Simple Cactus Birthday Card

This card measures 6ins x 6ins and uses a pre-scored blank from a Hobbycraft pack.

My apologies for such a basic and lazy card, it’s a bit of an insult really, but in an effort to get my completely flunked mojo back, I am making myself try to put at least one card together each day, no matter how easy, in the hope that eventually one idea will lead to another and waaaaayyyyy hayyyyyyyy it’s back!

Soooooooo, I simply covered the front of a card blank with a patterned paper from a Works origami paper stack that I thought would give the design a sort of retro feel to it and then added a whole pack of Paperchase house plant and cactus stickers (£1.25) to it.

In parts I just placed the stickers more or less how they were in the pack and then fitted the leftover ones round them, I told you it was a lazy idea.  The final touch was the birthday greeting made using my faithful old Dymo label maker. I think it works, despite being so simple, I just wish I could be more enthusiastic and inspired.

Countdown to Halloween Trick Or Treat Truck with Drawers

I have finally finished my Halloween truck, started on March 16th just as the country was preparing to go into lockdown and not a single toilet roll was to be had!

I think you’ll agree, it doesn’t look much like the original truck, a present from Marc, from Aldi’s Christmas advent calendar range from, I think, 2018

It’s thanks to Marc it finally got finished, as I had just left it sat sitting, languishing by my work table, while again I was waiting for inspiration as to what to do with it next.

Marc said he’d seen my last Fiddle Fart post of it and loved what I’d done so far and then we spent goodness knows how long bouncing ideas off each another, my only idea at the time was to put some sort of tray/box on the top to put some extra sweets in …… but this is the result of our conflab.

Inspired by Marc I started on the roof, with the skeleton and the box. The box, originally brown in colour, was transformed using a thick, black felt pen with twiddly bits added with a white gel pen. 

The skeleton was ever so gently bent until he was in a sitting position and then superglued with a 1lb weight resting on him to make sure he was stuck good and proper. His one hand dips into the box holding a mystical crystal ball (a marble), while the other holds his cup …… for his wine!

Once these two objects were securely in place, I could then add all the extra fiddle fart, raiding my various boxes for any little bits I thought would go mwith the theme.

The wooden columns were originally fancy, tall cotton reels that I coloured black with again a white gel pen to add more detail. 

The tombstones were the tops of small papier mache boxes, coloured silver and doodled on with an extra fine tip Sharpie pen.  This bit was so much fun.
It was Marc’s idea to give the skeletons sunglasses, and I thought, brilliant idea Marc, but where do I get the sunglasses from, would you believe they came from a pack of Paperchase stickers I just happened to find in a box while I was mooching, they are just perfect. 

To embellish the wheels, I simple cut a circle out of some Halloween paper to put in the middle and then glued a spider over the top.

I’ll be honest, once I started fiddling it was hard to stop ……….. ……….. but apart from perhaps a top hat for the skeletons, currently on order from Amazon,  I think I have stopped  …… time to move on, I already have decorating one of the Hobbycraft Advent Houses I have had squirrelled away for a couple of years in mind.

I just can’t wait to see Iris and Bertie’s faces when they see it!  It’s soooooooooooo over the top.

Marc’s Beautiful Babies

Its seems to have become quite a tradition for me to enjoy all the pleasures that are Eurovision with Marc particularly as it also coincides with his birthday, plus the annual plant sale in Martley, a nearby village near Marc and Rick’s Worcester Cottage.  It’s always a lovely weekend, but alas, due this blooming Covid-19, this year it’s not to be, bum!

With this in mind, it was really spooky that just before meltdown I not only found one but two ceramic basset hounds in the antiques centre in Evesham, let’s just say I pounced on them, pleased as punch,  that I had found part of Marc’s birthday present so well in advanced (and add to his collection) …….. especially with one (above) being Sylvac ……

….. and the other one, with his tail held up in the air, which, Marc tells me is a true characteristic of a basset hound.

Sadly, I have had to put them in the post instead of enjoying Marc and Rick’s wonderful company, garden, out of this world food and ………….

……. fighting with these three reprobates, Hetty, Piccolo and Tilly …….

……. for just the smallest space on the sofa! 

What are they like, if not totally beautiful?

A Parents Impassioned Plea

Oh, the joys and pleasures of home schooling ……….

……. dirty rotten spoil sport!

I fostered Iris and Bertie’s love of all things tiny, shiny and preferably sticky oh so well, my work here is done!!!!!

Objects of Desire In Witney

Shortly before we went into meltdown Lu and I decided to have a day enjoying the pleasures of Witney ...........

........ which included having a mooch round one of our very favourite shops there, The Old Pill Factory - http://www.theoldpillfactory.com/

I didn’t make any considered purchases, but Lu managed to find a small, cut class ice bucket, something she’s been looking for, for at least 18 months, to go on her cocktail themed shelf in her kitchen, sorry no picture, doh, but it was perfect. However, although my money was safe on this rare occasion, I wouldn't be me without leaving with a few objects of desire and creative ideas. 

