Lovely Sweetie Packs

This idea would be suitable  for both  Valentines Day and Mother’s Day

I’ve used Twilight mints, using one wrapper to make the template from .  I left the other wrappers on and just put the new wrapper over them, it was less fiddly.

The paper I have used is by Making Memories from the Love Notes range and have stuck the ends down with double sided tape.

I have added a small wooden heart and a clear flat back gem for extra fiddlefart.

The cello bag I have used is very narrow (2ins x 9ins)  and can be found on e-bay as either pretzel or lolly bags. They cost about £1.99 for 50 plus p&p. I always have a good stock of them, as they are brilliant for little sweetie projects like this.

When I made these, I used Twilight Mints leftover from Christmas, but I have a funny feeling that the makers have only recently changed the wrapper to one single plasic wrapper (instead of the foil and paper layers) - but I am not 100% sure - it might be worth double checking, if you can, as it will have an effect on the overall appearance! Bum! I am now on the look out for a substitute mint!

Hug in A Mug and Lovebug Treat Bags

Yesterday was a weird Saturday, nothing came out as I planned and my head felt like it was full of cotton wool. I fiddle farted around with these ideas for ages, nothing looked right, colours didn't match, embellishments looked pants – perhaps I should have a “what’s in my bin Sunday” because mine is full!

Anyway, this is what I came up with, using sachets of hot chocolate, mini marshmallows and chocolate “Love Tokens” I got from Home Bargains  (39p) – the name “Hug in A Mug” came from my mate Lisa.

I am thinking, I might try the same idea for Easter - "Bunny Brew" (not really sure about the name yet) - at the moment I am looking for chocolate Easter lollies to use as stirrers.

The second idea uses caramel filled chocolate ladybirds I got from Tesco (£1.04 for 13) the other day.

It’s an idea I’ve used lots of times here before, same old, same old, just a different sweetie and occasion,  using Nestablities Label dies to make the bag toppers.


WHAT’S IN THE SHOPS …………………………………….


My sister found these for me is Asda – filled with soft chocolate - £1.00 for about 10 – not sure what to do with them yet ……

Winged Heart Card

There’s nothing much to this card at all.

The card blank and centre panel are made using ivory linen card.  White card looks to harsh with gold, ivory/cream is much subtler.

The heart is made from wood and available from most craft shops. All I have done is cut a padded wing (from e-bay) in half and then stuck each part either side of the heart with double sided tape.

That’s all there is to it!

Tree of Love

This card was a nightmare to photograph, whichever way I positioned it, it looked pants!

It is also the first time I have stamped straight onto a card blank, I just crossed my fingers and just hoped that it was centred properly and the image would be clear and smudge free.

I have used the stamp before for a post in December, I wasn’t sure if it would work for a Valentine as it is a very stark, but then trees are bare in February.

The stamp is by Art Impressions (G1277) and cost about £7.99ish.

The small hearts are self adhesive gems from Artwork and the larger one is from Papermania.

I have to admit I am still not sure about it …. I wonder if a smidgen of micro glitter on the branches would make it look a little more alive and magical.

Dunelm Mill Sale

I finally got there myself yesterday - there wasn't much left!!!  It took a bit to find the sale items, as  they were all mixed together in a basket shelf display at the end of the aisle and you had to have a good ferret around!. The only bargains I did manage to get were 4 packs of Making Memories alphabet stickers reduced from £2.97 to 99p plus a (non reduced) pack of A5 glitter paper for £1.99. But I hope everyone else who went found something!

White glitter card - what a nightmare to find - it looks white in the shop but when you get home you find that it isn't pure snowy white.  At the NEC in November I thought I had bought pure white, but it had a purplish tinge when I put beside my linen card, the same happened with Paperchase card, which was off white!  Lesson learned - I always put the glitter card next to brilliant white card before I buy it.

Deck of Cards Valentine

The idea for this card came from an advert I saw for an internet gambling site!

There’s nothing to it really.  The card measures 5 x 5 ins square. The two of hearts is backed on double sided foam pads to make it stand a little proud of the ace card.

If I made the card again and was nit picking, I need to move the “I” a little nearer to the heart.

I have used regular sized cards for this project ….. , now I am wondering what it would look like if I used mini cards … wait for me ……….

I’m back, this is what I came up with using mini playing cards.  I really must put a ruler or something by some of my projects so that you can gauge the size.

Again the card is 5 x 5ins.  I’ve had the backing paper for years so can’t remember where it came from, sorry. The smaller cards are not as good quality as the large ones, and have a greyish appearance and rough texture, but it’s worked out OK, I think.

Bird House Card

On Saturday I bought three packets of the new Accessorize stickers.  In the end I managed to make 22 cards with them.  All I had to add were a few small flowers that I had left over from other packets.

