This was made from a Simplicity pattern, I can't remember the number, for my friend's 30th Birthday Party, I don't have any fantastic pics of my in it but here's one

it's a bustier, skirt (with lots and lots of pleats round the bottom) and frock coat, looking at the pics I think that when i wear it next I'll wear a petticoat with it, just to help with the shape.

my Mam and I have been wanting to try Quilting for a while and have decided that this year we WILL do it, by hand if necessary.  The box my sewing machine came in says it can be used for quilting but browsing the web some places say it won't be able to handle it or that it will only be able to handle it with a walking foot. So I figured I'd ask here because Craftster has the answers!
It's a Janome Sew Mini ( http://www.amazon.co.uk/Janome-Mini-Lightweight-Sewing-Machine/dp/B001NMQ3QY ) and I've had a good look around but I don't think there's a walking foot compatible with it, or at least not from Janome.
So, the question is, can my little machine quilt? Or should we invest in something a bit bigger? Or should we just suck it up and hand quilt?
Thank you in advance 

well, Kimono Cardigan, but it's close enough. I used a pattern i found on crochetpatterncentr al (this pattern actually http://crochetme.com/media/p/94998.aspx) which was quite simple once i worked out what yarn to use and got my head around the fact that i was working top down, which for some reason hurt my brain cell
so here it is, worked in dk yarn, random brand from LYS, the red is actually a bit deeper and richer than it shoes here but it got over flashed by my phone camera i think and the white edging has sparkles in it (but it isn't scratchy at all, i think i could love that yarn very much, peter pan i think it's called)

hopefully at the weekend i'll get to see my lovely niece in it, even if she isn't yet 3 months old and i made it for the oncoming winter in a 6 month size  oh well, close enough

i've made some before, just using the recipe on the box, and they were really tasty but a bit sticky, like stickier than store bought.
Anyone got any tips on how to make them less sticky? i want to make some this weekend as i'm either going to a bbq or a potterthon and which ever one i end up at i'd like to take treats

i was told today that coconut cream acts as a natural emulsifier which would be great for making lotions, but i was wondering if anyone has tried it? does it work? does it keep that really strong coconut smell? mostly i'm looking for some more info before i go and buy some cause i don't really like coconut (unless it's cooked into a curry sauce or something)

so i've been wanting to try my hand at stamp carving for a while but didn't have the tools or a reason but this summer my partner and i are organising a big group trip for which stamps will be useful, for marking attendance etc. so i thought i'd make some as i almost certainly wouldn't be able to buy ones that'd be suitable, or at least not for a reasonable price
so here they are, carved into the ends of some erasers with a cuticle trimming tool thing



a bird, peaceful and serene
a daffodil because we'll be in wales
and the personal mon of Master Andre Nocquet
so all kind of appropriate, to me at least


and a gratutious arty shot

it was my cousin's 9th birthday yesterday and we're having a tea party for him this afternoon, as i made a cake for his sister's birthday last month i thought i should make him one too, asked his mam what kind he'd like "a tank, or a gun, or something camoflauge" so i went with the tank option
it's a madeira cake, with some dark choc chips stirred through, with a chocolate butter cream filling, i covered it with the buttercream too before i applied fondant
the top part was made separately then put on top, it's held in place with some skewers
the gun barrel is a straw, wrapped in more fondant and jammed in the front
as you can see Oreos form the wheel-ish bits
and all in all i'm quite proud of it, even if half the kitchen is covered in cornflour, cocoa powder and/or icing sugar
ooh the fondant, i got the camoflauge appearance by squashing some little bits of black fondant into the green then rolling it all out together smooshes the colours together properly
also, treat the fondant like pastry, roll it between 2 sheets of cling film and you can get it much thinner as the cling film helps hold it together without cracking and you don't have to use extra icing sugar or cornflour so it's not going to get dried out
overall i'm quite proud of my little effort, so here's a pic of the finished article

i help run a brownie guide unit (girls aged 7-11) and one of the things they've asked to do this summer is a spa night
so far our ideas are: Honey and Oatmeal facemask (anyone got any recipe recommendations?)
and painting toe-nails

so i'd like some help coming up with other ideas that'd be suitable for girls of that age
and of course we only have an hour to an hour and a half

I felt the need to craft this morning as I haven't really done anything for over a week AND I bought some nice pink baby yarn intending to make some booties for my cousin's baby (I think she's due to arrive in 6 weeks) I couldn't find a bootie pattern I liked, but i think i might play about and see if I can come up with something as this bonnet has turned out absolutely lush, I think it has anyways, but I could just be feeling proud of myself for making something without a pattern
anyhow, onto the pics cause that's why you're here 


laid flat on my knee, see the square?


3/4 angle to show off the nice scalloped edge


and a gratuitous shot because i like it
the 2nd pic is probably the closest colour-wise

I did the join-as-you-go thing with the squares, so much easier than making my 4 squares then joining them all together (especially when I have absolutely NO clue where my darning needle is )

my brother and his wife are expecting their first child in the summer, we don't know if it is a boy or a girl so it is known as Peanut    when my brother called to give me the good news it was "Shar is pregnant so erm... i guess this means we'll need to order a blanket from you?" OF COURSE there would be a baby blanket and it seemed the perfect excuse to try out a starghan, mam thought an 8-pointer (round ripple style) but i liked the 5 pointer and so did my brother so i went with the chromium star afghan pattern (http://thekidneybean.wordpress.com/crochet-patterns/chromium-star-blanket/) baby's room is yellow (actually the exact same shade as i picked for the blanket) and cream with pocket dragons (ie green) so yellow and green were good neutral choices
i made it a bit bigger than the pattern said but it used waaay more yarn than it should have (according to the pattern) but it looks good and it'll last Peanut a while
anyhow, onto the pictures




that's it spread out on a king-size bed, the colours are fairly true and if i remember in the summer when Peanut arrives i'll take action shots


--EDIT--

So, peanut arrived 2 weeks and 2 days ago on July 1st and was declared to be Miss Willow Aniela at a healthy weight of 6lb14oz.
Mammy and Baby are both doing well and today we finally remembered to take action shots of the blanket so here we go, with Willow for size reference.



have i gone a little overboard yet? can you tell i'm a proud aunty, well here's 2 more just for good measure, in these ones she's vaguely wrapped in it and therefore looks a little lost, it's my brother, her doting daddy's fault, he did it, i just took the pics