Bauble Christmas Card

This card is made using a 6ins x 6ins Kraft Card blank
This is the second card I have made up using a whole page from my Trimcraft 6” x 6” First Edition Nordic Christmas paper pad
http://www.trimcraft.co.uk/products/FEXPAD15/first-edition-nordic-christmas-6-x-6-paper-pad

All I have done is trim down the page and mat and layered it first on red card and then on silver mirri card to fit the 6” x 6” card blank. I added a Craftwork card sentiment which I also mat and layered on a matching paper from the pad that was large enough to cover a little of the bauble pattern. The card was then finished off with a sprinkling of translucent micro glitter and tiny red flat back gems and pearls on some of the baubles  and finally a little faux stitching using a white gel pen to separate the bands of pattern.

Will Of Iron ……???

I went to Ikea the other day ….. wanting a small table and chairs for my slowly progressing bottom of the garden …….
……. and thought I had done exceptionally well ……

…… in resisting the humungous mountains of mini Daim/Dime bars on check out ……

….. but then ….. just as I was feeling safe, I spotted equally an humungous mountain of Polly’s, my all time Ikea confectionary of choice, chocolate covered soft marshmallow sweets with flavours of arrak, buttertoffee and vanilla, that I haven’t seen for ages and ages and ages …… and these were in bumper bags!

I am not proud of my actions!!! Nom, nom, nom!!!!

Nordic Style I Love Christmas Card

This card is made using a 6ins x 6ins Kraft Card blank

I know I am on a tight crafting budget, but I just could not resist treating myself to this Trimcraft 6” x 6” First Edition Nordic Christmas paper pad, I have to say it is one of the prettiest Christmas pads I think I have ever used, I love the way that the patterns are in proportion for making the size of cards I make, and I love the colours and all the patterns.  I don’t think there is a page I wouldn’t use.  Some papers have a fabric finish, some are pearlescent and others are double sided.  I know this pad will owe me nothing by the time Christmas arrives ……..

http://www.trimcraft.co.uk/products/FEXPAD15/first-edition-nordic-christmas-6-x-6-paper-pad ….. especially as I have discovered it has pages that need the minimal of fiddle farting to turn into a beautiful card.

All I have done is trim the page down and then mat and layered it first on red card and then on silver mirri card to fit the 6” x 6” card blank. From there I added two red glitter hearts to cover over the original printed hearts, put a little translucent micro glitter on the writing and tiny red flat back gems and pearls in of the spaces between the pattern and finally a little faux stitching using a white gel pen round the edges of the matting and card base. It’s the sort of card I would love to receive as it’s so delicate.

There are three pages like this in the pad, when I make up the other two I think I will mat and layer one on a red card blank and the other on a blue one to give them a slightly different look.

Nordic Reindeer Card

This card is made using a 6” x 6”, 300gsm card blank from Craft UK Limited.

So …. following on from yesterday and my new found vigour (????) for card making and making a dent in my humungous embellishment stash, I’ve gone for my predicted Christmas 2014 Kraft and Nordic theme!

Nothing fancy, just nine 1.5in squares, outlined with faux stitching, which I’ve then mat and layered twice on kraft card and red card, before putting onto a 6” x 6”card blank.

….. And the stash I managed to use up completely after being in my drawer for at least two years?  A box of 36 felt stags from Paperchase!

First Day Back At Work Fairings.

As you know I always like to make something very tiny weeny to give to my friends and colleagues on the first day of term to make the return a little more bearable!!!!!! I usually use sweets that don’t cost that too much, especially as I have over forty or so to make!

So this term I decided to use mini Kinder bars, which I found in Poundland in packs of 8 (but I was very diligent as I also spotted packs of 6 beside them…. not so much of a bargain!)

I cut 3ins x 3ins squares of patterned paper and rolled the bars up in them, securing with double sided tape and then simply decorated with one of an assortment of wooden embellishments that I’ve had forever and that needed using up, followed by writing “Happy Days!” on each one!  Voila!

Here We Go Again ……

Well, surprise, surprise I am back at work today, I did mention a while ago that I was thinking of “packing it all in”, because redundancies were being made and the whole procedure was really getting me down, but then I got sensible and in the end I did “apply” and got a post that was all but the same as I have been doing for the past 6 years, but just not handling money and “joyously”,in the process, I not only went down a pay scale but also lost 30 hours a month ….. but on the bright side I gained the opportunity of sharing the work of the three staff who were made redundant or took on new roles!!!! But, it was my choice, I still don’t know properly how I feel about it all, it’s a case of suck it and see and keeping an eye out for other jobs if all does not bode well!!!!!