 

I have about 30/40 heart stickers left over of varying sizes and colours, but I am sure they will come in useful when I have little spaces on cards or sweetie bag toppers that need filling.  

I have used some of the larger hearts on this very plain card.

The black line is a peel off sticker, and all I have done is stick hearts on either side of it with a few small clear flat backed gems. This would make a nice notelet card.

What’s On My Desk Wednesday

This is very, very sad but I have been on constant Tesco Chocolate Ladybird alert for weeks now!  I had almost given up when my mate Lisa text to say she’d got some. Woo hooooooo.

Tonight I went into the village Tesco Express and there they were beckoning me to buy them!

This year they are filled with caramel (last year they were solid chocolate), they cost £1.04 for a net of 13 with a sell by date of May 2010,  not long for chocolate really.  So both Lisa and I are mindful that if we want any for Easter, we will have to stock up now, because once Valentines Day has gone, we won’t be able to get anymore.

So that’s my weekend planned - with boxes and bags of love bugs to make.

STOP PRESS STOP PRESS STOP PRESS

If you have a Dunelm Mill near you, it might be worth popping in, a friend at work popped by my office with a bulging bag of bargains, including My Minds Eye paper packs 99p, My Minds Eye decoupage pad £1.99, Dress It Up Buttons 49p pack, xmas ribbons 37p pack, A5 pads of Xmas glitter paper 49p, small card blanks 49p …… etc.

To answer Mandy's question:-  I  give a lot of sweetie bags to friends and family as presents at special times like Valentines Day, birthdays, end of term or just because presents .........
I also have a box in the staffroom with all my latest makes for people to dip into.

Another Primark Necklace Card

I was in a quandary about this necklace, I love the design  and have worn it once, but it didn’t sit quite right on my not too swan like neck …….

So yes, I have taken it apart …. it cost £3.00 and I reckon I will get at least 6 cards out of it.

However, as the flowers are not all the same size or style I  will have to vary the size and design of cards accordingly.

The paper I have uses on these  cards  is from Craft House and is called  Allsorts.

I have 8 flowers left over – hopefully, inspiration on how to use them will come to me during the coming week.

Card Candy Heart

This is a new sort of embellishment for me, Card Candy from Craftwork Cards.  I received a packet in a swop and they have been on my pin board for months, but then last night I had a brain wave ……. and this is the result.

I drew a heart faintly on the card first as a guide and then just stuck the candy on willy nilly, so the sizes and the colours are completely random,  I picked them up and stuck them down with no fiddle farting!

 

For a subtler softer effect I have used an ivory linen card with gold matting instead of my usual white and silver.

Three Little Birds

How cute are these birds?

….. And guess where these stickers came from? Assessorize!  They are new stock and  I nearly missed them, as they were tucked up behind some other bits and pieces.  They cost £1.75 and hopefully I will get at least 6 cards from one packet.

I have made the branch using three punchies made with the punch below , bought at The Hobbycrafts Show  in November.



The card took just a few minutes to make.



Thank you all again for your lovely comments - I was having a little chuckle to myself and thought I could offer a shopping trip with me as blog candy!

Believe it or not I don't shop a lot!  I just shop fast and furious and can scan shelves for crafty stuff in seconds!  My favourite place for shopping has got to be Manchester Paperchase - last time I went, I was in there for almost 2 hours and  still went back again after I had been round the other shops!  Manchester is my once a year October treat with my sister, I just love it.

Gingham Squares with Hearts

 
I use this 9 square pattern a lot on my cards as it is especiallly good when using small stickers and punches.

I don’t think I need tell you how I have made them as the pictures tell the story.

The centre square is set on foam pads for extra dimension.

The puffy stickers are from Accessorize. I have had the small scalloped square punch for years, I think Paperchase sell a lever punch that is almost the same. Dovecraft make boy and girl punches very similar to, if not the same as mine.

To answer Chris G's question in comments - all my dotted lines/faux stitching are done free hand.  I like to use the thinnest fine liner pen I can find (005) and just go for it, if it does go a bit wibbly wobbly it just adds to the charm.

Keep going on this post as I have added another one below ......

What’s In The Shops Saturday!

I can’t promise that this is a post I will do every week but everyone seemed to love my shopping goodies the other week, so I hope to add an extra post on the days when I spot  something of a crafty nature when I am out  and about.

Yesterday my friend and I popped to Sainsbury’s and I found these sticker packs on the girls jewellery stand.

They cost £1.50 a packet, and I reckon I can get least 4 cards from each pack if I use my 9 square design.  I wish there were a few more of the cake with the candle on as that would make a brilliant centre piece to each card.

I am off to Penkridge Market in a little while, I wonder what I will find there …….

When I made these heart things the other night I was so excited, but then thought, what the hell can I do with them! Then it came to me, fridge magnets!