Little handmade boxes

Made these little boxes for our little grandchildren for christmas - all filled with pink smarties (and yes - did pinch a few from each box but only to even them out)!!!! The Tilda image is new from the Winter 2009 collection and coloured in with distresssed ink and the christmas paper is from The Hobby House. Working on a few more late christmas orders so ... TTFN

Shabby Challenge Number 6 'Christmas'

Taken a while to do my shabby piece - its been put together and dismantled so many times I'm surprised its still sticking together!! It was all about Christmas so I wanted to use in some way - Angels. Anyway, I finished it last night and when I shouted down to my hubby 'Would you like to see my Tussie Mussie' you just know he's got the wrong end of the stick when he shouts back 'HELL YES' and he's bounding up the stairs like a bat out of hell!!! (Thanks Tracey but I'll stick to calling it a Victorian Cone in future).







The cardboard wings were from Running with Scissors and were painted with white gesso. I then added some gold metallic paint to bring out the raised areas and a white feather was added behind each wing for a wispy look. I added bits of lace, ribbon and white pearls to the outside of the cone and just added a strip of white bobbly ribbon to the inside. I have a lovely stamp with the sentiment 'To hear the angels whisper you must listen with your heart' so I stamped this on to frosted shrink plastic and blasted it with the heat gun and added this to the cone point. I found a lovely image of an angel and printed this out and stuck it on a gold card (scalloped nestabilities). It was originally filled with more than 3 Ferrero Roches but ......... I ate the rest!!

Well thats it for now - currently playing with my new Magnolia stamps which arrived last night - theres even a piano stamp this time!!! TTFN

A vintage heart plaque & a Tilda tag

I have a heart punch that I just love as its quite a longish heart shape so I decided to use the shape for my next project. I drew this heart out on some thick cardboard and cut it out with a craft knife. I covered it in a lovely vintage paper and the bottom part added a torn piece of the same style paper. I distressed the edge of the heart with a pair of scissors, inked it and then added some Diamond Stickles all around the edge. Once dried I added the cream lace, some pearls and some dark red roses. I then used my heart punch on a lovely Crafty Indivdual image, added a cream border to it, added some more cream lace and a red rose and placed it on top. The lovely sentiment is one of several stamps bought from Running With Scissors 'A Mother is close to your heart, whether near in miles or far apart'.



And now for Tilda - found a large Tag whilst searching for something else and thought aahhhhh have a go at distress and inking it. I used Vintage Photo and Antique Linen on it, distressed the edges with scissors and then inked it again. The page of writing stamp is one from Crafty Individuals. Tilda is painted with distress inks of Vintage Photo, Antique Linen, Tattered Rose and Aged Mahogany and Diamond stickles were added to her wings. Some lace and red ribbon was added, a couple of hearts were punched from red cardstock and a lovely stamped sentiment 'As time passes us by my love for you stays eternal' was used.



Well thats it for now - trying to finish off my project for the Lets Get Shabby Challenge and boy is that proving to be a challenge - dismantled it twice and STILL put it back to its original look DOH TTFN xx

Vintage style Victorian Cone

Not had much time for making things this week - been a bit off with earache AGAIN!!!! Think its time to see a doctor about it as its more often than not these days! Since giving up smoking I've never been so unhealthy!!! Wonder if I can bribe the doctor to recommend smoking again :O)

Anyway whilst watching I'm a celebrity last night (not a tube of pink smarties to be seen anywhere so definitely not feeling well) I sat in front of the fire with some bits and pieces and made this. It was made from black cardstock and then covered with the gold and black harlequin paper. Added some torn music paper inked this with Vintage Photo and then this was covered with ribbon that I frayed!!! Added some lace and ribbon, some flowers and black roses and then the cream feathers added inside the rim of the cone. I've just filled it with some vanilla smelling pot pourri. This piece actually evolved rather than planning it for a change.



Got an idea for maybe a couple of christmassy type ones to hang on the fireplace - hmmmmm!! TTFN xx

Scrapbook Inspirations & of course Tilda!

