Welcome


Hello, my name is Dionne and I have been crafting for a very long time. As a very young child my mother tried to teach me to knit, it was a disaster. However, it must have sparked an interest in making things and, partly to prove that I was not totally useless and partly because I really wanted to make things, I taught myself to crochet. Over the years I have developed a love of cross stitch and all types of paper craft ..... I eventually even taught myself to knit.


I am married to a very understanding man, thank goodness, because I spend all my time either crafting, thinking about crafting or talking about crafting. I am hopeless at housework and dinner is often late!


Thank you for visiting my blog.


Dionne

Monday 31 July 2023

Up, Up and Away

Last day of the month - that's July gone!

Today I have another anniversary card from one of my favourite Hunkydory Adorable Scorable packs, which is called 'Animal Crackers'. Everything came from the pack, I only had to dip into my craft stash for the sentiment.

Rather than mount the rings and image into a pyramid effect, I kept them flat so the card should not attract extra postage. 

Have a good week.


Dionne

Friday 28 July 2023

Bottoms Up!

I have shared with you a lot of the cardigans and jumpers I had made for my youngest nieces dolls and so I thought it was time to take a look at some of the things I had made for the other half of the doll ie a skirt and a pair of trousers.


I made the skirt in a 3 ply red yarn, I turned the hem with matching yarn but it was so difficult treading the elastic through the waist band. 

The trouser pattern had a matching headband, so I had to make one, didn't I?

I hope you have a good weekend.


Dionne

Wednesday 26 July 2023

Curiosity and the Cat

I had another go with the curios cats metal dies - they are so much fun.

The dies came from Amazon but they had no manufacturers name on the packaging.

This was a very simple design, I decided the little faces would suit a DL card,  I cut the cats out of black glittered card, I just love the whiskers and the eyes (sadly you cannot see the bottom cats eyes, but they are there).  I mounted the cat images on silver mirror card and some old gold card.

I think they would cheer up anyone's day. 


Dionne

Monday 24 July 2023

Knickerbocker Glories

A couple of weeks ago I shared with you the knickers I had knitted for my niece's baby dolls, these knickerbockers are for slightly smaller dolls

They are made in 3 ply, my goodness, you would not believe how far this 3 ply yarn goes.  I was beginning to believe it would never run out.

Have a great week.


Dionne

Friday 21 July 2023

Plant a Seed of Friendship

Many years ago - and I really do mean many years ago, something in the region of ten or fifteen years ago!  I purchased a lot of card making kits from both QVC and C&C.  At the time I was relatively new to card making and the shopping channels made these kits sound so exciting and I bought so, so many of them.  However, my skill level soon improved and I stopped using the kits to make cards and these boxes got pushed the back of my craft room and more or less forgotten about.

However, now that I find myself without a functioning printer, I have been forced to seek out alternative ways to make cards and I have quite literally dug out a few of these long forgotten kits to see what they contain and what I can make from them.  I confess that I am no Dawn Bibby, Stephanie Weightman, Sara Davies or even Leonie Pujol.

This card comes from one of those kits, unfortunately it has been so long that I can not remember which shopping channel it came from or what make it is.

All of the elements came from the kit.  I confess that I find the sentiments rather corny but, as they match everything else so well, they balance the design quite nicely.


Dionne

Wednesday 19 July 2023

Baby Doll's Jumper

A very quick post as the builders are due here any minute.

If you are a regular, you will know that I have been using up several spools of 3 ply, which my sister gave to me, to make cloths for my youngest nieces doll collection.  This jumper used up some of the yarn I had let over at the end of this very long project!


I have to confess that I cannot remember which pattern I used or even if I made it up as I went along!

I just have time to wash up the cup etc from my morning coffee before the builders get here.


Dionne

Monday 17 July 2023

Love Isn't a Big Thing; It's a Million Little Things

Where did the weekend go?  I hope you had an enjoyable time, no matter where you were or what you were doing.  We had a very wet weekend but all I need is a spot of card making to raise my spirits although at one point I did wonder whether my time would have been better spent making an ark.  

This week sees the Wedding Anniversary of my sister and her husband.  They have been married so long that I actually forget how many years it has been - and I think she has also forgotten!

I made this card from a Hunkydory Adorable Scorable pack called 'Animal Crackers'.  A great set because almost everything you need can be found in the pack.  All I needed to add was some glue and the Anniversary sentiment (I have always wondered why kits of this type do not include Wedding Anniversary sentiments).

Who would have thought that ladybirds and elephants would work so well together?


Dionne

Friday 14 July 2023

Baby Doll's Vest Set

The weekend is almost here and, apart from the constant showers we have had this week, it seems summer is here!

I am starting my weekend with this pretty vest set - although I would not associate a beanie hat with a vest set but there it was in the pattern, so I made one!


I made this set with 3 ply yarn; making the measurements slightly smaller than those laid out in the pattern but I am sure my niece will have a doll it will fit.  Talking of which, the pattern is Dollibabies Knitting pattern 013.


The vest pattern initially looked a little complicated but, as I followed the instructions, it soon became clear and very easy to make.


It seems we live in a world where every baby wears hats and has hats to match every element of their outfit.


As well as matching socks!


Dionne

Wednesday 12 July 2023

Three Black Cats

More new dies, I really like these three cheeky cats and I think you will be seeing more of them.  They came from Amazon, a lot of their dies are very affordable but there is no mention of a brand.

I die cut the cats from black glitter card, very sparkly but oh so hard to photograph because of all of the reflections off the glitter.  I used a ruler to score the silver mirror card and layer everything on some old gold card.  The sentiment also came from Amazon.


Hopefully I shall be back in a day od two.


Dionne


Monday 10 July 2023

Six Draws Up

We are having some work done on the house, the last two days have been exhausting, moving everything out of the bathroom and kitchen .... and we are still not done.  With the workmen due to arrive any minute I am going to keep this post very short.

I have some more knitted dolls cloths to share with you today.  My sister has the habit of picking up dolls and checking that they are wearing underwear, so pants are an essential item when it comes to decking out a dolling in a new outfit.

These are made in the same 3 play I have been using for all of the dolls cloths.

I hope you have a good week.

Dionne


Friday 7 July 2023

Golden Dragons

Friday again.

I have been playing with my new metal dies again.  These Dragon was part of a four set of dragon dies, which I found on Amazon. I cut the dragon from some metallic gold card, I also cut the sentiment from a scrap of card I had left over.


I hope you have a lovely weekend.


Dionne 

Wednesday 5 July 2023

Sweet Lilac

I am back today to share with you more of the baby doll clothes I have been making for my youngest niece.


I made this set using 3 ply yarn and another of the DolliBabies Knits for Newborns, this set is Knitting Pattern 015,  Premature Lacy Cardigan Set.


Not sure whether you can see the pattern any better from this close-up ... but it is a better view of those cute buttons!

Have a good day.


Dionne


Monday 3 July 2023

Hogs and Kisses

How was your weekend?

I have another quick and easy card to share with you today. The elements for this anniversary card are all from one of my favourite Hunkydory Adorable Scorable packs called 'Animal Crackers'. I only had to dip into my craft stash for the sentiment and ribbon.



 I hope you have an enjoyable week.


Dionne