Jar of Stars Card

 I love jars full of goodies, so thought I would make this card which looks like the stars are escaping!!

I stamped the jar image three times, once onto the star paper, once onto acetate and once onto silver mirri card to make the lid. I then fussy cut around the images and glued them together

 To give the jar more dimension on the card I put foam tape down the middle of the jar and glues the sides onto the card front.

The mini tags say happy birthday and a jar full of wishes, but this could easily be a thank you card or good luck card.

Hot Air Balloon Birthday Card

 For this card I used a stamp I got free with a magazine to make the tile in the middle.

To make the tile I built the background colour up, stamped the hot air balloons and then matted the image onto gold mirri card. Once everything was dry I used clear Versamark ink and iridescent embossing powder which I did twice.

The tile is then matted onto a stamped happy birthday background and layered onto mirri card.

To finish the card I added buttons, they also hide where I smudged some ink but don't tell anyone!!

Thank You Card

These are the cards I made to send people who had helped to look after me when I was ill earlier in the year.

 The stamps come from Stampin Up and are called Postage Due.

I stamped the image onto white card then inked over the image to give it the vintage feel, the background card is embossed using a word embossing folder then inked around the edge.

To put the card together I added bakers twine and put pearls on the sentiment and the right hand side of the card.

I think they look very stylish!!

Sympathy Card

 I made these cards for family members who lost someone close to them.

I thought the reflective image was appropriate for the occasion.

 I used Stampin Up's Lovely as a Tree set with distress inks.

I reflected the image by stamping onto acetate then putting that image onto the card and transferring it by using my brayer as a roller.

 The sentiment says thinking of you.

Flower Birthday Card

I made this card for a friend of mine but I liked it so much I made several more in different colours!!

 The inked background is made using a stamp from the Gorgeous Grunge set from Stampin Up, the flowers I made using clay and moulds also froom Stampin Up, the clay is coloured using distress inks and co ordinates with the stamped background.

 I punched out leaves in different shades of green and silver, although the silver does not show up in the pictures!!

Happy Birthday is stamped onto white card which has then been matted onto green card.

Hope you like them.

After Eight Caddy

 Here it is, an After Eight Caddy, as you can see from the picture below I ate several whilst making it but they kept me going!!

This is made the same way as my previous posting of the tea caddy, but this time I added a platform for the chocolates to sit on, when doing a google search a picture came up with the base looking like this and I thought it was a fab idea, unfortunately I do not who did the original.

 I kept the After Eights in the holder they were in when in the box, I took my measurements from this holder as the tea caddy and After Eight caddy are different sizes, but how they are put together is the same.

 Here are both together, the sizes are quite different, tall and thin, short and dumpy!!

Tea Caddy

For ages, years even, I have wanted to make a 'Tea Caddy', I don't drink tea or even like the smell of tea but there is something about a tea caddy that I love!!

So I was really pleased when I bought the May issue of Card Making and Papercraft magazine and found a template and instructions ready to make my very own.

I used kraft card for the base, bazzill card for matting and papermania paper for decoration.

 It was so easy to put together, I decided not to embellish the caddy as the person I will eventually give it to is a kinda embellishment free gal, the less fussy the better for her!!

I even managed to find matching teabags to go inside.

When I give this as a gift I will place the caddy in a cellaphane bag tied with curly ribbon.

I am now going to make a caddy in the same way to hold After Eights, yummy!!

100th Birthday Card

My step Grandmother has just celebrated her 100th Birthday, there was a lovely tea party for her with many friends and family. The card from the Queen was on display!!! We also had a book for people to sign so that her sons and daughter knew who had been there.

Nana loves the colour green and teddies so thats what I put on the card.

The decoupage is from the Mackenzies paper pack.

1st Birthday Card

I made this card for a gorgeous little girl who also had a birthday at the end of April.

To make the card I used punches from stampin up, buttons and a Tim Holtz die to cut the letters and number.

The picture really does not do the card justice, the glitter paper is very sparkly in real life!!!

Male 21st Birthday Card

I cannot believe my eldest was 21 at the end of April, he hates it when I say he is still my baby!!!

I decided to make Jake this tri-shutter card. The base card is made using kraft card and because Jake is obviously special I used Basic Grey paper matted onto brown card stock.

I cut the 21 on my cricut then embossed the mirri card and ran brown stazon ink over the embossed bits. The 21 ribbon I bought from my local craft shop. Also if you look closely you can see the metal cog embellishments and embossed happy birthdays on the far side of the card.

I added an ink coloured rectangle to the back of the card to write my message on.

I am pleased to say that Jake thought the card was 'okay', which coming from him is high praise.

Rocky Road Bars

We always get so many easter eggs and my three like to eat the goodies that come with them first, leaving the chocolate eggs stacked up in the kitchen.

This year I made use of them and made these very yummy rocky road bars.

 I used;

100g butter

300g easter eggs

3 tbs golden syrup

140g rich tea biscuits, roughly crushed

3 large marshmallows (maybe equal to 12 normal ones?)

