Easy & Quick Candy Cane Ornament

Scroll down for english, please. 

Esta é mais uma ideia natalícia que fiz o ano passado e que não cheguei a partilhar aqui no blog. 

Adoro embrulhos diferentes e originais quando chega a altura de oferecer as minhas prendas, e esta ideia em particular foi inspirada no papel que comprei no ano passado, cujo motivo eram as bengalas doces (e que podem ver na foto abaixo). 

Here's another Christmas idea from last year that never made it to the blog. 

I love different and original rapping when it comes to wrap my gifts, and this particular idea was actually inspired by the wrapping paper I bought last year, because of it's printed candy canes (picture below). 

Inicialmente o que eu pretendia era comprar umas bengalas doces verdadeiras, mas não encontrei por aqui. Não é que tenha procurado exaustivamente, apenas procurei pelos locais onde ia passando e nenhum tinha. Este ano por exemplo, já encontrei uma caixa de dez unidades numa das minhas lojas preferidas. Trouxe-a comigo e ainda está por decidir o que farei com ela. 

My first thought was to get the real thing but I couldn't find them anywhere. Well, It's not like did look that hard for them, I just checked each place I went on my daily routine and none of those had it. This year though, I have already found a box of them in one of my fave shops and of course I brought one with me, still I need to figure out what to do with it yet. 

Para tal usei pipe cleaners (a tradução literal é limpador de cachimbo, não sei mesmo que nome se dá a isto em português). Foi só juntar um branco e um vermelho e enrolar um no outro. Depois cortei ao meio e cada metade foi usada para uma bengalinha, é só arredondar uma das pontas. Como usei nas prendas (colei) não acrescentei mais nada, mas quem quiser pode também colocar um fio fino na parte arredondada e pendurar na árvore de Natal ou onde lhe apetecer. 

To make this, I just grabbed two pipw cleaners, one red and one white and rolled them into each other. Then I cut it in half and each part was used to make a cane, I just needed to round one of the edges in order to get it finished. Since I glued mine to my gifts, I stopped here but if you plan on hanging them on your Christmas tree or anywhere else, you just have to tight a thin thread to it to do so. 

Podem também cortar mais pequeno ou maior. Cheguei a cortar em 3 partes iguais e foram as que achei mais fofas. Usei em quase todas as prendas que entreguei o ano passado e ainda tenho algumas que talvez use este ano, embora ande à procura de algo diferente para esta vez. E por ai? Alguma forma especial de distinguir os vossos embrulhos? 

You can also cut your canes longer or shorter. I did cut some in 3 equal parts to make mine and those were the cutest ones. I used most of them on my gifts last year but I still have a few that I might use again this year, though I'd rather find something different this time. What about you? Do you have any tips to make your wrapping stand out?

Top 5 of 2017 |REFLECTIONS/GOALS|

Scoll down for english, please!

Antes de escrever este post fui ler o semelhante dos anos anteriores (de 2013 a 2015), e é engraçado como a maior parte das decisões que tomei, principalmente em 2015 se enquadram naquilo que pensava escrever este ano também. Aparentemente não foi em 2016 que a minha motivação entrou em queda, e sim a meio do ano anterior. Desde então que tenho tido uns altos e baixos, parece até que essa motivação se tornou bipolar. Enfim... Hoje reflito nisso tudo, e vou deixar por escrito o que espero para 2018 no que toca às minhas costuras e a este blog. 

Before I started writting this post, I went back and read the similar ones from previous years (from 2013 to 2015), and it's funny how most of the decisions I made back then are quite similar to what I was going to write this year as well. Apparently it was not in 2016 that my sewing mojo went on holidays, but in the middle of the previous year. Ever since, I had ups and downs, like my mojo has suddenly turned bipolar. Oh well... I reflict on all that today, and I'll write down what I hope for 2018 as for my sewing and blog is concerned. 

#1. Nada de compras!- Este é um dos meus maiores objetivos para o próximo ano. Em 2013 desafiei-me a não comprar mesmo nada a não ser que fosse mesmo, mesmo, mesmo necessário. Desde então tentei manter o hábito mas mais descontraidamente. Durante 2017, não posso dizer que me tenha portado mal, os tecidos acima foram os únicos que comprei (os que já usei têm um "X"), mais dois outros que usei num pufe que fiz para o meu sobrinho, e renda para o soutien, aos quais não tirei foto, ainda assim, dei por mim a comprar alguns tecidos sem necessidade nenhuma, apenas por impulso.  

