Popsicle DIY

A week ago I got a really good tip on FB, instead of buying Popsicle sticks in a craft shop or on a craft website, I could go to the local pharmacist and get a whole pack of 100 pieces for just under 2€! On the next day I went to the pharmacist and got myself a pack :)

 I had no immediate plan of using them, but I liked the idea of just having them at home... I am a hoarder, you know. On the same day I put four sticks to soak and left them overnight. They don't bend super easily, but they still fit in a small glass.

Today we are having a rainy afternoon and the children were in a bad mood when we got home from the Kindergarten. So I decided we'd do some craft.

First we made two bracelets:

 And then we made dolls. Just using felt pens and imagination. N. , who will soon be 4yo, was really thrilled and she tried really hard to copy my first doll and after that she just let her imagination loose.

T., 2,5yo, scribbled a bit on two sticks. Although he IS able to draw people now, he did not make any effort at all. He preferred playing with the ones I had drawn already.

We now have a nice little family of dolls, mostly girls in pink though ;)

I also had a wooden box lying around, I quickly glued some fabrics and the dolls now have a house!

Cutting to make children

Time to play!

How do you like them? Unfortunately for me, T. and N. had fun making them, T. enjoyed playing 10min with them, but now the novelty is over and they are moaning again. I so dislike rainy days!!

The SC & more n°279: Dream-catchers

This week Nathalie asked us to make dream-catchers for the weekly challenge. I made one a few months ago for my sister B. who lives in England:

 It was as big as my hand.

I've made one especially for the SC&More this weekend with a large embroidery loop:

With seashells from my grandmother!

And a square picture for the museum, if you follow the link you'll see a lovely collection of dream-catchers!

And if you'd like to participate, check out Isabelle's blog on Friday 8h! A new theme will be given.

Pretty present for a new home

Friends of ours have just bought themselves a flat and have renovated it. They have moved in their new home and have invited us and another few friends to celebrate with them. I thought of bringing them a nice bunch of flowers (pretty common present here in Germany for all occasions! Even babies get flowers for their birthday!), but I am not sure whether my friend does have vases or not. So I went hunting for a pretty one today and got some shiny marbles for the bottom.
It is pretty enough by itself, but I thouht it was lacking a little something, a little bit of ... hmmm character maybe?

So I cut a small length of adhesive lace and put it around the base of the vase. A small discreet touch, a little bit of personalisation. Do you like it?

And the final touch was to write with porcelain pens at the bottom of the vase. It won't be seen by anybody but the owners when they clean their vase, but I wanted to write the date as a small reminder of when they moved in their Home.

We will get the flowers tomorrow and we are very much looking forward to visiting our friends tomorrow :)

The SC & more: Telephone

This week, the theme Isabelle gave us was: desk/office accessorise. I decided to make a phone for my children. There are many things I could need for my own desk, but somehow I could not think of any at the right time!

I saw a few "retro" phones on Pinterest and decided to let them inspire me ;) but I drew my own pattern, I did not copy anyone's.

Getting organised

Getting the plastic insert ready

But then I had to fold it back to get it in

Filling with batting

 

Picture for the Museum

As soon as the children got home, the phone started ringing. So I take it they liked what they found on their little desk.
The whole phone was rather easy to make, the crocheted part took a little too long for my taste though and was rather unpractical, the electric cord should have been attached at the back of the phone, but I remembered about it far too late. Nevermind, it still works ;)

Don't forget to check out the others' creations!

The SC & more n°277: Joan of Arc

This week the theme is "Sweet France", I found an old picture of myself when I was 9yo.

Summer 1993

 I played being St Joan of Arc most of the time, wearing an old petticoat from my Grandmother, riding a paper horse on a stick, and holding a flag of France tainted with grass and blackberries - I know, NOT the right colours, but I did what I could with what I had at hand ;)

Joan of Arc has always been my "favourite" Saint. I find her life very inspiring.

The books I have been reading since my childhood ^^

 My first idea for this week's challenge was to recreate the picture, but one week is a little short for me to organize myself, find the sticks, get colours, taint the fabric etc. But I really wanted to do something with St Joan of Arc.

Then I remembered vintage frames that I have in my DIY drawer and thought it would be nice to have picture of St Joan, second patron saint of France (the first being Our Lady of the Assumption). I also decided that I wanted a picture of St Genevieve, the saint patron of Paris. After all, I was born in Paris :)

So I looked for nice images online, printed them on thick paper (Canson type). With the same paper I made a smaller frame which I painted in silver for St Joan and in copper for St Genevieve.

I blocked the pictures at the back with pins and tadaaaam:

We now have new pretty pictures for our "Prayer corner" and I love their vintage look. 
How do you like them?

Square picture for the Museum

Don't forget to follow the links to see the other creations, there are some very pretty things!

The SC & more n° 277: Douce France

Bonjour à tous! 

Cette semaine c'est moi qui ai le grand plaisir d'héberger le défi des Serial Crocheteuses d'Isabelle.

Je suis expatriée en Allemagne et comme parfois la France me manque, pour l'occasion j'ai envie de vous proposer comme thème les paroles de Charles Trenet:

"Douce France, 

Cher pays de mon enfance"

Êtes-vous inspiré(e)s? Alors c'est parti! Vous avez jusqu'à jeudi 19h :) et n'oubliez pas de publier une photo carrée pour le musée.

 Isabel_d

Mummy factory

Isabelle

Frederique&friends
 Pas à pas de chat

L'Empreinte de l'Ange

Kameleon Factory

Ma Fabrique by Karo

Nathalie aime
Pimp ta Life
 Les Babioles d'Aurélie
Le Crochet de Marjolaine
Oeil 2 chat

L'atelier de Madame Cerise
Mam Cambuse
Absurdouée
Anikenitêt
Bidules à Fil
Annie 2 mailles
Loisirette
Vivyane, du bout des doigts

-------------------------------

Hi everybody!

This week I  have the pleasure of hosting the weekly challenge from Isabelle: The Serial Crocheteuses.

I am french but live in Germany. Sometimes I miss France and that is why I chose to use lyrics from Charles Trenet for our theme:

"Sweet France,
Dear country of my childhood"

Are you inspired? Then let's go! You have until thursday 19h to participate :) and don't forget to publish a square picture for the museum.