Snowman Card

This card measures 5ins by 5ins and is made using white linen effect card.

Not much to this card today.  The papers are 8 x 8 papers from Pepper’s Christmas Party from Trimcraft, to which I have added a little faux stitching to try to give the card a patchwork effect. The embellishments were part of a RAK from my lovely follower Carly, to which I’ve added a few clear flat backed gems and a little Ranger Glossy Accents on the snowman's eyes, nose and snowballs. 

A HUGE Thank You

A HUGE “Thank You” to Tracy for sending me a glorious parcel full of wonderful bits and pieces.  I cannot believe the kindness of my readers and when I saw who the parcel was addressed to it made me howl! Soooo funny.

Amongst all the treasure was a box filled with all sorts of die cuts, including lots of hearts (and ….. I’m thinking Valentines Day already!)  I can’t wait to get stuck into it all once Christmas is over.

Tracy also put in this lovely card in the parcel which is now on my craftroom window sill…. I will also add it to our blog gallery when I have five minutes. Thank you, thank you, thank you, your kindness and thoughtfulness is very much appreciated and treasured xxxx

Forever Friends Cards

These cards measure 5ins x 5ins and are made using white linen effect card.

I quite like the Forever Friends range of toppers as they are well made and good quality but for doing a batch of cards they are a little expensive,  so I only tend to buy them in the sales or when they are on offer. 

I’ve teamed them up with 6 x 6 papers from the Papermania Back to Basics pack and Anita’s Happy Christmas message tags.

Microscope Slide Pendant/Christmas Decoration

Remember in the summer when I finally got round to experimenting with my microscope slides? Well, I made this as well, but wanted to keep it until I started my Christmas blogging.

I’ve used paper from Basic Grey’s Blitzen Collection, Jack Frost (BL1-337)  for the background with added punched snowflakes, prisma micro glitter, and tiny pale blue metallic stars.  I’ve put glass flat back gems to the front of the pendant for extra dimension along with the metal Christmas tree, which is from Crafting for Christmas range. It really is very twinkly and magical, but it’s so hard to capture in a photo. I will be wearing it throughout December with a couple of others I have made.

Christmas Wish Bottle Tree Decoration.

This bottle came from a child’s bead/jewellery making set of 12 bottles all filled with beads for 99p.  I’d tried looking for similar empty bottles on e-bay but the prices were stupid, so I’ve emptied the beads into a big pot for another project, and just used the bottles.

The bottle is approximately 4cms tall (not including the stopper).  I’ve put a piece of paper into it with “wish” written on both sides and then added a few punched silver snowflakes.  On the outside I have stuck some small silver glittery self adhesive snowflakes (Anita’s I think). Finally I’ve put an eye with a screw end (not sure what they are really called) into the cork, all it needs now is a thread to hang it on a Christmas tree branch.

Doodled Christmas Tree Card

This card measures 7ins x 5ins and is made using Kraft ribbed effect card.

Hmmmmm not sure about this card …. I went a bit berserk on the doodling!  I think it has a sort of ethnicy feel to it.

Christmas Bucket Tea Light Holder

This is probably a VERY naughty thing for me to do, but I have always have my camera with me and in January I was in a gift shop when I saw this festive bucket in the sale, I was too mean to buy it, but I took a sneaky pic because I liked the idea. Shhhhh!

Below is my version ….

I got home and was looking through my bits and stumbled upon the little green bucket I had forgotten I had, which is almost an identical colour, ‘twas fate.

I set about making the fringe using white felt and sewing small jingle bells on it.
 

And then used some red Dylon 3D glitter paint for the lines.  When the paint was dried I stuck the fringe onto the bucket using a strong PVA glue.  To be honest I think the 3D paint is too thick and blobby and if I were to have another go, I think I would just use a red micro glitter and PVA glue.

Christmas Hearts Card

This card measures 15 cm x 10.5 cm and is made using  white linen effect card and Basic Grey – Blitzen – Jack Frost BL1 –377 12 x 12 scrapbook paper

I love Christmas cards that are simple and unfussy, less is more.  I’ve just punched out two 2in scalloped hearts and stuck them down using foam pads for extra dimension.  The centre panel, mat and layered on silver  is stuck down in the same way too.

I’ve added two small snowflake punches to each heart with a silver nail head in the middle and a scattering of tiny clear flat back gems. It took not time at all to make, but is so effective.

Pepper’s Christmas Party

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

I got this box of Pepper’s Christmas Party (Trimcraft) chipboard shapes and a pack of matching 8ins x 8ins papers (also reduced) to go with them in a sale at the Range.

