Christmas bauble

Yes, more sewing today. Do you realise 6 months today will be Christmas Eve! Isn't that a shocking thought. Am I half way through my Christmas makes, of course not, but I am making good progress. I saw an idea on the Papercrafter page on Facebook for some felt baubles and thought I would adapt the idea, as I always do. I watched the you tube video and the demonstrator had cut a piece of felt in a zigzag to represent the trees but I didn't want to do this. I like to use dies wherever I can.

I used a circle die for the bauble, hill and tree dies, then did running stitch on the snow. I then sewed on some tiny buttons, added the ribbon and blanket stitched around the edge. I filled the bauble, but not as much as the animals I sew as I didn't want it too puffy.  I am rather pleased with the way it turned out and will be making some more of these along with all my other sewing projects.

I would like to enter this into the bright and cheerful challenge at Simon Says.

Sailor bear

Time for a new challenge at A Gem of a Challenge and our theme is red, white and blue. I used one of my fave bear images, Pirate Barclay. I used the precoloured digi and teamed him with some old Papermania Ahoy There papers. The banner die is Joy and the mini nautical dies are Impression Obsessions.

Challenges

Simon Says bright and cheerful 

Dies R Us Summertime fun

I am trying out a new venue this morning at a farmer's and craft market. The organiser is a fellow cardmaker and blogger and we went to have a look last month. I am just taking my gifts to sell as it wouldn't be fair to her to take my cards. Set up is from 8.30 and the market is from 9.30-12.30. It isn't far from us so will be back home early afternoon. I have signed up for 5 of these this year so will see how they go.

More sewing

Last weekend when we went to the rose festival there were some craft stalls and I always enjoy seeing what other crafters make.  There was a lady there who makes lots of machine sewn items and she had some glasses cases for sale.  I didn't like the material she had used, the machine stitching nor the slanted tops though they were perfectly made.  I thought I could make some prettier handsewn ones and here are the first three I made. I have a very boring grey felt one which came with my glasses and I do find it handy to slip in my handbag when I go to the hairdressers or on holiday. I have a lovely Gorjuss Girl hard case on my dressing table I use every day.

So I measured my felt one and cut some felt the same size. I then cut some pretty materials 1" bigger all round, turned in the edges and sewed them together. So they look pretty and have a practical felt lining to protect the glasses.  I have several more cut out and once I have a few more made one will be replacing my grey felt case.

Carol singers

Well my samples will be going off in the post tomorrow and I should be able to start sharing some of them with you soon. I can't wait as they really are so cute. As is my card today using an old Digistamp Boutique image, coloured with Copics. The papers are LOTV digi krafty Christmas. I used a Tonic snowflake punch and a Joy lamppost die. The sentiment is from my favourote LOTV grunge Christmas set. I added shading with DI vintage photo.

Challenges

ABC Christmas M is for mice 

I am off for a dentist check up this morning. I have had an occasional twinge in one of my back teeth so fingers crossed it is nothing and I don't need a filling.

Time for Tea

I am still on my mission to use up some of my supplies so I thought I would take a look through some diecuts and came across a part used pack of Pebbles diecuts which I got when I was on a DT. I love using teacups and teapots but unfortunately I don't like drinking tea, coffee for me please.

The papers are Bo Bunny double dot damask. I made a frame out of patterned card using two Go Kreate frilly square 9 dies. I really like the effect so no doubt you will see one of these again. The flowers are from Wild Orchid and I added some enamel dots. I had an email from Wild Orchid that their Summer sale is on so I will be checking my flower boxes and seeing what I need.

Challenges

Simon Says frame it 

Crafty Calendar 3 of something (3 diecuts) 

As you like it Favourite card shape (mine is definitely square for its symmetry and the fact it seems to work best for so many styles of card)

Watering the flowers

Another Birthday card for another friend, June has been a busy month for Birthdays and Anniversaries.  This is another of the three Penny Black stamps I just bought and this made me smile as it suits my friend perfectly. Whereas we like a cottage garden look with different heights and plants growing through each other my friend ends to plant small flowers with lots of earth showing, Also their hose doesn't reach their front garden so they have to relay watering cans round to the front garden.

