Flower Collage

This is a bit fancy for me!

It started when I saw a flower made with the stamped image of a watch face as the centre….. that got me thinking, as I have a box of watch faces on my shelf (it’s a long story, but I once went to an antiques fair and a gentleman had a few watch faces in a dish on his table, when I asked how much they were he said “A fiver, but you’ve got to take the whole lot”  …….. the whole lot turned out to be two big washing up bowls full of old watch bits ….. it was a fantastic find.  I used most of the bits at school for collage, but kept the faces).

The flower, made using a scalloped circle Nestabilities die set, had been stuck to the tele on my desk for months as I didn’t know what to do with it, until today …… I have used a spacer and pearl brad to hold everything together.

The wooden heart with music on was meant to be stuck on a peg, for another project, but it sort of went with what I was doing ant the music paper was from some old score books that I rescued from a skip!

This was all made while I was trying to tidy upstairs ….. sometimes I get an idea in my head and just have to go with it.

Born To Shop

I haven’t bought a craft magazine for ages as part of my New Year’s economy drive not to buy them,  but when I saw this stamp set on the front of DoCrafts Creativity! I just couldn’t resist it, and you know, I don’t do much stamping, so I must have been really tempted!

I’ve kept the card really really simple, with the minimum of colouring. I stamped the “shoppers” backpack on the same paper as the background, cut it out and stuck it over the stamped image and then added a handwritten sentiment and  flat backed gems on her shoes and earrings.

But the best bit has got to be the bag ….. the shop I bought the magazine from was having a bit of a sale and packets of Dress It Up buttons were just 59p ….. I bought a few never thinking I would use any with this stamp, but as you can see it’s perfect!

I’m dead chuffed!

Simple Birthday Cake Card

 
These paper cake embellishments are from MIC and cost £1.79 for 4

I twiddled and fiddled but in the end decided to keep things very simple and unfussy, all I have added to the cake are the flat backed gems.

HobbyCraft Foam Leaf Wreath

When I went to HobbyCraft with Lisa on Thursday I made an impulse buy, something I wouldn’t usually look at, but sort of inspired me, a packet of self adhesive foam leaves for £1.99.  I took them, and put them back, I took them and put them back until I finally put them in my basket, Lisa looked at me as if I had gone mad.

But I’m glad I did because I made this autumn wreath.  I used an old bracelet as the base and tied a thin black gingham on to it before I stuck on the leaves.

I found out, by trial and error, that I should leave the paper on the adhesive side of the green leaves for the first layer, and glue them directly onto the ring/bracelet .........

....... but  remove it when adding the yellow and red leaves.

I thought it was “lacking” something when I had finished the layering and so went through all my boxes looking for some wooden ladybirds, I was thrilled when they looked right and as I saw them in my minds eye.

Then, naturally I needed to add a few clear flat backed gems to look like dew!

The finishing touch is a  larger ladybird glued at the top of the ribbon.

I was thinking the wreath might look nice attached to a Harvest Festival Basket.

Shopping Flash! Shopping Flash!

Yesterday Lisa http://craftfairy.blogspot.com/ and I went on a little shopping trip. Our main quarry was Hobbycraft.  I needed basics like cello bags and glittery numbers for my Tesco Advent House (posts on its progress coming soon) and …… I don’t know how it happened, but I was left with just my bus fare home when we went into Home Bargains ….. so Lisa had to lend me 50p to buy these …..

That’s 25p each and with Halloween coming they are brilliant, remove the foam and add other little Halloween treats.  I’ve got one for Monkey and one for Darrell.  Lisa, I’ll pay you back next time I see you!

Birthday Card with a Swiss Theme

I don’t know why, but I kept putting off making this card, the brief was to include Switzerland, walking boots, and a map for a lady’s 70th birthday.

In the end, I decided on a newspaper card, as it was the easiest way to fit everything in.  I’ve made a very simple decoupage layer using the picture of the mountains, although it doesn’t show up to well in the photos.

The boots are Quickutz die cuts, bought from e-bay, but this is a die I would very much like, but not got round to looking for yet.  The boot prints are Stickopotamus boot and shoe prints bought from US via e-bay. I am desperate to find some more packs , as I seem to make a lot of cards that use boot prints – they are ideal for Christmas Santa boot prints.

 

The flower is made using various punches and the compass is part of a pack of 3D stickers from Poundland.

Snappy Birthday Cards

I feel a bit guilty about having a Giveaway and no crafty post …… so this is so that no one’s disappointed!!!

These are the stickers I bought earIier this week. I just  loved these crocodile as soon as I saw them (99p a packet)

I’ve got three cards from the pack so far, which is pretty good going, as I still have the other animals left, but inspiration is eluding me on them just now.

All I’ve done is add googly eyes to the crocs to give them a bit more character.

And I have handwritten the sentiment.

