The Jungle Book

Although I have a slew of friends and customers who are obsessed with Disney movies, even as adults, it's taken me a while to include many of the favourites in my range of book buntings.  But one which I have started adding, and which has been quite popular, is The Jungle Book.

Admittedly, this is one (of several) Disney movie I haven't seen, and I only passingly know the original stories by Rudyard Kipling.  Though, perhaps with the live action movie version slated to be released in 2016, I might just get to know more about Mowgli, Baloo, Bagheera and their friends.  Are you a fan of The Jungle Book stories and movie?

More boho charm on its way!

Today, I am excitedly showing off three new additions to Two Cheeky Monkeys' boho literature necklace range.  I introduced this range about a year ago, combining my love for vintage skeleton keys, floral cabochons, charms and literature jewellery all in one exciting range.

Like the original range of necklaces, the new additions have been made completely in one colourway.  With a necklace as busy as this, I didn't want to distract from the beauty of each charm with too many colours.  Also like the original necklaces, these new ones are all one of a kind and won't be replicated exactly due to the vintage nature of the keys and cabochons I use.

So far I have made Atticus Finch, Mr Darcy and Anne/Gilbert necklaces.  But I would love your input - which characters would you like to see embodied in a charm necklace?  And what colours do you think I should include in this range?

Giveaway Winner

Thank you so much to everyone who entered my latest giveaway and shared it with others on social media!  It took me a while, but I have finally gotten round to picking a winner.  Our winner is Gill W., who is excitedly awaiting an Elizabeth Bennet brooch - I hope you love it Gill!  For everyone else, keep your eye out for my next giveaway.  And in the mean time, you can enjoy FREE SHIPPING on orders over $100 in my Madeit store by using the coupon code FREESHIP2015.

Tutorial Roundup: Upcycling vintage thread spools

After spending a day or two researching tutorials for wooden spool bouquets (for Monkey #1's birthday party), I found a tonne of wooden spool-related tutorials which looked delightful.  So much so, that I have a list so long of the ones I want to create, it will probably take me the rest of the year!  I've put together a short list of my favourite DIYs for you to enjoy and entertain any little people you have running around this school holidays.  Enjoy!

1. Button bouquets by Bella Dia
2. Photo holder by Stampington & Company 
3. Christmas ornaments by Blackberry House 
4. Summer fruit spools by i heart naptime 
5. Liberty of London spools by Tea Rose Home 
6. Christmas tree by The Creative Patch

Cake Maker Extraordinaire? Maybe Not...

To mark the "official" first day of school holidays, I'm showing off the baking I did for the cheeky monkeys' birthdays this year.  While I love to cook and bake, cake decorating is not really my thing since I lack the patience to complete a complicated masterpiece full of fondant sculptures and piped whimsies.

However, this year both monkeys chose fairly simple (i.e. even I couldn't get it too wrong) cake designs, as well as the standard iced cupcake (topped with popping candy!) for sharing with their classmates and teachers.  I have to admit that the No. 8 cake had me jumping for joy at its simplicity.  And the Kit Kat and Smarties cake had me drooling over the large amount of chocolate required to decorate it!  So what do you think???

DIY Personalised Charm Necklace

Those of you who remember back to my personalised earrings tutorial, will remember that I had a few of these elegant vintage charms leftover from my project.  Since the little cheeky monkeys so admired those charms, I decided to turn them into fun necklaces for them.  The necklaces are almost as simple to make as the earrings were, so keep reading to see how you can make a fun, personalised piece for your favourite little girl.

Supplies:

- vintage alphabet dangles (or alphabet charms of your choice)

- two glass beads of your choosing, similar or smaller in size than your alphabet charm

- length of chain (I used a 45cm length)

- jump rings

- headpins

- lobster claw claps

- 22 gauge beading wire

Instructions:

1. Lay out all of your supplies and grab your jewellery pliers; round-nosed, flat-nosed and cutting pliers are all handy here.

2. Turn each bead and alphabet charm into a dangle.  For the beads I did this by placing each bead onto a long headpin and then creating a loop which was then wrapped closed around the central pin.  For the alphabet dangle, I wire-wrapped it into a loop dangle with the beading wire.

NB: If you prefer, you can simply add a jump ring to the top of the alphabet charm and make simple headpin loops for the beads.  I chose to wire wrap mine as this make the dangles much sturdier, which is important when my monkeys are wearing the item!

3. Thread each dangle onto your chain, making sure you are happy with the order of your dangles as well as ensuring your dangles are all facing the same way (if they have a front and back side, that is).

4. Attach the jump rings and claps to the ends of the chain.

5. And there you go, a fun little necklace for a little girl who loves to wear her initials!

Psalm 23

Things are pretty crazy here at Two Cheeky Monkeys HQ, what with Mr Monkeys struggling with the flu all week and me madly preparing for Monkey #1's upcoming birthday party.  So sadly, things have been very, very quiet on the creative front.  However, I did manage to finish off one new bunting for Domum Vindemia in the midst of all my cooking and playing nurse!

