Peterborough Live

I am really looking forward to  Peterborough Live. It`s lovely to meet so many crafters and see the latest ideas and trends in crafting. There`s always so much to do. Free workshops and demonstrations to watch and Create and Craft have live broadcasts during the show. I always get really inspired when I go to these event and arrive home with my head buzzing with ideas of things I want to try.
If you are interested in going please email me at festus173@btinternet.com for the chance of some free tickets.

Rare Earth Motivational Stamps

The new Rare Earth Motivational stamps have inspiring sentiments and can be used in soooo many ways. I have used them on cards and a bag but they could be used for scrapbooks, mixed media pictures, tags and could be stamped onto fabric. So many possibilities. I like the way the designs incorporate pictures. Although the stamps are quite big they stamp clearly and easily.

I used the Tattered Lace  Trifold dies to create this card. I used Pitch Black rare Earth ink to stamp onto a sky background paper. I stamped some trees onto white to create a small scene in the left hand corner. Stars were suspended on fishing line to hang in the left hand corner and a border of stars was added to the right side of the card. I thinks it would make a good leaving card or encourage somebody who wants to move forward in some way.

The design was stamped onto a background made with distress and oxide inks. The left-over paper was used to make the flower so it matched the card. The flowery paper is from one of the Tattered Lace magazines. I can think of a few people I could send a card like this to.

If you have been reading my blog you know I love bags. I think it is lovely to personalise them for the recipient. I makes the gift more meaningful.

I stamped onto craft card and blended the edges with distress inks. The stars are gems on wood on cork. I used washi tape to decorate the handles of the bag. I love washi tape. It has so many uses.

I went a bit crazy on this card. I just wanted it to be bright and cheerful. I used inks to create the background. It was stamped with pitch black ink. The sun stamps is from Tatty Twinkles and the foliage is from a Tattered Lace die. The butterflies are cut from foil.

I stamped onto one of the Tattered Lace stitched lace tags and put it in a pocket . I attached string and a wooden flower to give it more interest. The same kind of string was attached to the tag.

I love the Tattered Lace Trifold dies so so much. I think they make really special cards. I used some of the dies from the set to create the borders and corners.  I added some bunting from the Tattered Lace Stage card set. Adding a contrasting colour to different sides of the car adds more interest.

I used one of the Rare Earth flower stamps to stamp the message on. I think it enhances the message of the stamp. The guitars, shooting stars and the words were all from My Craft Studio. I used the oval shutter dies from Tattered Lace to create the shape.

I used the stitched lace tag dies by Tattered Lace to make this tag card. The tags can be mat and layered onto each other. I hung some wool, wooden flowers and lace from the top right hand corner. I stamped onto water-colour card that I distressed with inks. I like the message. It encourages you to keep going even when the situation you are in may be tough.

Nursery rhyme time

Hi there. At last I`m getting round to do my blog. I`ve been busy making things. The pictures will come soon.  Here are some cards I made from the Tattered Lace big bundle of stamps, which are fabulous. There is a good range of sentiments and lots of lovely character stamps, as well as flowers and animals. I have only used a few.

The pigs were stamped and coloured with alcohol markers. The blue and white circles were made with screwed up paper which was inked and ironed to flatten. I cut circles in the card and backed it with darker card to help frame the pigs.

I tore one edge of the green card  for the grass. The sun was stamped onto a background made with distress inks. The centres of the flowers were coated with a sepia accent.

The background and tag were created using distress inks. I used scrabble tiles for the sentiment and the butterflies were cut from foil and shaped.

I used another distressed tag for this easel card. Tattered Lace tuck in butterflies were used to accent the card, along with butterflies cut with foil.

I  created a penny slider card so you can have fun with the cow jumping over the moon as the moon moves across the sky.

I used water-colour card to create the background and kept the design fairly simple.

The clock fits nicely on the tattered Lace midi side stepper card. I used the sepia accent on the clock face so it is shiny.

The teacup stand proud of the card and shows that the teapot is small indeed. I used Tattered Lace dies to make some of the flowers and Tattered Lace foliage.

I  used The Old MacDonald stamps and some additional chick stamps on this z card. The background was from one of  the Tattered Lace Magazines. I used some textured paper to look a bit like a barn door on the front of the card.

In this second Old Macdonald card I used a wall from the My Craft Studio Creating a Scene CD and the background was from a Tattered lace magazine. I used the Tattered Lace flectere die to make it more dimensional.

Wedding bells!!

I have had the pleasure of making a few wedding cards this summer. Here they are.

