d.i.y. pretty fabric paperclips...

This is a really unessential piece of crafting, it's crafting for crafting's sake. I mean, these paperclips will work just as well without fabric...but when paperclips are involved in my life it normally means hours of boring organisation is also involved. So anything that makes it a little more bearable is always welcome :)

These were the final d.i.y. addition to the gift boxes (see here, here and here) for the party. Since everyone receiving the boxes are soon to be moving house I figured these pretty paper clips might help bring a smile when surrounded by the inevitable paperwork that comes with sorting things out for moving!

This is perfect for using up scraps of fabric and is so simple. I got the idea for these paper clips from Amanda Rydell's instagram feed, I recommend her for crafty inspiration, her photos are lovely!

Just cut a strip of fabric (mine was about 2cm wide) and tie it into a single knot around the top of a paper clip. Trim to your desired length by cutting the fabric at a diagonal angle.

Now all I have left to share are the pretty origami boxes for it all to go in to!

Recipe book markers...

I highly doubt that what I'm about to say is going to come as much of a surprise but I've got to get it out there; I. love. food.

I love eating it, I love preparing it, man, I even just love looking at it.

Hence my slight addiction to cookbooks...for me they are perfectly reasonable bedtime reading material. If I have a new recipe book it pretty much goes where I go for the first couple of the weeks, I love to read them cover to cover, mentally devouring each and every recipe.

My problem is that, although I spend a lot of time looking through cookbooks, reading my Good Food magazines, hauling new recipes home from the library and scanning through Pinterest daily...I am somehow always at a loss as to what on earth we are going to eat each week!

It is time to take action! The only problem is that organisation doesn't come naturally to me, as a teen I would refer to my bedroom as 'organised chaos'...yes, I know you might not be able to see the carpet...yes, you might not have a clue where my homework is amongst that huge pile of papers...yes, you might have even forgotten where my bed is for all the huge piles of 'stuff' lying around...but ask me to locate something, anything (I dare you) and I will locate it in less than 10 seconds.

Which was fine. Until I moved into my own house...and lived with someone for whom it was useful for them to also be able to locate things. Since getting married I've tried on and off to find ways to be more organised, with varying levels of success.

One thing I certainly don't mind tackling is organising my magazines and cookbooks :)

I've built up a collection of Good Food magazines and up until now they just sat in a pile. Last week I bought two magazine holders and ordered them chronologically (not exactly ground breaking but hey it took me two years to do this!)

The problem I have is that I try an amazing recipe but then a couple of months later I can't remember what edition it was in! Laura shared a great recipe notebook idea but I really hate cutting magazines up...which is probably something I should get over...but for now I printed out a recipe index to list all my favourite recipes, the edition and page number (although I'm still yet to fill it in!). I can just slot this into one of the folders and refer to it as needed.

I also wanted a way to record favourite recipes in my cookbooks so I printed out small A5 indexes to go in each cookbook, recording favourite recipes and their page number...

Hopefully this way, whenever I have a mental block about what to cook, I can just scan my indexes and wait for inspiration to fill me!

The best bit it took me less than five minutes to make up the tables in Word and print them out (assuming you're not counting the two years it took for me to finally get round to doing this!).

Aaaah it's time for me to go off to make dinner!

Happy Monday :)

D.I.Y. painted terracotta pots...

I picked up these mini terracotta pots from Nest at Burwash Manor (if you're ever in the Cambridge area it is well worth a visit, it's a really sweet collection of shops with a lovely deli and tea shop). The pots were too good a deal to turn down so of course I bought far too many of them! I mentioned in my last post that I meet up with some friends for craft evenings so I thought it would be fun to decorate these together. I thought I'd share what I made today. It was slightly addictive and I carried on into the next day...it's had been ages since I last picked up a paint brush and I found it so therapeutic! One is currently housing my make up brushes, another is on my bedside cabinet next to my jewellery tray and I think I might use the other to hold some craft supplies.

I painted two of the pots and used decoupage for the other. I haven't really dabbled in decoupage before but I found this gorgeous paper in hobby craft so I wanted to have a go! I love how it turned out.

To make: simply cut up small squares of paper (you can use any paper but thinner paper will give the best result, I used specific decoupage paper) and glue to the pot. I applied mine in quite a uniform fashion which when looked at close up means the separate squares are quite evident. Next time I think I'll add them at different angles and overlap them more...what do you think? Once the whole pot is covered with the paper apply a layer of glue over the pot to smooth down any loose edges, leave to dry. Next I painted the inside of the pot, leave to dry between layers.

I painted two different patterns. I used electrical tape to mark out the patterns on the pots. Admittedly that was because I didn't have any masking tape but the electrical tape peeled off really easily so I would definitely use it again...just make sure you leave the base coat to dry before sticking the tape to it. I painted two layers of paint for the triangles and 3 layers for the cream base coat and bronze stripes.