I am hoping to get about 6 plus cards from the box, 36 shapes sounds a lot, but some of the shapes are quite small and not so easy to use and some of the larger ones just didn’t appeal, like festive carol singing frogs …. which I just don’t get, but perhaps frog  lovers might???

Anyway, these are the first three cards I’ve made from the pack.

Perhaps not my taste but I have learnt that the cards that I I really like don’t necessarily disappear from my box in the staffroom first!

Cat Christmas Card

This card measures 16cms x 11cms and is made using a ribbed Kraft card.

I’ve made this card for a friend at work who is mad about cats.  I’ve had the wooden embellishment for a couple of years and as I am on a real mission to use a lot of my existing Christmas stash this year I was determined to use it.

The embellishment was from http://designsonpine.co.uk/categories.php – they have a cracking craft section – and worth a visit, especially when they have a sale!

Decorated Wooden Child’s Domino Box.

This box, which measures 9cm x 16cm x 5.5 cm deep was left over after I had made all my festive wooden tags, I didn’t want to throw it away, so I thought I would make a little desk tidy/trinket box with it.

I’ve covered the sides, top and inside bottom with K & Co. Classic Margo Patchwork Stripes paper (643077 645776), and couple of layers of clear gloss varnish. A small wooden knob finishes it off.  I think I  put a few sweets in it and give it to a colleague as a small Christmas present.

Have You Seen These ? Jars of Thornton’s Smiles

I first saw sampled these in Thornton’s during Chocolate Week in October and have been looking for them again ever since.  I was just about to give up thinking they were a “one off” …. when I found them in the Wolverhampton branch ….. woo hooooo!

They should be £3.99 a jar but at the moment Thornton’s have a 3 for 2 offer on!  Chocolatebuttontastic!!! I can think of so many people to give a jar to!

Have a look at Qwiksave's blog - Creative Flourishes  ..... she had this idea way back in May !!! http://creativeflourishes.blogspot.com/2011/05/jar-of-smiles.html

Papermania Bauble Card

I’ll be honest with you, I am not 100% happy with this card.  I think the blank is too big and should be in cream and not white, and the baubles are too far apart, but it doesn’t do any harm to show you my “mistakes” now and again.

I’m not sure if these Papermania toppers are still available, as they were given to me last Christmas.  All I’ve done is add a few red flat backed gems to bling them up a bit, drawn a thread and bow on the card and stuck on a few tiny gold stars. But as I said, there is definitely room for improvement.

Papermania Christmas Tree Topper Card

This is a very simple design using cream linen card and measures 12.5 cm x 12.5 cm.

The trees are from Papermania, a gift from a friend last Christmas.

I love the way they have little notches on the sides, brilliant for winding a gold thread round.  I have also added a few clear flat backed gems for extra bling and dimension.

I have made a cream card blank, because I think it looks better with gold and have also used it to make the snowdrifts right across the card to form a very simple winter scene.

Teddy – With Love At Christmas Card

This card measures 5ins x 5ins and is made using white linen effect card.

I am really, really trying to use up all my old Christmas stash this year, there’s some really lovely new stuff out there in the shops that is soooooo tempting, but I must be strong!   I think the 3D effect teddy sticker was from Hobbycraft last year in packs of 6 or 8. I’ve kept things very simple because, to be honest, at this time of year I need to knock out a lot of cards, very quickly!

Mini Handbags

In case you missed these first time round, I've jiggled with past posts and added them again today ......... a friend showed me how to make these little handbags, so I cannot claim the idea as my own, but I loved them so much, I thought I would put my own spin on her idea.

They are so simple to make.  Just take a strip of paper 4cm wide by 12cm long.  Score the strip into 4 sections, measuring 2cm, 4cm, 2cm, 4cm.

The first 2cm makes the flap of the bag, the next 4cm makes the back, the next 2cm is the bottom of the bag and the final 4cm makes the front.

I have used 4 Twilight mints inside my bags , just  tape them together so they don’t fall out, and secure them to the bottom of the bag with a sticky pad. Add a short length of ribbon at the crease of the flap for the handle, and then use another sticky pad to fasten the bag together.  Finish off with an embellishment of your choice for the fastener, I have used gems. Simples! 

Since I first posted these bags back in 2009 they have changed the wrappings on the Twilight mints - to plastic instead of foil and paper (not so classy!!!) but you could use Cadbury minatures instead.  The basic template & dimensions can easily be tweaked to suit whatever confectionary you want to put in them.

