Button Covered “Designer” Bag

What was commonly known as my shoplifting coat has finally bitten the dust, and I think the store detectives in Poundland had finally sussed me ….. so this is what I am using now ….

If I see an old tin of buttons at a car boot sale I just have to have it…. but what’s the point in bringing them home only to put them in an even bigger button tin?

I’ve used a glue gun to stick them on and they have taken a right good bashing but after about three weeks of heavy use none have come off.

The bag is a Cambridge Diet bag (£1.50). It’s a lovely shape with long handles, just perfect …. I have been stopped several times on the bus and when out car booting by people asking me where I’ve got it from …. at least I can say its an “original”

What's on My Desk Wednesday - Bargains from HobbyCraft

My mate Lisa’s  enthusiasm is contagious, while I was at work the other day she was texting me with all her HobbyCraft bargains, how cruel was that?  I had to wait till Friday when I finished early to see if she had left me anything ……. !  http://craftfairy.blogspot.com/

I thought these wooden plugs would be good on the drawers of my Tesco Advent House.

My only criticism of HobbyCraft is that they put a lot of bargains in very large “bargain bin boxes” – I could rummage, but they were so deep and full that I was frustrated that I might miss out on something fantastic, and I am not really sure that the assistants would have been pleased if I had hoisted a lot of stuff out and put it all over the floor enabling me to delve deeper

Lisa got these bargains too.  I wanted the stickers (£1.99 reduced to 99p) when I first saw them, but I ermed and ahhed at the price, but reduced to 99p I snapped them up.  The ribbon I just loved when I saw Lisa’s and I managed to get a reel of pink and two of red (89p 2m reel).

The Making Memories alphabet glitter die cuts (£3.49p reduced to 99p) will come in very useful for personalised cards and  I plan to use the Making Memories School Packing Tapes (£3.99 down to 99p, they were reduced again after labelling) for “End of Term Thank You” and “First Day at School” cards.

I have also picked up the metal words up many times when  shopping in HobbyCraft, but six words for £3.49 seemed expensive, £1.99 is a much better price!  The ribbon, all 25m of it, seemed a bargain too, but perhaps it was a shopping faux pas as it is “pulling ribbon” it should make cute rosette type bows, but I don’t have a clue how you do it!!!!

Ten tassel favour bags (£4.99 reduced to £2.99) is another good bargain, it works out at 29p a bag ….. BRILLIANT – especially when filled with these chocolate hearts.

This paper was not in the sale, (£2.99 for pack of 6 x 6) but I just had to have it, the colours and patterns are so lovely and a change from some of the  “pretty pretty” ranges.  It comes from DoCrafts and I am hoping to make some really lovely cards with it in the coming week.  I also bought some of the alphabet sets that go with it.

Bank Holiday Car Boot Sale Bargains

The lady on the stall at the car boot sale couldn’t believe I wanted to buy this …..

But it’s brilliant!  I’m trying to lose weight and 2lb a week is my goal … so I’m going to carry it with me EVERYWHERE ….. so I know what 2lbs actually feels like!  Oh ….. it cost me 20p!

These little wooden drawers set me back another 20p, I think I am going to cover them in a Kath Kidston type paper but I’m not sure ……

Magazine Cover Birthday Card

Well, this makes a change from my usual newspaper cards - a magazine cover instead, featuring my neice Daisy.

To be honest, there’s not much crafting going on here, just me bodging about on the computer! Daisy’s favourite magazine is Sugar (never heard of it!) so I Googled it to get a general idea and this is what I came up with, using  Daisy as the cover girl.

I’ve  made  very simple decoupage layers with Mr Lautner’s picture, a bit of micro glitter on Daisy’s earrings and a smattering of gold stars. That’s it!

100 Wedding Favors Finally Finished.

Well, I have finished the wedding favors I started a couple of weeks ago with my sister, and yes, I have finally learned the lesson of engaging my brain before my mouth! And, on top of that, I never want to see or smell another Elizabeth Shaw Mint Crisp again!

The last time you saw these little darlings they were sitting on my kitchen table all punched out and waiting to be stuck together. 

I have used  cello pretzel bags (from e-bay)  to put  the finished mints in.  It was a bit of a tight squeeze, but the sweets won’t be able move about in the bag when they are moved.

In all we covered 400 mints - to make up 100 bags.  That's 800 sets of scalloped circles, plain circles and flowers!  Mad? ....... Yes, absolutley barking!!! We have both now taken to howling at the moon!

