The September Made It – Hold on to your hearts

Hello! Are you ready for another dose of fabulous Made It entries? Thought so…

The following 5 entries are from one of our regular Made It challengers who is UBER creative, SUPER talented and a WHIZZ with yarn…not to mention a very entertaining writer too 🙂

Linen Crochet Sunhat by B*A*M Crafts

Looking ever so smug – and who can blame her! (you’ll have to click on the link to see what I mean 😉 ) in her STUNNING blue crochet linen sunhat is Beth of B*A*M Crafts. Her hat is beautiful, the stitches look exotic and the linen looks amazingly soft – I’ve never actually used linen before, hmmm.  Lucky for us there’s a link to a free, chart based pattern YEEEHA

♥

Brian The Amigurumi Bear by B*A*M Crafts

When I first saw Brian (an excellent name for a bear!) the amigurumi bear, I was immediately taken in by his bright colours and big beautiful eyes, and once I read Beth’s post I learned that he was styled and inspired by her niece. I love the addition of his blue waistcoat and pink daisy – a very funky bear indeed

♥

Warden Owls by B*A*M Crafts

And while we’re on amigurumi toys, here are two gorgeous air raid warden owls making their cameo appearance – also made by Beth

♥

Tunisian Crochet Phone Pouch by B*A*M Crafts

Ahhhh, I love this technique. Here is a stunning Tunisian crochet phone pouch that was quickly made by Beth as a “pick-me-up”  for herself while in a pit of despair with the sudden realisation that she had (at least) 15 WIP’S…..some of which are actually lost!

♥

Lace Shawl by B*A*M Crafts

Just in case you thought that crochet was all Beth could do (pfffffft) here is her beautiful KNITTED lace shawl in such lovely colours.  If you’ve never blocked anything before (putting my hand up) then click on the link for some seriously good advice – with pics!

♥

Bunting by B*A*M Crafts

And if you have a heart beat, then you automatically LOVE bunting!! Here is Beth’s very own pattern for knitted bunting – click on the link for a whole lot more to woo you. Oh, and if you make some please be sure to share your pics on her facebook page. Go wild!

Thanks Beth

♥ ♥ ♥

Pretty Bunny by Angella de Jager

Say hello to this sweet toy bunny, made by Angella de Jager, who is joining our gowing family of bunnies in this months challenge. Angella is an incredible artist who sews, crochets, paints, writes etc etc etc and whose work always inspires, invokes a smile and a lovely feeling of happiness.  You can view some more of her work here.  As for this very cute & quirky little bunny, she ticks all three boxes and more 🙂

♥

The next three entries are from the wonderfully colourful and very talented Madeleine from Pretty Blue Bird Studio

Rose Heart Bunting by Pretty Blue Bird Studio

You see! We all LOVE bunting and this rose heart bunting captures that feeling perfectly. This particular bunting was custom made and is the crochet version of her client’s logo – how cool is that!

♥

Floral Bunting by Pretty Blue Bird Studio

And another string of loveliness. Madeleine is a master with colour – mixing and matching so beautifully and her photos are magazine quality. This floral bunting is stunning and should be hanging in gardens everywhere. (Pssst, although The Inspiration is stunning, I prefer her version!!!)

♥

Hand Knitted Socks by Pretty Blue Bird Studio

And wasn’t I just saying how clever she was with colour?! WOW, these hand knitted socks are bold, bright and beautiful. I love how they are slightly different too with a splashes of red at the top. Even though summer is approaching us in here in Cape Town, I’m pretty sure she’ll get away with wearing them all the time.

♥

Thank you all so much for your amazing entries. There’s still time to enter so click on the link below to add your. Until later…

 Love Maryanne

CLICK ON FROGGY TO ADD YOUR LINK

 

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The May Made It winner is….