1 turkish delight bar, chopped up

55g maltesers, halved

1 tin, mine was 15cm x 23cm, lined with foil

 

To make:

Melt the butter, chicolate and syrup in a pan over a low heat, stir well so that it is all well mixed together and smooth. leave to cool for about 10 mins.

Next stir in the biscuits and sweets, make sure all are covered in chocolate mix. Tip into a tin foil lined tin, spread out and push down then leave to cool.

Finish chilling the mix in the fridge, when hard cut into bars and enjoy.

Hope you like them as much as we do.

 

Also did you know if you break them in half the calories fall out!!!

Well that's what I tell myself xx

Easter Sour Cream Carton

I hadn't seen these cute little cartons until about a month ago when Elouise, a crafty friend, showed me how to make them.

Aren't they fab?

As you can see from my photo they can be made any size, the big carton in the middle has a packet of peanuts hidden inside.

To make the smaller ones start with paper measuring 4¼" x 5½" put red tape along one short edge and normal double sided tape along the two long edges.

Remove the red tape backing and make a tube from the paper by rolling/curling the paper round.

Remove the backing from the tape on one of the ends, squash just the end together, fill the carton with goodies peel backing from tape at the end and squash that end together but so that it goes the other way from the first one. It is clearer in the pics!!!!

To finish off I scored each end three times using my scoreboard.

I then stamped the bunny in brown, punched him out and added him to the carton. I filled my little cartons with mini eggs and mini creme eggs.

They are so quick to make

 



Butterfly Card

I recently went to Thetford's Sincerely Yours craft show, this easel card was a make and take that I made there.

I think it is a lovely idea and would make fab wedding name places or favours.

Well done to the ladies on the Stampin up stand.

 

 

Everything used to make the card is from Stampin Up.

Origami Star Box

 I went to the Sea Palling crop at the begining of the month, I haven't been for ages, while we were all there a very talented lady, Jackie, showed us how to make these star boxes.

I came home and made these Easter ones.

The large box is made from  12" x 12" double sided paper and the smaller one is from 8" x 8" double sided paper. The opening of the larger box is 3" square, the opening og the smaller box ix 2" square, just to give you an idea of the size of the boxes.

 We all felt that the lid made the boxes, I have used ribbon for the handle but beads or card would work just as well.

If you google origami star box, insrtuctions and pictures to follow should magically appear on your screen.

 

Have fun!!!

Another Berry Basket

Here is another berry basket I have made for Easter this year.

I just love these chocolate carrots and Lucy loves the bunnies, both from Lindt.

Again I have stamped the craft card with brown distress ink and stampin ups hardwood stamp, I am using the stamp for so many things!!!

I made an insert for the basket with six holes punched in it so the carrots stand upright this then leaves room for three bunnies to line up in the middle

I am so pleased I can still buy the carrots, they took long enough to come out in the shops.

 This is last years carrot box.

Easter Berry Basket!?

There are lots of berry baskets on blogs at the moment, here is mine. It is very similar to lasts years but is solid on the sides and no handle.

As you can see I have filled it with a assortment of mini eggs, which everyone has now eaten!!!

I stamped the outside of the basket with stampin up's hardwood stamp and the tag which I then added Easter to. I used craft card and a brown distress ink, the twine is from a bunch of flowers I recently recieved, luckily there was a lot of it.

I just love the rustic look and feel of this berry basket.

The flower is one that I had left over from the Mother's Day frame I made last month as is the mini butterfly.

This is last years berry basket.

Fireman Sam Card

This card was a bit of a challenge, I only had a very short time to make it, less than an hour and a half!!

 Still, I think it looks okay. The actual finished card was layered onto red and had Happy Birthday added to the yellow edge, but unfortunately that photo did not come out.

And no, this card was not for a small boy, but for a lady who is older than 25 years!!

I found a picture of Fireman Sam on Google and used that to paper piece him together, for Fireman Sam's visor I used tracing paper. To cut the circles I used my new best tool, well I've had it since October last year, the ek circle cutter.

Hope I get more notice next time LOL!!

Thank You Flower

Just look what you can do with a small box of chocolates!!

These chocolates can be bought in most supermarkets, they come in two sizes, I have used the smaller size.

 To make the flower I used my cricut to die cut several scalloped circles which I then inked and cut to the middle to make daisy like flowers.

I layered the 'daisy's' up and ended up with a flower that looks like a chrysanthemum, I then added a yellow middle that has lots of gorgeous yellow glitter on.

To finish the flower I cut another slightly bigger scallop circle and two leaves to matt the flower onto before attaching the whole flower to the chocolate box.

These would make great Easter gifts too!! 

Men's Card

 I was asked to make a male card for someone who was off on their adventures, a sort of gap year at retirement age!!

I used my collection of urban paper and stamps from Do Crafts, along with my hot air balloon stamp from Clarity Stamps.

