Like a Child in A Sweet Shop

I love sorting out my various craft stashes, whether it's my beads, papers, stamps or another collection I'm like a kid in a sweet shop! This week it was threads!  I had my usual dilemma should I store by colour or number? I tend to use anchor threads - not for any particular reason but I always have and when I first started using them the number matched fairly well with the numbers (all the blues were near each other in number). Understandably over the years Anchor have released lots of new shades for which the numbers don't match the colour groups.

When I'm following a pattern it's obviously best to have the thread stored by number so I can easily see whether I have what I need. But if i want to be more experimental, use my own design or alter a design then it's helpful to have all the shades of the same colour together.

For now I've gone for the logical answer of storing them by number it works for most of them but my third (yes I need three boxes to store them!) box has all the higher numbers in and non-anchor threads so it's a bit of random selection and look at pretty!

There's also my forth box - which I use to stored the threads for my current project.

I love my threads!



Stamping the Countryside

It was announced this week that the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics will recreate the countryside with live sheep, village cricket and maypole dancing.  I think I need to see it before I can decide what I think.  In the meantime I've been stamping with my new Hobby Art Stamps (set CS048D British Countryside).

Stamping is not something I do a lot of so I've experimented a bit.  I love this stamp set as you can create so many different image.  This one was coloured using my promarkers, I don't have a wide range of colours so was really pleased I was able to complete it.

I coloured the background on this using Distress Inks

Finally, here's a finished piece, just in time for Father's Day! I coloured the houses using promarkers again, but for the rest I used chalk.  Simple, quick and effective...ideal. These stamps are great for 'male' cards, I always struggle but with these stamps I can see endless options.

Apple and Pear

I'm making the most of the extra long weekend and spent the afternoon crafting!  The weather's rubbish and I didn't have any Jubilee plans what more of an excuse did I need?

I made an apple pin cushion a while ago following the pattern on the Guardian website.  I've finally got around to making the matching pear!  I must admit this is the second attempt of the pear - the first one split down the seams, I hadn't left enough seam allowance.  I'm glad I persevered and am really pleased with the results.