A lovely day!

I have had a busy few weeks with work and crafting. I made this lunchbag from a pattern in last months Patchwork magazine, it was very quick once I got it all cut out. The fabric was some I have had for ages and didn't know what to do with it. I couldn't find a big button that looked right so I made one out of felt and beads and I am really pleased with how it turned out.

I am at the moment doing some cross stitch and knitting and making cards so very busy but enjoying doing things I haven't done for ages.

Today I have spent the day in the garden with my eldest grandaughter, we had a lovely day watching our chickens and cleaning up leaves, we walked down the road to see baby lambs and the swans and there were some lovely daffodils it  feels like spring is really on the way.

Well hopefully I will blog sooner next time

Happy crafting

Another very windy day!

 Our poor chickens can barely stand up, it is so funny to see them staggering against the wind.

 My friend Eileen has been over to craft today and in between bacon sandwiches, cups of tea and cupcakes she found time to make a Valentines card for her hubbie!
The cards above are both stamped images coloured in with promarkers, the top one is a papermania stamp from their woodland series and the second one is a 'lili of the valley' stamp they are a delight to colour in and always look effective.

Well I think I might go and do some knitting before tea, back to work tomorrow after five days off

happy crafting

Twice in one day!

This is not the best photo but this is a card I made with 'Orla Keilly' wrapping paper and Craftwork cards card candi on the cards for headlights, I used one side of the paper for the background then cut out two different lots of cars and decoupaged individual cars on top, I think they have turned ot really well and they are quite cheap as you can get a lot of cards out of one sheet of wrapping paper which was £1.50.

A Winnie the Pooh day!!

Hello everyone

It is a very windy day here and it has rained for most of the day!! I went to Manchester yesterday to the 'Stitch and Creative Crafts show' with my daughter Alex we had a lovely day but it was tiring especially getting about and carry our heavy bags of goodies we bought at the show! It was a nice show to walk around and we managed to see most things without a crush as can sometimes happen. We were disappointed though that there weren't any Sizzix Eclips cartridges to purchase in fact we didn't even see any for the Cricut machine. There were a lot of stalls that had Cuttlebug machines and Big Shot machines but we didn't see one electronic machine.
We both mainly purchased card stock and  silver mirri card, we both purchased some of the lili of the valley Cute squares which are lovely big toppers for cards, The pictures here show a starbucks tea tin altered with some EK success paper that I got from the NEC in November it was in a large roll, I had thre co-ordinated sheets, this tin is now perfect to store my Lili if the valley squares.
We also bought some kanban die cuts and kanban stamps and stocked up on glue pens etc. We even got time to venture into the centre of Manchester to have a wander but our bags were to heavy so we had some food then sat at the station waiting for our train home.

So now I have lots of new goodies to play with

Happy Crafting

January has been a busy crafting month for me, I have been doing lots of cards because my daughter and I want to find a craft fair to sell at in the Spring. I personally love doing female birthday cards and am having to steer myself to make some male cards and do some anniversary, get well cards etc, as I feel I need a good variety to interest people, my daughter has made a lot of childrens cards.

Mine are a variety of rubber stamping, decoupage and using my Big Shot and my Eclips, I have also altered  a selection of note books.

The knitted cupcake was what I made for a secret santa present at work, I knitted it then sewed on beads and sequins and some ricrac then placed it in a cupcake frill I got from a supermarket. I then tied it up in irredescant cellophane. I was really pleased with the results and now have to get round to making up the other nine I have knitted.

On Friday my daughter and I are going to the creative stitch and craft show in Manchester so I am looking forward to seeing some demonstrations of new products.

I will hopefully get round to photographing some more cards this week and will put them on the blog

Happy crafting

Happy New Year!

I can't believe it is already New Years eve, Christmas went so fast. I  was at work on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, we were very busy as the sale started.

I ordered a lot of new sizzix embossing folders and Sizzix dies from the Sizzix website on boxing day and they arrived yesterday. So I have lots of new dies to play with. I did manage to make about 45 Christmas cards and have been doing some knitting but apart from that I haven't done much crafting in the last couple of weeks. I hope to get some cards done this week.

I do wish everyone a happy and healthy prosperous new year.

happy crafting

At last I have found time to blog!! I have had a busy few weeks with work and crafting and generally catching up at home. Work has been very busy it is so lovely to see so many people wanting to make presents for Christmas, and wanting to make their own Christmas decorations. Felt is very popular we sell loads of it and I decided to have a go at using some with my 'Bigshot' last night, I made a felt cupcake and some felt butterflies they cut really well, they are something different to put on cards.

