Little Robin Christmas Tree Decorations

I have discovered mini craft sticks in The Works ……. and these little robin decorations are the result of my first experiment with them.

I started by deciding that I wanted to use them in a triangular shape, then coloured enough sticks on both sides with green Sharpie pens to make three decorations.

I glued the sticks together using E6000 so that they would be securely stuck, but PVA would have worked equally as well.

I then cut six holly patterned triangles as the background, sticking two back to back so that they were double sided for a neat back, as you may have realised I am a bit anal about the derrieres of my tree decorations, in case they twirl round and expose a tatty backside!!!

I also added a metal pendant loop to the top of the back so that a ribbon can be threaded through to hang on the tree.The final touches were made by finally adding the glittered paper robins, their feet and faux stitching round the edges using a white gel pen.

Looking at the pictures now, I think they need a little something else to really finish them off, a small red bow and perhaps a pair of jingle bells at the top????  I will post another picture when I have found some suitable ribbon, what I have at the moment is too thick, and you know me, it’s all about the proportion!

Off To London ……. And An Object Of Very GREAT Desire!

As you know, it’s Eurovision this weekend …….. last year I was there in Stockholm with Rick, Marc’s partner for what, for both of us, was a dream of a lifetime, and I know on Saturday night we will both be wishing that we were there again this year, but there was just something about travelling to the Ukraine that made us hesitate about trying to get tickets.

However, on Friday I will be travelling down to London for a long weekend with Marc and Rick, having already sat through all the semi finals to familiarise myself (as has Rick, no doubt) with all the runners and riders ……

It is entirely probable that several small vodka and cokes will be enjoyed, along side a box (or two) of Maltesers and other such delicacies, with both Rick and I keeping our fingers firmly crossed that a more accessible European country will be the victors so that perhaps we could have another bite of the Eurovision cherry …… and, if we do, Rick is determined that we will be standing amidst the throng at the front ……. and that would be so, so brilliant!

In between the Eurovision brouhaha I think Marc and I are going to have a go at soldering, Marc having just bought a soldering kit in order that we can continue our quest (now in its four year at least) to make “the perfect” microscope slide Christmas decoration and other potential jewellery charms ……

And my object of GREAT desire ………..

I have always, always, always wanted an adult tricycle, you just wouldn’t believe how much …… and this one was just £300 and didn’t even look like it had been ridden. Sadly, it will have to remain where it is, as I just don’t have anywhere to keep it, it’s quite large and my flat is very small, it would fill my whole hall and I couldn’t live with that.   I might just have a look on the estate to see if there is a bike shelter ……… but for now, to quote the late Matt Munro, I think it will have to remain “The Impossible Dream” …….

In the same shop as the bike was this 50’s/60’s kitchen cabinet, it’s quite an iconic piece (see below)  ….. it’s not to everyone’s taste, but I love it.  I keep on saying I need two flats/houses, one to live in and one to do up.  My flat is modern with no quirks at all …… if ever I win the lottery, I would definitely buy a terrace type house just to indulge my hobby!

What A Total Crafting Mess! – Something To Make You Laugh Today

Sometimes things start out well, and then go horribly, horribly wrong! Sometimes you can turn it around if you put something away for a week or two and then go back to it, but on other occasions you should just have the good sense to bin what you’ve done and forget about it!

……. And that’s exactly what I should have done here, instead of heaping layer upon layer of more mess!

All started well, when I covered a few children’s picture dominoes with blue paper and glittery, self adhesive snowflakes, followed by a layer of glossy accents.

But when they were dry I didn’t know what to do with them, in my head I wanted a snowman’s head coming from the side ….. but as I didn’t have a stamp or any suitable embellishments, I thought I would just add a “casual” Let It Snow sentiment printed on my computer instead ….. plus another layer of accents and some stars  …… but the ink ran!

