Remembrance Poppies

There are so many beautiful poppies this year

The Buckley Poppy has really taken off this year and is stunning with funds going to the British Legion http://www.legionshop.co.uk/shop/jewellery/poppy-jewellery/the-buckley-poppy-brooch.aspx - but I think they are awaiting new stock at the moment and I am not sure how much they cost.

But look what came in the post for me yesterday from Marc.  They are equally as stunning …. he has taken  ordinary Remberance poppies and then sprinkled them with ultra fine glitter using PVA glue. They really are beautiful and what a brilliant idea! Very showbiz! He also gave me another idea for using embossing powders to give a poppy a sort of porcelain look which I was desperate to try. 

 

On the first one I just used an iridescent powder with several layers of clear powder on top.

And on the second I used several layers of red and green powders and just love the effect.

 

Also in my envelope from Marc was  a note with this stamp on the back …. knowing Marc it made me howl!!!!  I really think I need to persuade him to do a "celebrity" guest spot for us once a month ..... we should start a petition!!!

Have You Seen These?

My mum found them in Aldi  ….. Butterscotch Crisp flavour, nom, nom,nom!!  Think they were about £2.69

Stampin’ Up Season of Joy Stamp

Bit of a Stampin’ Up fest going on today!

This card measures 5ins x 5ins and is made using ribbed effect  Kraft card.

This was the first Stampin Up stamp I ever saw.  It was at the NEC a couple of years back and I was gutted when I discovered I couldn’t buy it there and then but had to find a demonstrator to obtain it!

However, even after I got it, about two years ago, it has remained unused until now!  It was fiddly to stamp with as I wanted to use several colours of ink,  (I used my Stampin’ Up pens), so this was probably my tenth attempt at getting it right.  I’ve embellished it with a few tiny clear flat backed gems and a resin snowflake.  The green background paper is also from Stampin’ Up, but I can’t remember it’s name.

SMIRK Christmas Card

This card measures 16cms x 11cms and is made using a ribbed Kraft card.

Perhaps not to everyone’s taste, but I am hoping this will appeal to one of my teenage nieces this year. I got a SMIRK decoupage book in a sale for about £2.50 so I’ve sort of  challenged myself to see how many cards I can get out of it.  I’ve used my really old Dymo label maker to make the sentiments which, I think, goes with the modern feel of the card. Tiny ric rac braid and flat backed gems go to complete the card.

Purple Gingham Christmas Tree Card

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

Why do some cards just come so easily and others seem to take forever to match papers etc and look right.  This is one that took ages, how silly is that?  Anyway, it’s hard to see, but the tree I’ve used is actually purple and glittery, hence the purple gingham layers, and comes from a pack of Smirk Christmas chipboard shapes. I’ve doodles a faux running stitch round the white layer, and on the outer gingham layer I have done a tiny cross stitch pattern, which is just about visible.

Kodak’s Big App

When I first heard about Kodak’s Big App I admit that I wasn’t too sure about it ….. but now I am hooked! I also thought it would be of interest to anyone like me who works in a school and has displays to do, or works with Cubs or Brownies or a playgroup etc.  or if you just fancy being able to put MAHOOOSIVE pictures together like this ……

I know it doesn’t look mahoooosive in this picture, but it’s made up of 16 sheets of A4 paper …. can you imagine the fun you could have with this at a surprise party?!!!!

The Kodak Big App can be found here:-http://www.kodak.com/global/mul/consumer/print/thebigapp/ and is a piece of cake to use……

You can use your own picture or use one from the Kodak gallery.

Once you have chosen you picture, you can select the orientation and size of your finished picture.

When  happy, you then download the image, which the programme saves as a PDF file.

I’d say it take less than a minute to complete the process.

Finally you click “Download PDF” and save to a name of your choice, in your chosen folder.

Once saved you can then open the file in Adobe Reader, where the image has been broken into pages.

I hope this makes sense, but if you have any problems you can always check out the FAQ’s page http://www.kodak.com/global/mul/consumer/print/thebigapp/faq.html

I am planning on making and using one of these images as a background for one of my Geography Departments trip displays  and then add “normal” photographs and labels over the top……. With Christmas coming you could make really brilliant scenery for Nativity and other school plays and grottos.  I LOVE IT!!!

For more ideas have a look at Kodak’s facebook page http://www.facebook.com/KodakUK1?sk=wall

Wooden Christmas Tree Tags

I’ve used the last twelve wooden dominoes from a child’s set I bought from the village Easter Fayre for 50p to make these wooden tags. They each measure 7cms x 3cms.

All I’ve done is cover the picture side of the dominoes with a spotty paper which seems to enhances the spots on wooden Christmas tree embellishments I bought from Hobbycraft a little while ago. I’ve then  handwritten the greeting and added a bit of faux stitching.

I used my Aldi craft drill to make the holes for the ties and have left the backs blank for a message to be written, although I did add faux stitching round the edges.

Christmas Jar Lantern

This jar was made in the summer when I had a big thing about making lanterns,  to be honest the Ronseal quick drying varnish dried unbelievably quickly in the warm weather and I could also have the window open to ventilate my craft room.