As you know I love a bit of religious kitsch, needless to say, I made a bee line for this statue of Mary, who looks a bit Lourdes-y to me. A fiver and I might have been tempted, but £25, I don’t think so, however, I really should know bu now that religious kitsch just aint going cheap these days!

I also LOVE a chandelier, this was so dainty with it’s pale, olive green droplets and naturalistic gold frame, beautiful, but way out of my price range, even if I had anywhere to put it!

I took the picture above initially to save the idea and then I noticed the price tag, but after a bit of research large, glass jars are again a lot more expensive than I had first appreciated.

At first sight this little box appeared to be decorated with wooden pieces …….

…… but on closer inspection it was covered with small squares of text, possibly from an old, faded book and then varnished.  I loved the affect and it’s definitely an idea I am going to try, especially if this blooming lockdown goes on for much longer.  I might try it on something fairly small first and then see how I go. 

And finally, a very looooooooong felt want!  When I was planning my move to Evesham I always imagined living in one of its many terrace houses, never a flat and one of the first things that was going to be on my shopping list was a vintage style shed, just like this, for the garden, that I could carpet, hang some retro curtains, furnish with Lloyd loom chairs, have shelves full of curios and old fashioned plant pots on the veranda ……… seeing this was like a dagger through my heart ……….. but never, say never! 

Nature Continues It’s Cycle In Lockdown

When we first went into lockdown on March 23rd  I took this picture of my view as a sort of reference ………….

I hadn't looked at again until yesterday ……….

...... when I took another …………… it seems as if a whole season has past us by.

Cactus Card

This card measures 6ins x 6ins and uses a pre-scored card blank from Hobbycraft.

This card came together surprisingly well, despite a small change of plan in the middle.

I really love the cactus stickers from Paperchase, however they are so tiny, it’s hard to know what to do with them for maximum effect.

I started by covering the front of card blank with some green check paper that I thought suited with the proportions of the stickers and then punched out 16 scalloped edged squares to put in the centre……

……. but when the cactus’s were added, it just looked too open and bitty, if you know what I mean …….. so I cut down the front of the card, and then mat and layered the resulting panel on white, silver and then white again before adding faux stitching, using a black fine liner pen around the last white layer.

I think the card came together at that stage.

A scattering of three black dots and a few doodled stars here and there complete the design.

Lockdown Blues ………..

Sometimes lockdown gets to even the best of us ……….

Bless her tiny, little cotton socks!

My Last Charity Shop Purchase Before Lockdown

I have to admit that I have quite settled into lockdown mode, but, if I am honest, I am really beginning to miss a good old Monday morning mooch round the charity shops of Evesham ……. and goodness only knows when I’ll finally be able to indulge again.

This was my very last purchase, the day before the shutters went down ……

……. now, I rarely delve amongst the picture boxes, but this unframed cross stitch caught my eye, mainly because of the subject matter and the workmanship and hours someone had put into it ……… and it cost me all of 40p, how could I leave it there?

There’s not a lot I can do with it for the next little while, it doesn’t fit any of the spare frames I have stored under the bed which is a pity and I’m not sure if, when framed, I will actually keep it, as my shelves and wall space are pretty much full, however, as there doesn’t seem to be an end to lockdown on the horizon, I reckon I have plenty of time to think about it’s future!

Sam’s Study – A True Adventure In Fiddle Fart!

Oh my goodness, what a load of old fiddle fart ……..

I felt I needed to put a 50p beside the armchair just to show you how small it is, I wish I could have also put all the blood, sweat and tears I shed to put it together………..

…… in what was a two and a half hour marathon! Just look at all the blinking stages and there was very little margin for error, as you are given the bare minimum of material,  should  you, pardon the expression, cock up!

I tried my best, it’s by no means perfect, but hopefully, if the whole thing is ever finished, amongst everything else all the squiggly digglely bits won't show up too much.

All the furniture is now completed, it was a bit disappointing to find the drawer front on the shelves above was split, so fixing it into position without snapping it completely was a little touch and go. 

Now it’s time to put all the hundreds of tiny books and boxes together, these are just the first few.  A lesson I quickly learned was to glue scraps of card inside to make the tops, bottoms and sides of the boxes a little sturdier.

As I did with the suitcase, even the tiny luggage labels and handle had to be cut separately and then glued on ………. happy days?

Lady Bug Card

This card measures 6ins by 6ins and uses a pre-scored Hobbycraft blank.

I am particularly chuffed with this card as it came together so effortlessly, despite my flagging mojo, nothing, for once, ended up in the bin for once!

I used the ladybirds and sentiment from this pack of cardboard stickers, that I believe, came from Poundland …….

……. and these trusty old old punches go back for far too many years to remember.

I decided to layer the daisies to give the card some extra dimension, especially when they are fluffed up a bit.

The gold circles and oblongs are nail art embellishments are also from Poundland.  Originally I doodled the heart shaped frame, but as I added the flower centre studs, I wondered if the oblongs might work if I added them to the lines, I think they did!

I put a layer of Ranger Glossy Accents on both of the ladybirds and sentiment, again to add some extra texture and dimension.  The finishing touches were made with a scattering of groups of three white dots using a white gel pen.  Voila!