New Fabrics Have Arrived!

I ordered a bundle of scrap fabric before I went to Florida and they arrived just before I went. I was so pleased with it as there are some gorgeous pieces which I can use for a variety of items I make.

Here are some Purses that were recently made, I'm also using the small pieces of scrap fabric to cover buttons, my new favourite thing!

Dexter: A Lesson in Fur.

When we talked about moving to the states one of the conditions I stated was I would like to eventually get a dog. I have loved Beagles for as long as I can remember. I look back at drawings I did as a kid and the standard dog I always drew was a Beagle. I didn’t realise at the time it was a Beagle but now I know it was.

So after being here for a month, my husband dragged me out one weekend to see a puppy for sale from a breeder. That’s when we first met Dexter. There was only him and his sister left. We had decided we wanted a boy from the beginning, so the breeder went and got him. He didn’t want to go, tried hiding in a kennel, his sister hid under their mum. So we took this puppy home worried as to why he was scared stiff of us. Most puppies I’d seen were bundles of hyperactive joy/pain in the arse.

We got him home and set him down on a mat by the sofa. That’s where he stayed all evening. At one point he got up and walked the slowest I’d ever seen a dog walk to the other side of the lounge to a corner. He sat down there facing the wall!

Over the next couple of days he remained quiet and still. I wondered if we had made a mistake, he seemed more active in the kennels with his family. One day I came down the stairs into the lounge where he was and he saw me and waggedhis tail! This was a break through. He liked me! He became happy when he saw me. He started moving about more, which in turn caused a problem because he went to the toilet anywhere. So the frustration of toilet training began and the puppy started to appear.

He got excited when he saw us, he followed us everywhere. He wanted to be with us all the time so much he would cry if we were out of his eye line. We couldn’t leave him in the house on his own because he’d cry and bark. This became very frustrating. He is now much better, we can go out for a few hours after we have done this elaborate routine of taking him for a long walk, have a relax time, put him in the crate with a peanut butter stuffed kong, leave the TV on CNN and out the door with little fuss.

Dexter has now grown into a proper mad dog. He likes Fig Rolls and peanut butter; he has furry friends who he likes to play with in the park; he barks like crazy whenever someone goes past the house; he passed puppy school with flying colours; he sleeps under the desk when I work; he likes to lick his dad’s feet before he goes to bed; he still sleeps in our room, but at least he does so on his own little bed and he sleeps through the night now.

They say that dogs mellow as they get older, I hope so, because at the moment it’s like someone has given him a can of Red Bull everyday.

In honour of our furry baby I have started making a new range of items for dogs! So far I have made little bags that hang off the handle of the lead/leash in which you can put your dog mess bags. I use to keep the bags in my coat pocket. Every time I change coats or if my hubby took him out the bags would be forgotten. Now they are always in the little bag which is on the lead where it hangs by the front door.

My Dexter bags are now available to buy in my Etsy Shop.

Spirrel Monkey is now on Etsy!

You can now get your hands on Spirrel Monkey made items! I now have a shop on Etsy which is a site where artist/makers can share and sell their handmade goods. Check it out today!

www.spirrelmonkey.etsy.com

How to Look Like a Domestic Goddess!

There are a couple of fabrics I purchased recently that I didn't quite know what to do with. The motifs on them were large and not necessarily appropriate for making into cushions or bags. They were food themed fabrics, that were quite tough wearing. So I decided to combine them with my other love, cooking. The number of times I've baked or cooked something messy and it ends up mostly on my clothes (and I always seem to be wearing white when this happens, when will I learn), inspired me to make an apron.

So I will show you how I made myself a very pretty simple apron with a handy front pocket.

1. I made up my pattern from an old apron of my mums, pinned it on my fabric and cut out.

2. Unfold the cut out piece. Now you must hem the edges. Fold the edge over 0.5cm then turn over again 1cm and pin in place. I like to make sure the edges are symmetrical, so the sides are done first. then the top and bottom of the apron. Sew.

3. When you had cut out the fabric at the beginning, there would of been two scooped out pieces where the arm holes were. Re-use these for the apron pocket by joining them together at the straight edge and then level the bottom as you don't want a pointy bottom pocket.

4. I like to use some really bright bias to edge the top of the pocket. Before that overlock or zig-zag the edge of the pocket.

5. Turn under the overlocked edge and pin the pocket to the front of the apron just below the line of where you will put the apron ties. Sew

6. Now to attach the apron ties. Take some twill tape 1" wide, measure up how much you will need to get over your head comfortably. Double turn over the ends and pin to both sides of the neckline. Sew a square with diagonals through it like we did for the bag but slightly smaller. Measure up how much twill tape you will need to tie around yourself. Double turn over the ends and sew. Cut the length in half, then double turn over the ends and pin to the waistline edge. Sew a square with diagonals again.

7. So there we have the end result. I have also used PVC to make easy clean aprons for the kids. Useful for when they are cooking or painting.

New Fabrics from the seaside!!

Here are a couple of fabrics I picked up whilst in sunny Brighton this weekend. Plans are for a couple of purses and a shopper bag of each fabric. Tomorrow a step by step guide on how they are made, that's if I don't melt in the heat first.

Penny placed for an idea of scale.

Much Love