My Handmade Collection #1

Hey friends! I just looked back on the last post I made and it was quite a while ago. Things have been rather busy round Lovemandy headquarters. We have started doing improvements to our house ready for sale at the end of the year. New decking outside along with a new garden. New flooring inside, painting bathrooms and a whole heap more planned. I have also been a real bookworm, keeping out of trouble by keeping my nose buried in some good books. I just ordered The Neverending Story from Amazon and I am super excited to read it! Was one of my favourite films as a kid.

The main reason I wanted to make a post today was that I noticed lately that I seem to be starting up a collection of handmade plush toys from around the world and even local to Australia and I wanted to share with you my awesome finds.

First up is my feelings from Taylored Curiosities located in the United Kingdom.

I found her through etsy one day and instantly loved her products of a plush combined with aromatherapy. I eyed up the worry feeling for ages before plunging in and buying one.

He came with a certificate of adoption which was so cute! He fits snugly in the palm of my hand and has a wonderful smell of lavender which is suppose to help with anxiety. A little secret shh...... I carry him around with me in my handbag :)

A few months later I adopted this green little fellow called Poorly. I suffer really bad from hay fever all year round so it was a given that I have this one as well. He is a newer version than the worry one I have and can sit up with the help of little beads in his bottom! He has a wonderful smell of menthol and I just love sniffing him.

If I could I would have them all!!! She also makes other curious creatures and I will point you in the right direction so you can check out her stuff for yourself.

Her blog
Facebook page
Etsy shop

Stay tuned for my next post featuring another handmade plush!

Mandy xxxx

Just Because

Hello From New Zealand! And I must say the nights are so cold compared to warm Queensland. The boy and I flew over for our best friends wedding happening tomorrow, exciting stuff!

 We are staying with my mother and today I had some fun making cards. My mother is the queen of making cards. Her craft room is filled with lots and lots and lots of wonderful supplies, papers, embellishments, stamps, stickers and everything else you can think of. She showed me how to make these cute little 'just because' cards.

Binky Boo

I bought a Binky Boo pattern from Gingermelon last week and I finally got round to make this sweet little binky bear over the weekend. She is soo adorable and cute. I can't wait to make the bunny, cat and fox next.

Decorated Cans

Last week I did a tutorial on decorating glass jars. This week I have been saving a whole lot of tin cans to decorate with pretty paper.

All you need is printed papers, double sided tape or mod podge, ruler, scissors and embellishments.

The photo above the paper was stuck on with Mod Podge. They came out well but I found the end result was a bit too shiny for my liking.

These ones were stuck on with double sided tape and I love how they turned out.

These tins can be used for holding anything besides pens. They can be used as vases,  for loose bits and bobs and whatever else you can think of.

Have fun

My week in Instagram

Wow another week has gone by and it is now March! This year is going too fast. Here's my week.....

1. Shopping at Typo makes me super happy

2. We have had some very wet weather lately

3. Lunch at my now favourite spot Montezumas

4. Dressed up as a fairy for work, was lots of fun

5. I found a news agency that's sells Molly Makes! Such a beautiful magazine

6. Hugs with Trevor the Bear

7. DIY pen pots. I had lots of fun making them

8. My new mug from Typo

I noticed Trevor was looking rather grubby and realised in the 11 years I have owned him he has only been washed twice. So into the tub he went with Nappysan, a spin in the washing machine and a tumble in the dryer and hes good as new! So much whiter and fluffy.

He's so Fluffy I'm gonna die!!!!

Linking up to

Glass Jar Tutorial

I am a collector of pens. It started a few years ago and whenever someone I knew was going away or staying in a hotel etc I would ask them to bring me back a pen! So as you can imagine my collection is getting out of hand. I am never short of a pen that's for sure!  I obviously need more pen pots. Had a look around the shops and didn't see any that I liked, quite boring really. Then I thought to myself I should make my own. I saved a nice large jar that previously held Sauerkraut (pickled cabbage! eew)and decorated it up. I'm going to share it with you guys since it's so fun and easy to make. It's my first tutorial so go easy on me! hehe

The supplies you need:

** Glass jar (washed and dried)

** Mod Podge

** Paint brush

** Tissue Paper

** And whatever you would like to embellish your jar with. I used fairy dust and paper doilys. But you can use buttons, ribbons, paper tags, stickers......go nuts

First you coat a layer of Mod Podge to the jar.

Then you stick strips of tissue paper. I placed mine in lines but you can do a more collage effect too.

Once the jar is fully covered you then apply another coat of Mod Podge to seal it. Then you let it dry.

To decorate my jar I stuck fairy dust on the top, added some paper doilys with some Mod Podge and finished it off with some ribbon.

Hope you have enjoyed this tutorial.

InstaFriday

It's InstaFriday again! although I am doing mine on this very rainy Saturday morning. Heres my week!

We had some friends stay with us this week from New Zealand and they were making the most of the hot weather by keeping cool in the pool.

Just me hanging about at the park

Ella mega thirsty after her play at the park. Look at that gorgeous long tongue!

Loving my new Plushka bunting

Working on some ideas for my first tutorial. Fun!

So thats me. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Mail Love From Plushka

A week or two ago Plushka was having a market night on her facebook page. I have admired her work for a while now and was dying to get my hands on a Plushka product. So I treated myself to a cute 12 flag mini bunting. I was super excited when it arrived in the mail. It is so well made and I just love the choice of fabric used. I have hung it up in my office between my Black Apple prints and it looks great!!

You can check out some more Plushka goodness here:

Facebook // Blog // Madeit Store

InstaFriday

Every Friday over at Life Rearranged it's InstaFriday! a time where we all share those random moments captured on our cell phones! I discovered it last week and I thought I would jump in on the fun. So here is my week in pictures.

We took Ella for a walk to the shops and treated ourselves to an ice cream. She was lucky to get the last bit. Mmm bubblegum flavoured

Beautiful butterfly magnet on my fridge

Finished off a custom order of pocket friends.

Received my gorgeous bunting from Plushka!! So excited! Will write a separate post later about it

Currently we have 3 boys over on holiday from New Zealand staying with us for a bachelor week and they very kindly brought me my favourite licorice!! You can not buy them here so yay for me.

So there's my first InstaFriday! Hope you enjoyed.

Cute videos

Good morning! My mother sent me the link to these videos and I just had to share cos they are funny cute! They are commercials for the Flemish public bus transport. Enjoy watching!!

Pocket Friends

I have been busy sewing up a storm for a custom order over the weekend. These two sweet pocket friends have stolen my heart! They are so cute. I actually timed myself when I made the bear and it took me about 4 hours! She is all hand sewn except for the body. I love making them though and seeing them come together.

Pattern is by the very talented Gingermelon

First post of the year

After taking a long break I have decided to come back to the blogging world. So HELLO again.

You might have noticed I am giving the blog a mini makeover. More simple layout and style which I am loving. I am no computer whizz but I am slowly figuring out how to do stuff.

I am working on a couple of custom orders at the moment. My zombie pirate dolls are still a huge hit. I have been thinking for a while now that I might make it into a pattern down the track. I have never written up a pattern before so it will be a fun learning experience for me.

Valentines Day is next week. The boy and I have a tradition of going out for dinner or a nice candle lit dinner at home. We don't go out and buy lovey dovey gifts because we have been together for almost 9 years now and it's the random gifts or thoughtful acts through out the year that count the most.

So what are your plans for the day of love??

Source: google.com via Amy on Pinterest

Love Mandy xxx