Jumbled Crafts

Distressed at Just for Fun

2012-02-24T12:31:00.000Z

The challenge at Just for Fun this week to use distressing techniques on a male project. It is appropriate to have 'distress' as a challenge cause it is going to be the last one at JFF :(. I am sure most of us have so looked forward to the challenges there each week since it started up-I know I have and will miss them so much. I have learnt such a lot from the team and the other people who have posted such amazing project ideas.

This is a male card but the Good Luck and the Love are aimed at everyone who has made JFF a lovely place to visit.

I used Von's brayer tutorial to make the background with distressed inks then distressed the edges with various colours. I even distressed the wooden accents. I am going to pin this card onto my wall so I can think of Just for Fun whenever I look at it.

It has been Fun, thank you and I hope to be able to keep in touch with the marvelous people I have met while I have been here.

Three in one challenge

2012-02-21T15:09:00.001Z

I have made this card for 3 challenges firstly for the Saturday Sketch Challenge , always great sketches there, secondly for The Crafty Pad Challenge where the theme is blue, red and green. The digital image is one from The Crafty Pad. Lastly I will enter it in One Stop Craft Challenges where it is to create your own background. I made the patterned background from the hat image and made the red, swirl paper as well all in Paint Shop Pro.

Not really colours that I would normally put together but the card is very bright and cheerful.

How to make a card with a box

2012-02-19T09:16:00.000Z

This is the template I made and you can print it any size you like onto some medium strength card. Stick the small flaps to the sides and stick the corners with the square corner underneath the shaped one.

Cut-out the shape and score and fold along the dotted lines.

Stick the small flaps to the sides and stick the corner with the square corner underneath the shaped one.

That's it really all it needs now is decoration and imagination. I added a packet of chicken cuppa soup to one-I made a label for anyone to use as the packet I had was just plain, and a small happiness book to the other. Lots of ideas of other things to add to more of these type of cards and would love to hear anyone else's ideas.

outside

inside

ouside

Any questions about the tutorial just ask and I will try to answer them

Thankyous, apologies and HELP!

2012-02-18T07:27:00.000Z

I would like to say a big thankyou to everyone who leaves comments on my blog. It is always lovely to hear from everyone and encourages me to try to improve my crafting and my design ideas as well.

My apologies are for all of the people who ask a question in their comments and wonder why I never answer them. Well! I would love to answer them but haven't a clue how to send a personal message on a blog??

Please feel free to use any of my ideas in anyway you wish-share them, change them, make them your own-whatever you like. That should answer one question lol. Now if anyone can help me to find the way to send personal comments on blogs I will happily answer anything at all.

Love as always Chrissie xx

No designer papers and Get Well Soon

2012-02-17T09:39:00.000Z

Two nice challenges at C-R-A-F-T Challenge it is no designer paper and at Moving Along with the Times they have a Get Well Soon challenge.

I decided that Chicken soup is the best medicine so designed this box card to be able to put a packet of chicken soup inside. No papers used at all just a couple of images from way back when and a few peel-offs

card outside

inside

Sporty for a man

2012-02-16T15:13:00.001Z

Still things for men at Just for Fun this week and the challenge was to use something sporty. I searched through my stamps and the stamped images that people have sent to me but the only one I could find was the boy footballers that Von sent to me a long time ago.

All men are really small boys at heart and I thought the quote was appropriate for any age so please forgive me if this doesn't seem to be for an adult--it may well be sent to an adult male by me lol. I imagine the older boy is saying the quote to the smaller one as a dad would say to his lad or even his lass if it was my dad lol

For everyone who thinks I use loads of stuff that Von has sent to me--you are quite right! I would never have found Just for Fun without her and may even have been stuck in the fluffy rabbit and cute mice type of crafting. Nice to be able to venture into both now and learn so many new things.

Great samples as always thanks girls.

The netting represents the goal net :)

Our 'Beach Hut' Shed for Florence and others

2012-02-15T15:00:00.000Z

Vic knows how much I love beach huts so one day last summer he said he was going out into the garden and I said I was doing some crafting. A couple of hours later he said would I like to join him for coffee outside and the first thing I saw was this lovely 'beach hut' :) It was a dingy dark green before and now it is lovely and bright and cheerful. Still full of the essential men's junk inside but I don't see that.

Thanks Vic it still looks just as good as the day you painted it for me.

Crafty Pad Designs and Digital Tuesday Challenges

2012-02-15T10:23:00.001Z

Combined the two challenges as the one at Crafty Pad Designs was something with B and the one at Digital Tuesday where it is Use your Stash

My images are both from Crafty Pad Designs and beach huts are my favourite things. Even our garden shed is painted to look like a beach hut. The white accents were made by my friend Von who has such wonderful ideas. The background paper I made in Paint Shop Pro from the coloured beach hut image.

Thank you for challenges it is always lovely to be able to use some of my fabulous digital images. Terrific samples by the teams at both blogs.

Cute Critter Valentine

2012-02-12T09:51:00.000Z

I combined two challenges here with the challenge at C-R-A-F-T Challenges this week being Valentines and the Challenge at Moving Along with the Times being Cute Critters. Brilliant samples at both as always.

Time at Dragon's Dream TIO

2012-02-11T13:09:00.000Z

Well I hadn't read the book that inspired the subject at Dragon's Dream TIO but it is on my list of books to read now. Nice to have the tag challenges back-thank you.

I imagine that a time traveller's wife will sit at home and dream of his homecoming so I used my sad Japanese Lady stamp and surrounded her with the sort of things her husband might be dealing with.