#1. No buying / Sew from my stash - This is one of my main goals for the next year. Back in 2013 I challenged myself to stop buying unless I really really really needed to. Ever since I tried to keep the habit but in a more relaxed way. Through 2017, I can't say I didn't behave, the fabrics pictured above were the only ones I bough (the ones with the "X" are the ones I used already), plus two other I bought to make my nephew a puff, and the lace for the bra but failed to picture, still, I know I bought a few of these on an impulse, no real need. 

#2. Reciclar/Transformar mais! - Não tenho reciclado tanto este ano, foquei-me mais em baixar a pilha de tecidos que tenho em stock e as roupas que tenho para reaproveitar foram ficando encostadas. Entraram mais algumas para a pilha que me foram dadas, tirei algumas pelas quais já não sentia conexão nenhuma para doar, e agora mais recentemente ainda comprei mais umas peças que encontrei a 1€ cada. Estão na foto acima, e já usei duas delas. Ah! E com isto gostava de dizer que penso trazer o "Refashion Month" de volta. 

#2. More refashioning! - I haven't done it as much this year, I focused on down sizing my fabric stash so the refashioning pile got a bit to the back of my head. A few more pieces were added to my existing pile, I took a few away to donate because I didn't identify with them anymore, but I also more a few more recently, I found them for 1€ each. They are the ones on the above picture, I used two of them already. Oh! I am planning on bringing the "Refashion Month" back.  

Apenas algumas das coisas que fiz que nunca cheguei a partilhar aqui.
Just a few of the things I made and never got to share here. 

#3. Publicar o que faço! - Tenho deixado imensas coisas que fiz por publicar. Acho sempre que posso fazer no dia a seguir e depois no outro e nunca chegam ao blog. Tentei contá-las e posso dizer-vos que as peças que nunca chegaram a ser publicadas foram praticamente em mesmo número que aquelas que sim. 

#3. Post what I make! - I've been leaving so many things I made unblogged. I always think I can make it the next day, and then the next and they never make it to here. I tried to count them and I can tell you they are nearly asmany as the ones that did make it to the blog. 

Acabei o pufe a 24 de Dezembro, foi prenda de natal do meu sobrinho e não tinha um fundo de jeito para tirar foto. A gata não ajudou. Foi o possível e não vou stressar por isso.
I finished this puff on the 24th of December, it was a christmas gift and I couldn't find a decent background for it. The cat didn't help either. It was the possible thing to get and I am not stressing over it. 

#4. Ser mais realista! - Naquilo que quero e posso fazer. Naquilo que realmente sou eu e não me deixar levar por aqueles/as que acompanho. Isto tem muito a ver com o ponto anterior, por vezes não publico à espera da melhor luz para fotografar a peça, do melhor isto e aquilo, mas sejamos verdadeiros, não pretendo fazer dinheiro com o blog, se a luz está mais fraca num certo dia, acho que preciso de tirar a foto mesmo assim, senão nunca chego a publicar nada. 

#4. Keep it real! - What I want and what I can achieve. What I really am and not get carried away with others I follow do or say. This is largely related to the previous subject, sometimes I might skip posting while waiting for a better light to get photos taken, best thi and that, but let's keep it real, I'm not planning on getting any profit out of this blog, if the light is bad on a certain day, well lei it be and shoot that photo either way, other wise it might never get to the blog. 

#5. Voltar aos videos! - Talvez não em formato podcast como fiz no passado. A ideia já cá está há imenso tempo, cheguei mesmo a gravar um video (há cerca de um ano, sei-o porque nele ainda aparece a 1ª macaca da G. e está quase a fazer um ano que a perdeu), mas nunca cheguei a editar e como tal muito menos a publicar. A ideia tem andado a martelar com mais insistência ultimamente, por isso devo mentalizar-me e voltar a eles.

#5. Back to videos! - This might only matter to my portuguese readers as I only film in portuguese, but anyway, I am planning on getting back, not on a podcast format though. The idea has been bouncing in my head for about a year now, so I guess it's time to get something done\about it. 

