tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32324241104672251032024-03-18T20:37:34.999-07:00Crafts of the HartCrafts of the Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505294268662616213noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232424110467225103.post-48206390747406023452014-01-10T03:16:00.000-08:002014-01-10T03:19:45.158-08:00My 'Not a New Years resolution'Well they say, New Years resolutions don't last so this isn't going to be one hehe, however I do want to set myself some goals for the new year, so here goes.<br />
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Firstly, whilst I can't quite bring myself to delete my Facebook account (I truly am worried I will discover I have no real friends if I do hehe) I am refusing to install it on my new phone, surely I can live without it when I am not at home, I may even remove it from my iPad to reduce my wasted time on there.</div>
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I also plan on getting my life more organised, this last year with a new baby has taken more out of me than I care to admit and I feel like I have been doing just enough to get through the days, I feel like a fog is lifting (how cliche of me), I really feel motivated to get my life back on track and find some peace.</div>
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As part of this new found organisation, I also want to continue my new found opportunity of cake decorating and try and turn it into a part-time income. I want to explore more baking in general and ensure it is time I can share with my children.</div>
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Lastly I am setting myself some sewing goals. this year I want to commit to making 15 things. This may not seems like a lot but for me it is, just over one a month is a realistic goal, anything more and I set myself up for failure.</div>
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So for now these are my goals, they may change or grow as the year progresses but this is my starting point and I hope to share them all with you.</div>
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Happy New Year</div>
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Jen</div>
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(Hoping to be the Non-procrastinator from now on)</div>
Crafts of the Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505294268662616213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232424110467225103.post-79510662628689880202012-10-30T03:48:00.001-07:002012-10-30T03:48:10.135-07:00Sew Liberated Tunic TopI finally got around to making something for myself a few weeks ago. I don't know about you, but I always seem to sew for the kids and leave fabric for me sitting at the bottom of my stash. Perhaps it's because kids clothes are so easy to sew and I don't have to bother fitting them around lumps and bumps that one gets after growing 2 humans inside one's body!<br />
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I have had the Sew Liberated <a href="http://sewliberated.com/products/schoolhouse-tunic-sewing-pattern" target="_blank">Schoolhouse Tunic</a> pattern waiting to be used since I visited Suz a few months ago. The fabric I have had for over 12 months. Bring the two together and you get this....<br />
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I think this pattern is going to become one of my favourites. It was simple to make and came together pretty quick. It actually looks quite good on too. I did try to get my 4yr old to take a photo of me wearing it but somehow in each photo, at least one of my appendages was missing!<br />
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What have you sewn for yourself lately? I'd love to see some of your creations, so if you have a blog or photo sharing account feel free to comment with the address so I can have a look.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em><span style="font-size: small;">Happy Crafting!</span></em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>Kat</em></span></span>Crafts of the Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505294268662616213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232424110467225103.post-73283570828716545212012-10-14T03:08:00.000-07:002012-10-14T03:09:41.480-07:00While the boys were away.....I had a to do list a mile long.<br />
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I decided that while my boys were away camping, they could only do 5 days this year due to Jacks foot infection, that I would do some things I have wanted to do for awhile.<br />
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I made a swoon block.<br />
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Now I had no intention to make this into a whole quilt but I actually enjoyed making this block so I may make a few more, even if it is just a lap quilt size.<br />
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I also folded a huge bundle of fabric. I love folding and touching my fabric, that isn't wrong is it?<br />
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Oh and look at my lovely Mendocino pile, oh how I love this fabric. I haven't got the complete range but I came across these at work and paid next to nothing. I was one happy little camper I can tell you.<br />
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I got going on my sons quilt as well but pics of that will have to wait, it's looking amazing so far and an easy pattern as well.<br />
I also covered an old office chair for him with some cool fabric from spotlight. I was going to take a trip to IKEA for some fabric but i decided to just go with this London one. Since I am doing our family tree i thought it was quite fitting because our families came from all over the British Islands including London.<br />
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I have another million projects on the go at the moment and Christmas is fast approaching so I should have some more projects I have been working on soon.<br />
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Cheers<br />
<b>SUZ xxxxxx</b>Crafts of the Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505294268662616213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232424110467225103.post-64466322715896486982012-10-01T16:46:00.000-07:002012-10-01T16:46:08.635-07:00Vegetarian Sausage RollsAfter Suz told me how yummy <a href="http://retromummy.blogspot.com.au/2011/10/vegetarian-sausage-rolls.html" target="_blank">these</a> sausage rolls were on the blog <a href="http://retromummy.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Retro Mummy</a>, I had to give them a try. I don't have a fancy thermomix or the cheaper Bellini version so I just used my food processor. I have to say I was very impressed. These are super yummy and both the kids and Mr. D loved them too. Even if you're not into vegetarian food, these are a must for any recipe folder.<br />
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Team them with a fresh salad and some fruit chutney and you have a super delicious meal.<br />
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I actually ran out of pastry the second time I made these so I used the left over mix as a coating on some chicken. Yum! Clearly it defeats the whole vegetarian angle but it was super yummy.<br />