Vintage men at JFF

2012-02-11T08:30:00.000Z

Great samples and entries for the challenge here at Just for Fun. Neet is keeping us on our toes with things for males this month and this week is vintage week. Enjoyed making this for sure -now all I need is a man with a sense of humour to send it too :)

The cogs are some that Von sent to me a while ago

The backing paper I made from a free download here where there are lots of interesting background to use

The stamp is Personal Impressions-Traditional British Set 1

The quote is my take on an old quote.

How to make a digital stamped image in Paint Shop Pro

2012-02-09T14:45:00.002Z

I have been asked in the past which make of stamp I used on some of the projects and sometimes they haven't been a bought stamp at all though I do use bought stamps if the challenges ask for those to be used.

If you have Paint Shop Pro then you can use any photograph to make a digital stamp image. I have PSP7 and PSPX and Animation Shop was included with PSP 7. I have used it to get rid of the white background on the images and save the pictures in gif form

A photograph of me and Vic

Our Buddha

All of these are our own photographs and the third one in each has no background so can be printed onto any paper at all.

To make these images--open your photograph and duplicate it so that you wont spoil the original .

Work on the duplicate and resize and crop to a size you want your digi-stamp to be.

Adjust the sharpness if required to make the image clearer. Save and duplicate again just in case.

On the duplicate go to effects-photo effects black and white.

Then go to Adjust-Brightness and Contrast -Brightness/contrast.Juggle the brightness and contrast settings until you are happy with the 'stamp' Some I use 100 for the contrast and about -20 for the brightness so start with those setting then see what happens when you change them a bit. It all comes with practice

The third image is a gif with no background so it can be printed onto any background at all just like any ordinary stamped image.

Have fun

Love Chrissie xx

Two bags for £1

2012-02-08T10:00:00.000Z

I saw these bags when we went to Poundland a couple of weeks ago and thought I could make something else with them-as you would :)

Here is what I made

5 cards and 5 toppers--wasn't keen on one of the toppers so that is in the bin. There was also a large flower left so I made some more things with that and the toppers

Still have the bits in the front of the picture left and I am sure they can be used for something-tags or more cut out or die shapes?

All these for £1 and few pieces of white card--can't be bad can it?

Colour chart at C-R-A-F-T Challenge

2012-02-04T11:11:00.001Z

This week there is a colour challenge for us at C-R-A-F-T Challenge I loved the colours but didn't seem to have mush that fitted the chart at all. Hope this is ok though the photograph makes the paper look a bit different colour to what it really is.

Black and White men at JFF

2012-02-02T16:31:00.001Z

This month at Just for Fun it is to be things for meN. Thank goodness I don't have to make many male cards in the course of year cause I always find them a challenge :)--not the men just making things for them lol Thanks Neet for the challenge and Happy First Birthday to JFF

My lovely son-in-law has a birthday in April so I made this card for him and for the challenge. He plays the guitar and the banjo so I thought this image would be just right. The sentiment he will like I'm sure cause he always laughs at the daft things I say

Alter something and anything but a card

2012-02-01T13:12:00.001Z

At Try It On Tuesday the challenge is to alter something so I went straight to my collection of empty boxes and have used one that had a jar of face cream in it. To add texture, which is part of the challenge, I used silver embossing powder on the whole box and it really shines but has a nice pitted finish as well. Then I added ribbon and the lovely piece of jewelery I won as part of some blog candy.

I would also like to enter this at Come and Get It as the challenge there is anything but a card.

Medieval entry 2

2012-01-31T14:39:00.000Z

Well I did say I had another idea for the challenge at Just for Fun and after a hectic week I have managed to find the time to fit it in.

I've had the piece of metallic looking card for ages but didn't know what to make with it. Made the frame then the medieval shield shapes and cut the centres from some of them to make flowers. Shaped them a bit with various tools then found a picture of a knight and distressed a bit of paper to print the the knight onto.

Now I have woven story around the picture. Not sure you want to read it but here goes lol

Poor Rylan had been in crusades before but the coming one would take him away from his lovely wife, Batilda, and their 2 children for a few years. He knew they would miss him as much as he would miss them so he had a picture drawn of himself and then he went to the forge and had a frame made to hold the picture. He hid it away until the day before he was due to depart for the crusade then hung it on the wall so he would always be there to watch over his family.

Ahh ! Well Valentines day isn't far away :)

Medieval at Just for Fun

2012-01-27T10:07:00.000Z

So Many wonderful things to think about at Just for Fun challenges. I loved the medieval The Games of Kings with all that it had to offer and I don't usual like raunchy things in films or books but this story needed it I feel. Heck I am rambling and in another world now.

The small picture at the bottom is of medieval tiles in a church somewhere in the UK. The one above is my version of the floor tiles. I cut out 36 squares and stamped some of them and distressed others. Von introduced me to the stamping technique where you can use one stamp to create a different pattern. Thanks Von for this month's challenges and for teaching me loads of stuff :)

Now what to do with the panel of tiles that seemed to take forever to make.

I made some backing papers by scanning the piece I made then working a bit of magic in paint shop pro.

I have an idea for another thing I want to make for this challenge-isn't life exciting? Well it would be if I didn't have to go food shopping and then tackle the ironing :(

In the Mail

2012-01-25T10:30:00.000Z

At Try It on Tuesday it is the interesting subject of In The Mail for their challenge this week. Lots of ideas from the design team

Thought my new Cosmic Shimmer mist would have shown up more as it looks lovely in real life--that's scanners for ya :(

Valentines

2012-01-25T09:18:00.000Z

At Craft Room Challenge this week it is Valentines as the subject so I made one for my husband--he will faint as I have never sent one to him before.:)

Also I have had this beautiful Cuddly Buddly Patchwork Heart for a few years so I used that and some backing paper from a magazine that I have also had a very long time so they fitted in well with the Have a Heart Challenge at Oldie but Goodie

Another Art Nouveau Piece

2012-01-22T11:59:00.001Z

Had a play in Paint Shop Pro this morning and made this card topper. All one dimensional but what I love to do. I had a picture of the lady and found a free to use digital frame that I thought matched the period then made backing paper and other bits and bobs. Another entry for the challenge at Just for Fun this week

A few challenges combined

2012-01-22T10:11:00.001Z

I don't usually combined challenges but I felt inspired by these three so put them together.