Try Something New Every Month February

Scroll down for english, please!

Deixei o projeto de Fevereiro para os últimos dias, por isso, só o acabei mesmo no último dia do mês. Infelizmente, apesar de ter fotografado no próprio dia, acabei por não conseguir publicar sobre o mesmo até ao dia de hoje. Para quem não sabe que do que falo, pode espreitar este post. O tema para este mês era uma manualidade tátil, o que me serviu de desculpa perfeita para finalmente fazer algo que eu queria experimentar há mesmo muito tempo. 

I left February's project for the final days, and that's why I have finished it right on the last day of the month. Alhough I was able to take photos right away, unfortunately it wasn't possible for me to post about it until the present day. To those who don't know what am I talking about, check out this post. The theme for the month was tactile crafts, which was the perfect excuse to make something I've been planning to for far too long. 

Já há alguns anos que cá em casa deixámos de comprar sabonete líquido, usamos sempre os sabonetes em barra porque a diferença de preço-duração é imensa, por isso, trocar uma coisa por outra foi um hábito que se ganhou entre nós. No entanto, o sabonete líquido é bem mais prático, é verdade, e é por isso que ando há tempos com isto na ideia, fazer em casa. Vejamos, eu não sei qual a quantidade ao certo que rendeu, mas foi o suficiente para durar por muito tempo, e pelo preço de uma barra de sabonete. Podem usar também raspas que sobrarão de outros. 

For a few years now, we gave up buying liquid soaps in our house, we always use bars because the price and time they long comparing to the liquid ones is too much, so, we switched one thing for the other and quickly got used to it. Of coursee, liquid soap is more practical though, and that's why I have been wanting to try this for a while. Let's see, I don't know how much exactly I got but I know it was enough to last a good while, and for the price of a soap bar only. You can also use scrapings from others. 

É das coisas mais fáceis de fazer. A sério. Bastou-me uma rápida procura pelo google para encontrar um sem fim de passo a passos para executar a técnica. Depois de ler vários, optei pelo que me pareceu mais simples, bastou ralar uma barra de sabonete, juntar 12 copos de água e 1 ou 2 colheres de sopa de glicerina liquida. Levar a aquecer em fogo lento, e quando ferveu mexi muito bem para diluir. Deixei arrefecer e colocar nos frascos. No caso do meu, ficou a arrefecer da noite para o dia e pela manhã estava pastoso e não líquido, mas foi só juntar mais um pouco de água quente e mexer bem até ficar cremoso. 

It is the quickiest thing to make. Really. After a quick google search, I found lots of tutorials on how to do it. After reading a few, I went the with what seemed easier to me, all I had to do was to grate a soap bar, mix it with 12 glasses of water and 1 or 2 table spoon(s) of liquid glycerin. Hit it on low temperature, and when it boiled, I had to stir to dilute well. Let it to cool down and put it in the jars. In my case, I let it cool overnight, so in the morning I had a more doughy product rather than liquid, but that was quick to fix, I just had to pour a bit of hot water and stir some more until it got just right. 

WIP: granny squares - for a change!

Scroll down for english, please. 

