Roses gift bag

 A simple gift bag using a coloured simply print from Lili of the Valley. I used some older papers, lace and roses. The tag was cut with a tag punch which I find really useful and quick to use. I added some sparkle to the roses with a clear sparkle pen.

We are going out today, starting at a jigsaw festival in Suffolk then stopping at a lovely restaurant and farm shop on the way home where we will have lunch.

Graham is driving the rescue boat on Sunday and Monday at the powerboat racing so I will have two days to myself. I shall mainly be crafting apart from some ironing, a necessary chore. I am trying a new craft which I will share with you soon. 

Another Christmas Card!

Two in two days, whoopee. I was colouring an image I can't share with you yet and decided to colour a couple of the lovely LOTV snowmen too.  I coloured him with Copics adding snow with a white gel pen.  The paper is Bo Bunny Altitude.  

The sentiment is LOTV.  I added some texture with some old raffia lace which I used to use a lot, some silver glittery ribbon, wooden trees from Hobbycraft a few years ago, a wooden snowflake and an oddment of a diecut using my fave Doohickey fence die.  I added some doodling with a black fineliner pen and then covered most of it up 😂.

 

Finally another Christmas card

This is only my fourth Christmas card I have made so far this year which is a bit slow so I need to get a wiggle on and get some made.  I decided to try a Winter scene with the Card-io tree stencil I recently bought.  I am really pleased with how this turned out.  I used chipped sapphire and salty ocean distress oxides.  I used it it very lightly around where I wanted the moon to be.  I made a circle stencil with acetate and a small circle die and used white ink for the moon.

I added some lines to the tree using a black fineliner pen and created the scene using Card-io stamps.  The new texture stamps which I used for the grass are absolutely invaluable and if you like Card-io stamps and haven't bought these I urge you to do so.  I am using them a lot as they really add so much to the scene.  I used the grass stamp from the set, masking it off in places.

Under the ivy

Thanks for your lovely comments on my pocket hugs both here and on Facebook. I find nowadays I very often get more likes and comments on FB than on here, probably because it is so much quicker.  I really appreciate those who take the time to visit my blog as I know how much time it takes to visit and comment.  I cut out several more yesterday as I sold some already.

I have another Card-io card to share today.  I used another new stencil, which I coloured with Distress Oxides.  I am really loving these and ordered three more.  I managed to sell some of my part used distress inks, blending tools and rotating stand as a job lot on Facebook.  I had several I never use so would rather sell them and buy the oxides.  I have kept all the ones I do use.

I created the scene using a Lawn Fawn mini cloud die and salty ocean distress oxide.  The greens are rustic wilderness and mowed lawn.  I used some of my new Card-io stamps to make the scene.

Pocket Hugs

 

I have had this idea rolling around in my brain for a few months and finally got round to making these. I love sewing different things and they are a great way of using up scraps of felt and materials. I diecut the hearts and happily sew them in the evenings whilst watching TV. I am hoping they will be popular at craft fairs and in Prima Rosa, the vintage cafe/gift shop where I sell some of my items.

I popped them on Facebook last night and sold some straight away so will have to make more.

New stencil

So I unexpectedly had some crafting time yesterday and had another try at using my new tree stencil from Card-io.  I said in an earlier post I had watched a Youtube tutorial from Laura Wenn, one of the Card-io DT.  I was pleased with some of my first effort but not entirely happy, certainly not good enough to put onto a card.

So I had another go.  I discovered repositional tape runner which is a revelation for making these cards.  I used it on the back of the stencil and it held it in place much better than using bits of washi tape as I had done before.

I learnt a lot of tips from the tutorial, some I liked and some techniques I didn't so ignored those this time.  The tutorial had a little boy under the tree but I decided to go with hares.  I made a stencil for the moon using a circle die and a piece of acetate.

I could have added some shading under the grass and hares but as I was happy with it didn't want to mess it up at the last minute.  I will definitely be having another go with different colours.  I also bought the ivy stencil so hoping to try that out on Saturday.  