So I coloured the image with Copics, the paper is First Edition Mulberry Kisses. The fence dies is one of my favourites from Doohickey. I used Memory Box cloud dies and stamped a Little Claire sentiment onto the largest one. The butterflies were made with Crafts Too dies.

A couple of people commented on my last PB post that they take the rubber stamp off the wood. I know it makes it easier to store but part of the charm for me is the wood with the pictures. It would be like storing other stamps without their packets which I couldn't do either.  

Challenges

Penny Black and more at Allsorts in the garden 

The Ribbon Girl anything goes option Summer 

Creative Inspirations here comes the Sun! 

The Paper Shelter ribbons, buttons or pearls

Dies R Us Summertime fun

Purple and Gorjuss

I made this card for a friend who shares my love of purple and Gorjuss Girls.  A least that makes it easy to choose what to use on her card. I  prefer the small stamps but don't find them that easy to colour though especially their hair.  Mind you the bigger stamps are even harder.

Medium - Copics

Papers - MFT hearts and stripes

Dies - MFT stitched scalloped border, Joy vintage leaf flourish, MFT wonky stitched oval

Sentiments - Digistamp Boutique Happy Birthday and friends found in stash

Flowers - Wild Orchid

Butterfly - Poundworld

Challenges

As you like it favourite card shape (mine has to be square as I find it the easiest to work with and to embellish. The symmetry appeals to me more than rectangular.) 

The Ribbon Girl anything goes

Christmas Kiss

This is the second of the quick Christmas cards I made whilst working on samples for TV. This one took a bit longer as the Marianne diecut poinsettias have to be cut and then put through again with the embossing mat.  The papers are First Edition Merry Little Christmas. The image is actually one of the old LOTV precoloured squares they used to sell. Some are still available in their Ebay shop. I used a stitched square die on it. The sentiment is LOTV and I used a Woodware holly punch.

Challenges

ABC Christmas L is for Love

Hubby is going out for a while to see a display at a boat museum and as I don't really want to go I will be taking the opportunity for some crafting. This evening we are out for a meal with friends and then going to a music show at the theatre.  I have the recorder set for Poldark and will have to catch up on it tomorrow night.

Do you wanna build a snowman?

I am very busy making Christmas samples for a TV launch early next month so haven't had a lot of time to make other cards. Whilst I was in Christmas mood I did make a couple of  quick cards, one for today and one for tomorrow.  This is a cute LOTV precoloured simply print which I teamed with an odd sheet of paper and a wooden sentiment which I coloured with a white Wink of Stella pen. I used a Memory Box snowflake die with aqua glitter card.  That's it, job done.

Challenges

ABC Christmas M is for mice 

Christmas with the Cuties festive furry friends

I hope the weather is going to be good today as we are going to a garden festival at a rose growers.  Enjoy your weekend whatever you have planned.

Step into Christmas

Oh dear now I have typed the blog post title I have that song running through my head.  I didn't get enough of these made last year so I was determined to start them earlier this time.  The cream is a Rustoleum chalk paint and the red I painted with a Zig Woodcraft marker. The snowmen, wreaths and trees are from Hobbycraft last year. I made arrangements at the top using wooden snowflakes, berries I found in my stash, from The Ribbon Girl I think, poinsettias and white flowers from Hobbycraft.

Remembrance

My wooden blocks sell very well both at fairs and in the shop I supply. I decided to make a couple of different ones using Inkylicious stamps on the cream painted surface.  We have a plaque in our conservatory with the sentiment on the right which I bought a few years ago after a special friend died.  The stamps on the left are all from the same set. I added a couple of wooden hearts to the block on the right.

Where are those butterflies?

I had a good day selling at the hospital on Monday. Have just decided to do an extra craft fair on 23rd so need to get busy sewing as I sold both the felt elephants and a couple of handbag tissue packet covers and as the shop I supply want some of the latter too I had better get busy.