The sketches at Sketch Saturday are always inspiring for me so that was my base, then I looked at Craft Your Days Away and saw that the challenge was distressing--not something I'm good at but I do keep trying and they say practice makes perfect. Last but not least was the challenge at One Stop Craft Challenge and it is 'Under the Weather' and so many of my friends are just that at the moment so I made a get well card for one of them.

The sun was shining on the card so it looks a bit sparkly.

Lovely poppy and sentiment stamps were part of the blog candy I won at This Little Place-thanks Zoe, and the wooden shapes are from Kars. I used the aged mahogany Distressed Ink on almost everything

Things with Wings and Fairies

2012-01-21T09:39:00.000Z

I have combined the Challenge at Try it on Tuesday and the one at Moving Along with the Times as one was fairies and the other things with wings.

I must thank Florence for the wonderful idea on her blog of using a birdcage die and dragonflies I thought the card she made was wonderful.

Use numbers at C-R-A-F-T Challenge

2012-01-20T10:04:00.000Z

I was pleased to see this challenge as it gave me the inspiration to make my daughter and son-in-law a second wedding anniversary card.

The background on the image is the room in the Scottish castle where they got married.

Art Noveau at JFF

2012-01-20T08:50:00.000Z

I wasn't sure what the difference was between Art Deco and Art Noveau but thanks to the challenge at Just for fun I have found out. Seems to me like Art Deco is more masculine and angular and Art Noveau feminine and flowery:)

I made this window ornament by printing an art deco stained glass image onto acetate and mounting it in a frame. impossible to take a picture of it hung in the window because the frame just looked black because of the sunny background. Here it is just standing on my little easel.

Oh it doesn't seem to be my day--I think it may be upside down lol

Blog Candy from My Little Place

2012-01-18T16:19:00.001Z

I won this beautiful blog candy from Zoe at My Little Place. I love all of it and will be able to make so many nice pieces with the different things--not to mention the fact that some of the beautiful jewellery may well find itself being worn by me :)

Thank you Zoe and to the random generator for chosing my number

Clean and Simple and Celebration

2012-01-12T15:56:00.000Z

At Craft-room challenge it is clean and simple which isn't a style I do well but I do like to try things that I am good at so I might do them better. I have combined this with the C-R-A-F-T Challenge which is 'celebration' and our wedding anniversary is one celebration we always look forward to every year.

Lovely inspiring samples and great challenges.

Art Deco at Just for Fun

2012-01-11T23:50:00.001Z

Art Deco at Just for Fun

What an honour to be asked to be a guest designer this week at Just for Fun
I hadn't a clue what to make so I went for inspiration to our local charity shops and found this heart shaped mirror for £3. It looked very art deco with the 3 pieces and bevelled edges and was a nice size, 12 inches by 13 inches
The templates for the backgrounds and embellishments were made in PSP then assembled onto very thick card--a box that was in the loft provided that.
The ladies I found on an embroidery pattern site and I enhanced them to make them large enough for the sides of the mirror. Parts of the ladies had to be raised with silicone as the mirror is quite thick and the bottom of the dresses and the arms would have been flapping about if I hadn't secured them. There were two hooks on the mirror and I managed to thread those through the card and make a hanger with string. It now hangs in our hall in a space that has needed something a bit different for a long time

Resist Technique Tag

2012-01-11T15:19:00.001Z

At Try it on Tuesday the challenge is to make a tag using a resist technique. I know there are lots but I looked at one of the samples by the design team and decided to use that. I stamped the bird and the flower images with embossing ink and then used distressed inks on top of them.

Really lovely samples from all of the team-thank you.

Photo Inspiration and Old Stamp

2012-01-10T09:42:00.001Z

I combined the challenges at Oldie but a Goodie with the one at The Shabby Tea Room as they seemed to fit together nicely.

Made a tag using the colour inspiration and the photo ideas at The Shabby Tea Room

This is the old stamp I used for Oldie but a Goodie.

It is dated 2005 and I bought it about then and have used it often. Made by Whipper Snapper Designs number DW401 and titled True Friends.

The dummy stamp is quite new and was free with a craft magazine.

Would have loved to have been a dress designer and made the dresses as well. I think my tag fits in with the back to work theme.

Thank you at C-R-A-F-T Challenge 136

2012-01-07T12:31:00.000Z

I have made this card for the challenge 136 at C-R-A-F-T Challenge always nice to have a spare thank you card I think. Thank you for the challenge.

60's and 70's at JFF

2012-01-07T08:52:00.002Z

Pop over to Just for Fun and see the great samples and entries for the challenge-brilliant.

What great times we had then though I got married in 1962 and had my first child in 1964. You should have seen the wallpaper we had-I am fightened just thinking about some we had on all of the walls in a small bathroom -relaxing it wasn't lol!

Well I used to make tie and die headsquares that you wore as a head band. I found it difficult to remember how the heck to perfect tie and dye these days so these are poor replicas of my amazing works of art in the old days:) Could be my memory isn't as good as it was lol and they weren't as perfect as I am thinking they were.:(

A must with a headband was the target earrings and a CND medallion on leather.