One of the best purchases was definitely the texture stamp set which I used for the leaves, grass and flowers.  This is a must have for Card-io fans.  It adds so much to the picture.

Rainbow bear

I have another of the new coloured simply prints from Lili of the Valley on today's card.  This one is rainbow bear.  I used another of my new Daisy Mae die along with some old Cheery Lynn toadstools, ribbon from stash and a butterfly punch.

I had a lovely play with a new stencil and Card-io stamps following a youtube video on Tuesday afternoon.  It was a great learning exercise and although I am not happy with all of the finished work I learnt a lot so will be having another go. I have kept the one I did so I can see what I like about it and what I don't or didn't quite work as well as it should.

Graham has a training day on Saturday ready for the start of the powerboat season so I will have a crafting day.  The divers and rescue team who are all volunteers have to practice getting the divers out of the water, boat handling etc so he will be enjoying himself as will I at home.

 

Perfect Day

Thank you for all your lovely comments on Mum's painting.  Carol said she hoped I would frame it but it is a canvas so Mum has to varnish it and then it will be hanging in her lounge.

Today's card uses one of several new coloured simply prints from Lili of the Valley.  This one is perfect day.  The paper is First Edition Butterfly Kisses.  I used a new Daisy Mae oval die and and old Doohickey fence, one of my most used dies and some old butterfly dies.

Off to have my nails done this afternoon.  I think I have decided what to go for this time.  I love the purple and daisies I currently have.

 

Mum’s painting

 Regular visitors may know that my Mum decided to take up painting with acrylics in 2020 age 87. She hadn’t painted since she was 15. She had 4 lessons and then we went into lockdown. We had shown her how to use Youtube on her Ipad so she set about learning to paint.

Lessons resumed again a while ago and her latest work is an interpretation of part of her back garden which is covered in bark for ease.

I think she has done an incredible job and once she has varnished it then it will be hanging on her lounge wall.

Owls and elephants

 

It is ages since I made any of these but as I have sold out of owls and only have one elephant left I thought I had better make some more for today’s craft fair. I love sewing them so will be cutting some more out and making more for stock.

Have a lovely day. Hope the sun is shining for you.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter everyone.  This is the card I made for my Mum which I can now share.  I combined two of the new lambs from the latest LOTV release and coloured them with Copics.  The papers are Liliybee Sweet Shoppe.  I used a new Daisy Mae rectangle die and flowers from Wild Orchid.  The sentiment is LOTV.

Today we will be doing the housework then this afternoon helping to set out the tables and chairs for tomorrow's craft fair.  This means we can set up our stall so we don't have to get there early tomorrow to set up.  It is a large craft fair at a local school with an Easter Egg hunt.  We normally do well there so fingers crossed.

 

Card for a friend

A friend of mine lost her Mum so I wanted to make her a sympathy card.  Her Mum was 96 and had a fall so was taken into hospital.  Unfortunately after being in there for a little while with arrangements made for her to go home with 24 hour care she died in hospital.

I think sympathy cards should be kept fairly simple and I wanted to make a personalised card for my friend.  She loves nature and helps to rescue hedgehogs so I made a simple wreath card and added a hedgie to the bottom.  The sentiment is Inkylicious.

I ordered some more stamps, stencils and inks from Card-io after seeing so many lovely cards on theor Facebook group.  I haven't had time to use them yet though.  I have been busy sewing, chores and sorting out my stuff ready for my next craft fair on Saturday.

Yesterday we had a trip out for back massages and lunch and today we are visiting my Mum, going our for lunch and then food shopping.

 

Bunny hoop blossom

 

As you know I love cross stitching particularly the cute designs from The Little Stitchery, part of Lili of the Valley. I used similar colours to the suggested ones as I have so many threads. 

Sunday’s craft fair wasn’t great but luckily I had one customer who loved my goods and spent £22. I had a sale basket with things I made ages ago, many of them the last ones left of things I don’t make any more and she bought several of those. Part of the problem was people unable to get fuel so worried about travelling. We haven’t done a fair there before so have crossed that one off the list. We managed to get some petrol yesterday but our usual garage was out of stock again. There were huge queues at the petrol stations at the weekend.

