Mini Mannequins

I made these mini mannequins when I saw something

similar on Pintrest. 

The little beauties below were made by an Italian

lady whose beautiful blog is

La Maison de Maristella       

  

I thought I'd use the Tim Holtz/Sizzix die 'Sewing Room'

for the mannequin shape

but found that to be too small compared to a pair of small scissors.

So, I used the Sizzix shape and cut around it to make it a bit larger.

The scissors still dwarfed it though, so I gave up on the idea

of making a scissors keeper manniquin and thought I'd make

a pin cushion mannequin instead.

However, that didn't work because I didn't use enough

wadding and the whole form is quite flat.

So, they are just mini mannequins!

I pinned them to a piece of decorative tape

... but didn't really like them when I hung them from a shelf

above my craft desk.

They are rather cute though and will make nice

little gifts.

I think I've got them out of my system now - or have I!

Thanks for looking :)

Button It Challenge

This is a challenge set by

Crafty Ribbons

who have now added to their beautiful ribbon ranges, buttons!

As I was one of the first fifteen people to email in response to their

'Button it' challenge, they sent me the above button box in the

colour range of my choice - which was 'Autumn Leaves'.

All they asked was that I make and send to them

two projects using the buttons.

I made two wall hangings.

Mountboard base covered with part of an old dressmaking pattern cover

(aged with Distress Inks, metallic rub on paste and gold mica spray).

The dress form and cotton reels are die cut from mountboard using Tim Holtz/Sizzix  ''Sewing Room" Bigz die.  This time I padded the body

part of the form with wadding and covered with fabric. 

 I used Walnut Stain ink to colour the base of the form and made it 

shine with Glossy Accents to give a polished wood look.

The buttons were stitched to a ribbon sash and draped over the form.

The wings were part of an old dressmaking pattern adhered to fabric

with Mod Podge and machine stitched around the edges.

The little sign is rubber stamped (from the 'Vintage Sewing' set by Sam Poole/Creative Expressions) onto card and edged around with 

brown promarkers to look like a frame. 

This one is entirely made from assorted fabric and ribbon scraps.

The main image is a rubber stamp from

PaperArtsy (Dolls Plate 1).

I used the following colours of Distress Ink

to colour the main background and the wide ribbon at the top.

Scattered Straw, Wild Honey, Spiced Marmalade, Fired Brick and Forest Moss.

The ric rac hanger was white and coloured with the Spice Marmalade

and a little of Fired Brick Ink.

For 'Button Queen' I used a small alphabet set (a cheap one

from Hobbycraft) to make the words, stamped them onto fabric,

cut out and machined stitched them on.

Oh, and there's a few buttons here and there too!

Thanks for looking and I hope you're having a

Happy Easter xx