The Shabby Tea Room and Sunday Sketch and Stamp Challenge

2012-01-03T16:15:00.001Z

It is Time Flies at Shabby Tea Room and there is an inspiring picture to help you along the way. Also a lovely Sketch at Sunday Sketch and Stamp as well

Happy New Year

2011-12-31T16:30:00.000Z

I would like to wish everyone a very Happy 2012 and thank all of the wonderful 'blog people' who have helped me settle into this new experience and given me so much encouragement with the marvelous challenges and fantastic messages:)

My birthday is January 1st and this time I am 70. My creative mind has become so active that I am sure the next year will be just as full and happy as the last.

Sketch and Retro/Music challenges

2011-12-31T16:23:00.000Z

I combined the challenge at Sketch Saturday with the Retro/Music challenge at Moving Along with the Times. Terrific samples at both for inspiration.

I always loved the designs in the Flower Power era and still do.

Anything Goes for week 5 of December

2011-12-30T15:10:00.000Z

Here we are in the last week of December and at Just for Fun they have an Anything Goes Challenge

I was inspired by Von's sample and hunted for somethings similar that I had been given a long time ago and always meant to use.

Nowhere near as good as the card that inspired me but this card is what I made for the challenge.

Thank you for the wonderful challenges at Just for Fun and my introduction to Blogland.

Anything Goes

2011-12-28T16:00:00.001Z

At Craft-room Challenge it is anything goes so I am adding this card I have just made. Not what I would usually make but I just wanted to chill out and make things that are a bit different for a few days.

Seems a Little Sketchy

2011-12-28T10:09:00.002Z

This is the third at Seems a Little Sketchy. It was a very nice sketch to follow and I will keep it to use in the future for sure. Thank you. I have used a photograph that was taken by my hubby last year--it is a wild orchid.

Autumn at Just for Fun

2011-12-23T08:42:00.001Z

Last of the seasons at JFF this week and what fun it has been to escape from making Christmas cards and look ahead to the New Year with the challenges.

There are still lots of autumn leaves around so I collected some and stood them in baby oil for a while to make them supple. After that I used punches to cut out shapes to make a couple of autum coloured flowers. Lastly I found this lovely quote by John Donne who is one of my favourite poets and has helped me many times in my life when he seemed to have a poem for every occassion.

Summer Days at Just for Fun

2011-12-20T08:35:00.002Z

Nice to feel the see the sun shining if only on this postcard :)

This is serendipity meets paper piecing and they tangle with zentagles. I love the artwork of Bridget Wilkinson and this postcard is made in her style-not sure what she would think of it but I am hoping to go to Whitby soon and that I can show it to her if she is at the gallery where she shows some of her work.

Always great challenges at Just for Fun and terrific work by the Dts and the people who enter their work.

Die Cuts and Punches

2011-12-14T10:08:00.000Z

Great challenge here at Craft-Room Challenge . I don't seem to have many punches these days--I did lend some out so maybe they didn't come back home :(

Christmas Animals

2011-12-14T10:05:00.000Z

What a great choice of subject for this challenge at Oldie but Goodie Thought I would make a special Christmastime birthday card for a friend whose birthday is a few days before Christmas.

Tagtastic at Try it on Tuesday

2011-12-14T10:01:00.001Z

Always lovely to make tags and be able to use any technique you like. Here at TIOT you can do just that. Some beautiful examples by the team

Tradional Christmas Colours and Sketch

2011-12-11T09:18:00.000Z

Combined these challenges at Sketch Saturday and One Stop Craft Shop Challenge

I have tried lots of colour combinations on my Christmas cards this year but the traditional colours always look right somehow.

I love making the ribbon flowers and now have lots to use on cards in the future.

It's Spring Time at JFF

2011-12-09T09:22:00.002Z

I can't believe that what I had in mind earlier this week fitted in with the challenge at Just for Fun this week. I am having a buffet lunch for a few people later in the month but wanted it to be none Christmas if you know what I mean. I found some lovely serviettes that said Springtime Flowers though they aren't like any real flowers I have seen

I would have also liked to buy a cake stand but they are now called muffin stands and seem to be very expensive. No worries I have made one and will be making a couple more so that I can fit more food on our small table.

I have used two plastic plates and a plastic wine glass for this. The first thing I did was scan a serviette and print it out on paper. Cut out the flowers and make a small tube that will fit in the glass and stick lots of flowers to the tube. I also used some small bits of green ribbon to look like leaves. Then the arrangement was placed in the glass and the plate stuck on top with strong double sided tape. The bottom of glass is stuck to the other plate with padded tape as the glass was a bit bevelled underneath. It took almost all of yesterday to make it but I am pleased that I will be able to take them apart again when we have had the buffet and I can make others if we ever need them.

It was difficult to photograph it to look it's best unfortunately. Maybe I will take a picture when the buffet is all set out and add it to here then.

Sketch and let it snow challenges

2011-12-04T10:45:00.000Z

Oh Dear I am all out of ideas and energy to make more Christmas cards :(-well that's what I thought until yesterday when I realised it was Sketch Saturday day :) I seem to have very little left to use in my Christmas Crafty Box but there were a few stamped and coloured images so all was not lost.

Also there was Let it Snow at the One Stop Craft Shop Challenge so that inspired me as well.

Still need more Christmas cards so off I go to see if there is anything else to inspire me.

These aren't as fancy as a lot of the cards I have made this year but I will make up for it by writing a lot inside to make them like notelets instead of the usual impersonal inner.

Sketch Challenge

2011-12-02T16:59:00.002Z

Nice sketch at Moving Along with the Times I am still making Christmas cards so use the challenges to do those

Winter at JFF

2011-12-02T08:59:00.000Z

A reminder that winter is here at JFF as we are challenge to make something that reminds us of this time of year.