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Go and check out the recipe and have a try yourself. I'm sure you won't be disappointed.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Happy Cooking!</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>Kat</em></span></span>Crafts of the Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505294268662616213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232424110467225103.post-24512873025859805202012-09-24T17:14:00.001-07:002012-09-24T17:14:35.091-07:00Family SundayOn Sunday, Mr. D and I decided to go for a short drive to the <a href="http://www.visitvictoria.com/Regions/Goldfields/Activities-and-attractions/Nature-and-wildlife/Parks-and-gardens/Castlemaine-Botanical-Gardens.aspx" target="_blank">Castlemaine Botanical Gardens</a>. I had heard the playground there was fantastic since a recent redevelopment and I wanted to have a look and check it out for myself. I must say, I was more than a little impressed. My phone photo's don't do it justice and they only show a few things on offer. However, we will definitely be heading back there soon once this Spring weather decides to stay around for a bit longer.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love the wooden carriages on the train.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tree trunk stepping stones, what a great idea.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A fantastic cubby with it's own garden.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perfect for playing shops.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swinging together.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A quiet lunch before some exploring around the gardens.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1169.photobucket.com/albums/r510/craftsofthehart/Other/IMAG0330.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i1169.photobucket.com/albums/r510/craftsofthehart/Other/IMAG0330.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Searching for Fairy houses.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1169.photobucket.com/albums/r510/craftsofthehart/Other/IMAG0335.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i1169.photobucket.com/albums/r510/craftsofthehart/Other/IMAG0335.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quiet creek running along the back of the gardens.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A trip to the park wouldn't be complete without throwing some rocks into the water.<br />
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Everyone had a great day and we finished it off with some delicious afternoon tea at <a href="http://www.asq.net.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=56&Itemid=123" target="_blank">Skydancers Garden, Gift and Cafe.</a> We will be doing this again soon, I'm sure.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Happy Crafting!</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>Kat</em></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span>Crafts of the Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505294268662616213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232424110467225103.post-11563063491861817322012-09-23T18:32:00.001-07:002012-09-24T21:44:38.143-07:00Hospital- not a fun place to beWell I am excited to say that it is school holidays here in Sunny Sydney and even more excited because my son (Mr 11) has just spent a week in hospital. He went in on a Thursday and we came out last Thursday after a week I will never forget, and I don't think he will either.<br />
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He was complaining of pain when he was walking on the Monday afternoon and after I had a look and dressed it as a Planter Wart, something they catch very easily from Public pools where they have swimming with the school. The day after I sent him to school for crazy hair day and was called at Lunch time to collect him.<br />
After looking at it and getting worried I took him off to the Drs who said it was just a blister killing whatever was inside.<br />
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My 11 year old was not one to complain but the sleepless nights he was suffering from was bad for both of us. Hubby ended up taking him to his GP on the Thursday morning but by the time he go back home to me his foot was bad. I will not put up a picture of what under his foot looked like but this was the top.<br />
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Swollen and starting to get very red on top. Off to emergency and thats when the fun started. 5 days of IV antibiotics, two strong antibiotics for 3 days and surgery to remove all the crap on his foot.<br />
It is not easy keeping an 11 year old boy happy when he cannot walk and is confined to bed with an IV but he did it and after a little scare that the infection was going up his leg. we knocked it on the head with surgery and 2 antibiotics.<br />
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Surely this child isn't in hospital lol</div>
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Before surgery, the blue line was there to make sure the red didn't spread.</div>
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Morning after surgery, what a long night that was. He didn't go to theatre till 9.30pm and didn't come back to the room till 12.30am.<br />
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You do what you can to amuse yourself in hospital.</div>
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Playing a new game on the laptop while his brother is watching TV.</div>
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We still don't know exactly what caused this but he is on the mend now and we have two weeks off to take it nice and slow so he will be back in full force for the start of school next term.</div>
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If you made it thru this post thanks cause it was a very personal post one that we don't normally put on our little blog.</div>
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Stay Well<br />
<strong><em>SUZ</em></strong><br />
<br />Crafts of the Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505294268662616213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232424110467225103.post-481933356678176362012-09-04T03:09:00.001-07:002012-09-04T03:10:53.020-07:00I Love a Vintage FindMy oldest sister (Suz) sent Mr. J and Miss E each a birthday present recently and I must say they were very spoilt. Mr. J hasn't stopped playing with his jungle set.<br />
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When Miss E opened her present, I immediately fell in love with these amazing vintage sewing cards. I LOVE them and all their vintagey goodness! I don't know how Suz does it, but she always manages to find the best bargains when she's out op shopping.<br />
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I know what we'll be doing tomorrow when the weather turns nasty on us again. (Oh how I can't wait for spring to stay a little longer!)<br />