This is my scrapbook layout of our 3 little grandchildren that has been published in this months Scrapbook inspirations - very very chuffed I can tell you :O)



Yesterday I played around with some lovely new Bo Bunny papers and some Diamond Stickles from Running with Scissors - and of course a new Tilda that arrived in the post and this is what I came up with - a little wall plaque in the shape of a heart and a birthday card in the shape of a crown. Yup - certainly got the Tilda bug at the minute but I'm sure will try something else in a little while.



Well thats it for now - X Factor and I'm A Celebrity on soon - and a large tube of PINK smarties yeayyyyy TTFN xx

Another quick post of Tilda cards and a bit of news to share

Another quick post as I've just seen the time and I have to be up at 6 in the morning - tut! Got another 2 Tilda cards done for some friends at work - just 6 more to go before I can get stuck in to some other cards - hopefully some xmas cards

Think this one is my fave at the moment - just love the muted colours on the papers and the image - and the lace - well love it (from Running with Scissors of course :O). Added some Stickles in Frosted Lace to her top and wings, distressed and inked all the edges, added a few flowers and leaves (which were glimmer misted )and thats it for this one.




This is another Tilda image painted in distressed ink and layered onto PINK paper and card. The little girl whos birthday it is looks like Tilda apparently!!! Yikes - is that good or bad!



ANd my news - I've been published!!!!!! I'm in Scrapbook Inspirations - not yet seen the magazine but hopefully my copy will arrive on Friday. Although I know Tracey has seen it so may pay her a visit tomorrow if I can leave work early. Didn't expect it really as when I was asked to send in the original layout, I paid for track and tracing on it but the webpage was never updated by Royal Mail and showed up as still being in the post office in Ripon Street. When I rang Royal Mail they said it had been lost in transit and couldnt help me further. So that was it really. It wasnt until I got the layout back last week and a letter saying thank you and that I was going to be in the last ever issue!!!! Scrapbook Inspirations is no more - apparently they sell more tractor magazines than scrapbook magazines - can you believe it!! Will post a photo of the layout soon. TTFN xx

Quick post of Tilda cards

Not had much chance to play this weekend but as I've got quite a few birthday cards on order thought I'd better get stuck in and get 1 done at least. Seems my friends at work like Tilda too :O) so here's 2 birthday cards I've just finished and put together - photos aren't up to much (well looking at the time I'm not surprised - where has the night gone)!!!

This is my favourite one at the minute - think its the rose garden paper (think Mattie called it old biddy paper when he saw me popping it in my basket) but I loved it straight away and I'll definitely be buying some more.



Used my distress inks on the images, seem to have lost the knack with copics (that's if I ever had the knack)!!

The quote stamp is one I bought from Running with Scissors on Saturday - spent a little bit more than I told hubby I was going to spend and after paying for them shoved a few bits in my handbag (well theres just so many nice things). Only got to the car park opposite before I confessed - opened up my bag and showed him what I REALLY bought - he just shook his head and tutted!!!!



Well thats it for now TTFN x

Let's Get Shabby Challenge 5 -

Well, another challenge I just couldn't wait to join in with - Lets Get Shabby - handmade Embellishment. Not sure this layout meets the criteria (its more of a picture than an embellishment) but you know what its like when you have an idea forming - you've just got to go with it!!! :O)

Decided on a handmade apple tree and apple photo frame. I drew the tree by hand, distressed and inked all the edges. Cut out some little hand drawn apples, inked and distressed the little edges (very fiddly)!!. The stems were made from little off-cuts of wavy ribbon and the leaves were from a leaf punch. Hand drew a larger apple and cut away a smaller version of the apple inside to make a frame, distressed and inked (Tim Holtz Antique Linen) and popped a photo of my lovely daughter inside it. The stem was brown ribbon and the leaves were cut from a cuttlebug die. Added some little butterflies, some bobble ribbon along the bottom and some lovely gathering of white lace was attached around the entire picture.

And here it is... The Apple of my Eye (and she is :O))



Well, thats it for now - hope you've all had a good weekend TTFN xx

Magnolia Down Under Challenge 25 - Distress

Seems Kate and I have the bug for entering challenges at the moment - well I know I have. It's nice to see how others perceive the challenge and you certainly learn from them.

