And…I thought it was a sparrow…!

Tags

Bird watching, Craft, Creativity, Dunnocks, Nature, New creations

Just taking a rest from all this courting business…and, of course, checking out your productivity!!!

I do believe you are spying on me..! A beautiful little Dunnock, and it’s mate, has taken up residence in our garden! I am blown away to discover a breed of bird I had never heard of before, and also, that they have chosen to use our garden as a mating/playground! I feel exhausted just watching their courtship rituals and dances!!

At first, I thought it was a sparrow, though it’s behaviour is completely different and it’s certainly not shy about sharing its fun!!!

A brief moment of catching their breath!!           As I stitched merrily away on my latest creation, I was, time and again, distracted by a pair of flitting birds doing the most twitchy little dance on a couple of our garden chairs, right outside my workspace! (The chairs are positioned so as not to let our dog keep nosying at our neighbours whilst the fence panel is down due to their renovations.) The first couple of sightings led me to think we had a couple of sparrows, but, after their continued antics around the garden, I knew they must be another type of bird! So off I went to investigate my poor photography! (Pics taken through  the windows of my conservatory) 
In comparison, sparrows are quite sedate, I’d never seen such a courtship display!!!….to find out more about the why’s and wherefores….
http://www.birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=1047

I believe this to be the male of the species…purely because of the other one dipping and tipping it’s tail so much for courtship…but, He does seem to be interested quite a lot on what I’m making too!!!

I’m looking forward to seeing their imminent offspring as well in a few more weeks!

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Framed fabric art Collage – Sheep knitting

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Applique, Art, Art and craft, Art collage with fabric, Artistic moment, Arty, Caren's creative canvas and craft, Cotton fabrics, Craft, Crafted by hand, Crafty creation, Creative crafting, Cute crazy ideas, Dyed fleece, Embroidery threads, Fabric pictures, Framed fabric art picture, Green, Green environment, Green pattern fabric, Green sheep, Handmade designed ideas, Handmade original ideas, Handmade pictures, heep in the countryside, Imagination, Knitting on toothpicks, New, New craft ideas, Origiinal ideas, Original, Patchwork, Quirky designs, s, Scrap craft ideas, Sheep dip, Sheep in the countryside, Sheep knitting picture, Toothpicks, Unique creations, Weird and wonderful art

Sheep knitting
Framed fabric art collage

This little picture has been made from a selection of different fabrics to create a cute quirky scene. whilst I have machine stitched the background fabrics together, all the little applique pieces after that have been hand drawn, cut then stitched in place. The sheep sitting on the fence is one of my own drawings and though I may do a similar scene no two are ever completely alike, making them a unique piece of art!

If its been made by me at Caren’s creative canvas and craft there is only ever one like it in existence. If you find there isn’t something you want on my Etsy shop, please feel to contact me about a new creation idea! Items seem to ”fly off the shelves” sometimes before I even get to show what I have made, as in this case, which I don’t mind at all, but if you feel you might have missed out on something, a request can always see another unique similar creation happen!!

For fun I knitted some embroidery thread on two tooth picks to give the impression that the sheep is knitting from the wool of the smaller green sheep in the dye dip tub. For the effects of fencing I used small strips cut from a tapestry backing and stitched them in place too. Some simple embroidered grasses and flowers to decorate the foreground, with the final finishing touch of placing it on a felt backing and bordering it with cream cotton and then quilting the sky fabric to create texture on the plain fabric!

Photographed again without glass for added detail without reflections then safely mounted and glass replaced.

Now back to that ever growing pile of fabric……

Framed fabric art collage – ‘ Don’t rain on my parade’

Tags

Appliquéd ducks, Applique, Art, Art and craft, Artistic moment, Arty, Caren's creative canvas and craft, Colourful countryside art, Colourful creations, Cotton fabric scraps, Craft, Crafty creations, Creative crafting, Creative imagination, Cute art, Cute creations, Cute fabric pictures, Designer fabric pictures, Embroidered flower border, Felt, Handmade original ideas, Imagination for art, My Etsy Shop, New, New fun art, Original, Original art, Original craft ideas, Patchwork, Patchwork pictures, Quilting, Threads

”Don’t rain on my parade”
Framed fabric art collage

Creating little pieces of art from fabric .

This little picture has been made from a selection of different fabrics to create a cute quirky scene. whilst I have machine stitched the background fabrics together, all the little applique pieces after that have been hand drawn, cut then stitched in place. The little line of ducks is one of my own drawings and though I may do a similar scene no two are ever completely alike, making them a unique piece of art!

Ever the artist, I turned the green fabrics round in the foreground to give a little perspective to the picture, by having the lines on it converge in the background. Some simple embroidered grasses and flowers to decorate the banks of the ”river”. On the back face of the picture I placed a piece of felt and then a cream fabric border around the whole piece with the final finishing touch of diamond quilting the sky to create texture on the plain fabric!

