Friday FREEBIE -18
06/05/2011
Thanks for all your good luck wishes - it worked! We received the phone call and it was good news, we are through to the next stage. I promise to share as much info as we can, what I would really like to do is shout it from the roof tops......
I had two little helpers in my studio yesterday afternoon, we were making birthday cards for Marten - Mollies daddy. It was so sweet watching Mollie try to do everything Sydney did with the punches, glue and pens. Sydney is the birthday queen and knows whos birthday is when, happily reeling off a list of names in order of birthdays. "It's your birthday next Ali" - I had forgotten. But I didn't need to worry, Syd has my birthday fully planned, even coming round and helping me open my presents before school. But you don't receive so many presents when you get older Syd - "But I can still help you Ali"
So it must be May, is it really that already! Why is it when you go on holiday you lose track of time, what day is it? Well it is the first Friday of May so it must be Voucher Friday. Who would like to win a voucher to spend on ribbons and buttons?
Leave us a comment between now and Monday and you will be put into our "Bingo" Bag. Do you have anything good planned for the weekend? I am all out of Hello wednesday ideas and projects so need some play time, looks like I will be surrounded in ribbons and buttons this weekend - oh what a hard life!!!
We hope you all have a fab weekend and the expected thunder and lighting storms are not too bad. Tony and I watched an awesome display of lighting while away - but could I capture it on camera.....narrrh it was way to quick for me.
If you are unable to leave a comment due to our spam filters, please email it to craftyribbons@gmail.com and we will add it for you. All the comments go into our "Bingo" bag and we draw a random number(s) on Monday.
Please check back to see if you have won, it is up to you to claim your prize - we do not contact you.
Hol's over
05/05/2011
Almost two weeks of hol's are over, but it felt good to back yesterday. If nothing else the children gave me a wonderful reception, I think they had missed me.....arrrrgh!
Sorry but I just had to....
light pink......
dark pink...
Fields and fields of perfectly formed blooms, they even got the "WOW!" from Tony, who would pull up the car just to sit and stare.
Several parcels were waiting for me, button challenge goodies I believe. But before I go a ripping I still have some treasures to share from the Seam Binding Challenge.
Ummm sorry Claire I sort of missed St Patricks day - hope you had a good one.
What perfect colours Claire.
You must look at these gathers up close - not a stitch in sight.
I love the way you have finished off your flower Claire with a little gem - perfect.
What a stunning hat, you should have designed some more for the Royal wedding guests - I gather there were a few shocking ones!
Glad you enjoyed working with the seam binding Claire, you are so right when you say it is so versatile.
I have the tummy wobbles today, I am waiting for a phone call........BIG secret but you will be the first to hear if it comes off....
....wish me luck.....
Royal Voucher winners
03/05/2011
Did you enjoy the Royal Wedding? We had lots of comments of which we would like to say THANKS!
Mollie has been wearing her apron non stop! It is a little bit big for her, and when she puts her money in the pockets (Ali gives her 1p's and 2p's) the apron nearly touches the floor!!
Mollie picked numbers 7 and 57 from the "Bingo" bag
Number 7 =Julie
I love the idea of adding ribbons to a wedding dress, or maybe to a bridal bouquet. We'll have to wait to see if Kate has had the same idea.
Number 57 = Ros
Not a ribbon dress in sight at The Abbey! However, looking at those hats, some of your ribbons would look great.
Your wire edged ones are so pretty and would be easy to form into a band and decoration and the gros- grain type
would work as well with a bit of spray starch.
Have a good weekend everyone
Ros
Well done girls you each have a £20 voucher to spend on our website - please email craftyribbons@gmail.com to claim your prize.
We have been having a little bit of a mad tidy up today, Ali and Tony are on the ferry as this goes live and they will be in the office tomorrow. Ali will no doubt come back like a rocket ship - all charged up with umpteen new ideas. Wish us all luck for tomorrow!!
Rachie xx
Friday FREEBIE - 17
29/04/2011
What do you think Kates dress will be like?
Maybe it will be made from ribbons.....
....that would make our day!
We know what makes your Friday FREEBIE......
OUR £20 VOUCHERS
As it is a Special Day - A Royal Wedding Day we have 2 vouches up for grabs for this weeks Friday FREEBIE.
All you have to do for a chance to win is leave us a comment and we will pick the winners on Tuesday after the bank holiday.
Have an AWESOME weekend
Rachie, Bev and all the Crafty Team x
If you are unable to leave a comment due to our spam filters, please email it to craftyribbons@gmail.com and we will add it for you. All the comments go into our "Bingo" bag and we draw a random number(s) on Tuesday.
Please check back to see if you have won, it is up to you to claim your prize - we do not contact you.