I have been making some Christmas cards it has taken me ages to motivate myself to do them as for some reason I don't really enjoy doing Christmas cards. I have been mainly using stamped images and colouring them with Promarkers, then highlighting with stickles or glossy accents.

I am loving my eclips and my Big shot I have been making lots of card toppers and embellishments for general cards and for scrapbooking. And in between I am knitting a cardigan for my eldest grandaughter, and knitting some cupcakes which are lovely when embellished with sparkly beads or buttons

.

Well I have a busy few days off from work now, tomorrow I am meeting Eileen for lunch and a wander around town, then on Friday I am spending time with my grandchildren and Chloe is coming back with me for the weekend. We are hoping to visit my mum and dad and my brother who is visiting from Venezuala.

Happy crafting



Long time no blog!!!

This is the first card I made using my Bigshot hello kitty is die cut and the background is made using an embossing folder. Happy Birthday is a die cut.

On this card I used the Big shot and die cut the butterfly in seperate colors. the butterfly was mounted onto a scalloped edge square, I put four small bling stickers on the corners, I then embossed the background which says Happy birthday and mounted it onto glitter paper. 

This card was made by embossing with a metal stencil on the Big shot I then sanded it with my sanding block and simply mounted it onto a scalloped edged card and a stripey background paper.

This is my eclips I will download some more images when I have finshed experimenting.

Hello everyone 

I have not had chance to blog as I have been very busy either working or crafting!! I am loving my new job, working in a craft shop is what I have wanted to do for a long time! On Thursday  I went to the hobbycrafts show at the NEC, it was very busy, so at times it was difficult to get near some of the stalls, but I managed to buy lots of nice things! I bought some sissix dies for my new 'Sissix Big shot' which I love,  it die cuts and embosses. I bought some 'Tim Holtz'dies and embossing folders. I have also bought a 'Sissix E clips die cutting machine' it is amazing I am still experimenting at the moment but I am sure it will be in constant use. I am running out of space in my Craft room so really must craft more and do less shopping!!!

I am hoping to make a start on my Christmas cards this week. Eileen is coming over on Thursday for a day of scrapbooking and tea and bacon sandwiches so I looking forward to that!

Happy crafting

Happy Monday!

The weekend has gone so quickly! On Saturday we went for a wander around the shops in Nantwich and had a lovely lunch. I managed to make a couple of cards and did some knitting as well. Yesterday I sorted and tidied my wardrobe and got my winter clothes out!! I am hoping to get some more scrapbook pages done this week, I want to try a mosaic picture page where I cut the picture into small squares. I will upload it when I have finished.

Happy crafting

Scrapbook pages!

This page is Papermania papers and alphas. The butterfly stamped images are wooden stamps that I have had for a long time, and the 3d butterflies and the border are done with the Martha Stewart punches. Chloe was eating her breakfast on her first morning in our caravan. She was really excited as when we picked her up from school she thought she was going camping in our tent, she was really suprised when we told we had now got a caravan.

 Again I have used Papermania alphas and papers, and the Martha Stewart punches.

 These are  the punches, they are best used on card as I found with paper they do jam and you can't get your design out in one piece, but they work great with thin card. They are quite versatile and you can use them in lots of different ways.

Sunny Saturday!!

It has been a very busy week! On Sunday Eileen and I set off early for the papercrafts show in Hinckley, we had a lovely day there was lots to see in a nice relaxing atmosphere. I finally treated myself to two Martha Stewart punches they are butterflies, one is a 3d single butterfly and the other makes strips of border which is perfect for scrapbooking pages and cards. They both look really effective! I got some Craftwork cards bits and bobs and some Kanban die cuts.

I also got some Little Claire designs clear stamps which are lovely. It was well worth a visit, there is another one at Hinckley in January.

I started my new job on Monday and I love it, being surrounded by lovely crafty goodies and meeting other people with a passion for crafting is lovely. I have been very tired but in a nice way, there is a lot to learn. I have managed to complete three scrapbook pages and a couple of cards and started knitting a dishcloth for my mum.

The scrapbook page here is a pic of Chloe my eldest granddaughter at the Eden project in the summer. I have used Papermania papers and alphas. The embellishments are from my stash.

Well it is a beautiful day so we are going out somewhere for a wander. Will upload more photos later

Happy crafting

New Job!!

