Lonely Snowman Card

This card measures 15.5cm x 10.5cm and is made using white linen effect card.

I just adore this (unmounted) stamp, but I have to admit I can’t remember where it came from. I bought it online from a shop that was closing down, I intended just to buy a gingerbread man stamp and ended up with this and a couple more in my basket!!!

I’ve kept things pretty simple because as you know by now stamping isn’t really my thing.

I’ve used Stampin’Up Dazzling Diamonds glitter on the snow and tiny blue metallic stars to add a bit of extra bling to the sky.

Simple Stamped Christmas Tree Card

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

The stamp I’ve used for this card was free a couple of years ago with Craft Stamper magazine and has laid in my stamp drawer unused ever since …. until now!

I only intended to use Anita's 3D clear gloss finish on the trees,  but I was impatient and it ran all over the image, however I am pleased with the result as it looks like a little pottery plaque now. I’ve also used Stampin’Up Dazzling Diamonds glitter on the snow and tiny nail embellishments (from Poundland) on the trees.

Gingerbreadmen Mould

Lots of Gingerbreadmen moulds here on etsty http://www.etsy.com/search/handmade?q=gingerbread+mould&view_type=gallery&ship_to=GB

Gingerbread Men Christmas Card.

This card measures 14.5 cm x 10.5 cm and is made using white linen effect card.

How cute is this????

I’ve made fimo gingerbread man using the tiny mould I bought on etsy last year.

Placing and gluing them was quite tricky as they are so tiny.

But I just love it!

Brain Freeze - Any Ideas?

These chocolate casino chips were a bargain in Tesco a couple of weeks ago, there’s 400grams in a net (that’s almost a pound in weight in old money!), and they were on offer

But now I am a bit stuck …. my mind has gone blank …. has anyone got any ideas on how I can package them up, the sell by/use by date is so I have scope to use them well into the New Year …. one idea from follower Nellie Dean was “Are You Feeling Lucky?” which I am going to use but after that I ain’t got a clue!

Elizabeth Shaw Mint Crisp Halloween Tokens

I’m not sure if I have done the whole Elizabeth Shaw Mint Crisp thing to death ….. but people still ask about the punches in various forums so here I go again ….

Nothing much to explain really … just punch out two of each shape to cover both sides of the mint, decorate and then attach to the mint using double sided tape.

To be honest, they do look cute but in terms of cost they can be dear, it really is worth hunting for offers in the run up to Christmas, at the moment they are in Tesco BOGOF for £3.50 until 24th October. This year I not putting mine in packs, I’m just putting them in a dish in the middle of our Halloween  table and by the door.

http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=265088606

Halloween Trick or Treat Bags - Apple Bobbing Bon Bons

I really, really, really wanted to call these something really gross like snotballs but I didn’t want to offend anyone …. so in the end, finesse got the better of me and they will hence forward be known as Apple Bobbing Bon Bons! 

I prefer to use wrapped sweets for my projects, but with these it was not possible so I have donned my pink plastic gloves so they remain untouched by human hands.

I’ve used my Stampin’Up punches to make the tags and a few of this years Halloween stickers from Accessorize (£1.75)

The apple flavoured bon bons come from Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe and cost 99p for 100grams.

http://www.mrsimmsoldesweetshoppe.co.uk/Bon-Bons

Halloween Bath Bubbles

Call me sad, but I love to “work” a theme on special occasions and seeing  if I can carry it out throughout the house!

So these are my Halloween bath bubbles … I have used old oil bottles found at a carboot sale for 20p (the lot) and filled them with different coloured bubble baths, which I have found tend to keep separate when put in the same bottle, especially if one is of a cream variety.  The colours that I have used are weaker than I would have liked, but the effect is quite pretty.

I’ve cut the labels out of self adhesive paper using a nestabilities label die and have handwritten the names. The finishing touches are made by wrapping coloured string round the top of the bottle with odd filmo beads attached and a few embellishments stuck on with a glue gun.

I think I am going to try this again at Christmas with red, green and white bubbles …. I

Halloween Trick Or Treat Bags

I have put off and put off making my Halloween Trick or Treat bags for ages…. but I have finally gathered up enough bits and pieces together to get them done.

I’ve made full use of the offers in Tesco and the Co-op for nets of themed chocolate sweets priced at 2 for £3 and then made up the bulk using Black Jacks from Poundworld, 5 pks for £1 and the genuine packets Thornton's Rock (sell by date 2012) from Poundland and my favourite ….

….. fruit flavoured skull lollies also from Poundland, with 25 lollies in a pack!  Halloweentastic!

I’ve used a different Poundworld sticker on each tag so there is plenty to choose from.

I’ve made half cute and cuddly for little ones, as I don’t want to be held responsible for nightmares and slightly creepier ones for older children and adults.

Guest Crafter – My Sister Jan

My sister Jan has made these chocolates using Cadbury Miniatures to give to the people she will work with at the All England Badminton Championships in March 2012. She has taken the event logo and printed it on “wrappers” to fit round the chocolate. I feel so proud ….. I have taught her well and done myself out of a job to boot!

What’s In The Shops …

Accessorize are just starting to get in their new stickers  (£1.75 a pack).  To be honest, though cute, the Halloween ones are not a patch on last years, with a more limited range of characters etc. and so are a little less versatile.

And the snowman are also “nice” with a slight sprinkle of glitter, which personally I could have done without, but they are nothing to blow me away, but I am still interested to see what else they bring out in the next few weeks

Now to Marks and Spencer, where they have a 3 for 2 offer at the moment on some of their Christmas ranges ……

How cute are these Jazzie Trousers gingerbread men?  Talk about made for me ….. normally £2 for a box of 10!  They have got my name written all of them, and I suspect my lovely friend and blog commenter Marc will also be buying them by the truck load.  I LOVE them!