WOW, another fantastic Made It challenge has come to a close…but not before I announce the winners! Firstly, I’d like to thank each of your for entering this month. It’s an honour to share your passion and to be inspired by your work, your creativity and dedication.  It’s always so easy to see that every single item was created with so much love. Thank you Thank you too, for everyone one who voted! Each vote is an acknowledgement, a cheer and encouragement – believe me, that goes a long way ♥

Right, with that said, let’s get on with the winners

drum roll please…

CONGRATULATIONS HELEN ROWE from CROCHET CREATIVENESS!!!

Thank you Helen for taking part! Not only is your beanie beautiful, it’s going to an incredible woman for an incredible cause. Please send Jill all our love and best wishes

Here is your badge display where ever you please!

Your prize – this gorgeous Owl Cushion made and donated by Lucie, from Love, Lucie is all yours and will be making her way to her new home very soon..you lucky thing you!

♥

And now for the Voter’s Choice Award

another drum roll please….

WOOHOOO, well done to CAROLE from A SLIGHT OBSESSION WITH BOOKS!

Here is your badge to display on your blog!!!

♥

Thanks again everyone -we’ll be back soon

Love Maryanne

*winner chosen randomly by InLinkz

The May Made It Challenge – VOTING OPEN ‘TIL MIDNIGHT!

Hello, here’s just a quick reminder that VOTING is still open until midnight tonight and thank you so much to everyone who has voted so far.

I will announce the randomly chosen winner plus the Voter’s Choice winner tomorrow – so let’s get more votes is and show our entrants how AW♥SOME they are!

CLICK ON FROGGY TO VOTE FOR YOUR FAVOURITES   

~ THE PRIZE~

Thank you to this months prize giver,  Lucie from Love, Lucie 

This fabulous Owl Cushion is up for grabs this month!

The MAY Made It – One more entry and VOTING is open!

Yes it’s that time already, when voting open and lip trembles because you know that it’s going to tough voting for your favourites!!!

But before I go and let you go crazy wild,  dishing out your here is TEN ♥‘s A DAY, here is our final entry…

Essential Project Basket by Pretty Blue Bird Studio

LOVE THE COLOURS! And I’ve come to expect nothing less from the wonderful creative, pink-haired lady herself, Madeleine from Pretty Blue Bird Studio. Her gorgeous new project basket, crocheted with TARN is fabulous. Please pop over and have a read and an ogle at her photo’s and other projects too – warning, you may not get anything else done today!

♥

Right everyone, on that note …..

Good luck everyone and THANK YOU to everyone who has entered. Remember that we the winner of the Voter’s Choice will be awarded with a badge for their website/fridge! Winners will be announced on the 31st May

CLICK ON FROGGY TO VOTE FOR YOUR FAVOURITES   

~ THE PRIZE~

Thank you to this months prize giver,  Lucie from Love, Lucie 

This fabulous Owl Cushion is up for grabs this month!

The March Made It – Baby Ripple Blanket for Baby Rocco

This next entry into the Made It challenge is a little closer to my heart ♥

My friends Viera & Chris in the UK recently had a delicious bouncing baby boy called Rocco (who I’ve haven’t seen in real life YET!) and Mommy absolutely floored my by sending a pic of her first ever attempt at a crochet blanket

YES, FIRST ATTEMPT!

What more, she says that she was inspired by a project she saw right here on the Made It challenge!!!!  (I will ask her again which one so) but in the meantime THANK YOU for the inspiration – isn’t that what it’s all about 🙂 I will also ask for a pic of Little Rocco with his exquisite blanket for you to ogle

♥  ♥  ♥ ♥  ♥  ♥ ♥  ♥  ♥ ♥  ♥  ♥ ♥  ♥  ♥ ♥  ♥  ♥ ♥  ♥  ♥ ♥  ♥  ♥ ♥  ♥  ♥ ♥  ♥  ♥ ♥  ♥  ♥ ♥  ♥  ♥ ♥  ♥  ♥ ♥  ♥

ADD YOUR LINK TO ENTER  

This months PRIZE for the lucky randomly drawn winner is this FABULOUS Newsboy “Blinged Up” hat made by the wonderfully talented Jill of Nice Piece Of Work!

