Deer Watching Thank You Card

I made this card for my sister to give as a “thank you” to a friend, who had taken her deer watching one evening.  Everything came together so well to make it.

 

I love and use googly eyes a lot, they are such a simple way to add character and humour to an image and/or card

Just For Fun …. Tour T-Shirts and Badges!

As you know I’m off on a ski trip soon with work ….. and thought it would be fun to make some tour “merchandise” for the staff who are going.

I can’t believe that I got the first one horribly wrong …(which was mine fortunately) …. first rule of transfer printing …. is to reverse the writing ……. DOH!!!!

This is the design I came up with but unfortunately it didn’t transfer quite as distinctively against the grey  as I had hoped ….. but as the shirts only cost £1.90 each  from Primark and are  probably going to  be worn once as a joke or in bed I am not going to be too precious about the not  so  perfect results.

I made some badges too, that hopefully will be worn a lot of the time.

The Only Way Is Up? That is our theme, a song by Yaz  , which we will play every morning before we hit the slopes to get in the mood!

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

Haribo’s version of liquorice allsorts ……

Popcorn Tags

These tags were made for friends daughters 16th Birthday Sleepover.

I’ve used a digi download design from http://www.scrappindoodles.com/ for the base of the tags and with a bit of computer jiggery pokery managed to add each girls name on each one.

I’ve used Decocraft Glistening Snow Writer to give the popcorn extra dimension, but to be honest I am a bit disappointed with the texture and would have preferred the more puffier effect that I have had from other similar products.

Decorated Peg Fridge Magnet Tutorial

I made a lot of the peg fridge magnets  a couple of Christmas’s ago, but someone who wasn’t a crafter asked me how to make them, so I thought I would do a little tutorial on them.

 

You’ll need some Poundshop pegs (usually in packs of 100) and some PVA glue.

Some ribbon, for ease I’ve used Anita’s self adhesive ribbon (99p per pack – with careful cutting you should be able to cover 24 pegs with one packet) and some magnets (available from HobbyCraft either in small packs, a foam sheet or self adhesive tape).

Plus anything you like to decorate the pegs with, I’ve used wooden beads from a 99p wooden bead set from Home Bargains.

Cut the ribbon to size and stick down on the peg.

Glue the magnets on the open end of the peg.

When the magnets are dry, turn the peg over and decorate the reverse side (directly over the magnet)

I’ve added a few wibbly wobbly eyes and some flat backed gems as an extra fiddle fart>

Simples!

Caravan Wedding Card

This has got to be my favourite card of all time!

I was asked to make a card for a hippy couple who were spending their honeymoon in a caravan, and I just love a challenge!

……. And how fortuitous was it that Quickutz Silhouette had just added a set of caravans to their download designs!!!

I’ve cut the details out in blue card (something blue) and then added the curtains and just married sign.  I thought if I handwrote all the sentiments it would add to the casual “hippy” effect.

Stamped Button

This is just me playing and experimenting a little bit.  I’ve just taken a largish pearl effected button and stamped it using my Hero Arts Dandelion stamp G4917 with black Staze-On ink.

And then have added some very twinkly clear flat backed gems and a little Hero Arts micro hologram glitter.

Not sure what to do with it ….. perhaps a work in progress or it might look quite nice on navy velvet in a frame.  Answers on a postcard!

Three Little Ducks

These ducks were fancy paperclips – but I have split a couple in two to use on this card, all I have added is a few doodled waves and that’s it!

Pirate Chocolate Bar

Talk Like A Pirate Day inspired me to make this!

I can’t look at a bar of chocolate now without thinking what I can turn it into!!!

I just hope you’re not getting fed up of them.

Poundland Sequins

This project is just fiddle fart for fiddle farts sake!

I don’t use a lot of sequins, other than shaped table confetti to go with a theme, but as soon as I saw this big bag of sequins in my parcel of free goodies I got from Poundland a while ago now, I knew just what I was going to make with them.

I had a sturdy gift box bottom on my desk that I had been keeping pencils in …..why not tart it up …..?

I covered the bottom with green self adhesive DCWV paper and then proceeded to cover each side with the sequins and micro gold glitter using extra tacky glue.  I did this over four nights  to allow each side to dry properly. My craft room and I are now covered in gold dust from the glitter! Blingtastic!

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