I can't resist buying Penny Back stamps when I spot them for sale and whilst putting some things on a Facebook craft selling site I saw an album of PB stamps. This is one of three I bought. I know the wooden stamps take up a lot of space but who cares, they are so cute. I challenged myself to take the first aper pad out of a drawer and use it instead of fiddling with several deciding what to use. hey are MME Lost and Found Rosy and I used a MFT stitched scalloped border die along with a MFT stitched scalloped circle frame die.  The butterflies were diecut with an old Memory Box die and the sentiment is LOTV. The image is of course coloured with Copics and I used a MFT cloud stencil too.

Challenges

Creative Inspirations Here comes the Sun! 

Penny Black and more at Allsorts In the garden 

Stamping Sensations anything goes 

The Ribbon Girl anything goes option Summer 

Dies R Us sunshine or clouds 

The Cutie Pie Spots and dots
As You Like It Favourite card shape (mine is definitely square. I find it the easiest to work with and gives plenty of scope for embellishing or leaving cas.)

Let's Sew

Sorry but it is another Hobby House topper again. I diecut this one with a Lawn Fawn stitched circle die and used some more old LOTV papers. I diecut the bottom of the pink paper with a MFT stitched border die and used one of the patterned edge dies at the top, which doesn't actually cut, just leaves a stitched pattern. The lace is from Crafty Ribbons and I added some wooden embellishments and buttons.  The sentiment is LOTV.

Challenges

Crafty Calendar 3 of something (3 buttons, 3 wooden embellishments)

Here comes Summer!

Another Hobby House topper today and I am wondering if this is available as a stamp as it is a great image. The papers are old LOTV and the ribbon is from Crafty Ribbons I think. I used three different Joy flowers die sets and MFT stitched clouds dies.

Off out again this morning to set up the hospital retail unit ready for trading tomorrow. I have been busy making so much new stock so let's hope people are ready to spend some money.

Challenges

Creative Inspirations Here comes Summer! 

The Ribbon Girlanything goes option Summer 

Dies R Us sunshine or clouds

Paper piecing experiment

We have a new challenge today at A Gem of a Challenge which is to use mainly yellow. I have used one of the newer images, Chloe with dandelion and paper pieced her dress, boots, and bow. No that isn't my experiment, read on below the next picture.  The sentiment is from LOTV and I added some glitter washi tape. After I had coloured her I decided she looked like she is sitting and remembered I have a Marianne bench die. Of course I should have realised this before I made up the card so had to cut out bits of the bench and attach it around her, what a job. 

So this is my experiment, using Copics on paper piecing, a challenge Faye has set us in the Copic group on Facebook. It is the first time I have tried it and although I used yellow Copics they seem to look orange.  I am amazed at the difference and with a bit of practice it does add shading to the flat paper so will be trying it again.

Challenges

The Ribbon Girl anything goes option Summer 

Creative Inspirations Here comes the sun! 

Stamping Sensations anything goes

Off to see my Mum this morning then meeting up with a friend for lunch.

Christmas Love

Another one for the Christmas pile which is coming along quite nicely, plenty more to be made yet though. I have used another of the Hobby House toppers for my card today. I seem to have rather a lot of them so expect to see lots more. I had to add fun flock to her hat of course. The layered snowflakes are from MFT and I added a material greeting, pearls and 2 punched hearts using a Hobbycraft punch.

Challenges

ABC Christmas L for love 

The Ribbon Girl anything goes

I am off to the hairdresser today. I had a fancy to grow my hair longer again but at the weekend I decided I don't like it so I managed to get an appointment for today and looking forward to going back to a bob.

A clean sweep

This card shows how you can make a really quick pretty card using one of the LOTV precoloured simply print images. I simply added a backing paper, glitter washi tape and diecut and layered some butterflies using Joy dies, adding some pearls.

We are out tonight at a BBQ and quiz evening at the powerboat club as here is no racing this week.

Shoppers

I sell a few of these canvas shoppers as they make handy presents and are very useful to pop into a handbag. I have a large circle template with post its on the back which I place in the middle and then stamp around it. I then remove the template and build up the wreath, stamp a sentiment in the middle and in this case stamped some butterflies too. All the stamps are Card-io.