As I have done before, I photographed without the glass in the frame for more detail to be seen, without reflections getting in the way, then replaced the glass to keep dust off.

I must say, the pile of things on my table seems to be growing rather than diminishing as I create these little pictures… no rush to tidy though, we only sit around it at Christmas now, the unwritten rule, Its’ MY space for the rest of the year! 🙂

Super Stylish Seasonal Snowmen and Women Decorations

Tags

Bell decoration, Carens canvas and craft My ETSY shop, Character creations, Christmas decorations, Cotton print fabric, Craft, Creative crafting, Cute craft creations, Decorative snowmen, Festive decorations, Flat cap, Handcrafted characters, Handmade Christmas, Handmade hats, Handmade quality decorations, Handmade scarf, Handmade shawl, Handmade snowmen, Handmade x-mas decorations, Ideas for small fabric scraps, Original Creative, Pipe cleaner, Pompoms, Seasonal snowmen characters, Snowmen characters, Soft cotton creation, Super stylish seasonal snowmen, Tiny buttons in crafting

 

A Pair of Super Stylish Seasonal Snowman and Snow-woman Christmas decorations

After making a flurry of felt footed penguins I decided to also make some of my festive snowmen too!

My little seasonal ‘snowman/woman characters have been handmade from the pattern I created, though they are very simple they are quite effective as little Christmas decorations dressed in their little cotton print hats, scarf and shawl, each having a little tiny bell. I think the little pair look a bit like Carol singers all muffled up for the cold weather.

As they are all handmade and are all cut and sewn individually, and slightly differently, I feel this is what gives them their character. All the pieces are applied by hand too, including fraying the small pieces of material to make a fringe effect for their scarves.
For their bodies I have used white ploy-cotton fabric, For their noses I used bright orange felt then some tiny beads for their eyes. A synthetic wadding had been used to stuff them and a small piece of stiff card has been sewn into their base to make them stable and stand freely. The little lady has a hand twisted cord around her middle which has a little’hand muffler’ and for extra decorationI made her a pompom wreath with tiny felt holly leaves and tiny red beads for berries. Whilst the little man has a flat cap to match his scarf, a couple of little buttons, a little broom made from a pipe cleaner with little white fluffy pompom snowballs attached to him as a finishing touch

These decorations can be brought out year after year to celebrate the festive season. They are quite a stylish pair in their matching outfits too!

As ever I never seem to stop at one of anything….. so here are the green versions too!!

The green pair of Super stylish seasonal snowman and woman. Check out Caren’s Canvas and Craft – My Etsy shop.

 

Cushion Cover – Handmade Patchwork Quilting and Applique – Cushion Cover

Tags

Applique, Butterflies, Cotton, Cotton satin, Craft, Crafty creation, Creative, Creative craft, Cushion cover, Decorative, Different materials, Fashion, Feature cushion covers, Flower fairy, Flower print, Hand appliqued, Handmade, Handmade cushion cover, Handmade feature cushion covers, Handmade patchwork cushion cover, Handmane Patchwork, Home furnishings, Lace, Original and creative, Original patchwork, Patchwork, Patchwork and quilting, Patchwork cotton, Quilting, Recycling scraps, Ribbon, Satin ribbon, Style, Unique patchwork

Flower Fairy Appliquéd Cushion Cover

For this patchwork cushion cover I used a variety of different materials. I first designed the centre panel flower fairy, all the tiny pieces were cut separately and hand appliquéd in place. Subsequent borders of satin ribbon, flower printed cotton, lace and then cotton satin for the outer border. After hand quilting, I then appliquéd the butterflies again by hand. Another unique piece of patchwork!

Bags – Crazy Patchwork Handmade and Designed Quilted Bag

Tags

Bag with multi pockets, Buttons, Coordinating fabrics, Cotton fabric, Craft, Craft creation, Craft ideas, Crazy, Crazy patchwork, Cream, Cream cotton, Cream cotton lining, Deep pink, Deep pink cotton, Design, Designed patchwork, Designer bag, Ditch Quilting, Fabric scraps, Fashion, Hand quilting, Handmade, Handmade and designed, Magnetic clasp, Multi pocket, Old buttons, Patchwork, Patchwork and quilting, Patchwork bag, Patchwork fabrics, Recycling buttons, Scraps, Shoulder bag, Style, Unique bag, Unique design, Unique patchwork

Crazy Patchwork Bag

This was another exercise in using small scraps of left over fabric. I found coordinating, deep pink, outer fabrics and added little pieces of those to the centre panel to pull the design together. On the reverse is a hand quilted design, whilst on the front it has been simply ditch quilted. The shoulder bag is approximately 17″ Sq. Internally I lined it with a plain cream cotton and added a multi pocket, one with a zip as well. There is a small loop with a magnetic clasp fastener and decorative buttons to finish off. Another unique patchwork creation!