I matted the squares onto dull looking mirri board, I felt the really shiny stuff just did not work for this card, each square has been distressed with ink.

The hot air balloon is paper pieced and the gentleman is decoupaged, both have glossy accents on them. I have also coloured the gentleman's sleeves, cuffs and binoculars with promarkers.

This would also make a good Father's Day card.

Hope you like it!!

Another Box Card

Here is a another box card but in a different colourway, I have really enjoyed making these and have even made a mini one to go with all my other mini's. They would make fab place settings with tiny flowers on!!

 The papers I have used are again from Trimcraft but this time I have inked the edges for the vintage feel. The flowers are cut using George and my cricut, the butterflies are another punch I have!!

The photos really do not do the card justice.

Mothers Day Frame

I love this box frame picture I have made, it looks strong yet delicate. And the inspiration for it came whilst I was tidying away left over chocolate, the chocolate box reminded me of a deep picture frame so I thought 'I could make one of those and put flowers in it!!'

 The frame is made from a sheet of 12 x 12 cardstock which I scored and cut to make the deep frame.

The backing paper is some that came free in a magazine which I then stamped swirls on with distress ink. Next I added glossy accents to some of the flowers and glitter that is not too shiny. Once the backing paper was dry I made up the frame with the paper in place that way I did not have to cut the backing paper to size!!

 The roses were die cut from paper scraps, teased into shape then had glitter added to them. I punched out the leaf shapes but as I was putting it together thought something was missing so I added silver mirri board mini flourishes.

To make the flowers even more 3D I mounted them onto a mini box shape made from the scraps of the outside frame.

Finally I punched out various sizes of butterflies from glitter card and vellum, attached the two together then added to the picture.

As you can see I have also added a Happy Mother's Day sentiment, not sure if this is for my Mum or Mother in law!! Or maybe I'll just keep it for me!!

Mothers Day Card

This box style card is all the rage at the moment, but until I made this one for my Mum I hadn't quite realised how much. I do not watch Create and Craft on TV very often but when I watched it this week this  style card was on the show being demonstrated. Oh well I still like it!!

 I made the base from white card decorated with Trimcrafts Floral Pavillion paper, the flowers are by Stampin up which I stamped in Distress inks and the butterflies are made using a Martha Stewart punch.

I made the butterflies float by attaching them to acetate before gluing to the card. The Happy Mothers Day was typed on the computer before I punched it out.

I am really pleased with how this card came together, just hope my Mum likes it too.



More Tortoise Cards.

I found the stamps I used for these cards on E-bay, they were very good value.

I think sometimes the simpler the card the more elegant it looks.

I was given the tortoise buttons so then just stamped the sentiment with ink the same colour and embossed with clear embossing powder, threaded bakers twine through the button then attached the button to the card with Pinflair glue gel.

Hope these sell as well as the other cards!!!

Tortoise Cards

As part of the fund raising I make some cards to sell at events, although these look fiddly according to Mum they are very easy to make, which is what you want when you have to make several.

 Last time I made cards they all sold quickly, hope these do too!!!

Tortoise Bracelets

Lucy and I have been busy helping my Mum again with the fund raising for the Norfolk Tortoise Club.

We have made at least one hundred of these bracelets to sell at information days and fetes, they always go down very well.

 It works like a production line, Mum and Lucy thread on the beads and I tie them off and glue the knot (and my fingers!)

Happy Valentines

 

Here is a very quick idea for Valentines Day, a gorgeous linen heart that looks all hand sewn but in fact only has two rows of running stitch to hold it all together.

I used the stamp that came with the latest Docrafts grab bag, the stamp is called Sew Lovely, it can also be bought on it's own.

 I stamped the image twice onto some linen I had using Very Cherry Stazon ink, cut out the stamped images and some wadding in the shape of a heart then carefully did running stitch just outside the stamped stitches, I used cotton that matched the linen as I did not want it to be seen too much.

To finish the heart off I added the flower button, I actually put one each side of the heart.

I am now going to spray the heart in my favourite perfume, if I had thought ahead I would have put essential oils onto the wadding before I sewed the heart, next time!!!

Special Occasions Book

Last year while I was off work I managed to watch Create and Craft when Clare Charvill was on promoting Graphic 45 products. I loved the 'A Place In Time'  papers, and was very taken with a special date book that Clare had made and flashed on the screen for inspiration, I immediately sent off for the papers, I usually use Cutting Edge Crafts, they offer really good products and have free P&P.  



 

As I said before Clare just gave a glimpse of the date book she made, so I sat down with my scrap paper to work out how I wanted to make mine, what size etc, and the best way to close the book.

 

I decided which images I wanted to cut out and how many pockets I wanted, I eventually made the book when I went away for a crafting weekend.

I sat next to  a wonderful lady called Ann who also loves Graphic 45 papers, she sent me a link to Clare's blog when we got home, mycreativespirit.blogspot.com.

 



I just think this date book is so lush, it almost seems a shame to write special occasion dates in it, but I will!!!