On the plus side (????) ………..  I will now be home mid afternoon, giving me a lot more time to blog and craft and perhaps, a little housework ………… so while things are looking good and I have quite a few projects in the pipeline I am hoping to post more than just once a week from now on ..... I am not promising every day, but ........

It goes without saying that crafting will now have to be on a very strict budget, but to be honest there really should be no need for me to buy anymore embellishments for the next 20 years or so ….. and that is after having a good sort out while Marc was with me for his charities. I know when the Christmas stuff in particular starts to come into the shops, especially the pound shops, I will get the jitters! Even if I have already made enough cards for this year, I know I will find myself saying “But, I can put these away for next year!” So my new rule of thumb will have to be to just buy enough to make 10 to 15 cards and only if an idea instantly springs to mind and NO MORE!!!! No matter how good a bargain or how tempting, a bargain is only a bargain if the embellishments etc. are used quickly and completely, they are not a bargain if they are still in my drawer three years later!

However, having said that I have invested in a new box of white linen card from PaperMillDirect, it being my very favourite card , hopefully it should last at least a year, but the price did make my eyes water!!!

As I was perilously short of silver card for mat and layering I managed to find a box of 250 sheets for £25 + VAT and P & P from the company below, which again should last a year, if not longer.

http://www.papercard.co.uk/two_ream_box_of_silver_mirror_card_appox_250_sheets

I also invested in three packs of Kraft Cards from HobbyCraft currently on 2 for 3, but I also received an additional 15% discount on them by joining the HobbyCraft Club. 

http://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/craft-uk-6-x-6-in-kraft-cards-and-envelopes-30pk/572423-1000.

As you know I love Kraft card and predict that this Christmas there will be a lot of it about - cards, tags and papers etc. with a possible additional Nordic theme ……. and that’s the way I plan to go ahead too ………..

Following On From Yesterday …… My First Wire Wrapped Bracelet

Well I am feeling a bit chuffed as my first wire wrapped bracelet has turned out pretty alright ….. meaning that I will actually wear it …….. instead of consigning it to the disassemble pile!

I took one of the plain wire bracelets Marc and I made and then took lengths of thinner, more manageable, coloured wires that I already had to attach beads that Marc and I had found in charity shops and a car boot during his stay.

I remembered what Marc had told me and made sure that all the beads were secured to face outwards …….
…… and that I used the wire as my needle.

I was surprised by the amount of wire it took to do all the attaching, but I didn’t want the beads to be secure and not move (or fall off) while the bracelet was being worn, but found that rather detract from the finished article it added extra colour, texture and dimension to make it all pull together.

Thank you Marc, you taught me well, I still need to do a lot more practising, but hopefully, one day, my finished items will be almost perfect!!!

Marc and I Experiment With Wire Bangles/Bracelets

You might remember a quite a while ago I raved on about the idea of making a wire wrapped bracelet……..

http://pixiloo.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/wild-woman-bangles.html but I didn’t have a clue where to start to make one. 

So when Marc said he was coming to stay I begged him to bring his jewellery making tools, namely his wire coiling gizmo (which he also kindly bought me) and his wire twister, plus some wire so he could “try” and teach me the art, because Marc is an expert when it comes to jewellery making.

I think I was a very, very frustrating pupil …… as Marc soon found out that I have no hand/eye coordination, my eye sight isn’t what it used to be AND I am not very patient!!! But bless him, he persevered!

We played with the wire coiler first, which I mastered pretty quickly, making these coil beads with basic experimentation ……. and I could see how I could develop ideas using the coils……

…… but it was the wire twister that I was really interested in.

This was our very first attempt (above) at a bracelet, with Marc twisting the end wires to make eyelet fasteners Then we got a little more adventurous and added beads to the wire as we twisted, again all very basic.

But this is what we came up with in the end, adding jump rings and a lobster claw to fasten it.

…… and then I tried adding a pendant.

In then end we made a pile of about sixteen bracelets of varying sizes which will now become the bases for me to attach beads and charms etc. by wire wrapping by hand for my own version of a “wild woman” bracelets.

Sorry, No Matching Wolf Fleece Jackets!

