Getting my creative mojo back....

Hi everyone, I'm not going to go on too much about my Christmas on here except to say it has been lovely, and although we have tried not to dwell on this time last year, it has been impossible not to. Last Christmas day me and my mum and dad had a hurried dinner before driving to Trafford General where my lovely Geordie was lying in intensive care on a respirator. He didn't know it was Christmas and we weren't sure what was going to happen. We have really looked forward to this Christmas and it was lovely to see him eating, laughing, walking a bit and just being here with us.
Anyway, as he has needed less help with things, I have had a bit of time to myself and have been feeling a bit creative and I have found it quite relaxing.
I found two old stools in the spare room that we had used as bedside tables. They were sturdy but quite scruffy and full of cup ring marks. I didn't fancy painting them so I thought I'd have a go at covering them with some kind of decoupage. I bought two packs of serviettes, one from Tesco for £1.00 and one from Cath Kidston for £3.50 (a bit dear in my opinion and not any better than the Tesco ones!) The only other thing I bought was PVA glue for £1.00.

 

All I did was tear the serviettes into strips and small pieces, brush PVA glue on the stools and stick the pieces on, then brush them into a kind of scrunchy texture. I let it dry then put about 4 or 5 coats of PVA glue on as a kind of varnish. 

 

 

 

 

This is the Tesco one which is now a small table with my Chorlton pottery vase on. (not a great picture but you get the idea!)

The Cath Kidston one is here.....

 

 

 

This one is now next to the fire with a big red candle on. I was really chuffed with these as it was something I could just do for 5 minutes when I got a bit of time and I think these stools would have been lying around forever waiting to be sanded down and painted.

 

I've also been doing a bit of crochet too. I made this scarf for myself out of my scraps....

 

 

....and my friend Ms M asked me to make a hat for her sister-in-laws birthday.

Now I don't often make things for people except maybe a present for family as I'm a bit self-conscious about my work and think it's not good enough or it will fall apart or unravel. Anyway I agreed and made this from some lovely Debbie Bliss cashmere and merino wool.....

It's actually the first hat I've ever made and I just went off what I would like myself. She was really happy with it and actually sent me a photo of said sister-in-law wearing my hat in Copenhagen where her husband had taken her for her birthday!! It was very simple to make. I did a Lucy circle but for 6 rounds then just straight rows-couldn't be easier. The flower was another Attic 24 design from here

I've been up to a few other crafty things but I'll tell you about them next time.

 

Hope you have all had a lovely Christmas.

XXXXX