Not content with Jazzie Trousers …. M & S have also got chocolate gingerbread men ….. I have got a HUGE feeling that gingerbread men and red and white gingham are going to be so on trend this Christmas and I am going to be in my festive element!

There are eight chocolates in a pack which cost £3.  But as I made full use of the offer I paid £6 for two packs of chocolates and one pack of biscuits…… but undoubtedly I will be going back for a few more before the offer ends.  I am planning on splitting the packs to make up small fairing gifts to give instead of cards to the people I see everyday at work.

And finally back to Poundland where from the top picture this looks like nothing …..

….. but it’s a paperweight photo frame that I found hidden amongst the Christmas stuff ….. I am in two minds as to whether to make a festive paperweight for my festive desk at work or something to use all year round ….. hmmmm!

Stampin’Up Ornament Punch

This card measures 3.5 ins x 3.5 ins and is made using a ribbed effect Kraft card.

Ever bought a crafty something and then wondered what on earth possessed you?  Well I did with this punch, it’s been on my desk for over a year … unused and unwanted, largely because it just didn’t inspire me ‘till now …. and now I love it!

Stampin’Up Ornament Punch 119847

It has given me so may ideas on how to use all the tiny leftover festive Accessorize and Paperchase stickers I have.

The rubbery snowman sticker was from a pack from Tesco a couple of years ago, they were cute but quite expensive, so much so that I would only use one per card to get my moneys worth and these baubles will be my way of doing just that.

Recycled Suitcase

Well, I’ve finally finished my recycled suitcase, and it didn’t take half the time I thought it would.

I can’t exactly say that I enjoyed cutting round all the fiddly bits to go round the rivets at the ends of lid etc., but it was worth it in the end.

I’ve gone over it with several coats of clear varnish which will give it some degree of waterproof-ness if I decide to actually use it and get caught in the rain.

….. and if I ever do another one, I think I will use a thinner paper, DCWV papers are very strong but perhaps a little too thick for a perfectly smooth finish if papers are overlapped.

Frankenstein and Ghost Jam Jar Lanterns

These are my final jam jar lanterns (for Halloween). 

 

For Frankenstein I used an assorted  pack of 75 sheets of tissue paper (the colours in the pack were limited to yellow, two shades of green and a few blue) from Poundland,  but the tissue was stronger and thicker than the stuff I have used on previous jars and was therefore a lot easier to use.

The ghost was made using white tissue …. awful to use ….it went all globby, but the texture was interesting  …. but as they are going in the garden it doesn’t really matter.  Several coats of clear glossy varnish complete the lanterns.

I Love Mr Fiddle Fart (The Duke)

Look what Mr Fiddle Fart has given me ….. I am so thrilled …. I wanted a Polaroid camera so that I can go out with my Smashbook, capture the moment and then instantly stick in the picture…. digital cameras are brilliant but this is the dogsdoodahs!!!

What Are You Lot Like

I love each and everyone of my followers, you are all so wonderful xxxxx ….. So imagine my surprise yesterday, when I got in from work (knackered) and I found a small packet on the mat and was a little puzzled as I didn’t recognise the address on the back …. but on opening it I found it was from Paula ……

…… it contained the loveliest note ever and a gorgeous stamp.  I am so touched that on an exciting visit to a Stamping Festival Paula thought of me ….. I make no apologies for saying I am very moist eyed as I write this.  Thank you sooooooo much Paula ….. you’ll never know how much this means to me and will be treasured….. xxxx

Cath Kidston Keepsake House - Part 2

Progress has been a bit slow because now that all the drawers have been covered and several coats of clear varnish applied it is only the twiddly fiddly things that are left to be done, but, due to the fussy nature of the paper, I have decided, after some trial and error, to adopt a very less is more approach, so I am thinking very carefully about what else to use to embellishment it any further.

So far I’ve used half a width of some self adhesive, lace effect, border tape from Paper Cellar round the top part of the house, with real narrow cream lace over it to add layers and to hid the joins. I’ve also put the lace round the chimney, and across top and bottom edges of the roof. I have left it at that for the moment as I am on the look out for some red buttons to add, one large one for the centre (again to hid the joins) and some smaller matching ones to go at measured distances across the lace, but I need to get the colours/design/style just right to fit in with the theme. At the moment I am carrying a sample of the paper in my purse wherever I go, something with birds on would be perfect.

I’ve made the drawer pulls using small green wooden beads from a Poundshop necklace with a square clear flat backed gems glued over the holes.

All that’s left to do is put a square of the left over paper in the bottom of each drawer to finish them off ……

…… find the right buttons and think about how to embellish the star shaped drawer at the top (if I decide it really needs something) and the bottom panel on the right hand side. …….. thinks ……

What’s In The Shops For The Festive Season.

Not really a crafty day today … it’s just that the shops are beginning to get their Christmas sweeties in and if you haven’t seen them yet I thought I would  give you a heads up ….

Now ….. who could resist these tiny Lindt chocolate teddies?  I found them in my local SPAR priced at 50p each (they measure about 5cm) and before I knew it this lot decided to come home with me. 

…… Then I remembered this string of stockings I bought years ago and decided I didn’t really like ….

Well,  I’ve now  shoved a bit of stuffing in the bottom and a teddy on top ….. sorted ….. a little fairing gift to give instead of a card!

Also in the shops,  found by my lovely sister Jan ........ caramel filled Galaxy parcels and cuter than cute ….. Aero Christmas trees ……festivechoctastical!!