The muse may be sneaking back....

 I bought two extra craft mags this month (gulps; feels slightly guilty).
The first is 'Simply Homemade', which is only in its 4th issue. I'm afraid I bought it solely for the free stamps!!!!
I uhmed and erred about it, put it back, then went back to WH Smith a few days later and bought it anyway... because as well as a tree and a bird, one of the stamps is a large ladybird, and I know someone who LOVES ladybirds...... so I made these for her-

 instead of attaching the toppers to blank cards, I folded some cotton paper in 4 to make a 'notelet' and attached them to these;

(Some of these photo's are a tad blurred- sorry about that, the light was poor, that's my excuse- )

 the stamp included the antennae but I used chain stitch in double cotton thread instead :)

I packed them up with envelopes and a homemade label:

 and a notecard:

and off they went to the Netherlands. Ssshhh! I think it's ok to say. She doesn't really pop in to this blog, she's usually around Bob's place ;)

OK next!!!!

This is a new magazine, called Mollie Makes.

You can look inside the first issue here.

I signed up for the first three issues for £5. The advert for this offer was in my papercraft magazine-

....so in the absence of a detailed contents list, I assumed it would have lots of papercraft in it. Not so! It is very inspiring, though, with interviews with crafters and lots of photo's etc., but mostly for sewing, knitting and crochet, home design, that sort of thing. So I've cancelled any further issues after my initial 3. I would recommend you have a look at it though, if you spot it. It really is something different, and very lovely. But for me it would be a sort of coffee table book- inspirational but not entirely useful!

Anyway, enough waffle.
This mag comes with a kit each issue. This first one comes with a kit to make a mobile phone holder:

 Here is the holder I made with the kit, and my phone.

Incidentally, it isn't as flash as it looks, my phone. Although I do enjoy it. It's newish, see, I've only had it a month or so. It comes with a built in pointy stick for you to type with on that touch screen. Cute ;) No, it's not an I phone! It was £34.99 at Tesco (no affiliation blah blah blah though my Bear loves Tesco cos he gets to ride in the trolley, which you can't do in Waitrose, as they give you funny looks in there if you let your Bear ride in the trolley.)

 

 The other side.

Now, that brown felt was my own. All the other felt came in the kit. The felt they supplied was VERY thin and stiff, more like a kind of handmade paper. I took the grey felt that they supplied for the main part of the case and used for a lining:

Next month's issue comes with a kit to make a felt flower. Hmmm. I wonder if the felt will be of any better quality. Never mind, you still get the pattern!

I really enjoyed making this as it was something I needed. It works well and my phone doesn't slip out of it at all so the screen is protected at last from all the junk in my bag.

Hope you enjoyed browsing!

NEXT I need to clear out the 'craft room'
For 'craft room', read-

'Small room between the kitchen and the back door, near the piles of recyclable plastic and paper that are awaiting the right collection day. Listed as bedroom 4 by the estate agent but used as an office by previous owner. Now contains 2 large shelf units, 1 small bookcase, 2 computer desks, 3 shelves filled to bursting. And boxes. Boxes in stacks. '

I thought if I spend just 15 minutes a day trying to clear it out, that's nearly 2 hours after a week. It HAS to look different after then, doesn't it? Bought this in The Range today. It's a 'Really Useful' tray. It wasn't too pricey (just under a fiver). I thought I'd have it on a desk, with pens in one bit, then scissors in another, then paper scaps, then stapler, etc etc. Then when I want more room I can just lift it all off in one go. We'll see!