Desde que meti a manta de quadrados que a minha mãe fez, na cama da G. há uns dias atrás, que fiquei com vontade de fazer uma também. Já ando para fazer uma de retalhos, como a minha há muito tempo, mas esse tem sido um projeto sem começo sequer. Voltando à manta de quadrados, em crochet, bem... a ideia andou a rondar durante uns dias, e para me fazer decidir, descobri há pouco um blog espanhol que é uma perdição e que está neste momento a fazer um curso de crochet para quem se quiser iniciar nesta arte que eu não domino. Assisti às lições 1-5 e achei-as básicas. Parece que afinal até percebo qualquer coisa. Há duas noites atrás experimentei brincar com a agulha e um novelo de lã rasca que tinha comprado para o cabelo de uma boneca - como todos os novelos que faziam parte da minha caixa. Afinal, crochet e malha é algo que passo sempre para a minha mãe. No entanto, acabei por fazer uma pesquisa online. Não li nada, olhei apenas para as imagens e achei que conseguia começar qualquer coisa de jeito. Ontem, sai de casa pela manhã com os pequenos e comprei 5 novelos de lã. Pedi conselhos à senhora, a grossura da lã, o nº da agulha que deveria de usar (não comprei porque estava certa que teria uma por casa e acertei, o nº 3 e tudo como a senhora me indicou) e fui-me a elas. Olhando de perto para a colcha da minha mãe, copiei o esquema e lá fui fazendo os primeiros quadrados. Comprei 5 cores e juntei o vermelho que já tinha comprado o ano passado numa tentativa vã de fazer uma boina para mim. Cada quadrado tem 6 voltas, mas ainda quero juntar o branco para fazer uma volta a mais em cada um dos quadrados. Também quero usar o branco para os juntar a todos mas nem vou pensar ainda nisso. Primeiro, vou-me entreter a fazer quadrados e quadrados... depois logo se verá se sou capaz de mais. Hoje mesmo fui comprar o branco e comentei com a senhora que já levava 6 quadrados feitos, ao que me respondeu que já ia bem encaminhada. Depois disso já fiz mais cinco, mas o último (ao qual já acrescentei mais uma volta em branco) não aparece nas fotos. Só sigo dois blogs especialistas nestas coisas, o da Susana e o da Naná. Duas meninas que já tive o prazer de conhecer pessoalmente. Elas têm sido uma inspiração e têm-me dado vontade de aprender mais, apesar de saber que não é o meu forte. As cores dos seus trabalhos deixam-me sempre com um sorriso na cara, principalmente as cores mais fortes, e isso é o que gostava de ver na minha manta. 

Ever since I've put the granny square blanket my mom made, in G.'s bed a few days ago, I've been feeling like I too would like to make one. I've been wanting to make a scrap one for a while, just like mine, but that's something i couldn't even start yet. Back to the granny squares, in crochet, well... the idea has been around for a few days, and to make me make up my mind, I found the greatest spanish blog, which is hosting crochet lessons right now, for begginers, like myself. I watched lessons 1-5 and got the feeling that they were too easy and I actually knew a little about it. Two evenings ago I  played a little with the needle and a cheap wool I had bought to make a doll's hair - just like all the wool in my stash. After all, I always pass crochet and knitting stuff to my mom. Even though, I went searching online for granny squares. I didn't read anything, I just looked at the pictures and thought that maybe I was capable of starting something worth it. Yesterday morning, I went out and bought 5 balls of wool. I asked the old lady from the shop some advices such as the width of the thread, the needle's number (I didn't buy one though since I was sure I'd have one similar and I was right, I had the same number she told me which was n.3) and got to it. Taking a good look at my mom's blanket, I copied the pattern and started with the first squares. I bought 5 colors and used the red I already had, from last year, when I tried in vain to make myself a beret. Each square has 6 rows, but I still want to buy and add a white one to each of them. That's the same color I want to use to put them all together, but I won't think about that yet. first, I'm just going to entertain myself by make square after square.. and then, we'll see if I'll be capable of further. I bought the white today and commented with the old lady that I had six squares done already, which she answered I was on the good path. After that, I have made five more, the last one though (with a white round too) is not on the photos. I only follow two crochet and knitting focused blogs, Susana's and Naná's blogs. Two ladies I have already met in person, by the way. They have been a huge inspiration and have been making me feel like learning more about it, although I know that's not my thingy. The colors of their works always leave a smile on my face, especially those strong, vibrant colors, and that's exactly what I'd like on my own work. 

The Sew Off week 2 < A new Entry... >

NOTE: Heavy post!!!

So, here I am, second week of the The Sew Off competition. And this time around, the theme is Home Decor. When I first read the news that I did make it to the 12 contestants I sort of panic. When I made it to the 9 contestants I really did panic!

What was I suppoused to do now?! 

I was comfortable with the children's look because I was already sewing along Sew-vivor and PR&P. I never thought I could make it to the competition. Although I did audition for The Sew Off, I just thought I wouldn't make it anyway and was going to enjoy a light sew along... but, I made it, and suddenly I realised I would have to do bigger and better than I had previously believed I would. I have to do the best I can, for me and for the judges who picked me! 

