Snowman Tags

Can you believe these tags were made back in February?!  I found the wooden snowman embellishments marked down to half price at a local garden centre and at 74p for 8 they were too good to resist, but I knew if I didn’t use them almost straight away they would linger for too long in my Christmas box of bits.

I thought that the painted effect was rather dull, drab and flat ….

So I re-coloured their noses and cheeks, added a few stripes to the scarfs and then added a generous coating of Anita’s 3D Gloss Finish, giving them much more luxurious feel.

I then cut out the tags using a strong Kraft card, covering the front with a polka dot paper and white glitter card, adding faux stitching round the edge of the blue paper and on the back of the tag.

The final touches are made by adding punched snowflakes, a tiny handwritten tag on the hat, plus holly leaves left over from other projects and red and clear flat backed gems. I kept a couple of the heads back as I I want to try and make a few cards based on the same design and using the same materials, watch this space …..

Snowman Let It Snow Card

This card measures 4.5 x 4.5 ins and is made using white linen effect card.

This is the card I made to go with the tags I am posting tomorrow.  The blue polka dot paper is from Doodle Bug and the metal snowflake from a pack from Craft For Christmas.

A Project …. Having A Go At A Decopatch Chair

I have said a couple of times already that I am struggling with my mojo, which is why you are seeing a lot of my Christmas stuff now, because I have had to bunk it down so I still have posts to post if you see what I mean ……. but at the moment I do find Decopatch very soothing …. and it takes no thinking!

So, when I saw this chair outside one of the  village shops going free to a good home, it would have looked rude not to avail myself of it and bring it home ….. The Duke use to just tut and sigh when I brought “more rubbish” into the house ….. but I have been wanting to have a go at a Decopatch chair for ages and fortuitously Tom and Laura had bought me a pile of new papers a couple of weeks ago ….. so it was fate!!

I am also having a bit of a reshuffle in the house at the moment and I need a new chair for my bedroom, and this could be it!  I have never reupholstered a seat before, but I have a staple gun …. so how hard can it be?  So watch this space!!!!

Since writing this post on Wednesday I couldn’t resist making a start …. all I can say is that it is lot fiddlier than anything I have decopatched before ….. and I am dreading the knobbly bits on the legs!!! However, a little and often I think.  It is interesting to see how Decopatch works when put straight on dark wood … I thought it might be more subdued …. but it still looks bright and fresh. I am thinking that I am going for a cerise seat cover …. and if I could find a knitted jumper that I could cut up for it, it could look pretty FAB!!!

Gymnast Newspaper Card

This card is A5 in size and is made using white linen effect card.

My sister asked me to make a card for a photographer called Eileen Langsley who she met during one of her volunteer sports events and who had given her a copy of her beautiful book Gymnastics in Perspective http://figshop.lx2.sportcentric.com/product_info.php?products_id=40

My sister gave me a few ideas and I worked round them.  I just love the gymnasts, which I I found on this wonderful free clip art site http://www.phillipmartin.com/ 

The images are  free if used for a non commercial purposes and are attributed to the artist Phillip Martin. It really is worth a look but please check the regulations first before using any of the available images

All I have done is make them up into simple decoupage layers to add a little texture and dimension.  The Visa logo was added to  reflect Eileen’s frustration with background advertising boards which often get in the way when she is taking her stunning pictures. http://eileenlangsley.wordpress.com/

First Day Back At School Gift …..

As you know I like to make a little “fairing” gift for some of my friends at work to “bring in” the new school year ….

…. and this is what I have come up with for this year …. small jars of assorted chocolate buttons, Milky Bar, Cadbury and Thornton's smiley face ones The plastic jars came from a poundshop, but I can’t for the life of me think which one, but I would really like some more now that I have tried using them, and have other ideas …. and at just 12 for £1 they are a real bargain.

I cut the mop tops from some cotton patchwork material I have had for ages with pinking shears….

…. and then punched out and handwrote the tags ….. not much crafting I know …. just very quick and simple, less is more!