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<em>Happy crafting!</em><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Kat</em></span></span>Crafts of the Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505294268662616213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232424110467225103.post-336974625326051012012-08-27T02:20:00.000-07:002012-09-04T03:11:10.884-07:00Fabric CardsA good friend of mine recently invited us to breakfast for her birthday. I had her present organised but when I went to get a card out of my card box, I discovered it was empty! Rather than get out of my pj's to go to the shops, I decided I could make something using a few bits of fabric. What do you think?<br />
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These were so simple, I think I will be making more. <br />
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Have you ever made your own cards with fabric? What designs did you use?<br />
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<em>Happy crafting!</em><br />
<em><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Kat</span></span></em><br />
<br />Crafts of the Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505294268662616213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232424110467225103.post-45662187825330255992012-08-21T17:11:00.000-07:002012-09-04T03:11:24.284-07:00Somewhere Over the RainbowMy baby turned 2 last week. I can't believe it! <br />
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This beautiful baby girl is now full of personality, knows what she wants and look out world if she gets hungry! She also has a head full of beautiful blonde curls, who would have thought?<br />
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I wasn't planning on a party this year for miss E, but after being invited to all the 4 year old parties in our mums group, she had her mind set on a party of her own. And not just any party. She was set on a rainbow party. Honestly, what 2 year old decides the theme of their party? Mr J certainly didn't do this, perhaps it's a girl thing.</div>
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We decided to keep the party small and not too much fuss but I made sure I threw a few rainbow things to keep her happy. We had strings of rainbow balloons up around the house and a table decked out with some rainbow food.<br />
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The rainbow plate of fruit was a must. Too much sugar for two year olds is not a good thing!<br />
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A few sticks painted in rainbow colors to add some height. These were the most talked about thing at the party.<br />
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Rainbow jelly made a huge impact on the table and the m & m's were a hit. Yes, I did sort them into colors!<br />
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You can't have a rainbow party without rainbow fairy bread.<br />
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And of course, a rainbow party wouldn't be complete without a rainbow cake.<br />
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We have also had a Ben 10 party here recently and there will be a blog post to come on that soon.<br />
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<em>Happy Crafting!</em><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><em>Kat</em></span></div>
Crafts of the Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505294268662616213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232424110467225103.post-48481844272369983752012-07-15T22:09:00.000-07:002012-07-15T22:10:35.900-07:00Melting crayons and a star!We are just finishing our two weeks of winter holidays and have had a lot of fun with all sorts of crafty projects and a few day trips so I thought I would share one of our favorite projects from the holidays.
Melted crayons are all over the Internet at the moment so I decided that we should have a go. Both boys did one but since I worked with Mr L we made it a lot bigger. I am also lucky enough to have a heat gun so we used that instead of a hair dryer.
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We have brightened up the house with a few packets of crayons and a canvas or two. Now hubby wants one for work and the dentist has asked for one as well. At least they are fun and easy to make.<br />
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I also took some time out while my parents were staying to finish my star blocks and sew them together. I am really happy with the results but need to make it a little bigger so will be adding a border on as well. Maybe a thin red peeper first then a border.<br />
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Sorry about all the threads. I realised I hadn't trimmed them off before I took the photo.<br />
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I have so many projects on the go at the moment I am looking forward to getting back to a bit more sewing. I even have quilt tops finished that I need to sandwich and quilt. I dream of more space to spread out but I am pretty lucky to have a room to myself (well almost).Crafts of the Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505294268662616213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232424110467225103.post-81766531266111116192012-07-05T02:20:00.001-07:002012-07-05T02:25:37.508-07:00Handmade Party Favours - 10 Inspiring IdeasIt's party season here at the moment. My sons friends are all turning 4 and Mr. J's turn is coming up soon. I have been in kids party planning mode and I'm loving it!<br />
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We have decided on the party theme (Ben 10), food and games but I'm yet to decide upon something to put in the party bags at the end of the day. I know I want something that is handmade and budget friendly but that's where my mind goes blank. I have done some Internet searching for inspiration and found a few good ideas. Although I haven't finalized what I am going to make, my creative juices are certainly flowing.<br />
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Here are 10 of the handmade favors I found in my travels.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lovelydesign.blogspot.com.au/2011/03/creating-simple-treasures-for-little.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="136" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5295/5544953398_2b31c64bf5_o.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Little Collage Bag - Lovely Design</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.craftinterrupted.com/2012/05/ninjago-ninja-party-favors.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6knmpdrMuVrm04EfD7NL-pDT6ELEgCqryP6CxUWYz0of3lAF4VWEyryvsHa6CZXrUlX8QR_zuyIRSQU7aP5r-BDFR81DA1Rfc6cQdbkV8hqDcDcS7N2N7rQgvTKIhQP4UoqEktAF9OVI/s200/ninjapegdolls+(2).JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ninja Dolls - Craft Interrupted</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bakedbree.com/butterfly-snack" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="142" src="http://bakedbree.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/butterfly-craft08web.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Butterfly Snacks - Baked Bree</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/266794/noisemakers?center=276960&gallery=275657&slide=266794" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.marthastewart.com/sites/files/marthastewart.com/images/content/tv/ms_living_tv/2007Q1/tvs5573_l.jpg" width="160" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Noise Makers - Martha Stewart</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://melissagoodsell.typepad.com/day_to_day/2008/01/house-car-penci.