Friday 31 May 2013

Macaron anyone?

Sometimes it's all about the baking, can't wait to eat these!


Thursday 30 May 2013

Let there be lights...

Sharing today some of the tea light holders I have been making out of jam jars. They have been wrapped in paper, lace and Washi Tape.


Wednesday 29 May 2013

What's on your workdesk Wednesday 208

Back Wednesday again and our trip around the world looking at creative places. Pop over to Stamping Ground to find out more and take a journey.

Well, it has been another hectic week, with party preparations in full swing. I have been busy making all kinds of decorations and baking cakes to go in the freezer. Am pleased to say the nasty bugs are going away which has made progress slow recently!




Here you can see some of the tea light holders I have been making out of jam jars. There is a paper decoration I am experimenting with and some napkins to decoupage with. Some of my decorations can be viewed in the previous three posts.

I have been meaning to share a picture of this lovely trolley I found in a shop in Norfolk, how could I not buy it? After the Tea Party it will be put to use as extra craft space!



 
Thank you for all the get well wishes, I hope to visit more desks this week, apologies for my recent poor attendance. I am sure you all know how hectic it can get sometimes.

Tuesday 28 May 2013

Lanterns

These were so easy to make, just one of those light bulb moments. I bought the laser cut strips from a craft store, they are to make tea light wraps. I had intended to put them round jars which I am putting tea lights in, but they were not long enough.

 So I added little handles and now have hanging lanterns!


Monday 27 May 2013

A fanfare please

More party decorations.......

These are so quick to make and have great impact.

Concertina two sheets of 12 x12" paper' approx.1 cm folds. Cut each folded section through the middle so you now have four 6" folded sections. Glue the ends together so you have a long strip and then the beginning to the end so you have a tube. This should now look like a lampshade!
Push down in the middle so the 'lampshade' flattens. Secure the middle front and back with circles of card.

You can make smaller ones without the need to join strips but for the largest size, this is how I do it.


Sunday 26 May 2013

Dear Diary....

Have been busy making all the decorations for a special party.

Sorry if the title made you think I was going to spill my darkest secrets....but...

just look what you can make out of an unwanted diary.....



Saturday 25 May 2013

Journal Pages

A whole day of making planned today....yippee!

Herr are a couple of journal pages to keep you going.....





Wednesday 22 May 2013

What's on your workdesk Wednesday 207

Wednesday again, hello everyone!

It has not been such a productive week as there have been nasty bugs in the house. Feeling brighter now just in time for my work days!

Showing a different view this week as have been working with fabric. Have cut out some aprons to make at a later date and am working on some all important party bunting from the scraps!

If you wonder why I am showing my desk follow the link to take a creative journey.

Here is my 'desk'. Have a great day!



Tuesday 21 May 2013

Mainly cakes!

This weekend was a cake making marathon with Sugar and Ice, a cupcake tower for a Masquerade party and tons of cakes ahead of a Vintage Tea party.


 
and for the opening of a Pre School
 
 
 

Sunday 19 May 2013

ABC

Lovely letter blanks covered in collage........

 
or the right way round!!
 
 

Thursday 16 May 2013

Vintage Birds



Sharing today one of my favourite Vintage cards, elements taken from printed papers.



Wednesday 15 May 2013

What's on your workdesk Wednesday 206

Wednesday again and a chance to share your desk with the world. If you want to find out more click the button on the left sidebar (WOYWW) and it will take you to Stamping Ground and on a journey.

It has been a busy week and going back to work a shock to the system, as a result less 'making' has happened. Here is a picture of my desk.


I had a bit of a tidy up and rearranged my desk. I have a lovely new storage box that my Daughter had smellies in, this now holds some of my clear stamps. You can see a Book Hedgehog (There is a tutorial for this on my blog), I have 4 more to make. My rustic flower vases are made from milk bottles. There are some doilies which I hope to make some hanging decorations from. To the right a stack of new sketchbooks, an impulse buy from an art shop which was closing down.

