Summer Saturday Top Ten – Crafty Blogs

Hi there!

Today concludes my summer feature bringing us to the end of my Summer Saturday Top 10‘s!

Every Saturday for the past Month, (as well as today) I have shared a Top 10 list of creative things from around the net!

This week is “Top Ten Free Crafty Blogs”…In my blogging journey I have stumbled across loads of blogs, and I wanted to use this opportunity to seek out some more! I didn’t want to let anyone know they were going to feature, so I had them bookmarked (and am now going to follow them!) So, here are some new blogs I have been checking out recently! I’d like to point out, I also check out blogs on Blogspot, because I don’t like the idea of missing out on great blogs just because of the platform they choose to use. So these are from both WordPress and Blogspot.

So without further ado and in no particular order, here are my Top Ten:

1: LulaBelle Handicrafts So much variety! Loads to love!

2:        Stitched Tidbits      A reasonably new blog from a self confessed Cross Stitch addict.

3: Emilies Scrapbook A great scrapbooking blog, with beautiful designs and lots of photos.

4: Scrap Happens Here Card Making, Scrapbooking, lots of other beautiful crafty things!

5: Chasing Cars Cards cards cards, so many beautiful cards!

6: Helen’s Creative Journal In her own words “…I CREATE STUFF….”.

7: You Sew Should… And you should, just check out the amazing Cross stitched jewellery!

8: Purple Stitching Beautiful stitching, knitting and beading!

9:

10:

Yes, indeed, that is 8! I know. I’ve really enjoyed checking out, and following new blogs, and honestly, I didn’t want it to end! So I decided it didn’t have to. I am going to ask YOU to finish the post, and recommend somebody’s blog for me to check out! So leave me a comment! And my favourite two of the recommendations will become 9 and 10!

I hope you’ve enjoyed todays post. I’ve enjoyed them so much, I plan to revisit the Top Tens at Christmas

Have a great weekend!

Happy Crafting!

Summer Saturday Top Ten – Free Cross Stitch Sites

Hi there!

I know it’s Sunday, but I was up at 5am yesterday, and as much as I wanted to get this post finished, my brain wasn’t working! So yes a day late….

Today continues a new feature and brings us close to the end of my Summer Saturday Top 10‘s!

Every Saturday for the past Month, today (instead of yesterday) , and next week (for now) I will share a Top 10 list of creative things from around the net!

This week is “Top Ten Free Cross-Stitch chart sites”… Many of these you may know, though I often get asked what sites I use. I do use google a lot, an image search can prove quite fruitful, though when stitching for specific people I have quite a few sites bookmarked on my computer. Here are a few I had already and I have also been looking around for some great freebie sites! Because we all like free things!

So without further ado and in no particular order, here are my Top Ten:

1: https://www.dovestitch.com/free-cross-stitch-charts-c-105.html A nice variety here from Dovestitch.

2: Loads of free downloadables all sorted by theme from Gvello Stitch http://www.gvellostitch.com/catalog/free_patterns/flowers.html This link is to their floral selection, but you will also find great kids patterns and alphabets to name some others, well worth checking out.

3: Free pretty floral patterns http://www.cross-stitch-pattern.net/Free-Flowers-Charts.aspx

4: http://www.kreinik.com/kshop/home.php?cat=158 Kreinik also has loads of other crafty freebies including papercrafts, which is great for any all rounders, too.

5: http://www.dmccreative.co.uk/DMC-Club/Home/Free-Projects.aspx DMC has a freebie section on their website too!

6: Coats Crafts have a lot of crafty freebies on their site too – http://www.coatscrafts.co.uk/Free+Projects.htm

7: Perhaps a slightly obvious one if you’re a googler, though I do go here quite often http://www.crosstitch.com/ they have over 2000 free patterns in their gallery.

8: Scented Nectar is a recent find, with over 1700 free patterns it’s worth checking out: http://www.scentednectar.com/needlepoint/index.htm

9: http://www.freepatterns.com/list.html?cat_id=343 is kind of what it says on the tin really!

10: http://www.craftdesigns4you.com/free.htm has some great freebies and even more links too!

 Please look on the individual sites and patterns for the copyright terms, it is your own responsibility!

I hope you’ve enjoyed todays post. Next week in the final Summer Saturday Top Ten I will be looking at my Top Ten Free Crafty Blogs… All new ones, so sorry to those of you who follow me, that I also follow, this is to find something new! Though of course I love you all and all your blogs! If you know of anyone you think I should check out, do recommend them to me, leave a comment and I’ll make sure to have a look!

Have a great weekend!

Happy Crafting!

Summer Saturday Top Ten – Simple Scrapbook Layout ideas

Hi there!

Today continues a new feature and brings us to the half way point of Summer Saturday Top 10‘s!

Every Saturday for the past 3 weeks, today, and the next 2 weeks (for now) I will share a Top 10 list of creative things from around the net!

