Random Letter Birthday Card

This card measure 7inx x 5ins and uses a hand cut, grey linen effect card blank.

I apologise as you have most probably seen this type of card quite a few times now, each one slightly different but with the same basic idea of using random letters from a variety of alphabet sticker packs and embellishments.  This particular card was made for my upstairs neighbour whose flat makes me smile as it is so masculine in all it’s black and grey décor …..  which is why I made a card with a grey background.

I need to think of some other sentiments to put on similar cards because one day I am going to run out of some of the more repetitive letters such as P, Y and H.

Most alphabet sets include for extra vowels, but if I could find a source of just plain wooden vowels that I could then colour in to suit, that would be heaven. However, I can now hear Marc nagging me, saying I could cut them out on my Scan And Cut and I could!  I am still a little nervous of the machine, but there’s a project we could definitely work on together when he stays with me next to bolster up my confidence. Now I think he has some thick, grey modelling card that would be perfect, I must ask him to pop a few sheets in his case and then we’d be off and running.

Three Easter Bunny Cards

These three cards measure 14.5cms x 14.5cms and are made using a hand cut white linen effect card blank.

The cards are all pretty much the same, using a bit of simple mat and layering and faux stitching and dots using a black fine liner pen.

The 3D printed, felt rabbits were 50p for a pack of four from Hobbycraft (I think I may have got them in a sale), I think I have also seen something very similar in Home Bargains for around the same price.

The 3D card sentiments are part of an assorted pack of nine by Express Yourself MIP, I think also from Hobbycraft.  I reckon they took me less than 15 minutes each to make.

Easter Bunny Card

This card measures 14.5cms x 14.5cms and is made using a hand cut white linen effect card.

This card consists of a simple bit of mat and layering, followed by an Easter scene using two different types of sticker/embellishments.  I don’t usually like to mix stickers made from different materials but I think in this case the puffy foam rabbit works pretty well with the 3D card signpost.

I reckon the whole card took me around 20 minutes to put together which considering it was a very last minute rush job turned out pretty well.

Marc's Shelves

I think one of the first things I do when I arrive at Marc's London flat .... after my first coffee, is get up and have a good mooch on his shelves.

He always says that I've seen it all before, but I know he's had another arrange or two since my last visit so there's always a little something I may have missed or something new has been added.

He's just so brilliant at putting things together,  grouping old and new bits together and putting something tres tres expensive next to a treasure from Poundland

It's something I aspire to and I think I am getting there, if slowly...........

........ but Marc will always be the master.  

I know am terrible for mooching on other peoples shelves but I guess you have to know who is happy for you to do it and those who don't like it, perhaps thinking that you are really checking up to see if they have dusted!!!

I think Marc's kitchen window shelves are my favourite, illuminated with blue fairy lights and encompassing a proper diverse eclectic mix. 

Very expensive designer cactus lights and vases sit next to Poundland ones, a tiny man out walking his dog stands next to a bejewelled elephant.  I thought I had got them in shot, but somewhere amongst all the treasures are the three giraffes we bought in Poundland (shown yesterday), they looked like they "belonged" and had been there forever.  I am sure Marc will mooch similarly at mine when he comes down, and no doubt we will hit the charity shops of Evesham in an effort to find for other "prize" bits and pieces with which to proliferate our shelves even more.

I Love You Shadow Box Frame

As I may have mentioned before I have a special expression for both Iris and Bertie when I tell them I love them, especially when saying goodbye. For Bertie, it’s “I love you a big much bit” which he finds hilarious and puts his thumb and forefinger together to indicate a tiny weeny bit, which is sooooooo cute and usually accompanied by snuggles.

I put the sentiment on a Christmas tree decoration for him last year but decided to make him something for his third birthday (where has the time gone???) for his bedroom, so he’ll always be reminded of our little nonsense and how much I love him.

I found these packs of ruler embellishments on EBay (3 pks of 6 rulers for just 99p plus £1.59 P & P – working out at 86p per pack) well, it was a no brainer, especially because as soon as I saw them I had a nugget of an idea.

