Don't you just love it!

Hand-made stuff is the best.
We pay a fortune for it in la petites marchés de la France but we can't be bothered to make it ourselves?
Time to change that.
In the next two posts there will be bag patterns and bracelet ideas!

FILL YOUR CRAFTS WITH LOVE!!!

Tip #1    Glitter Glue is endlessly useful

Tip #2    You don't actually have to buy anything. Cut up old PJ's for material, pilfer beads out of your                  little sisters bead box, or steal off friends (that's what they're there for, right!?).

Tip #3    If it fails, don't worry about it - it's a) called home-made for a reason and b) why you have                                                  more than one tube of glitter glue in a pack.        

Hand-made project idea #1  Braided Bracelets

You need:

*25cm ish random strips of material

*old bracelet chain (with fastener on the end)

*creativity

*ten minutes of your precious lives

STEP 1 Gather your random strips of material and divide them into three sections, one slightly thinner than the rest, and put the chain in with this section. Vary the thickness of each strip, it looks better this way...

STEP 2  Tie all three sections in a large knot with the chain ending up on top

STEP 3 Braid/Plait to your hearts content (or until the fabric and chain run out.)

STEP 4 Tie another big knot with the chain on top

STEP 5 Take a photo and send it to me so it can be posted on my 'results' page and comment below

STEP 6 Wear with delight!!

Tip: If you don't have a bracelet chain to use, just braid lots of material, it looks just as good.

Tip x 2: Make loads with different fabrics and stack them!

Hand-made project idea #2  Make a clutch!

You just need one colour of fabric, cut out an A4 (8.5' x 11')
sized piece.

Lay it portrait and roughly divide it into thirds. Fold
the bottom third upwards.

Make a small zigzag fold about an inch, as if you were
making a paper fan.

Make a second fold, you should now have something
looks like this.

Fold the edges inwards and stitch up one side...

... and the other. Also hem the edges of the top flap.
If you have used a material that wont fray, you don't need
to hem.

Add a quirky design to the top flap, you could either
embroider a pattern to the top (if you are really craftsy) ...

...Or you could cheat like me and stick a broach on the
front. (This is a hair clip/broach I bought for about £1.50
from New Look ages ago, it just pins onto the flap.)

This is a free badge from the Apple Store I picked up
during the Olympics a couple weeks ago.
 Any kind of badges, a single or an array will do.

More hand-made crafts to come!

The maker and creator x