Fabric Kindle Cover - Fail & Finally .......Pass

A cover for the beloved's Kindle ...
It was request submitted by himself about 6 months ago
and like so many other husbandly requests
- it was duly noted and swiftly forgotten.
Skip forward to this woman frantically thinking
'What? oh! what can I make for my Christmas market stall ?'
Ah! 'Kindle Covers' !!!!
I started last night and due to too much enthusiasm and too little actual measuring
I failed miserably! The Kindle didnt even come close to fitting in its cover !

Erm ! Yes ..the beloved may not have been enamored by that PARTICULAR fabric .. ...
Perhaps I was thinking of my market stall ? and NOT the beloved ?
and maybe this epic fail was the universe was trying to tell me a little something !

So I got up this morning determined to make amends and make a new cover,
picked a fabric hubby actually likes
and got busy with the measuring tape
and in no time at all ...success!!

Ladies and Gentlemen - I give you

- The CraftLee Kindle Cover -

Success! how neat is that ?! It has a little fabric tab with velcro to keep it closed.

There's a pocket inside to keep your Kindle sung when your not reading.

There are cute little fabric tabs to hold the Kindle in place when your reading.

Pretty chuffed with myself & it was a super easy sewing project really if your machine can handle a lot of layers.
I'm off now to polish a spot on the mantelpiece for my 'Wife Of the Year Award' !!!

I have some exciting news tomorrow as I'm co-hosting an event with my new pal Rosie over at Craftbotic so stay tuned!

*Update*
This project has been featured ! by the Lovely Lindsey  at here 'Twirl and Take a Bow Party :)

Thank you for visiting & do come back soon !

Love Siubhan x x x 

Just for Me!

Two little projects just for me!
- one completed and one I might just save until Christmas after my day in the vintage market!
I decided that it was time to make myself a lovely bag to advertise my bag making skills ...should I EVER get around to actually selling bags rather than giving them away!
Heres the bag I made MYSELF following a pattern shared by the very generous at Crystelle boutique.
Just click on the links to download the PDF (her instructions are really detailed and lots of photos to help you too)

Isn't it cute! Its made from some really funky dotty vinyl material I found in Hickeys and some odd scraps from my stash - just the thing for keeping the rain off my valuables in the coming winter!

One of my favorite features of this bag are the really nice ties on either end and the two external pockets.

Its lined with some floral French prints from my stash and 'Whats that IN the bag!' I hear you cry!
Well... that's project number two. I really wanted to go to the Knit & Stitch show in The RDS this weekend but I knew I'd spend too much money on fabric and yarn (and probably 100's of other things I cant even imagine!). we also had visitors for the weekend so I went into my local knitting shop and  treated myself !

Six balls of scrummy yummy (& pretty expensive!) Cashmerino from Debbie Bliss. Its probably the most I've ever spent on yarn for one project in one go. I normally buy yarn in the sales or just the cheaper acrylic yarns. I chose the colours to match another bag I own and love but I think they'll go quite well with my new one too.I'm going to crochet a scarf or a cowl - I'm thinking something wavy like my lovely blanket (which I'm still working on !) I've been busy trawling through Ravelry & the Lion Brand Site for free patterns and inspiration.

Off now to invent a fabric cover for the beloveds kindle. If its a success I'll share a tutorial later in the week !

Thank you for visiting & please do come back soon !

Love Siubhan x x x

Featured Finds Friday ! # 1

Hi guys,
I've been thinking of having a feature day on CraftLee on a weekly or fortnightly basis.
Friday seems as good a day as any to start so here we are
- my Very First Featured Finds Friday !
(try saying that very fast 10 times after two glasses of wine!).
My very first Featured Find is a consists of 2 sites that you may, or may not, have heard of
- Totally Tutorials & Abakhan

{source}

I was super thrilled last week when my Flower Brooch Tutorial featured on the fantastic Totally Tutorials blog. It is SO worth a visit, there are tutorials available for every kind of crafty goodness linking back to sooo many interesting and fun blogs out there. Its SUCH a good idea ! Bloggers can submit their tutorials and if they are selected then they will feature on the site and bring lots of new readers to mooch around your blog ! Its also great place to hang out for an inspirational browse !!

& THATS NOT ALL !! There is also an inspired exchange programme where suppliers are matched up with crafters - the crafty folk get supplies to play with & suppliers get fresh new tutorial featuring their product - WIN! WIN!