I still have a few pots left, any idea on what else I could do with them?

Have a great Thursday!

DIY inspiration...

Here are five fab home decor DIY ideas to brighten up your Tuesday!

1. A beautiful Ombre pendant lamp tutorial by Design Love Fest.

2. Learn how to stencil scallops onto fabric over at Tatertots and Jello

3. Make these beautiful crepe paper flowers with The Bride's Cafe

4. Check out these fun polka dot geo bookends by The Four-Eyed Wonder

5. Fill your house with these fab washi tape feathers by Smam

Happy Tuesday!

D.I.Y. wrapped twine coaster and jewellery tray...

I'm forever forgetting to remove my earrings until just before I'm about to go to sleep...and by then I'm feeling far too lazy to make the 2 metre walk to the jewellery box, so the earrings always just get dumped on the nearest surface. So this is where this project came into play. I wanted a little tray to put on my bedside table to keep those earrings safe...and then I thought, why not make a matching coaster as well?! Our bedroom has definitely been neglected in the decorating stakes but I'm gradually adding little touches to make it a little more homely and personal.

I first saw this idea in a little shop on the pier of Southwold and then was reminded again with these cute pots on Pinterest from The Gilded Hare. I only had thin twine to hand so I think it would have been too flimsy to build the tray up into a pot. The same principle applies though for whatever type of twine or rope you use, the thicker the sturdier! All I will say about this project is be prepared for tacky fingers!

1) Tie a knot at the end of the twine.

2) Add glue to the edge of the knot and wrap the twine around the knot to start the spiral.

3) Continue to add a thin layer of glue to the outer edge of the twine, tightly wrapping the twine around itself. To make it secure it's best to add a pretty much continuous line of glue, otherwise there will be weak spots.

and keep going...

and going...

and it will feel like you're 'going' forever but stop once you get to the size you desire!

4. For the coaster: Add a dab of glue to the underside of the coaster (the side where the end of the knot is protruding) right where the loose end of twine is. Push the twine down onto the glue and trim the end. Also trim the knot.

and you have yourself a rather lovely handmade coaster! I might revisit mine to make it fabric backed, you could do this or leave it plain.

For the tray: Move to adding the glue onto the top side of the outer twine and push the twine down tightly as you wrap it around on top of the base. I had the end of the knot sticking up into the pot as it will be completely hidden once the fabric is added. If you plan to leave it plain, then I'd suggest having the knot end on the base of tray.

5. Keep adding the glue to the top of the twine and wrapping the twine around until you reach the height you want. This would work for a taller pot as well. Finish it off in the same way as the coaster - add a dab of glue to the inner side of the tray where the loose end of the twine lies, push it down and trim.

6. The next step is completely optional but I like the pop of colour the fabric brings to the project! Cut out a circle of fabric the same size as the base of the tray.

7. And simply push into the base. You could use a spot of glue if you wanted to secure it but it could bleed through the fabric. As the fabric is the same size as the base it fits snugly and should be pretty secure!

And then it's ready to adorn your bedside table or wherever you fancy it!

One thing I loved about this project is that it is so simple and repetitive you can lose yourself in your thoughts as you make it...I find that so therapeutic! I hope you enjoy making it :)

D.I.Y. fabric wall art...

Today I'm guest posting for Meike so head over to Blueberry Days to check out how I made this sweet fabric wall art (it also includes a cheats guide on how to print ink onto fabric!)

Hello Sun! and make your own peg bag....

So this weekend the British public ventured out of hibernation to enjoy the glorious sunshine...and, wow, it actually feels like Spring might just be on it's way! Although we currently only have one lone Snowdrop in our garden we went to a local National Trust place which was overflowing with Snowdrops, Helebores and...ummm....loads of other flowers. It was so good to just get outside into the sunshine!

This got me thinking that I might be able to start hanging our clothes out to dry outside soon. Now, I know, drying clothes isn't a very exciting topic to talk about with you guys but stay with me for a moment...because that then got me thinking that I should find a home for my recently purchased pegs -and so began my adventures in making the peg bag I want to share with you today!

Initially I never intended to make a house. It was going to be a nice little neat square using two different cherry fabrics that I collected long ago. But then I wondered how I would hang it and a coat hangar seemed like the most obvious option...but, you know, a coat hangar was going to distort that 'neat little square' (which  was unrealistic in itself because I never sew anything that is actually neat) so I decided to change up the shape and I figured if something is going to look like a house, well, why not make it one?

This is so simple and you can decorate it to your hearts content. I thought about adding in some picket fencing but it takes me so long to embroider that I was happy to settle for two windows and a door!

1. Firstly cut out a triangle and square for the roof and main body of the house. Pin right sides together and sew together.

