Monday, May 27, 2013

Missing Doctor Who

Season 7 has now been over for a week and i'm missing it already. Can't wait for the 50th anniversary in November. Who is John Hurt? Doctor zero, 9 or someone else?  Loving the mysteries that they give us each season. The best mystery so far for me was River Song. Hope we haven't seen the last of the Doctors wife, such a great charactor.  I've been looking for a present for my daughter who is a big Doctor Who fan and found some wonderful goodies.

I love these Tardis string lights from Amazon
 
 
 Fun Timey Wimey necklace on Etsy by GeekQueenDesings
 
 
For me, I must have this Tardis teapot from The Gift and Gadget Store
 
 
The saddest part in Doctor Who, number 10's goodbye to Rose. Badge by Thingamajiggies
 
 
A cute coin purse by cottonlicious

Monday, May 20, 2013

Free Tutorial For Felt Food Doughnuts (Donuts)

I thought I'd do an update on my free tutorial I made back in 2009. This turorial will help you make fun felt doughnuts for your little ones. Once you have the basics you can then use your imagination to make all sorts of styles and sizes.

You will need paper, scissors, pencil, 2 items to draw around for the dougnut and inner circle (or a compass) felt, thread, needle, pins, sewing machine (optional) and beads.


 
 
For the dougnut template find something round thats the size you want your dougnut to be (or use a compass) and draw round it twice and cut out so you have two circles. My larger doughnuts are about 9.5cm across.
 
 
To find the centre, (if you've used a compass you will have the centre already) take one of the templates and fold in half, then half again. Unfold and where the folds cross this is the centre. Find something small to draw round the centre of the circle and cut out the hole. Using a compass will be more accurate. You now have the template for your doughnut.
 
 

 
To make the icing template, place your doughnut template over the blank circle and draw round the centre circle, cut this out. You can then draw an icing shape round the edge of the circle and cut out. You now have your icing template.
 
 
Cut out your icing from felt using your template. Once cut out you can decorate your icing with sprinkles by sewing on coloured beads or small pieces of felt.
 
 

 To make the dougnut cut out 2 squares of felt slightly bigger then the template. Pin the doughnut template onto the 2 squares of felt. Either machine stitch or hand stitch round the edge of the outside of the template leaving a gap of about 2 to 2.5cm for turning. While the template is still pinned onto the felt carefully cut out the small inner circle. Take off the template and trim round the edge of the outer sewn edge leaving about  0.5cm. To make an even neater finish carefully make small snips round the circle being careful not to snip the stitches (yes i've done this a few times)


Carefully turn inside out through the small gap.



Sew small blanket stitches round the small innner circle. See my tutorial for blanket stitch http://lisajhoney.blogspot.co.uk/2010/02/tutorial-for-blanket-stitch.html



Carefully and with small pieces of stuffing at a time fill the doughnut. I find a chopstick helps to get into some areas. When full, sew the final outer edge piece closed with the ladder stitch which gives a neat finish.


You can now add the frosting to the doughnut. Place the icing over the doughnut and carefully sew the inner circle of the icing to the inner circle of the doughnut. When finished you can sew the outer edge of the icing onto the doughnut using blanket stitch which gives a neat finish.

 
 
Here are a few dougnuts I have made some smaller and some plain doughnuts without the centre hole.
 





 


Saturday, May 18, 2013

Cupcakes Galore

My daughter and I have an obsession with cupcakes and browsing on Etsy I found some wonderful edible cupcake toppers and cupcake boxes that are perfect for gift giving. Once we settle into our new home I can't wait to get started.

I love these humingbird cake toppers by sugar robot


These sleeping baby cake toppers are perfect for baby showers. This ladybird baby by Dream Day Shoppe is so cute


I love the variety of butterflies by incrEDIBLE toppers You can use them indivudually on cupcakes or they make a lovely display on a large cake


How about if you want to give a cupcake as a gift or maybe baby shower, wedding shower etc. I found a large variety of fun cupcake boxes

This fun retro oven box by claudine hellmuth is in PDF format so you can download, print and cut out as many as you need

 
I love this bird house box handmade by CardsandMoorbyTerri
 
 
This lovely flower shop cupcake box handmade by CupcakeBCK holds four cupcakes
 
 

Thursday, May 16, 2013

New Patterns

As soon as we move I want to get started on some new felt food pattern. Perhaps you could help me on what to make first.

Pies and cheesecakesm, Key Lime, Cherry and Lemon Meringue and Strawberry and Blueberry Cheesecakes




                                                                       Mini Sushi
 
Mexican Dinners


                                                       
     Stir Fry and Salad


 
Fruit and Chocolate Tarts
 

 

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

New Home

At last we've found a house we love and our offer has been accepted. Now just a wait of a few weeks till we can move in. Our furniture and boxes should arrive in the country very soon. I've been looking on Etsy for a special feature cushion for our sofa and have to decide which one.



Here is a fun bird and birdcage cushion cover handmade by noveltydoll I love the bright colours


A romantic love bird cushion handmade by honeybeedesign20


I love the quirkiness of these felt red birds handmade by sukanart


They also make a selection of gorgeous felt owl cushions

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Unique Bouquets

I love the new trend for wedding bouquets. Instead of flowers you can have a bouquet made up of
brooches, jewellery or buttons. The great thing is they last forever. I've had a look on etsy and found some amazing creations.

Here are some of my favourites

This glamerous bouquet by blingmybouquet features gorgeous statement piece brooches nestled amongst silk flowers.


This traditional looking bouquet is so pretty and is adorned with pearls and brooches. I really love the centrepiece brooch. This has been created by HeartShapedPetals


How about something fun, a bouquet made from buttons. This chocolate sensation bouquet has been created by ditsybride


Thursday, May 2, 2013

Back Home

After a busy few months of finishing renovating our house in New Zealand and finally selling it we are back home in the UK. We stopped off in Hong Kong for a week, which was amazing. We've moved back to Hastings where all my family live. It feels so right to be back home again. At the moment we are house and job hunting. Last weekend we had fun on the seafront playing crazy golf. I didn't do too well.

 
 

I've relisted my patterns on Etsy and as soon as we move into a new home I will be busy making
more felt food pattern. Any ideas are welcome. I'm missing sewing, all my supplies are currently sailing towards the UK.  Just before leaving New Zealand I bought some felt doll patterns on etsy, gingermelon I can't wait to have a go when we move, I've made the Mad Hatter so Alice will have to be next