do it yourself

i am a big fan of make do and mend. & i love the idea of making something myself instead of buying it from a shop. presents for friends and family are often handmade... as are the cards of course. and i am starting to make products around the house too... this is all part of my back to basics plan. with the addition of some shop bought staples for good measure.

my seed bombs and bath bombs always go down well. and i recently made my own rose toner which is amazing as a morning, mid day slump spritz. but it is also great to set makeup, to soothe tired or sunburnt skin. to tighten and reduce wrinkles and it calms and acts as a mild astringent for blemishes... and all you need are two ingredients and a spray bottle {i got mine from superdrug}

fill with water {preferably distilled} and add a capful of rose water ~ or more depending on personal preference and size of bottle
and that's it.
simple yet effective.

for under the kitchen sink i have another spray bottle with vinegar and water in... great for cleaning and deodorising any surface {including carpets} add a bit of bicarb and you have a better spray than you can buy in the shops! plus, if you add an essential oil to the mix you will not only be adding a lovely scent to the room but you will also be upping the antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal qualities to your all-purpose cleaner.

this is my latest make do and mend project... three pairs of leggings fit for the bin = two good as new pairs of leggings!

mothers day craft!

bath bombs

i found this great blog the other day with some inspirational crafts... this one really stood out for many reasons... seasonal, kid friendly. mum friendly! can't go wrong :)

it was so easy to do with the kids and acted as a great sensory/messy play activity! but best of all, the ingredients were all in the cupboard! so here's how...

mix two cups bicarbonate of soda and one cup cream of tartar with a splash of oil and a few sprays of water. then add a small handful of dried lavender and another of dried chamomile (i used the contents of a tea bag)
mix until it holds together when pressed - you may need a few more squeezes of oil or sprays of water.
press into a silicone ice cube tray and leave for a few days... the longer you leave them the harder they go!

as i was giving these as a gift i made up some baskets (string/twine soaked in glue and wrapped around a small balloon, leave to dry and pop balloon!)

i loved these so much i made a second batch but added a drop of beetroot juice to colour it and stored them in this lovely jar in the bathroom!

there is nothing nasty in these so they are suitable for kids and adults! i am going to look out some fun animal or robot shaped moulds and make up a batch for the next party bags!

buttons and booties

last christmas i decided to be more crafty and make all gifts for friends and family. i have lovely long evenings to fill now that the wee folk of my life sleep all night! so the sewing machine got dusted off and there has been no stopping me since! there has been leg warmers, lavender hand warmers, crayon rolls, mug warmers, cross stitch samplers, soft toys and badges... not to mention hand stamped and printed greetings cards and tags!

i love it! it's birthday season now and we kicked off with some shiny and glittery play dough and another crayon roll! we have three parties this week so have cheated by buying some sticker books but plan to get some more creations made and ready for the next party!

cotton wool, one knitted square and some thread.

ahhhh, i just had to share this amazingly simple and gorgeous crafty find of mine...

oh so lovely!

and here is one of the little critters, hanging out for some snack -

i decided to make these late one night as i have a huge - and i mean huge - stash of knitted squares.  you see, i have been patch working them together to make a cosy blanket for number two arriving in a few months. so wandering what to do with all these extra squares, i immediately took to google.

adding my own take on the little fellas, i added some lavender to the stuffing - my trademark scent... i am sure i use more lavender than is really necessary!
i think these would make a lovely new baby gift - must remember to post about my home made lavender baby powder that was last years new baby gift!

during my internet trawlings i found so many lovely crafty creations that my next project has to be some amigurumi... but first i have to learn to crochet!