To see the punches etc. that  I have  used  to make these favors just follow this link:-http://itsallfiddlefart.blogspot.com/2010/05/whats-on-my-kitchen-table-wednesday.html
You can order the scallop and plain circle punches from my friend Lisa http://stampincraftfairy.blogspot.com/

Butterfly Birthday Card – 15 Today

This is a card I made for my niece’s 15th Birthday.

The numbers were cut on my Quickutz Silhouette and have been mounted on foam pads for extra dimension.  The butterflies have been made using my Martha Stewart punch with paper from a K & Co mini pad and  the flowers with a very small daisy punch.

The card has been finished with flat backed gems and faux stitching.

To Tracey & Paul:- The secret to my posting at 00.01 every night is scheduling .... I am not a mad woman blogging away into the early hours. I do most of my crafting and posting at the weekend .... so by scheduling I am not under pressure to create something every night after work.

Butterfly Wreath Birthday Card.

My apologies as the glue was still wet when I took these photos and one jewel is decidedly wonky.

I’ve used a variety of punches to make up this design

Index Card Holder Birthday Card

This is the sort of card that I would like to receive, plain , clean and definatley - a less is more card!

I’ve used a cream linen card blank, a brass index holder, that I bought on e-bay ages ago, a paper daisy and some tiny flat backed pearls..

The back plate is made using a Nestabilities label die cut on my big shot and backed with foam pads for extra dimension.  I had to fiddle about a bit on my computer to get the font just the right size to fit behind the holder.

To add a touch of sparkle I have given the daisy a light dusting of translucent micro glitter from Stampin' Up.

The font I have used is from "Two Pea In A Bucket" - called 2Peas Typo - it cost $2.99, (about £1.60?), they also have some very nice free fonts if you look in there digital section. I've used font size 11 and the colour is Pantone 479C.
I don't think I have ever mentioned that I put an insert in all my cards, hand cut and made using A4 copier paper, usually white or cream to match the card blank, occassionally I use other pastel colours to match an embellishment or background paper that I have used.  .... it just adds an extra touch of quality. 

POUNDLAND - I've Made The Big Time ....... Well Nearly

I was Googling Poundland and just imagine my surprise when I found that I had been mentioned in the “Poundland Blog” – I feel famous!

“ I just have to mention Helen and her revamped Poundland Christmas stocking! Wow Helen, you have done a fab job! Make sure you check out Helen’s Its All Fiddle Fart Blog, as she has done some fab handy work on lots of things – great inspiration too.  Helen, we at Poundland HQ love your Poundland motto too – buy it now or you will never see it again.  It’s because our shoppers cannot believe the amazing value, so stock gets cleared very quickly we have to get more products in to fill the space.  It would be great to hear about any other Poundland items you have customised Helen”

Patchwork Butterfly Birthday Card

 
Another simple card using my nine square layout.

I’ve  used an assortment of punches to put it all together, including my new Martha Stewart punch.

I’ve  used Bazzill paper for the punchies from a stack from DCWV

Small flat backed pearls and gems complete the design – sorry about the wet glue, I am always too eager to get things blogged!
Extra Info:- The card blank measures 5.25 x 5.25ins. When I am making the middle panel I glue the scalloped squares on a rough square first and then trim around it by eye on my Dhale cutter so it looks evenly centred.
The scalloped square punch measures approx 2cm x 2cm and is by docrafts Xcut.

Blog Award - boring bits about me, bulked up with a few of my favourite pictures that I haven’t had a chance to use ……. until now ……..

I have to confess that though I am always thrilled to bits to receive a Blog Award, I feel awful that I don't usually publically accept them, I am not being ungrateful or offish, it's just that they take a bit of time to do and I am always short of time and  I hate to do things half cock  ..... but I have decided that from now on I must acknowledge and link to my award giver because they have taken time and thought to nominate me  ..... and then in return I will share a little about myself  .... but I hope you don't mind if I don't pass the whole award on …….

Yesterday, I was  really chuffed to have an award from Jenny who writes a brilliant blog, which I often hop to - http://inkypawsjkb.blogspot.com/ . Jenny got the award from Suzy http://blog4bulgaria.blogspot.com/ , this is a new blog to me, but one I will be following from now on.

