iPhone Cover in Cross Stitch - A Coffee Break Craft

I am a winner!

I won a super ‘create your own X-stitch iPhone skin’ giveaway on the Crafty Ms De Vil’s blog as part of the Craft Candy launch (I had to guess how many mini chocolate eggs there were in a jar).

Wait ... who are Craft Candy?

Crafty blogger Zoe Arch has been busy developing a brand new type of craft platform around the idea of spreading word of mouth crafty info, which serves crafters like you and me, businesses and the wider community.

Craft Candy has a website where you can find out what craft events or workshops are taking place locally but you can also download their free app which makes finding craft events neat and easy to navigate.

The app has links to social media tools like Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and FB so likeminded crafters can keep in touch. It’s a whole lotta crafting cool in your pocket.

I attended the Craft Candy launch a few weeks ago – find out how it went over at the Craft Guerilla blog where I am guest posting for a few months.

Now ... back to my iPhone skin and my love/hate relationship with cross stitch. 

When my first daughter was born I designed and stitched a sampler of our terraced house, my partner and me with new baby Tara. It was a great project and framed, it hung on our wall for years.

Along came baby number two and my ambitions had grown along with my family – I designed a second sampler with new home, garden and new babe in arms – a more elaborate and bigger work.

Needless to say looking after two kiddies and working meant less room for crafting, the second sampler rarely made it onto my knee to be worked on …

Cut to 2013 and FIFTEEN years later this cross stitched sampler is my biggest, guiltiest WIP to date. 

*sigh*

I cannot bear the thought of never finishing it - sorry Ruby, but you know it doesn’t mean I love you less than your sister. Yet I can't get to grips with this (now somewhat dated) project and summon the energy to stitch away til kingdom come.

The iPhone cover is only a few inches high so I gave it my best shot.

The skin comes with its own floss and designs for you to follow, but I had a quite a stash to choose from and I do love coffee and coffee cups – so off I went on my own merry way.

It didn't take long to complete, a coffee break sized project. The back is little messy - but I argue it gives extra cushioning to the phone (ahem).

I'm hoping that this little cross stitch detour may launch me back into a romantic clinch with the unfinished  sampler. I could invite my daughter Ruby to finish it, or is that just cruel - what do people think?

November Round-Up - OR - I can't stop making handcrafted crochet card boxes!

November has turned into a bit of a making frenzy as I've road-tested a few things as possible Christmas makes.

There was my Big Sister’s birthday crochet card box, I started with some vintage birthday postcards and whipped them into shape.

It's touching that these cards had a series of messages on the reverse inscribed from the past - one beau sent his lover a card regularly over the war years from 1939 onwards, I do hope they got together in the end. 

And if the inside of your box doesn't hold secrets from the past, you can add a touch of vintage interest by recycling old newspapers as I did for this lovely ...

Note picot edging on the lid, my crochet skills are growing. Instructions on how to create these beauties can be found in a post I did a few years back here and guess what, it's my most visited page - people love crochet boxes.

Box made, there was the annual trip to Derbyshire for Big Sister's November 5th birthday bash at Darwin Forest Country Park at Darley Moor. They stage the most amazing bonfire and firework display every year in a beautiful pine forest setting and it does make a change from the old East End.

Door to the Wishing Tree

Wishes tied to the wishing tree

Bib Big Sis carved this beauty

And yes - the trip always ends with a Domino Tournament.

Next up is an idea I've brewing for Latte Jackets, with inspiration from Thimbleanna's beautiful embroidered mug cozy that she blogged about here.

I turned my hand to a Poinsettia corsage as it's one of my favourite plants - a bit of a knit, felt and some beading. Great to pin to a dark winter coat or I may wear it in my hair.

Finally I had to have a go at making a Pom Pom Angel as seen here on Laura's blog SheDraws. Laura's dancing dolly pegs are decently clothed my D pointed out to me - my angel is *naked* up top. I need to draw some boobs or add a corset I think.

Laura has made some lovely wooden decorations this year - check them out on her blog. 

I'm currently gathering together Xmas tat from charity shops with the idea of creating another retro wreath to add to the Pink Flamingos that will be the centrepiece for my garden tub display!