Recycled Suitcase

Well, I’ve finally finished my recycled suitcase, and it didn’t take half the time I thought it would.

I can’t exactly say that I enjoyed cutting round all the fiddly bits to go round the rivets at the ends of lid etc., but it was worth it in the end.

I’ve gone over it with several coats of clear varnish which will give it some degree of waterproof-ness if I decide to actually use it and get caught in the rain.

….. and if I ever do another one, I think I will use a thinner paper, DCWV papers are very strong but perhaps a little too thick for a perfectly smooth finish if papers are overlapped.

Frankenstein and Ghost Jam Jar Lanterns

These are my final jam jar lanterns (for Halloween). 

 

For Frankenstein I used an assorted  pack of 75 sheets of tissue paper (the colours in the pack were limited to yellow, two shades of green and a few blue) from Poundland,  but the tissue was stronger and thicker than the stuff I have used on previous jars and was therefore a lot easier to use.

The ghost was made using white tissue …. awful to use ….it went all globby, but the texture was interesting  …. but as they are going in the garden it doesn’t really matter.  Several coats of clear glossy varnish complete the lanterns.

I Love Mr Fiddle Fart (The Duke)

Look what Mr Fiddle Fart has given me ….. I am so thrilled …. I wanted a Polaroid camera so that I can go out with my Smashbook, capture the moment and then instantly stick in the picture…. digital cameras are brilliant but this is the dogsdoodahs!!!

What Are You Lot Like

I love each and everyone of my followers, you are all so wonderful xxxxx ….. So imagine my surprise yesterday, when I got in from work (knackered) and I found a small packet on the mat and was a little puzzled as I didn’t recognise the address on the back …. but on opening it I found it was from Paula ……

…… it contained the loveliest note ever and a gorgeous stamp.  I am so touched that on an exciting visit to a Stamping Festival Paula thought of me ….. I make no apologies for saying I am very moist eyed as I write this.  Thank you sooooooo much Paula ….. you’ll never know how much this means to me and will be treasured….. xxxx

Cath Kidston Keepsake House - Part 2

Progress has been a bit slow because now that all the drawers have been covered and several coats of clear varnish applied it is only the twiddly fiddly things that are left to be done, but, due to the fussy nature of the paper, I have decided, after some trial and error, to adopt a very less is more approach, so I am thinking very carefully about what else to use to embellishment it any further.

So far I’ve used half a width of some self adhesive, lace effect, border tape from Paper Cellar round the top part of the house, with real narrow cream lace over it to add layers and to hid the joins. I’ve also put the lace round the chimney, and across top and bottom edges of the roof. I have left it at that for the moment as I am on the look out for some red buttons to add, one large one for the centre (again to hid the joins) and some smaller matching ones to go at measured distances across the lace, but I need to get the colours/design/style just right to fit in with the theme. At the moment I am carrying a sample of the paper in my purse wherever I go, something with birds on would be perfect.

I’ve made the drawer pulls using small green wooden beads from a Poundshop necklace with a square clear flat backed gems glued over the holes.

All that’s left to do is put a square of the left over paper in the bottom of each drawer to finish them off ……

…… find the right buttons and think about how to embellish the star shaped drawer at the top (if I decide it really needs something) and the bottom panel on the right hand side. …….. thinks ……

What’s In The Shops For The Festive Season.

Not really a crafty day today … it’s just that the shops are beginning to get their Christmas sweeties in and if you haven’t seen them yet I thought I would  give you a heads up ….

Now ….. who could resist these tiny Lindt chocolate teddies?  I found them in my local SPAR priced at 50p each (they measure about 5cm) and before I knew it this lot decided to come home with me. 

…… Then I remembered this string of stockings I bought years ago and decided I didn’t really like ….

Well,  I’ve now  shoved a bit of stuffing in the bottom and a teddy on top ….. sorted ….. a little fairing gift to give instead of a card!

Also in the shops,  found by my lovely sister Jan ........ caramel filled Galaxy parcels and cuter than cute ….. Aero Christmas trees ……festivechoctastical!! 

Let It Snow Wooden Christmas Tags

The tags in today’s post started life out as a box of animal dominoes that I got at a carboot sale for 50p!

I covered them with blue patterned paper and some glitter card and then embellished them with snowmen buttons (I coloured their scarves and buttons with Sharpies permanent pens), handwritten sentiments, a few stars and a bit of faux stitching.

Before starting I checked that the ink from a black fine liner pen would not bleed into the wood and that you could write a message on the back.  

On the finished tag backs I have just done the faux stitching, leaving the middle blank.

I used my Aldi Craft drill set (bought a little while ago) to put the holes for the thread fastenings.

