52 Crafts in 52 Weeks - Week Twenty

Who doesn’t love lace with its beautiful and intricate designs and patterns?  When I saw the gorgeous lace earrings featured in August 2012’s Ideas Magazine, I just knew I had to give them a try!

 

These lovely earrings are so feminine and extremely easy to make.  They would also make wonderful stocking fillers or could well be used to make this card.

 

Here are the instructions if you would like to make a few pairs for yourself or for a special friend...

You Will Need:

A piece of lace (not too thin and with a clear motif)

earring hooks

pliers

needlework scissors

modge podge or starch

paintbrush

To Make:

Cut two of the same motif from a piece of lace.

Working on a plastic bag cut open, paint modge podge over the lace motifs and leave to dry.  If you have starch, you can use it instead.

Make a little hole in each piece of lace, open the earring hooks and insert one through each earring.

If you prefer to have pure white earrings, you can bleach the lace before you begin.

Have a blessed week friends!

Kelly-Anne

52 Crafts in 52 Weeks - Week Nineteen

 I have just checked my calendar and realized I haven’t written this month yet...

What has happened to me and what have I been doing these past two weeks?

Let’s see... I got stuck into the garden; spending plenty of hours fixing beds and planting peas, broad beans and other little things before the really cold weather set in.  I caught up with one or two friends over the internet, spent hours on Pinterest redoing my page and then attacking my bedroom and turning it into a somewhat crafty haven.  Working, baking, reading and music practice took up my leftover hours.  Rebekah also celebrated her fourth birthday on the third and then all our littlies got a bout of terrible colds!

I have had a lovely little ‘break’, thank you, but now I am excited about getting back into sharing lovely things on my blog for all my readers to enjoy.  And welcome to my newest followers; I hope you enjoy your stay:-) 

I am sure many of you may be wondering if I have perhaps lost interest in achieving my goal of fifty projects in fifty two weeks.  My answer to that is a definite NO!  If anything I am more enthusiastic and determined to accomplish what I set out to do... 

Shall I show you what a made out of a plain {but tiny} birdcage we had sitting on the shelf gathering dust?

CraftsBeautiful Magazine again gave me some wonderful inspiration and I set about making Cathie Shuttleworth’s gorgeous birdcage from the February 2013 issue {All you have to do is download the template pack}.  Did you know that birdcages are very ‘in’ at the moment in the home decor and vintage world?  Decorating your own is so much fun and looks so beautiful when hung up!

There are so many wonderful things to create and make and so much inspiration out there.  Sometimes the internet is a wonderful place to start.  If you are a newbie to crafting, why not visit the Crafts Beautiful website which is packed with freebies, templates and project inspiration.  Ideas Magazine’s website is also fantastic.  You will find plenty of crafty candy to feast your eyes upon there!  And if you have some extra time, visit a few Pinterest pages for heaps of pretty things to ‘like’ and repin.  My current favourite page is Miss Jen’s from Blessed Femina.  You can visit her Pinterest here.

Crafty greetings!

Kelly-Anne

Book Review: Christy ~ Catharine Marshall

 Click HERE to purchase Christy...

 

On hearing a missionary speak about the great need in Appalachia, nineteen year old Christy Huddleston feels called to go to the heights of Cutter Gap to teach the children there.  She feels a strong urging to take a leap of faith and to make her life count for something...  She has no idea what to expect...

Christy travels from her comfortable home and her loving parents and brother to the Appalachian Mountains where life is completely different – the people are poor but very proud and set in their ways.  As Christy begins to teach school, she is faced with more challenges than just the lack of textbooks.

At times she feels despondent, convinced she is failing, but through the grace of God and much perseverance on her own part, Christy finds herself changed forever and led to an even fuller life than she could ever have imagined...

“An absolutely inspiring read – challenging and encouraging.  Beautifully written!”

Note:  I would only recommend reading this book to those over the age of 15/16.  

To view more reviews, click here...

52 Crafts in 52 Weeks – Week Eighteen

 

 

One of my favourite crafty magazines, Crafts Beautiful Magazine (UK), was my source of inspiration for last week’s craft day.  I decided to sew the button heart featured in the January 2013 edition.  A few years ago, though, I didn’t feel the need to learn how to sew.  I am so glad I had a turn-around, because these little hearts were so much fun to make and sew!

If you would like to make one of these adorable hearts (which look so sweet hung on a chair or bedpost or even on the wall), visit Crafts Beautiful website here.  You will need to order a back issue before making it.  If you are a craft lover, I would definitely recommend buying it every month.  Each magazine comes with a free gift as well as loads of projects (stitch craft, baking, paper craft and more) to try.

As you can see, I am almost caught up after a few crazy weeks.  I am finding new inspiration every day and looking forward to more craft projects in this lovely challenge!

Crafty greetings!

Kelly-Anne