CRAFTY CAKES

We celebrated our Ruby Wedding Anniversary this year.  It has been the most amazing forty years, with so many marvelous happenings all the way through.  So to mark the event we had a party with all the family.  I needed something special for the cake and when I saw this .gsd pattern for a card here Thyme Graphics I knew it would be perfect!

 

However my efforts were totally upstaged by the cake made for us by The Tiddlers. Decorated by five year old Beth and supervised by Ben (three). It was just spectacular!   

We have achieved many things in our forty years together but our most spectacular successes must be our two talented & beautiful daughters and two of the most wonderful grandchildren we could have been blessed with. sigh......... ;0)

By the way, Thyme graphics have some fantastic cutting files.  It's well worth having a look!

Branching out

Having had a fair bit of success with the bells, I've now started to branch out into other crocheted items.  The fans turned out particularly well and have been requested by friends for bridal good luck gifts.  Again I had a few hours of brain twisting to get the boxes to fit and look professional.  I've had several attempts that looked good but either didn't stay together for very long, (see picture) or didn't stay shut properly, but eventually I hit gold and am so pleased with the final product.

Thread Crochet Wedding Bells

My most recent passion is for thread crochet ornaments.  Years ago, when we were in Bosham on the south coast, I peeped into a craft gallery and saw some crochet bells and little animals.  They were so beautifully made, that that was it - I had to have a go!  So I looked round for patterns - not a chance - they are like gold dust.  Eventually, I found just what I needed and got cracking.  At the time you could get fabric stiffener called Stiffy from almost any craft shop, which did the job perfectly.  However, you don't seem to be able to buy it over here anymore so, after trying starch, PVA glue and everything else I could think of to stiffen the material and having disasterous results, I gave up making them.

However, last year I discovered that Evostick Wood Glue (blue bottle for outside use) is just the job.  It dries clear and very hard.  Perfect, I was off again. :0)

Crochet Wedding Bell & presentation box

So this is what I made for my friends wedding.  I also had a wonderful time designing a box to put it in.  Oh, the joy of being a crafter, it keeps me quiet for hours!