Monthly Ornament Challenge

Here is my finish for the Monthly Ornament Challenge at Needlecraft Haven. The design is by  Steekjes & Kreisjes van Marijke and is available here.

I thought such a sweetly primitive little design deserved a naive kind of finish so I just made a simple hanging pillow and stitched three slightly rusty jingle bells on the bottom.
The other challenge finishes are in an album here and are well worth a look.
In other news I got some new Converse. Tie dye ones.

Now all we need is a summer so I can wear them

An Unplanned Haitus and a Grow Your Blog Winner

I was supposed to announce the winner for the Grow Your Blog draw last weekend. I was supposed to do a lot of things on the internet the last couple of weeks, but an unexpected lightening strike put paid to that. It also zapped one computer, one amplifier and the playstation. And gave me a shock, but not a bad one because there was a surge protector on the computer I was using.
If I've missed posting on your blog I apologise but I've just had to draw a line under what I've missed and start again. If you are one of the new people who found me through the Grow Your Blog party and I haven't visited you back yet, I will get around to it, it's just taking a bit of catching back up.
No internet for a whole fortnight, aargh! It was like being back in the dark ages (only without the plagues and starvation).
So, what do you do with yourself for two weeks when you can't access the internet. Well if you are me you read three fat novels (I do love me a Fantasy Epic), and make stuff.
I have now made so many "useful baskets" from made from old denim jeans (see this post) that I am in danger of needing a useful basket to keep them all in.
I cut up a charity shop vintage scarf to make bias strips and used them to bind the neckline of a plain t-shirt following instructions in this book which Julie gave me for my birthday.

I also made a beaded bracelet, my spring exchange for Needlecraft Haven (can't show that yet), a runner from squares cut from vintage sheets and tablecloths

Two studded leather heart brooches 

inspired by this one in faux leather which I made from a cover kit from Mollie Makes

A handbag using some adorable Echino fabric. Look at the little red glasses on the stag in the middle! (pattern also from Mollie Makes)

Another cover kit - this one from Cross Stitcher

And a partridge in a pear tree

Anyway back to the Grow Your Blog draw. That's why you're still reading after all.  I put the numbers into the random number generator and it chose comment number 7, which was Gillie. Congratulations Gillie, your prize will be on it's way soon.

So What Else Can You Make from Old Jeans?

Turns out you can make a smooshie little cat

He's got a hand embroidered face and a tiny tape measure tail, and he's wearing a bell and bow rescued from a well know Christmas confectionery item.
I made one from an off-cut of scandi curtain fabric too

Or you can make a little fishie, and string him with some friends made from other vintage and scrap fabrics to make a driftwood mobile.

I got a bit carried away and made a pile of these, so there are some available on my Folksy Shop - Brimstone and Quicksilver
Still a shed-load of denim left, wonder what I'll make next?