Guest Crafter For The Day …… Ren

This gorgeous little girl is my friend’s daughter Ren. I sent her a bag of crafty bits and pieces after I had a “grande” tidy up day and here she is posting her “Thank You” card for me …… couldn’t you just eat her up?  You will notice she is also wearing a gorgeous bracelet “designed and handcrafted” by herself, made with some of the wooden beads that I’d put in her goodie bag.

And this her card, giving me a mahooooosive run for my money …. the front is beautiful and stunning  enough, each embellishment carefully chosen and placed with so much care ….. but it’s the inside that made me squeal …..

Oh my life …. I love it sooooo much.  It’s now on the window sill in my craft room where I can look at it as I work …. and be inspired!  THANK YOU REN for my card and THANK YOU FOR BEING MY STAR GUEST CRAFTER OF THE DAY!!!

Penguin Christmas Tags

These tags were made using children’s covered wooden dominoes and measure 7.5cm x 3.5cm.

My mum was thrilled when she found me these penguin buttons way back in January, but rather than put them away until near Christmas I made these tags within days of getting them.  They have been waiting a long time to be used, but guess whose Christmas present they will be going on?

Halloween–Mini Printers Tray

I love these little trays, they are the packaging for small wooden embellishments and I have featured projects using them before, and when I had used all I had Sam came to the rescue and sent me a some more, “Thank You” Sam!All I have done is colour the edges and sides with a black ProMarker pen

… and then lined each compartment with paper in Halloween colours in orange, purple and green.
The fun bit is putting all the little embellishments together…..
…. which takes quite a while to gather up
…. and to find a spot for …. but it’s always such fun!

My Stampin’ Up Owl Punch

This little item has been on my object of desire list for quite a while, I have seen so many ideas for using it on Google that this little beauty just had to be mine.

I haven’t seen my mate Lisa, who among many things is a Stampin’ Up demonstrator for months and it was a perfect excuse to get her round for a natter if I ordered it from her (£15.50)

I did this dogs face ever so quickly just to illustrate this post, but you can see just how versatile the basic owl body is, I have seen it used to make ghosts, penguins and reindeer faces … so watch this space. I am sure that after I have copied a couple of ideas I have seen my feeble brain will come up with a few ideas of its own!

Lisa also bought me a sneaky Autumn/Winter catalogue! As you know I am not the most competent stamper, but it’s worth having a look for just for the ideas. Lisa is starting up a couple of Stampin Up’ classes in the Wolverhampton area in the next couple of months and I said I will join in and be a willing pupil.  When I have more information about places and times I will let you know just in case anyone else would be interested but in the mean time there is some information on Lisa’s Stampin’ Up blog.

http://www.stampin-craft-fairies.com/

Halloween Ghostie Lollipops

In the parcel from Dianne in Florida that I featured a couple of weeks ago was this glorious Ghost Sucker (!!!) Wrap Kit … and it was one of the first things I played with.
It took me three attempts to find the perfect lollies to make the perfect ghosts …. mini chuppa chups

I am so pleased with the way they have turned out, the only thing I did changed from the instructions was to secure the ghosts head with a bit of cotton thread first so it would be easier to get the ribbon tied just right. Wooooo woooooo woooooo!!

What’s Caught My Eye In The Shops

Well…..  the Poundshops of Wolverhampton are now bulging with Halloween stuff: a lot I have seen before but these packs of six “Mini Horror Pots” caught my eye, working out at about 18p each.  All they need are a few pumpkin or ghost chocolates popped inside …. or some green and red  jelly beans …. (snot and blood capsules …. sorry!!)

They also had packs of matching Frankenstein and skeleton head pots which I think I will have to go back for … I will kick myself if they’ve all gone as I didn’t keep to my usual Poundshop rule of buying when I see something I like and can use  …. because as I have found in the past, when they’re gone, they are usually gone! I shall be keeping my eyes peeled over the next few weeks  …. while my creative mojo is still flagging at least I can bring you the odd shopping report instead.

Christmas Tree Tags

These three tags each measure approximately 8cms x 4cms and are made using a ribbed Kraft card.

I found these three wood and felt Christmas trees in a box of bits and thought it was about time they were finally used up.
There’s nothing fancy about them, I’ve just used scrap bits of ribbed Kraft card, white glitter paper and a few doodled snow flakes.  I’ve also used some green Traidcraft string to tie them with.

I shall put them on parcels wrapped in my plain brown paper.

