Crafting Resolution

Happy new year everyone!

I am not a big fan of resolutions, as I don't work well under personal goal pressure, but the last few months have been pretty dire for finding time to actually do the things I want to do. Those brilliant project ideas you had five years ago, you collected together everything you needed, but never started and ever worse the half finished projects that stare at you every time you walk past... so this is my resolution, to find the time to craft everything that I want to.

A pretty simple resolution that starts with me tidying up the dumping ground that is my craft room. 

At least I have been collecting some inspiration; 

 

sew a little love 

Anazard.

Tinywhitedaisies

Dutch-blue

check out more on my Pinterest board The Perfect Craft Room.
Or Follow me here! Izzy Morden

Dachshund Draft Excluder Experiement

A few months ago, one of my family members asked if I could make a draft excluder that looked like a Dachshund. I do so like a challenge and with a three month deadline I worked on making the excluder in drips and drabs over the last few months. I decided to make a sock dog, that was low to the ground and with a long long long body. Here's how I got on...

The sewing of the back legs was my starting point. I made a long continuous tube out of another 4 socks and used the remaining pieces for the head, the ears and the tail.

I had intended on leaving it un-stuffed to aid its journey to Australia, however this soon become clear this would be impossible as I wouldn't be able to sew on the dogs features.

So I stuffed its back-end, sewed on the tail and then started work on the head.











 Dachshunds have a distinct head shape which I did my best to replicate. Looking a little wonky in this photo, I gave the nose a pointed look, sweet little violet eyes and longish hanging down ears.

Here it is...

...a lovely long Dachshund draft excluder all ready to be delivered to my uncle Richard of Richard Morden Illustration in sunny Australia.

In fact it was been carried over by my parents as they were visiting and should have been received by now! Hope you like it Rich!

Pursuit of Preserves - The POP up village in Sherston

A few months back I mentioned I planned on setting up a pop up stall for the pop up village event in Sherston, Wiltshire. Well yesterday was the main event, having spent the last two weeks making lots jams, jellies and a chutney.




I used plenty of ingredients from my own garden, like this purple sage. Other herbs included rosemary and oregano.

I made quite a bit Hot Chilli Jelly, as it was a big hit when I made it last year for friends and family.

I got apples from my own garden and friends to make the majority of jellies.

For the Blackberry and Elderberry Jam I used elderberries from my own garden and foraged blackberries from hedgerows. These hedgerows included my parents hedge, they grow a delicious thorn less variety.

I also used home grown tomatoes and courgettes to make a sweet chutney.

My full list of available goodies was:

Hot Chilli Jelly
Apple, Cider and Purple Sage Jelly
Rosemary Jelly
Red Onion Marmalade (Variants: with Oregano and Sage, and with Chilli)
Blackberry and Elderberry Jam
Tomato and Courgette Chutney
Apple Butter

I set up shop in my best friends garden, with a table cloth and dollies I did my best to make it look shabby chic!

Each jar was decorated with a fancy fabric top, and a PoP label attached with ribbon.

Each different preserve had a sample pot too so people could have a taste of each one.



There was a free fruity muffin (banana, apple or pineapple) with every purchase too to sweeten the deal even more!

With a funky milkshake bar happening in my friend's kitchen, The Dizzy Cow, we had over 100 people 'pop' in.

Having opened at 3pm, at 5.45pm this was all that remained! I have now sold all bar one jar of of Hot Chilli Jelly... and raised £120 for Sherston Primary School, Busy Hands Pre-School and Sherston Toddler Group, not a bad afternoons work!