This months prize!!!! Bling Newsboy Hat by Jill from Nice Piece Of Work

 

 ♥ CLICK ON FROGGY TO ADD YOUR LINK ♥

 

VOTING IS OPEN FOR THE FEB MADE IT CHALLENGE!

WHOOP WHOOP!

VOTING IS OPEN

 ♥ click on the PINK LINK to VOTE  ♥

ps TIP: once you’ve cast your votes (all 10 of them) press F5 to refresh the page to see the totals so far

  The FEBRUARY Made It Challenge

~ THE PRIZE ~

This months prize is a stunner,  made and donated by Trevlyn of Babushka Crafts! The winner will be randomly drawn by InLinkz on the 28th FEBRUARY.

Good luck everyone!

The FEB Made It challenge – New entries!

Thank you all for the lovely response to Trevlyn’s prize that will soon be in the hand of this month’s winner. I assure you, her crocheted shawl is even better in real life. Now that we’ve all recovered, let’s get on with the next MARVELOUS bunch of Made It entries!

First Socks! by Kakes Crafts

I love “firsts” – this time it’s the sweet Kayleigh of Kake’s Crafts  who’s taking the title with these gorgeous socks! (Am I the only person left who’s never made a pair of socks!!?). The colour is lovely and they look as warm as snuggly as knitted socks should – these surely are the things that make winter worth it!.

♥

Crochet Roses by Rainbow Junkie Corner

Now, these are my kind of flowers! Jane from Rainbow Junkie Corner has entered her knitted roses and rose bud which are guaranteed to bring lots of cheer all year round. I have a feeling we are going to be treated with some more flowers in the near future (nudge nudge, wink wink Jane!)

♥

Yipee, we have a newbie to the Made It! A huge welcome to Madeleine from Pretty Blue Bird Studio, a fellow Cape Townian with a way with a hook! This fab bag is an upcycled project, crocheted from old plastic bags – and the colours are stunning. Please pop over and say hi!

♥

Miss Lily Rose by Pixie Miks A Lot

Meet the lovely Miss Lily Rose! A warm welcome back to the lovely Pixie Miks A Lot and her beautiful doily clad mannequin. This lovely lady (Lily Rose) has had a recent colour make over with these bright and happy circles. Looking very chic and trendy! LOVE the earrings too 🙂

♥

Ohhh so much inspiration, so little hours left alone to crochet…sigh. The uber talented Lucie from Love, Lucie is on top form with the next three amazing entries. Have a look…

Pom Pom Cushion by Love, Lucie

How absolutely clever to combine Pom Poms with a cushion – genius! The overall effect is fun and of course, it’s a great way to get the kiddies involved too!

Grey Swirly Cushion by Love, Lucie

Ooooh my, another cushion that completely pulls at my heart-strings! The combination of colours, circles and materials is perfect. WANT!

Needle Case by Love, Lucie

Sweet! Lucie made this needle case for her Mom’s birthday using this gorgeous fabric! There a wonderful step by step tutorial so making one looks slightly less daunting

♥

Crochet Stool Cover by Yarn Chick 40

This is a very cool stool!!! This is the latest fine make by our funky yarn chick, Lisa from YarnChick40 and the first cover I’ve seen for a square stool that has made provision for the little gap in the middle. Brilliant!

♥

Hope you’ve enjoyed these as much as I have! Now off you go and add your linkies…

Love Maryanne

Click on the PINK LINK to add yours

 ***  The FEBRUARY Made It Challenge  ***

The FEB Made It challenge is OPEN!

Welcome back everyone!

WOW, is the end of January already and if you have had a month like mine, you probably feel like the year is well under way already…Busy, With a Chance of Excitement – can you feel it??

