Halloween Aperture Picture Frame Decoration - No. 1

MY APOLOGIES ...... goodness knows what went wrong with this post but this morning I had quick peep and saw that there really were important pictures missing ........  and I can't find them anywhere in my files, so this morning I have had to take a few extra pictures to add to it in order forhis post make sense!!!!!

I could kick myself sometimes, I usually start off well, taking pictures of a project as I go along, but then as I get more and more involved..... the pictures stop ....... aghhhh!  So, my apologises for the missing stages!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I found the black, multi aperture picture frames (above) in Poundstretcher a while back, they measure approximately 6.5ins x 6.5ins and I think cost about 99p each and (to date) they still have them. When I saw them I immediately thought "Halloween" but after buying a couple they have remained in the box under the bed for at least 18 months.  

However, Halloween will soon be upon us and I have already started to plan a special Halloween weekend party sleepover for Iris and Bertie and I determined it's going to be a special time with many happy memories, so I needed to get cracking on these frames to help decorate The Towers.

I was a very disappointed as I thought I had a lot more Halloween stickers that just the two packets  (above) from Lldl and Flying Tiger (bought last year), I admit I wasn't inspired, but decided to persevere.

I started by removing the glass from the frame (and throwing it away) and covering the pictures on the printed paper insert with Halloween-y coloured papers, so that I knew each aperture would be properly filled,if that makes sense?

I then put the frame back together and faux stitched round the edges using a black finer liner pen ....... and that's when I became totally immersed in putting the little scenes together in each aperture!

When I started I felt totally underwhelmed with the stickers, but I have to admit I did pretty well. I placed the figures first and then used the other smaller stickers to fill any empty spaces.

I  also added some extra strips of paper to add more colour and pattern. I also decided that Halloween wouldn't be Halloween without an ample abundance of googly eyes, stars and and clusters of three black dots, I think I went a little overboard adding them!

I thought I was finished, but then it struck me that the frame was now looking rather plain, so  more stars of varying sizes and little dots of white Ranger Enamel Accents were applied. Halloween has got to be one of those times when the mantra "less is more" should never be applied ...... instead everything needs to be over the top, well that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!

I have one more frame left, I am now in a quandary as I think I have used the best stickers from a bad bunch on this frame, should I bite the bullet and just try and conjure up something else using them ...... or do I wait until a new lot of Halloween stickers hit  the shops .......

......... hmmmmm?

Honeycomb Snowman Card

This card measures 6ins x 6ins and uses a hand cut, white linen effect blank.

Following on from last week I had another idea for using the honeycomb snowmen embellishments I found in The Works last year.

Again they were pretty simple to put together, I hand wrote the centre panel first, using a black fine liner pen so that I got the space for adding the snowman just about right. 

With that done all I had to do was give the snowman some small, black dome sticker eyes and a little Ranger Glossy accents on his hat, nose, scarf and gloves, I find that adding just a touch of Accents here and there helps bring an inexpensive embellishment more to life.

The final touches came by adding four white snowflakes (Hobbycraft £1 for 16g), a few clusters of three little dots and a bit of glitter round the bottom of the snowman.

Naturally, I will send the card flat, but all the recipient has to do is peel off the tag and bring over his body to reveal the self adhesive honeycomb middle.

Again, although most of my cards this year will be one offs I love this design so much I have made a few extra but still have one more pack left just in case inspiration strikes again.

Let It Snow Snowman Shadow Box Frame

This shadow box started out as a bit of an experiment ........ but, I think, it worked out pretty well.

I used one of the Poundland enclosed bathroom plaques that I have been squirrelling away every time I have found them,  a large wooden snowman embellishment that I got from The Range in a Christmas sale for 25p years and years ago, an alphabet sticker set from B & M Bargains, various snowflakes plus scraps of glitter and blue paper and tiny flat backed gems.

I started by taking the back of the plaque to create a snowy background using the glitter and blue papers and the snowman.

I then added the letters ........

.....followed by the tiny gems which made me go a little cross-eyed in their gluing ......

...... not forgetting the very small white button on the snowman's hat.  I then added a scattering of plastic and confetti snowflakes for good measure.

I then replaced the newly decorated board back in the frame and waited impatiently for it to dry, before adding faux stitching round the edges using a permanent fine liner pen and more snowflakes glued to the frame and glass to give the picture extra dimension.

I now think I need to make another one, along the same theme but perhaps using a different set of letters as I am thinking they would make extra special decorations for Iris and Bertie's festive bedrooms, a keepsake that will hopefully remind them of Nanny if/when they get them out long after I am gone and perhaps when they have families of their own.

