Material Mondays - Owl - Crochet Makes

Owl – Crochet Makes

The owl is made using an amigurami pattern.

This was a really easy pattern to make and you can vary the size and colours of yarn used.  As with most toy based products if you are going to make them for children you have to make them safe and follow certain criteria.

I was quite interested in the amigurami patterns that I have been seeing and decided to try my hand at it using a thicker wool to get a quicker result, and Ollie was born... the glitzy owl.  My owl is made from two toned chunky wool and I decided to put beading the beak and around the eyes.

The bead give his beak and his eyes a bit more sparkle.  This is such an easy pattern that you can finish in a couple of hours, the thing that took the time was adding the beads.  I am looking forward to improving on Ollie when I make the rest of his family!

Owls have always been associated with wisdom and knowledge, it is interesting how two simple pieces of equipment (the wool and the crochet needle) can go on to produce some lovely pieces and I will be sharing more as the weeks pass. 

If you are considering learning how to crochet, or any other creative activity check out Craftsy online courses, at the moment they are doing a special offer on some of their classes, and they are offering some free mini courses. Click here. 

Remember the Capturing Moments mini journal competition is still running and will end on Wednesday, you have up to 4 chances to enter and maybe you might be the lucky one to win one of the mini journals.  I am planning on throwing in a few extras as a surprise, so make your way over to the post and leave your details!

Have a blessed week, see you tomorrow for Tutorial Tuesday.

Recycled projects - Capturing Moments Chunky Mini Journal

Welcome to a new feature that will be on my blog.  In my bid to become more organised and up my game a bit I thought I would start having a few regular features to show you what I have been getting up to in my studio and to share some of the processes.  On top of the mixed media art, paintings, working in my art journal and working on resources for carers I have been doing quite a few projects. I will be using Saturdays to share the things that I have been creating in my studio, the majority of which using recycled materials to create a piece of art. You will be surprised at the types of things we have around us that can be totally transformed.  On the Tuesday of the following week I will be showing you how the pieces were made, and do a mini tutorial called Tutorial Tuesdays. On Mondays (Material Monday's) I will be showing you things that I have made from fabric or crochet.

The first project has been these mini journals that I call Capturing Moments.  They are fairly easy to make and measure approximately 3x4 inches.  Making them and putting in all the detail has been quite therapeutic, and there is much to be said for the art processes and creating a sense of well-being.  They are great to just grab put in your bag or pocket and be able to be creative wherever you are - capturing the moment at hand!.

On Thursday I shared two of my mini journals 

that were shown in a magazine called Craftseller.  I had used some of the free paper selection that came with the magazine.  It was my first time to submit to a magazine and in the process also won a voucher which allowed me to purchase some craft supplies from stickytiger! Yay!

Capturing Moments mini journal

The Capturing Moments mini journals are just that - to be able to capture ideas, thoughts, quotes, images or whatever you like. 

Recycled materials form the basis of the journals

I have been using them for a variety of things especially when I am on the go - as a means for sketching out some ideas, looking a colour so that I can then do a larger image on my chosen surface.  

Multiple uses and fit in your pocket!

I also have one that I place photos, quotes, scriptures, and encouraging words that I want to be reminded of.  

Selection of the Capturing Moments mini journals

I made them with a set of 10 tags for use alongside for that extra special message and have added decoration along the edges using beads, paper beads and whatever else I could find in my stash.  Let me know what you think of these mini journals, have you found some interesting materials to create with, do share.

If you come back on Tuesday I will be showing you how I made the journals, and I will also be having a giveaway and you can win one of the Capturing Moments Mini Journals.  Have a blessed weekend.

In the news.....Craftseller Magazine Surprize and more!

Paper Love
I love paper,  always have, not only the textures but the different colours and weights.  Over the years I have built up quite a collection and love finding different uses for the paper in my work. I also like buying art and craft magazines, they are filled with inspiration and ideas, and most come with additional free items for you to use in your work whether samples of paper, stamps or both.

Craftseller Magazine - issue 28

I recently found a uk magazine called Craftseller which encourages creatives to make and sell their products.  Within the magazine they always include a selection of paper with some amazing designs, so I decided to see what I could do with the selection that I had and how they would work with some mini journals and tags I was making.  I made a selection of mini chunky journals and cards, they are part of my Capturing Moments Journals series, which I will share with you on Saturday. 

Chunky Journals - Capturing Moments

Craftseller Readers submission - 

I then took the step to submit my work to Craftseller, it wasn't a formal submission, just a readers letter and example of what I had done.  They then wrote back informing me that they would be including my images in the magazine.

Chunky Mini Journals with Tags

Capturing Moments Chunky Journal details

Star Letter Surprise

They sent me a copy of the magazine in the post, my journals were put in issue 28 above.  I saw that as well as putting my chunky journals in their magazine they also awarded me the star letter and I received a £45 voucher to buy products of my choice from Stickytiger supplies!  I was over the moon and I brought a selection of stamps and stencils, it was a lovely surprise and boost as I go down the road of submitting some more of my craft based work.

Katherines Corner
Today is also Thursdays Favourite Things on Katherines Corner Take a stroll over there and visit some of the inspiring blogs listed in the links, you can leave a link to your post and show some support to others who have listed theirs.  


Round up
Other news today, I am stocking up on lots of vitamin and mineral rich food, the flu seems to be going round and a lot of people around me have become victims, my mother has been sniffing and sneezing a lot, and with the elderly you have to make sure they keep as fit as ever, so the old time remedies of ginger, honey and lemon come to the rescue and wrapping up warm.

I am very happy to share that Alan Springer - My husband, has republished his book E-Kidz - Mission to Cyberspace with Hansib publishers.  The book is about e-safety and encourages chilodren through fiction and information to be more aware of the dangers of the Internet.  I will no doubt be getting him to share his work over the next few months. Take a look at his Ekidz website

Tomorrow I will be sharing the latest Gratitude's and Celebration Journal page, take some time to think about what you have been grateful for and remember to celebrate something about your life. Hope you've had a blessed day, check out some of the links, leave a comment and do let me know what you've been up to!