I get up at 5.30 each morning to do all the paperwork, accounts, etc. for our central heating business. I leave the house at 7.30 to get to my very busy, full time job as a Departmental Assistant at a “top” girls school, finishing at 5.00pm, so  you can  guess that I  am   pretty knackered, a trifle fatigued, by the time I get home ……………. but that’s boring stuff really …….

 

I love to take pictures of my husband pondering …….. this is on Chesil Beach last Whitsun …. and as I LOVE stones ….. what a BRILLIANT place …. there are millions!

I live to craft …… I tend to do most of it at the weekend and blog in bulk (which seems a bit like cheating, I know), but that way I don’t have the pressure of having to think of a new idea every day when I get in from work …… that would be pure madness and my blogging career would soon be over.  I guess I come up with 5/6 ideas per weekend, and always have my “ideas” book with me, even on holiday, just in case inspiration strikes.

Our daughter is called Lucy, so this boat name caught my eye ….. we called her Lucy because as soon she was born she opened her wonderful blue eyes and had a good look around ….. Andy said ….. “Lucy in the skies with diamonds, the girl with kaleidoscope eyes”

In the past I didn’t keep a record of the things I’ve made, that is a HUGE regret, but since starting this blog in August 2009 that has all changed, now I blog everything.

I guess, secretly, I would like to be “discovered” and work full time in crafts. I would love someone to take me under their wing and guide me.  I have never done art properly, but think I could,  if I knew where to start, at the moment I just codge, do my own thing and it always seems to turn out ok ….. but I think I could do better.

If I hadn’t been born a human, I would have liked to have been born a mermaid …… then I could stroke fish!

I also write a second blog, “Mums Monkey”,  I started it about three years ago and then it sort of fizzled out until a lovely lady called Sarah found it, goodness knows how and e-mailed asking me to write some more ……. it really seems to have caught on, in 9 months he has had over 14,000 hits.  It’s a daft idea but I just like the way he looks at life because even the simplest thing is BRILLIANT and a  joy to him! I think the character of Monkey is based on my son when he was a little boy …. he thought a lot too!

Other boring bits about me …… I love stones, glass bubbles, birdcages, nests, pearls, fish, fountain pens, bleached wood on beaches, wooden balls (??), wooden hearts, lanterns, fairy lights, my Chimes of Kyoto, linen/cotton scented candles, crabs, handmade paper, Jose Murinho, Lord Alan Sugar, Keith Richard, and sweets, except for jelly babies and Starburst type ones.

I don’t much like broad beans or the feel of wooden lolly sticks.

I hope I haven’t bored you too much!!!!

What’s on My Desk Wednesday – Matchbox Suitcase Dimensions.

 

Well, I haven’t been shopping this week (yet!), so there isn’t  anything of an exciting nature on my desk ….. but a couple of ladies did ask me on Monday for the dimensions of my little matchbox suitcase …… I have tried to be as exact as I can, as this was originally a GSD file for my Quickutz Silhouette.

If you would like me to send you the file just e-mail me at nellxxxx@aol.com
The file will cut two matchboxes at a time.

I just hope you can make sense of my manic measuring and scribbling!

The handle measure 9cm x 1cm and is scored 1cm, 1cm, 5cm, 1cm,1cm.

Top Tip – cut a piece of matching card to fit the bottom of the box to make it look extra “professional”

The card for this suitcase is gorgeous, I got it from Paper Box at NEC Hobby Crafts in March.

One for the Boys - World Cup Sweetie/Favor Bags

This is what I have come up with using my Poundland and Home Bargains goodies from last weekend.

I fiddle farted for too long trying to incorporate a football background in the bag, but in the end decided to keep things very simple.

The bag topper is made using a Nestabilities label die on my Big Shot
The footballers are so cute!

This is a less fussy idea – boys aren’t really into fancy toppers and stuff but I did think that this was a good idea for summer fetes etc. I've ferretted around the shops looking for England/World Cup sweets and then split the bags to make "party bags".  They contain a Swizzles Ref whistle (10 for £1) a Swizzles England lolly (10 for £1) a Poundland marshmallow footballer (8 for £1) and three chocolate footballs (Poundland or Home Bargains).

As the footballers are without a wrapper I have sealed them (using my bag sealer) in seperate pretzel cello bags available from e-bay.

After I had made a batch of bags I found some football table confetti, a sprinkle of which would have been a nice finishing touch to each bag IF had I added it!