We had a lovely little trip away for our Anniversary. On Sunday we were due to go to a show in Ipswich called The Story of The Beach boys but sadly it was cancelled. As we had paid for The Premier Inn just outisde of town we went to Bury St Edmunds for the day. Then on Monday we went to Colchester Zoo and drove to Clacton to spend the night at the Premier on the seafront. On our Anniversary on Tuesday we went into Colchester where there is a 60's cafe we wanted to visit.

Happy Anniversary Hubby

Today is our 47th Wedding Anniversary (yes I was a young bride). This is the card I made for my hubby.  It is a 7x7 card and the papers are Craftwork Cards Venetian. I created the litte scene with a MFT stamp set and Copics, using the MFT cloud stencil for the sky. I coloured the wooden hearts with a Spectrum Noir moonstone sparkle pen. The CC designs heart banner is a new item I treated myself to along with a couple of paper pads from Dies to Die For when Tracy had a 15% off bank holiday offer. I can't resist a banner die and don’t have one anything like this. The litlte hearts also come with the banner die.

I would like to enter this into the anything goes challenge at Simon Says and sunshine or clouds at Dies R Us.

Friendship plaques

My 10cm plaques are one of my best sellers particularly those for a friend. I cover them with various odd papers and stamp the sentiments directly onto the lighter papers and onto white card for the darker papers. The bottom two sentiments are from a Card-io set and the others are from an Inkylicious set. I find it easiest to batch make these with a similar design which varies each time I make them. I actually made 10 which I was pleased with these as I need to restock the cafe/gift shop I supply as they also sell well in there. The flowers are Summer blooms from Wild Orchid with pearls from The Hobby House.  The ribbons are mostly odd pieces which I cut from the inside of tops when I buy them as I can't stand them and who uses them to hang their tops up anyway.

I would like to enter these into the anything goes challenge at Simon Says.

Caravanning

I am determined to use more of my vast quantity of toppers and simply got out one of my files, reached in and pulled out a few. This is the first one I chose which is a Hobby House topper. The papers are Craftwork Cards chalkboard. I was reminded of the Memory Box cherry blossom die when I visited Lorraine Bailey's blog the other day, It is so easy to use newer dies and forget about old favourites, another thing I am trying to do. I had forgotten how pretty the flowers look. I added some old diecut bunting and a sentiment I found in my stash which I diecut and layered using Lawn Fawn stitched circle dies.

Challenges

Simon Says anything goes

The second baptism card

You may have seen the boy's baptism card I made which was on my blog last week. This is the one I made for the girl, this time using an old LOTV image coloured with Copics. The papers are from The Range, flowers from Wild Orchid. I added some lace and a wooden heart coloured with a Spectrum Noir sparkle pen.

Challenges

The Paper Shelter flower power 

Simon Says anything goes

Ellie

Firstly a very warm welcome to my new followers. I am so happy to see you and hope you will come back and comment regularly.  Amongst my papercraft posts you will find an occasional sewing project as I also love to handsew.

This is one of the new patterns available from Lili of The Valley. There are 12 felt toys from Little Things to Share.  You get a pattern and instructions to download and print.  I wanted to make a hanging decoration as these are very popular and of course if you are selling toys they must have a CE marking.

I found using the pattern very easy but I thought I would share a few tips for the way I made mine. I copied the pattern at 1.25%  and then cut the body slightly bigger. I cut the felt in pairs as that way if you do cut it slightly different to the pattern the sides of each piece will match. I sewed the tail pieces together and then attached the tail and ribbon to one body piece. Next I sewed and stuffed the legs and sewed them onto the body pieces. When I pinched the bottom of the ears I put a few stitches in them before sewing them onto the body.  I also used brads rather than safety eyes but if you want them as toys you must use safety eyes. I also used blanket stitch and embroidery thread as I prefer than to just sewing them with cotton.  I would love to know if you have a go at any of the patterns as they are all adorable.

I would like to enter the flora or fauna challenge at As you like it.  I love flowers but I can't resist a cute animal.

Another Christmas card

Whilst I made yesterday's Christmas card I decided to make another. I went to a charity cardmaking night last year and bought a few odds and ends including a couple of sheets of diecuts. Somebody had donated all kinds of stuff, many fo the sheets were loose so I don't know the make but they made for a fun card. The papers are Dovecraft North pole.  The sentiment and heart are from the diecut sheet. I added two diecut trees using an Elizabeth Craft die and punched a couple of gold stars.