Dishcloths Abound

Last year I lost count of the dishcloths I knitted for Christmas … but I am at it again because they were so popular people have asked if I would knit them another one, two, three or four more for this year!

I use UK size 4 knitting needles (6mm or US 10) casting on 37 stitches and working 9 inches in garter stitch (knit every row) and can usually knit one per night. The price of the dish cloth cotton varies considerably, in Wolverhampton it costs about £2.79, but the best price I have found is from B G Payne where the natural coloured yarn costs £1.39 for 100grams and £1.79 for the white.  I can usually get about three cloths from one ball. I have just received my order of ten balls, so that’s my nights sorted for quite a while, but stops me from nibbling, so it can’t be all bad!

http://www.bgpaynecrafts.co.uk/category/9774-dishcloth-cotton.aspx

Jessica’s Sweet Shop …. With Halloween In Mind

There’s a new sweet shop just opened in the Mander Centre, Wolverhampton and it would have be considered most rude of me not to sample some a few a whole pile of it’s delights …. purely as a fact finding crafty mission for Halloween you understand!

These are a few of the many sweets that inspired me …. the jelly filled skulls are an obvious choice … but I was thinking that the red candy cuttings could make passable cut veins …. the liquorice and fondant stripes:- teeth or spines, the green marshmallows:- snot balls, witches warts or some sort of larva and the blue spotty jelly:- poison balls???

The sweets cost 99p for a 100g, not perhaps that economical for bulk Halloween crafting, but for little one offs or fairing gifts, when you only need a few, they are perfect. I must look very suspicious when I go in as I move slowly past all the displays, because in my head I am working out what sweet could be used for what project and for what season …. I would take in a notebook but that would make me look even more shady!  Anyway I have got the sweets now I need to make something with them …. watch this space.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jessicas-Sweet-Shop/357654230915404

Halloween House–Favour Box

I have had these small craftwork cards die cut houses for a couple of years, but, to be honest I am not sure if they do them anymore. They are only small, measuring approx. 5.5cms at their highest and 4.5cm deep.

With my mojo flagging Marc suggested that I look to Halloween for inspiration as the Poundshops will be/are now awash with goodies and especially as I had also received some gorgeous Halloween bits and pieces in my parcel from Dianne last week and some a couple of weeks ago from the lovely Lizzie….. and this is what I have come up with ….,

First I took the die cut house and coloured it in roughly with green and orangey brown ProMarker pens ….

…. then added a bit of doodling using a black fine liner pen ….
… before gluing the box together.

I then embellished the house using stickers from this book from Dianne, giving all the bats small googly eyes to really make them stand out and for extra dimension.

When they are in the shops I will put a few chocolate pumpkins in each box I make and then they will be ready to trick or treat with.
http://www.craftworkcards.co.uk/products/whats-new.html

Las Vegas Here We Come ….Our Holiday Countdown Board

Just before the Duke died Lucy told her dad that she was planning on going to Las Vegas for her 30th birthday, which was two years away. Well, knowing the Duke, he would have tried to sort something out so that we could all go, as he always wanted to be a cowboy, see the Grand Canyon and we always sat down to watch the TV show Pawn Stars together, without fail.

Well, I’ve told Lucy that we will go together, but rather than wait, we’ll go next year, as life, as we have found is too short to put dreams on hold for too long! We haven’t booked anything yet, because we need Tom and the Lovely Laura to set the date of their wedding first and then we can work round it.

So imagine my delight when I found this pack of stickers in Dianne’s parcel from the US!!! I knew exactly what I was going to do with them.
I found out one of the last Gisela Graham mini chalkboards I have that I found on e-bay some years ago and gave it a quick coat of paint.

When it was dry I stuck on the one armed bandit sticker so that I could work out roughly where to put the writing, for which I used a white Posca pen and when that was done all I needed to do was add the other embellishments.  OK,  so I might have to start the numbering at round about 320 but that’s all part of the planning and anticipation

“The idea of waiting for something makes it more exciting” ― Andy Warhol

My Satchel Off Marc

Remember the battered old satchel Marc bought me for a fiver while we were out browsing together in Portobello Road a few weeks back …..???
Well I managed to sew it back together as the puncture marks in my fingers can contest and I cleaned it up with a bit of baby lotion ….

And now it looks like this …… I am so thrilled with it. I haven’t done anything else to it and am going to enjoy using it for the next few weeks as it is - a battered very genuine vintage school satchel…… but, when I stay with Marc later in October I have asked him if we can embellish it together and turn it into something very different and unique.  I am also on the look out for another one to do up, but finding another at such a bargain price and with such a wonderful person in tow will be nigh on impossible!

