Merry Makes

Make your self a merry little Christmas. 24 days of gifts and makes to create a frugal home made Christmas.

  

DAY ONE:

Apple Napkins

Materials:

Fabric Paint:

Green Paint

Red Paint

Dark Red Paint

Brown Paint

White Paint

I used acrylic paint and Jo Sonja’s Textile Medium.

Flat Sponge (Type used for washing up)

Fabric at least 16 ½ inches square. You can use pre-made napkins. I used old sheets, Pillow cases, table cloths, from other projects for my napkins.

Small paint brush to add highlight.

Medium stiff paint brush to paint colours onto sponge.

Fray edges of napkins and Top stitch around the napkins using sewing machine or hand stitches. The Top stitch is like a seam but without turning under any edges. It will stop the napkins from fraying further when washing.

Use the template to cut out your apple shape. (Always be careful when cutting). Cut away all the sponge you don’t want to paint.

I painted my apple leaves green. The stem brown. I then painted the apple in a dark red. Then I used a light red to sponge over the top. Lastly I added in a highlight in white. Iron and wash, then iron again.

Template to cut your sponge

They are very easy to make and you can whip up two, four, or more in no time.

Add your favourite recipe card and a wooden spoon, tie up with twine and they make a really nice gift too.

See also:
Serviette Rings from a paper roll

The graceful and peaceful home

home made wrapping paper

I hope everyone is having a good day or evening where ever you are.

New Blog name: A Peaceful Homemaker

Summer is making it's presence known even though summer hasn't yet officially arrived. There have been late afternoon storms with not much in way of rain. The surrounding towns around us have had a few wild storms but our town hasn't received anything to speak about. The heat is defiantly here though. 

I've been pottering around at home trying to stay cool. I started up embroidering a pair of pillow cases from a set of vintage embroidery designs I have. The pillow cases are thrifted and cost a dollar for the pair. The vintage designs came from a lot on Etsy and cost very little as it wasn't a complete set. I coloured the bows in using Crayola crayons and they cost about $3 a packet. To learn more about crayon tinting embroidery I have a lesson: Introduction to crayon tinting.

I think these pillow cases will be a very pretty and frugal make when finished. 

I've also made a slight change to my blog. I've been at my blog now since 2012 and used Vintage Papery for that long. My blog originally was just going to be used for paper crafting, over the years the focused has changed towards more home based living and crafting. I still do paper crafting but not as much. I think this blog has out grown the name Vintage Papery and was time to change the name.

All this means is I decided to have a different blog name to be more about the post I currently do. My blog is now: A peaceful Homemaker and the URL is: http://www.apeacefulhomemaker.blogspot.com.au/

I will have to change my links below the banner so they will link properly. 

If you have been following me under Vintage Papery, you'll probably have re-follow me under a peaceful homemaker for my posts to show up on your feed.

I thought it much better to change the url than start up a whole new blog.  I think the new name suits now. 

I hope every one is having a good day or evening where ever you are.

Creating at home

The weather has been hot and outside is not really the best place to be. Although I did venture to town to have a look at the CWA mini market. Surprisingly I never brought anything, probably because I have been working on projects at home. I did enjoy having a browse through the tables.

I've finished up face washers for my driving instructors mum who wanted them for the grand kids. We picked up a dozen cute face washers for next to nothing and the yarn cost very little, around $4. I don't know about anyone else, but I always liked a face washer and a  piece of soap for a gift. Very useful I think. I'll give the instructions for the edging in another post. Speaking of driving, apparently I can try for my drivers licence in February.  Where did the year go?

With the projects I had to do, I haven't had much of a chance to catch up on sending out my mail. I've received some fantastic letters from around the world: America, Canada, Hungary, and here at home. I really enjoy snail mail, does anyone else send letters?

I've also been neglecting my painting, the last art I did was these miniatures for necklaces. It's time to pull out the paints again.

In the garden, we've had a bumper crop of red onions. I think it's time to try out red pickled onions.   

I hope everyone is having a good day or evening where ever you are.

Sweet and Simple things

Summer is definitely approaching, we’ve had some hot days and late thunder storms. All of which seems to be adding up to a very hot and wet summer. The hot days have been good for drying tea towels. 

On Saturday I attended the last event for this year of the Simple Living Toowoomba group. There were plenty of workshops to entertain the small group that arrived for the day and there was enough breeze blowing through the open hall doors to keep the heat away. 

We were taught how to make gift bags from paper. And there was lessons on how to make a reuse able gift bow. Nanna Chel has the instructions over at her blog: Going Grey and Slightly Green. 

There was also lessons on how to make some easy felt ornaments. Which I really enjoyed making.The felt ornaments look sweet on a little table top Christmas tree. I intend to make more to send in snail mail.

After the workshops we had our secret Santa. 

I come home with a rocket plant and a knitted dishcloth in a gorgeous shade of green, the yarn was made from some kind of recycled fabric and dyed. Lovely. Dad loves Rocket so it is now planted happily in a new home in the garden.

The day was really enjoyable and I  learnt  new things for the home. I am looking forward to next years events.

I hope every one is having a good day or evening where ever you are.

Vintage hat potholder

 Crochet Hat Potholder:

Super cute and easy to make. These do up quickly and would make a very nice gift for Christmas when added with tea towels. You could also stuff the hat with potpourri and make as a hanging sachet for your linen cupboard.

4 Ply  100% Cotton (Lincraft in Australia has a 100% crochet cotton in 4 and 8 ply brand using their name 'Lincraft' and is reasonably priced. It is the brand I used.)

(American crochet stitches): Click here to see chart for translating stitches into Australian crochet stitches.

Chain 4. Form into ring.

Chain 1

12 double crochet through centre of ring.

 (Pull tail to make centre smaller).

Sl St to close round.

Chain 1

Half double crochet into Sl St.

One half double crochet in every stitch.

(Turn out to form crown of hat) Sl St round closed.

Chain 1

Half double crochet . Sl St round closed.

double crochet x 4 in same stitch around row.

Sl St round closed. Chain 1.

Double crochet x2 in same stitch. Sl St closed.

Tie off and weave in ends.

Weave yarn between the last half double crochet and double crochet to make a ribbon for the hat.

Tie off into a bow. Add a rosette flower if desired.

I've also decided to start making printable pages of my blog posts from the lessons, tips and recipes! Save these and print them out, then add to your home keepers binder. Click on the image and it will go to the original size. Right click, save, and print off when you need it.

Blue Geraniums - Rozanne

I hope every one is having a good day or evening where ever you are.

Link Up

Easy peasy leftovers fritters

Ingredients:

3 cups self-raising flour

2 1/2 cups milk

2 eggs, lightly whisked

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Sift flour into a large bowl and make a well in the center. Whisk together the mil and eggs in a jug. Whisk to gradually stir in milk mixture into flour.

Chuck in what ever left overs you have: Veges, mash, meat, tomato, onions, ect.

Fry in shallow hot oil.
Really that easy.

Serve up with steamed veges or eat straight in the hand cold the next day.

Tips:

Halve batter and make apple fritters. Or Potato scallops.

I hope everyone is having a good day or evening where ever you are.

Daily moments

"Never let yesterday use up too much of today." - Will Rogers.