Pamper Jar

Usually at Christmas I make up a little basket of goodies like bubble bath, face packs etc. to put in my guest bedrooms but when I saw this idea for “Pampering in a Jar” on the brilliant blog below,  I just had to have a go …..

http://www.thegunnysack.com/2011/10/everything-in-jar-handmade-gifts.html

I’ve been saving large Douwe Egberts coffee jars for ages as they are just to decorative to throw away.  All I’ve added is a very simple label using an A4 sheet of printable canvas and a bit of bling.

I haven’t filled it completely yet, but when I am on my travels I will be looking for miniature versions of popular products in Boots, Superdrug and Asda, especially if they have a 3 for 2 offer on.

As an extra touch I’ve popped a Yankee Candle tea light into the lid of the jar, so that when my guests are having a little pamper they are also surrounded with beautiful wafts of perfume!

It’s well worth having a look at Tonia’s blog as she has a lot of other brilliant ideas for gifts in jars along with a lot of other ideas too

http://www.thegunnysack.com/2011/10/everything-in-jar-handmade-gifts.html

Jars are really versatile for crafting ideas but I HATE trying to remove all the sticky stuff off them …..  until I found this in Aldi - £2.99 a bottle ….. its brilliant!

A Book Review – Make Hey! While The Sun Shines by Pip Lincolne

ISBN 978-1742701131-8 – hardie grant books
Disclaimer: Occasionally I do receive free products to review from companies. However I do not allow this to influence my opinion; I will always share my honest opinion.

A while back I had an e-mail from Helena from hardie grant books, a company, to be honest, I had not come across before, she offered me the opportunity to review two of their craft books (one in November and the other in December)…..  well it would have been most rude not to have a little gander wouldn’t it?

Rather than put all the blurb about the book in my own words it’s easier to just cut and paste and then I won’t miss anything out ……. and then I’ll tell you what I think!

“The crafty Pip Lincolne is back with her third book of sweet and whimsical projects. In Make Hey While the Sun Shines, she shows you 20 gorgeous things to make for the summertime, holiday time, or any time! There are bike seat covers made from vintage fabric, crocheted baubles to decorate your house (or car!), hand-printed gift bags and pretty hand illustrated plates to customise your own ceramics. More adventurous crafters might like to try the Chatty Tote or the handy bottle tote to store your drinks when you head out for the day. Making hey isn't just about sewing and craft though - there are also 5 pull-out recipe cards with delicious goodies to take on a picnic or just enjoy at home. All of the projects have step-by-step instructions and illustrations to guide you through, and with comprehensive sections on sewing, crochet and knitting basics, Make Hey While the Sun Shines is perfect for anyone who is interested in handmaking their own beautiful things.”

I love it, it’s a sturdy book with a hard cover but is ring bound inside. In the front cover is a pocket containing five recipe cards, with room to add a few more of your own.  It’s quirky, but my sort of quirky, and will be a constant source of inspiration for years to come, not only because of the projects it contains, but also the because of the composition of photographs and pages, there is so much to look at, I find them fascinating and a further source of inspiration,  in away it reminds me of a sort of smash book.

The book is divided into four parts, Projects, Crafty How-Tos, Extra Good Ideas and the Recipe Cards, all of which are detailed but easy to read and follow, using the simple illustrations and above all interesting.
The book is available from Amazon priced at £12.09 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Make-Hey-While-Sun-Shines/dp/1742701310/

The project I most wanted to try was “Mix Tape A La Pip”, such a simple idea …. ideas/instructions on how to make your own sticky tapes, something that I had never thought of before, but now I am hooked. 

Pip says this idea can be used on print or plain fabric scraps, which can be embroidered or drawn on, ….. using the principles of the idea, this is what I came up with A La Fiddle Fart …

In Publisher I created a series of tapes using fonts from Two Peas in  Bucket (2Peas DW Meow font size 36, 2Peas Tis The Season font size 14 and 2Peas DW Bow Wow)  http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/shop/fonts/ . The snowmen are from a digi set called Little Joys by Zoe Pearn which I printed on an A4 sheet of canvas paper in Landscape.  When printed, to use up all the canvas,  I added two of my own doodled designs using Promarker pens. ……. and then simply cut them out and put double sided tape on the back ….. voila!

I used one of the tapes on this Sizzix gift card holder …..

To sum up, an inspiring book, that I will refer to and read often and with a great deal of pleasure, however please can I stress that this is only my opinion of the book.
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