The first crafty post and birthday presents...

I have finally managed to get my presents from my Land Lady and put in my Amazon order. Which has ended up with me becoming the proud owner of this book:

It would have to be said that it is absolutely fantastic book which I had to work from IMMEDIATELY! (and then run screaming to Amazon to order the OTHER book!) Unfortunately the sock I chose was slightly on the grubby side (I have been collecting socks but they were old/mismatched/in a bag for at least six months). I will mention it had been washed and is in no way a bad sock. I did change the basic method somewhat on the basis my sock was bigger than the one the author used for this so mine has legs and arms because I had to chop a few bits off. Here are the results piece by piece:

I cut a 'u' shape in the top of the sock to make the ears and cut a small hole in the toe so I could turn it inside out.

Here it is with the ears sewn up and the bottom cut off!

                                                          Stuffed!

                                           With slightly suggestive legs...

                                                         And a mouth!

We are almost there now, it doesn't really look like the picture but I suppose that's the point (I've never been one for such liberation...sorry, too much Big Bang Theory).

And here he is! Apparently according to my husband his name is Corky. So there you go, my first craft work. Have fun with it.

The first day off work...

Well, today has been my first day off in a couple of weeks so I have taken the time to very carefully spend my birthday money (when I say carefully I mean flit round Amazon screaming like an idiot). Thus have I bought a great many useless things that I otherwise would not have been able to buy including a book on subversive cross stitch. Unfortunately I am suffering currently from delayed gratification as my Land Lady (She deserves capitals) has two of my presents from my mother at her house and until she comes back I can't place the order.

This is the source of some frustration as she was in earlier but I find her too personally intimidating to talk to without my husband whom, it would have to be said, she likes rather better. Still, have a picture of some baby shoes:

These are the shoes that I made for my first niece (on my side of the family) Poppy. Since there is the word craft in the title I thought you might like to see some evidence that, yes, I am a crafter. If you would like to make similar ones then the link is http://www.greatturtle.com/stardustshoes/clothshoe.pdf. I prefer to make these is fleece and also add a pattern of puffy paint (http://www.economyofbrighton.co.uk/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=tulipfabricpaintpuffy&Category_Code=metallicpaints). This gives it an extra little stick when the kids are old enough to walk. You can also do a double layer of sole to the bootie and put squeakers or sweetie wrappers in so you can hear them coming. The idea is like a cat collar only without having social services cart you away for putting a collar on your child.

Anyway, have a nice week!