It is a bunting made from a relatively rare Little Golden Book, one which features a psalm from the Bible which is well known to many in both the Christian and secular worlds.  The 23rd psalm, titled "The Lord is My Shepherd" due to it's first line and theme, is one I love, including the various vocal versions of it produced over the years.  I think this would be a great bunting for a Sunday school room, or as a gift for a child's or baby's baptism.  What do you think?

I'm on Instagram!

Yes, yes, yes, I have finally jumped onto the Instagram bandwagon!!!  I've been thinking about it for quite a while, and decided to make the plunge in spite of my reservations about my phone's camera.  For those of you also on Instagram, you can find me at @twocheekymonkeysdesigns and @domumvindemia, with the two accounts sharing posts (usually) specific to that store.  And that picture of me up there - that's the one you'll see on both accounts (for the time being) so that you know you've got the right accounts.  Thanks for joining me!

Shabby Chic Doily Buntings

I usually post about my latest book buntings and favourite children's stories, but today I am posting about my first love, shabby chic doily buntings.  A sudden influx of customer orders left me with only one doily bunting in-store, the horror (but so happy to see buntings flying off to new homes)!  Not happy with this state of affairs at Domum Vindemia, I quickly set to sewing up a host of new and colourful buntings!

Because the doilies I upcycle for these buntings usually come in neutral tones, I like to add a splash of colour by using coloured bias binding for the bunting "ribbon".  I've added a few new colours (teal and pastel blue/aqua) as well as re-adding a perennial favourite, yellow.  Some of the new buntings have already gone off to new homes, so I'm really pleased with my choice of new colours.  Do you have a favourite?

Garters for the Book Loving Bride

Things certainly don't slow down here at Two Cheeky Monkeys headquarters, even with school productions, birthday planning and parties as well as daytrips to hang out with the in-laws!  So today I am giving you a sneaky peek at a little idea which has been growing in my head for about six months, literature-themed bridal garters!  I have many brides commissioning special literature jewellery pieces for themselves and their bridal parties, and even some who have used my jewellery pieces in their bouquets.  And adding bridal garters is another step in completely outfitting the book-loving bride.

The new garter range will come in white stretch lace, which is soft and comfortably sits around one's thigh.  Brides will have a choice of an "I married him" charm (from Jane Eyre), with a lace bow, which comes in a variety of colours.  I think the new garters are fun and feminine, without being over the top blingy.  Would you wear one for your wedding?

A day trip to the Mornington Peninsula

Although a day trip to the Mornington peninsula was a little insane due to our recent track record with bad health, we did so nonetheless (it's a long and complicated story, so I won't get ranting or anything), planning to make the most of a tough situation.  Our two aims for the day were to enjoy a morning at the Red Hill Community Market with Mr Cheeky Monkeys' family, followed by a trip to the nearby Ashcombe Maze and Lavender Gardens.

 

 

We made several fun and useful purchases at the market, and then the little cheeky monkeys and their cousins went crazy exploring mazes and hunting for the "hidden" gnomes and fairies dotted around the Ashcombe gardens.  We were absolutely exhausted after our day down southeast, but I would recommend a similar trip to anyone who has a few days spare to explore the area.  For those who love the beach, walks and local produce or wineries, you could probably even spend a relaxing week visiting all the nooks and crannies of the Mornington Peninsula.

Upcycling Roundup: Denim Rugs

As my close friends and family know, I love a good picnic with perfect weather and a beautiful location.  Spring is usually my ideal time of year to go on picnics, so now that Spring is officially here in Melbourne, I have been trawling the internet for fun picnic ideas.  I am currently enamoured of upcycled denim jeans rugs, so today I have a roundup of great tutorials, each showing you how to make a variation of a jeans rug.  And the best part?  You're being eco-aware by recycling old jeans, AND you get a sturdy and fun blanket/rug to boot!

1. DIY denim patchwork quilt

2. Blue jeans quilt

3. Easiest denim quilt

4. Denim picnic blanket

5. Denim triangle quilt

6. Checkered picnic blanket

Locket Necklaces Are Go

There is so much exciting news this week!  Aside from a custom literature brooch giveaway, my long awaited supplies of chain have arrived.  This means that I have been avidly finishing off several new locket necklace designs with which I am COMPLETELY in love.

The first two are based on necklace designs I loved as a child, the iconic cameo inset into a locket.  Both of them are set with Mr Darcy's name inside the locket and you can choose from either a carnelian and cream floral design, or a more traditional woman cameo design in wedgewood blue.

The second two are a continuation of the freshwater pearl locket range I released earlier in the year.  The first necklace in-store was a Pride and Prejudice-themed one featuring the names of Mr Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet.  The first of the new necklaces features the name "Wuthering Heights", whilst the second one has been inset with Mr Rochester and Jane Eyre's names.  Which of these is your favourite?