Poster Making and More Crochet Gems.

I think I have mentioned this previously, but we have a school ball coming up (for the parents). It's the biggest fundraiser in the calendar and is held every two years. This year is having a Moulin Rouge theme and my lovely neighbour has sketched out lots of posters that we are painting. It's the closest I have been to a paint by numbers set for years and I'm enjoying the process so much that it's hard to do anything else.

Except for make the occasional crochet gem. Sometimes I wish I could crawl into a quiet corner and just make gems and paint posters with people bringing me the odd meal. I think I could really get into that.

Lots and lots of love,
Kate. xxooxx.
p.s. I am obsessed with the neon string used to suspend the gems.

Crochet Diamonds and Fabric Macarons.

Goodness me, with a title like that, I feel that I should now launch into a poem. Anyhoo, I've had an idea for crochet gemstones kicking around in my head for a while now and over the weekend one popped out. I can't wait to write up a pattern for Christmas decorations but I have to simplify the construction side of it first.

At the moment, I am making millions of these for our upcoming school ball (as in to fundraise for our children - not me gatecrashing a prom at the age of 37). They are so easy and fun and am sensing another tutorial on the way.

Hope you all had a good weekend.

Lots and lots of love,

Kate. xxooxx.

We Have a Stanley Winner - and some beautiful Friday things....

Sooooooo, I just hopped over to random.org and drew a winner - the boys are with me and very excited about this.... Congratulations to Polka Dot Daze - please email me with your address when you get a chance and I will send Stanley to you. In the meantime, thank you so much to everyone who entered and made it so much fun. Some of the answers were hilarious including Georgia spotting him 'in the bottom left lurple rounded basket'.

 So, this is what I have been up to this Friday. Preparations with some of the mums from school for our upcoming ball - the biggest fundraiser on the calendar. Too much fun.

 And some magnolias.

And some roses and some lace with beautiful, Friday afternoon light.

Lots and lots of love,

Kate xxooxx.

Finally..... The Kitchen Sink.

Sometimes I feel as though I've tried to make everything but the kitchen sink. Well those days are over.

I present the kitchen sink.

Lots of love,

Kate xxooxx.

Sundays AND Another Giveaway - with Kat Goldin!!!!!

We are having a quiet one today. Yesterday saw the boys dressing up as characters from Lord of the Rings for their cousin's party. Lots of fun and LOTS of preparation. Always handy having real bows and arrows on hand for costumes though.

Archie and I are still in our pyjamas this morning. He has been up in his room having a serious Lego morning with another cousin and Hugo is busily writing a speech on magic (which has to be performed tomorrow.....).

I couldn't resist showing you Hugo's cork castle that he made earlier in the week - complete with a Japanese kokedama ball in the centre.

 So much care and love went into this project - it was made as a thank you present to Jonno for our trip.

 I love the happy person at the top.

And now for some more exciting news, Kat Goldin - my absolute hero and author of 'Crochet at Play' and the soon to be released 'Hook, Stitch and Give' is holding a 'Stanley and the Hot Air Balloon giveaway  over here! Go and visit her now and say hello.
I hope you are having a wonderful weekend.
Lots and lots of love,
Kate. xxooxx.
p.s. don't forget to enter into the crocheted Stanley giveaway in the post below.

A Crocheted Stanley Rabbit Giveaway!!!!!

 This is a bit exciting - the first Stanley Rabbit giveaway ever. He is such a friendly little rabbit, I think you will be good friends. We took him on our adventures this year and he was so well behaved, taking in the sights and making friends. Stanley is also very humble, you wouldn't believe that he is the star of his own book. We love him. 

Read on for the giveaway details at the bottom of this post but in the meantime, see what Stanley got up to on our journey!

 This photo is of Stanley posing at the Tower of London. So exciting although I did end up with a few round, brown little pellets in my hand.

 In the Swiss Alps visiting Heidi's cottage. Archie wanted to carry him about on this day.

 He really is the baby brother in our family.

 Exploring a mini castle in Lichtenstein.

 Enjoying the view in Lichtenstein (odd place I must say...)

 At Loop in London.

 Stanley really loved Loop....

 At Glastonbury Abbey.

And once again, at Wool in Bath - a place that all people who love knitting, crochet, wool or even sheep should visit. Now, here is the trick. To enter into the giveaway, you have to locate Stanley who has been hidden somewhere in this photo by Laura's mum. Look carefully.

I don't sell crocheted Stanley Rabbits. One of the many reasons is that postage is astronomical as he isn't very flat. But, I also understand that not everybody crochets so it's nice to think that there is another way to end up with a Stanley in your life. A little bonus is that when I make a Stanley, he comes with a little signed birth certificate. This means that he is really yours.... forever..... and ever... not matter what, it's legally binding.

So, as mentioned previously, all you have to do is find Stanley in the 2nd last photo (at Wool in Bath) and comment in the section below. I will draw out a winner next Friday. Good luck.

Lots and lots of love,

Kate. xxooxx.

From the Stanley House - How to Make a Button Stool.

Here is the first official tutorial for 'The Stanley Files' and to celebrate this, I have a very special giveaway to announce tomorrow. 

How to make a Button Stool.

This is a really easy and fun project to do with the kids. Supervision is of course required with the hot glue gun....

 Materials:

4 tooth picks or bamboo skewers

A button

Hot glue gun

Secateurs

Insert your skewer into the button hole. Make a mark with a pencil where the skewer sticks out. Cut all four skewers off at this point with secateurs.

Measure and mark the desired length for your legs and once again, cut off the excess with secateurs.

 Place a dab of hot glue on the end of the skewer.

Insert the leg into the button hole - repeat with the other legs reasonably quickly so that they can dry with complimentary angles.

Et voila.

And now they are ready to use for a little house or, as they are in this photo, a cork castle (made by Hugo - more photos to follow...)

I hope you have lots and lots of fun with these.

Love Kate xxooxx.

Joining the Dots of Light.

 Like so many others, I'm feeling devastated over the loss of Robin Williams. For someone I have never met, there are few people who have made me laugh and cry as much in this world. "Mork and Mindy" was such a formative part of my childhood - rainbow suspenders (the ones that go over men's shoulders) still give me a burst of joy.

What can be said except that depression can be such an unbearable, weedy, tendrilly burden. As I have mentioned before, it is one that I carry and most of the time it is reasonably light. One thing I started doing today before I heard the news was to take photos of the things that bring me a moment's happiness (something I can't do when things aren't great and something that is great to do when things aren't perfect - hope that makes sense). So I will do this post knowing how important it is for me to remember to join the dots between the sparks of light in my day.

So, pictured above is my book that I am loving, 'The Miniaturist' by Jessie Burton. I am also still reeling from the perfection that was Mary Lawson's 'Road Ends' - one of my absolute favourite reads for this year.

 Finding Hugo's keyboard music which was hiding under a box in my craft cupboard???? Hugo has been searching for it everywhere - I don't want to know how it ended up there.

 The shiny pink silk on my pin cushion.

 The star magnolia through my rain blurred window.

 A new flea market find,  my green glass vase which has made itself at home quite nicely. 

 Hugo's drawings which he spent forever doing and then laminated carefully with sticky tape so I can keep them forever.

 Millions of fabric macarons which are mounting up for a new project to be revealed soon.

 Hugo making an outhouse for a cunning fox to disguise himself with.

 Mid-winter surprise roses filling my new vase/jug to go by my bed.

And ordinary things made beautiful like these stems with water, glass and light.

I hope that you have had the chance or the lightness in your mind to find some sparks in your day too.

Lots and lots of love,

Kate xxooxx.