Cute Cookie Tutorial

cute cookie

At the end of the month I have a stall at a food and drink festival where I am selling my food themed goodies.

The 'little grey cells' have been whirring away and the cute cookie is one idea I've come up with and so I thought I'd share it with you as a non fattening Easter treat! 

You could use it as a keyring or brooch.

You will need

2 circles of tan felt - whatever size you want your cookie to be, mine are 5cm across
2 small black brads or buttons
11cm of ribbon
small piece of chocolate felt
a split keyring
sewing thread




To Make

Find the centre of one of the circles, and just a little way up make two small holes close to each other for the brads. I use the points of my little scissors, but the official way is to get a pin or needle and then wriggle it in the hole, to make it bigger!
Push the brads through to make the eyes or
Sew on two small black buttons to make the eyes.
Sew a big smiley mouth with a little stitch at the bottom and at each end.

face details

Cut small circles from the chocolate felt - I did this freehand.

cutting chocolate chips

Sew them randomly on as chocolate chips and I used one to make a nose. At the same time, hold the folded ribbon behind the face, to help catch it in place as the loop for your key ring.

As you sew the chocolate chips on catch the ribbon in place

Put the two circles together with the ribbon loop sandwiched in the middle and sew around the outside edge. It can be blanket stitch or even a simple running stitch.
For an idea of a simple decorative running stitch and how to turn it into a brooch see here.

Blanket stitch around the outside

Happy Easter everyone!
I'm joining in with Handmade Monday this week, so welcome if you're a visitor from there.

Hello-hurrah - what a nice day - for the Eden Project

Yesterday, Mr P-L, Pickle-Lily and I headed off to St.Austell  for a day at the Eden Project. I used my Tesco club card points so entrance didn't cost any real money, although I did pre-book for Mr P-L and P to go on the SkyWire.

Inside the Rainforest Biome

We had a fabulous day, it wasn't nearly as busy as I'd thought it would be, and the sun was out!
First up, was the chocolate trading trail through the Rainforest Biome. We met Mayan ladies, some very cheeky Conquistadors and a very warm Victorian lady serving imaginary hot chocolate! I, off course embarrassed teenage daughter, by playing along with the role-play and joining in with the activities. We also made our own small chocolate bar!

Burnt wood sculptures

Hanging sculptures

Inside the Rainforest Biome

WEEE man sculpture

Mr P-L and P then went for a 'go' on the SkyWire - England's longest zipwire, whilst I sat knitting in the sunshine with two friendly robins for company, as I waited for them to zip overhead!

knitting in the sunshine

Lunch was very pleasant, although be warned if you have a fussy eater there isn't much in the way of  plain or simple food available.

These are called Ballerina - I want some!

Then we went to the Mediterranean Biome - which was perfect. There were the most amazing displays of tulips. Beautiful colours and textures. We finished the visit with an ice-cream in the sunshine visiting the outside gardens. we managed to take 137 photos and 2 videos - so these are just a select few!

 



Bye bye birdie

For the last few weeks of term the school has been having a 'Blackbird Watch'. A pair of blackbirds built a nest outside the library window and the children and staff having been watching them hatch their eggs. It has been brilliant watching them (both adults and children) stand so still, be very quiet and just look.

Blackbird Watch in action!

We have been amazed by how hard the parents work feeding their four chicks, how bright the yellow eye is on the Mr Blackbird, how quickly they grew in two weeks and just how do they fit in the nest!
The last day was spent waiting for the biggest two to fledge, they spent most of the day it seemed perched on the nest edge but never being quite brave enough. I have no doubt that when we return to school after the Easter holidays, the nest will be empty, but you never know the parents may return and lay a second clutch.

2 weeks old now!

In honour of their hard work - and I thought I worked hard - I have redesigned my little birds with bright yellow eyes for the blackbirds and beautiful tail feathers.

blackbird needle book

Now to research the questions the children have asked and I didn't know the answers for..
Why are blackbird's eggs blue?
and
How do they make their eggs blue?
Do you know the answers?