Desert Island Crafts – Part 4

Sewing machines …………… I don’t sew …….. but I have three!

This was a bargain buy from a carboot sale – unused and still sealed in its plastic bags - £2, bargain! I have threaded it – but usually use it empty to put perforated lines on cards to make faux stitched borders, edges etc., all you have to do is join up the holes with a very thin liner pen and it looks like real stitching!

The original of this sewing machine came from e-bay and cost me £7 – but I swopped it for an almost identical one with my friend Lisa because it was everso slightly better. I use it when I want to put real sewing on my cards, it may be cumbersome but with the handle I can sew at my own pace and feel more in control.

This sewing machine was a Christmas present, as yet unused, but when I have the time, probably in the summer, I will put my mind to mastering it.  I love the fact that amongst other stitches it does zig zag – which I very much want to use on my Christmas designs ……. aghhhh, did I mention Christmas ….. already????

 

My treasure is a glass bubble that hangs in my craftroom window, it’s so beautiful – I got it from the fairy shop in  Camden Market about four years ago.

Desert Island Crafts – Part 3

I love my Bind It All, I have had it for about three years now and have lost count of the little wedding, baby and birthday books I have made with it. I sent for the space bar which made the hole punching much more accurate.

The books I tend to make are 4ins x 4 ins and I usually make my own covers using a really thick strong card and then covering both sides before binding. My favourite size wires are 5/8 – which gives me plenty of depth for embellishing the pages.

My best discovery last year was DCWV adhesive cardstock, it goes on like a dream, no bubbles or ridges and comes in an assortment of colour ways and patterns and saves so much time!

This is one of my smaller cupboards – crammed again – this time with all the bits I would like to alter one day ….. the pink things are picture frames with a small deep window in – ripe for altering – I’m just at a lose as to where to start ….. I have said time and time again how much I love Tim Holtz – but I just don’t have a clue where to start!

My treasure is this postcard, every year alongside the Hobbycrafts Show at the NEC in November is a gift fair, and every year I drool over these heart pendants – I so want one, but how on earth do I choose just one as they are all so beautiful?  Perhaps this year I won’t sigh at the very sight of them or stroke them, perhaps I will actually make the BIG decision and buy one!

Desert Island Crafts Continued …..

It’s Easter - we felt we had earned  a few days away and the circling pin of fate landed on Bristol ….. not sure what we will find ….. but I’m sure I will stumble into a Poundland tucked somewhere amongst all the tourist attractions

So, while I am on my jollys, I thought I would continue something I started at Christmas and blog some of my favourite tools and  materials, a few treasures that inspire me plus some new views of my craft room …..  but please, excuse the mess!

This is my really old but faithful dymo label writer – I just love the effect it gives,  especially on men’s cards and mini books.  I know there are newer, more modern machines out now, but they are not a patch on this one, bought from e-bay.

The view today is one of two fitted wardrobes, which is packed solid, you name it, it’s probably in there!

And my treasure …….. the boxing gloves my husband had as a little boy, they are just so beautiful.

What’s On My Desk Wednesday.

My desk hasn’t seen any action since Saturday night, when, fresh from NEC Hobbycrafts I had a little play with some of my new punches ….  so I thought that I would use today as an opportunity to show you the rest of my shopping ….

The white punches are Martha Stewart – I have wanted a couple of  “nice” butterfly punches for ages and I am very pleased with them as they cut like a dream.

The blue cut and emboss set was an impulse buy ….. I have had a little play, but I am afraid the embosser might gather dust in my punch drawer as I am not over impressed with the result.

This is just part of three huge wallets/boxes of A4 card and paper I bought with favour boxes, bags and bag toppers  in mind, the size is perfect for cutting on my Silhouette.

I love “My Minds Eye” papers and bought these double sided 12 x 12 sheets for a special baby mini book I plan to make over the Easter break.

These wooden baby girl embellishments were good value for £1, at the moment I don’t have a project in mind for them but they were to cute to pass by.

And finally some posh pins and ribbons.  I have seen a lot of these pins used on cards on other blogs and though I would have a go.
Well, that’s it until the November show ….. better start saving again!

What’s On Your Desk Wednesday

My craft room is finally my own again, not that I am grumbling because having a bulging house this Christmas was wonderful. I have put some of my new craft stuff on my desk before I find a home for everything.  I have been very very spoiled.