Challenges

Christmas with the Cuties festive furry friends

Christmas pals

I really need to get more Christmas cards made and I am also on a mission to use some of the many toppers I have. I haven't bought much craft stash lately although I did order a couple of paper pads on Monday. I have bought far less this year but looking forward to Crafting Live in Doncaster in July. I don't have much on my list of basics needed so it will be good to see what is there. I haven't been to one of the big shows this year so far.

So back to my card which features a cute topper from Wee Stamps at The Hobby House. The papers are MME All is Bright, ribbon from Crafty Ribbons,flowers from Hobbycraft last Christmas.  I used an old Memory Box holly die and added sparkle to various parts of the image with a clear Wink of Stella Pen and some Stickles to the ground.

Challenges

ABC Christmas J is for Joy

Friendship

I thought it was time I had a play with my Card-io stamps again especially as I bought some more recently including the garden quotes set.  I do need more practice with them but am quite pleased with the way this one turned out though it could be much better. I have a diecut circle which has postits attached to it so when I want to make this style of card I simply attach that to the centre and stamp around the edge to start off with.  I used various sets of stamps and inks for this one. I usually stamp straight onto the card but this time I stamped onto white card then layered onto purple and I like the effect so will be doing that again.  Must get some Christmas ones done, they are my favourite Card-io cards. We had a lovely evening, great meal and a fantastic concert.

Challenges

Stamping Sensations close to nature 

Creative Inspirations clean and simple 

Simon Says use more than one stamp 

Penny Black and more at Allsorts anything goes 

Allsorts insects, bugs, bees, butterflies

Springtime

I have so many printed toppers to use and decided to just have a quick look and pick one that I fancied using. I wanted to create a fresh look and the Lilybee Victoria Park paper was just what I wanted. I cut a scrap of paper using a MFT stitched scalloped edge die. The image is a precoloured one from LOTV which I diecut with a Lawn Fawn stitched circle die. The flowers are from Hobby House, burlap butterflies from America and the sentiment is LOTV.

Challenges

The Cutie Pie add a butterfly 

As You Like It Favourite flora or fauna (This card actually features both but fauna would definitely be my first choice for cards as there are so many cute animal images.) 

Allsorts insects, bugs, bees, butterflies

Crafting today and then we are going out this evening with friends for a meal and then the theatre to see Justin Hayward. For those who don't know he was the lead singer of The Moody Blues and apparently is still an excellent singer so should be good.

Something new

Regular visitors will know I like trying out new handsewn items to sell and had the idea of making some handbag tissue covers. I searched the internet and found instructions I liked. I am sure left to my own devices they wouldn't have looked like this nor been as easy to make. I found it at Two Brown Birds under travel tissue cover.  I made one for myself and it looks so much nicer in my handbag than just a packet of plastic covered tissues. 

We went to see some friends at the craft fair yesterday and I liked the look of it so have booked in for four starting in July. Today we are going to have a day at home pottering doing odds and ends, a bit of gardening and whatever else we fancy doing.

Lots of babies

Our new challenge at A Gem of a Challenge starts today and we are looking for three of something. I couldn't resist using these cute baby toppers as there are three babies on each topper.  I am sometimes asked for flat cards if people want to post them so I made these nice and flat.

The papers are MFT and the dies are Memory Box precious hearts and cross stitch hearts. The precious hearts were one of the first Memory Box dies I bought years ago and I haven't used them for ages. It is good to revisit some of the older dies.

Challenges

Crafteezee pretty in pink or blue
The Psaper Shelter digi image

We are going to check out a local craft fair and farmer’s market this morning then home for hubby to wash the car and some crafting for me. Enjoy your Saturday.

By the sea at Crafts Beautiful

The latest Crafts Beautiful magazine was published yesterday and this is a nautical card I was commissioned to make for them. I used MFT Sweet Sunshine papers and Joy seashore dies.  I cut circles out of the top paper, wrapped some twine around the lifebuoy and used a Fiskars tag punch and some enamel dots.

Challenges
Allsorts Happy Birthday Allsorts