This card is for the Magnolia Down Under Challenge - haven't joined one of their challenges for ages but seems as I have been bitten by the Tilda stamps again this was one I just had to join in with - especially as the theme was 'distressing' - my fave technique!!!

Can't remember the paper I have used (Bo Bunny perhaps - not sure) which was distressed with a thread cutter and then inked with Antique Linen. A little v was added to the paper and a little piece of lace was added behind it. Liddle ole' Tilda was coloured with distress inks and then I traced an oval shape around her and cut her out by hand!!!, stuck her onto a couple of scalloped ovals (nestabilites), added a few flowers and used my lovely branch punch which I bought from Running With Scissors a week ago (along with a few other bits ;0)), a bit of ribbon and lace was added with a scalloped oval with Happy Birthday on it and here it is...



Just know I will be joining in with more of the Tilda challenges - just counted how many I have bought over the last few months and I'm now the proud owner of 15 of them - laughs scarey eh!!! TTFN x

Just Magnolia Challenge Bright & Zingy (and a honourable mention)

Been buying a few more Magnolia stamps recently due to the grandchildren liking the figures on their birthday cards so decided that I would enter the Just Magnolia Challenge. Their theme this week is Bright & Zingy and this is the card I created.



I've used Tim Holtz Distress Inks for colouring in (Skin: Vintage Photo, Tattered Rose & Worn Lipstick, Dress: Spiced Marmalade, Fired Brick, Peeled Paint, Worn Lipstick, Hair & Boots: Walnut Stain) cut an oval just smaller than the Scalloped Nestability I wanted to use, used the Martha Stewart Doily punch and added a spotty orange ribbon

REALLY really chuffed - I just got another Honourable Mention on the Lets Get Shabby Challenge - Use something Vintage. Didn't squeal quite as loudly as Kate but not far off. I love this challenge site and can't wait for the next one. TTFN

Wine & Chocolates!!!

Even though I've not been at work much this week due to this cold virus I've got (yesterday I sounded like Pinky & Perky on helium and today I sound like one of the Rugrats - its anyones guess what I'll sound like tomorrow!!) I still haven't been that craft productive. Since given up smoking 2 months ago I've never been so unhealthy - picked up bug after bug!

This is the wine bottle I decorated a week ago for a wedding present. Same kind of design really that I've done recently except no inking or distressing on this bottle - felt it would have spoilt it so left that out.

This is the front of the bottle...



and this is the back..



Well onto a wee box of chocolates!! I made this box out of a piece of Stucco card, 2 small pieces of cardboard, a piece of 12x12 scrapbook paper, ribbon and flowers (made the little bouquet mystelf which I sprayed with glimmer mist) and a Crafty Individual stamp 'Dream A Little Dream'. I did intend to make a few of these boxes and fill them with Ferro Roches but unfortunately I've ate most of them so only enough for 2 boxes :O) - well I have been poorly you know!!!

Here's the box from above..



from the side...



and the box slightly open...



Was out and about today shopping for bits and bobs and managed to catch up with a few friends who I haven't seen for a while which was nice. Working on a Gorjuss card now for a card challenge so hopefully will get it finished before the closing date. TTFN xx

A commission - a bottle of wine for a wedding!!

Was given a bottle of wine at work - unfortunately not to drink!!! It was to decorate for a wedding present - oh well!

I made the same kind of design as the other one I made a few days ago except this one was really PINK!!! I used pink cardstock, the main paper is Melissa Frances which was distressed and inked with Antique Linen. The punch used on the top is my absolute fave - the Martha Stewart doily punch, the photo is from a cd containing vintage images, ribbon and flowers from Boyes, some eyelets from B&Q (these are the larger eyelets and you get 100 plus the little tool all for 99p), scalloped nestabilities, a little heart punch, a leaf punch (which I have to stand on to punch out the leaf) and... think thats it.

And here is the back of the bottle....



And here is the front.....


