In olden days, Sailors' Valentines were handmade gifts by sailors to be given to their wife or girlfriend. How sad it must have been to be a sailor in the 19th century and to be away from your true love for months, possibly even years at a time. There were certainly no phones or the internet for regular communication and there was no mail delivery at sea. A sailor could write to his love and mail a letter to her when he was in port, but mail to him would be sporadic, if at all. It would require a great…
Cupcake pincushions are adorable additions to any craft room and make great gifts for any seamstress or crafter.I enjoy making crafts. The more unique and unusual, the more I like them. If they happen to be easy enough to make in a few hours, then I know I will have a lot of fun. That is the case with the Cupcake Pincushions.Photo by Sylvestermouse I invited my mother over to play. Together we made several cupcakes. I don't like to waste anything, so we made cookies with the leftovers.Let me warn you at…
Cross Stitch is one of the easiest ways to make beautiful artwork. It requires very little practice to create heirloom quality pictures that can be framed, made into pillows, bookmarks or any number of other sewing projects. There are kits to cross stitch hand towels, pillow cases, Christmas tree ornaments, Christmas stockings, baby bibs, baby quilts, lap quilts, brooches, tea trays and many others with just about any theme you desire.While Cross Stitch is technically an embroidery stitch, there are tons of…
Beaded Christmas ornaments are not only beautiful decorations but they make excellent Christmas gifts which will be cherished for a lifetime and can be passed down to future generations. In this lens, I will use a kit to show you how to make your own beaded Christmas ornaments. I prefer the kits simply because everything I need to make the ornament is included except the craft glue. Once you see for yourself just how easy it is to make a beaded ornament, no doubt you will want to get started on your own…
Handmade beaded Christmas ornaments are a fabulous gift to give to just about anyone.My own Christmas tree is loaded with Christmas tree ornaments that have been given to me over the years. I have ornaments from my dear grandmother. Since she is no longer with me, I cherish them more now than I did the day I received them.I have keepsake ornaments that my parents gave to me and beautiful handmade beaded ornaments that my mother made for me when I was still a child.I have handmade ornaments from my children.…
Decoupage purses were a popular fashion trend back in the 70's. I was in my early teens when my grandmother painstakingly made this purse for me. I carried it with pride, not just because it was a popular fad, but because it was a gift from my beloved grandmother. Take a walk with me in the past and I will tell you how she made this purse. Who knows, maybe you will decide it is worth the time and the effort to bring this fad back to the height of fashion. Photo bySylvestermouse
Would you like to learn how to crochet? I have written this article to give crochet beginners basic instructions on how to crochet and an easy reference for crochet terms, basic crochet stitches and easy diagrams.When you crochet, you can create beautiful home decor such as afghans, doilies, table runners, table cloths, window treatments, etc. If you are a fashionista, you can crochet sweaters, vests, purses, totes, and jewelry that are truly one of a kind. Why not make gifts like bookmarks, Christmas tree…
When you are searching for sewing or crafting patterns, new ideas, instructions, etc., just ask the RocketMoms. They are always a tremendous resource for information and help. Our assignment for week 8 is to create a lens for any of the categories under crafting, sewing or scrapbooking. I believe this will cause a whirlwind of creativity the will be felt all across Squidoo.
My all time favorite cross stitch pattern books are the Cross Stitch Christmas collection from Better Homes and Gardens.There are so many fabulous patterns in these books, that it is often really hard to decide which one to make first.Each book offers a wide variety of designs with a range of skill levels from easy to experienced. In addition to the standard picture cross stitch patterns, the books also give instructions for making a multitude of different gifts like towels, ornaments, stockings, banners,…
The Mad Hatter's hat worn by Johnny Depp in Tim Burton's new movie, Alice in Wonderland, is simply a glorious creation that we all can make and enjoy!In this article, I will be sharing my photos and step by step instructions to make your own Mad Hatter's hat similar to the original hat worn by Johnny Depp.I was inspired to create a Mad Hatter's hat when I read Comfortdoc's article "Make a Mad Hatter Hat" and now, I would like to show you how to make your own Mad Hatter's…
Paper dolls have been popular with children for decades. Historical paper dolls are a great way to teach history while they play, as well as introduce them to the fashion designs of era's long since past.The Victorian paper doll collection features lovely dolls with various paper dresses that reflect the Victorian era fashion from the more common day dresses of that era to the elegant debutante ball gowns.With the books below, a child can dress her paper doll for the ice skating rink, a dinner party, an…
A Halloween beaded cross stitch pin makes a great treat for your special little trick or treater. For me, the special trick or treaters have always been my own children. For my mother, it would be her grandchildren. When I was a little girl, we had a childless couple in our neighborhood who doted on me because I shared the gentleman's birthday.Here is a great gift idea for that special someone for this Halloween. It only took a few hours a day for a couple of days to complete and now I have a little…
Several years ago I opened the House of Sylvestermouse on Ebay. I specialize in Craft Kits, Books, Patterns and Supplies, but I also offer a select group of specialty Items such as frames, handbags, totes, and other gift items. I sell crochet, needlework, sewing and craft items because I enjoy creating beautiful keepsakes myself. When a buyer asks a question about an item, I can usually answer because of my own personal experience.
I love handmade gifts and crafts! I guess I have been crafting all of my life. I honestly cannot remember a time that I did not have a hook or needle of some kind in my hand or a project in some phase of construction.One of the most frustrating problems a crafter or needlework enthusiasts faces, is getting patterns, ideas, or instructions without spending a lot of money. The supplies alone will often deplete any crafting budget.Because I understand the real desire to make original treasures, I am sharing…
Everybody loves to have an original centerpiece! That is pretty easy when you couple your own personal selections with this idea. In my original sleigh centerpiece, I used beaded fruit and greenery so I could use this centerpiece from Thanksgiving through Christmas. Photo by Sylvestermouse I will gladly share those pictures and supply list, but in this instruction page, I am going to show you how to make a gold Christmas arrangement.
Deb Bryan @GypsyOwl
| "Faith is believing in things common sense tells you not to." |
Country Porch Decorating
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