So the big news this week is *drumroll please!* I have been selected to receive some FREE STUFF!!!
The supplier is a UK based company called Abakhan , they are suppliers of yarn, fabrics, hobby supplies and homewares. They have a lovely website, click on the picture below to get there!

I am hassling my poor postman daily as I await their parcel with my ribbons !!
Ribbons !!! Yayyy!!!
I'm so excited ! and so nervous
- what if my ribbons are icky colours?
What if I jam my hand in the car door and cant get the tutorial done in time ?
what if I cant come up with something to make ? ....
To that end I've been pinning away till my hears content on pinterest this week - I've even made specific board called 'A Ribbon Runs Through it....'
Why not follow along ?


Here's some of my favourite pins thus far ....

marthastewartweddings.com

www.littlebitfunky.com

ohsocrafty.blogspot.com

Who am I kidding - I LOVE all my pins !!

Think I may hear the postman ! Thank you for visiting & please do come back soon !

Love Siubhan x x x

CraftLee Recipe - How to make Jam.

Hi There!
Its a dull and dark rainy day here in Cork City so I've brightened up my morning with some great nespresso coffee,  warm buttery toast and sunny home made apricot jam for breakfast. I made this jam during the summer holidays and when the winter starts to close in I open a pot of fruity goodness it brings me straight back to those long sunny fruitful days.

Have you ever made your own jam ? You can adapt this recipe and make jam with any type of fruit.
Its really simple ! Just follow these easy steps below!

How to Make Apricot Breakfast Jam - 

You are going to need the following :

Your chosen FRUIT 
- the jam I've made here is Apricot (with some lemon & lime added as I don't like my jam to be too sweet!)
Jam Sugar - sugar with pectin added in (this helps the jam to set)
Weighing Scales
Decent sized pan
- it doesn't have to be a jam making pan any large heavy based saucepan or pot will do.
Second large pan - for sterilising equipment
Jam Jars ( you can use old jam jars or pasta sauce jars)
Lids (you can use metal lids or cellophane tops with elastic bands available from any cook shop)
Ladle & large wooden or plastic spoon
Spatula - I love the rubber kind
Labels - buy them or make your own but you need to label your jam to remember when you made it
(& obviously let the world know about your status as a Domestic Goddess!!)

& not essential but it does make life a lot easier -
A Jam Funnel (a fairly handy piece of kit to get the jam actually IN to the jars!)
A Pre-set Timer - either on your phone or oven, its easier to use one than to watch the jam and the clock at the same time !

Whew!
That does seem like a pretty long list but once you've everything gathered in one place it is easy! - promise!

The beautiful apricots for my jam were delivered to my door by a very generous neighbour who owns the apricot tree that I can see from my kitchen window - how lucky am I ?!

First Things First - weigh your fruit and your jam sugar. You want approximately the same amount of jam and sugar (or maybe a little less sugar depending on how sweet your fruit is). So I've used 1 kilo of apricots & 900 gm's of jam sugar here.

Now wash and prepare your utensils and jam jars (& metal lids if using) by washing and scrubbing them in very hot soapy water.

Pop the lids and utensils into your large pan, cover with boiling water and simmer on the hob whilst you are preparing the jam - this will ensure they are sterile.

Bag Making Blitz

Just back from some gorgeous coffee and fruit scones in the Flying Enterprise,  followed by  a long leisurely (mainly liquid) lunch, in the fabulous Market lane with one old friend and one new.

These days everyone has the same question for me....'What are you doing?'
& this week the answer is easy ....... 'I'm making bags! LOTS of bags!'
Have a look .....

Sadly we are suffering from a lack of sunshine in cork this week so please  forgive the dark pics !

Made from IKEA fabric & remnants

Handbag in some warm Autumn colours

Each of these bags is made with love stitched in!

Oh! How I love this little bag made with an upholstery fabric in beautiful green floral motif

As well as the 4 bags above, I have another 4 bags cut out & ready to sew.....
I've been thinking about selling some of these bags (to make room for MORE!!!)
as well as opening an ETSY shop soon.
I am also hoping that I may secure a stall at the Le Chat Noir Vintage Fair in the Flying Enterprise at Corks South Gate Bridge on the 2nd of December.

Lets hope I can keep up the momentum !

Thanks for visiting & please do come back soon !

Love  Siubhan x x x