While you all get busy adding you links by the dozen, I’m off for the weekend to attend a wedding – the kind of wedding you’ll be green about. Yip, beach and 35 plus degrees!!! (although, I seriously could do with a few degrees knocked off, it’s cooking here!)

Will check in again on Monday with the rest of the details of The Prize, and of course,  with a few wedding pics. Have a super weekend

Here is the  PINK LINK – can’t wait to see what get entered!

Good luck ♥

Love Maryanne

 ***  The FEBRUARY Made It Challenge  ***

The Christmas Made It – I love lucie! (and the prize, of course)

Hello lovelies, hope your pre-festive season is relaxed, breezy and all under control. HAHAHAHAHAHAH pfffffft…I know. As if!

Some one who does seem to have everything well under wraps (‘xcuse the pun) is Lucie, from  Love, Lucie

Christmas Stockings by Love, Lucie

*falling in love* Simply stunning! These adorable Christmas stockings bring back memories that I don’t think are even mine. Maybe I’ve watched too many idyllic Christmas movies, who knows, but these beauts make me feel super nostalgic. The elf toes, the tiny bells, the red & white pin stripe, the NAMES….absolutely fantastic!

♥

 

Linen & Button Hanging Heart by Love, Lucie

Another gorgeous make by Lucie is this linen hanging heart, completely with a shower of beautiful buttons and trimmed with pretty hessian – a gift for a friend! You HAVE to read the full post,  if you haven’t already, for a very entertaining tale of a night out – sounded like a lot of fun! I do have a question though…what on earth is an “orangery”?!!!

♥

De-Icer Sock by Love, Lucie

A very far-from-daft idea indeed!!! So what is it you ask? This pretty stripy sock is *an ingenious* solution to that annoying clunking sound that something metal make while rolling around at the back of the car! It’s a DE-ICER holder of course!!!! Click in the link for more pics.

Well done Lucie

♥♥♥

~ THE PRIZE ~

And because December is the 12th month, so how about 12 luscious balls of lovely Vinnis Colours Serina in 100% Bamboo in an array of awesome colours….. hmmmm?

I’ll be back with more in a bit – in the meantime, to enter the challenge click on the PINK LINK to add yours!

****    The CHRISTMAS Made It Challenge ****

The Christmas Made It challenge is open!

And in true “Maryanne” style I’m a day late. Sighhhh oh well!

However, nothing can dampen the fact that it’s the CHRISTMAS challenge YIPEEEEEE

 I have never been completely enthralled with Christmas, in fact I think I’m officially the last person I know to get the tree up. My poor kids!  It might be because almost my entire family decided to be born in December or it may be the end of year madness . Or perhaps it’s because I’ve lived in both hemispheres and let’s face it, the traditional White Christmas is very different to the day spent on the beach or at the pool under the baking summer sun!

Yes, there’s a lot that’s the same; the turkey, ham & stuffing (oooh and trifle of course), the crackers and the usual funny looking hats too, but here in SA there just isn’t the same buzz of excitement about Christmas that there seems to take hold of  Europe or USA ( we spent last Christmas in the UK with family and the vibe was so exciting!). Or maybe it’s just me…

Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas but I’ve just never been that excited about it. Until now that is. Maybe I’m getting in touch with my inner child or maybe it’s because this year lunch is at my house (we almost always go to my Mom’s) and maybe, just maybe it’s because I’m already inspired by you lot!

That said, I cannot wait to see what all the new entries this month. Of course, there is no strict theme ever but I’m hoping to see lots of Christmassy things to get us all even more in the mood (if that’s even possible!)

So, you can enter from NOW to the 28th December, then voting will being on the 29th December to the 4th Jan (I’ve stretched the dates a bit to accommodate holidays etc)

I will announce the winner of the 5th Jan 2014. I will also let you know in a day or two what’s up for grabs – it’ll be a goodie.

So there is it, the link is OPEN – click on the link to add yours and let the Jingle Bells begin!

The CHRISTMAS Made It Challenge