the green gal

Season's greetings

source

Happy 1st December, everyone!

Getting sticky with it

So, remember I said in this blog post I'd tell you when my new finishing touches products would be available on my website? Well they are! You can now find the marvellous twig colouring pencils, mini wooden pegs and colured twine at the green gables.

But that's not all! I am very excited to reveal a brand new product I have designed – decorative bunting sticky tape!

red heart bunting sticky tape

Available in red heart or blue star bunting designs this tape will perk up any present, package or envelope.

blue star bunting sticky tape

The tape is 25mm wide and comes in 30m rolls so you can glam up a lot of gifts. (And a lot of order packages if you're me!)

As well as the pretty tape I've also added a few more things to my web shop, including sets of doily-edged brown paper gift tags…

set of five tags

twig pencils (similar to the colouring pencils but a bit more grown-up)…

twig pencil

and sets of occasion postcards with envelopes…

occasions postcards

So, I hope you like my new additions, I'd love to know what you think. And don't forget you can still get £5 off when you spend £20 at thegreengables.co.uk before the end of November with code NX5!

The yarn is chosen

So, there's progress on the crochet blanket plan! Following the v helpful advice I've been given, including the comments on my last blog post, I've chosen my coloured yarn and found a pattern to follow. I went for shades of green and blue because they're my favourite colours and a blanket in these shades should always co-ordinate with a bedroom in my home.

Once I've got the difference between a UK and a US double crochet stitch figured out I'll get going! 

BTW, if you didn't see yesterday's post about my fab offer at the green gables for the whole of November, check it out here now! 

The crochet hour

source

So, I'm thinking about crocheting a blanket. I'll need to find a 25th hour in my day as, quite frankly, I don't have the time, but I rather fancy giving it a go anyway. 

source

As you know, I run my own busines, the green gables. It takes up most waking hours, and the odd sleeping one, and I really love it. I get to be enormously creative in my work but there's a little part of me that thinks it might be a good idea if I did something creative for the fun of it, and in the evenings, to help me relax and switch off before bed. 

source

I seem to be incapable of devoting my full attention to most TV shows but rather than spend every evening on the laptop I think crocheting could be a good alternative occasionally. I'm not in a great hurry to complete a project (don't think I need to give myself any more deadlines), I just like the idea of crocheting of an evening, and eventually ending up with a pretty, cosy, useful blanket.

source

Have you crocheted a blanket? Do you have any tips or advice for me regarding pattern, yarn or timescale? I've dabbled in crochet but I'm not very experienced so any thoughts you have I would love to hear! Or read!

source

Tutorials from around the www

Here are a few DIYs, how tos and tutorials that I've happened across on my web wandering and thought you might find them interesting too…

:: Make tissue flowers

:: How to wallpaper with fabric

:: Make glue-free book page bunting

:: How to update suitcases with fabric

:: Make a wallet

:: How to print on wooden coasters

Tutorial: How to make an envelope

I've been meaning to post a tutorial on how to make a paper envelope for a while but a comment from a twitter friend this week gave me the push I needed! When you've gone to the trouble of making a card for someone special it's so much nicer to present it to them in a handmade envelope too. So, here's how you do it…

1. To make an envelope that will fit an A6, postcard-size card you will need: an A4 or US legal size sheet or a piece of paper measuring 21cmx21cm, ruler, pencil, scissors and double-sided sticky tape.

2. The piece of paper you're going to use needs to be square and measure 21cm each side. With the sheet best side down, the easiest thing to do is fold one corner of an A4 sheet over to the opposite edge and then cut off the excess strip to leave you with the square.

The only drawback is that you'll have a crease showing on your finished envelope.

3. Turn your square so you have a corner pointing down. Measure 9cm up from the bottom corner and mark the point. Measure 7cm in from each side corner and mark these points. You are going to fold the corners in at these points so to make it easier you can draw a line across each mark so you can see exactly where to fold. 

4. Fold the three corners in along your fold lines.

5. With the side flaps folded in, add double-sided sticky tape to their bottom edges so that the bottom flap can stick to them. You only need a thin strip so cut a piece of sticky tape down the middle lengthways before sticking onto the edges. Fold the bottom flap up so it sticks to the side flaps and you now have something that looks a lot more like an envelope. I like to tuck in the little point you have sticking up from the bottom flap but you can cut it off if you'd rather. 

