Modge Podge Altered Bangle

Remember this 10p bangle I got in Primark’s reduced bin?

Well I’ve covered in DecoPatch paper and Modge Podge sparkle finish and now it looks like this:-

I’ve only put one layer of DecoPatch on so the gold leathery effect of the bangle shows through giving a lovely effect.

I’ve only recently started using Modge Podge, I got a starter pack, which had one small bottle of each finish in it to try.  I am hooked, it dries very quickly and doesn’t run and the various finishes it gives are fantastic, much better and easier than some of the varnishes I have used in the past.

Birthday Card for a Walker

This card is A5 in size.

As I have said before, my Birthday Times template is brilliant for making a one off, totally personal card. 

A card like this can take a couple of hours to make because of the research, as my sister would say, “It’s all in the detail!”.  The brief was 60th birthday, walking, red wine, and the Laf Apujarraf mountains, I think I have pulled it off!.

The boots are Quickutz die cuts I got from e-bay, the boot print stickers are from Stickopotamus and I am desperate to get some more, as I have almost run out of them and the bottle and glasses are a clip art image that I have covered with Anita’s 3D clear gloss to give a glass like effect.

The map, boots, bottle and glasses are all stuck on with foam pads for extra dimension.

Rainbow Keyboard Card

I was asked to make a card for a 12 year old boy who plays the piano, mindful of his age, I didn’t want to do anything run of the mill.  I hoped to find a wavy keyboard on Google but no luck, so in the end I had to plump for a dead plain black and white clip art keyboard.

Then I had an “Ulrika Moment” – I found a rainbow background and with a bit of jiggery pokery on Publisher, superimposed the keyboard on top ….. I was so chuffed with the result.

I cut out another set of black keys and used foam sticky pads to hold them in place. Finally I added a good coat of Anita’s 3D Clear Gloss to each key as a finishing touch. Done and dusted!

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.