I’ve Put All the Pieces Together

Tadaaaa….here’s my latest Hexagonal Etui Box, shown in an earlier post in pieces – I don’t mess around you know!  It might make a good first sewing box for a young crafter because of the ‘cute’ kawaii red riding hood theme.

 

I love the way Anna’s illustrated tape goes so well in the interior

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New Hexagonal Etui Box – Vintage Sewing Notions

Tadaa!  The finished article. 

Hexagonal Etui Box

I’m really pleased with the way this one has turned out.  I love the linen fabric, both inside and out, and the vintage images on the outside.  I think the linen polka dot fabric goes really well too and I decided to stamp the plain linen on the inner base and lid with this gorgeous whimsical mannequin image from Stampington & Co.

Inside the Box

I think I’ll make something  quick and easy next, just for a rest.

Etui Box – Japanese Style

Inspired by these gorgeous Japanese themed fabrics, which I found here in France, and my friend Maggie who is a Japanophile (must look up the right word for that!) I decided to make one of my Little Housekeeper étui boxes with a Japanese theme.  I wanted to make a pagoda but couldn’t even begin to imagine how I would make a pagoda-shaped roof to fit one of my boxes without engaging in extremely complicated and time consuming calculations and engineering which would mean spending even more time than I already spend making one of these little houses.   So, I faffed about with the fabric on the roof and used it on the bias, trying to suggest a sort of overlapping and overhanging effect. 

 

The Little Housekeepers

Well, hello Blog and Happy New Year! I feel as if I’ve been away for ages but I guess it’s only a couple of weeks ago I last posted anything. 

Little Housekeepers - houses to keep things in!

Anyway, I’ve had my parents over from the U.K. for Christmas so my visits to the computer have had to be curtailed as blogging is not the most sociable of activities – at least, it is, but not when people are actually visiting you.  They were actually supposed to be here for Christmas Day, coming over on 22nd December but the snow in the South of England brought the country to its knees and their flight was cancelled.  The first flight available then was on Boxing Day so, not too bad, and then they changed their return flight (otherwise they would have met themselves going back!) and were here to see in the New Year. 

However, I did manage to escape to my ‘lady shed’ a few times to try out a new project.  I let my mother in as she had bought some crochet work with her and, after moving yards of  Christmassy fabric out of the way, discovered I have a sofa in there and she could sit down and do that while I got on with some sticking and cutting and sewing.

I have had quite a few requests for instructions to make my étui boxes and this is something that I am going to give some thought to.  The design for the hexagonal box is not mine so I can’t do that but I designed the small one myself and may well get round to writing out full instructions, with photos, etc., in the next couple of weeks.  I may do it as a pdf file or I may do a little kit with the card already cut – can’t make up my mind.  Once I’ve written it, I’ll have to find a willing friend to make a box, following the instructions, so that they can report back to me on the clarity of my directions.

Once I sell the instructions or kits, I will expand upon my original idea and make some slightly different étui boxes.  These will be in the shape of little houses, each one different.  I think I’m going to call them Little Housekeepers as that sort of gets over the idea that, not only are they an ornamental item in the shape of a house but you can keep things in them too!    I made one for a friend for her Christmas present – she was my guinea pig (thanks Anna!) – and she seemed to like it so off I go.

Here is my first one (or second one if you count Anna’s) and it is all black and white and has musical notes – can’t think of a name yet but it will be something musical – could be ‘The Piano House’ or ‘The Musical House’ or something along those lines, haven’t decided yet but it will come to me in a flash as most things do.  Hope you like it.

A Little Housekeeper in Black and White

 

....and inside

 Just finished ‘The Love Shack’.  I designed a new gable ended roof for this one (well, o.k. my husband did all the calculations but that’s surely the easy part). 

The Love Shack

 

 

The House of Romance

 

Fairytale Cottage