Iris’s Tie Dyed Blanket.

Adam, the lovely and very talented Science Technician at work made this wonderful blanket for Iris (my very, very gorgeous granddaughter) …..
…… it really is stunning as are all of Adam’s tie-dye projects and it is also very Tom and Laura.  A couple of weeks ago we had a small party to celebrate Tom and Laura’s first anniversary, with Iris as guest of honour …..

…. and she looked very beautiful (above, with her Great Granddad), as well as being snug as a bug wrapped up in it.  THANK YOU SO MUCH ADAM, it’s a unique present that will be treasured for always.

It’s Christmas (In September) …… Gemmed Snowflake Heart Decoration/Tag

Following on from yesterday and my Primark heart “bargain” this is what I have come up with, for my first idea ……. which could be used either as a tree decoration or a fancy gift tag……..

….. and believe me, there wasn’t a lot to it!

I used two strips from a pack of self adhesive, black flat backed gems from Poundland. I’ve never used them before and was a bit apprehensive, but because they were on a strip, they were so easy to manipulate round each side of the heart, so no blobs of glue and individual stuck on gems, and the most magical thing was each strip consisted of 14 gems which were a perfect fit, no trimming, no nothing!

The plastic snowflakes came from Butlers last year from one of my stays with Marc. I just snipped the small eyelet off and then glue gunned the snowflake onto the heart, adding a black flat back gem in the centre. Like I said, so simple!  The finishing touch was a length of black and white gingham to hang or tie it.

I plan to make up the other two hearts from the cluster in exactly the same way.  However, what I didn’t confess the other day was that I actually bought four sets of the hearts …. so I now need to think of three more ideas!!!!

Heads Up - Primark Hanging Cluster Heart Decorations

I just couldn’t resist this set of hanging, clustered hearts in Primark this week …. although it made me laugh as I might have missed them had it not been for two sales assistants who were looking at them and being very disparaging, discussing what they would think if they saw them hanging up in anyone’s house, ……. and then me reaching over to get a closer look!!!!!At £1.50 for the three it doesn’t take a genius to work out that’s 50p each for a heart that measures approx. 3.75ins at widest by 3.75ins at longest.

At the moment I’m just thinking,  …… I could replace the grey ribbon with something a lot brighter and more festive and adding a few gems round the edges perhaps  ….. or what about using decorative black peel offs on them or adding a jump ring and attaching beads etc. could you stamp on them ….. hmmmm!!!  They will now mither me until I have “done” something with them as ……..  “they are not a bargain sat sitting in a drawer, they are only a bargain when they are used up and sat sitting in a cellobag ready to be sold!”

Nordic Sampler Christmas Card

This card is made using a 6ins x 6ins hand cut red card blank
This is the final card I have made using a whole page from my Nordic Christmas pad

http://www.trimcraft.co.uk/products/FEXPAD15/first-edition-nordic-christmas-6-x-6-paper-pad 

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.  I then added tiny red flat back gems and pearls in some of the spaces in the pattern and transluscent micro glitter to the tress.  All very simple, but my eyes are not what they were and working with such small gems did make me go a little crossed eyed at times.   The finishing touches were added by a little faux stitching using a white gel pen round the edges of the matting and card base. All done and dusted and with the minimal of fiddle fart!

Marc and Me …… Avoiding The “Paps”!!!!!!!

Taking Marc into Poundland had some repercussions that lasted all through his stay ……

…… as he was very taken by a Queen (who else?) and David Beckham mask ……

….. which he suggested we wore whenever we were out and about ………

…….. something about being incognito ……..

……. and not drawing attention to ourselves ………..

……….. and not being pestered by the “paps” all the time!!!!

However, I felt he had gone a little too far when he insisted on wearing his to cook tea!

What is he like?

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.