Easter at the cottage

 I hope you all had a lovely Easter 

I'm busy teaching Sewing Camps to kids but over the weekend I got to enjoy some time at home doing what I love most - some sewing, drawing, baking, a little spring cleaning (just a little) and lots of pottering. 

I just love these Easter themed cookie cutters.  I've had them hanging on my Easter tree as decoration but during the week I used them for the purpse intended to make some bunny cookies for the girls in my sewing camp.

I used a lovely buttery lemon shortbread recipe (my go to biscuit recipe) 

Meanwhile I filled the cottage with daffodils and bunnies to get into the Easter festive spirit. 

 I hope you all had a lovely Easter xx

Easter Makes

Hello my lovely bloggettes

Hope you all had a lovely Easter break

It has to have been better than mine ... most of which was spent curled up on the sofa feeling very poorly :o( But I can't complaign as it was rather cosy

And I did get to make lots of lovely Easter themed decorations.  My favourite of all are these Easter Eggs on my tree ...

They were made using polystyrene eggs which I painted in ice cream/Spring colours and then decoupaged rose printed napkins onto them.  I'm super pleased with how they came out.

I also got to practice my crochet skills and made lots of pretty flowers

I was quite pleased with the final result

I also made a little wreath for my door.  I didn't dare put it outside as the weather has been horrendous!!

So what have you all been up to?  Did you make lots of Easter Decorations, would love to see.  Share a link in the comments and I'll come visit. 

Have a great week peeps x

Bad blogger!

I'm a very bad blogger I know!  It seems that I always disappear around this time every year as I seem to be busy getting ready for the Roscommon Lamb Festival.

I was also busy getting ready for our local Easter Parade.  This is a pic of me on the back of my Dad's truck in what is supposed to be a representation of me running sewing and knitting workshops in my cottage.  Unfortunately the 'cottage' was still being built the night before so I didn't get to paint it but hopefully the gingham curtains and bunting made up for that.

It was a little embarassing sitting knitting on my own but a fantastic way to promote my business as I've had loads of great feedback.  Wonder what I'll do next year ?

What's everyone else been up to?  Hope you all had a fab Easter.

M x

Easter Bunnies

Sorry for the bloggy gaps - the sun has lured me out to the garden. 

I'm a little anxious today with the grey skies, I may just have been a tad too early in planting a few hundred cottage garden flower seeds!  Luckily half are indoors, the other half outside but under cover.  

Fingers crossed they will be ok!

Meanwhile back inside the cottage ...

there have been lots of bunnies being made for Easter. 

The one above, and the one below are bunny brooches, quite fiddly to make but I think they're rather cute.

Then there's my Bunny family

Daddy Bunny, Mummy Bunny and Baby Bunny 

Don't you just love bunnies !

My favourite of all have to be Julies over at Little Cotton Rabbits - adorable !

If you've seen any cuties make sure and leave a comment - I feel a bunny pin board starting :O) 

Speaking of which I've been absent from Pinterest for a few days.  I daren't log on or I'll never get anything done :O) 

Have a lovely weekend everyone x

Happy Easter

Wishing you all a fabulous fun filled Easter.

Happy Easter

Hope you're all having a lovely Easter weekend x

These are some of the bunnies hanging on my Easter tree.

If you're stuck for something to do at the weekend I highly recommend you go and see Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang, it's just lovely.  I'd go as far as saying it's better than the first one! 

The story is lovely, very Mary Poppins'esque and the set is just divine.  There's a gorgeous dresser in the kitchen (seen in the background of the pic below) with lots of gorgeous cups and plates and basically all the sorts of stuff I've been collecting for years.  And the house is decorated with loads of fabrics and wallpaper and basically I can't wait for it to come out on dvd so I can pause and have a proper nose about.

Maggie Gyllenhaal was also lovely in the movie and some of her clothes were super cute - lots of embellishing, can't find any pics only this one though. 

Eat lots of chocolate and have a lovely Easter x

Easter Chick Tutorial

I know you're probably thinking it's a little early.  The christmas decorations are barely down and here I am talking about Easter. 

I assure you there is method in my madness.

I thought I'd share this tutorial early to give you time to make some of these gorgeous little chicks (Easter Sunday falls on 3rd April this year).  They are ridiculously easy to do and a great starter project for kids (even adults) learning to knit.

If you have any problems with the tutorial please leave a comment or email me - michelle at michellemadethis dot com.

This is a snapshot of the tutorial but it is also available to download here.

Michelle x

Happy Easter everyone x

gorgeous easter bunny from the charity shop in a dress from tesco



knitted chicks stuffed with eggs on a bed of shredded paper (trying to look like a nest)



various easter egg cozies made with felt

easter card

felt chick egg cozy

my easter tree

knitted bunny & egg cozy

felt chicken cozy


Wishing you all a fun filled Easter weekend.

Michelle x