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.

Valentine's Rosebud Initials

Here are my Valentines Rosebud Ornaments. I've shaped them into our initials.

G for Guy

S for Sarah

And, of course, a heart.

Sarah loves Guy.

Or Guy loves Sarah.

Depending on how the mood takes me.

;-)

The letters were actually easier to make than in yesterday's post. There was no twisting of the wire to be done.  Just gently bending the end back around the last rosebud.

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

One more day to go to my English Garden Party. Eeeeee!

Come on over tomorrow (Wednesday morning GMT) to link up.

There will be a bath available for anyone who gets over-excited by all the scrumptiousness available to drool over.....

{Can you imagine? A bath in the garden?}

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

Rosebud crafty tutorial

Hello again, sweet pea,

Well, am I glad to see you today. It's so good to have some adult company.

{Between you and me, the chicken pox saga is somewhat taking its toll on my sanity.}

Have you chosen your outfits for Wednesday's English Garden Linky Party at Modern Country Style?

I'm thinking some posh wellie boots would go down well.

Yup, this is definitely the outfit I have in mind.

;-)

Please will you come along and link up your garden/ flower (fake or otherwise)/ outdoors posts too (the grabbable button is on my sidebar to your right)?

{I can't very well have a dress like that and prance around on my own, now, can I?!

Oh, alright, I probably could but it would be *so* much more fun with you.}

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

Now onto the rosebuds.

This is one of those excellent crafts that pretty easy to put together but looks absolutely awesome when it's done.

Here's what you'll be needing:

A packet of dried rosebuds, which, if you're wondering where to find them, I got easily-peasily from eBay. My second home.

Some firm but malleable wire

Pretty ribbon

Step 1

Take a rosebud and push it onto the end of the wire. If your wire isn't stiff enough then you can use a needle to make a hole and then slip the wire through that.

Step 2

Repeat until you have between 20 and 30 rosebuds on the wire then snip off the wire with a few cm spare at each end..

Step 3

This part depends on what shape you want to make. If, for example, you're after a heart then simply bend the two ends round until they touch and twist together to secure, trimming off excess if necessary. Shape the wire-loop into a heart.

Step 4

Attach pretty ribbon.

Step 5

For a gorgeous finishing touch, swivel the rosebuds so that the stalks all face same the same way.

Step 6*

Love Modern Country Style for always.

Mine are up and look so lovely and romantic. Tomorrow I'll be sharing my rosebud reveal.

Can't wait!

* Step 6 optional

Valentine's Cushion

I have an announcement to make.

You are all cordially invited to:

 Modern Country Style's English Garden Party on Wednesday 9th February 2010.

Just to be clear....I am SO chilled out about what you can link up. Does it have to be a perfectly manicured garden? Nope. It can be a bunch of flowers, or some herbs, or dried flowers, or your winter yard, or some lovely outdoorsyness (no, not 'odiousness', Mr Spellchecker...) of your choice.

Out of my factory of fun, I have masterminded a new button....which is over on the righthand side of my blog, on the sidebar.

I will love you forever and a day if you grab the button (by copying the html code below it) and put it on your sidebar if you have a blog too.

Thank you so much.

Let it be known far and wide that I love Valentine's Day. Not the commercialised schmaltzy version but the loved-up coupley thing. 

Slow dancing. Red roses. Love letters.

Makes my tummy do a flip at the thought of it.

So, with that in mind, here is the first of my Valentine's offerings.



A Valentine's cushion celebrating our marriage together.



We got married at a gorgeous red-brick church 1999, Sussex, England. The sun shone for us and we absolutely glowed with happiness all day long.




I used bleached calico on the front and grey wool on the back for an envelope-backed Valentine's cushion.



I used a draw-thread technique to create the two lines on either side of the stamped section by pulling about ten or so complete threads out of the material. It creates a kind of ladder effect.



My top tip is do that bit afterwards. If you mess up on the stamping, you don't want to be repeating the pulling.

Don't ask me how I know or I'll growl. :-)



I love the combination of the two textures and colours: the soft charcoal wool and nubby off-white calico.



Perfect for snuggling up with, alongside this pearl-grey faux fur throw.



I used a mixture of vintage typewriter keys and standard alphabet stamps. I have a bit of a stamp mania going on at the mo.

Stamping everthing in sight I am.

I've already given this cushion as an early Valentine's present to Mr Modern Country and was utterly blown away when he said that he *loved* it.

Yes, he used those words. L.O.V.E.D. 



Well, you could have knocked me down with a feather. 

 And thank you so much to Cindy at Oakview Cottage for sharing my Modern Country kitchen makeover. Have you visited her blog? The photos she and her husband post there are awesome.......and she's LOVELY too. ;-)

Come back soon for some rosebud scrumdiddlyumptiousness.

Could there be anything more Valenitne-y than rosebuds?