2) Next cut out your decorations. Be creative! Decide where you want them to go and either secure with a couple of little stitches or Wonder Web. Then grab your embroidery thread and sew round the edges however you like.

3) Grab the fabric for the back of the bag. Using the house shape as a template, draw around it, adding an extra 10cm to the bottom. Cut out, and cut the fabric into two pieces (you want the top half to be the biggest).

4) Hem the sides that you have just created, these will be the opening to the bag.

5) Next lay the fabrics right side together and pin (make sure you place the larger of the two backing fabric on first). Sew the fabric together by starting and finishing at the centre of the roof, leaving a 1cm gap for the coat hangar. Turn the right way out and press.

6) The bag will distort when pegs are put in so I recommend adding a button to hold the shape. I just made a really simple loop to hook round the button.

7) Unless you have made a really big bag then you will have to cut the hangar down to size! Take the coat hangar and saw the ends off. Use the sandpaper to sand down any sharp edges.

8) Feed through the little hole in to top of the bag and you're finished!

 Now come on warm weather so I can put my new peg bag to use!

How would you decorate yours?

I need colour!

If I was to sum up our living room I could easily do it one word - neutral. And in two words? really neutral. We live in rented accommodation so we can't paint the walls and, since we know we're only going to be living here for a couple of years, we want things that will easily transfer to a new home. It was okay in our old house because we had a beautiful dark wood floor but now our cream sofa and rug are sitting upon a lovely light beige carpet. So the hunt was on for a pair of statement curtains that would bring colour and life to our living room. Guess what we ended up with - yes, you guessed it, cream! We searched and searched but it was really hard to find a nice pair of curtains that we both liked and didn't both faint from the price - turns out we both have expensive taste when it comes to curtains. So we decided on some classic cream curtains, and they look lovely, but it's just upped our desperation to get.some.colour! So I scoured the internet for inspiration and stumbled upon these beauties:

1., 2., 3., 4., 5., 6., 7.

I think there are going to be some colour filled craft posts coming in the next few months!

Decorated hanging jars...

Sometimes I survey my magpie nest hoard and wonder how my husband puts up with my ever growing 'it might come in useful' pile. I love to think that I will somehow find a pretty and lovely use for nearly anything. One of these things are jars. oh jars, I love you. I want to paint you, fill you with candle wax, put flowers in you...and even hang you up in my garden.

Every now and again I'll try to cleanse my hoard but I can never throw jars away...they have so much potential and there's far too many pretty ideas on Pinterest. Here's a few ideas of how to make your own hanging jars...these are currently in my lounge but I can't wait until summer so that I can use them outside for those late night Summer barbecues :)

I used 0.8mm wire because that is what I had to hand. It wasn't as strong as I would have liked so I simply doubled the wire in the handle. If you have stronger wire then skip step 1 and just cut the length of wire you would like for the handle + 4cm.

1) Firstly measure how long you would like the handle to be, then cut double this length + a little extra (approx 4cm) of wire. Bend the wire in half.

2) Next you need to create an 'eye' at each end of the wire. To do this, take one end of the wire and bend 2cm at 90 degrees  (using flat-nosed pliers). Next, using round-nosed pliers, create a loop - starting at the end of the wire and working into the bend.

3) Now feed both ends of this wire onto the remaining wire and position around the top of the jar. Wrap the wire repeatedly around the top of the jar. Once secure, twist the wire around itself and, after trimming the ends of the wire, flatten the ends against the jar.

You could leave it plain...but it's fun decorating these up!

I love it paired with lace and ribbon...

To attach, I simply cut the length required and added a thin line of strong glue to hold the lace in place - secure with tape until dry. Then tie a pretty bow...my mum taught me how to tie the perfect bow when I was making my wedding invitations - it would seem tying 100 bows with this method wasn't enough repetition to embed it in my memory!

We've got a bit of a red and gold thing going on here for Christmas so I thought I'd make a jar to match...

For this I wrapped gold raffia (left over from the hanging stars) around the handle before threading the handle onto the base wire. Then I added some extra raffia to hide the wire and secured with a knot.

Then I got a bit bored with wire so I decided to have a go with twine.

For this, simply tie a strand of twine tightly around the top of the jar. Loop over the top and feed under the twine wrapped around the jar. Secure with a knot and trim the excess twine.

For the fourth, I just really wanted to use some of the cute Christmas ribbon I had lying around. For this, and the red and gold jar, I decided to just use a little sellotape to secure the ribbon so that I had the choice to change them after the Christmas season had passed!

I think these would make really lovely gifts, so if you're running out of time (like me, how is Christmas only a week away?!) then this is a really simple but pretty present idea.

Note: the wire handles get very hot when a tealight is lit in the jar and it is not recommended to light a candle in jar if hanging with twine or paper wrapped wire as these present a fire risk.

Happy Monday!