Buttons and Brads

This week it dawned on me that I have a room full of stuff and its time to think of ways of using up stash. Starting with the button bank here is a little crocheted Tea Cosy covered with buttons. Yes, the other side is just as buttony!

Tea Cosy with slightly less buttons and a little button tassel at the side. I'm taking both these cosies as samples to my Crochet Tea Cosy Workshop this Saturday. No naked teapots this summer, please. Now for the brad mountain. I am taking part in an online handmade flower swap this month and in an effort to get away from a completely crocheted flower I made up these flowers from scraps of felt, net, small bits of crochet and used brads (all Papermania) for the centers.

More funky flowers. So that is this weeks destash attempt. I'm putting this post into Andrea's "Lush Friday" show and tell.

June makes

This month's theme on the By the Cute and Girly Challenge blog is "Old, new, borrowed and Blue" ie a Wedding or just your own interpretation of these four words. There are 4 great prizes: 3 gift vouchers and your choice of 4 digi images from Meljens Designs. So have a peep at http://bythecuteandgirly.blogspot.com/ and enter your creation(s) for a chance to win some great stamps and crafty stuff! My 1st make is a necklace made from blue agate stone chips and blue seed beads. If only I had the outfit (or the occasion) to complement it! The next idea is "borrowed" from the old idea of throwing rice at the bride and groom in pre-confetti days. I made up some little embroidered organza bags with "Wedding Day" and "Love" embroidered on them. They could also be used as favour bags for chocolates or sugar almonds but they were quite fiddly to make and I wouldnt fancy sewing up 100's of them!

Finally, a little birdhouse decorated with the challenge sponsor's - Meljens designs -digi image of 2 lovebirds. This was inspired by the wooden birdhouse on the cover of June "Crafts Beautiful" mag. I couldnt find a suitable template online so I sat down with pencil and card and made up my own. Its 7" high and 5" wide and I'm happy with the way it turned out. It will be going to a good crafts-loving home and I'll definitely be making some more as little pressies in the future....it could hold chocs or a small gift...