So instead of cutting my loses then and there, I hand wrote Let It Snow again in biro as I knew that wouldn’t run and stuck it on top of the original wording and added more flipping stars. Why mix stars and snowflakes, goodness only knows?  And as you can see all I did was create a hideous mess, now thankfully in a landfill site up the road!  But I hope I gave you a chuckle and what the …..? moment!

The Twelve Frames Of Christmas – Festive Patchwork Box Frame Decorations - No. 3

This is No. 3 of my 12 Days of Christmas patchwork shadow box frame with which I plan to deck my festive halls for Christmas 2017.

Below is how it started out in the planning stage

However, as the final gluing started to get underway, things got rearranged again, and then, there’s no going back, all that’s left to do is the fiddle farting with flat back gems, googly eyes, stars etc. I am not too sure about the “weird” red angel with the stripy hat, from the look of her attire and nose, she’s started to celebrate Christmas already! 

Sharpie Painted Plate

This plate was just pure relaxation, adult colouring books don’t really do it for me, if I used one colour that I thought looked wrong I would just get disgruntled and the page left as it was to annoy me, but just doodling and colouring as I went along certainly soothed this savage beast!

I used an old Ikea plate (diameter 19.5cms) I already had in the cupboard, it was a little scratched, but it was soon covered up.

I just started doodling and just let it flow from one thing to another as the pictures show ……

I used Sharpie pens for the design.

POST NOTE: Before baking in the oven, I let the plate dry for about 48 hours to make sure it was really dry,  I then baked it slowly in the oven at 130c for two hours after reading several articles on the net on the best ways preserve/secure the ink from the rigours of washing up - http://www.destinationdecoration.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-sharpie-mugs/ - however, this did not work, the temperature was not hot enough and an awful lot of the design came off in the first wash ........  I am now in the process of more experimentation, however, with a higher temperature comes risk the fading of the pre-baked brilliant colours ....... (please also see added comment left by anonymous reader below)

If I was being critical, the “flower” in the middle is well off centre, but as this plate is just for me and my marmite and toast to brighten my morning, it really doesn’t matter that much!


Re my ink adhering problems, this comment was left in my comment box, for which I am very grateful ..........

"That is GORGEOUS! I don't know if this will help, I've tried using Sharpie markers before and found they didn't "bond" to the ceramic, when I looked into it I found that most of the tutorials I'd read were American and their "standard" Sharpies seem to be different to ours (from memory I think it was something to do with alcohol content) I found some UK bloggers had had success by giving the ceramic a light sand before colouring in but even then they'd had issues. Hope your experiments go well and you find a technique that works, the plate is lovely & I'd love to have a go again. Maybe any overseas readers can help as they don't seem to have the problems we do in the UK. If all else fails you used to be able to buy a clear glass paint that you baked in the oven (it was designed to be used to tint and lighten coloured glass paints) - a layer of this would seal the design but can't remember if it was food safe or not? Good luck with your experiments."

Large Frankenstein Halloween Fridge Magnet

This is not my original idea, I found it on Pinterest http://thisgirlslifeblog.com/2015/10/popsicle-stick-frankenstein-craft.html#more-7503….. and then pinned it to my Inspiration Board. In my using of the idea I have made a couple of small changes.

I took six green pre coloured lollypop sticks (The Works, for a mixed pack costing £1). I glued them with a “Tacky” PVA glue, onto a scrap of white card, which acted as a base.

Once the glue had set I drew on the hair, nose, eyebrows and mouth using a black Sharpie pen.

I was a bit confused as to where Frankenstein has his bolts, on his temples or through his neck, in the end I chose the later, cutting them from mirror card, to secure them, then I decided to go the whole hog of fiddle fart and covered the white card with silver and then secured the bolts with the same.  It just just looks neater.  I also added a piece of self adhesive magnet tape, so it could be put on a fridge etc..

I used two sizes of googly eyes for extra comic effect and then threw caution to the wind by accentuating Frankenstein's hair and facial features with Ranger Glossy Accents, it really worked well, especially on his hair.

