Newsletter is Published - Thrift Shop Haul

It's only a few days until the shortest day of the year here in Australia.  For us here in Tasmania it means we get a few minutes of extra daylight each day/week until we reach the warmer months .......  It's almost the turning point for winter for us - It sort of feels like we have reached the half way mark and things will be brighter from now on.

Things have been busy in the craft room.  I had a bit of a tidy up in my papercraft section and am much happier with it now.  

I go into hospital for my hand and arm surgery tomorrow and I have been busy banking videos so that I can still entertain you in the coming weeks.  I really enjoy the you tube concept of teaching craft and look forward to making new projects for you in this way.  I seem to be able to express myself better I think.

In the past week I have uploaded a video on how I made myself a planner from what I had lying around in the craft room, I also showed how I make my pumpkin soup and today I uploaded my weekly catch up newsletter as well which also included my thrift store finds this week.  You can watch them HERE.  Just subscribe to the channel whilst you are there and click on the little bell and you will receive a notification when I upload a new video.

Tonight I just finished a video for making this gorgeous acetate fronted boxed filled with sweet little vintage cards.  The video for these will be coming next week.

For now I had best turn the computer off and head off to bed.  I have a very early start in the morning.  I am hoping that tonight I can actually get some sleep - It doesn't come easily to me these days.

Until next week,

Hugs,

Fee xx

A Beautiful Soap Box

Last weeks project for A Year of Gifts are these beautiful soap boxes to gift beautiful TILLEY soap in.  They are super easy but so pretty !!  You can watch the Tutorial HERE.

I've also made a newsletter video and also made some lovely Rhubarb and Apple Crumble.  Each of them has an accompanying video !

I also released the June Papercraft Club yesterday.  It's for a gorgeous 12 page Birthday book.  Each page has a calendar for the month, a Birthday List and a pocket to hold cards.  The kit contains everything you need to make the booklet as well as 12 accompanying cards and envelopes.  It also give you access to the private video class to make it.  You can see the kits HERE.

I am officially 1 week out from my surgery and have so much to try and get done in that time but sadly my body is not co-operating very well !  Oh well what I can manage is all that will get done and the rest will have to be done by someone else.

Have a wonderful end of week.

Hugs,

Fee xxxx

Project 18 - A Year of Gifts

The 18th project in A Year of Gifts has been released today.  It's a video tutorial to make a beaded shepherds hook bookmark.

You can watch the video HERE.  Don't forget to subscribe whilst you are there and click the little bell and you will be notified every time I upload a new video.

Hugs,

Fee x

The Pantry

I feel so disorganised in so many corners of my life.  I have been letting things go.  I know that my energy levels and physical abilities restrict me a lot but it's hard to feel in control and have the ability to plan meals when everything is in chaos.

I thought about this a lot last night when I should have been sleeping.  This morning I woke and had planned to move mountains today but instead I managed to clean out our large pantry.  I am totally wiped now but at the same time I have a feeling of satisfaction.  

My weekly grocery delivery will arrive later this afternoon and now I can easily put things where they should go and rotate items so that I do not have to waste them (I had a big bag full of wastage today that made me feel really bad)

My plan is to ensure that our grocery dollar stretches as far as it possibly can.  We are on a very limited budget these days and it's important to get the best value for our dollar as we can.  I feel much more in control now and have begun a menu plan which will begin tomorrow.

I videoed the whole process ( But cut it back to just over 6 minutes) so that I can share with others on my channel.

You can watch it HERE if you are interested and you will get to meet MARLOW the latest edition to our family.

I am really hoping that tomorrow I can tackle our baking pantry.

Hugs,

Fee xx

In The Kitchen and a FREE Tutorial for You !

I have spent a little bit of time in the kitchen this week.  I have been refilling and rotating some of my ingredient tubs to give them a nice freshen up.  When things like dates begin to get low I like to empty them out, clean the tub and put the fresh ones on the bottom to ensure the older ones get used first.  I seem to use a lot of dates !  It could be because my hubby loves date scones and date and walnut loaf.  They don't really get a chance to be stale but I still like to rotate them,

I have a really sweet tooth.  I would much prefer dessert to main course.  It has been my down fall.  As my mobility has dropped my weight has risen so I try not to keep sweet treats in the house because I have absolutely no will power !  My sweet tooth craved some orange cake earlier in the week.  It's a really simple one which requires a whole orange whizzed up in the blender, sugar, butter, eggs and flour.

Instead of making a larger cake I decided on smaller cakes this time and used these lovely muffin wrappers.

They baked up really well

I then added some orange butter cream made with orange juice and then sprinkled with some grated peel.

They were divine !!  We still have some in the pantry and I think I will be having another one today for afternoon tea.  Even though it has a whole orange in it including the peel you can't tell.  It's just a lovely flavoursome cake. 

I've been making some little fabric shabby flowers - I make these all of the time and set them aside for when I need them to embellish a project.  I decided to make a tutorial in case you wanted to make some too.

They are really simple and use upcycled clothing that I find on the $1 racks at the local thrift shops.

The tutorial is on my channel HERE if you would like to watch it.  Don't forget to subscribe whilst you are there - I am uploading little tutorials all of the time.

Hugs,

Fee xx

Project 17 - A Year of Gifts

Time seems to be passing so very quickly.  Sometimes I think it would be nice to be able to press the pause button every once in awhile.  My dear old nanna used to say that time passed so much quicker the older she became and sadly I have found that to be true.  I remember announcing the birth of my first grand child on this blog way back when I first begun.  He starts high school next year !!!  I just can't believe it.  My life has changes o much in that time and my blog has recorded much of my life's highs and lows in that time.  I see it as a living diary that I share with the world.  So I must make more of an effort to record things on it again instead of just using it to share my tutorials.  

I have certainly found the best way for me to share and teach with you by making videos.  It makes it so much easier for me.  One day I will become brave and switch the camera around and talk with you all face to face.  I do intend to do some live crafting sessions in the face book group in the next few weeks.  Today's video is not actually a project but more the sharing of a technique which I use time and time again in my craft room and I thought that you might all enjoy it as well.

It is a simple, Stamp, Colour and Stitch on Fabric technique.  The video shows you how.  You can watch it HERE.

The stamps mentioned in the video are available HERE.

Pair of Bunnies

Flowers & Spring Bunnies

Stamp Blocks

Stayzon Ink & Refills

Don't forget to share any of your finishes in our FACEBOOK GROUP HERE.

I hope you enjoy today's little tutorial and that you try it for yourself.

Hugs,

Fee xxxx

Project 16 - A Year of Gifts

Project 16 already !  Can you believe it ?  This week I have for you this sweet little "Sewing Bits Tin" with a magnetic lid.  It's such a handy little thing and can be made into any style of tin including a jewel box, keepsake box or even a prayer tin.

I have uploaded a step by step video from start to finish on how to make one of these little tins.  You won't believe how easy it is.  You can find the VIDEO HERE.

You can purchase some of the supplies required HERE or just use what you already have.

 I hope you liked today's tutorial and decide to make one as well.  If you do I would love to see your completed tins.

Thank you so much for all of your positive feedback about my Sit and Chat Newsletter on Friday.  It seems that most people like the concept of sitting and having a chat with me so I think it will continue each week.

I've also asked for some interest in my FACEBOOK GROUP for a stitch a long each month and the response has been wonderful so I am just putting together our first project which will be released in the group in the next few days.  This is a FREE project and will only be available in the group.  If you want to join in simply join the group HERE.

Hugs,

Fee xxx