So this little chap will be going on my stall on Saturday at my next craft fair. This one is one I have done a few times and has always been good so fingers crossed.

Vintage car

Another commissioned card for a garage owner.  I have an old map in my stash which I love cutting up to use as backgrounds for car cards.  I distress it with vintage photo distress ink and ripped edges.  The image is one from a pack I bought a craft show years ago,  The chipboard embellishments are also some I have had a long time.  The sentiment is from Stamposaurus and the mileage circle from a Tim Holtz ephemera pack.

I have another carft fair today, a venue I haven't done before so hoping it is a good one.  It is from 11-3 so a nice time to finish.  We will be home before 4 and will be enjoying a cottage pie we made yesterday which just needs reheating and serving with gravy and a bottle of wine.

Little gardener

Another commissioned card this time using a coloured simply print digi from Lili of the Valley.  The vintage boys are some of my favourites.  I used First Edition gardenia papers and various dies including MFT stitched clouds and Marianne wheelbarrow and watering can.

 

Sugar Nellie makes a comeback

This was another commissioned card and I used an old Sugar Nellie digi.  I love Sugar Nellie and have lots of their stamps and digis.  I coloured her with Copics and felt a bit out of practice colouring hair but am really pleased with how this turned out.  The papers are First Edition and I used some old paper flowers and a Lawn Fawn stitched circle die.

 

Another football card and a total donation figure

I finally got time to sit at the laptop and schedule some posts. I get asked for a lot of football cards by my friend who orders every month.This time I used the coloured digi of Footballer Dave from Pink Gem. As she wanted a red kit I coloured it with Copics.  The backing paper is MFT and I used a last scrap of football paper from a very old paper pad.

I used a stitched square die from The Works, a couple of star punches and some scrabook numbers along with some baker's twine.  I must use this more as I have loads of it in various colours.  I went a bit mad buying it years ago and don't use it enough.

I made 50 0f my brooches for Ukraine hoping to raise £50 but as they quickly sold I made another 17 as that was all the brooch pins I had.  Thanks to generous donations as well as selling all the brooches I raised £147.10 which I sent to the Red Cross appeal yesterday.

 

Busy weekend

 What a busy weekend with no time to switch on the laptop to share my latest cards with you. I am planning to do that later today.

It started with a craft fair on Saturday which was a lovely day with plenty of customers. A couple of people I haven’t seen for ages popped in. One came specifically to buy a glasses case and I sold her a matching handbag tissue holder too.

Yesterday morning we went to help to sell at our community jumble sale to raise funds for Ukraine. We chose to sell books and soft toys. The amount of stuff to sell was amazing so prices were very low to sell as much as we could. I was so encouraged to see how many children wanted books.

These pictures were before we opened the doors.

The first hour was manic as people had started queuing half an hour before we opened. We raised £2140 which was more than we all expected. Some people were very generous and others waited for their 10p change having bought 3 books at 30p each and given £1. 

We then came home for a couple of hours before heading to Cromer with friends,  a walk along the prom before a meal and a brilliant 60’s show on the pier.

Spot the two spelling mistakes on their backdrop.

Daisy nails

 I had gel nails done a few times and have been so pleased with them I now have them done regularly.  I thought I would show you the ones I had done yesterday.

Before I had them done the first time I read a lot about them as I didn’t want anything which would damage my nails. I have always loved having polish on my nails but the process of doing them at home is time consuming and after a few days they chip and I have to redo them. I regularly break nails too so end up with some shorter than others.

These just stay perfect, my nails don’t break and all that happens is my nails grow so after about three weeks I have the old polish removed, my nails filed shorter, cuticles tidied and gel polish applied. It also enables me to try out different colours as I couldn’t have such a range of colours at home.

Watching her paint them nail art is fascinating. It is the first time I have had this done. She uses a tool like a small ended embossing tool to apply the yellow dots. Then applies the white dots for the petals and pulls out the dots to form lines.