Happy Happy News

I don’t think I have mentioned it, and if I have, please forgive me …. but last week my son Tom and the Lovely Laura announced that they were getting married next summer.  Well, you can imagine there wasn’t a dry eye in the house, we are all totally overjoyed ….. this has got to be the best news EVER after the past couple of months.

So, as Mother of the Groom I am very aware that my beauty routine must start poste haste ….. hence the LUSH chocolate face mask, of which half was almost eaten before I slapped it on my face …. no Mother of the Groom can afford to be seen with enlarged pores or pustules on the big day.  My hair is also cooking luxuriating in a deep penetrating moisture enriched mask under my Primani turban!  There is much to do on this old face and many treatments to undergo …. lol … and …. so far I have shed 2lbs of unsightly blubber ….. I shall hence forth be a stranger to the Malteser and carrot batons will be my nocturnal munchie friends!!Needless to say there will also be a whole lot of matrimonial crafting going on …..  when I can get away from the mirror and scales …. so watch this space!!! HAPPY DAYS!!!

The Wellington Papercraft Range

Two more cards using toppers made from the Wellington A4 die cut decoupage 2 pack – Time Out from which you can make four cards.

If I was really being persnickety, I wish there was a little more background to each of the decoupage toppers, which I made up before I had really planned what I was going to do with them …. I used everything up on the sheet …. but something seems to be missing. I know I could have bought the The Wellington paper pads but they just didn't appeal. 

….. Without a little more background image, for me, the toppers appeared to be look alone surrounded by a white space, which I felt needed to be filled and as a result I may have over egged the pudding, if that makes sense?

http://www.docrafts.com/articleviewer.aspx?articleId=1073&articleTitle=TheWellingtonPapercraftRange

Cross Eyed Teddy Card

OMG …. if this card doesn’t make you cry with laughter nothing will ……. just look at it’s crossed eyes!!!  ……

I’ve had these teddy heads for years, whatever possessed me (or possesses the poor bear??) !!  But seriously, just a shake and the bear will take on a perfectly normal expression.

The only way I could think of finally using these bears, (after them being in my drawers for at least four years) was to make them a body in a matching Bazzill paper and then add a simple decoupage layer for his body. I just hope it doesn’t given anyone nightmares on their birthday!!!!

Such A Perfect Day!

Oh my life, someone somewhere is telling me, very robustly, not to give up on the blogging!  I admit I am really struggling and worrying because my list of scheduled blogs is dwindling … after 22nd September I have nothing in the bag and I am afraid my mojo has all but disappeared ….. but then this happens …..

….. the most wonderful parcel from Dianne in Florida! What can I say, but a HUGE “Thank You”.  It contained so many beautiful things and so many treasures ….

…. including this lovely locket, complete with shells, I adore it and think putting a picture of The Duke in it will just be perfect.  Such a thoughtful gift and though I have never met Dianne,  I feel she knows me so well.

Also in the parcel were some Halloween goodies, which is all VERY SPOOKY because when I was talking to Marc about my lack of mojo he told me to think about doing some Halloween bits and bobs …. and Ghost Sucker Wraps (above) and stickers are just the inspiration I needed, so tomorrow, after work, I am going to get me a bag of suckers,just love the name!!!!!!

……  and speaking of the gorgeous, marvellous  Marc ….. I managed to get a pair of bargain train tickets so that I can go stay with him for a couple of days in October ….. I am so excited …… we are just going to sit on his settee all day long, watch Create and Craft, do some fiddle farting and perhaps indulge in the odd one, two three vodkas …bliss !!!!

And then when I didn’t think things could get any better ….. look what arrived in my e-mail, OMG!!  What can I say, but another HUGE thank you to The Decopatch Place in Witney ….what a wonderful surprise …. and like I said at the beginning of this post …. someone is defiantly telling me something, and it’s time I got off my bum and started to fiddle fart again!!

First Wedding Anniversary Newspaper Card

I thought my newspaper template would be ideal to use as the base for this card, especially as “paper” is the tradition gift for a first wedding anniversary.

The champagne bottle was a free clipart image that I found and made into a simple decoupaged embellishment, adding Ranger Glossy Accents to give a glass effect and Stampin Up Dazzling Diamonds micro glitter on the foam.

The card is then finished with small scattered punched hearts.