IN CASE OF EMERGENCY... Make this gift...

Christmas is coming, and that can only mean one thing! Time to start preparing, the first thing I aways begin with are the presents. I'm one of those people who loves spending time making or searching for the perfect gift, yet occasionally theres always that one that catches you out, usually the Secret Santa at school or the kids teachers. 

Well this year, I've a solution with this super easy DIY gift, a fire alarm inspired treat frame...

The supplies you will need...

The small box frame was purchased from The Range, but I have seen them in other craft stores like Hobbycraft for example. 

I'm a stickler for spray paint as I finds it gives the best finish but really you could use any type of red paint. Unfortunately the glass doesn't come out of these frames, so some masking tape was needed to protect the surface. 

Once the paint is dry, then comes the super easy part...

 Use a DYMO label maker, or similar, to stamp out your message...

'IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, BREAK GLASS'. 

Trim down some pretty craft paper, I used some from a Belle and Boo packet, also 

purchased from The Range. 

then assemble... 

Treats inside, so I chose a tea bag and coffee sachet, my own personal weakness, but you could use anything you know is a weakness! I guess that depends on how well you know your recipient! 

Stick your labels onto the glass and you are done! 

 As always, I'd love to see what you put in your 'emergency boxes' if you have a go! 

Have fun, and if you are a fellow Instagrammer, use the hashtag #windupemergency. 

Thanks for stopping by, 

Charlotte

xx

Keep Calm, Cross Stitch and Say 'I Do' DIY

Ok, if you think this post has a little deja-yu vibe to it, that's because I've lifted it from my old blog (I'm planning to move everything over one day and delete the rest...) I was inspired to choose this one today as we had a fabulous time at a friends wedding yesterday, it was pretty magical! 

The main difference is, that this time I've created the pattern for you, you'll find an extra large photo at the end of the post. 

So, anyway, keep calm...


The hardest thing about being a creative with creative friends can be when it comes to present giving. Not because they're hard to buy for, but because they always give lovely handmade gifts, to which I cannot possibly respond with something from a store; no matter how well intentioned.

For this reason I store every idea for when it is most needed. So when I received this free chart from 'Cross Stitcher' magazine at the Clothes Show, I knew I was saving it for a gift, and I knew who for...

So I used the pattern for the crown, although I needed to make mine smaller so edited it a little. I also missed out the backstitch.

I then, in my mission to shrink it down, made the words up as I went along, shrinking each letter...

Whilst I recorded the process on instagram, I was mildly tempted to take one followers advice to 

"Leave it. The suspense will infuriate OCDists"

But, it IS a present... so I couldn't, however I do intend to bank that idea for later! 

It was indeed a gift for a bride to be... 

...Once framed, the perfect keepsake of her special day! 

I love being a creative type.

Hope you enjoy, as always, I'd love to see your results if you have a go, 

Thanks for stopping by, 

Charlotte

xx 

(Apologies, I just realised, I've only left 1 line blank between the crown 

and the 'keep', in the original I left 3)

Pom-Pom Cloud Rug for Child's Bedroom DIY

Ok, so I know I've not done tonnes of DIY blog posts, but I have done lots of makes at home, and I have to say that this is my absolute favourite to date! Whilst you'll definitely need more than an afternoon for this one, it's really simple and worth persevering with!

This is my the cloud rug in my daughter's room, I love texture this rug provides, not only does it look good, it provides excellent sensory stimulation too!

So here's what you'll need... 

You can do this DIY without pom-pom makers, but I would recommend them, I ended up using 10 balls of yarn, yes, you'll need lots of that too, and this small rug consists of 116 pom-poms of varying sizes. 

NOTE: I chose a chunky wool yarn, the chunkiness meant the pom-poms were quicker with the thicker yarn, and most importantly the wool is more fire retardant than some other fibres, which meant that it would be safer as a home furnishing piece. 

First up is making the pom-poms for the rug, making sure when they're tied up, you leave a really long double tail. I started assembling once I'd made 95 pom-poms, but it still wasn't enough!! It's also worth me mentioning that the smallest pom-poms were the most useful during assembly.

I used to take my pom-pom making supplies with me whenever we were going on long car journeys, or I'd sis in front of the telly winding the yarn up... Like I said, this project needs perseverance, it takes a while. 

Once you've made enough pom-poms, use your scissors to give them a really nice hair cut and tidy the edges... Again making sure you leave the nice long tails intact. 

Now you're almost ready for assembly. Take your rug canvas and cut out the shape and size you want. I made a cloud with a flat base that would sit nicely next to the bed, but I'm sure there are lots of other shapes you could experiment with. 

When choosing the size, I didn't want to go too big, as this would mean more pom-poms, so I positioned it against the cot bed to get a good idea of what size would work. 

Now its time to knot all those pom-poms to the rug canvas...

...making sure that you tie those knots super tight. I double knotted each one. 

 I started with the pom-poms around the edge, varying the size I used randomly for a more textured effect. I think that the random sized pom-poms are more forgiving incase you make any mistakes. 

Eventually I'd completed the outline.

It's important to do the edge first as the shape can be very easily lost otherwise. 

Now its time to fill in the middle, working from the outside in, make sure you keep the pom-poms close together as it will make the whole product much sturdier. 

This is where those small pom-pom's become incredibly useful! 

Finally the end is in sight...

You'll be left with lots of loose ends, I debated with myself for a while how to finish these, I decided to just cut them, I'll explain why in a moment. 

And just like that, it's complete! 

I was so pleased with the results, I hope it has inspired you to have a go! I'd love to see what you come up with either in the comments or Facebook, alternatively, if you're a fellow instagrammer, use the #windup cloud.

I spent a long time deciding what colours to use for this rug, but I wanted something I'd never tire of as I knew it would be a long project. White might seem like a crazy choice for a rug for CHILD's room, however, the fact that I didn't tie the ends in means that I can cut out any pom-poms that may get stained and simply make a new one! So if you're making one from a colour you mightn't be able to replace, make sure you hoard one for future use!

Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by,

Charlotte
xx