I used blue tissue paper and Decopatch glue on the jar and when it was covered completely added the self adhesive stars, it was all a lot of guess work as I just wasn’t too sure whether the blue colour would allow the light to shine through enough. But this first attempt was disappointing, it was too patchy, so I applied another layer of paper.

The result (below) was much better, but perhaps blue isn’t really the best colour for lanterns.

I used a thin blue jewellery making wire for the hanger, with lots of winding and twisting to make it secure.

Chocolate Bar Snowmen

I hope you don’t mind me revisiting another idea from Christmas past today ….. but I have gathered a few new followers since the last time I did it and it is something easy that you could do with your own children or with a class/Brownie/Cub pack etc.  …. And,  if you are like me, you begrudge paying silly money for a hollow chocolate novelty with very little substance other than a fancy foil wrapper and eaten in seconds.

I found multipacks of 6 for 4,  233g Cadbury chocolate bars in B & M Bargains for £1.69 (which works out at 28p each).

I cut a piece of good quality white paper 12.5cm x 11.5cm to roll the chocolate bar in. In the past I’ve been posh and have used felt, but that obviously will cost a little more.

Then I cut the finger from a pair of gloves to make the snowman’s hat (Primark is the best place for buying cheap gloves, this year they have two pairs for £1.50, which gives you 20 hats!)

I’ve then cut two felt strips, one measuring  approximately 12cm x 2cm and the other a little shorter to make the scarf, which when arranged decoratively and stuck down can be fringed. After that, all there is left to do is to punch some eyes and buttons from black card, cut out a nose, and doodle the mouth. You can use real buttons and black flat back gems and a fancy ribbon for the scarf and really go to town, the world is your lobster…. but for today I have done an economy version!

My Very Happy Halloween

This absolutley mahooosive brooch was a present from my very favourite follower Marc, who I have spoken about before, I am so lucky, I have met so many wonderful people since I have started blogging,  but Marc really is one in a million! He is a constant source of information and top tips, what he doesn’t know about crafting and showbiz can be written on a postage stamp. He is so encouraging and has become a bit of a mentor to me,  whenever we speak I come off the phone desperate to get in my craft room to put into action some of his ideas. He is also generous to a fault!

On Friday I came home to a wonderful parcel …. containing amongst other things, the spider above, plus this BRILLIANT silicone gingerbread man mould …. I love it and can’t wait to start melting chocolate and making up little sweetie bags of them! I have a thing about faces, and their little faces are perfect.

……plus a big bag of these laser cut gingerbread men …. I don’t think I can bear to use them …. but I have promised I will! At the moment I am thinking of using them on a remake of the gingerbread man tree I posted a week or so ago and some wooden tags …… and I must make some brooches with them too. Thank you Marc, you are too kind xxx

Poundland Paperweight ….. Just £1…

I like to try and do something with my Poundshop finds as quickly as I can, otherwise the moment/excitement of finding a little gem is lost and the item soon forgotten.  ….. ….. and I just can’t tell you how thrilled I am with what I have done with the Poundland paperweight I showed you the other week!

I love to watch Mr Fiddle Fart (The Duke) fishing and thought I would use one of my favourite pictures of him from our holiday in Brixham this year to use with the paperweight, which measures approximately 10cm x 7cm.

Printing it to size didn’t take more than a couple of minutes,  I then used the faux velvet backing that came with the paperweight as a template to cut the picture to fit exactly.

I used Ranger Glossy Accents to stick the picture onto the glass, and then glued the velvet on top of that ….. all done and dusted! It’s now on my desk at work to remind me of the long, hot, lazy summer days, especially with the prospect of a cold winter looming ominously over us.

….. And I’ve been back to Poundland to buy a couple more as this has given me a few more ideas…….

Make Believe Tea To Celebrate 11.11.11

My sister asked if I could make something to put a teabag and poem in for her “Make Believe Tea” for 11.11.11. I believe the original idea came about as different way to fundraise for charities. http://www.fundraising-ideas.org/DIY/teaparty.htm

To make the gift card I used my Sizzix Bigz XL Gift Card Holder (BigzXL 05) …. and I confess I’ve had it for at least three years and have never used it until now (…..hangs head in shame) … but needless to say it now my favourite die!

I’ve used papers from Stampin’Up and the small stickers come from Paperchase (I think!)

The only thing missing from the cards is the teabags to slip into the pocket, I’ve got most things in my craftroom, but not those!

Hobbycraft Cotton Christmas Gift Bag

Gift bags seem so expensive for what they are, so this year I have decided to make a few using Hobbycraft cotton bags, they normally cost 99p, but I took advantage of the 3 for 2 offer they had in the summer, so they actually worked out at 66p each.

I’ve also used computer transfer paper for the image.

The digi images are from a set from Sweet Shoppe Designs called “Little Joys” by Zoe Pearn  but I’m not sure if  it is available any more and the font is from Two Peas in a Bucket, (details as per yesterdays post)

The ironing bit was simple …. the only big thing I almost forgot to do was reverse the text on the image!  There was almost a disaster …… but I twigged it just in time!