I have just found out that I have a new job and start on Monday I am so excited it is in a craft shop, it is only part time, so I will hopefully still have time time to craft and blog! I have been finishing off bits and pieces of kniting this week, I have made a couple of cards and last night I completed a scrapbook page so a busy week craftwise!

On Sunday Eileen and I are going to a craft show in Hinckley so I am looking forward to a crafty wander, Eileen is just getting into scrapbooking so i am  sure there will plenty for us to look at!!

Hope everyone has a nice crafty weekend

This card is a kanban die cut card which was really easy to make for a special seven year old.

Wednesday already!

I finally managed to download my pictures of baby Niamhs cardigan and of the baby snuggly comforter I have made, they are both 'Debbie Bliss baby cashmerino'. I have had a busy week on Monday I spent the day with my mum and dad, today I have been to town with my friend we went to the 'Range' they have lots of papermania special offers. We had lunch and a nice wander around town. I made some cards yesterday and tidied my craft room again! I seem to spend more time tidying than actually crafting. My aunty is going to be 80 on Sunday so I want to make her a nice card and I am going to bake her some cupcakes as like me she has a very sweet tooth. Knitting for me tonight I think I have started a sleeveless cardigan for baby Niamh.

Happy crafting

Rainy Friday!

This week has gone so quickly! On Wednesday I spent the day with my friends Eileen and Maria, we had a lovely day we visited two Garden Centres, ate lunch and visited a craft shop, then had a walk and visited two more small craft shops. Yesterday I went out with my hubby looking at tumble dryers!! We had a meatball lunch at Ikea yum yum, then went to an Indian resturant for tea! So I really need to have a few days of eating less.

I finally finished knitting baby Niamh's cardigan it has turned out lovely I used Debbie Bliss baby cashmerino, it was so  easy to knit with.  I have also knitted a ribbon comfort small blanket which I have attached ribbons to and I intend to back with fleece fabric.  I will upload pictures of them both tomorrow as for some reason my computer doesn't want to play!!!!

I am going out for a meal with my Uni friends tonight so must go and decide what I am going to wear!!

Happy crafting

Gloomy Monday

The weather has been dark and gloomy all day today,Autumn is on the way!

Today I  went to see my grandchildren and had a nice chillled afternoon having loads of cuddles with baby Niamh. Then we fetched her big sister and brother from school.

 I spent yesterday knitting Niamh a cardigan so didn't get any papercrafts done, the above card is one I did on Saturday. I used peel offs on handmade paper for the butterflies, and a lovely metallic corrugated card. The background card has glitter butterflies on it. It was an easy make using up some scraps. Well I am off to do some more knitting now.

Happy crafting

New Stash!

I am back from the Lake district! I had a lovely few days, and managed to buy new stash while I was there. Thanks to my husband who drove me all over the place to find places i had found in magazines! We went to the "PaperMill" shop in Kendall, then on the way home we went to Preston to find "Inspirations" by "Cardcraft plus" they have a lovely big shop that you can wander around, there is an area to sit and drink coffee( somewhere for husbands to sit and wait!), they have a good selection of crafting goodies, I saw 12x12 papers I haven't seen anywere else. There was a good selection of wool, some gifts and cards. There is a large area for holding workshops. It was very busy but there was no pressure from anyone, I was free to wander and staff were very helpful if you needed anything.

We then stopped in Stoke to do a food shop and spotted a shop that was newly opened called "outlet shop" it was fab and had really good prices, so I spent again and will be heading back there soon. Well I need to get some washing done and then use some of my new stash.

happy crafting

I

We have been in the Lake District since Monday and are having a lovely chilled time. The view from our apartment is wonderful. I have managed a bit of knitting and some reading and listening to my ipod. Yesterday we went to Keswick and today we have been to Barrow in Furness, the weather has been beautiful up until today, it has rained since lunchtime. It is strange not making any cards but I decided not to bring anything with me except knitting as I have two cardigans to complete for my baby Granddaughter who is now 2 weeks old!

Hopefully I will get to blog again tomorrow.

Happy Crafting

Weekend has gone so quickly

This weekend has gone so quickly, my eldest granddaughter came to stay so she has kept me busy, we had great fun. I didn't get any crafting done but managed to sort my knitting out ready to take with me tomorrow when we go to the Lake District for a few days. So probably no blogging for me till next weekend. The  above picture is of the first mini book I made with my Cinch binder, it isn't quite perfect as the holes should be in the centre of the page and it was slightly off. I have made a couple more since and they turned out fine. I just need to practice.

Well if anyone is reading this have a good weekend I will speak to you soon