Made Marian: Oozing Crafty Goodness

You know those people that are impossible to buy for?  The people who just go ahead and buy whatever they want or need, well I’m sure you know that they are impossible to buy for.  My better half is one of those people so when his birthday rolled around again this year I was tearing my hair out trying to think of something to get him.  I eventually decided on novelty over substance….Lego.  So we spent a very enjoyable Saturday night taking on the challenge of using every brick (700 of them) within an hour.

I’ve been doing a lot of making stuff for other people and I tend to take that seriously so it was actually refreshing to make something for fun.  So if you have a box of lego up in the attic or hidden away in the garage I would recommend taking it out and having some fun with it….you’re never too old.

Today I’m guesting over on Beaut.ie.  I did the ladies a HUGE favour last week by DRAGGING myself to Cocoon for a facial….seriously they owe me one

I rave about Cocoon here.

My good pal Lette loves frogs, so when I spotted frog buttons in a shop in Helsinki I new I had to get them and make something for her.  So when she moved into her new house I got my thinking cap on to see what I could come up with.

I just crocheted a chain which I thought was long enough to make a napkin ring, then did about 4 rows of single crochets.  I then sewed the ends together to make the ring and sewed the button on what was to be the top.  My mom made the napkins!

By the way, my photography skills came on a lot, didn’t they?  Hah, yeah right, thanks to Lette for sending me the photos!

I’ve been pretty strict with myself with this blog in that I have tried to keep it entirely to craft related topics but I’m going to go slightly off topic to tell you about Limerick Pride which is being held from Sunday the 7th September to Sunday 14th. The proceeds of all the events are going to Rainbow Support Services.  One of their services is a volunteer run coffee dock where people can drop in whenever they want for a chat and a coffee.  I suppose it’s not entirely off topic since once a week the coffee dock kindly let us crafters take over the comfy couches for our Stitch ‘n’ Bitch.   The parade on Saturday will be a must see, it’s a great day out and it’s so much more fun than those boring St. Patrick’s Day Parades. If you’re in Limerick at any stage over the week, please try to support some of the events.

It’s common knowledge at this stage that I think this is the most beautiful blog in the world.  Since the first version that Sabrina showed me I’ve been grinning like a kid every time I open up the page.  I made this card ages ago as an homage to the banner, it was sent to Sabrina with the scarf.  It also sparked off the flower pin idea.  I had forgotten about it til I spotted the photo of it in my flickr photostream and I just had to share it with you.

I have always loved Saturdays; a whole day to yourself and the promise of another one on Sunday!  Heaven.   I got to thinking about what Saturdays have meant to me over the years.  When I was a kid it usually meant Saturday morning TV, cartoons on the sofa in my PJ’s.  When I was a bit older Saturday meant piano lessons at an ungodly hour of the morning and then study for my Leaving Cert after.  When I was in college Saturday meant cleaning bedrooms in the Devon Inn Hotel.  For my first few years of working Saturday meant sleeping.  About a year or so ago, Saturday came to mean a trip to the Milk Market and now it means Milk Market followed by Yarn stores (Lena’s and Singer’s) and probably Hickey’s and then Eason’s/O’ Mahoney’s for himself.  Home to drop off the purchases and make some lunch and then back into town for Stitch ‘n’ Bitch! So my Saturdays these days are all about great food and crafts.

What about you?  What do Saturdays mean to you?  Are you a late sleeper or an “up and at ‘em” Saturday person?

When I was in Finland I came across the phrase “design against throwawayism” in an Ittala store.  I immediately identified with the aim of the movement and to be honest I didn’t even realise how prevalent throwawayism was in my own life until I started hand making things myself.  And once I became aware of what I’d been doing I started making an effort to change my ways.

Photo by norrlands guldtjej

Have you noticed that we’ve reached a point where we will pay €5 for a top in Penney’s with the attitude that “sure if I only get one wear out if it it’ll be worth it”?  And what about those who pay €105,  for that top to remain in the wardrobe with it’s tags on, never worn, months even years after it was bought.  I was more likely to do the former than the latter but It’s something I’m trying to curb by buying only what I need or really want and going for quality over quantity.

What about people that live for “the sales”, buying loads of stuff that they never wanted in the first place, because it was “good value”.  I’m of the opinion that if something you didn’t want or need is reduced from €200 to €50 that’s not a saving of €150, it’s a waste of €50.  I know this from experience, I bought a silk top last year, reduced from €80 to €20, it was a beautiful top, but it was designed for a tall skinny person (which I am not) I convinced myself that it would be ok if I added a belt…..last week I cut that top up into fabric squares for a craft project.  I wont make that mistake again.