The sewing machine has a zig zag stitch that I am hoping to use on my cards, I just need to master threading it first.  The hot gun is for sealing wax and seals, very very exciting!  The sidekick will let me use my small dies without getting out my BigShot and the huge Sizzix dies are more boxes with Easter and birthdays in mind!  There is also a new set of Nestablities labels for amongst other things sweet bag tops.

As I said, I am very spoiled.

The little man is called  One Man Try Tape  Dispenser and was a present from my mum. A couple of people have commented on how cute he is so I have found him here  (amongst other places) for £12.99

In answer to Ali's question, yes, I do use my Nesties on the Big Shot, I can usually cut through three layers of a thinish card if I am making bag toppers etc.

Desert Island Crafts – Part 5

This picture may look very boring, but it features my scoring boards, without them i would be so lost. 

The white one is by Coppernob, I use it everyday for scoring all my cards, I think you can do all sorts of fancy things with it, but so far that is beyond me.

The wooden board is what I use for making boxes, I got it from E-bay. You do your lids using one side and bottoms with the other. When I am making a box I have to experiment a bit to get the right size for what I need it for, I make a template first, which I label and keep and then make however many boxes I need based on that template.

Desert Island Crafts – Part 4

These are my small craft essentials,

Anita’s 3D clear gloss finish is brilliant for turning a cut out printed picture into a brilliant embellishment or making text stand out.

I love brown/mushroom/brownish grey fine tipped Marvy Le Plume pens for a subtle effect faux stitching, as well as white and black gel pens for edging and doodling, especially on tops to sweetie bags.

Top Tip – three tiny little dots here and there, next to embellishments or text can draw attention to that area and subtly fill in white space.  I use this trick on all of my cards. (I think I got this tip from Art Attack!)

Sakura glue pens are brilliant for applying very fine detail with micro glitter.  It goes on blue, but dries clear quickly, enabling you to apply glitter very accurately and subtly to the smallest area .

Finally, scissors, these are my two favourite pairs for cutting out very fiddle farty shapes/pictures.  I have a drawer full of scissors of all sizes – however I neglect them something rotten, one of my jobs during the holiday is to clean  all the sticky gunge off them all with nail varnish remover and cottonwool pads.

Desert Island Crafts – Part 3

Introducing my faithful cutters, I do have a couple of others but they are not a patch on these!  I have a large and small Xcut and a Dhale Trimmer.

The Dhale is my favourite for getting a perfect edge for mat and layering.  This is my second model, I had my first for about 12 years and I was gutted when it finally went blunt and fell to bits.  Locating a new one was difficult so goodness knows what I will do if it ever packs in, but I don’t care what it costs because it is the best!

I cut all my card blanks on the large Xcut – I use it every single day.  Its strong and accurate, perhaps a bit cumbersome to lift from the floor to my desk when I am working, but I couldn’t be without it.

I use the smaller Xcut for cutting smaller pieces of card and paper to size, its marked out in small squares so I am able to cut with pretty good accuracy.

Desert Island Crafts – Part 2

I would be lost without my ATG – as you can see I have one and a spare. It may look big and cumbersome but it is brilliant as it dispenses double sided tape in a jiffy.  I admit there is a bit of a knack, but when you get it there’s no stopping you.  When I am doing a production line of cards I just whizz through them.  I have one loaded with 6mm tape (you need to buy an adaptor to use this) and the other is loaded with 12mm, which I use the most. The tape costs about £1.84 for 44m which is so economical

Click on the link for more information, I have used this company many times and have always been happy with their service.

Desert Island Crafts – Part 1

Before Christmas I put together a few posts to publish over the holiday because it just wouldn’t feel right having nothing popping up here at 00.01 each morning!

So for the next few days I have selected the tools in my craftroom that I would have to have on my desert island …..

I apologise for the state of some of the stuff , you can see from the photos how used it is!

My Fine Tip PVA applicators – these give you a very fine application of glue, it is so fine you don’t get a ripple effect when you are gluing paper and the metal tip is perfect for gluing the smallest embellishment, even the tiniest gem.

The bottles come empty, I fill mine with PVA glue because it is strong and dries clear.

The pins that come with the bottles (spares are available) prevent the metal tip clogging up and don’t rust.

This has got to be the best glue applicator ever!

Click on the link for more details.