My Nativity Scene

I found this tiny old suitcase on a market stall a while back and just had to have it.  It was marked up at £3 but I haggled and got it for £2.  It has sat on my shelf doing nothing until my mum sent me a little nativity set ……perfect!

Alphabet Block Names

 
Remember the alphabet blocks I got for 50p at the village carnival in the summer?  Well I have finally used some of them.

I went through them and made up a few names and a 2012 which I then glued together.  When they were dry I gave them three coats of paint to cover the other pictures that were on them and then went over them with a bit of sandpaper to shabby them up a bit.

I’m going to give them as silly presents on New Years Eve.

I have quite a few letters and numbers left over so I thought that if I see any more similar blocks at other carboots etc. I would buy them and see if I could do a bit of mix and match and make up a few more names, random words etc.

Patchwork Christmas Card

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

This card is such a mismatch of bits but I think it works.  I’ve cut 1.25in squares from three different scraps of paper and then doodled some faux stitching round each one.  All the chipboard shapes came from a parcel from my lovely follower Carly, so I don’t know what make they are, but they are so brilliant on a card like this.  I’ve added small, clear flat backed gems on the middle of the snowflakes and on the trees.

Red Gingham Christmas Tree Tags

More wooden tags today made using children’s wooden dominoes found on e-bay.  I’ve added gingham Christmas trees from Craft for Christmas embellishments (Hobbycraft). 

The red was a nightmare to match up, so in the end I decided to go for something completely different and have used a green spotty paper which works really well giving a modern, fresh look.

Wooden Christmas Tags With Angels

Wooden gift tags today made using old children’s wooden dominoes found on e-bay.  I have covered over the domino pictures and have left the back blank except for tiny faux stitching round the edges so that a message can be added.

The background paper is gift wrap that I have had for years and never found quite the right project for.  The same goes for the angels, also bought several years ago, I've tried using them before on various cards etc. but nothing seemed to gel,  plus all the wings dropped off, which didn't help things!!  But now all 30 of the little blighters are used up and adorning Christmas parcels left right and centre ..... hooray!!

Santa Door Hangers/Signs

This year I am having a crafty Christmas where I am really trying to use up all the Christmas bits I’ve had for a couple of years, money is tight and it seems daft to buy new stuff,  no matter how tempting, when I have a couple of boxes crammed with embellishments I haven’t used yet.

So these festive door hangers are made using Darice wooden blanks squirreled away for ages …….

……. plus some large printed, self adhesive fabric type stickers from Poundworld. I’ve used a denim effect paper for the sky on which I have added faux stitching and snowflakes using a white gel pen.

I don’t think either of them took me more than 20 minutes to make … they are destined to grace my festive bedroom door knobs on Christmas Eve, so Santa knows where to leave our presents!!!!

Marc's Guest Spot ......

On Saturday the postman bought me two wondrous parcels from Marc ….  one I am forbidden to open until Christmas Day and it’s now hidden at the bottom of my wardrobe emitting wonderful lavender smells, the other was full of crafty stuff, it was like Pandora's Box  (but more of that in a later post in the New Year ….)

But I was allowed  to open the box that my Christmas card was in,  just how beautiful is it?  I admit I went all unnecessary and had to blow my nose several times ... to maintain a certain level of dignity!

It’s more than a card, its a labour of love……. …. and after Christmas I shall have it framed so it will be with me everyday on my desk at work.

I can’t believe the detail ….. the papers, the lace and the beautiful, beautiful handmade pins …….

...... and I thought I was the Queen of the Flat Backed Gem but Marc has positively usurped me!

Even the inside is exquisite, but the silly whatsit wouldn’t write inside it because he says his writing is pants!  What is he like …..?  Thank you Marc, I adore it xxxxx

Gingerbread Man Calendar

I just love gingerbread men and felt I had to make myself a little calendar to hang up in my craft room.  The shapes are made of foam with a self adhesive backing, and are so cute, especially the moggy.

All I’ve done is add “cherry” noses to all the figures using flat backed gems, plus a few for buttons here and there and a bit of faux stitching.

A Christmas Keyring Experiment, Plus Another for Luck!

……This keyring drove me mad, I should have binned it, but instead it niggled at me and I niggled back!

 

It’s the same on both sides, and is made using scraps of paper, two Christmas tree stickers and a sprinkling of glitter,  all covered in a thick layer of Ranger Glossy Accents. To be honest it does look a lot better in the flesh, and I shall be using it all through the festive season. for my work keys.

I got the keyrings for 5p each with the intention of removing the middle, however the cover was rammed in and immoveable, but me being me, I thought I could salvage something from them….

The keyring above was another experiment using scraps and illustrations from a very old illustrated dictionary and a layer of varnish! Hmmm, perhaps they need a bit of colour……. 

 

A bit better but as my old teacher would have said … “Could do better!”

Tarted Up Fluffy Felt Cards

These cards measure 11.5cm x 11.5cm.