For me it always means spectacular skies at sunrise and sunset and as I have lived in the west of the uk and now in the east of the uk I have seen many of both.

Vic has taken lots of photographs of sunsets and this is one of them taken in Cumbria where the sunsets are wonderful. I used it to decorate the front of a notebook together with a few stamps--the bird one didn't like the photopaper at all but it did make for an interesting effect-hopefully :( lol

Hand Made flowers at Craft-Room Challenge

2011-11-30T08:51:00.001Z

I just love making flowers but I had never made these before so this challenge at Craft-Room Challenge was a good time to have a go. They are a great way to use up oddments of ribbon and bits and bobs for the centres. The petals are made one at a time just with two simple folds of a piece of ribbon and the leaves are just made the same as one petal. I couldn't find a tutorial for them but I am sure there will be one somewhere. I got the idea from some flowers my daughter gave to me a while ago.

I found a tutorial for flowers almost the same as these here

Christmas without red or green

2011-11-30T07:58:00.000Z

Loved this challenge at Oldie but Goodie. I have had the stamp set of a border and middles that can be changed, for years and never used any of it before so it was nice to see that it looked ok on this card. A great challenge and made me think what colours I could use that were different.

Favourite Shape

2011-11-25T09:59:00.000Z

This week at Just for Fun we are challenge to make something using our favourite shape and mine is squares. Everything I make at the moment has to be a Christmas as the time is hurry along and I still have some to make.

Enjoyed making this and used lot of messy ink and recycled an old card.

The Da Vinci Code

2011-11-25T08:40:00.000Z

This time at Dragon's Dream TIO the film theme continues with the Da Vinci Code

Oh Dear! I am loathe to say that I am not a Da Vinci fan especially as I am in the presence of someone who is so enthusiastic. After going to the Louvre in Paris many years ago and almost missing the Mona Lisa as it is a lot smaller than I imagined, I have since become even more disenchanted. I read the book-I saw the film and both left me wondering why? The best thing about the film was the Lincoln cathedral and how it had been 'made-up' for the film. I have been there many times and it is a nice place to visit.

I haven't any stamps of Da Vinci at all but I did have a topper sent to me years ago in a topper swap--I keep everything lol. Pleased I found something as I do enjoy the challenges here.

My favourite artist is David Hockney who lives just around the corner from me. I went to see his big trees painting(s) a few weeks ago and could have stayed looking at it for days. It is good that we all have different tastes and art continues to grow in many directions.

China Town

2011-11-21T08:03:00.000Z

I seem to be playing catch-up this week and haven't been really happy with a lot of the things I have made :(

At Dragon's Dream TIO the challenge is to make an Asian themed tag.

I used two of my stamps and tried to emboss them with white but I am still not very good at all at embossing. They do say practice makes perfect but any tips will be appreciated.

Let it Snow

2011-11-19T10:16:00.000Z

Two of may favourite blogs have Let it Snow as there challenge for this week.

Oldie but Goodie and Moving Along With The Times

The card is A4 size which I don't usually attempt but my daughter loves big cards. The stamp is a very old one called igloo from Lili of the Valley Collection.

Favourite technique

2011-11-18T08:24:00.000Z

This week at Just for Fun it is to make something using your favourite technique. I just love to use folders and my Cuttlebug. These are a lot more versatile than people think. I use them in different ways and by just doing parts of a paper or card with bits of a few folders you can make more interesting patterns or use two different folders on the same piece-one on top of the other. An equal favourite is Distressed inks so I have used both on this card. Heck I always get in such a mess when I use those :(

Bingo and Sketch challenges

2011-11-14T15:59:00.000Z

I have never done a craft bingo challenge before so loved this one at Craft Your Days Away. I chose the row with a charm, flowers and a tag to add to my card.

Also I used the sketch at Sketch Saturday as I do like to follow the sketches there to make a card

Favourite Colour

2011-11-11T08:02:00.000Z

This is a challenge at Just for Fun and I so enjoyed making my piece for the challenge. I bought 5 calendar tabs on Wednesday and wasn't sure why--that's crafters for ya!

Well I am a purple nut! Anything from the palest mauve to the deepest purple and I'm happy :)

Here is my finished calendar and I glittered a real leaf from the garden with some purple glitter. The calendar looks a bit squiffy on the picture but it isn't in real life I was pointing the camera upwards.

Letters to Juliet

2011-11-09T15:50:00.001Z

At Dragon's Dream TIO it is all romance this week with Letters to Juliet as the theme.

Seeing as how it is dull, damp and dark here today I thought a bit of romance would be a nice subject to think about so I made this tag. 'Soul meets soul on lover's lips'. I thought I would put this here so you don't have to stand sideways to see what it says :)

Tag using Peel-offs

2011-11-09T15:40:00.001Z

The challenge this time at Try It On Tuesday is to use peel-offs on a tag. I am never quite sure what to do with large peel-offs and have had this circle one for ages. I coloured parts of the peel-offs to make them look more interesting but first I stamped the background with some Japanese stamps.

Saturday Sketch and One stop Craft Challenge

2011-11-06T10:10:00.000Z

Lovely sketch at Sketch Saturday as always and it is a great way to make cards you need.

Also I wanted to enter a card for the the challenge at One Stop Craft Challenges as it is the third anniversary there. The challenge was to use lots of threesomes on your project. I used 3 flowers, 3 hearts and three words on the sentiment.

The hearts are silver mirror card but the reflection of me and my cardigan make them look another colour.