A Bit Of Bargain Hunting

With Halloween and Christmas fast approaching I have been trying to hunt out a few bargains for a ideas I have in mind.

I am really into diorama's this year, as you will find out in a couple of future posts.  These frames from B & M Bargains have a bit of depth to them to take larger embellishments and the fact that they are glittery is an extra bonus that lends them to Christmas.  I paid £2 for the four frames, working out at 50p each, which is neither here nor there in the scheme of things, when it comes to making Christmas decorations.

Also in B & M Bargains these mirrored soap dishes were reduced from £2.49 to 50p each, I am thinking diorama again, something plain and simple...... however, they might also look quite nice with a few festive nibbles in (???)  ...... so, if I don't create anything with them this year, it won't really matter as they will still get used in some way or other.

I then found this glass lanterns in Poundstretcher amongst the gardening bits and pieces marked at £1 each, however there was a sign that said there was 25% off all garden items, but it wasn't clear what was included, so when I took them to the checkout and enquired the manager had a look and over rode the till .....  result, 75p each!  At the moment I am thinking Halloween by just sticking simple, black paper shapes on them to look like monster faces to put out in the grounds at the back of my flat. I am having a special Halloween Iris and Bertie sleepover and wanted to make a little, lit up, Halloween walk for them ...... then the fun and games I am sure they will come in handy for Christmas with a few gems glued on and perhaps beads/ribbons added on the handles?

Patchwork Christmas Card Using Stickers

This card measures 6ins x 6ins using a manufactured card blank.

OMG ..... yuk, yuk, yuk, ........ this card is truly, truly too awful! It's way toooooooooo much and an assault on everyone's festive taste!  Originally I thought it might would be a simple idea to lift a section of  Christmas stickers as they were on to a centre panel for a card., but after mat and layering on red and silver it all started to go horribly wrong.  What I really wanted/needed to add was a simple printed sentiment, but none of the ones I had looked right.

I decided to try covering the card front completely with a patterned paper, but it still didn't look ........... but then what was I thinking when I added the adhesive glittered strips and snowflakes? Can it be any more awful?

I think what I need to do is rescue the stickered panel from the offending covered card and start again ....... perhaps a plain and simple white blank is enough after all, rather than this coloured and fiddle farted overload!  So, what this space ........ 

Simple Santa Card - Hobbycraft Glitter Toppers

This card measures 6ins x 6ins and uses a hand cut, white linen effect blank.

I am trying to keep my cards really simple this year, following on from Marc's very beautiful cards from the past two Christmases.

However while Marc die cuts a lot of his shapes, I am a big fat cheat and tend to use ready made embellishments and/or toppers, but it's still only early days ....... so you never know.

Anyway, I have made a few considered purchases from Hobbycraft this year as they have already started to get some of their Christmas stock in and the prices seemed OK.

So, for this card I have used one of their glitter Santa toppers (6 for £1) and my, already top crafty festive favourite, snowflake confetti. The Ho Ho Ho confetti pieces came originally from Sainsbury's but was one of my charity shop finds for a few pence ...... there are other shapes in the box, but it was the Ho Ho Ho's I was after!

I added white glitter to Santa's bobble, hat, beard and cuffs, as if he wasn't glittery enough, plus Ranger Glossy Accents on his boots, and Ranger white Enamel Accents on the fur on his hat.

I then simply put the embellished Santa in the middle of the card, adding three pieces of the confetti below and a flurry of snowflakes and a few clusters of three black dots around him.  Simples!

Let It Snow - Honeycomb Snowman Card

This card measures 7ins x 5ins and uses a hand cut, white linen effect blank.

Woo hoo hoo, I finally thought of an idea to use the honeycomb snowmen embellishments  I found in The Works last year.  I ermed and ahhhed over them for such a long time when I first saw them and left it a while before making a considered purchase, but when they eventually came down to 2 for 1, they were a no brainer, even it it's taken me a year to think how to use them. 

I started by handwriting the centre panel using one of my trusty black fine liner pens, first the letters, followed by the dots, then the faux stitching, before finally mat and layering them on silver mirror card.

My best buy so far this year, for my Christmas crafting, has been this snowflake confetti from Hobbycraft, I can see this bag being empty by December. The size is just in perfect proportion for my cards etc.  £1 for 15g.  https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/white-snowflake-confetti-15g/643847-1000

All I had to do then was add the snowman before giving him some small, black dome sticker eyes and a little Ranger Glossy Accents on his hat, nose, scarf and gloves.  I find that just adding a layer of Accents gives flat and inexpensive embellishments just that extra touch of class.