Next ….. I think I will make a pumpkin face using the same basic idea, perhaps to use as a coaster.

Insect Memory Frame Pendants

I cannot tell you how thrilled I am with these Memory Frame Pendants.  They have been a very long time in the making, as I have had the Ranger Inkssentials Memory Frames for too many years to remember, so long in fact that I think they are now discontinued and if there are any still available they will be few and far between.

The idea came to me when I found these Anita’s Dimensional stickers in The Works and wondered if they might work in the copper finish frames.

……. but in order for the idea to work the insects had to fit in the memory capsules from the same Inkssentials Range, fortunately I also had  the remains of three packs, one pack for each size of frame, kept for all this time too.

Several of the insects were indeed a perfect fit, everything came together and I was so chuffed.

The above frame measures 2” x 2” ins. and I have used a circle memory capsule with it.  As with all the frames I have used a scrap of handwritten text paper for the background.

This frame measures 1.5” x 1.5” ins and I have used an oval shaped capsule with it.
The last frame measures 1” x 3” ins fitted with a lozenge shaped capsule.

It was tempting to put a little Range Glossy Accents for added realisim on the insects before I put them inside the capsules, I still might, but wondered if there might be enough shine from the capsule without adding any more inside.

I still have the original boxes of Memory Glass made to fit in all the frames (now, I believe, also discontinued) but decided that if these frames were ever to be worn as pendants it might be a lot safer to just use several layers of card glued together onto a scrap piece of silver mirror card that fitted snuggly into the frames and use the glass for other projects, especially as it wouldn’t show anyway.

So much of my crafty stuff had to find new homes when I moved, I am so glad these bits didn’t.  I shall be keeping my eye on eBay just in case any frames crop up, but I think it will be increasingly doubtful.

Sharpie Pen–Birthday Plate

The original idea for this plate comes from Pinterest https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/210332245070608988/

This plate, originally from Ikea measures 19.5cms in diameter, so I would think I would probably describe it as a large tea plate.

There’s not a great deal to it really, I started off by drawing the basic design on the plate with a black Sharpie pen ……..

……. and then gradually filling it in with all the other Sharpie colours I have, adding random doodles and and spots as well as filling in the candles.

Before baking in the oven I let the plate dry thoroughly about 48 hours to make sure it was really dry, then I baked it slowly in the oven at 130c for two hours after reading several articles on the net on the best ways preserve/secure the ink from the rigours of washing up - http://www.destinationdecoration.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-sharpie-mugs/

Post Note: I had to experiment with the baking time and temperature of this plate after the ink failed to adhere on a previous plate.  I increased the temperature between 180/200 in an electric oven, baking for about two hours. The ink set ……. but the colours faded considerably, as the picture below illustrates.

Me thinks more experimentation needed …… perhaps a high temperature but a lot less time? I won’t let this beat me!

Pink Popsicle/Lolly Stick Sugar Plum Fairy Christmas Tree Decoration

Following from my first lolly stick ballerina, this is my second attempt, turning the ballerina into a fairy.

I think I may have gone a little over the top with her embellishment, but I doubt if a certain little madam will notice!

I have used three pink cake cases for her skirt, and added an self adhesive strip of iridescent gems for the extra bling factor.
I made a small slit using a craft knife in the centre of the cake cases to put the fairy’s body through.

I wrapped wool round the top for hair, wool and also used it to wooden beads onto for arms and hands, plus a feather butterfly for her wings, (Home Bargains – 6 assorted colours for 99p, and excellent quality), with added gems to match her dress.

When the butterfly was glued onto the back of the stick it hid and safely secured the arms.  If I was being really anal, it wouldn’t take much to hid the slightly ugly centre of the butterfly with a scrap of matching paper etc.

I used tiny gems on her slippers and top with a small gem flower in her hair.

If making these Sugar Plum fairies to decorate a Christmas tree it would be easy to just thread a loop through her hair to hang her from.