I used the Tonic church die and  Joanna Sheen`s bride and groom. The grass, cloud and tree were from craft magazines. I made a few flowers to decorate the card.

A colleague of mine likes ducks. I could not find suitable duck images I thought would be suitable so I drew my own which were an amalgamation of ideas from the ducks from the free kit at Crafting Live, Doncaster and Fizzy Moon images. I scanned the picture I drew in and re-sized it to fit the card. The card base is the Tattered Lace square shutter card. The double rings and wedding day words are also from Tattered lace.

I was asked to make a card for an Indian wedding. The smaller elephants were from a hand carved wooden stamp and the larger ones were from some images I have on Craft Artist 2. The decorative corners are from the Tattered Lace Tri-fold card. I used a foiling pen to write the message.

This was my second sample, which was a slight variation on the first card.

This was the final version. The decorative panels were cut using Tattered lace Tri-fold dies.

I put those old blue jeans on...

I am using my husband`s old blue jeans  and some odd bits of denim to try out some denim jewellery.

I used my dies to cut out the shapes and some "diamond borders" to give it some bling.

Part of the seam was used to make a bracelet.

The squares were decorated with eyelets. I have more ideas I want to try.This is just the beginning!

Lego of me!

A colleague of mine told me about Lego jewellery so I decided to have a go at making some.

I had fun making the jewellery. The holes for the thread were quite easy to do and I incorporated some beads into the design.

I stuck the pieces of Lego together so they will last.

I used eye-pins to link the Lego and beads.

The Lego makes for bright funky ear rings.

I added a few crystals to decorate the ear-rings.

I think these red Lego shapes work well for ear rings.

I thought the hanging bar was ideal for a large pendant bead.

The shape of the Lego suggested how I use it.

I think Lego jewellery is great fun and I am keen to experiment some more.

Bling and string

I was inspired by a bracelet I saw in Harpenden to make this bracelet. 

A mixture of bling and string!!

These macrame bracelets contain simple messages using pyrography on leather pieces. 

I cut the flower from leather and painted it before attaching the macrame.

The leaf was cut with a Sissix die from leather then painted and varnished.

This necklace was based on a pattern I found on the internet.

Crafting Live Doncaster Paper Kit Challenge

I set myself a challenge of making cards using one of each of the toppers from the card kit I was given at the Doncaster Crafting Live Event. I gave myself a weekend to make them. The craft kit is massive because there are four of each toppers plus matching background papers, which makes it easy to craft with. The cards cover a variety of topics and could be used for many different occasions. These are the cards I came up with.

I used the Tattered Lace half circles to make this rocker card.The flowers are cut from 

the tattered Lace tuck in dies.

The toppers come with the look that they have already been matted and layered which saves time and paper.

The toppers fitted very nicely into this card blank I had in my craft stash.

I just used some ribbon and a resin embellishment to finish this card.

I used the Tattered Lace oval create a card die to create this lovely card shape.

The sentiment was cut out using one of the dies that comes with a tag, from tattered lace.

I used the Tonic pop up die to make this card.

You can see how the backing papers that come with the kit match well together.

Some of the toppers have mini matching toppers which helps bring the card design together.

I love the Tattered Lace midi stepper card shape. You can cut two cards from one A4 card sheet, which makes it very economical.

I had this purple card, which |I thought tied in with the purple on the pansies.

These cats are so much fun. I love cats anyway The layered shape of the card helps you to create a scene,

I folded a card in half and used the topper to make a stepper card. Ovals were layered up with foam pads to form the stopper and a few daisies fit in with the background paper.

I adore these duck characters. they are so much fun. I used the Freshwater Friends dies to create the embellishments.

The dragonflies were cut from a foil like material.

I made quite a few of the midi side stepper cards because I think they are really effective.

These ducks could even be used for a wedding or anniversary card. they are so cute.

I made a rocker card using the Tattered Lace  half circles and used the heart tuck ins as embellishments.

These fairies would make lovely cards for young girls or those young in heart.

I used one of the Tattered Lace embossing folders to create the background.

I used the colour from the fairy`s belt to match the colours I chose.

Another variation of the rocking card.

I had a thank you card for a little girl so this was just what I needed.

The cloud background paper from the kit exactly matches the topper.

You cans see how the background papers match in so well with the toppers. They are so easy to use.

I love the Tattered Lace tuck in flowers. They look effective on so many cards.

The beautiful harvest background paper looks as though it was originally hand-painted. It is fab!

Again you can see how the background papers match so well with the toppers.

I enjoyed my challenge very much and really recommend crafting with this kit.