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="164" src="http://melissagoodsell.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/01/06/img_0061.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pencil Toppers - One Crafty Mumma!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ikatbag.com/2008/11/dress-up-box-ribbon-rings.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="111" src="http://teigland.smugmug.com/photos/420172371_Dxxqd-XL.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ribbon Rings - ikat bag</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ikatbag.com/2008/12/dress-up-box-wands_20.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://teigland.smugmug.com/photos/440231609_hS5tz-XL.jpg" width="181" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wands - ikat bag</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://tallystreasury.com/2011/02/corner-page-bookmarks-3/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://tallystreasury.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/IMG_1093ii.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monster Bookmarks - Tally's Treasury</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://scissorspaperwok.com/2011/07/07/how-to-make-toadstool-pencils-easy/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://scissorspaperwok.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Hero.png" width="160" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mushroom Pencils - Scissors, Paper, Wok</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mias-craft-ideas.com/how-to-make-beaded-bracelets.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.mias-craft-ideas.com/images/how-to-make-beaded-bracelets-06.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beaded Bracelet - Mia's Craft Ideas</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Crafts of the Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505294268662616213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232424110467225103.post-39564032739736994692012-06-30T02:56:00.000-07:002012-06-30T02:57:46.744-07:00Fabric Memory Game Tutorial<div style="text-align: center;">
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Are you in need of a quick sewing project to use up some scraps in your stash? This fabric memory game fits the bill and is perfect as a gift for little ones of any age. </div>
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If you find the right fabric, you can make an applique game like this.</div>
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Or just use different fabric squares to create a memory game like this.<br />
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Once they're complete, whip up a couple of clear vinyl bags using <a href="http://www.makeit-loveit.com/2011/12/clear-toy-storage-bags-with-drawstring-closure.html" target="_blank">this tutorial</a> and you're ready to give a unique gift that can be used over and over again.<br />
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This tutorial goes into detail on how to make the scrappy version but it's the same process for the appliqué version. You just need to appliqué your pictures onto each plain front square instead of cutting matching scrappy squares.<br />
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Before I start, I should mention that I have used a 1/2 inch seam allowance. I use this size on all my craft projects to give me a little room for error. Hey, I'm not perfect;-)<br />
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<em><span style="font-size: large;">Supplies</span></em><br />
Backing fabric (this needs to be a solid color or a simple print so each square looks exactly the same)<br />
Different fabric scraps for the front. I made 16 squares so used 8 different fabrics.<br />
Batting to give the cards some strength (I had run out of batting so used polar fleece instead)<br />
Other basic sewing supplies<br />
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<em><span style="font-size: large;">The Fun</span></em><br />
Start by cutting out all your pieces, I used a 5 X 5 inch square. For this game, I made 16 squares so I obviously cut 16 backing squares, 16 pieces of polar fleece and 2 X 8 squares for the front of my cards.<br />
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Now layer the squares like a sandwich with right sides of your fabric together and polar fleece on top. <br />
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Pin all the way around. (I flipped my sandwich over before I pinned.)<br />
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Stitch around the outside using a 1/2 inch seam allowance but make sure you leave an opening on one side for turning through.<br />
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Cut the corners and trim the seam allowance to about 1/4 inch on all sides except for the one with the opening. If you look closely, you can see my stitching line and the opening with the larger seam allowance untrimmed.<br />
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Turn through, making sure you push the corners out well and press. (Excuse the state of my ironing board.)<br />
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Now top stitch around the outside of the whole square, stitching the opening closed in the process. (Sorry about the change of fabric, it is the same game, just a different square.)<br />
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Repeat the process for the other squares and you have a fabulous memory game. You can make it as simple or as difficult as you like and it's perfect for little ones as the cards are durable and can be thrown in the wash if they get dirty.<br />
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<br />Crafts of the Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505294268662616213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232424110467225103.post-30246169332409608292012-06-25T04:14:00.000-07:002012-06-25T04:14:45.850-07:00DIY Lightsaber - A Simple TutorialMy son is into pretend play at the moment, he can't seem to get enough of it. He is constantly pretending to be different characters (mostly of the superhero variety) and I have to join in most of the time whether I like it or not!<br />
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The other day, he decided he wanted a lightsaber to play with. Don't ask me where that came from as he has never seen 'Star Wars' but with the amount of advertising around these days, he's obviously picked it up from somewhere. I love that my son thinks I can make anything in the world but sometimes he really tests me. I thought about this one for a little while and came up with this.<br />
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Take a small torch and wrap strong, clear plastic vinyl around it and stick it on with masking tape. (You can skip this step but I wanted the lightsaber to last more than just a few hours.)<br />
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You then need to wrap a few layers of baking paper around that and tape it down. Make sure you fold the ends over at the top otherwise the torch light will shine too brightly out there.<br />