I also tried making a heart shaped tag along the same lines, but I am not so happy with it…. however, if you can wait a day or two I have altered the design a little bit with more pleasing results.

Christmas Badges

Made using my Badge It! from Bandai

I bought a badge like this a couple of Christmases ago and was gutted when I lost it, as it just about sums up my mood when I go Christmas shopping ….. but now I have a badge maker …. I can make my own!
 

These three badges were a bit of an experiment. I have made several of the top left hand one, one of which I might try putting on a card. I’m not sure about the one with the writing on, and the one made using a cotton canvas inkjet paper is growing on me, I like the texture, but I think I will use a better quality canvas paper if I make anymore to get a clearer image.

And the last two …… well I can think of quite a few people I can give these to! If you’ve got a Badge It and would like a copy of these badges just e-mail me and I’ll send you the file.

Framed Snowman Card

This card measures 5ins x 7ins and  sort of follows on from a decoration I made last year.

The frame is part of a larger embellishment, (I used the centres and was left with a pile of frames), that I have just doodled on with a Signo Uni Ball white gel pen.  I’ve used  Baby Polka Dots 12 x 12 paper from Paper Adventures in the frame with a little white glitter paper and also to cover the card blank.  The snowmen are buttons I got in a job lot from US a few years ago and am still working my way through using them.  Finally I have handwritten the sentiment.

Batty Halloween Jar Lantern

I am loving making jar lanterns …. our garden has been awash with candle light of late as I try everything I have made out amongst all the tree branches.

All I have done is simply cover a small jar (large mint sauce I think) with orange tissue paper, it’s trickier and  more fragile to use and not a patch on Decopatch if you’ll pardon the pun!

 

The bats are die cuts I’ve had for years, they are rather thick and stand a little proud of the jar so I am not exactly sure how weather proof the jar will be if we have a rainy night, however I have given it extra coats of clear varnish just in case. Getting their wings to lie flat was a little tricky but I got there in the end. 

Halloween Trick or Treat Sweetie Bags

I’ll be honest, there’s nothing really that new about this idea, they are just basic sweetie bags with a Nestabilities Label die cut topper but with a slightly different take on using jelly beans and a chance to use the new bubble stickers I’ve found  this year.

Both the stickers and jelly beans are from Poundworld.  There was a good variety of different sticker packs and I think I got one of each, some were scary and some were cute.

Wearing disposable plastic gloves I sorted the jelly beans into colours and then looked at the stickers to work out a theme for each colour ….. so the green ones became spiders eggs …..

……. the black ones became bat poop …

…… the red, Dracula Blood Capsules .. and so on.

On the back of each topper I wrote “Dare you eat one?”

And as I had a few spare black beans I added one to some of the packets to give the (warped illusion) that one could have gone off!

With just a bit of imagination you can come up with all sorts of awful names!  From two bags of beans I made nine bags, which is pretty good going!

A Little Bird Told Me ….

Each of these cards measure 5ins x 5ins and are made using white linen effect card.

Some times I need to just make a pile of simple, very quick,  less is more cards to replenish my box at work.

And as soon as I saw these K & Co Poppy Seed stickers I just knew they would be perfect for the task.

All I have had to add was a branch made using my Stampin’ Up Bird Punch

And my own handwritten sentiment.

Done and dusted!

Gingham Christmas Tree Card

Sometimes it’s nice to get away from traditional Christmas colours and patterns , and I just love this black/brown gingham card from Payper Box.

Although it’s hard to see, the snow is made using white glitter card and is layered to look like drifts, to give a little dimension.  The trees are wooden embellishments from Hobbycraft with a few flat backed gems added and the tiny snowflakes are punched. I’ve made the corners by cutting a scalloped circle into quarters, but looking at the photograph now with fresh eyes, I think the corners could be made little bigger.

Recycled Suitcase

I’d never thought of covering a proper suitcase before until I saw this suitcase by Mitzi Curi
http://www.favecrafts.com/Vintage-Decor/Upcycled-Vintage-Suitcases

I was so inspired I just had to have a go and fortuitously I’ve had this old Marks and Sparks suitcase in my craft room for years.

The inside is beautiful, if a little crumbly but I’m leaving it as it is for now.

The first thing I’ve done is spray the catches and outer plastic rims with gold spray paint to hid the rust and freshen them up.

I decided to use papers from a DCWV Spring Glitter stack as the quality is strong and thick and as all the designs are of the same colour pallet so I don’t  have to worry about matching everything together.  I’ve done the fiddly corners and rivety bits first and have got as far as covering the top.

Finishing it off will take me a bit of time …. but when it’s done I’ll show you again… As I’ve got a few days away booked in November I’m using that as my deadline… even if I’m not absolutely sure I will actually use it!