This week is “Top Ten Simple Scrapbook Layout ideas”… and I have been looking around for some simple but cool layouts, I’ve tried to make it a varied selection, and hopefully there’s something for everyone. My inspiration for this post was the amount of people who have said they’ve tried scrapbooking but felt it didn’t work out well. So you never know you might change your mind and want to try out some of these!

I found the designs online in various places as diagrams and photos of layouts, and have re-drawn them myself, so like, they’re by me! I then made them up, using as few items as I could, so you could see for yourself in both 8×8 and 12×12. THEY REALLY ARE AS SIMPLE AS THEY LOOK, and please try to ignore the lack of cropping when it comes to the photos – they are the only copies I have and I didn’t want to ruin them, you can of course crop your own photos at your leisure to get a more even finish, I cannot stress enough that the examples are simply examples.

Here’s what I used: (12×12 and 8×8 cardstock, one sheet patterned paper, some small scraps and long strips of paper, a tag, and magnets in the shape of the word love -our title for the duration and 4 heart shapes and 5 photos of a very small me)! 

So without further ado and in no particular order, here are my Top Ten Simple Scrapbook Layout ideas:

1. Single Photo Layout:

2.3. Two photo layout:

4. 

5: Three photo layout: 

6: 

7. Four photo layout: 

8: 

9. Grid layout: 

10. Split grid layout: 

I hope you’ve enjoyed todays post. Next week in the penultimate Summer Saturday Top Ten I will be looking at my Top Ten Free Cross-Stitch chart sites… there will be some old and some new, as I scour the internet finding some fab freebies! 

If you think there’s anywhere I should consider, leave a comment and I’ll make sure to have a look!

I am going away for a week as of today, so next Saturdays post may be a little later in the day but I will try my best to get it done on Saturday. 

All posts for the next week will be automated, if I get a chance to come online I will try my best to authorise and respond to any comments.

Have a great week!

Happy Crafting!

Summer Saturday Top 10: Crafty Clothing

Hi there!

Today marks the beginning of a new feature! My Summer Saturday Top 10‘s! 

Every Saturday for the next 6 weeks (for now) I will share a Top 10 list of creative things from around the net! 

This week is “Crafty Clothing” and I have been looking around for some cool craft related clothing and jewellery! I was quite sad to find so little clothing other than t-shirts (which were still fab), but I was cheered up by some AMAZING jewellery….

So without further ado and in no particular order, here are my top ten creative clothing and jewellery items:

1. This had to be in the list, as much as we’ve all seen it, 
   (from: http://www.cafepress.com/mf/46454435/keep-calm-and-craft-on_tshirt)
2. This t-shirt spoke to me: (From: http://www.cafepress.com/mf/10847806/crossstitch-hobby-or-mild-insanity_tshirt)
3. These are getting an honorable mention, though they are not commercially available I thought they were too cool! These were from over a year ago, but I love them! They make me want to buy some and do it myself. I like converse anyway, but seeing them all stitched just makes me smile.(From: http://www.sublimestitching.com/blogs/news/5778382-converse-give-away)
4. My first jewellery pick, could appeal to stitchers and scrappers alike: (From: http://www.firwel-crafts.co.uk/necklace-earrings.htm)
5. And talking of scrapbooking I thought this was good advice for us all: (From: http://www.cafepress.com/mf/32136062/live-laugh-scrap-tshirt_tshirt)
6. I adore this bracelet, great for stitchers everywhere: (From: http://vintagetwists.co.uk/shop/punky-pins-craft-charm-bracelet)
7. I don’t knit, but this made me laugh and for that reason it had to be in the list: “Knitting takes balls”  (From: http://shop.craftster.org/product/knitting-takes-balls-t-shirt)
8. This was another one that made me laugh: (From:http://www.cafepress.com/mmscrapshoppe.157800462)
9. Another honorable mention, I adored these cotton reel earrings: (From: http://creativehomelife.wordpress.com/2012/05/19/does-that-bandoleer-come-with-matching-earrings/)
10. And this last one I want to get, I think it’s brilliant and just SO me: (From: http://www.cafepress.com/mmscrapshoppe/5049669 )

So there it is, my top ten finds! It was really fun looking around for ideas, and I found loads of other great things (so don’t feel bad if you came looking wanting to find something else – by all means mention it yourself!) 

On my travels I did see one thing I’d love to have, I really  want these!  If anyone’s feeling generous (haha) or would like to snap them up for yourself; you can buy them here: http://dragonratjewellery.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2357  

I hope you’ve enjoyed todays post, and you never know, maybe you’ve found a much-needed gift idea!

Next week I will be looking at my Top 10 crafty upcycling/repurposing ideas… If you think there’s anything I should consider, leave a comment and I’ll make sure to have a look! 

Have a great weekend!

Happy Crafting!