So, back to my first idea - I tend to get lost, sorry - I decided it was about time to make my G. a brand new playhouse in which we could hide all her toys that usually makes our floor so messy. I was sure I didn't want to make something just like what I had been seeing around. I wanted to make something special to us, and on a imnsonia night, it clicked me!

As you may, or may not know, we live in Portugal, more precisely in the Algarve, the most southern region of the country. Right above us, there is one of the most beautiful and richers regions, the Alentejo, which I adore. As a tourism student, one of my projects was to write and present on a school trip the entire region of Alentejo, all its typical stuff and so on. Ever since, I still remember every single thing I talked about, and one of the most interesting ones for me is their typical houses. That's how I planned to make my playhouse like...

But my playhouse project died the moment I saw Amy's from Nap Time Crafters. Although I follow her blog for years, only recently I found out her playhouse, and I knew any other I would make would just look tiny and basic compared to hers. I did not give up on the entire idea of the playhouse, I just couldn't make it in one week. So, not done now, but certainly a to do project for the future.

I knew I had made it through another week last Monday, and let me tell you that, back then, I wasn't still pretty sure of what to do. I don't usually sew decorative stuff, or very seldomly I do. The only thing I could think was:

- I will never beat my baby's nursery project! or the mini sofa...

- There's no way I can do better than that... 

- Can I cheat and say I did that now?!

- Perhaps I can make a coordinate something to go with it?!

- Crap, that took me months to get done... and I only have a few days. 

Pfff... I was totally lost and hopeless about this week's theme. Honestly I still am. BUT, I had to get something done. I HAD to try my best, and I had to get whatever it was going to be, done ready.

I thought and thought and thought... and went through some magazines, searching for inspiration. It hit me when I saw a technique ("Catedral de Windsor" - free translation: "Windsor's Cathedral"... please correct me if I am wrong, because I'm not really familiar with it). I saw it in a magazine I had bought a few years ago, and that's from where I addapted my nursery pattern. There it was, I would try that.

I had to open my doorway to take this picture... since I have no angle at all for good pictures/or nice light for photos. 

Again, I have to say I am not a pro with the patchwork and similars, nor do I have specific items to sew it with. As I mentioned in a previous post, I don't even own a rottary cutter... That bad! But, I decided I should expand myself and try something new and different for this challenge. And I did it!!!

My very first try with this technique results are here:

So... I centered my attention in my entry after all. I bought this cube shelf about a year or so ago, and I meant to sew some fabric baskets ever since. Another project I never crossed from the list until now.

Here's how it looked before:

a total mess, I know.

I knew I wanted a place for all the mail we get and also a place for G.'s shoes. Next to the shelf there's a cabinet for our shoes, but it's full... and since she has so many little shoes, it would be nice to have a place on the entry to store them too.

there's a on work patchwork piece here too, but just because I didn't want it to look so empty!

My first idea for this project was to make four baskets and two pillow covers, but I ended up with only half of the first idea. I knew I wouldn't make it all in time. And when having to choose from 6 badly finished pieces and 3 well finished pieces, I went with the second choice.

I picked my project colours after the ones used on the picture that's hanging on the entry's wall. And always trying to adjust it to my already existing stash. I am pleased with what I got.

For the baskets I used diaper card boxes, covered in white paper sheets because the fabric from which I sewed the baskets was linen and would show the image below. In the front of each basket I added the words MAIL for one, and SHOES for the other with the same yellow I used on the pillow cover. I interface the letters, which were cut on free hand; and, I sewed them to the linen with a straight stitch carefully.

For the lining, I used a very sentimental fabric for me. It's white with little yellow/brownish polka dots. It used to be a sheet from when I was a child. I still remember when my mom bought it together with another one full of little pink hearts. One for me, one for my sister.

If you need to make your own baskets, again Amy's got a great tutorial on her blog. That's not how I made mine, but it's a good one if you need it.

For the pillow cover, I used 5 different fabrics and tried my best to coordinate!!! Again, remember it was my first attempt at this new technique and after I sew all the squares together I only had to unpick 3 of them when it was time to press seams and I realised 3 weren't even sewn together... arghhh... I hate unpicking, but it was a necessary mean.

back 

And this is it. Sorry that this was such a long post.

Now again... if you liked what you've seen, go HERE and vote for me!!!