No progress on the printers tray this week as I need to get outside and paint it some more, I have been using spray paint and it has been too windy. A lot of comments mentioned the 25" waist, sorry I don't have the magic answer, I am going to enlarge the pattern!!

Well, I didn't manage to visit as many desks as usual last week. I hope to see you all this week!

Tuesday 14 May 2013

Rustic Vases

Busy making all the decorations for a Vintage Tea party, here are my vases made from milk bottles. They are wrapped in paper, Washi Tape, lace and string.


Monday 13 May 2013

Book Hedgehog

Here is my book Hedgehog



You can find a tutorial on how to make him by choosing the page on the right hand sidebar or following this link

Sunday 12 May 2013

A sketchbook day

Had a lovely sketchbook day yesterday with the members of 02 Textiles and tutor Vanda Campbell.
Here are some of the pages I made inspired by other artists.

 
Inspired by the work of Karla Gerard
 

 
 
Inspired by the work of Gustavo Aimar
 
 



And I couldn't resist adding this picture my Grandson drew for me!





Saturday 11 May 2013

Funky Flowers

Sharing today a page from my journal, pretty flowers to brighten your day.......



Friday 10 May 2013

Imaginary friends

Sketching some fun imaginary animals taking inspiration from cracks in the pavement!!



Wednesday 8 May 2013

What's on your workdesk Wednesday 205

Wednesday again folks and a chance to snoop round other desks and see what clever things they have been making. If you wonder what I am babbling about click on the WOYWW link in the left sidebar and take a journey around the world.

Well, I have just spent a week away from home and this week started a new job, so not much crafting activity. You can see some new (to me) Paper Artsy stamps. Some letter blanks for my tea party which I plan to decoupage. An adorable cup and saucer pin cushion which was a gift. Some collage papers I made for back grounds and some vintage patterns to make a dress ( if I can get my waist to 25 inches!!!)




Just to make you drool with envy, I bought this at a boot sale and have been painting it ready to fill the boxes with pretty stuff.



Tuesday 7 May 2013

Monday 6 May 2013

Flowers, Fish and a Pencil (take 2)

A follow on from yesterday's sketchbook exercise using the same list of 20 items randomly selected. I am really enjoying this process and plan to do more of this.


Sunday 5 May 2013

Rabbits, Fish and a Pencil (Take 1)

This drawing exercise involved a list of elements chosen at random and included in the page. The fish being the first element chosen!


The sketch was coloured with watercolours and Inktense pencils.

Saturday 4 May 2013

Return of the Sketchbook

Back on track again with my sketchbook journey following the exercises in Drawing Lab by Carla Sonheim. Some of the exercises are quite random but the results are great. Here is a page created with two collage elements (the dress and the lantern) with the design built around them.

Friday 3 May 2013

Baskets, fires and furry friends!

No crafting today as my post comes from sunny Wisbech, where I am 'working' in the shop owned by my brother and sister-in-law. So sharing with you some of our wares!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
How cute are these?!!
 
 And there is a craft shop next door, what a result.
 
 
 
 


Thursday 2 May 2013

Sunday Stamper Week 255

The Sunday Stamper challenge  with Hels Sheriden this week is Blue Jay Way, the theme is Blue.

Here is my entry,


I stamped on some blue patterned muslin with Ultramarine Stazon some swirls and one of my favoutite bird stamps. I then added some stickles dots.

Wednesday 1 May 2013

What's on your workdesk Wednesday - 204

Wow, Wednesday again!
Thank you for all the super comments from everyone last week.

I am away from my desk this week so I am cheating a bit (sorry Julia!). Here is my desk when I last worked at it. As I receive so ,many comments about the tidiness, here is some messiness! Do pop over to Stamping Ground by clicking on the button in the sidebar, and prepare to take a journey around the world visiting all the desks.


I bought a clock blank from the MDF man at Ally Pally, so couldn't wait to use it.I coated with gesso and then collaged paper scraps. I cut a circle of foam board for the clock face, covered with paper and distressed the whole thing with some watered down acrylic pint in a beige colour and coated with some Glue and Seal (Ranger). The numbers were rub ons. Here is the finished  Shabby Chic clock on the wall!