Favourite Stamp

2011-11-05T13:16:00.001Z

This week at Just for Fun the challenge is to use your favourite stamp to make something. This butterfly has always been my favourite and it was one of the first stamps I ever bought. It is so easy to use and never seems to have a line out of place how ever many images you stamp--this is amazing for me cause I am such a messy stamper :(

I coloured lots of the images and then stuck them around a circle with a silver middle. Pushed a pin through the whole thing and stuck the pin through the wood on the unit. If you give it a twirl it spins around like a windmill. How useful is that ? lol

Buttons and Bows

2011-11-05T13:08:00.000Z

Buttons and Bows are the challenge at Oldie but Goodie this time. I realised that it is a very long time since I used any of my medallion stamps that I bought when I first started stamping. I have stamped the image three times and decoupage different parts it. Then left blank because I think it could be used for lots of ocassions.

For a Man

2011-11-03T08:07:00.000Z

Not something I have to make too often than goodness as I don't seem to have many ideas for male cards

As the Craft-Room Challenge is 'For a Man' I thought I would have a go.

Make something with something found

2011-10-28T07:16:00.003+01:00

At Just for Fun this week we have to make something from things that we found

These are little shell angels. My grandma used to make them for the christmas tree though how she got hold of sea shells I will never know as we lived as far away from the sea as you can in England lol.

I found a site that showed how to make them here and I do have lots of shells as I always collect them if I see any on our beach. We don't get many cockle shells it is mostly mussels here. First I had to find where the shells that I had put somewhere safe :(

I have threaded them onto a rosemary branch and hung them up in the craft room and they smell delicious-Vic held them while I took the photo.

Sorry Gran if you are looking down--I still can't tie a nice bow lol

For Neet or anyone else who wants to know what I used for the head--I used wooden beads and painted them with pink emulsion.

Love the idea of your little mice Neet.

Sunday Sketch and Stamp

2011-10-26T08:31:00.000+01:00

Lovely to find somewhere to be able to use a digital stamp in a challenge.

I have used this Pink Gem Summer Milly Digital stamp. Lovely simple sketch to follow--thank you.

Black and White Challenge

2011-10-24T08:58:00.000+01:00

Here at the Craft-room the challenge is Black and White. Always love to see what the DTS come up with and also what other people make. I think I may have overdone the distressing a bit on the image but I did enjoy making the card.

Sketch Saturday 178

2011-10-23T16:45:00.000+01:00

Lovely sketch to work with here at Sketch Saturday-they always are :)

Still making Christmas cards at every opportunity.

Autumn and Sewing Box Challenges

2011-10-23T12:10:00.000+01:00

Love Autumn shades so made this card for the C-R-A-F-T Challenge 125 where they have Autumn as the theme.

Also it is for the Just for Fun bedroom or sewing box challenge. I have already raided the bedroom and made something from there but my sewing box didn't seem to inspire me at all. I did find some lace which I coloured with Promarkers and 5 red buttons and I think they go nicely with this card.

The good, the bad and the ugly

2011-10-23T12:02:00.000+01:00

A tough challenge at Dragon's Dream TIO this week. I had to think long and hard to find an idea.

So----

It's almost time for Pantomime! 'Oh Yes It Is', I say
Where good and bad and ugly come together in a play.
We shout and cheer, we sing and jeer but always at the end
Everyone is happy because it was all just pretend.

The good fairy, the wicked queen and the ugly sisters and my new little alpha set :)

Vintage

2011-10-22T08:13:00.000+01:00

Moving Along with the Times has vintage as the theme this week. There are some lovely samples and entries already so I felt inspired to have a go.

Bedroom or sewing box recycling

2011-10-21T07:55:00.000+01:00

Recylicng still at Just for Fun and this week it is the turn of the bedroom or sewing box.

Well this was difficult for me as our bedroom is shoe box size and no room for much at all except the bed -well that's all you need in a bedroom really :). We do have a curtained cupboard built into the wall that holds hundreds of things so I decided to see what treasures may be hidden in there. Not many for sure lol. I did find a cardboard box that had held my new slippers and for some unknown reason I had put my old slippers in the box and kept it. I get dafter in me old age!

Here is the box-now what shall I do with it?

Here is what I did with it. I shaped it and then sprayed it inside and out with gold paint--stamped lightly on to it to make it look old and added some things I had embossed. Not pretty but functional for a change.

It is a great holder for all of the Christmas cards I have made so far and doesn't take up too much room at all. Off to find some more boxes to hold more stuff as they will fit neatly on a shelf I reckon.

Now I wonder what is in the sewing box that I can recycle?

Peace and Tranquility

2011-10-15T08:28:00.001+01:00

At Try It On Tuesday the challenge is to make a tag showing peace and tranquility.

I used one of my own photographs taken at Cannon Hall near Barnsley in Yorkshire UK. There are lots of places in the grounds that are peaceful and tranquil but this is my favourite.

Kitchen Finds

2011-10-14T07:44:00.001+01:00

Some fun recycling challenges at Just for Fun this month. This week it is to recycle something from the kitchen.

I keep saving the plastic boxes that veggies and fruit are packed in at the Supermarket. I hadn't a clue why I was saving them until I saw this challenge.

Instant use for the largest box as it holds my Cuttlebug plates, folders and die cuts instead of them getting lost in the drawer, they are now all together and fit in the same drawer as the Cuttlebug-why didn't I think of that before I wonder??

I cut up the white lid, the black box and the blue box and ran the pieces through the Cuttlebug in a Paisley folder. Then used them to make a piece of 'what used to be called' modern art in the 60s and I always wondered if it was art at all lol.

Lots more things in the kitchen that I could recyle. Have great plans for the very big cornflakes box when it is empty :)

Thanks for the challenge.

