On a theme..

Sometimes you get a quick hour to craft and I like to try and get lots done in that time. I love making cards individually but a batch make really helps when time is short.

These new home cards were created with a roller stamp from stampin up.. Stamping with the roller is fun but a bit tricky. I do use purpose made ruler to keep me straight.  I heat embossed them and then coloured in just one house. Very plain I know but cute!

Just for me...

So often I make things for other people but I really wanted to make me an upcycled denim apron. I cook and bake a lot so wanted a sturdy apron and  I got time this week to have a go and used some rather splendid Amy Butler fabric I have been coveting at every trip to John Lewis. What do you think?

Thanks to my super Mother-in-Law Linda for the jeans! She's been a star looking out for them at Jumble sales etc...

It's a creative world - sneak peek!

A practical one this time at It's a Creative World..

Pop across and have a look at the great stuff going on there. Lots of inspiration.

Bev

It's a Creative World post - sneeky peak, easy project!

It's my turn at It's a Creative World (IACW) and I have created an easy sewing project, literally only 6 short rows of stitching.. pop over and have a look here.

Thank you!

 Sometimes a small or even a large "Thank you" card isn't enough so I have taken to making a Thank you book when everyone wants to do more than sign their name. I cover two pieces of grey board and make extra long pages that fold over that go inside. Some pages are plain or patterned card and some have inspiration sayings or pictures stamped and embossed on them. (No photos of the stamped ones sorry I forgot). I then join them together with the large book rings and decorate the front cover.

I recently made this for one of the Founder Governors and ex Chair of Governors of my Daughters school. Jean is an inspiration to many of us and has ploughed her heart and soul into the school since it opened 9 years ago. She decided to retire and move to the coast. We will all miss her dearly and wish her well.

Stamp a character!

The challenge this fortnight at Crafty Boots is use a stamped character.

I don't have too many stamped characters but realised I had bought this one at the  Crafty Boots store and I remodeled her to increase her wings and make her a little grunge. She's Butterfly girl by Sam Poole. I made the door hanger for my friend Gabrielle at Crafty Thoughts for her birthday. I hope she can have it hanging around to hopefully inspire her to make her fantastic art everyday...

Recycle - Crafty Boots Challenge

Recycled Crafty Boots Challenge - well it has a book page to start with but I have gone back to this piece of art, three times and finally settled I think!?

Version 1 or 2

 I got the idea from somewhere but did my usual and rushed not getting all my layers in order. The final canvas looks like this with modelling paste and gold acrylic paint round the edges. Now its finished perhaps I can give it to my sister.. the intended recipient before Christmas delayed but finished - I think?.

Final version

It's a Creative World (IACW) - Paper bunting

Have a peek at my post at It's a Creative World (IACW) today..

It's a Creative World - it's back!!

This Easter weekend It's a Creative World (IACW) relaunches! This is a lovely group of very talented crafters who do a bit of everything! Wow what inspiration. I had been asked to be a member of the design team before it took a break and I am thrilled that we are back.
There's 4 posts everyday to inspire and this is a sneak peek at mine.. head over there and have a look.

A Teenager!

Wow, we have a teenager! In the early morning of the 11th March, Thomas arrived. How can that rather lovely baby be 13! Happy birthday my gorgeous boy. Funnily enough the 11th March is a super day having 4 special birthdays celebrated. Happy Birthday Jenny, Kate, Thomas and Zach!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue!

Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue!

This is my interpretations of something blue for the Crafty Boots challenge. It's Stephanie-Emma and Keiron's  wedding on Friday and we wish them a wonderful day and life together. Congratulations!

Pottery fun

As half term draws to an end I have managed to find a couple of minutes to blog and discovered this draft I never posted. We, me the pink one, blue one and my Mother outlaw had a super time afternoon at a pottery painting place Chiki ceramiki  I have never done this before and in usual fashion dived in. I saw on the net a couple of cake plates and loved the idea. This was my attempt.

Lilli did a fairy and Tom a super geeko. My Outlaw ;-) (don't worry she reads my blog!) did a lovely pottery pendant with paints and stamps.

The perfect plate for birthday cakes and just cakes with friends!!

The Wall

I bought the Tim Holtz "in the bag" dies a while ago and have been looking to use it and thought a birthday tag and voucher bag was ideal.




As its for a special young man as he turns double digits. I thought something trendy was needed! So out came the Artistic Stamper sneaker #1, I still think these are just the most fabulous stamps.




