etsy for the shop names.

I have never purchased from any of these vendors, so I cannot provide an insight into the quality of the items or services, but I do love their collections. I have purchased from the Etsy site before and I have had a good experience. I also have an Etsy shop and will be adding more items in the New Year.

What are some of your favourite Etsy shops?

Happy Shopping!

DIY Etched Glass Votives

I have been getting ready for Christmas, and candles are one of my most favourite ways to decorate. I decided to repurpose a pair of plain glass votives that I bought several months ago. After using the candles that originally came in the glass votives, I wanted to keep using them, rather than sending them off to the recycling bin.

Glass etching cream has a wonderful way of adding new life and a wonderful decorative touch to plain glass pieces. It can also be a perfect gift for the holidays. As fun as this project is, the etching cream can be dangerous to work with.  I therefore took a few safety precautions and I did the project in my laundry room (next to the sink and with the door open). I used two layers of craft paper on a board. This way I was close to the sink and had good ventilation. Another great location may be the kitchen, next to the sink with the windows open if possible.

Supplies:

• Glass Item
• Armour Etch Etching Cream
• Brush
• Stencil, Sticker or Vinyl Adhesive
• Rubber Gloves

First, I started by making sure my glass was clean. You can clean the surface of your glass by using rubbing alcohol, which works well for removing any residue. I then created my design by using a snowflake punch and vinyl adhesive. I peeled off the backing and pressing firmly to apply the snowflakes onto the glass. You can also use stickers or cut out a design. You will also want to make sure you do not have any loose ends or bubbles.

Next, wearing a pair of rubber gloves I applied the etching cream onto the glass very generously using a brush.

I let the etching cream sit on the glass for 10 minutes then washed it away under running water. You will want to refer to the instructions on your product for this part. I finished by drying the votives with a soft cloth.

*It is recommended to do this project close to a sink in a well-ventilated area and avoid contact with your skin by wearing log sleeves and rubber gloves. Please read the product instructions before use.

How to Make a Toddler Necktie

I recently came across a great tutorial here, which shows how to make a necktie for a toddler. Madelyn Wayment of Sharing the Wealth made a cute collection of ties that I just fell in love with, so I decided to try making one for my little guy Miles.

I made a few small changes to the pattern she provided. I started by cutting my pieces of fabric on the bias (it was not clear to me if she did this in her tutorial). I also made the neck strap from a strip of bias fabric and stitched it together a bit differently. I found that cutting the tie on the bias made it look more like a real tie and the neck strap has a bit more give around the neck. I used a snap closure, but you can also use a small piece of Velcro.

I used a piece of 100% silk for the main fabric and 100% cotton for the lining. It was also sewn together using silk thread. It was a quick and easy project to make and it was fun seeing Miles enjoy his new tie. I think I'll make a few more of these neckties. I already have a request from my ten-year old son, who thinks it looks "cool."

Here is how it was done:

I hope you enjoy making little neckties. It is a great holiday gift for the little guys.

Crochet In The Round

I wanted to share one of my most recent crochet projects with you guys. I have been playing with the use of two strand of yarn and for this project I also wanted to combine colours.  The yarn I chose feels nice and is relatively inexpensive; it makes for a great choice as I develop my skills. I bought tons of yarn recently at a Michaels sale and I have several combinations of colours that I will like to try.

I really enjoyed working with the Waverly: Bernat Yarn. The yarn I selected is from there Town and County and Simplicity line. I used a size 6.5 crochet needle and two strands of yarn for this project. The results is a wonderful chunky weave.

What do you think?

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UPDATE
I have been asked by quite a number of people about a pattern for this project. Unfortunately I do not have one at this time and I recently lost my beautiful cowl on a trip. As with many of my knitting and crochet projects, they just evolve as I play with the yarn and as I work on improving my skills. I am however; working on making another one just like it and I will post the instructions when I am finished, so do visit again. Thank you!

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I am so happy I finished the pattern for this cowl, here is a link to the instructions. I hope that you will enjoy.