Happy New Year, New Decade....wow!

Happy New Year all!

Last year went so quickly, possibly quicker than before it feels, but maybe I'm just getting a bit old - haha!

To celebrate the New Year this year, we stayed in at a friends house and I organised a New Year quiz. We are regular Sunday night quizzers, so quite the experts at quizzes we like, and quizzes we don't!

There are certain topics I had to include:

Anagram
Dead or Alive
Chemical Elements
1 Sports Question
Medical Question

Also picture rounds including photos of famous people born on New Years Day, Predictive Texts, Close Up Pictures.

Then, because I got really into it and was writing it for a long time, I invented some new rounds.

The first was a water waterfall. Remember the days of waterfalls at parties, and having loads of bubble up your nose? Well with a water waterfall, it was much easier to drink, still hilarious, and also we were all nicely hydrated, to carry on with more drinking. Winner!

Secondly, I added to write a Haiku (2 team members had recently been to Japan for their honeymoon). This was also hilarious. 1 team went for a poo theme (winners), one went for one about me being an amazing quizmaster (very flattering), and the other took it more seriously, and wrote one about rainy London. I loved them all, and definitely want to do this again!!

And finally, I finished with a paper snowflake competition. Because who doesn't' want to get creative at the end of some more serious questions.

I loved it, and hope my fellow quizzers did to! Here's to a fabulous new year!

Fish & Coral Card Cut Outs

Last year I was asked to make some brightly coloured fish and coral cut outs to be used for a Boden stills photoshoot. I was very excited to get the catalogue in the post this week...but sadly they decided to go with computer generated fish images instead of my cut outs. Nevermind!

Here are some photos of my work....

Christmas Paper Crafting

A few months ago, I was asked to make some paper Christmas decorations for a Christmas photo shoot. Although I mainly specialise in sewing and knitting, I LOVE working with paper, I don't do it often, or my house would be filled with paper decorations, which would not make my boyfriend happy, as he already thinks we have far too much 'stuff' in the house! So I was very excited to have an opportunity to make lots and lots of paper decorations.

Here are some photos...

I also made some giant crackers, which required a lot of maths early in the morning!!

A Very Small Work Space

I love my house, but as the previous owner kindly pointed out when she popped by for a visit 'this is a house for one'. So sharing with my very messy boyfriend, plus 3 sewing machines makes it very cosy indeed.

Mostly it's fine, but there are some occasions when I'm working in the living room (biggest floor space by far in the whole house), when I just wish I had a bit more space to work in...

Making card baby houses

Cutting out London

Templates of London etc

Sometimes I also use the bed as double bed = bigger than the living room floor

And often when the weather is nice I move into the garden as it's much bigger (although it does mean funny looks from the neighbours!)

Friday Crafternoon

Well what more could you wish for to do on a Friday afternoon that making some lovely crafts. In an attempt to make something like this (below) but in crepe paper, I had a play around and found the best method of construction to make some beautiful paper tassels:

How to Make Paper Tassels

1. Cut out 4 strips of paper, about 2 inches wide.

2. Using squares of double sided tape, secure these 4 strips together with a patch of tape in the middle of the strips. 

3. Fold the strips in half length ways, and then cut small strips up to about 2 inches from the centre fold. 

4. Open out and put another square of double sided tape in the middle. 

5. Roll the layers of paper length ways, as tightly as you can, and secure them with the tape. 

6. Twist the roll around into a loop, and secure near the top with a loop of crepe paper secured with double sided tape. 

7. Make a lot more and there you go! Beautiful!

Beautiful Beach Huts

Last year, in addition to my usual sewing and knitting activities, I spent a lot of time playing about with card and making some houses and beach huts for the Baby Boden Spring & Summer shoots. Below are some of the images.

 

Oh, and I also made some paper windmills! So much fun!