The backed ground was simply done using a that special touch brick stencil and Salty ocean, spiced marmalade and festive berries distress inks. The edges were sanded and inked with vintage photo. Even though I over inked the sneaker stamp I happy with the slightly grungy look. "Always dream BIG" is from Art Saying by Sam Poole at Creative Expressions.




I'm entering this for the One stop craft challenge for the Kids!
 and Craft room Challenge "Something for a man"  - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Out of my comfort zone..

Interestingly the Craft Boots challenge this time is "Out of your comfort zone!" I though tab out using dyslusions inks and getting messy but they haven't arrived yet so I thought I'd challenge myself to use things from the cupboard... The stash you sit and look at and stroke but not use.



I had bunting to do for my dads birthday and thought that might be the project to use all those lovely bits on. I used wooden buttons given to me in a super 40th birthday bundle 2 years ago (Thanks Gabrielle!) and all sorts..









using BlogPress from my iPad

Happy Valentines!

Each year I like to make a little Valentines for my children. This year I thought I'd try and use my Cricut a bit more and found these lovely little back to back heart cards that I hung over the top of a card blank.



The stamp is from the Unity stamp co, I love so many of them and ordered a few recently direct from the US on a fantastic deal. The stamp says "insta love" it's great and exactly how a feel about my pink and blue ones ;-)



For my hubby I used another unity stamp which went perfectly with a sizzix die..






Happy Valentines to you all.

Bev

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Snowman

The children decided we should have a snowman.. and an igloo...

Personally I thought this was quite delicate and I love the slightly crooked smile.. Well done kids!

And she's 9!!

Well, we were woken this morning (5.36am!) by our pink one.. Lilli shouting it's my birthday! I can't quite believe she is 9.. I remember so vividly popping along to MK General at 9.30pm, Lilli arriving at 10.50pm  and I was out of there by 3am. It was quite surreal walking across the carpark with a newborn in the hlaf light with the birds singing like mad. She has been a wonder every since... except perhaps for the moments like this morning when she looks around the sea of wrapping paper and cards and says whistfully "Mum, I don't have a 9 badge to wear". Q super mum, out came the felt and buttons and despite the fact I ended up not having any breakfast we knocked up a 9 badge. Her smile was reward enough! Happy Birthday Lilli!

Anything goes!

We met a couple of weekends ago as the Crafty Boots Design Team. It was just lovely to meet everyone face to face. We made swops and Tom and I did brooches. They were all different and it was interesting to see who snapped up which one.We were thrilled that everyone popped their brooches straight into aprons and tops.

This was the one I had..



I really enjoyed making this one and used the fabulous "melt it" from wow embossing to make the rose. I forgot to take a photo of them all together but they included skulls, Venetian masks more flowers, buttons and print on all of them.

Thanks to Stephanie-Emma for organising the day.

The Crafty Boots challenge this time is anything goes! What not have a go?

Happy crafting

Bev

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Remember

I picked my Crafty Boots Challenge theme as Remembrance a long time ago. I planned to show a scrapbook I've started of my Grandparents, Nan would have been 100 this year. I love remembering all the lovely things we did together but as life sometimes does other things take over.. If you read my blog you know I find crafting very personal and I made this card for the most wonderful lady, Myra, when I found out she was ill.

Myra was a bit like my second Mum, as Mum to my best friend Jenny. We were pretty inseparable when I was growing up. Although I made the card I dallied about what to write as I knew she was so poorly. I was too late and Myra never saw the card but I sent it too her husband and put all the things in I should have written earlier.
 

 I know that she will be looking down on us and urging us on to do all the things we hesitate and doubt over. Thank you for everything Myra, we love you .


 The stamps were Wendy Vecchi's and the Small "all you need is love" came from the unmounted stand at Ally Pally and the rose is paper pieced to add dimension and lots of love was added.



Bev

Halloween - BOO!

I have wanted to make a Halloween wreath for a couple of years and actually found time to do it this year.. on Halloween! I looked at loads of Google images and on pinterest and there was lots of inspiration. We, me and the kids, settled on using an old decoration, BOO and a large polystyrene wreath from Hobbycraft.

The wreath was wound with multicoloured wool (unpicked from a started scarf)  - this takes longer than you think... Once that was done I hot glued the spiders (Poundstretcher, 4 for a £1.99, brilliant) and the word Boo on.

To be honest I love it, so it was a great hour of crafting with the kids in a rather busy and emotional week.

Bev