Creative Patchwork and Applique – ‘Posh Peg Pouches’ – Handmade and designed

Tags

Birds, Birds on a line, Bored moment, Bright and fun designs, Bunnies, Button flowers, Buttons, Craft, Craft pegs, Creative craft, Designer peg pouches, Embroidery silk, Fashion, Felt, Felt characters, Hand appliqued, Handmade, Lawn and flowers, Little animals, Little coat hangers, Old buttons, Original craft idea, Peg bag, Peg pouches, Pegs, Sketch, Sketching design, Squirrels, Style, Teddies, Washing line, Washing line scene

Posh Peg Pouches!

This idea came about after another bored moment. I sketched some simple designs for what could be on a washing line, other than just clothes. After lots of scribbling, and many little picture scenes I set about cutting all the little pieces for my peg bag pictures out of felt. I then hand appliquéd all the small bits to form little garden scenes with a washing line. As you can see there are some with birds on the line, others with soft toys, Squirrels, little lady and little pieces of clothing.  Another fun touch was adding tiny little craft pegs to the line and giving the sense of a lawn and flowers below by stitching in green embroidery silk and sewing on old buttons as flowers. Finally,  I inserted a little coat hanger. See below for other designer ‘Posh Peg Pouches’!

Cushion Cover – Handmade and Designed Patchwork, Quilted and Appliquéd Feature Cushion Cover

Tags

Bright cottons, Bright patchwork, Bright patchwork cushion cover, Buttons, Cotton, Cotton fabric, Countryside scene, Craft, Craft design, Craft style, Crows, Cushion cover, Doodle, Fabrics, Farm scene, Fashion, Feature cushion cover, Hand appliqued, Hand crafted, Hand quilted, Handmade, Handmade and designed patchwork, Handmade patchwork cushion, Old buttons, Patchwork and quilting, Patchwork cotton, Patchwork cushion cover, Patchwork fabric, Patchwork farm scene, Primary coloured cushion, Primary colours, Scarecrow, Style, Tractor, Tractor wheels, Wheels

On The Farm – Cushion Cover

This cushion cover was made from a doodle I had done one day. I simplified the picture to make it simpler for patch-working, then used bright primary coloured cottons for the design and hand appliquéd all the small pieces to form the farm scene. As finishing touches I used some old buttons for tractor wheels and on the scarecrow’s jacket and embroidered some crows in the sky!

Button Craft – Decorative Wreaths

Tags

Art and craft, Broken jewellery, Button craft, Button craft wreaths, Button ideas, Button tins, Buttons, Coloured ribbons, Coordinating, Craft, Craft ideas, Craft recycling, Creative craft, Creative recycling, Decorative craft, Decorative wreaths, Eclectic array, Embroidery silk, Florist wire, Happy hours, Jewellery, Little bits, Old bits, Old buttons, Recycling, Recycling craft, Recycling Old Buttons, Ribbon, Wreaths

Button Craft – Decorative Wreaths

These little wreaths (Approx 9″ diameter) made from natural twigs were decorated simply by recycling old bits and bobs out of my eclectic array of what some might call ‘junk’. I have many tubs of old buttons, bits of jewellery – most of which are broken or incomplete pieces and miles of ribbons – which are all in little bits too!

Firstly I wrapped around several different, coordinating, varying width ribbons. I then spent a few happy hours routing in my tins until I had found just the old buttons and bits to match up with the ribbon decorated wreaths. Next I attached all the decorative bits using florists wire. As a finishing touch I twisted a long length of embroidery silk to make a twisted hanging loop!

Creative Patchwork and Applique – Folded Origami style bags

Tags

Art and craft, Beads, Buttons, Character bags, Children's bag, Colourful, Colourful bags, Cord, Cotton Patchwork, Craft, Craft bags, Craft style, Crafty, Crafty ideas, Creative craft, Cute, Cute characters, Decorative beads, Hand quilted, Hand quilting, Handmade, Handmade and quilted, Handmade bags, Handmade craft, Little bags, Multi pocket bags, Origami, Origami bag, Origami folding, Origami style bags, Patchwork cotton, Style

Little origami bags

These little handmade bags for children are made using the origami method of folding. Each bag has eight internal different sized pockets, all folded from one square. The square starts as two pieces of cotton with a thin layer of wadding sandwiched between  It is simply a case of folding and hand quilting through as you go. For extra effect I turned back little flaps on the two smallest pockets which reminded me of ears! So to finish I added a few decorative beads, a cord strap and buttons for eyes and a nose – Which I think give them cute individual characters!