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Give the lightsaber to your favorite little 'Jedi' and watch them have hours of fun. The best thing about this is that the plastic and baking paper is quite soft, so if they do happen to hit something or someone with it, it shouldn't do too much damage.<br />
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<em>Happy crafting!</em><br />
<em><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "Times New Roman", serif;">Kat</span></span></em>Crafts of the Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505294268662616213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232424110467225103.post-53917022673541577812012-06-24T03:26:00.004-07:002012-06-24T22:03:53.555-07:00Just a cheap cardi!Work, work, work is all I seem to be doing at the moment as we are having a month long sale at work, but I did manage to squeeze a little sewing in today.<br />
I am trying to finish off a few more blocks before I start any new projects, it is rather hard as I keep finding new ideas for a new project.<br />
I did manage to complete a little paper pieced flying geese block though. Really happy with how it turned out and I managed to get my scraps sorted out and used up a few as well.<br />
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I am really enjoying paper piecing at the moment especially these smaller blocks. I got this one from<a href="http://piecebynumber.com/circleofgeese.htm" target="_blank"> here</a>.<br />
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I also picked up a cardigan from Kmart for $12 and decided to make it pretty.<br />
During the Craft show I picked up some lovely laces and flowers from <a href="http://pitttrading.com.au/" target="_blank">Pitt Trading</a> and thought they would be perfect for my cheap cardi.<br />
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I started with just this plain cardigan<br />
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Then stitched on some lace and a flower<br />
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And finished with this.....<br />
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Add your favorite Little Black Dress and you have a gorgeous cardi for work or for play.<br />
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Hope you all had a great weekend and didn't work too hard<br />
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<h3>
<b>SUZ</b></h3>
<br />Crafts of the Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505294268662616213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232424110467225103.post-171965036984638682012-06-20T05:16:00.000-07:002012-06-20T05:20:16.057-07:00A Quick Tip For Your Next Picnic.Do you have formula dispensers laying around your house that you don't really use anymore? Don't throw them out just yet, they do come in very handy.<br />
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Last week we went to the park for lunch and as the weather is a tad cold at the moment, I wanted to take a thermos full of boiling water to make us all a hot drink. Whilst searching my cupboard for something to take the coffee, milo and sugar in, I put my hand on this and filled it with everything I needed.<br />
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Perfect right? I put more than I needed in and took a teaspoon to serve it out, but you could easily put each persons preferred mixture in each section then simply tip it up into the cup.<br />
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This would be perfect for traveling in the car too. I'm sure there are so many more uses for these things and I'm now determined to find them all.<br />
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<em>Happy crafting!</em><br />
<em><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "Times New Roman", serif;">Kat</span></span></em>Crafts of the Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505294268662616213noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232424110467225103.post-5027397837544935932012-06-15T03:59:00.000-07:002012-06-15T03:59:15.119-07:00Super Easy Peanut Butter BiscuitsThis recipe is one I thought I would share as our mum used to make it for us when we were kids. It really is the easiest biscuit recipe
I have used
(only 3 ingredients) and if you love peanut butter, you will LOVE these! I know you're all running to get your pen and paper to jot this one down, so without further ado, here it is (please excuse the bad phone photos).<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Peanut Butter Biscuits</span><br />
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1 cup of peanut butter<br />
1 cup of castor sugar<br />
1 egg<br />
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Mix all ingredients in a bowl until combined. I threw in some m&m's for that something extra. Chocolate chips would work well too, who doesn't love peanut butter and chocolate?<br />
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Roll into teaspoon size balls and place on a tray.<br />
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Bake in a moderate oven for approx 10 mins or until browned slightly, this will leave the biscuits soft and gooey inside. If you prefer your biscuits hard, just leave them in a little longer.<br />
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Once cooled enough to touch, pour yourself a nice hot drink and serve on your favourite vintage crockery. (I have my nan to thank for this set.)<br />
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<em>Happy cooking!</em><br />
<em><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "Times New Roman", serif;">Kat</span></span></em>Crafts of the Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505294268662616213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232424110467225103.post-64102374024672004792012-06-12T03:20:00.000-07:002012-06-14T04:11:25.115-07:00Doll House Number One.When I had my oldest child, I joined a mums group through our local hospital. Almost 4 years on and we are still meeting on a weekly basis for a coffee and a chat whilst the kids have a play. The only problem with joining a mums group is that the kids birthday's are all within a couple of months of each other. This year I wanted to be organised so I started planning early as I wanted to make each of them something special. I searched the Internet for inspiration, (which I do quite often) and stumbled across <a href="http://uklassinus.blogspot.com.au/2008/08/fabric-dollhouse-tutorial.html" target="_blank">this tutorial</a> for a fabric doll house. I decided this would be the perfect gift for the four girls in the group. <br />
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Here is what I came up with for the first doll house. There are a few things I need to tweak in the future but overall I think it's pretty cute and the birthday girl loved it.<br />
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Here it is opened up complete with felt path and pond in the yard. The little people I was able to get from my sisters friend and I think they just finish it off, although they are not the easiest things to paint!<br />
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I thought the walls needed something so I used some felt to add a fireplace, chair and lamp. I have good intentions of stitching these on but I just ran out of time so grabbed my hot glue gun to keep them in place.<br />
