Growing Crafty Kids

As everyone who knows me, I am one crafty obsessed Mama with 2 children - Lucas (nearly) 9 yrs and Mollie 7 years. The kids have see me craft all their life. If I am not sewing, I am knitting, if I am not dyeing I am toymaking….and how has this impacted on the kids??

Mollie is one crafty girl. She role models A LOT of what I do. She sews pressies without being asked, she knits in front of the telly, she dyes her own fabric and gets very excited at a parcel of craftness arriving at the gate.
She thinks handmade first..everytime! I wrote a post on the Crafty Mama forum about this a couple months ago. She knows the value of making special individual gifts.

Now my boy…well he is a kinda legoing, slot cars, race around the house on his scooter kinda boy. He loves seeing what we create and has a lovely smile when he comments positively on the creation. He asks for Mama made shirts and shorts every time and gets particularly excited when I pull out the yarn winder - see, it is mechanical. He makes handmade cards for presents but mainly leaves the craftiness to Mollie and Me.
But boy, you should see what he can create with some Lego blocks and an engine!

When they were little, we always had an art and craft table and cupboard . In this cupboard there was paper (all kinds), Lyra pencils and crayons, watercolour paints and brushes, canvases, glitter, pop sticks, exercise books, beeswax crayons, sticky tape, scissors etc etc etc. It was one full cupboard and it was well used. We also had a portable wooden easel for outside craft.
Yes it used to get messy but the kids were always busy.

We are really a crafty family. The Dad of the house builds, maintains and services just about everything. We have Dad made book cases, wooden flyscreens, extension (really, I should written that one first J) sheds, gardens, tables and his current hobby model trains…which Mollie and I are keen to get into some scene building. The kids have seen nothing else so they think ‘Do It Yourself’ is normal.

I am not sure what will happen when they get to teenagers and young adults but I think if you encourage, support and embrace ‘being creative’ it has to be a positive influence on a child's life!
(particularly with so many TV and gaming stuff available for children now a days)

That is our crafty family in a nutshell….join in, tell us how your family embrace craftiness and creativity!!

x Lissylou

August Giveaway Winner

Oops, sorry for my lateness but I have finally drawn a winner.

Congratulations Tas, thanks everyone for entering.

BLOG GIVE-AWAY!!

The lovely Peta from One Little Stitch has kindly offered up this months  Crafty Mamas Group Give-away prize..and it is stunning!! ( so don't enter...I need to win this!! ). Thankyou so much Peta!

Here's what Peta says...

" I have made a Citron shawlette from Knitty.  The Yarn is The Yarn Cafe/Evoke Handyed Yarns Caress Cobweb Lace (merino/cashmere/silk) in the Merlot colourway.

The shawlette measures approx 100cm across the top and is 50cm high in the middle, I’ve added two extra repeats to the pattern to make it a bit bigger.

Umm can’t really think of anything else to tell you except whoever gets this will have to handwash and block it (instructions here)." 

How gorgeous! Ok, leave us a comment...Peta will draw a winner via Random.org on the last day on the month so... August 31st!

June Giveaway Winner

Wow time flies doesnt it! I know Im a little late with this but the winner of Cathy's wonderful creation is Yvy! Well done!!!

Stay tuned for this months giveaway :)

June CM Blog Giveaway

Well this month we have Cathy returning to donate to us another of her wonderful creations. Thanks so much Cathy!

Cathy has generously supplied us with this super cute and definitely warm pinny. Its a size two and has a box pleat in the front and covered buttons on the shoulders. The bodice lined with flannelet and made with baby corduroy. So soft and snugly for this cold weather we are having!

So you know the drill - leave a comment and I will draw a winner at the beginning of next month.

You have to be in it to win it! And a huge thanks again to Cathy!

May CM Blog Giveaway Winner

Well done to Kylie for winning the May giveaway which was so kindly donated by Julie.

Big congratulations and stay tuned for Junes giveaway!

May CM Blog Giveaway

Sorry for the slow start on this giveaway readers but its been a hectic month!

This month we have a really fantastic prize and one I would absolutley love to win.




Julie (gypsyj) has donated a set of 250ml Sun Print Dyes. These are the dyes that Julie uses to create her wonderful printed fabrics that we all salivate over!



They come with an instruction sheet and Julie has some more instructions on her website at www.rainbows-end-studios.com.

So thank you to Julie for her lovely donation and leave a comment - winner drawn at the beginning of June.

April CM Blog Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to Krissy for winning the wonderful April giveaway donated by Lissy!

Thanks everyone for entering and stay tuned for Mays great giveaway!

April CM Blog Giveaway

Hi everyone,

I hope you have had a wonderful and relaxed Easter and are enjoying the school holidays.

Its that time again to announce this months giveaway and I would really like to thank Lissy for her wonderful prize donated for this month.

Introducing Marina the Mermaid. She is made from cotton tricot skin and filled with wool fleece. Her clothes are made from hand dyed velour and hair hand dyed wool yarn. Silk ribbons and wool felt finish off her decorations.

Her mermaid clothes are removable and Lissy will also add a second set of clothes for a quick change.

Isnt she adorable!!!



So please leave a comment and I will draw the winner at the beginning of next month!

Good luck!

March CM Blog Giveaway Winner

Congratulations goes to Carolyn! Well done!!!

Stay tuned for the April giveaway.

have a wonderful and safe Easter xxx