Quick and easy make up bag

I love the bag books by Debbie Shore! This little make up bag was created using the plastic templates from the "Occasion bags" book. As the templates are made of plastic it means they are sturdy and super easy to use (and they don't tear like traditional paper patterns!)
This little make-up bag doesn't have any sort of clasp/zip but instead the flap at the top is wedged under the bow to keep the contents inside. I think the next one I make I will put a zip in the top in order to prevent any smaller items getting lost.
The fabrics I used for the bag are from a Riley Blake collection which was recently launched by Crafters Companion.

Christmas Stockings

This year I have been making some Christmas stockings to add small presents to. These would be great instead of using wrapping paper and because they both face in opposite directions they can be hung at opposite ends of a fire place/shelf.

The stockings are created using a fabric panel from Crafters Companion. On the original panel you are supposed to have the tree one side and the snowflakes on the other but I wasn't keen on the green and pink being different colours at the top so I made two stockings instead! That way you get twice as many from a panel too.. hurray! Each stocking is then fully lined with white fabric and has a polyester wadding in the middle to give it a bit of body. The wadding also helps the stocking keep its shape when there are items inside. Each stocking then has a co-ordinating fabric on the back, which for these two is a printed cottons from the Crafters Companion "Merry and Bright" range.

When I bought the stockings I also bought advent calendar  panels in the same colours so watch this space as they are on my (very long!) to do list!