Magnolia-licious colour challnge

2011-10-14T07:28:00.000+01:00

I do love to enter colour challenges and this picture at Magnolia-licious has such beautiful colours

I have had this little blue box for ages so decided to decorate it and use it to send a birthday gift to a friend

Ticket to Ride

2011-10-12T11:53:00.001+01:00

Lots of things sprang to mind when I saw this challenge at Dragons Dream TIO this week. The Beatles always seemed to introduce some humour into their songs and I thought this stamp of the little Christmas Engine might go well on a tag. I got the stamp in a bag of stamps from a carboot sale and never thought I would ever be able to use it--just shows you shouldn't throw anything away. The train at Ryde in the I.O.W goes almost into the sea on the pier so used that 'Ryde' instead of just the word 'ride'

I would also like to enter this for the challenge at Fashionable Stamping Challenges where you can enter anything but a card

Books Mags or Brochures challenge

2011-10-08T16:21:00.001+01:00

I had to think a lot about this for sure as the crafty bit of my brain seems to have been left behind in Skegness and the sunshine.

I used this brochure

and made a little woven basket--something my gran taught me to make from newspaper about 60 years ago. I put in a piece of very old tissue paper and made some flowers from book pages. Not sure it would have passed my gran's critical eye but my fingers aren't as nimble these days as they were years ago.

The Whole of the Moon

2011-10-08T16:11:00.000+01:00

I am finding it hard to get back into crafting after my holiday and I think my brain is still enjoying itself in a far off place.

Thought I would have a go at this challenge at Dragon's Drean Tag it On as I love the challenges there

Minimal

2011-10-08T16:06:00.000+01:00

At Try it on Tuesday the challenge is minimal. I have never been good at this sort of card but I thought I would have a go.

Felines at the Craft-room

2011-10-04T13:00:00.001+01:00

This week the Craft-Room Challenge is featuring Felines.

Here is the card I made this morning

Cats are very much on my mind at the moment as my daughter had one her 17 year old cats knocked down by a bus recently and we were all very upset especially her other 17 year old cat, Bert, who was lost without his mate Casper. After some thought they decided rather than being sad forever they would get a new kitten. When they saw these two brothers they thought they would have both of them and now Bert has found a new lease of life taking the kittens under his paw and teaching them tricks-Dylan and Felix have learnt very quickly that the bed is the nicest place to have a nap with Great Uncle Bert.

4 or more edges at Just for Fun

2011-09-22T15:02:00.001+01:00

I only had today to think about this challenge as tomorrow I have to apply my brain to packing for our holiday-we go on Saturday.

As I won't be here next week I have made 2 exhibits for this week's challenge. I have a lovely pair of red and bluey Green hands that I could also enter for the challenge but I am sure everyone has had those so nothing new there.

I did make a cuter version of this yesterday but not what you want at Just for Fun for sure. I got the idea for this easel card from a blog.

This I made up as I went along. It was going to be a hanging ornament then I got the idea to add some shapes to the bottom so that it would stand up as a card. It is three ovals folded in half and then stuck to each other. Not very easy to photograph. I used my new toys that I just got. They are sponge daubers and are great with the distressed ink. I had hoped they would mean less ink on my hands but no chance of that:(

Vic's new jumper

2011-09-22T12:33:00.000+01:00

I started knitting this just over a week ago when the World Cup Rugby began on television. I just love watching sport but like something to do while I watch it. I don't knit very often but Vic wanted a jumper for the winter so here it is finished and with him in it :)

Now he wants another one in a different colour as well.

Shades of Green

2011-09-15T15:08:00.000+01:00

This week at Just for Fun the challenge is to make something with 'green' as the theme. I am trying to play catch-up with cards so I thought I would get another card off the list by making one in green for the challenge. I have lots of small squares and circles in a box so sorted through for the green ones. Then I used a green stamp pad to embellish the background and the circles. The thank you was also stamped in green but I had to go over that with a sparkling green pen as it didn't show too well with just the ink.

Beautiful samples as as always and nice to chose Sam's favourite colour.

I need lots more thank you cards as I am hosting an atc swap and like to send everyone who joined in a thank you card

Timeless Vintage

2011-09-09T12:38:00.000+01:00

I seem to have a mental block at first with this challenge by Neet and then I went here and found this free digital stamp so felt a bit inspired. I used my new Big and Juicy ink pads and new brayer and had a go at the background then printed the digi stamp onto it. Finished off the stamping with a rubber stamp that my daughter gave to me--I love the leaves that made corners.

So I got there in the end by adding a touch of colour to the dancers and the leaves.

Great samples from the team at Just at Fun and from the Guest Designer Sandra

Words

2011-09-02T08:33:00.001+01:00

Thursdays are so exciting cause that is when I find out what the challenge is at Just for Fun. The samples are always inspiring and this week Von has chosen 'Words' which meant my imagination could run wild lol.

We went to the carboot sale yesterday and I had this challenge in my head and ideas kept popping up. I saw the frame for 20p so that was a start. Then we bought a really big bunch of artificial flowers--some for the bathroom and some for the kitchen and some for me to use for crafting--all of them for only £1 :)

The leaves were from the bunch and I used them to decorate the frame. Now to the computer to make a piece of artwork to fit in the frame. I used a picture of me and messed about with effects to hide my wrinkles and made various things for the background. Then added the words 'Autumn of my Life' because the last couple of weeks I feel that is about where I am in my life.:( The words on the frame I have had for ages and didn't know what to do with them lol.

Alter Anything

2011-08-31T12:26:00.000+01:00

Try it on Tuesday say we can alter anything this week so thought I would try to alter something I haven't tried before. I tore two pages from an old book that I keep for craft projects. The paper is really thick and suitable for inks etc.

Here is the piece of artwork I have made using the pages.