The final bit of froo froo included adding three snowflakes (as above) and a sprinkle of glitter round the bottom of the snowman.

Naturally, I will send the card flat, but all the recipient has to do is peel off the tag and fold over to reveal the self adhesive honeycomb middle (sounds like a Malteser!) 

Most of the cards I will be posting this year will be one offs, probably not to be repeated again, but I love this card so much I have made another half a dozen or so, but keeping a spare pack aside, just in case inspiration strikes again.

Framed Aqua Bead Pictures

With Lucy's birthday coming up Iris and Bertie naturally wanted to make something very special to give to Auntie Lu Lu ........so out came the Aqua Beads.

Iris has become something of an expert in using them and is now confident enough to change the colours from those on the template. After making her little girl figure and fish she then created a background on which to set them, before I found a box frame to put her creation in.

Bertie, not wishing to be out done by his big sister asked if he could do one, putting together his first ever aqua bead penguin with only the minimum of help from Nanny. He was sooooooooooooo chuffed with himself.  I have a feeling that this could very well be the first of many.  I am thinking, using said penguin design, that we also have the makings of a few more small fairing Christmas presents to put together during the run up to Christmas.

I have quite a stash of small white picture frames under the bed for such occasions. Seeing their pictures being framed helps give little ones a real sense that their work is valued, as well as being a present that just cannot fail to melt any heart, especially those of Great Grandma's and doting Aunts.

6th (Iron) Wedding Anniversary Card

This card measures 5.5ins x 5.5ins and is made using a handcut grey coloured card.

Tom and Laura been married for six years this August.  Where has the time gone?   The traditional gifts associated with six years of marriage are either sweets or iron, so with Tom being a scientist I decided to go down the chemistry route for the theme of their card, chosing to cut a grey card blank as it was the closest to an iron colour that I had and then finding the chemical name for iron, not being the slightest bit scientific I didn't have a clue, doh! 

I coloured over the multi coloured patterns of an uppercase "F" and lowercase "e" with a black Sharpie pen to make them look more "proper" looking.  The small 2 and 6 came from a Tim Holtz Idea-ology label letters pad.

The silver card frame came from a pack of 30 from The Works (£3).  I ordered them blind from The Works website as they must have been really new and no picture was available, but I was really chuffed when they arrived, and will probably order another pack before they disappeared. 

I put a scrap of white card behind the frame, added the letters and numbers and then positioned the whole frame in the centre of the card blank, it couldn't have been any more simple, which is very much my thing at the moment. 

A Snappy Happy Birthday Card

This card measures approximately 5ins x 5ins and uses a hand cut, white linen blank as its base.

I made this card for my brother-in-law Graeme and to be honest is a bit of a hodge podge of stickers.

I started by making the background for the wooden Hobbycraft frame sent to me very kindly by Paula, a Fiddle Fart follower, a little while ago.

I then added a mix of  two different sets of small alphabet stickers for the sentiment ............

...... before deciding that the frame would look much better if it was coloured with a red Sharpie pen.

I then built up the picture using an assortment of Paperchase (parcels, bunting and stars) and a puffy Hobbycraft crocodile.

I just love the crocodiles face ....... but adding a pair of tiny googly eyes made him look even cuter.

A few clusters of three dots here and there using a black fine liner pen help bring the card together.

.......... Another card done and dusted.

Simple Flower Pot Card

This card measures 6ins x 6ins.

Make no bones about it, this is a very simple card.

I recently nipped into Hobbycraft and found that their packs of 50 6ins x 6ins blank white cards had been reduced from £5 to £2.50.  I haven't used pre-cut cards for years now after I had a run of cards that weren't the best quality, however, since I have started to completely cover the fronts of some of my cards with different papers it seemed a bit wasteful to use my usual top quality white linen card on them, it seemed a no brainer to give these cards a try again, especially with Christmas looming on the horizon.

On this occasion  I covered the card blank with a natural linen effect paper (how ironic is that!?)

........ and added the three potted flower embellishments from this pack of Poundland, dimensional, doodle effect stickers, which have a very professional looking acetate front.

I then hand wrote the sentiment, using a black fine liner pen, which I mat and layered on silver mirror card.

Finally I put a flat back pearl in the centre of each flower, which, if I am honest, didn't really add anything to the overall appearance of the card, however on the other hand I always think that adding a few clusters of three dots here and there helps to bring a card together.