Preparing the house for Autumn

Well, the leaves are (slowly) turning brown on the trees outside and with the shift we've had in weather this week, I think we can safely say that Autumn has arrived!

Mr Harry Grimwood "testing" the winter furnishings

The summer sofa covers and curtains have been changed for the cozy winter ones and cotton throws packed away and in their place wool tartan blankets strewn over the sofas.
All of those lovely spring and summer woodland walks with Mr Harry Grimwood have been worth it, as we've collected a shed full of kindling. I now need to sort them into bundles and tie with string. The kindling will then come inside along with the recycled paper bricks and logs - all ready for those lovely autumn open fires :-)

our favourite wood in the Spring

Every year I look at the pile of recycled paper logs and think "I wish I'd made more" and every year I end up making loads in September and October. I dry them in the oven when I'm cooking tea! I make them with a really cool mould that I bought on line for just £14.99 - well worth the money as it has saved me a fortune in logs and coal. You an get one from here http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PAPER-LOG-BRIQUETTE-MAKER-NEWSPAPER-RECYCLE-PRESS-ECO-FUEL-FIRE-BRICK-BLOCK-/330789490291 
These burn well for up to 2 hours on an open fire or in a woodburner and the great thing is knowing that they're made from rubbish post and flyers that come through the door (along with newspaper), so they are FREE !!!

 

Also time now to start making some of the (dare I saw it?) Christmas presents and decorations, so watch this blog for caramel vodka, christmas cookies and decorations to make over the next few weeks.

Top Dog Christmas Dickie Bow

 

 

 

 

 

Recycled Cozy Collar Tutorial

I brought all my Autumn/Winter clothes out of the loft this week and, because I have put lots of weight on, since gving up smoking, I now have a number of cotton fleece/ sweatshirt tops that no longer fit me. The good condition ones will go to the dress agency, to earn a few pennies to buy some bigger ones - but the others are going to be made into "Cozy Collars".

These are perfect to just slip over your head before heading out into the cold - really snuggly and warm.

 

I've put a tutorial together so you can make your own - however if you are not confident in sewing, I would be happy to make you one on commission in your favourite colours.

 

Cozy Collar Tutorial

 

First lay one of your sweat shirts out flat. cut a bib shape from shoulders to whatever size and shape you want your cozy collar to be.

 

 Trim the surplus fabric from the back as shown in the picture.

Now comes the labourious part! Cut approximately 100 circles from however many sweatshirts you wish to use. I used two brown sweatshirts - but you could use a selection of any amount/colour.

 

I used a tumbler to draw around, but you could use any size circular object. All of my circles are the same size but you can mix sizes as well as colours to give a more textured look.

 

Lay one circle on top of another and fold in half

 

Then fold in half again

(sorry not sure how those old ladies hands got in the picture!)

Then stitch each folded piece onto the collar at random intervals. Once you have stitched a few on they will "fall into" each other and give a great ruffled effect.

Continue adding the circles until the whole of the bib is covered

When finished you should have something like this...

Hoping for a chilly day tomorrow so I can wear mine!

I'm really pleased with how it came out.

Recycled, unique and cozy warm :-)

 

 

 

Hollow Love Letters!

I bought a load of these "words" made from recycled tin/aluminium. They are hollow, but the sentiments are rock solid!!!

I decoupaged the "love one" in scraps of paper cut from letters/post scripts etc (and Mr H will probably get one for Valentines day - as I want to keep one!
The "Dream" one I painted with Laura Ashley Delphinium Blue and then decoupaged in Cath Kidston Paper - and as always if you can't live without them or want one for a valentine gift they are available in my Folksy shop (just click the folksy link at the top of my blog to go there!).

"Go"..."Create!"

Feeling quite sad that next week is my last week with Hartsholme Community Contact Centre in Lincoln...   won't see them again for a while...until the jewellery making sessions in January  :-)

Janet, Pam, Andrea and Caz have shared cups of tea and stories with me over the last couple of weeks and I will miss peering over the rim my teacup, watching their delight at creating their own unique style.

Thought I'd share with you, the fab' Christmas table decorations they made today...

They took their usual  seats, (funny how people nearly always return to the same seat week after week), and  were faced with a mountain(!) of (recycled and new), baubles, ribbons, buttons, beads, foliage, embellshments(!), indulgences(!) etc...   

"Take a plate and have a play" I told them. 

I love the way this group just "dive in" to the  materials - they seem to love them (almost) as much as I do! And time goes soooooo fast! We have a cuppa, put the world to rights and create something beautiful too!!!

Anyway, I showed them an example of one I'd made earlier,(just like Val) and said "Go! Create!" and this is what they came up with... 

Janet

 Pam

 Andrea

Caz

The following session we made these lovely boxes from wallpaper scraps and trim, buttons etc...

... I got the wallpaper from my local Interior Design Shop - they gave me an old sample book.

Looking forward to hearing how the two above were received from Pam and Janet's family and freinds.