What’s In My Posh Sweetie Dish…. While I’m Crafting Today?

Haribo Smiley Faces …..!

Primark Bird Brooch …. An Experiment

 

When I show you my shopping, I like to be able to do something with it within a few days or else it’s squirreled away and soon forgotten, and all the initial excitement of a brilliant shopping find gets lost!

So, this is what I’ve come up with using the £2 Primark bird brooch I found.  After a bit of of thinking I decided to try and cover it with Decopatch paper, which worked pretty well …

Then, my next idea was to cover it with Utee, but in my haste, I didn’t bother to read the instructions properly and the results were very uneven, lumpy  and disappointing, which is not surprising really!

However, with a bit of picking, I was able to remove all the layers …. and start again, this time covering the paper with Ranger Glossy Accents.  It’s not perfect … but that adds to its quirkiness.  I have also added a small yellowy flat backed gem for the eye as the Accents was drying.. All in all I am pretty chuffed with how it’s turned out second time around and I shall be wearing it.

Help Taking Pictures …. Help for Shelia …

Sheila in the Chatbox asked about taking pictures of cards etc.  I wasn’t much help, but follower Marc has come to the rescue with a couple of really good tips,  he says ……

This website shows you how to build a simple home photo studio to take better pictures:-http://www.diyphotography.net/homestudio/cheap-homemade-diy-studio-no-lighting-needed
Or you can buy a small ready made studio for £17.99 at
Or you can buy a small ready made studio like this one for £17.99 from http://www.mensgiftshop.com/acatalog/home_photo_studio_large.html

Thank you Marc.

I got my home studio from Maplins …. but I have to admit to hardly ever using it  …. perhaps I will have another play with it now.

Birthday Card For Painter/Decorator

I have to admit to struggling a bit with this card, the brief  was “for a male, who had been doing a lot of DIY, with a bit of humour!” Simple!?????  In the end, as I didn’t have any suitable embellishments, I went to Scrappin Doodles and downloaded this clipart set:-

http://www.scrappindoodles.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65&products_id=2475

I have to admit I am not too keen the green cap, it looks a bit odd, but I added the badge to break it up a bit.

I’ve done a few simple decoupage layers on the hat, braces, brush and buckets and added googly eyes and tiny buttons.

 

The paint splashes are clipart images I found on Google. To make them and the buckets  look more realistic I’ve added some Anita’s 3D gloss finish.  The card is A5 in size, printed and based on white linen card.  The outside of the newspaper part is mat and layered on silver mirror card.

What’s In My Shopping Bag Today …

I am really cutting down on my craft spending this year, but while out shopping yesterday couldn’t resist these Primark bracelets - £2 each, made up of 8 large rose beads.

I am thinking of using them as single embellishments on boxes and bags for Mother’s Day.

And this is for me, I have lot of ideas, but I’m not sure what to try. I wonder how it would cover with Decopatch …… or if I could stamp on it, or just ink it …… then whatever I do, I   am planning on covering it with several layers of Utee.  I may even have a gem that will fit the eye ….. hmmmmmmm!

Happy Valentines Day with an Huge Apology

I FEEL I REALLY MUST APOLOGISE ..... I get quite a few e-mails presenting me with Blog Awards ..... and though I LOVE receiving them, I tend not to accept them because with writing two blogs with posts that usually include a lot of photography each day, I just don't have the time to meet the criteria these awards tend to set out ..... I feel awful, but I hope you will understand xxxxx

However, as most awards require the recipient to reveal something about themselves (and I tend to be quite secretive), I thought I'd show some of things I have in my Craft Room that inspire me .......

I was looking around and realised that I have quite a few hearts scattered here and there…and what better day to share a few with you, than today …..

I made this button heart years ago, it’s looking very rough round the edges now, but I can’t bear to throw it away.

Some hearts I have bought on little shopping trips to new places, this laser cut heart is a reminder of a visit to Southport and Chester this time last year.

This resin heart was in a parcel from a very special friend.

And I love, love, love, these heart pendants and other jewellery made by Mary at http://www.mary-mary.net/ - I’ve ooooohed and aghed at her lovely stuff at the Christmas Gift Fair that is usually on with the HobbyCrafts Show at the NEC in November for several years now, but so far I only possess a postcard ….. mainly because I just can’t decide which one I like best!

