Crochet Giftage

Work in Progress

I was just looking through my recent posts and there seems to be a heavy crochet bias at the moment. Not wanting to break the trend, here is another post featuring crochet. I like crochet because it is quick and so projects can be finished in a short amount of time, giving that lovely thrill of achievement that comes with completing something handmade.

Valentines card (detail)

Valentines day present

View from the back

The middle of February brings (rain, wind, snow) my Mum's birthday and Valentines day, both days that are for celebrating two of the most important people to me. So, I like to make my gifts for them if I can.

Heart detail

For Valentines day I made a mug cosy for partner of patience; he has no real interest in or desire for a mug cosy but he is very difficult to buy for (and in the preceding two months I've had to deal with the trauma of finding him Christmas and Birthday presents) so this seemed like a nice little project to let him know how much I care (buckets available on request.) I found this lovely mug to wrap it around and finished the gift off with chocolate, which in my opinion improves most things.

Notebook cover and mug cosy

Mug cosy

I used to find it very easy to buy presents for my Mum, less so now as she has most things she wants and I really hate buying things for the sake of it, I love getting presents for people but I want to get things that they will like or use. I saw a granny square notebook cover in one of my books and, being slightly obsessed with granny squares at the moment, decided it would be a good project to make for her as she could use it for covering a notebook, reading book or sketchbook. I then made a matching mug cosy because there are few things lovelier than curling up with a book and a nice hot cup of tea.

Front of the book cover

Back of the book cover

Some recent cards

New job/home/life card

Random post featuring some cards I have made recently. This first one was for my friend who got a shiny new job in Dundee so it was a happy new home/happy new job/ congratulations/ will miss you card all rolled into one. I was quite pleased with it, I thought it was rather sweet!

Inside of card

Valentines card

This is my Valentines card for my best beloved and long suffering partner. He really does.

Birthday card

This is my Mum's birthday card. I really like this purple and green together and paper cuts are fun to make.

Wedding card

Detail

This card was made for a wedding last year. I really like the different textures in this one.

Birthday Printing

Packaged envelopes

My partner and I have just spent a lovely weekend in Manchester with his sister and mother celebrating said mother's birthday. We enjoyed the sun, became revolutionaries at the People's History Museum and had a fantastic meal at Greens in Didsbury. It was very strange for me as I used to live in Manchester but have not been back for a couple of years, it was mostly the same with a few differences. I was very ready to come back to sunny Carlisle by yesterday evening as it's so manic in the city. I had a great weekend but I love living up in Cumbria.

Anyway, I digress. The point of this post is to tell you about what I made for partner's mother as a present. Which is a personalised stationary set. We wanted to get her something she'd use but that wouldn't take up too much room as she has recently downsized. So, I thought as she is a very friendly and sociable person a writing set would be a nice gift. I also knew that she liked Rennie Macintosh's work so I carved two stamps from lino and used them to decorate some writing paper and some envelopes. I also made some little note cards and then tied it all with pretty ribbons. I think she was pleased with the set and I think it's a really nice gift idea I will use again.

Work in Progress

The lino stamps

Rejects and tests

Assorted printed bits

Envelope detail

Envelope detail

Paper detail

The finished set

Notecards

All packaged up

Writing paper

Notecards

Stained Glass Swallow

I tried to post this yesterday but I couldn't upload any pictures. Now that I can, here is the post!

Bird suncatcher hanging up

I can't believe it's over two weeks since my last post, how time flies! Anyway, I've been off this weekend which has been lovely and today I've been getting back to my stained glass. It was my Nana's 80th this week so I wanted to make her something and I decided on a bird suncatcher. I did this design a while ago and decided it would be perfect for the occassion. I did swallow type colours as I had lots of bits of blue and a few bits of red and I love swallows. I think the red really finishes this bird off. I've also done the soldering on a leaded piece I started months ago. I will eventually finish it! Again, it has a bird theme (but I'm not obsessed, I just like the shapes and colours!)

Design and cut glass

The finished suncatcher

Catching the sun(!)