Stampin Up Box

In between gardening, cutting the grass, changing beds, washing and some housework (!!!!) I have managed to make a sample box for our next club night where we are going to show the girls how to make this lovely gift box. We first saw it when Jenny our SU demonstrator sent a similar box filled with chocolates (yummy....) to share amongs the girls in club. I have used a variety of Stampin Up stamps and punches to embellish the top together with some adhesive stones.

Tender Showers

Couldn't resist buying this Penny Black stamp at the Stitch & Creative Craft Show last week at the Bath & West Showground. It's my friend's birthday soon and so I have made it for her. When you pull the tab on the right handside the hedgehog moves along watering the flowers as he goes!! I could do with one of these in my garden......

Wonderful Blog Candy

Debbie has got some amazing blog candy here to celebrate her blogoversary.

Felt Bag Workshop

I have just got home from an absolutely enjoyable workshop with Brenda Dunford making felt bags. Got back very tired (it's pretty physical work) and quite wet!!!! But it was definitely worthwhile. All my felting up til now has been done on my embellishing machine so it was really interesting to see how you make felt from wool rovings, olive oil soap & water, a plastic bag, a rattan blind (or beach mat) and some muscle......... I was really pleased with the resulting bag - hope you like it too.

Invertage

For our next club night we set the girls' homework to be either a decoupage or invertage card. Thought I would get ahead of the game and make my sample and used a bit of invertage and pyramage!!! I normally don't like doing this sort of card as it's just an assembly job (must admit I prefer creating with stamping etc) but had fun doing this one. The front of the card has the invertage and the inside has the pyramage. I deconstructed a large black fabric flower to use with some feathers as an embellishment.

And now for something different!!

When we first moved to Somerset 12 years ago my sister gave us a house nameplate which had been painted by a friend of hers who did bargework. However, 12 years out in all weathers hasn't done it any favours and it is virtually unreadable and flaking badly. I had bought a wood blank a couple of years ago thinking I might make another one to replace it and had never got round to doing anything with it. For some reason inspiration struck this week and I am now waiting for the varnish to dry before setting it in it's new position. I painted the wood blank with acrylics and then coloured the stamps I had chosen with Impress Dual Markers and edged the piece using the same markers.

Quilling Demo

My friend Jill is doing a Quilling demonstration for any of you who live anywhere near Yeovil:

Jill will be demonstrating the art of Quilling at Yeovil Library on Saturday, 9th May between 10am and 12.30pm.

Well worth popping along if you can as Jill is an excellent demonstrator and has some gorgeous samples to show.

Stampin Up Embossing Folder

I have just received a very elusive Stampin Up embossing folder Manhattan Flower which you can't get over in the UK for love nor money!!!! Luckily I know someone over in the States who was kind enough to obtain one for me - Haylie-Jo runs a fab company called Crop Stop and she got hold of her local SU demonstrator and the folder arrived yesterday. Unfortunately I had to make a sympathy card and this embossing folder came in so handy as it's very simple and elegant as you can see. Unfortunately when I took the photo the flash turned the silver mirri into a multitude of colours!!!!! The embossed piece was mounted on silver mirri and then lilac and just adorned with a couple of gems and a silk flower.

Dandelion Birthday card

Well although I have spent most of Easter out in the garden, working hard but enjoying the lovely weather, I did have time to make a card for my friend Ann. Firstly I stamped the dandelion onto white cardstock using Versamark and then clear embossed. I then sprayed Glimmer Mists over the entire piece and waited for it to dry. Then the cardstock was popped into a brown envelope and ironed which removes the embossing powder leaving a "ghostly" image of the dandelions. Next I stamped the dandelions again using matching inkpads and enhanced these images with Stickles. This was layered onto a larger piece of cardstock which had been sprayed with the Glimmer Mists. I matted and layered a single embossed dandelion and popped that and the birthday greeting on top. Hope she likes it.

More Blog Candy

There's a huge stash of blog candy on Karen's site - pop over and have a look.

Alcohol Inks Project

We had our monthly club night on Wednesday and I was doing the alcohol inks project. The girls were all given a plain card and envelope, glossy card and a domino.

I made several samples using the glossy card and dominoes, alcohol inks on acetate, mini books using 2" dominoes and I also treated my heat gun to the
alcohol inked effect - the
girls thought that was really cool!!!

Fabric Keepsake Box

Well, it's been a little while since I last posted because I have been busy crafting. My good friend and neighbour, Inga, threw me a curved ball last week by asking me to make "something special" for her son and his financee who are getting married in Baden-Baden, Germany, on 9th May.

Trouble is she didn't know what she wanted, except that it should be something they could keep and that they were leaving to go to Baden-Baden this Saturday!!!!!

Having had a sleepless night I thought a fabric keepsake box would be just the thing and I would be able to finish it in the time frame. Also I had in my stash some beautiful embroidered silk material that would be perfect.

When I had finished the box I had some fabric left so I also made them a matching wedding card.

I gave them both to Inga when we went to lunch on Wednesday and she loved them - so I was able to breathe a huge sigh of relief.

Thanks for looking.