Spin-into-spring in Tring:

( it feels like I should write “Tra la la” after that !)

We had beautiful day for a great event with beautiful weather, loosely woven (sorry) around Sheep, Wool and Spinning.
There was a spinning wheel to have a go on, drop spindles to try and of course sheep.
Meanwhile, in the barn we made woolly cords using lucets, with my nifty idea of using clothes pegs. (click here for free pdf tutorial folks)

Baa Baa Black Sheep Star Books

and lambs on a spring (get it?) on a jam jar.

Because.
I thought winding wool around little card sheep would be cute, and we gave them the working name of “woolly winders” (we love a bit of alliteration in our titles).
Then after using it for a bit, and some slips and giggles later, we quickly decided we needed a name change as that tongue twister might not be the best name… hang on for this…

Then we needed some weight on the base.
Stones? Lids.!..
No! Whole jam jars!
Well mainly because I had the jars, and yes I really did have enough
(70+ !) lovely retro Bon Maman jars stashed, to do this activity.
Not to mention lovely versatile stripped network wire.
I told you I needed to de-stash my “useful stuff”.
Now maybe you believe me. lol
[I have also disposed of my, much smaller, collection of pickle jars for someone actually pickling, so that was quite a good week’s result de-clutter wise.]

Hence lamb jars- see what we did there (don’t groan)!

We do get into the zone a bit with planning these events.

The “Lamb Jars” went down a storm; with lots of boin-gy lambs on their “grass” filled jars.

Some were slightly more woolly than others,

and some were a rather surprising pink, snaffled from the “decorate spring branches” table!

Some were collected later…

Perfect end to a perfect day.

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How time flutters by…

Very busy over the Easter Holidays, including two big events: the first at the museum.

Visitor stats – 3000 on the Sunday and 5000 on the Holiday Monday!
Not all came to make butterfly chains with me and my lovely volunteers, but it was rather busy…

We made butterfly strings, to tie in with the end of an exhibition.

I would normally put this activity out for children when I am not around, but they said ‘keep it simple – it will be busy’… and it was!
It’s such a simple activity but strangely (to me anyway) lots of children like just “colouring in” butterflies.

Sticking them on a string gives an extra creative element, so they can make it into something; to wave about, decorate their room,

or as you can see on the older girls –

to wear!

I will make an “Art Pack” of these (with extra bits in), for the shops, as lots of people asked me for copies of my instruction sheet and templates to use for parties and holidays.
Not too much appeal for boys ‘though, even with bees.

So I couldn’t help myself taking extras for the second day, and we had lots of caterpillar bookmarks and bugs.

I also made this chap

The guardian of the cash tin!
I didn’t think him very worthy, (I’m always disappointed with clay!)
So, like a brave grown up, I let him return to the clay bin once he’d finished guarding for the morning!
Now I feel kind of betraying, seeing his cheerful face…
but at least a kind person took his photo for me!

I was inspired by the talented potter, Bird Wallond * after seeing these cute owls she had made.

She and her helpful sons (who helped me lots too) ran a “making clay heads” workshop with the children.

*Leave a comment if you want to contact her – I tried to persuade her to set up on Etsy or Folksy as she sells them!

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Yippee…

Big excitement here at WonkyGiraffe home before Easter, but too busy to really blog (or gloat) about it.
modmomME put me in the Etsy Treasury she made, here is the screen grab:-

And thus I was on the front page of Etsy!

Briefly.

But it did generate lots of hits to the listed little bug, and to the shop, because I had 19 item hearts because of the beetle and 14 shop hearts on the shop in one day. Much in the famous way of busses; long gaps then loads at once! It took me a while to work it out – but I knew something different had happened! I wasn’t the only one; while I was investigating some of the other sellers featured, who had hearted me, one of them came back and asked me “do you know what is going on here?”. By then I was able to say “yes” and point them to the picture above courtesy of this nifty site. Thanks to craftcult.com for the stats tools for Etsy. Without them I wouldn’t have even seen my glorious moment on line.

I have also been kindly mentioned by some other bloggers who I would like to thank here too.

BlossomnBird
&
MurgatroydandBean

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Last Minute Creations

Hijacked into making a ”1970’s” dress with a only a few days notice.

Luckily I remembered this pattern from my vintage stash…

…so sometimes the inability to throw away “useful stuff” is…well, useful!
Lovely Mum helped with the shopping, choosing and sewing up; I had (scary) cutting & fitting.

I had to use another pattern for the sleeves, which seemed to fit OK, but (according to exasperated, sewing, Mum) did not fit when seamed! She worked some magic and they looked great to me. They were in, and there was a seam – albeit a tiny one. She shoots, she (lucky rebound) scores!

Cross country delivery to me for hemming and headband making etc. Yes it did look like a bit like a blouse after this, but that was the specified length!

Followed by a cross country dash for the “Cinderella shall go to the disco party” bit.

And she looked F.A.B ..

And will possibly (if she notices) kill me for blogging this!
Not really.
The texted “thank-you” as we arrived home was an aawww moment.
Quite fun really… maybe I should start making clothes again?

Oh and also a bit of last minute fun, a “card box” for birthday Alice. Starting from my “Alice in Wonderland” story box, but using some blooming lucky, spot on, photos from facebook – I could not have staged a much better fit.

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De-Stashing

Well another long gap – got to get on top of this blogging stuff!

Excuse: very busy, trying very hard to de-clutter / de-stash / de-everything.
–
This plan not helped by re-homing to charity a car full of books and bits from the (sadly) closing Environment Centre I have been volunteering at. I have, however, first scanned some beautiful images from some of them to use in assemblages or artwork.

Not to mention all the boxes and boxes of activities planned for and carried out there … here are just some:-

It is hard to believe I have made so many, some have been re-used at another BBOWT site where my friend works, but the rest are here. Which wouldn’t be too bad, but they are just piled alongside all the stuff that came out of the loft!

Loft much better. Shame its contents are now all in the spare room, on the spare bed, landing, hall, office etc. Sorry NOT photographing any of that – it’s bad enough looking at it.

I intend to revamp some of them and put DIY art activity packs for children into my shop. I know they will work, as they are all tried and enjoyed, it is just the “how to” pdfs and photos that are taking (too much) time.
I have done one – Owls , but I think the picture of the mask looks a bit scary, I might have to redo it.

Ladybirds nearly ready, then Birds, Caterpillars, Bugs, Worms, hmmm must get a life..

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