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What does every doll house need? A flat screen T.V of course and a light in the roof to brighten things up!</div>
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Mr. J liked this so much, he wants one for himself. He's the last of the kids to have their birthday so I might have time to make one for him and perhaps his little sister might get one for her birthday too.</div>
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<em>Happy crafting!</em><em><br /></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "Times New Roman", serif;">Kat</span></span></em></div>
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<br /></div>Crafts of the Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505294268662616213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232424110467225103.post-82701021088515678882012-06-08T03:54:00.002-07:002012-06-08T04:28:03.367-07:00Love the winter sunOK, so where I work is having a sale at the moment and it lasts for quite some time. This will be the second weekend of the sale and I am a little exhausted. We are busy, busy over the weekend.<br />
Even though I have been working, I have still had a little time to sew. Who wouldn't want to sew sitting here near the window with some winter sun coming through. Nice Hey?<br />
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It is a little untidy and I have two machines out as I was checking my Bernina machine to make sure it was running nicely.<br />
I haven't finished anything yet, but I think there is always time and room, to bring in more fabrics! Today I came home with these goodies.<br />
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I love all these colours and since I haven't been shopping for something for me, I bought these with the intention to make a couch quilt. No idea what pattern to use yet or when I will get it started, but it should be nice and bright. I ended up with a bit of Heather Bailey, some Jennifer Paganelli and a little Fever. I think these mix so nicely. Can't wait to get started.</div>
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<h3>
Cheers <b>SUZ</b></h3>
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<br />Crafts of the Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505294268662616213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232424110467225103.post-13349801818770594252012-06-04T03:02:00.000-07:002012-06-04T03:02:52.884-07:00Clutch Bags.My best friend recently turned 30 and I wanted to make her a clutch bag that would be big enough for her phone and cards but also classy enough to use for a wedding or a night out. I searched the net for tutorial and whilst there were heaps, I couldn't find exactly what I wanted so I decided to come up with my own.<br />
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Before I attempted my own pattern, I thought I would try a couple of different tutorials I found to get my head around piecing the bags together.<br />
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I started with this clutch but I really didn't like the tutorial. I'm not going to link to it here as I found it difficult to follow and I really didn't like the end result.<br />
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The next one I tried was <a href="http://www.noodle-head.com/2010/04/gathered-clutch-tutorial.html" target="_blank">this one</a> from <a href="http://www.noodle-head.com/" target="_blank">Noodlehead</a>. Such a simple idea but looks great made up. I love the way she does the zipper, it takes away so much bulk at the ends. I had these fabrics in my stash and they work perfectly together.<br />
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Here's a look inside the bag at the card slots.<br />
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I stumbled across this next tutorial on pinterest and had to give it a go. This fabric was also in my stash from a few years ago and I love how it turned out with this design. This is such a simple idea but looks great and very easy to follow. You can find the full tutorial <a href="http://www.elmstreetlife.com/2012/02/diy-bow-clutch-sewing-tutorial.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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After these three bags, I was ready to attempt my own. Here's what I came up with.<br />
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Once I had them all made, I couldn't decide out of the bow clutch or my design so I sent both. I gave her a little sneak peak on facebook to keep her guessing.<br />
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This is what she opened up. I can report back that she loved both purses and said she couldn't decided which to use first.<br />
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I'm planning on doing a tutorial for my clutch bag but I have a few projects to get finished over the next little while before I get that blogged.<br />
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Happy crafting!<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Kat</em></span></span><br />
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<br />Crafts of the Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505294268662616213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232424110467225103.post-14094788759360842782012-05-29T19:27:00.000-07:002012-05-29T19:27:00.390-07:00Paper piecingI bought <a href="http://artisania.bigcartel.com/product/lil-fox-8-x-10-quilt-block-pattern" target="_blank">this Super Cute </a>paper piecing pattern the other day and decided that since I am going to be very busy at work over the next month I would get stuck into it today.<br />
I have only done paper piecing once before so I had to get my head around putting all the fabric in the right spot and on the right angles but it was really rather easy and quite quick.<br />
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I have to get on with the cleaning and shopping now but thought I would pop in here with some pics of the top finished. I can't wait to sit down and stitch on the eyes and nose and put it all together.<br />
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Mr Fox was easy to do but how long will it take me to finish??????????? I have a started quilt blocks pile that is getting bigger.<br />
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Pattern was from <a href="http://artisania.bigcartel.com/" target="_blank">Artisania</a> and she has some gorgeous patterns and some great tutorials, go check it out!<br />
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Cheers<strong> SUZ</strong><br />
<br />Crafts of the Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505294268662616213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232424110467225103.post-16158811887152374832012-05-26T23:35:00.003-07:002012-05-30T01:20:46.402-07:00The Procrastinator......Well I thought it was about time I made an appearance. I would be the middle disorganised sister that seems to be procrastinating a little too much lately. Perhaps it is due to us recently moving another house next to ours to join together with ours and me spending all my time in the new half next to the fire and not doing all the things I should be doing in the old half (which is freezing and just depressing me at the moment.)