Soooo wanted to keep this :O). Mind you - since I've taken it into work I've been asked to make another one!! TTFN x

Lets Get Shabby Challenge 4 - Use something vintage

Let's Get Shabby are now on challenge 4 - use something vintage in the sketch design. I must say - ALL the DT designs are absolutely fantastic which does inspire you to have a go. I don't have any authentic vintage photographs but I do have a box of pearl necklaces that I bought yonks ago from a secondhand shop in Mablethorpe so after raiding it I decided to use one of the old clip-on EARRINGS!!!

Again I've used K&Co papers - cut a large circle (template was a dinner plate) and distressed the edges. Stamped a swirled image all around the edge randomly, inked around the edge and then added a few pale pink pearls to the swirls. The photo was printed on linen card rather than photo paper as I like the faded lined look you get. A small white doily was used behind the photo and teared paper that co-ordinated with the main background, I made a little bouquet of mixed artificial roses from Boyes, made a chiffon bow and added the clip-on earring to the knot. The words were computer-generated except for ROSE which was the cuttlebug Olivia alphabet.

And here it is. Thoroughly enjoyed this challenge again and can't wait for the next on e :O) TTFN xx

A leaving present - A decorated bottle of wine

My lovely friend Wendy is leaving Novartis on Friday after nearly 3 years with us sooooo... as I know she is a lover of red wine I thought I'd spice the bottle up abit that I got her :O.

All I've used is 1 sheet from the K&Co Addison speciality paper pad, (do so love K&Co papers), some flowers from Boyes, a bit of lace, a tulle bow and some gold cord. Oh and a few eyelets.

This is the front of the bottle




and this is the back.



Not brilliant photos due to the poor lighting (only took them a few minutes ago) - did mean to get them done when I got in from work but hubbys tea took preference (a Sainsbury curry)!!!

Well thats it for now - off to ring Sue and then watch House TTFN x

A few bits and pieces to show

Wow, I can't believe that it's nearly 2 weeks since I last blogged TUT!!! Well here's the excuse why - just a few things to show what I've been making.

I've finally joined My creative scrapbook for 6 months and for that I get a lovely parcel every month filled with new release papers, prima flowers,etc. This month the theme was Autumn - papers of lovely read and greens etc perfect for some of the photos taken whilst doing a 10 mile!!!!! walk last weekend around Willingham Woods / Tealby. Considering it was September it was like a summers day ambling round the woods - really enjoyed it.

.

Finally found some lovely Melissa Frances papers in The Hobby Shop and also the Baby Stickers sheet so just HAD to make a baby card for Wendy a friend at work who has become a Nanna again. As usual had a book of Baby rub-ons that has never been touched!! so added the word BABY to the card, stamped a couple of swirls in Brown Memento, tied a pink ribbon to the front and finally added a pink gingham brad to it.

. Honestly - the bow is a lot neater then what it looks like here!

Then I made a birthday card with some of the remaining Melissa Frances paper - this was quite a simple one - used my Martha Stewart Doily punch (absolutely my fave punch at the moment), a heart using the Cuttlebug and a Happy Birthday stamped in Memento Brown and finally .........



a Anniversay card again for a colleague at work. He wanted a card that was slightly different this year so......

This is the front of the envelope card decorated with Love is like a butterfly (used this stamp at Sues and fell in love with it and just had to buy it) .......



and this is the inside of it. Anything can be added here, I just made a little card and stamped a quote on it. AND it is so easy to make - just 1 piece of 12"by12" patterned paper is required.



Oh just one more - this card is my favourite - hardly anything added to the card front except the image which I think is beautiful.



Well thats it for now TTFN xx

Shabby Chic Challenge No. 3

Another challenge from Lets Get Shabby - this time the theme was White and/or Cream and a hint of another colour - after much debating I chose GOLD!!!