Seam Binding Delights
28/04/2011
I said I would not be able to keep away! Just wanted to share a few more delights from our Seam Binding Challenge - the girls tell me that parcels are piling up on my desk for the button it challenge. Oh goody I like parcels!!!
The makes today are from Karen and Claire.
Oh what a delight this would be to receive this card Karen.
Love the ruffled effect you have created - did you gather it or pull the seam binding fibres?
As you know I do like hearts.
Sorry Karen could not decide which photo I liked best, so have posted both!
Not forgetting the detail photo ummm ruffles and pleats - fab heart Karen.
A great idea Clare, headbands are all the thing at the moment - Sydney has lots of different ones.
Very confused how this has been made Clare - it looks like knots?!
Very smart pen case - I think (but shout at me if I am wrong) the case has been crocheted. So therefore the flowers maybe as well...
.....what do you think? Great fun detail Clare.
That's me done for today, I am back next week. Hope you all have another fun packed long weekend.
Hello wednesday - The Royal Cushion
27/04/2011
Don't you just LOVE wednesday's? Say hello to wednesday "hello wednesday" It's all downhill from now on to the weekend - yippee!!!
Me and my big mouth!
While out with Rachie in Weymouth a few weeks back, she spotted a large Union Jack Cushion.......she fell head over heels in love with it.
What do you want that for, I ask. "Oh Ali it is wonderful, I love it. I really, really want it. But at £45 I can not afford it.".
Rachie it is only a few strips of fabric, I could make one in an evening. "Ooooh yes, please make me one, please."
Poos, I fell for that one!
So The Royal Cushion was born. I did exagerate a little - it took me two evenings!!
I had been wondering how to use the NEW Rose ribbon (you can find it HERE). I felt the cushion needed something to give it the WOW factor and the boldness of the Roses was perfect. It is a large cushion, 60cms square. I teamed the rose ribbon up with simple plain white satin ribbon and then for a bit of class I chose lush red velvet. The blue fabric I already had in my stash, leftovers from table cloth making.
I pinned the white satin ribbon to make the diagonal crosses and then sewed them in place. I did the same with the red velvet, making sure I had my red lines going the correct way!
Not wanting to waste ribbon, I decided to cut the white ribbon lengthwise as this would be the perfect width for my last crosses. I pinned the red rose ribbon on first, to get it in the correct place. I then gently unpinned it in places and slipped the white ribbon underneath and then re-pinned. After making sure everything was well pinned I sewed the ribbon down.
This was Rachies Easter prezzie from me, I hope she will be curled up with it while watching the Royal wedding on Friday.
Easter FREEBIE winners
26/04/2011
WOW what a fantastic weekend - the weather was so kind to us.
Sam and Mollie picked this weeks winners from the "Bingo" bag......ummmm...not sure how Ali manages to get the guys to hold up the numbers and see their faces. Bev and I tried for ages, and in the end gave up!
The lucky winners of a Bev's Bag - Bursting Blooms are....
Number 1 = Marg
What talented ladies, they have really captured the versatility of the seam binding. Happy Easter to you and your followers.
Number 15 = sherry Edward
Hope you're continuing to have a fab time in Holland - did the cheeses smell after all?
Lovely seam binding projects - inspirational! I've finished one of the button challenge pieces, and thinking on the next one!
Happy Easter to everyone - looks like we'll be needing some sun screen!
Number 35 = Karen
Happy Easter to everyone What a terrific Friday freebie
Number 39 = Sue
hope you all had a great weekend and ali and tony are resting please put me in the bingo bag for a bev's bag
You have some lovely blooms girls, all we need are addresses please to craftyribbons@gmail.com
Although Ali is still away on her hols, we are sure she would have had a sneakie peak at the comments.
Thank you to everyone that placed an order over the weekend, we will despatch them as soon as we can.
Rachie xx
Friday FREEBIE - 16
22/04/2011
Happy Good Friday to everyone - lets hope that this Friday is going to be your lucky week and you walk off with some super ribbons. Nobody is in the office today, all the girls are away until Tuesday and Tony and I are in Holland. I would show you some tulip pics, but other peoples holiday snaps are always boring!!!!! We are off to a Cheese Market today - it wont smell will it? We are having a wonderful time, the tulips are just awesome.
What Friday FREEBIE delights do we have for you. How about some Tulips - no only joking, we do not have any Tulip ribbons apart from the little turtle ribbon with tulips in Bev's NEW Ribbon Bag - Bursting Blooms.
Bev has put together this Special Bursting Blooms to coincide with the Easter Weekend - it is filled to the brim with flowers, oh and a turtle, a cat and butterflies! We have FOUR of these Bev's bags to give away - all you have to do for a chance to win is leave us an Easter comment. We will pick the winners on Tuesday from our "Bingo" bag, as there will be no one at the office on Monday.