Tatty Teddy Decoupage Christmas Card

The base of this card measures 13.5cm x 13.5cm and is made using a white linen effect card.

This is another of my Tatty Teddy decoupage cards using the Winter Wonderland A4 glitter pack that I found for £1.74 (half price) earlier on in the year. I didn’t like the background to the decoupage image, so I cut it away and did my own thing!  I’ve added a pink gingham background (Handy Hippo Creative Paper Strips in pastel gingham), a punched white glitter heart and  a couple of punched snowflakes with gem centres. Voila!

Final Goodbyes To The Duke …. In Brixham

“Someone I loved once gave me a box full of darkness. It took me years to understand that this too, was a gift” - Mary Oliver

I didn’t say anything in the days leading up to it, but on Saturday,18th August we went to Brixham to scatter Andy’s ashes.  Originally the Brixham Lifeboat Crew were going to do it for us when they were next on manoeuvres, but in the end both Lucy and I had a change of mind, and wanted to do it ourselves. …. I know it sounds daft but we didn’t want to leave Andy/Dad/The Duke with strangers …. even though they would have been very, very lovely caring strangers, I know, deep in my heart that it was the right decision. We had to make several trips to the beach, a place which Andy had described, while fishing off the jetty last year  as, for him, the closest place to heaven on earth because it never quite quiet enough….. !

However, as the light faded we all said our final goodbyes and then skimmed stones ….. before leaving Andy where he was happiest …. a place where he could fish to his hearts content …… and gaze at the beautiful view.

We were able to make a donation of £1,025 in Andy’s memory from friends and family, towards the upkeep of the Brixham Lifeboat, something that would have really choked him. He would never fail to buy something from an RNLI shop/stand/stall whenever he saw one ….. as we can all contest, as we each have at least one RNLI keyring courtesy of Andy.

A wonderful gentleman called Stuart Elliman, the Lifeboat Operations Manager at Brixham gave us a guided tour of the Lifeboat and Lifeboat station, something Andy would also have just loved ….

…… it was such a privilege … and made our visit even more special and something that will stay with us for a very long while to come….

http://www.torbaylifeboat.co.uk/index.html 

Mini Pebble Canvas Mementoes

I wanted to give something to everyone who went to Brixham to remember the weekend by ….

… so I made these tiny heart canvases. which measure 7cms x 7cms, made using the small pebbles I had collected from the beach at Brixham where the Duke and I shared companionable happy silences as we drank in the view and enjoyed large cups of coffee when everyone else had gone home.

Colour Chart Christmas Tree Card

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

This card was an experiment, but is very me. I know just the person to send it to for Christmas who will appreciate it’s quirkiness too.

There’s not a lot to it, I’ve mat and layered a Dulux colour chart on silver mirror card and then stuck three glass Christmas tree nuggets  (which I’ve had forever)  to cover some of the writing using E600 glue.  Done and fairy dust dusted!!

Plain and Simple Christmas Card

This card measures 15cm x 10.5cm and is made from a hand cut blank using ivory linen effect card.

This card is very plain I know, but it’s just the sort of card I would like to get, very less is more!

The Making Memories eyelet phases, which need to be set using my Making Memories Instant Setter have been languishing in one of my drawers  for years since I bought a “job lot” of them at Hobbycrafts at the NEC, but this year I am determined that I will use each and every one of them, so you’ll probably get sick of seeing them this Christmas!!

The bookplate die cut is from a K & Co set which I have simply mat and layered on matching patterned paper and mirror card.

Tatty Teddy – Snowflakes Kisses Card

The base of this card measures 13.5cm x 13.5cm and is made using a dark blue linen effect card.

I don’t do a lot of decoupage, but when I do they are very popular. The image I have used here is part of the Winter Wonderland A4 glitter pack which I found for £1.74 (half price) earlier on in the year. All I have added is the tiny gingham print background, and a couple of punched snowflakes with gem centres plus a handwritten sentiment, as the ones in the pack didn’t match the blue I had chosen.

