A bunting we will make

Thursday and I have already started dreaming about the weekend. Saturday after parkrun and boot camp will be, bunting day...yeah.
I have an order to complete and as my daughter and I are at a local craft fair on the 28th September I also want to get some packs ready to sell. Feeling quite excited and inspired. A lady has asked me for about a campervan apron and it's got me thinking about a range of shirt inspired aprons, sketch pad needed me thinks.

Loving this apron I saw on  http://timewarpwife.com

Been looking at Pinterest for inspiration, I do love My Pinterest, it's so good for firing your imagination.
Well off to do some more research

Nat x

Sport Cartoon Decoupage Numbers

Cartoon Decoupage Tutorial

If you read my earlier blog, you will know that I am starting a room makeover for my stepson Ryan. His list was quite long and slightly challenging, but I do love a challenge. He wants the shirts of his two favourite footballers on his wall, Messi and Pele. Even as someone that does not follow football, I realised that replica shirts would be very expensive and as my budget for the makeover is pretty small, I decided I needed to improvise. I plan to draw the outline of the shirt on the wall and use covered cardboard for the player's numbers. Both players wear number ten, not sure yet how I will do the player's names but sure I will think of something. 

I got the numbers after a trip to my local  Hobbycraft ,at only £2 each,I thought they were very reasonable. I also picked up to some Mod Podge and a brush. Well with numbers, glue and brush all I needed to get started was some football magazines. Thankfully he has a big drawer full of Match magazines, so armed with a pile of last years editions I was ready to get started. Below is my go at a tutorial to show you what to do:

1. First grab yourself a tray or cover your table with a cloth or some paper.
2. Go through your magazines and cut out the images you want to use, the more the better as you can pick and choose which you want to  use where.

   

   My number ready to be decoupaged

3. Once you have a piece selected for use cover it with Mod Podge and place it on your number. If the area has any curves I found it better to cut the pieces into thin strips. That way you don't get any creases or wrinkles. 
4. if your number has a middle, as with my zero, I found it easier to cover the inside first.

   

   Starting to stick my pieces on - I realised it was better to do the edges first after I took this picture

5. Once this done, then cover the outer edge.
6. The last step is to cover the centre sections front and back. Make sure to let some of your pieces go over to the side to let the deign flow.
7. Once you have covered the whole area feel free to go over the design with a layer of Mod Podge to seal it.



The finished number - not bad for a first attempt

8. All that is left is to stand back and admire your handiwork.

I love the look of this so much, I think i may have to decoupage his bed and skirting board

Number ten ready to go on the wall

Well I hope this has shown you how easy and inexpensive it is to do some decoupage yourself. I'd love for you to share your ideas and projects with me.

Boho bag tutorial .. my first bag

I have been looking a bags on Pinterest for forever, well today I decided to have a go at making one.

I looked at all the different ones on my "things to make board" and decided on the Boho bag. I had a fat quarter with butterflies on it, not quite enough to make the bag so had a rummage in my bag of old clothes. I had an old Oasis zebra print wrap dress and a pair of black linen trousers. The dress had a small stain on it, so couldn't be sold and the trousers had faded slightly, but both were ideal for using for my first bag project.

I couldn't find a PDF pattern for the bag, lots of links promised them but on clicking I couldn't find them. I found one site All About You ,which had a diagram I was able to follow and make my own pattern. Below is my tutorial for how I made my bag.

I cut out my pattern using A4 paper and washi tape

1.  Cut your pattern out, i used plain paper but you could use newspaper or old wallpaper.
2. 1 cm seam allowances are included in the dimensions, I think the straps could be slightly longer but that's just my preference. 
3. As I wanted to use my fat quarter for part of the bag, I cut this out first. I had to piece it on the handle, you cant see it on the finished article. I also had enough fabric left to add a pocket (you can always leave this out).
4. If using one fabric for your outside and one for your lining use the pattern and cut two on the fold for each. Cut one base in each fabric too.
5. Now all you need to do is stitch it together.
6. It will make for a neat finish if you iron your seams open after every section is completed.
7. Stitch in this order. Side seams, then top curved edges.
8. Turn right sides out and press, I then top stitched along the curved edge.
9. Tack or pin along the bottom edge and also pin or tack the two base pieces together. If I make this again I would overlock or zigzag around the base to make it neat before stitching it to the rest of the bag.
10. Sew the base in so seam allowance is on the inside.
11. And voila your bag is complete, all that is left to do is tie the straps.

My finished bag

My old trousers and dress transformed

Well what do you think? Do you agree these type of bags are better with slightly longer straps?
Just in case you can't see the measurements from the photo, they are:
73 cm long on fold;25 cm side edges; 20 cm bottom; base 35 cm x 10 cm