If you want one of Bev's Special Bursting Blooms bag, then you can find them HERE. We will not withdraw the Regal bag until after the Royal Wedding - so for the first time ever Bev has TWO Bev's bags!!
Thought I would sneak in a few more Seam Binding goodies - just incase there is a bit of crafting planned over Easter!
This stunning card was made by Julie, awesome detail....
....love the way you have dyed the seam binding. Sorry no note for Julie with any tips on how she did it.
Another master piece from Julie, once again you must see it up close...
...wow the flowers twinkles as it is moved.
This is very unusal Laura, that fish is wicked. A very speacial work of art.
Laura has used acrylic paints to colour the blue ribbon of the fish.
What a posh phone case Laura - that could not have been easey machining the seam binding - it moves around a bit!!
Perfect stitching.
Laura used versamark to create the subtle two tone effect for this card - gourgous finish.
Laura this anklet is wicket, the colours are wicked, and the little flower detail is set off by the matt finish of the beads.
Way to small for my ankle Laura, but looks great on my wrist!!
Please do not worry if you have not seen your Seam Binding goodies on the blog yet. It was a very large challenge and I have tried to show close up photos of all the creations as well. Thank you to Julie and laura for sharing there inspiration with us - hope you are all haveing fun with the NEW Challenge - Button it!
All the Crafty Ribbons team would like to wish you a Happy Easter weekend - hope you all have fun.
If you are unable to leave a comment due to our spam filters, please email it to craftyribbons@gmail.com and we will add it for you. All the comments go into our "Bingo" bag and we draw a random number(s) on Tuesday.
Please check back to see if you have won, it is up to you to claim your prize - we do not contact you.
Easter Blooms by Bev
21/04/2011
I have a NEW Ribbon Bag - Bursting Blooms
17mtrs of ribbons all bursting with flowers.
Grab a bargain when you see it - all these flowered ribbons for £5
My Bev's ribbon bags are always great value and have so many scrummy ribbons
You can find them HERE
It's not often Ali gives discounts - maybe she needs to go on holiday more often!
Enjoy Bev x x
Hello wednesday - Tea Towel Aprons
20/04/2011
Don't you just LOVE wednesday's? Say hello to wednesday "hello wednesday" It's all downhill from now on to the weekend - yippee!!!
I do, I do, I do love tea towels.....not for drying up silly!!! Look what I have made........
I promise you, these aprons have been made from Tea Towels. They come in such wicked colour combos now and are still relatively cheap. I picked up this pack of three when I went shopping with Bev the other week. Three tea towels £3.20 - from you guessed it- Wilkinsons. Sadly I went back with Rachie last Thursday to get some more but they had sold out......but they had some fab NEW ones in......and according to the sales assistant they have some cupcake ones coming in for May.
I folded each tea towel in half lengthwise, and cut off 15cm from the bottom - this makes the pocket section on the other aprons. With the tea towels still folded I cut away the curve for the arms, don't throw away the cut out bits, they are used to make the hearts!
I also cut away the tea towel seam on the sides and the top edge of the aprons. Next I laid the pockets on top of each apron and pinned in place.
I drew a few hearts and cut them from the waste arm sections and also pinned in place. I like hand sewing, so using 3 strands of embroidery thread I sewed around the hearts with running stitch.
For the hearts on the pockets I used blanket stitch, once again using three strands of embroidery thread. To jolly things along, I hand stitched the top edge of the pocket and then the vertical line to divide it into two pockets. All of this could be done by machine to save time.
It is a long time since I have used bias binding (if you ever ring the warehouse and are speaking to Rachie, ask about the Bias Binding - she wants to call it Boris Binding and gets real tongue tied trying to work it out!!!). As I had not used Bias Binding (you can find Bias Binding HERE) for so long, I thought I should tack it around the edges of the apron before sewing it on the machine.
The bias binding went around all the edges like a dream. By the third apron I didn't even bother with the tacking stitches, just pins.
For the apron strings and head loop I used our NEW Twill which can be found HERE. It comes in some really fun colours and were perfect for my aprons.
Our three little ones are not very keen on things being put over there heads, so I made a simple loop in the end of the webbing and attached a few coloured buttons for the head loop.
That's it - three little aprons from 3 fun tea towels, a few lengths of webbing, colourful bias binding and a couple of buttons. I did enjoy making these. Sam was not toooooo keen on his but Mollie and Sydney love theirs.
Really excited going on holiday tonight - catching the night ferry from Harwich. A executive cabin awaits us.Tony pushed the boat out so to speak and upgraded us, think it means we get a kettle, sorry that should read Tea and Coffee making facilities!
Have fun while I am away, don't be surprised if you hear from me - i'm sneaking my computer into the car.
my basket