Lariath- Live a Little.

I love to make things from scratch, it makes me feel like I've achieved something. Which means I always try and make cards with nothing but sheets of card and paper. No shaped cutting equipment etc just scissors and a craft knife. I am still in the practice stages of using my craft knife so I'm trying to keep it simple at the moment. My Grandma loves birds, any type of small bird usually so I wanted to make her a card incorporating a bird. I looked at some cards for inspiration trying to find a simple bird which I could use for a card. Here is the finished card. I simplified it even more than the image I found to make it easier for myself, I think the card looks quite nice in its simplicity, the shadow it creates looks pretty awesome. My Grandma's favourite colour is green, hence the green card. I hope she likes it, I just need to find an excuse to give it to her now! Enjoy this post?

I was looking for a belt I could make to go with a new top which is quite baggy. I just wanted something simple looking that I could whip up quickly. However I made the belt, which I really like by the way, but it does not look so great with my new top... typical...So here it is with a random top: The pattern is written well and there is also a video which I used for the tassels. I think this is a great project for a beginner as it is a simple repeated stitch to make a long rectangle; good practice for turning work. The end product is actually quite versatile. It can obviously be used as a belt, it can also be used as a scarf and believe it or not a head band too! The pattern is  Here  if you fancy a go. Enjoy this post?

I love waistcoats and have spent a lot of time looking for a crochet waitcoat pattern that I actually like. When came across one that I would actually wear I added it straight to my to do list! I think it is quite smart and simple looking (just the way I like things). Here it is: This is the first piece of clothing that I have made and I really like the way it has turned out. The patterns is well written and easy to follow, however I did have to keep trying the waistcoat on as I was making it because I have a very small build and most 'normal' sized clothes do not fit me. After making a few adjustments to the pattern the waistcoat fits perfectly. It is so comfortable and looks great over a shirt, I have had a few compliments whilst wearing it so overall a great make. The pattern is quite simple as far as clothes patterns go, it took me about two days to make, I probably could have done it in one day if I had the time. Find the pattern  Here . Find other clothing po...

Starting a new job and having a busy life does not make for blogging and craft time, which makes me sad as it is a hobby that keeps me happy. Now that I have a bit of time tonight I am determined to blog! I haven't made an awful lot of stuff recently. I have made a second Crochet Sorting Hat  as a request. Also due to having less time to craft, I am being more organised and have started making Christmas gifts already. I think this is the most organised I have ever been.  I love Pinterest for finding crochet patterns etc I think it's amazing that people can find and share amazing finds in one place. It was whilst browsing Pinterest that I came across Fortune's Shawlette and thought it was so pretty and something that I would actually wear. I have never made a shawl before, I haven't actually made that many items of clothing before so this was a new challenge for me. To be on the safe side I decided to use the exact yarn that was used in the pattern and I am so gl...

A very Harry Potter obsessed friend wanted me to make her a Sorting hat. It was pretty good timing to be honest as I am currently re-reading the Harry Potter books at the minute, I read them when they first came out and had the urge to re-read. I do however need to get my hands on the films just so I can compare the books to the film just for my own interest. I've never really been interested in the films. Here is the finished product: The pattern (below for link) I used is ace and really easy to follow however when I made it the first time it was way too small. At the end of the pattern it says to add extra rounds and increases until the hat fits. If I had have done this the face would have been a really small face right at the top of the hat that would just have looked utterly wrong. I used chunky yarn as suggested in the pattern however I did not have the size hook that was suggested so I used the size down but made loose stitches. Anyway, as I said, it turned out sma...

I've been really wanting a glass tank for Tim for ages, mainly so Tim has more space but also I think they look really nice and Tim can't chew on any bars etc. Don't get me wrong, the DIY Bin Cage  that I made is awesome, more so after  Adding a Door , especially for new hamsters for taming purposes. I will be keeping the bin cage for when I go away and Tim goes to a friends house to be looked after, let's face it moving a massive tank to a friends house for a week is never going to happen. I've seen a few people using an IKEA Detolf glass cabinet (put on its side/back) as a hamster cage and for a glass tank it's a really good price for an amazing size too. The only issues I have with the Detolf are space to put the cage and transporting the cage when we move....but we will deal with that when it happens. The only other issue is that Syrian hamsters, such as Tim, can escape the Detolf if there is no lid (the glass door that comes with the Detolf cannot be us...

My good friend Sarah, her son and I went away to Scotland recently. It was a nice time away, the cottage we stayed in was awesome, the view was amazing. There were young cows surrounding us...if you know me you know I love cows! Sarah brought a gift for me to try out whilst we were there; a spindle and some fibre. I have never even considered spinning before but I love to learn new things. Here is the spindle and a bit of the fibre that I was given: It is Fondant Fibre- White Faced Woodland (Rare Breed Collection) not sure how many grams I got but there was quite a lot in the bag. My first go at spinning wasn't so great the yarn was really thick and most of it was over spun. It is that thick that it will have to stay as a single: My second try was slightly better. This try I managed to get thinner bits, however it varies in thickness massively, this one will be kept as a single: My third go was a lot better, much thinner and less varied in thickness. I'm ...