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Anyway back to my introduction, as I mentioned I am the middle sister and I can't seem to make up my mind which craft I enjoy and therefore seem to try everything and not manage to get much finished. I am hoping this will change now that I actually have room to move and will eventually have a mostly dedicated crafting area. I currently have several sewing projects on my list, always some scrapbooking that I would like to do, renovations and decorating that I must get underway, recipes that I would like to try and I recently discovered that I like attempting novelty cakes. No wonder I never seem to finish anything hehe.
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<br />
Anyway in honour of the weather finally changing for us and finally getting some rain (sorry we are farmers and we need the rain), I thought I would share a yummy recipe ideal for this kind of weather.<br />
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Now not everyone likes shanks although they seem to have become rather fashionable of late, once considered a cheap meat they are definitely now not as affordable as they once were. Lucky for us, we kill our own meat and therefore I always get shanks. It has taken me a while to get Mr. Farmer to come around to shanks. He always referred to them as the dog food, and I guess when I first started cooking them I use to just boil them with a few aromatics over a slow heat until they were nearly falling apart and serve them with a bit of white sauce. Kinda bland now that I look back but I always liked them. The following recipe however is anything but bland and I have managed to convince Mr Farmer that they are worthy (now to convince him to keep the liver for me, won't hold my breath).<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">ITALIAN STYLE LAMB SHANKS</span><br />
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Preparation: 20 mins
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Cooking: 2 1/2 hours
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Serves: 6
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Keeps: 3 days in refrigerator, covered
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<h4>
THE INGREDIENTS
</h4>
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 lamb shanks, trimmed
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12 French shallots, peeled
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4 cloves garlic
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1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
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1 teaspoon paprika
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1 cup red wine
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1 cup water
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1 tablespoon vegemite
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2 tablespoon tomato paste
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400g can tomatoes
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1 red capsicum
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1 yellow capsicum
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<h4>
THE FUN
</h4>
Preheat the oven to 180°C for 15 minutes.
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Heat Roaster over medium heat for 3 minutes
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Add oil and brown lamb in 2 batches. Set meat aside.
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Reduce heat under pan, add shallots and cook, covered, for 3 minutes.
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Add the remaining ingredients and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
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Return the shanks to the pan and coat with the sauce.
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Cover and place in the oven to cook for 2 hours. If you can manage 3 hours all the better.
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Serve with mashed potato.
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Chefs Tips-
- This dish will freeze well for 3 months.
- Chicken could replace lamb but you will need to adjust the cooking time to 40 minutes.
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Hope you enjoy.
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Jen AKA the Farmers Wife
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P.S. Mr. Farmer does question how italian they are when they contain vegemite in the recipe hehe.Crafts of the Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505294268662616213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232424110467225103.post-63176439978538917182012-05-26T04:22:00.000-07:002012-05-30T01:21:26.666-07:00Personalised Keyring TutorialLast year, I made this keyring for my husband's birthday. I saw the idea in a magazine I borrowed from the library (sorry I can't remember which one) and decided it was the perfect handmade gift for hubby.<br />
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I have since made another and decided to do up a quick tutorial for those of you who want to give it a go yourselves. <br />
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<h4>
Supplies</h4>
Clear Vinyl<br />
Black Vinyl (or the colour of your choice)<br />
Photos printed to fit on your keyring<br />
Eyelet for the hole (these usually come in a kit with a tool and instructions)<br />
General sewing supplies<br />
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<h4>
Let's Get Creative</h4>
Start by cutting your vinyl. You'll need two black and two clear pieces. I cut mine 2 X 2.5 inches but you can make yours any size you like. If you don't have a rotary cutter you can just use scissors.<br />
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Next you'll need to choose your photos and print them out, making sure they are small enough to fit on the keyring with room to sew around. I just printed my photos at home but you could get them printed professionally if you wanted them a better quality.<br />
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Once you have your photo's, use acid free glue to stick them onto the black vinyl to stop them slipping whilst you sew them on. (This is a good stage to let little hands help if they want to!)<br />
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Here are the two black pieces of vinyl with the photo's stuck on. These will eventually come together to form the front and back of the keyring but that's a few steps away just yet.</div>
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Once you have the photo's in place, you need to take your clear plastic vinyl and lay it on top of each black piece. You are just about ready to start stitching but at this point, I recommend you check the tension and stitch length on your machine. Do this using a scrap of black and clear vinyl placed together and do a few test stitches as I have done here.<br />