Finding a suitable font for the sentiment wasn’t hard, but the font size and placement wasn’t so easy. I started off big and gradually got  smaller to get it to fit centrally in the frame mount with enough room to add the rulers in a roughly symmetrical design.

After several attempts I was finally happy and the rulers glued into position.

It needed something else, but I wanted to keep it clean looking if you know what I mean.  I knew I didn’t want to add colour and then  I remembered the tiny silver nail art hearts I had from Poundland (assorted pack wheel £1) ages ago.

They were perfect, just a few black dots here and there bought it all together.  I am so chuffed with it and it looks even better in real life, it I am allowed to say that.

Exciting News - Hunkydory Review

It's been a couple of years since I have been asked to do a review. I don't push my blog anymore like I used to, so it's not really that out there to attract the interest of craft companies ...... so imagine my surprise when I recieved an e-mail from Hunkydory asking if I would consider putting together a review for them.

Well, it would be rude to say no wouldn't it?  I have always been aware of Hunkydory but to my knowledge have never used any of their products, so this is going to be really interesting. I have given Hunkdory a list of the things I would like to try out, mainly with a steampunk theme as Marc is due to stay with me over the Easter holiday so hopefully we can work together to produce a double review from two quite different perspectives.  I have included MDF shapes, stamps, an embossing folder and just to hedge my bets a book of Christmas toppers as we crafters are never that far away from the odd festive thought or two.

Below is what I have put on my request, as soon as they and Marc arrive I will let you know.  It's so exciting!

https://www.hunkydorycrafts.co.uk/for-the-love-of-stamps-key-to-my-heart-ftls305.html

https://www.hunkydorycrafts.co.uk/spgrab-steampunk-grab-bag.html

https://www.hunkydorycrafts.co.uk/embossing-folder-cogs-gears.html

https://www.hunkydorycrafts.co.uk/the-essential-inserts-collection-embellishments.html

https://www.hunkydorycrafts.co.uk/the-little-book-of-a-wonderful-wintertime-lbk216.html

Charity Shop ***p NOT - Italian Holy Water Font

Oh my goodness, definitely not Charity ***p, when I saw this beauty lying flat on the shelf in Evesham’s Extracare shop I wasn’t sure what it was, but when I picked it up I thought I would burst ……. as you know I love religious kitsch and this, well!??!!! I didn’t even notice the price but when I did, £1.99 …….. I would have paid an awful lot more. We were meant to be, I love it in all its naïve crudity.

I think it’s terracotta judging by the rough red material showing on the back and then, (but … what do I know) the front is covered with slip and then hand painted??? After a very quick Google search I am pretty sure it’s Italian, it’s a holy water font probably for domestic use.  It’s probably a holiday souvenir  with not much age to it, but it would have cost quite a bit more than £1.99.  I am thrilled and it has aroused my curiosity so I will be researching similar pieces some more.  I may also be going to Italy next year, so I I will definitely be keeping my eye out for another one or two, smaller versions perhaps.

When I got home I went all round the flat trying to find a apt place for my treasure, she’s now in the hall, on her own,  just to the side of the door into the lounge/dinner so she can’t be missed, but where there is room should I stumble upon any more (in Italy or possibly E-bay).  In the meantime I have put a very small tea light in the bottom (originally a floating wedding tea light from Home Bargains) in the bottom of the font bowl, so in the evening she looks, how shall I say, very atmospheric and very romantic!

Easter Matchbox Gifts

I made these little Easter fairing gifts for Iris and Bertie to give to their nursery/school staff  at the end of the spring term

I used small matchboxes I found in packs of 8 from The Works in various sales over the past year or so.  I simply covered them with scraps of spring design papers.

The glittery carrots came from Paperchase, they were a bit expensive at £2 for six.  Originally, I tried to put a brooch back on them but that didn’t work as the glitter layer just came away, it might have been the heat from the glue gun I used. Sorry, I can’t remember where the plain, fluffy carrots came from but they are rather nice and good quality.  I know Poundland have something similar but the leafy tops are quite plasticy and a lot less lush.

