Crafting Fingers: when one craft isn't enough

This post was made in collaboration with Emmaus UK

Every crafter loves a good challenge. When I was challenged to make some Christmas decor in support of the charity Emmaus, I couldn’t refuse. Who doesn’t love a good bit of craft in support of a good cause?

Hunting for treasures and imagining them in a new form is so much fun. It adds an all new spin to shopping and makes it all the more satisfying. At least in my books.

At the Emmaus superstore in Leeds, I picked up this old spurtle (a Scottish tool for stirring porridge and soups) for 30p. Using a small amount of affordable materials this tree topper angel came to life. Here’s how to make your own!

This post is sponsored by Jewellery Maker.

What’s your vote on craft kits? I’m still pretty 50/50. Some of them are amazing and fuel creativity, while others feel a bit cookie cutter and restrictive.

When Jewellery Maker said they have a new range of DIY kits, I wanted to try one for myself. The kit touts itself as “everything you need in one box to take you through the basics”.

And since I had never made a seed bead bracelet before, I just had to put that claim to the test! Scroll through to get my 5 top tips for working with seed beads so you have an easier time than I did figuring it out for the first time.

Every week is Stationery Week in my book.

With an overflowing to do list and too many scattered thoughts to count, putting pen to paper is a lifesaver for me. There’s nothing better than some crispy fresh paper and smooth ink to get my creative juices flowing. Mmmmmhmmmm.

To celebrate stationery, social media, and my teeny-tiny obsession with boho themes, I’ve made this fresh and chic set of weekly planner printables. For free, for you, right now!

The second best part about staying at my parents in Finland is their house. (The best best part is, obviously, spending time with family.)

Mom and Dad’s house is HUGE. As in, the place is massive. As in, you can lose someone in it and so we regularly use our smartphones to find each other. As in, there’s always a cool project to dig your teeth into. (Skolbacka used to be a schoolhouse, how cool is that?)

Because I move a lot and rent I’ve never bothered painting walls. So at Mom and Dad’s I jumped on the opportunity to try wall painting.

That’s right. This is the first time I’ve ever painted a wall and it’s the first time I’ve ever used Annie Sloan Wall Paint. Let the experiment commence!

BEFORE ANNIE SLOAN

Every wall of the cafeteria, including the arch, was painted magnolia from floor to ceiling. As you walk in, the first thing you notice are the bright stencils all over the arch. Artistic license I guess? Yeah, those stencils gotta go.

Warning: this post is a massive rabbit hole into the world of crochet. It’s 2400+ words. You can cheat and watch the 5 minute tutorial video to get the good stuff fast. I can’t take responsibility for any addictions that may arise. This tutorial assumes you know NOTHING about crochet, and goes through all the tiny details that confused me when I started out.

Already know how to crochet? Advanced tutorials are coming next! Subscribe to the Crafting Fingers YouTube channel to get the latest free tutorials. For now, share this post with a friend and you’ll have the perfect excuse to dig through your yarn stash. I’d love to hear what your first crochet ever was! @craftingfingers