Let It Snow Canvas Christmas Tags

I think these are my most favourite things I have made so far this Christmas!

I’ve used A4 canvas paper,  the results are brilliant, the images are so sharp and clean!

The background snowman are from a digi set from Sweet Shoppe Designs called Little Joys by Zoe Pearn, but I am not 100% sure that it is still available. I have fiddle farted about with it on Publisher to make a rectangles in roughly the size of tag I wanted and then added the text using a Two Peas In A Bucket font called 2Peas High Tide by Jennifer McGuire in a dark brown.

http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/shop/jennifer-mcguire/23354-font-high-tide/

I then cut out the rectangles, trimming the top corners to make the tag shape.  The final touches were made with faux stitching in brown pen round the edges, setting the eyelets with my Crop-A-Dile and a length of ribbon.

I am always wary of making tags because of the difficulty in matching up colours/patterns/images with shop bought Christmas paper but this years it will be easy as I will be mostly using Kraft/brown parcel paper, as is a lot cheaper and easy to tart up …. I bought rolls of 8 metres from Hobbycraft this week, which were on offer for £2.99 a roll or 3 for 2, which with my 25% off  voucher from the Daily Mirror was bargainstatic!

I have left the back of the tag blank, except for some faux stitching to write messages. I have experimented with a variety of pens including felt and they don’t bleed into the canvas, brilliant!  But …. it’s going to be hard for me to put these on parcels as I love them so much!

Withdrawl of Snowman Soup File

I have had an e-mail from a concerned follower and I think I need to take what she has said very seriously.

I have always stated that the art work I have used was not my own and that I had purchased sets of images from a number of digi sites on the internet, however what has pointed out to me is that as I haven't created the artwork myself or have the artists permission to give it away,  what  I’m actually doing is stealing someone else's intellectual property and just like a CD being copied  and given away, it's actually copyright theft.

I don’t have the  artist's permission to “share” the artwork I have used as part of my soup inserts and I feel that though it was done in all innocence,  the right thing is to to withdraw the file completely.

This has been wake up call for me, and I realise now that I need to do some serious research on intellectual property and copyright.  But in the meantime can I point out to you that if you download graphic images they DO NOT become your property, you are not allowed to share them, and they are only intended for your own personal use.  Also always check a download sites “Conditions for Use” very carefully

Can I now ask that you in turn do not pass the file on to anyone else and request that you do not use any part of it for any sort of enterprise.

Snowman Soup Packets And A Word About Food Sealers

I have changed this post slightly and have withdrawn the offer for my snowman soup inserts for reasons that I will explain in my next post …. but for now I thought I would show you how you could package up snowman soup packs.

 

On Sunday I went to buy the bits and pieces to make up my soup packets for this Christmas.

I found boxes of 6 sachets of Maltesers hot chocolate in B & M Bargains for 99p, the red packet is perfect for the Christmas theme. I also found boxes of 12 peppermint candy canes for 69p.  Unfortunately I couldn’t find any mini marshmallows anywhere, so this year I am going to use mini flumps instead! (99p)

Whenever I use unwrapped sweets I always wear my pink disposable gloves and work in a clean area.  Because I want to keep everything as fresh and scrupulously clean as possible when dealing with food stuffs  I invested in a vacuum food sealer a couple of years ago (which has been proved to be one of my best buys ever), this means that I can make my soups and other sweetie bags well in advance.

I tend not to use the vacuum part,  I just put my cello (card) bag across the sealing wires, where the bag is sealed and and excess plastic cut off.

As I precursor to this post I did some research but cannot the particular model sealer  I have, which is an Elitech, however I did find a very similar looking/sounding JML sealer available at Tesco, Asda, Amazon etc. however it’s up to you to research and it’s only a suggestion, I cannot help/advise you further.

A bag sealer isn’t absolutely necessary, especially for a one off project like this,  it’s just my personal preference to use one. Marshmallows are an option for the soup and can be easily replaced by all manner of other wrapped items including  chocolate snowmen etc.

The cello bag I put the soup inserts etc. in measures 14.5cms x 14.5cms (plus self adhesive flap) and the marshmallow bags measure 12.5cm x 7.5cm

Always check on the sell by/use by date of all items you use.

I can’t advise you on small hand operated battery sealers, I’ve had a couple and have never had any success with them.

Chalkboard Advent Calendar

Another idea today using up bits and pieces  I’ve had for a while.  The chalkboard is from Gisela Graham, I bought a job lot of them from e-bay a couple of years ago and have just a couple left, I love them but doubt if I will ever find them again once the last one is used up. It measures 15cm x 9 cm.

I’ve married the board up with an old wooden Santa that I found at the bottom of a box, some resin snowflakes plus a couple of lengths of East of India ribbon.  The writing is done with a white Posca pen  which is brilliant on chalkboards etc. and the small stars and dots were done with a white gel pen.

Done and dusted!