6. On each side edge of your envelope, measure up 11.5cm and make a small mark. Using the ruler to make a sharp crease, fold the top flap over. In creating the top flap you've folded over the top corners of the side flaps and so the envelope looks a little 'unprofessional' with this little bit of excess folded paper. So you can just snip it off to leave clean edges.

7. And there you have it, your finished envelope! You can seal it with regular sticky tape or double-sided tape, or a sticker or glue, or whatever takes your fancy :)

I used a plain sheet of white recycled paper for this tutorial but you can use any paper or thin card you like. How about an old map or a magazine page? The options are endless!

I hope you liked this tutorial and found it useful. I'm very happy for you to share this tutorial but please name this blog as the source and post a link back to this post rather than give the full instructions. 

I plan to make tutorials a bit more of a regular feature so I'd love to hear what you think of this one. And if you want to share pics of envelopes you make do leave links in the comments box so I can take a peek!

What are you reading?

I've got a little bit of a magazine habit. For years I've preferred to pour over the pages of homes and interiors rather than fashion magazines, ever since the hubbie and I moved into our first home together. It's not a cheap habit to have so I try to limit the number I read each month.

Currently I have subscriptions to Country Homes & Interiors, Country Living, Mollie Makes and Countryfile (courtesy of a kind friend). Hmm, that's actually quite a few! Plus I recently came across Style at Home, which could easily become a favourite, and the latest Cath Kidston mag flopped onto my doormat this morning. I'm waiting until I get a bit more work done before I allow myself to curl up with a cuppa for a proper perusal.

What magazines are you reading at the moment? Do you hoard them all or once they're read are they headed for the recycling bin? Do you have favourites you never miss or have you recently discovered a new gem? I'd love to know…

Junk for Joy!

Do you remember way back in March I told you about a book I was going to be featured in? Well, it's called Junk for Joy! and it's out now! (There's me below!)

It feels like such a long time ago since I talked to Sian about my little business and remade service, about a year in fact! It is such a fab book and I'm not just saying that because I'm in it. Author Sian Berry gives lots of different ideas to revamp tired old items, from big projects that will take a few hours to quick make-its that give you results in less than an hour. The photographs by Sarah Cuttle are beautiful and as well as little ol' me you can also check out Dave and Debbie Powell from the Bracknell Re-Use Project, Hilary Bruffell from Make It and Mend It and Peter Martin from Junkk. Plus there's a very useful Resources section at the back.

Published by Kyle Books Ltd, you can find it on Amazon here.

Quick trip round the www

I thought I'd share a few of the interesting things I've found out there in cyberspace this week. I read a broad range of blogs and look at all kinds of different websites so only some might appeal, or maybe they all will! Anyway, there's only one way to find out…

Pedlars Dog of the Week

Issue 3 of the free craft online magazine is ready to read

My friend, Jo, has started writing a blog and it's as charming as its name

Isa of Noisette Marketing is giving away two coaching consultations, great opportunity for small business owners

I've recently discovered Hayley and Betty, the retro ice cream van, if you're anywhere in the Milton Keynes area she's a must for any garden party or celebration

I've never thought about making my own sugar cubes, but this may have changed my mind

Do you know what bubble tea is? I'm still not entirely clear

We Make London pop-up shop, fab idea

This is the first time I've done this kind of post so do let me know what you think of it. Happy Friday! x

the green gables at Calladoodles

So, as promised, here is a bit more info and some piccies of the new shop the green gables goods are stocked in – Calladoodles in Carshalton, Surrey.

Because I was a smidgen disorganised I didn't have time to take photos of my display so photographer Kellie Spicknell very kindly snapped a few for me. She has a beautiful portfolio so do take a look at her site when you get a mo. 

My paper bunting, gift tags, framed prints and new organic cotton tea towels are all available at Calladoodles. I'm also trying out a few new products, including sewn bookmarks made from recycled cotton rags and greeting cards featuring famous quotes. 

If you're in the area (it's near Croydon if that helps) do pop in to the shop and take a look at the fabulous range they have. Clare, who runs Calladoodles, is doing a brilliant job at finding designers, artists and craftspeople to feature and stock at the shop, she wants to build a community of independent artisans and I think she's doing a cracking job! 

PS If you are a retailer and you would like to stock the green gables products you can contact me at gabrielle@thegreengables.co.uk

PPS Don't forget to enter the giveaway I announced yesterday, you can win a copy of Stitch with Love, reviewed here.