:: Kid 'Creative'

 What to send to the Grandparents in the UK, for Xmas?....(if your reading this turn away!)

A lovely photo of their #1 Grandson and some Art!

 I picked up some lovely frames and got the 'Creative' onto the task!

My $200 coloured pencil's helped induce the necessary spark of  creativity and then away he went!

 Rainbows are the current theme of choice and who wouldn't like that?

 A good result and will hopefully bring some Xmas cheer to the Oldies!

How's your Xmas prep going?

:Pippa

:: Tassels

 With all this macrame making, I do end up with alot of twine in odd lengths and the like!
I can't throw anything out, there is always a use, so I turned to Tassel making!

A highly underrated task and I highly recommend it!
The white one which I dipped in blue dye for the ombre effect was the left overs from 'The Kylie' and the blue one from my recent 'Grand Lady'!

I think these are the ticket! 
Would you hang a random tassel in and around your home?

Let me know cause I'm a wee bit excited but Mr Ouch thinks I'm mad!

Do you want a tassel making lesson?

very touchy feely

:Pippa

:: Make a Softie!

My boy's homemade softie collection

Hello, 
if you visit Pips blog 'Meet me at Mikes' then you'll know it's Softies for Mirabel time!
It's a very worthy cause, a softie for a great kid in need!

All you have to do is visit her blog, pop in your link to sign up, check out the other signer upperers!

Get busy making and send your softie to her by the 20th of DEC 2012.

 We can do this!

:Pippa

:: Vertical Garden

 I'm not the only 'creative' in the Ouch House.

This was Mr's idea!
His words "gets the crap off the floor".

Ahh what a front door welcome....  and a perfect excuse for more plants, thankyou Mr Ouch Flower!

Apple crates and IKEA pots.

The boy's growing sea shell and pine cone collection!

: Pippa

:: Colour Addiction

This was my example to show the girls

 Polymer Clay bead jewellery is hugely popular in Melbourne! (same near you?) 

There are many great tutorials out there to give you the heads up! 

So I found one I liked and decided this would be the craft session I would introduce to my school craft group. 
It's a bit like a sewing circle we meet once a term, make and have a natter!

clay colour and the colour blends you can make are infinite.

The pattern on my bracelet is called GEO, use a blade to slice of small slivers to get the effect.

Then I went nuts, this is very addictive!

Add some coloured cotton!

Remember finger knitting?

And yes More!

My best advice is to:

• Make with a friend/s
• Pre-heat the clay blocks first using a wheat bag or hot water bottle, easier on the hands!
• Blend your colours, don't just use the original block colour, the colour variety is endless!
• To blend, flatten piece of differing colour clay like a pancake, roll all layers up like a cigar, then roll into a ball, then roll into a sausage and repeat ALOT till colours blend!
• Mix bright colours with earthy tones (tertiary colours) for greater visual effect!
• Use a bamboo skewer to create thread hole in bead and decorative effects.
• Wash hands between colours or wear plastic gloves.
• Use clear elastic to thread up your bracelets. 
• follow baking instructions on clay packet strictly, burning clay smells rank!

:P

:: iheartbuttons and you and Instagram.

iheartbuttons and you

Not to be outdone on posting something valentineish yesterday, 

I uploaded this photo to instagram.

I received the most likes than ever! 

was it the heart? 

icon of love...or the buttons? 

or the heart shaped craftiness?

Who nows? but what I do know is.....i heart instagram!

I have come across so many great blogs through the images and kept up with friends who are far away, also look what the filters did with my simple button heart!

Incidentally if your thinking 

a 

red button heart 

is needed in your home.

you will need:

• embroidery hoop
• linen/cotton fabric
• lots of buttons (your colour choice)
• needle and thread
• fabric marker

Firstly stretch your fabric onto the embroidery hoop, make it nice and snug. 

Fabric marker in hand drawn your heart.

Start sewing on each button one at a time, keep the buttons close, let them over lap.

Sew your buttons on the perimeter of the heart, don't fill in the whole shape, keep it looking organic.

Try a few contrasting coloured buttons in the mix to keep it looking interesting. I used some yellow ones randomly scattered.

Buttons of different sizes and shapes and hue but really any old buttons will do!

If you give this a go, I would love to see a pic. 

If you share it, great! 

please link back to ouchflower.

P x