Define Your Blog Part 2: Modern Country Crafts

 On Monday, I shared how I think through

Inspiration Posts for Modern Country Style,
and today, I'm going through the same process for
Modern Country Crafts.

 I have two definitions of Modern Country Crafts.

1. Modern Country Crafts are rural crafts that have been updated so that any fussy, fusty, fuddy-duddy elements have been removed.
2. Modern Country Crafts are crafts that give some nod to the beauty of how things were made in the 'olden-days'.

I want the very best of Country Crafts...wreathmaking,  sewing, crochet....but in a way that appeals to me now in the 21st century.

I'm positively evangelical about this.

Crafts don't have to be out-dated or old-fashioned.

No matter what kind of interior you're after, there's a

lovely piece of gorgeousness waiting

just for you to make....

Okey-dokey, the best way to demonstrate what I mean is to show you just some of the crafts that I've shared at Modern Country Style in previous posts so that you can get a sense of what I'm looking for when I put together a
Modern Country Craft.

{Once again, you can click on any of the photos to be taken through to the original post...which is usually a tutorial of how to make your own.}



Click on the image for this three-part tutorial for a piped cushion with a button-heart panel



Want a modern interpretation of pot pourri? These smell divine and look so pretty too.

I love this nod to vintage labels...but using our wedding day as inspiration. Click on the image for details...



Learn how to make your vety own wreath-base using bits and bobs from your garden.



  

...and then click through to learn how to design your own beautiful Spring wreath....

...or click on this photo for something a little more autumnal...

 

Vintage Scrabble tiles make perfect magnets...click the image for an easy-as-pie tutorial...

I adore these votive holders, made using vintage books. Wanna know more?  Click on through.

A tea-towel and old school trousers? How can that be? Click on the kitten to find out...

My daughter made this heart using berries from our garden. Isn't it cute? Click for a tutorial.

Our friends LOVED these as our gift for their newborn. Want to make your own? Click on the ballet shoes..

I made this Scandinavian Santa using tea-dyed cotton and red velvet. Want one? You know what to do.



Click through for a cinnamon starburst wreath...OR candle centre-piece. I'm cunning like that....



Wanna make your own? Click on the hearts...

 

Well, I hope you enjoyed that glimpse into the crafty workings of my mind.

In tomorrow's linky party post,
I'll be defining the renovation part of
Modern Country Style.

I hope I'll see you there...

 I'm linking with my favourite parties in my sidebar.

Crochet Baby Ballet Slippers

Some of our friends have had a

baby girl recently

{Congratulations, sweeties}

and I wanted to make

the gorgeous newborn

a beautiful present.

I used a pattern from the book I reviewed on Monday, Essential Crochet, and, oh, these are the cutest, sweetest, daintiest 

little ballet slippers for a baby girl.

They make me want to have another baby just to slip these on some teeny, tiny, dimpled feet.

{Woah there, Mrs Modern Country, calm your hormones...}

I chose palest pink yarn for the ballet slippers themselves.

Seriously, what other colour was it ever going to be?

The yarn feels soft and gentle and

warm and not the least bit scratchy.  

Perfect for keeping tinsy-insy feet

snuggled up safely.

And then I picked out

two lengths of raspberry

cotton-velvet ribbon

for a little bitta glamma.

The ribbon is threaded through specially-designed loops at the

back of each shoe to make the ballet straps.

A. Dor. A. Ble.

No?

This is what I meant when I said that I was searching out

Modern Country Crochet Patterns.

If I'd seen these in a little boutique down a quiet side street, then I would have wanted to get flirty with Mr Credit Card.

But, really, I was thrilled, yes thrilled, I tell you, to be able to make them myself.

And I totally have luscious Loo at Jumbles and Pompoms

to thank for hauling me kicking and screaming back into the happy world of hooky.

***************************************************

I'm linking up to Tricia's lovely blog A Rosy Note for her Photography Feature linky party. I upgraded to a different camera at Christmas and I'm really enjoying learning more about photography.

 

I'm linking to my favourite parties in the sidebar...

Modern Country Craft Inspiration: Book Art

 Hey peeps.

Welcome to Inspiration Week!

This week, I'll be showing you some of my favourite inspiration images, ending with a partaaaay on Friday.

Yup, the Inspiration Journey Linky Party will be here on Friday 11th March. Will you come and show us what inspires YOU?

I'm hoping you know that Modern Country Style has three elements:

• Renovation: charting the complete renovation of our home and garden.
• Creation: crafting gorgeousness.
• Inspiration: sharing what gives me Eureka! moments along the way.

Most linky parties only let you link up home make-overs and craft projects, which I've found frustrating when I've put together an inspiration post I've been really pleased with so I thought I'd start my very own link party that let's you link up what inspires you.

This Friday's Inspiration Journey party is a trial run for what I hope will become a regular feature here so if you like the idea then I'd love you to join in. ;-)

Here's the button. Will you grab my button by copying the html to your sidebar? Will you? Will you?

<a href="http://moderncountrystyle.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Modern Country Style" src="http://i1219.photobucket.com/albums/dd436/Sarplowman/Inspire20me.jpg"/></a>

Today, I wanted to show you what's been inspiring me craft-wise lately.

I love ancient crafts that have been bought right up to the minute. Modern Country Crafts, I like to say (but, of course!).

Book Art.

Not Art Books. But Book Art.

Art using books and the written word.

I'm not certain yet how I'm going to take these ideas forward but that's why I wanted to call the party Inspiration JOURNEY.

What I often do when I spot an awesome image somewhere is to search around for more ideas around the same theme.

And then gradually ideas form in my head about how I'm going to interpret it for myself.

I might attempt a few of those ideas from my head until I'm left with one I love for me.

That's what I mean by my Inspiration Journey.

I first spotted a Book Art picture over at Michele's Hello Lovely Inc. blog, which is jam-packed full of awesome inspiration. Plus her writing style is fantastic. This was the image she shared, that started this whole process for me:

Absolutely stunning, eh?

Some of these works of art are made out of one book, seeing the book as a carving medium, and using scalpels and tweezers to dissect the pages.

Others use books as a vehicle to ground their art. Bringing the book to life.

Each post this week, I'll be showing you inspiration from a different area of my blog.

Today is craftilicious.

Come again and I'll be the garden.

Care to join me?

 

Images via: K. Stillman, Sue Blackwell, BibliOdyssey, Sarah Bodman, Nicholas Galanin, unknown, Yvette Hawkins, Brian Dettmer, Brian Dettmer, Sue Blackwell, Brian Dettmer, Brian Dettmer, Liz Hamman, Isaac Salazar, Brian Dettmer, Sue Blackwell