Christmas Snowflake Microscope Slide Decoration

This decoration follows on from yesterdays post, made in exactly the same way, with the same papers etc. but using microscope slides sent to me by Marc which measure 8cm x 2.5cm.

It is double sided so that there is no back or front view.

Memory Glass Christmas Tree Pendant/Ornament

Can you believe that I made this way back in February, what was I on? This first one was a bit of an experiment, it could have been a little better finished off, but to be honest it’s got just the right handmade feel to it that I wanted. I have made a whole pile of them since, and plan to give them to special friends on December 1st so that they have them to hang up for the whole of Christmas.

I’ve taken two 1.5 x 1.5ins Ranger Inkssentials Memory Glass slides between which I have sandwiched two squares, stuck back to back of Basic Grey Jack Frost Blitzen paper (BLI-337), so that the pendant has two identical slides. Before sticking the papers together I added a small flat bail between them so a thread can be attached to hang the finished decoration by. I then added a small strip of white glitter paper, a few tiny punched snowflakes and a handwritten “Let it Snow” label to complete a very simple snow scene.

The fiddly bit was sticking the silver ArtEmboss metal foil tape round the edges of the glass, but it wasn’t half as hard as I imagined.

The finishing touches were made using two metal snowflakes from Craft Candy, sticking them on either side, matching up their positions as best as I could. 

I also added a tiny silver stud in the centre of each punched snowflake on the outside of the glass, for a little  extra dimension and a clear gem on the large metal snowflake.

http://www.craftcellar.co.uk/contents/en-uk/d209_artemboss_metal_foil_tape.html

Framed Snowmen Tags

At last …. I have used up all the little wooden frames I have had for years, after foolishly buying in bulk. Originally they had a boat in the centre on  a wire and a sea shell, but I pulled them all apart and used all the boats, to be left with a pile of frames, aggghh.

I liked the snowmen for their naive style and as they were reduced to 72p for a pack of 8 last Christmas I snapped up a couple of packs at my local garden centre.

I’ve used a white gel pen to doodle patterns on the frame and made the background using scraps of pastel blue polka dot and white glitter paper, stuck on a Kraft card base.  When glued on and turned over I have handwritten the label, adding a bit of frou frou!

All that was left to do then was to drill a hole and add a tie. Done and festively dusted!

Christmas Kisses ….

Theses cards all measure 3.5 inches x 3.5 inches and are made using white linen effect card blanks

A couple of weeks ago I received the most wonderful parcel of Michaels goodies out of the blue from Lizzie.  She is a follower and had thought of me when she was recently in the US …. I was totally overwhelmed by her kindness, thought and generosity.  THANK YOU SO MUCH LIZZIE!  I have to admit my mojo is really not what it used to be and I am struggling ….. but your lovely gift has given me a gentle kick up the backside to think about getting going again.

Amongst all the amazing bits were these glittery self adhesive lips and were my very favourite …. …. as soon I I saw them I knew exactly what I was going to do with them!

The Christmas ones, on first appearance, may look simple …. but putting the writing in just the right position so the card looked balanced took several attempts!

Felt Heart Decorations

During the year I have been really sorting out the contents of my craft cupboards and drawers, trying to use as much stuff up as possible.  I must have had these sewn felt hearts for well over three years.

I bought several boxes of them from an Ikea sale and think I paid about 50p for a box of twelve, but never knew quite what to do with them when I got them home.

But, then I had an Ulrika moment when I “re-found”  these Prima “Say It In Studs” self adhesive jewel stickers.  As I had several packets of the same designs and colour ways I was able to put the same design on each side of the heart, and no sewing …. or messing with glue, they were all done in five minutes.

I also found some leftover bows for these four hearts, adding a flat backed gem in the centre.

As you know I don’t usually give cards to my work colleagues at Christmas,  preferring to give them a small decoration for their tree which will hopefully stay with them a lot longer than a card, and that is what I intend to do with these.