I used white and cream cardstock for the majority of the layout and a lovely Martha Stewart border punch was used in the edge decoration. I inked all the pieces in Vintage Photo to give the appearance of old and worn and the main page was curled with a wet one! A piece of torn music sheet was added behind the lace - and all the lace used would you believe cost just 50p from Boyes - theres well over 3 metres of the stretchy stuff but its absolutely lovely. I've added a few pearls to the lace to give it a little bit of bling, alovely white fluffy feather and added a brooch which I found in a little secondhand shop in Alfords, Lincs. I found a pen-nib in my ever expanding stash and painted it gold and added it to some butterfly wings. The wording is from the Storybook Cricut Cartridge and the photo - well thats me on our wedding day in April of 2002 just getting out of the wedding car - a Silver Shadow Rolls Royce :O)

Well thats it for now TTFN xx

Just a few cards

Oooh time found to blog again! Been working on a few cards for Wendy, a lovely friend at work (who I may add is very creative herself!!) - a wedding card and a anniversary card and a couple that I started on whilst thinking about the other 2 - yeah work very haphazardly me!!!

Wedding card front

The inside

another wedding card

birthday card

anniversary card


And this afternoon spent a lovely couple of hours with Maz, Sue, Kate & Laura ( a little sweetie) in Maz's superb craft room. There was Thorntons chocolate, Mugs of Hot Chocolate, Chocolate Mini Rolls .. but we did do some crafting!!!! Kate did her step which was absolutely fab (on Maz'z blog) - and I did a little tutorial on Copics!

Thats it for now although I was hoping to photo my Shabby Chic Challenge but think the light has definitely gone for that one - will be posted tomorrow TTFN xx

Mini Acrylic Album and Scrapbook page - Boggle Hole

Finally - a time found to blog!!! Where does the time go!

Well, here is the lovely mini acrylic album made at Sue's class on Saturday - how pretty and sweet is this - enjoyed making it so much that I started making another one that night. Just got 2 pages left to decorate and that will be another blog hopefully later this week.

Talk about packing so many different techniques into one project, it was real good fun and so was the company. Me and Kate when sat next to each other are always guaranteed to mess up and do something wrong- well for once we didnt (well I'm not admitting to it anyway!!!) Here is my little album :-













And here is my scrapbook page of Steve at Boggle Hole (near Whitby) just a couple of weeks ago. It was a gorgeous day - we walked all the way there, scaled a few cliffs, I fell in the sea, bit of rock pooling and then it was a walk back to Robin Hoods Bay and had fish & chips on the beach!!! FAB!

TTFN xx

Chocolate Treat birthday card

This was the card I started to make last night - it was either make a card involving the chocolate bar or eat it!!! So with the words ' a minute on the lips, a lifetime on the hips' ringing in my ears - a card it was!

The wallet was fairly simple to make once I had measured around the chocolate bar and added the seams and then added some paper to the front of the wallet. I wrapped the choccy bar in co-ordinating papers and added a pc generated 'Sweet Treat' to it and wrapped around a polka ribbon. Then it was just a question of putting it on the card and embellishing. The papers are all My Minds Eye Wild Asparagus - very yummy papers!



And this little snippet is from a scrapbook page for a special little boy - not quite finished yet.



Well thats it for now xx

A altered tin, birdhouse, and a couple of vintage style cards

Well I've been busy crafting this week after a lovely little break in Whitby - was even eating fish and chips on the beach in Robin Hoods Bay!!! Lovely!!!!

To start off with Maz gave us a challenge - alter a cigar tin!!! Loved this one - could I have some more please!!! Knew as soon as I saw it what I was going to do with it. I turned it into a little book!!!

This is the tin front just covered with card and paper which was inked - the wording is just printed in MS Word. Added some flowers and leaves and a few sticky diamanties.



This is the tin opened - again covered in the same paper and inked. The flower image my hubby created for me from 2 images I found surfing the net - he merged them together in Adobe Photoshop - neat eh!



And this is the back of the tin - just card and paper inked around the edges. A ribbon tied around the middle and finished. You can see Sam's and Sue's here - all different and inspiring



This is the birdhouse I altered from ages ago - again check Sam's and Sue's blogs to see what they came up with. Mine was quite simply changed with card, paper and ribbon oh and some lace around the 'gables'.



Wednesday I was able to join Sue's class for the first time - we made vintage cards - my fave theme. This is the one I made there and...



...this one I made when I got home. Sue always inspires me!



Well thats it for tonight - hopefully I will be able to blog the rest of the crafty bits later in the week xx