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Make sure you turn your vinyl over to check the tension on the back and adjust if necessary. You can also change your stitch length at this time if you would like. I set mine at a stitch length of 2. Once you have your machine set up and ready to go, make sure you pull your threads to a fairly long length to begin.<br />
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The next thing you need to do is stitch around the photos. To do this, take one side of the keyring (both the black and clear vinyl) making sure it's all lined up and carefully stitch close to the edge of the photos. Don't backstitch when you start and finish sewing, just make sure you leave your threads long enough to tie knots. <br />
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You should now have two sides of your keyring with the photo's stitched in place and long threads still hanging off. You need to flip these over and pull your threads through to the back of each side then tie them in a knot to secure them before cutting them off.<br />
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Now you want to take both sides and place them wrong side together.<br />
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Line up each side so they are even and then stitch all the way around the outside to secure. (I started and ended my stitching in the corner where the eyelet would go as I thought that it would be less visible.)<br />
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You're almost finished. The next step is to add your eyelet. You will need to punch a hole in your vinyl first to get your eyelet through and then attach following package directions.</div>
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You're all done. Now you can give it as a gift to a special loved one or keep it for yourself.</div>
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Remember, if you do make one of these, please leave a comment as we love to see your creations.<br />
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Happy Crafting!<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "Times New Roman", serif;">Kat</span></span><br />
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<br />Crafts of the Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505294268662616213noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232424110467225103.post-16124637230033720482012-05-24T20:46:00.003-07:002012-05-24T20:46:39.502-07:00My Sewing Machine Leg!Earlier this week, I was busting out the moves with my kids when my knee cap decided it no longer wanted to stay where it was supposed to. After a quick trip in the ambulance and a visit to emergency, I came home with a rather interesting new accessory!<br />
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The worst part of all this is that it's my sewing machine leg! Looks like no sewing for me over the next couple of weeks. I can't bend my leg at this stage to even sit comfortably at the machine. I think I'll have to leave any sewing to my sisters. I have a tutorial waiting to go on here so I might have to work on that soon.<br />
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<em><span style="font-family: inherit;">Happy crafting!</span></em><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><em><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "Times New Roman", serif;">Kat</span></em></span>Crafts of the Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505294268662616213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232424110467225103.post-66942077843044857772012-05-23T05:00:00.000-07:002012-05-23T05:00:03.699-07:00More Star blocksI picked up this fabric as a flat fat from Spotlight and thought it would work perfect as a star block.<br />
This time I cut my squares 6 inches (instead of 4 inches) to make the complete block perfect for a pillow size.<br />
I still have to finish off the pillow but the top is complete and I have a nice purple to go on the back as the little girl I intend on giving this to LOVES purple.<br />
I love how it has come out with the hand quilting around the edge and since it was a smaller size I used fusible batting which means quick and easy and no pinning.<br />
Will get back in with some more pictures of the finished product, as soon as I finish it.<br />
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Cheers Suz</div>
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<br />Crafts of the Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505294268662616213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3232424110467225103.post-3799058492636606392012-05-16T04:12:00.000-07:002012-05-16T04:12:41.113-07:00Quilty Life HereWell I thought I would jump in and get my first post up on this blog. After having a blog for years and never updating it on a regular basis my sister came up with this idea and I thought great, cause at least one of us will be posting for all to see.<br />
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I am a mum of two boys and we love all the crafty things you can think of. My only dilemma is there are no girls. I am the only female in a land of boys, so I have no girly girls that need pretty dresses and pink quilts. I am lucky, however, to have 5 nieces so I can make girly things and use them as my excuse.<br />
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I mainly quilt these days and after working mothers day I decided to come home and sew, or should I say quilt. I have many projects on the go at the moment and there are four quilts in that UFO pile. Two queen size, one single and one baby quilt. So what else do you do but cruise blogs for ideas and start another few quilts to add to the pile?<br />
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<a href="http://www.cluckclucksew.com/" target="_blank">This blog</a> is one I love to view and get inspiration from as many times as I can. I Love it. So on mothers day I sat down and made two blocks from <a href="http://www.cluckclucksew.com/2011/06/tutorial-july-star-blocks.html" target="_blank">this tutoria</a>l. All I can say is wow. The tutorial was so easy to follow and I am super happy with my blocks.<br />
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I used a fat quarter that I picked up from spotlight for this one and some other fabrics in my stash.<br />
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This second one is my fav. I used Heather Ross fabric that I have and love. I have since picked up more fabric to make this into a lap quilt and can't wait to get started.<br />
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Anyway better get onto these new blocks so I have some more pictures to show.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia", "Times New Roman", serif;"><em><span style="font-size: large;">Suz</span></em></span><br />
<br />Crafts of the Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505294268662616213noreply@blogger.com0