Summer Projects

I did say I would post a blog or two before the school term started but clearly it was not meant to be. Just wanted to share with you a few crafting projects I have enjoyed doing lately (well one has become a slight addiction).

Below is a neck piece I made as a 'Thank You' present for one of the teachers I worked alongside during my first year of teaching. I chose a range of purple fabrics and pinned them randomly together before running it up on the sewing machine. I always get quite nervous when giving someone one of my handmade gifts, but thankfully she was chuffed with it :-)

 This is the Autumn themed neck piece I made myself a few years ago. It was originally a fabric necklace I had made (didn't quite like it) so I added a few more Suffolk puffs and turned it into a neck piece.

From this...

...to this

 Now for my addiction (not serious enough for rehab - YET). Over the summer my eBay account took a hit buying lots (and lots) of lucky star strips from China. I am a newbie to origami so I thought lucky stars would break me into the world of paper folding gently. I have loved folding the little bits of paper to create these cute little stars.

You can see I've got a another little bit to go filling up the vase. I'll get there soon...

AmyCookeDesigns

One (wo)man's Trash is another (wo)man's Treasure

My good friend Claire came to visit me in Banbury today for a 'Charity Shop Marathon'. What I have learnt from today's experience is 'you should never venture into Charity shops with Claire!' My poor bank card is on the brink on of a mental breakdown - it's very worrying!

Joking aside, I am delighted with my finds today (Thank-you C x). I've always been very supportive of charity shops. It was only yesterday I delivered bags of neglected clothes of mine into a few charity shops in Banbury (and before you say it - I was not buying them back today). After a lengthy time rummaging through the rails I found and bought a cute cherry print dress, a nice fitted t-shirt and my favourite purchase has to be this unbelievably cute polka dot cardy - for £4.99!

This I will definitely being wearing to school next week!

I am hoping to get a few more blogs up before school starts back. I have managed to squeeze in a few craft projects over the summer that I would like to share with you so watch this space.

I will leave you with this photograph (meant to upload it ages ago). Clearly I think I'm a professional photographer with the use of Istagram (I wish) - but I love this photo with the filter I used...

Lots of Love

AmyCookeDesigns

No longer a single gal!

Well this is my first post since becoming Mrs Russell (still feels very odd saying that). I do hope to do a proper Blog piece on the Cooke/Russell wedding once we get all our professional photos, but thought I would do a quick blog for you on wedding veils.

For those of you who know me well, you will know one of the first things I said when Thom and I started to plan and think about the big day was that I would NEVER wear a veil. That statement stood until 4 days before the wedding. Being a huge eBay fanatic the weekend before the wedding I clicked 'BUY' on a cute, £14.99, 2 tier waist Ivory veil which I do not regret one bit - completely loved wearing it on the day.

With my eBay veil on the big day

In march I went to a wedding fair in Birmingham with my chum Miss Wright. We both already had our wedding dresses, but that didn't stop us trying dresses on. The last dress I tried on before we left was the complete opposite of my wedding dress tastes (though I loved it on). Once I had the dress on, the sales girl placed a veil on my head, and it wasn't as bad as I thought! I was still determined to make my own head piece.

My very first 'veil experience'

Months went by and I thought no more about the pretty veil I tried on at the wedding show. Instead I busied myself making the fascinator I thought I would wear on the day. I used feathers, a taffeta Suffolk puff with a beaded crystal/pearl centre and French netting. Although I didn't end up wearing it on the day I was really please the the final outcome. Here's a little look...

Glue gunning feathers (not a god combination) 

Sewing crystals & pearls onto the Suffolk Puff 

The finished piece!

You can spend a life time thinking about the exact things you will have on your wedding day. Before I got married people kept telling me you think you know what you want but once you start planning everything it will all change. Most of what happened on our day was what we had talked about before we were even engaged...

...however the unplanned, sneaky little veil managed to creep its way into our big day :-)

My dress and veil - best day of my life!

Just to finish I am still going to stay as AmyCookeDesigns for my blogger and the little craft fairs I do - don't think I can part with  my wee business name that has given me some lovely memories to look back on.

Until next time...

AmyCookeDesigns a.k.a Amy Russell :-)

Diamond Jubilee

Any big event that is celebrated, from Royal Weddings to American Independence Day I love to use it as an excuse to be creative.

My little town Banbury was covered in Red, White and Blue and it inspired me to make the following little crafty bits and bobs for the Diamond Jubilee...

I was so chuffed with my Victoria Sponge cake. Loved doing the Union Flag icing - and added some little Jubilee flags from 'My Cake Decorating' magazine (highly recommend it).

I picked up some fabric for a bargain. I turned it into yo-yo brooches and finished them off with burnt organza.

I taught my Year 2's a Jubilee song for there Class Assembly just before we broke up for half term, thought I'd leave you with part of the verse...

And still her star is shining

And like her Jubilee

Our Queen's a real diamond

So here's to you your majesty!

Roll on London 2012!

May Day SOS - (Search Our Shops)

I don't get on Blogger much these days to post about my comings and goings, but a cheeky day off school means I'm back for a little visit. It is a very wet Bank Holiday here in Banbury today - so I'm snuggled up inside and thought I would catch up on the world of blogging.

After joining Thom for coffee this morning before he left for Oxford I found myself rummaging through a little charity shop 'Age UK'. I had to share my finds with you all because they were a compete bargain and absolutely stunning. I am a real sucker for tin holders, forever finding things to put in them, so it was a treat to come across the following little gems.

The very eccentric shop assistant who complimented my 'Americano' accent made the visit a very pleasant one!

 I LOVE the quirky bits and bobs you can pick up from charity shops - all the above for £9.97!

Thom and I are now into the 2 digit countdown until the big day - 93 days to go. My Year 2s are very excited about the wedding and are forever drawing me pictures. Here is one I thought I would share...

Rainbow Bunting

Half term has been great to catch up with wedding planning and also some little craft projects. I made this bunting for a friend for her daughter's 4th Birthday party - she is having a fabulous 'Rainbow Themed Party'.

I made the bunting using the classic Eric Carle 'Very Hungry Caterpillar Fabric' - hope it fits in for the Rainbow Party!

Wedding Head Piece

I recently managed to take a break my constant little bubble of school work and make a fascinator for a friend's wedding (beautiful Christmas Wedding - congrats Laura & Neil)

I used my classic Suffolk Puffs and burnt organza circles to create it and finished it off with a few sparkly beads. I'll be making my own head piece for my own wedding in a few months so hopefully this will spark a few ideas for my fascinator design...