I wouldn’t mind but (to use a great Irish saying) “it was far from Throwawayism we were rared”.  I’ve heard a lot of stories about my maternal grandmother and how she could make delicious dinners out of nearly nothing, and how she could “turn the collar of a shirt” so that my grandfather would get more wear out it.   She darned socks and was never seen using a knitting pattern, she would spot a nice jumper on someone at mass and come home and replicate it.  Clothes were passed down the family and nothing got thrown away unless it was completely and utterly useless.

I think buying handmade (or hand making yourself) can help to eliminate throwawayism from your life.  I know we’re not supposed to mention the C word but every year I end up buying typical stocking filler gifts that are way overpriced and probably end up being forgotten about.  I recently found this website, and I plan to put this into action, not just at Cword but also for birthdays.  There are loads of places to buy handmade online, see down the side panel of Buy Handmade.  But remember it doesn’t stop at accessories and jewellery, I became a recent convert to Flourish cosmetics after trying their moisturiser which is handmade in Killarney by a husband and wife team.  The last time I visited their stall at the Riverside Market I got the white chocolate lipbalm. At €4.50 it was a little jar of chocolaty goodness and I plan to include one in all my gifts for the foreseeable future.

I’ve been on Ravelry for a while now, for those not in the know, I described it once as Facebook for craft nerds.  You can upload details about your knitting and crochet projects and also keep a record of what needles and hooks you have as well as your yarn stash. And of course the obligatory adding of friends.  Like facebook, I go through phases where I’m more active on Ravelry than others.  And like social networking in general there is always more than one social network to chose from.  I joined Craft Stylish some time back but didn’t add anything until recently.  I’m still not entirely sure how it all works but I’ve started off by adding my crafty idea for organising my embroidery project.  I’ve added my Craft Stylish profile to the Craft Nerd section on the right.

Basically it’s just a folder with plastic pockets in it.  I keep the instructions and page that has the “finished” picture at the front and then keep the threads in pockets organised by their shade…all the greens together, the reds, the yellows and the neutrals.  There’s an extra pocket at the back for the project itself.  It folds up and fits perfectly.  The only thing that doesn’t fit in is the hoop.

Speaking of embroidery, I got this book for my birthday and I can’t wait to get time to do some of the stuff from it.  I want to get more hoops and do leave the project in the hoop after I’m finished.  Like this from Janick Nea.  The rest of the set are here.

Or how about these hoop ornaments by The Felt Mouse.

I see handmade Christmas Ornaments in the future.

Way back in May I mentioned on my old blog that I bought a customized t-shirt from Ruth at Nice Day Designs but at that stage she only had a myspace account.  I’m glad to say that she now has a fully fledged website as well as an etsy shop.   She sells her hand customized clothes and handmade cards in the Sunday Market here in Limerick but now her stuff is available to buy on-line also.  It’s great to see Ruth in the Sunday Market, sewing away at her stall and her stuff has really inspired me to keep going with the sewing machine.  I’m thinking of trying bunting as my first project, having been inspired by some beautiful handmade bunting at the wedding in Finland?

I just want to wish Ruth the Best of Luck with the website and new Etsy shop.

This has been a wonderfully crafty weekend.

On Friday evening I managed to get another tiny bit of my embroidery project done before I went out for dinner with himself and his work buddies.

Margaret and JD were in from the sticks that night and were staying with us in the “big city”.  They brought me these fantastic crafty books for my birthday.

On Saturday morning, I went yarn shopping for this…

and this…

The Navy and Yellow is for a sports themed (not Tipperary as I originally thought) baby blanket and the Green and White are for another commission, this time for lapel pins.  All will be revealed on both projects in due course.

While I was taking a break from yarn to do some food shopping I met Deborah and Lette in the market, Deborah had another box of tricks for me, more about that later.

After that I pottered off to the Rainbow Coffee Dock to attend my first Stitch and Bitch.  For those who haven’t heard of Rainbow, it’s a support service for members of the LGBT community, they have been doing great work in Limerick for many years now. On the S ‘n’ B Bebo page they mention that they are not an exclusively gay branch and so long as you’ve no issues with anyone, they are more than happy to welcome you.  I can guarantee that this is definitely the case, despite my status as a man loving woman they made room for me on the couch and offered me the best value coffee in Limerick… €1 for a decent mug of drip coffee, frugal and crafty!  It has become apparent that I may have to brush up on my musicals before I go back though Lou, one of the original stitchers, has an account of the gathering on her blog.

Yesterday, I finally took the sewing machine out of the box and get the thing going, thanks in no small way to my mother who managed figure it out based on her years of sewing experience.  I can now wind a bobbin,  thread the needle and sew in a (relatively) straight line.  Amy Butler here I come.

I also managed to reorganise my craft supplies, Deborah has given me so many extra paper craft goodies that I had to buy myself this set of drawers to hold it all. And yes all the drawers are full.

Today, we’re having visitors for a Sunday summer lunch of fish and salads and I’m going to make a start on the Green and White project.  All in all, the perfect Bank Holiday weekend.