festive table decorations how-to

here's another little festive how-to for a pretty table decoration...the lace on the jars is window film which I used recently to decorate a door and had some left over, it sticks to glass and is super easy to apply. This is super quick and easy but it looks really effective...so here goes
you will need

• a few clean jam jars in different sizes
• patterned window film
• bakers twine
• scissors
• greenery
• battery candles

measure the jars and cut out the lace film to size so it will wrap around, apply... following the instructions (some are adhesive and some need water as a base to stick to) tie some twine around the top and pop some fern leaves or festive greenery and the non flame candle inside.
They look lovely grouped together and would work well as a table decoration or on a fireplace. You can skip the leaves and just add the lights. Also if you don't have any lace film you could use cut out paper, a doily or wide lace ribbon instead.
x x x x x 

christmas pillowcase how-to...

christmas pillowcases freshly laundered and on the bed for christmas eve is a bit of a tradition in our house. They don't have to be festive but this year I fancied some little trees...I had the foam stamps and fabric paint from a previous project so I thought I would have a go at making my own. (I'm thinking gold paint would look great for the next ones)
This is super easy, no sewing required as I used bought white pillowcase which were cheaper than buying fabric.
You will need

• 2 white cotton pillowcases
• fabric paint in your chosen colours
• festive foam stamp (you can make your own using craft foam or a potato)
• paintbrush // plate or pallette for the paint
• piece of cardboard 
• iron

 Iron the pillowcases so they are nice and flat, place the cardboard inside the pillowcase so the paint doesn't leak through the fabric on to the other side. Paint the stamp with fabric paint and begin stamping, you can mark out the repeat pattern or just wing it (like I do)
If your stamp misses bits or doesn't look neat you can neaten the edges with your paintbrush. Repeat the print on the other side.
Allow to dry and iron the pattern to seal the paint so it is washable.

You could use fabric pens and draw on some designs...if you are making these with children you could get them to write a message to Santa or make them for birthdays or special occasions.
Have fun x x

happy faces christmas garland....

Hello, I'm back...and this time I have done a little Christmas how to, as you may remember here I do like to perk up a boring bauble.
All you need is some cheapo plain white baubles (preferably plastic if you are doing this with kiddos)

• Some sharpie pens or any permanent markers in black..pink and red

• Some bakers twine or string and scissors.

To make these little guys all you need to do is draw on the faces, allow the pen dry, remove the existing hanging threads and then cut approx 1m of twine. Tie on each bauble approx 8 cm apart and then make a loop at each end of the twine to hang the garland.

They would make cute stand alone decorations too if you didn't want a garland or you could use them to tie onto presents. If you don't want to use faces you could do spots..or stars etc..add glitter...sparkles...anything goes at Christmas :)
Have fun and please share if you make any as I love to see how they all look x x

hi...

Where do you start when you haven't blogged for 6 months?? 

I honestly didn't think it would be this long but I'm just sticking my head tentatively around the door to say hello...I think I'm back x x x x x

pops of colour

hello...just stopping by for a quick colour catch up. Our days have been busy but we managed a little break in May and spent some lovely if very wet days by the sea. I had a few days free of work so I got busy with the fabric stash and had a grand time sewing. Sometimes it is just lovely to dive into a pile of colourful patterns and lose yourself for a while. I'm hoping to get back here more often now and have plans for some more tutorials and a new look blog.

Have a lovely week x x

owning up....

you can find me sat here most days

or in here x

I have a confession...about this blog,
time has run away with me these past few months...things pop up, life gets tricky, then it gets busy...throw in a bit of fretting and family stuff and suddenly you realise you haven't posted on your blog for ages...where do you start??? so I'm just stopping by to say I'm still here but just taking a little break from teawagontales while I work on something very exciting...my first book! I am hard at work with it so there will be no shop updates for while, but I'm hoping you will still be here when I share this project and my new makes with you again x x

it's a post, well almost...

 

 this week I have been dusting down the shelves and doing a bit of spring cleaning...my definition of this is to tickle everything with my pink feather duster and scatter a few bunnies or easter type creatures here and there. The first sign of spring for me is the change in the light..oh ok who am I kidding it's those cute little chenille chicks that pop up everywhere in the shops :)
Have a lovely week x x
Jane

half term tricks

last weeks half term was a busy one with trips to visit family, ten pin bowling and cinema outings, sleep overs and dodging all the rain but I did find a little bit of time for myself :)

like...making thank you origami thingys for lovely friends :)

and finally finishing this blanket...it's a big one, the edges are finished in neon yellow :)

 

and framing some cards :) 

sewing up some new pillows for the shop

 

and finishing up some new patchwork...these are for friends but I am getting on with some which will be for sale very soon :) 

hope you are having a good week x x

Polaroid how to...

here's one of my favourite vintage things...a Polaroid camera, I'm lucky to have two and I wouldn't part with them for anything but I found myself on this dark dreary Sunday afternoon...with some empty boxes and some paint and here's what happened...

if you want to have a go...here's how

you will need..2 x small boxes, one of them needs to be flat like a tablet box
also some masking tape, strong glue, paint, stickers, scissors, a milk bottle top, a mini cotton reel and if you have one a dymo label maker (if not you could just write the label)

 start by opening up the flat box and attaching to the larger box with the masking tape to make a shape like this...

cover the whole thing in masking tape- this holds it together and gives a base for the paint...

 

paint it white and then when dry, paint the black parts on the front, sides and top...then paint the rainbow stripes down the centre front (I painted these and don't mind the wobbly lines but if you prefer neat then maybe you could use marker pens)

 

for the lens and buttons I painted the milk bottle cap and a mini cotton reel black, the green circle is a sticker and the viewer is a square of pixelated origami paper...I used the dymo for the labels. Glue them all on.

you can make your own polaroids too :)

 

 

I think it would be pretty easy to make this with kids...they may need a bit of help with the painting but they could make them in all kinds of shapes and colours and you could whip up a collection of vintage cameras in no time...

I'd love to see if you have a go :)
back to school for us tomorrow so I will be back soon to share what I got up to in the holidays x x