WOYWW - Birthday preparations

So we're back from our week away in Cornwall and my mind is now firmly fixed on the little man's first birthday,  looming large in just four weeks time. Before the big day however there are more first birthdays among his little friends so I've been busy making birthday presents for them too.

We thoroughly enjoyed our week in Perranporth, but as there wasn't time to get up to any stitchery, I've enjoyed getting on with some sewing projects on my return.

So here's my workdesk. . .

Currently in progress on my workdesk is the birthday collage I have made for him. I have used the collage for the invitations to his birthday tea party and I'm pleased enough with the finished product to mount it up for Ben's bedroom wall. I thought it would make a nice annual tradition to produce a collage for him.

Here's how I used the collage to print pictures for the invitations we have sent to Ben's twelve little friends...

Also on my workdesk is another couple of treasure hunt toys I am making as birthday gifts. Ben seems to enjoy shaking his and looking at the different charms. He is already able to recognise and point to a number of the charms so it must have some developmental value!

I've raided mum's stash of beads, buttons and card toppers and I'm now running low on charms to put in the toys. If you have any suggestions of very cheap sources of 3D shapes (animals etc) about 1-2cm / half an inch, please share them. The pound shops of Shrewsbury have so far proven fruitless!

My final workdesk feature is a handful of needle-felting backgrounds ready to work on. I found them as I was clearing some space in my sewing cupboard for all my busy book materials and thought it's high time I got my head round some needle-felting again.

I'll round off with a collage from my little man's first holiday...

Thanks for stopping by. If you've landed here by happy accident and are wondering what WOYWW (what's on your workdesk Wednesday) is all about, drop by Julia's Stamping Ground to meet a fab gang of crafters from across the globe.

Have a lovely week, happy crafting x

WOYWW - treasure hunt

It's just a quick post this Wednesday as I'm up to my ears in packing for our Cornwall holiday. I've not been very busy with my sewing this week so here's a whistle-stop tour of my workdesk...

The little man's first birthday is looming large just a few weeks away so I'm working on a birthday picture. His birthday teaparty will be hungry caterpillar themed and I plan to use photographs of the finished picture for the invitations he'll send to his twelve little friends. If it's any good when I've finished it I might frame the picture for his wall.

Also on my workdesk is the finished 'treasure hunt' toy I've made to occupy Ben on the ride down to Cornwall.

I've used some clear plastic (like table cloth) to make a little pouch which I filled with plastic pellets and ten little charms including a ladybird, butterfly and duck. Ben is getting good at recognising and pointing to 'red spotty ladybird' in his favourite books so hopefully he'll enjoy hunting for it in this toy too.

So it's been a frenzy of last minute packing for me, but we've not all been so busy. I think someone has already got into the holiday spirit with a bit of 'mañana' time...

That's all for now folks...I must get on with scaling the Mont Blanc of ironing! I'll try to drop by some desks at nap time and catch up with some of the lovely crafters via Julia's Stamping Ground :-)

Happy crafting x

WOYWW - busy book grand finale!

Morning all, and welcome to my What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday post!

The last week has involved much grumbling (and some swearing tut, tut) in pursuit of a finished busy book. The primary cause...bias binding. I decided it would give a professional finish to edge each busy book page with bias binding but soon discovered that my enthusiasm exceeded my skill! Undeterred I battled on and, after burning the midnight oil last night, I have finally finished my busy book project.

The busy book, entitled 'Ben's Jungle' is the star of the show on my workdesk this week...

I'm really pleased with how it has turned out. Each page will offer Ben something different to fiddle with and every one incorporates an activity which will grow with him too. Hopefully hours of fun will be had.

I couldn't leave the book anonymous so I stitched a little maker's mark on the back! The last innovation to be added to the book was a bookmark. We happened to notice that Ben was very interested in the ribbon bookmark on my Husband's A4 work diary so I thought it would be nice to incorporate one in Ben's busy book so he could be like Daddy.

A massive thanks goes to mum (a.k.a. Twiglet) for keeping Ben occupied while I've whirred away on the sewing machine, not to mention her technical advice!

Also on my workdesk this week is my ideas book with... yes you guessed it, my plans for the next busy book. Glutton for punishment perhaps!

I've collected together all my nautical bits and bobs and have found a cute little bear that my Aunty Annie (a.k.a. Wipso) made for me some years ago. The busy book will be called 'Bear at the Beach' (not to be confused with 'Bare at the Beach', a naturist's guide to the coast tehehe...) and will see the little bear doing lots of seaside activities. Watch this space!

On the subject of the seaside, I'm taking Ben to the Welsh coast today with my best friend so will stop by a few workdesks later on this evening. Thanks for stopping by!

Happy crafting x x x