The rabbit stickers came from Paperchase which I reckon are versatile enough to use on more general cards when Easter is over. To be honest over the past couple of years, after being such a huge fan, I thought that the Paperchase sticker designs have not been as appealing as they have been, however the last time I was in I bought quite a few packets including flamingos, cat faces and lobsters which I hope to use in the coming months.

The little chocolate rabbits were from a tub of 25 from Lidl (they also do tubs of frogs and chicks).  I handwrote the sentiments with a black fine liner pen and as an after thought punched a hole in the top of the drawer to add a ribbon hanger, so the box could possibly be hung on an Easter egg tree or festive branch.

Easter Bunny Door Wreath

Crafting With Iris

A Saturday sleepover and the perfect opportunity to raid Nanny’s craft cupboard to make “stuff”

One look at the wooden animal head embellishments from The Works ........

......, and Iris was off, creating a series of characters that I just fell in love with. They were too lovely to just add to Iris’s box of creations,  so I decided to go the whole hog and get them framed using a Poundland shadowbox (£1).

Originally the frame contained a “washing line” and pegs on which to hang photos but, along with the original patterned backing , they didn’t quite work with Iris’s pictures ........

.... so instead I covered the original background with some sky and grass and dispensed with the washing line and pegs.

I really, really loved it and had rather wished Iris would leave it behind when she left but she was desperate to take it home for her room, but she has promised to do me another one for my shelves next time we crafted.

The second picture was made using mermaid erasers, again from The Works (pack of 4 for £1) might have also looked very lovely in my shower room ……

….. but alas, my wishes were overruled yet again it sadly had to go home too, bless her cotton socks.

Non Charity Shop Tut – I Don’t Think

I removed the coffee machine from my spare room as I think it put guests off from making themselves a drink as they weren’t familiar with it’s machinations replacing it with a small kettle instead.

I really,really want to give the bedroom a bohemian feel, but until I replace the blind for curtains and perhaps add some more colour/pattern behind the bed I am struggling to achieve the look I crave.  It’s all a little bit too neat and tidy and white at the moment.  I plan to ask Marc for inspiration next time he stays and then see where I go from there.

However, I did find this small Italian dish/planter for just £1.50 in the Salvation Army Shop in Evesham, it was filthy when I got it home but it scrubbed up well  and in some small way has helped me think about the more colourful, random look I want to achieve.

I bought it to put coffee, teabags and hot chocolate sachets in ……..

……… and it’s pattern and colour are just perfect.

The large mug was from Tesco, the pink lidded jar from Home Bargains ……. Now the question now is …….. dare I take my Sharpie pens to the kettle or, if I am not that brave, should I consider applying some sort of transfer to brighten it up and make it look that bit different?  Hmmmmmmm.

Advent Drawer Tuesday - Gingerbread Snowman

A gingerbread snowman for your delectation today ............

Hmmm ...... he's OK, but I am not sure about his buttons ..... I think they all need to be navy flat back pearls .... and the silver snowflakes, I think they may be too subtle, it's easy to miss them so they may get replaced. I think this is one drawer that I really need to go back to when the whole thing is ready to put together.  Even now as I continue to look at the picture I can also see that the number five needs a touch of Ranger Glossy accents and a little translucent micro glitter wouldn't go amiss on the white icing and trim on the snowman's hat.  What am I like?

A Real Cheat Of A Card

I don’t think this card really counts …… I needed a card quickly, but I didn’t really have time to make one completely from scratch, however, I did have some 5 for £1 cards from Card Factory ………..

Left as it was the card looked a little forlorn and a bit 20p-ish, so I decided that I had just about enough time to let some glue dry on a few iridescent flat back and tiny gold confetti stars ……. et voila!  It looks, I hope like I did make some sort of an effort.

Now ……. if I were to do it all again, with more time, I think I might photocopy the sentiment, cut it out and mat and layer it on silver mirror card and then stick it onto the card with a few foam pads for extra depth and dimension …… and then add the stars.  Perhaps a little iridescent micro glitter wouldn’t go a miss on the “especially” either.

I really don’t like to cheat, but I think I may have got away with it this time.