I’ve been blogging as Ruby & Custard for 7 months now and I have enjoyed it so much that I have now launched http://www.rubyandcustard.com where I will be blogging going forward. For the techies, it is built using the Mompreneur theme from StudioPress.
I’m looking forward to seeing you all over there!
Millie
I was recently set a bit of a challenge – to create some personalized bunting for brother and sister twins. The challenge was in finding a design that would be girly enough and boyish enough to appeal and to use colors that would work together in a shared room. Tough but I do love a challenge!
I came across a brilliant feature about decorating rooms for siblings in Ideal Home magazine and I spotted a picture that sparked something in my imagination and the idea was born!
The design uses stars (which I think are unisex?) and mixes 3 main colors, pink, red and blue.
I was really pleased with how it turned out and the bunting is currently on its way to it’s new home in India (I love being international!) – I really hope the recipients like it.
Millie x
I’ve just finished a big commission and I wanted to do something to clear my mind – in culinary terms ‘cleanse my palette’ – I’ve had an idea for a while that I wanted to create a mini version of a bird pattern I wrote earlier in the year. So I sat down with some new Sirdar Baby DK and a hook and tried to create something a bit smaller and a little bit more dove-like.
I’m really chuffed with it but if anyone know of any resources or has any advice on making crochet pattern writing easier it would be gratefully received!
Millie x
I’ve recently finished some handmade crochet bunting for Maddox – giraffe style!
I originally designed the giraffe for a special commission last year for brother and sister, Bug and Boo, who had an African themed bedroom. As well as a giraffe I designed a zebra!
This giraffe is super special and just for the very lovely Maddox. I hope it is settling in well in its new home.
Millie
Crochet crowns, handmade and decorated with lovely, big, colourful buttons are the perfect accessory for a photo shoot. They are suitable for boys and girls and they are bright and fun to look at.
Here are some photos from a shoot that was done last year by a brilliant American photographer, Agata Domanska, using one of my crowns. I believe the shoot was done in Central Park, New York and the photos are just beautiful.
Perhaps I will get an order for the new royal baby expected in July? 🙂
Millie x
Crochet crowns are available at notonthehighstreet.com in two styles, ’round’ and ‘pointy’, in small, medium and large and I can make grownup versions on request! Prices start from £12.00.
I have just finished a special order for a customer and I am so pleased with it! I was contacted by a lovely lady who wanted something special for her new conservatory which is decorated in cream, white and green. She had seen my cream and white heart on Notonthehighstreet.com and contacted me to see if I could do a special design for her – and I jumped at the chance!
I did quite a bit of research looking at real flower bouquets and decorations on Pinterest to see what sorts of colours might look good. Then I used a real mix of yarns to get the right colour combination and I made a selection of roses, quince flowers (using the fabulous Attic 24 pattern) and a pattern I made up which was inspired by a lovely hydrangea I saw in a garden centre.
I’m really please with the end result. In case you are interested, it is actually hung on my front door for the photo. I recently painted it using Farrow & Ball Blue Grey No.91 (exterior eggshell for the paint techies), although personally I think it looks green, but it sets off the beautiful lion head door-knocker perfectly.
I was so inspired by the success of the large heart that I made 2 small cream and white flower hearts. Until now I have just used roses but I thought the mix of flowers was rather nice for a change.
Millie x
I was recently asked to make some personalised bunting for two very special sisters – very proud big sister Isabel and brand new sister Jessica!
Isabel loves the colour combination of pink and lilac and the brief was to create a design that would give both gorgeous girls something that would work together but also be a bit different. So Isabel had a little bit more lilac and Jessica a little bit more pink.
I was really pleased with how they turned out and I received some lovely feedback that, “they will certainly be a treasured part of their childhood bedrooms”. In fact I’m absolutely thrilled!
Millie x
I’ve been having some crochet fun and making some very useful, little, smiling monkeys – bags! Each bag has sticky out ears, shiny button eyes and a plenty of space for all the precious things a little girl may need to carry around with her 🙂
So far I’ve done two colour ways in shades of pink and blue (ever inspired by Cath Kidston colours!) but I think I may do some more ‘masculine’ colours as I think I know some little boys who might want to have a very useful monkey bag too!
They are now for sale at notonthehighstreet.com for £16!
I was so inspired by the smiley faces I have even made myself some monkey ‘wallpaper’ – what do you think?
Millie x
Summer still hasn’t reached the UK so I’ve had to make do with crochet flowers.
These gorgeous purpley/blue flowers are made using a pattern by the very talented Lucy at Attic 24 called ‘quince flowers’. I made them using an aran weight yarn with a high wool content that has made them quite chunky. They are really quick to make and so effective!
But wouldn’t it be lovely if the sun shined for long enough for some real flowers…:)
Millie x
I came across a little bag in the children’s department of John Lewis recently. It was quite cute and even had some sweet raffia crochet detail, but I thought it had the potential to be something really lovely!
I spent a bit of time unpicking the original decoration and removing the plastic strap. And then, still inspired by Cath Kidston (when am I not?) I crocheted some roses and leaves in gorgeous deep pinks and then set to with a glue gun.
The original plastic strap had been fastened with a brass eye and I couldn’t get it out without damaging the bag so I cut around it as closely as possible and glued the grossgrain ribbon handle over it and finished it with a lovely button on each side.
And ta dah! A gorgeous little evening bag!
Millie
Ruby & Custard 