A Voyage Round My Mug

I’ve had a go at “mug painting”.  I was a bit limited, as I only had three pens in red, green and black.  I was given a gift voucher last Christmas and I bought the pens with it, thinking that I might like to try painting some mugs for this Christmas.  The pens cost £3.09 each.

Using the pens couldn’t be simpler, as they look and feel like big marker pens, the ink is slightly thinner but it didn’t run.

And best of all, if you make a mistake or don’t like what you have done, it just washes off with water, BRILLIANT.

I decided to keep things very simple for my first attempt. You have to wait 24hrs to allow the paint to dry, and then bake in the oven for 40 minutes.  It says that it is dishwater proof, but I am not sure I would like to risk it.

I am now thinking about some Christmas designs ……..

Christmas Is Coming With Random Ramblings!

My apologies, this post goes on and on and on …….

I have decided to start my Christmas posts from 9th September – if you’re like me, you’re looking for your ideas NOW.  I have put a few things together already ……but I am a bit worried  that I used up a lot of my ideas last year …. fingers crossed for divine inspiration!

 WHAT’S IN MY SHOPPING BAG THIS WEEK?

……. Not a lot! I have just had a really good sort out of my craftroom and I really do have too much stuff. 

So I am going to try to “do” Christmas by only buying what I really, really need (famous last words!) It’s going to be tough and there will be temptation …. but I will be strong!  I will allow myself a once a week splurge in Poundland/Poundshop when they start putting their Christmas stuff on the shelves, but I will tell myself that I only need 5 packets of “must have” 3D Christmas stickers instead of 10, and I am praying that Accessorize Christmas stickers will be pants this year, as they could be my undoing!

But ….. I have done a little shopping in the last week or so.  This stencil was a bit of a disappointment, (£3.99), it said on the bumpf that it could be used with most die cutting machines, well I tried it in my BigShot and Sizzix Boutique embosser (with extra layers)  but the effect is very flat and hardly visible, BUM! I thought it would look brilliant with assorted coloured gems in the centre of each snowflake …… I have since learnt that I need an "Impression Mat" to use this stencil properly ...... DOH! If you pop over to Lisa's blog, http://craftfairy.blogspot.com/2010/08/christmas-cards-made-using-metal.html     she has used it properly and brilliantly, unlike my own good self!

 

These small fabric type stickers were 99p, so cute – I feel a “Snappy" birthday card coming on!

These jewelled stickers were also 99p a pack. I thought I might try to doodle bodies that will fit onto the smiley faces …… not sure how that will go!

TALKING OF MY CRAFT ROOM …..

I have finally got all my ……. (pardon the expression) fairy balls up!  How beautiful are they? I got them from a gift shop in Chester earlier on in the year and had just left them in the box, stroking them occasionally, but with my tidy up, they are now in place, I just love them.

WHAT CAN I DO WITH THESE?

I got these for 49p a packet from HobbyCrafts Christmas sale a couple of years ago, but they are only a real bargain if you know what to do with them.  I think they are great, but don’t have a clue how to use them, other than sewing them on a “festive waistcoat” for Monkey and Darrell.  Any ideas?

Talking of Monkey and Darrell ………

If you are thinking about getting someone a Monkey for Christmas there are always a couple on e-bay.  I have just “won” two for 99p and 89p plus P&P – BARGAINTASTIC!  You need to look for one that measures 16/17ins.  Newborn or 3-6 months baby clothes fit them perfectly or charity shops have brilliant finds.  Primark baby shoes are great too.

But remember a monkey is for life not just Christmas!!!

Bird Cage Tag Birthday Card

 
I’ve used a very simple bird cage stamp from the Happy Moments set from Stampin’ Up.

It’s quite a small stamp and I wasn’t too sure how to use it.  In the end I plumped for setting it on three punched tags, with  faux stitching round the edges and three small yellow flat backed gems for added decoration

I have also used a very thin natural coloured string to complete the design.

My Phone Charm

I don’t often make stuff for me ……

But I’ve had this gingerbread man  for a couple of years now, it was taken from a nursery ornament in the shape of a tree which had a gingerbread man hanging on each branch., I waited and waited until it was reduced in the shop and as soon as it was, I bought it and disassembled it just for the gingerbread men, (something I have a big thing about)

I threaded it onto a mobile phone lariat (from e-bay) and a silver jump ring – et voila!  I’m not sure how long it will last, as it’s bound to get snagged on something, but perhaps, as I love it so much, I will be more careful.

This may also explain to you why I am always on the look out for the perfect little gingerbread man cookie cutter, so I that can make my own version of this sort of charm.

Cadbury Birthday Chocolate Bar

I thought I would make a few of these birthday chocolate bars to keep in my desk at work, in case of an emergency!

I think I paid 39p for a pack of 6 small bars of chocolate, which was a brilliant bargain. Before covering the chocolate with a scrap of patterned paper  I folded and stuck down both ends of the wrapper so they didn’t stick out.  I’ve handwritten “Happy Birthday”, then added a few stickers from Paperchase and some small clear flat backed gems.

That’s it!