These fluffy/fuzzy felt cards came originally from Asda a couple of years ago and as part of my crafty economy drive this Christmas I thought it was about time I used them up, but the background looked a little plain and bare …. (see below)

……. so I added a few ho, ho, ho’s and a little faux stitching round the edges, I shall send these to the younger ones in the family as they rearrange the felt pieces!

Baby Socks Christmas Stockings

As I keep saying (and I am sorry you must be so bored of it by now!) I am really trying to use up as much of  the stuff  that I have had for ages this Christmas rather than buy new. 

 

These socks were bought last year, sets of three pairs for 99p from B & M Bargains.  I have used all the ones with a Christmas motif on first, filled them with assorted festive sweets and then added a bow and tag.  I have 4 pairs of stripey socks left over and I shall probably fill them the same if these all go, but add a more elaborate festive tag to make up for the lack of motif.

Patchwork Christmas Card

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

I’ve used Dovecraft Back to Basics Christmas 6 x 6 papers for this card plus a snowman from a pack of 6 from Docrafts Hot Picks range of toppers (30p the pack) and finally the sentiment is an Anita’s  Message Tag   (75p).  A bit of faux stitching finishes off the card.

Let It Snow Card

This card measures 11cm x 11cm and is made using white linen effect card.

The snowman on this card is a taken from a Cuttlebug embossing folder “Sledding” from the Winter Collection.

I’ve just mat and layered it several times on white, blue gingham and silver card, adding a bit of faux running and cross stitch. plus a snow flake embellishment.

The sentiment is in my own handwriting.

Book Review: Kids’ Crafternoon Felting by Kathreen Ricketson

ISBN 9781742700441 (Felting) - Publishing date: 1^st December 2011 – cost £14.99 Hardback

This is my second book review for hardie grant books which has made all the more exciting because I was given this Kids’ Carfternoon Felting to peruse several months before it’s actual release date, so I was one of the first people to get my little mitts on it!

As is my usual way when writing a review, rather than rewrite the publishers blurb which was sent to me and which also covers the Crafternoon series of books I’ve just copied and pasted it, so that I don’t miss out any of the important details.

  

“The Kids’ Crafternoon series puts the fun back into a kid’s afternoon – turn off the TV and get crafting! Each title contains 25 appealing projects from specialist crafters across the globe. The projects vary in complexity and the time required for completion (though never longer than a whole afternoon), while the books are structured by project themes designed to appeal to young crafters. The four titles in the series are Papercraft, Sewing, Beading and Felting.

The author Kathreen Ricketson is the founder of the phenomenally successful website WhipUp.net, which receives over 10,000 visitors each day. The projects in the Kids’ Crafternoon titles have been carefully selected by Kathreen from crafters around the world. Each book features 25 fun projects that can be completed in an afternoon With step-by-step instructions and illustrations, the projects will appeal to both boys and girls, and they range from quick and easy projects to ones that will occupy kids for a few hours Modern, colourful, appealing design”

  ….. And, so what did I think of the book? ………. Well, I really liked it, especially as the projects are pretty simple and can be completed in an afternoon, which is just right for me because I am pretty hopeless at following things through if they take too long.

I love the quality and feel of the book and the paper it is made from, plus the template pocket in the front cover containing all the templates you will need for the projects, the ring binding and the beautiful coloured photos, page borders and simple diagrams that illustrate the instructions. There is something for all abilities from the Eraser Heads (my level) …..

….to an Upcycled Sherpa Hat (above) made from an old jumper and the Zombie Critter Charms, there is something for all ages and interests, all using either felted wool or felt.

 

For the purposes of this review I decided to tackle the Eraser Head pencil toppers ….. done in four simple steps, but I substituted button eyes for googly ones and small ric rac braid for the mouth … as my hand sewing is pants!

For more information about this and other books from hardie grant please check out these links

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kids-Crafternoon-Felting-Kathreen-Ricketson/dp/1742700446

http://twitter.com/HardieGrantUK

http://www.facebook.com/HardieGrantBooksLondon

*Please note that this review is only my opinion

Do You Have A Penchant For Men In Uniform .... ...???

Louise sent me this link ..... and it NEEDS to be shared!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDZcGz4vmJc&feature=youtu.be

Nom, nom, nom!

Little Angels Christmas Cards

Each of these cards measures 5 x 5 ins and one is made using white linen effect card and the other ivory.

I’ve had these resin angels for about 4 years from a QVC sale, every year I’ve got them out and every year they’ve gone back in my Christmas box …in fact I got so fed up with them I gave a lot away.

However, this year I’ve finally done it and used them! I’ve cut a small square from a snowy blue 12 x 12 paper and mat and layered it on silver/gold.  Then I’ve added an angel and a few doodles using a white gel pen.

They are quite thick, so I am thinking that these are cards I would give personally rather than put in the post.

Are you like me, do you have a thing about which way an embellishment faces?  I always look for embellishments that face both ways …. but they are few and far between, it’s just that on some cards it’s nice to have the characters facing one another…. or am I just anal?