I wanted to give Marc a treat and so took him to the QVC Outlet shop in Shrewsbury (????????) where we were hoping to find a pair of wolf fleece jackets to wear whenever we are together to cement our relationship!!! Sadly there were no such jackets ……

But when I modelled an animal print jacket for Marc I got more than I bargained for, as I struck a model type pose with my hands jauntily placed in the pockets, I felt something …… it was only someone’s glasses and a tissue ……. which meant that they had worn it out and then returned it!!!! Cheeky B’s!!!!We must have mooched happily for an hour opening mystery boxes and asking what on earth is that for ….. but I am afraid very little was purchased. Marc managed to find, what we think were a pair of very sparkly Swarovski crystal, Kirk’s Folly sun-catchers for £3.99 (reduced by 70%) which he thought, after taking them apart, he could make fifteen pairs of earrings from each catcher, as seen artistically draped round our milkshakes……  we also each found a Silhouette Design CD – Block Party for 99p which was marked up for a retail of £33!

I know the days of finding crafty treasures like ProMarkers and Scrap kits are long since gone and as for the jacket………….. no, I didn’t buy it …… Marc said it wasn’t de rigueur enough!

My Attempt At A Marc Type Necklace

Following on from yesterday I think I may have overegged my first attempt at a charmed necklace, my usual rule is less is more, but I am afraid I didn’t stick to it and have just created what looks like a random, unstructured jumble of charms and beads.

I wanted it to look interesting, but it’s a bit too much, and all those interesting bits have just got lost, but as Marc told me, with jewellery making if you don’t like what you have done you can just undo it and you will still have all the bits to do it all again!

I started off with this necklace that was selling pieces for 3 for £1 and removed the ribbon that went through the chain ……

…… and replaced the small tassel with something a little bigger and more extravagant …….

……. but after that I am afraid I lost my way by adding too many large pieces, I wanted layers but in the end I got a tangled mess.

So now I have photographed it, I am going to take certain bits off it, like the tree of life and see if I can arrange it a bit better (below).  I also need to practice opening and closing my jump rings, I don’t have the knack yet, and Marc makes it look so easy!

I just need to keep practising!

Marc Makes Me Look at Old And New Jewellery In A Whole New Jewellery Making Light.

I found out that there was a Monday second hand market while Marc was staying with me so we both thought it would be most rude not to give it a go …… however when we were greeted by only about six stalls my heart sank, but the last stall we looked was its salvation, as it at was selling old costume jewellery at 3 for £1 and it was then that Marc started to tell me what to look for if I wanted to make jewellery on a shoestring. He pointed out old and new pieces that could be taken apart, for chain, jump rings and charms/pendants/beads etc. instead of spending a fortune in hobby stores.

……. and it’s amazing what I began to see and find through fresh eyes.

For example this necklace (above) must have been made up of over 200 antique finish jump rings, 6 charms and a fastener ….. and we paid approx. 33p for it in the 3 for £1 deal!

Then, throughout the rest of Marc’s stay we must have gone into every charity shop we saw, goodness knows how many and Marc would challenge me by taking me to the jewellery section and asking me which pieces he would buy and why …….

So these necklaces (above) were bought because of the en trend metallic/industrial style of the beads, the number of them and the fact that once broken up and used with other similar beads they would take on a totally new look.

While this jumbled up pile would provide me with thousands and thousands of spacer beads bought again for about 33p.

We also discovered that Poundland now have a range of jewellery (Purple Ivy) that when disassembled would provide another a very cheap source of bits for jewellery making and my jewelled mirrors.

By the end of the week I had massed a very interesting collection …… both of pieces to take apart and others, mainly bracelets that I can embellish further. All I now need to do is do something with them.

Marc’s “Steampunk” Necklace

I am not sure if this is pure “steampunk”, but this is the necklace Marc put together and wore for most of his stay with me.

He came down one morning wearing it and I can remember feeling a teensy bit envious and then thought …… except the chain, I think I have got some very similar bits and pieces in a box somewhere amongst all of the other boxes on my shelves, so perhaps I could try and copy it.  Then later, when I openly admired it Marc said “You dozy mare, they’re your bits!” LOL,  because Marc doesn’t sleep very well, he’d gone into my craft room and played ……..

…….. and this was the result! When he arrived, he had been wearing the ball chain with different  appendages on, then five minutes fiddle-farting in the middle of the night …… and he comes up with this! Aghhhhhh, I am so jealous,  I just wish I had a  quarter of his imagination and flair of putting things together …….. however,  during his stay he has made very valiant attempts in an effort to teach me ………..