This heart was found in a gift shop sale at the beginning of the year ….. I wish I had bought a couple more now …….  typical!

It’s a little heart shaped glass pocket, you can put a little message in, as the paper heart opens up into a flower. I love it.

This wooden box has been with me for at least 45 years, it was to given me by a boy called Gerald O’Connor when we were at Infant School in Smethwick!

 

Anyway ….. enjoy your mooch round my craft room …..

xxxx Happy Valentines Day xxxxx

Two Valentine Cards.

This card measures 12.5 x 12.5 cms and is made using a white linen effect card.

I thought that I couldn’t get away with just posting a card like this as it is far too simple, but to be honest, this is the sort of card I would love to get and would pick up in a card shop, my own taste is very less is more.

The heart is cut from a lovely red sparkly paper using a 2in scalloped heart punch and then stuck straight on to the card blank.

This next card measures 12.5 cm x 12.5cm and is made using an ivory linen effect card.

For this second card I have used a plain edged punched heart, but added a text background paper, mat and layered on gold mirror card and four very shiny (and quite expensive) flat backed glass gems to bling it up. Again very simple. The red glittery paper is from Making Memories – Red Glitter Love Notes – 31740, but as I have had the text paper for a long while, I don’t have any details for it.

Marks and Spencer Mini Gingerbread Men

Look what I found today ….. 99p for 12 – don’t know if I can bear to eat them!

Daft Question ...... do you think they would varnish .... the sell by day is sometime in November, so goodness knows what's in them ..... was wondering if I could add them to a festive wreath??????

Jewelled Heart Valentine Card

This card measures 12.5cm x 12.5cm and is made using white linen effect card.

There’s nothing like a bit of tasteful bling! I’ve punched a plain heart using my large 2in (diagonal) heart punch and then covered it with an assortment of red, clear and pearl flat backed gems using a tacky PVA glue.

A bit of mat and layering on silver mirror card, and Bob’s your uncle!

Little Red Wooden Heart Valentine Card

This card measures 12.5cm x 12.5cm and is made using a white linen effect card.

This is my 9 square template card made using a 1in (measured diagonally)  X cut scalloped  square punch, red gingham background paper and very sparkly glass flat backed gems, plus a bit of faux stitching.

I wasn’t sure if the ink would stay on the wooden hearts without smudging, but fortunately it has.

Valentine Penny Mix

I’ve just put a few sweets together for a Valentine theme…..

…….. mini love hearts, love bugs, chocolate hearts

Penny Mix, gives them a Retro feel!

I Love You Valentine Card

This isn’t my own idea. My sister had seen a card in a shop recently using an eye, a heart and a letter U – to “spell” “I love you” and asked if I could put together something similar, though I hadn’t seen the actual card.

I am not sure about the wibbly wobbly eye …. but it’s an idea that I think I could improve on …and can think of a couple of variations on the theme..

Little Puffy Heart Sticker Valentine Card

This card measures 12.5cm x 12.5cm and is made from an A4 sheet of glossy red card from PaperBox.

I’m sorry, I can’t remember if these hearts were from Paperchase or Accessorize!

But, I decided that I liked the way that they were presented in the package so much, that I would put them on this card in exactly the same way.

Tesco Ladybird Chocolate Bar

This is one of the ideas that I have come up with using one of the Tesco chocolate ladybirds (£1 a net) that I had in my shopping bag on Sunday.

I’ve covered a small bar of Cadbury chocolate with a piece of red paper measuring 13.5 cm x 10cm. Then added a leaf made using my Tim Holtz Alterations Tattered Leaves die with the ladybird on top.  A few tiny daisies made using a punch and a few flat backed gems plus a bit of faux stitching and sentiment finishes it all off. 

Be Mine – Bee Valentine Card

This card measures 12.5cm x 12.5 cm and is made using an ivory linen effect card.

I love insect jewellery!  This bee, which is gem encrusted and very twinkly, though it doesn’t show in the picture, came from a Primark necklace, no longer worn … but I thought I could use it on this very simple card.

It took a couple of attempts to get the writing, dots and hearts in the right place, but I got there in the end.

What’s In My Posh Sweet Dish Today

Pink Smarties!