Bed of Roses

2011-08-31T12:19:00.000+01:00

Wonderful samples for this challenge at Dragon's Dream TIO -what a wonderful challenge and I have so enjoyed making this tag

I left the 'you' out of the words from the song as this quote seemed more appropriate for my dream. I suppose you have to know the song to know what I mean by that.

A Christmas Card for challenges

2011-08-30T15:04:00.000+01:00

I have decided to make a Christmas card that fits in with 2 of the places I like to do challenges. The Shabby Tea room has birthstones and mine is the garnet, Fashionable Stamping Challenges has Ribbon and Lace

I made the two backing papers in garnet and white spots and coloured the poinsttea with shades of garnet -added a lace embellishment and some ribbon. The image is a stamp I have had for a long time and is called Medallion Bordered Poinsetta J1404G.

White, black silver and another colour at Just for Fun

2011-08-27T08:43:00.000+01:00

Here I am back to crafting after a week away and I was feeling sorry for myselmissing last weeks challenge at Just for fun. I needn't have been sad cause it is almosthe same this week but with an extra colour to play with here.

I had this idea for some of my Christmas 'Cards' cause I am fed-up of the same old thing. So I thought I would make a smaller version for this challenge but make it a birthday card instead.

Here is the card as you would send it--the charm isn't one I made I got it in a charm swap a while ago. I did stray a bit with the mauve on the umbrella--sorry. My added colour is dark pink.

Inside of the card with room to write a message--hopefully lol

And now for the real difference--you can hang it up somewhere--not on a door handle really :)

Here are some of the Christmas ones I have made-they fold up to send and haveo match so you can write a greeting. The silver bits are a pack of muffin bases I bought for 50p at the car boot sale--still a lot left yet.

Birdies ar Moving Along with the Times

2011-08-27T07:43:00.000+01:00

Here I am back to crafting after a week away and my brain seems to be on another planet at the moment. Nice to have a challenge that is a subject I love here at MAWTT.

I made the picture in psp with a digital freebie and some music background then coloured them with Promarkers and cut out another of the birds to add some depth to the card.

Beautiful samples by the team to give me inspiration

Travel at Dragon's Dream TIO

2011-08-27T07:35:00.000+01:00

Just back from a week away and trying to get back into crafting so what could be better than a travel challenge like the one at Dragon's Dream TIO.

Mine is to travel back in time in a van with flowers painted on it--those were the days and I am old enough to remember them :)

Thank you for the challenge and the great samples to inspire.

Black and White at Just for Fun

2011-08-12T08:03:00.000+01:00

Another interesting combo to think about this week at Just for Fun. Whenever I think of Black and White I think of Freddie Mercury in his white and black clothes on the last album he made just before he died. I thought his music was amazing and particular the Bohemian Rhasody. Where am I going with this you may well ask?

I decided to use an old frame that was in the shed and paint it white--just a rough coat of paint to make it look rustic, then I made a few things in PSP and juggled them about a bit to make a picture to add to the frame as a tribute to Freddie Mercury. The backing paper is some old music that I bought at the charity shop and scanned into my computer. It was very brown but it wasn't too difficult to use an effect to make it Black and White. The text is from the Bohemian Rhapsody.

My husband just loves the picture and can't wait to hang it somewhere :)

Trees for Try It On Tuesday

2011-08-11T08:19:00.000+01:00

Trees are a wonderful subject for a tag so the challenge at Try it on Tuesday is a must. I kept my tag simple and enjoyed making it.

Black and White Challenge with a sketch

2011-08-09T15:00:00.000+01:00

Here are two challenges in one card. I love to enter the Sketch Saturday Challenges so used this week's sketch and made this Black and White card for the Magnolia-licious colour challenge. Who would have thought that the beautiful little girls could look so wonderful without any colour.

Tea For Two

2011-08-09T08:02:00.001+01:00

It is Tea for Two at the The Shabby Tearoom with wonderful examples by the design team.

Here is mine

Not colours I would normally use but thought I would have a change from mauve and purple lol.

New Challenge Blog

2011-08-08T12:14:00.000+01:00

It was nice to hear of the new Fashionable Stamping Challenges and, although I am not yet very good at stamping, I decided to join in. I stamped with some very pale ink onto white card as a background then stamped the lady in black and masked that and used a pale green for trees and pink for the medallions. Didn't know what to do with the 'art' so made it into a card.

White on White

2011-08-05T11:23:00.002+01:00

The challenge here at Just for Fun sounded as though it would be quite easy. How wrong can I be! The examples were beautiful so, with those in mind, I started a project. I made a card and when it was finished it looked awful--I had added everything and the kitchen sink to it lol.

Back to the drawing board and I made this 'wedding favours' bag. Only another hundred to make and I can give them to a friend for her wedding day--definitely NOT! Vic said it would have to be for a couple with only one guest at the wedding :(.

I bought the beautiful lace on e-bay and was wondering how I could use some of it.

Nature's Bounty

2011-08-05T11:17:00.000+01:00

What a lovely subject to chose here at DragonsDream so many nice tags by the design team for this and every challenge

Here is mine and my dream is that the 'thorniest' individuals may make themselves a better life at some point.

First Christmas Card

2011-08-01T12:58:00.001+01:00

It was my intention to make at least one card every week straight after Christmas but it never happened so I am going to try to use some of the challenges to fit in Christmas Card Making.

A great place to start was the Saturday Sketch as the sketches there are always a joy to work with. Then I saw a lovely Mix and Match challenge at The Shabby Tea Room -you could make you own papers which is something I love doing. Last but not least it is 'anything goes so long as you made it this week' at Come and Get It so here I am with a ,three in one, and a card for Christmas so life can't be bad.

Here are the papers that I designed for the card and some little flowers to match-I had the flower image in its large form on my computer and it was a freebie from a long time ago-the original was red so maybe a pointsetta-I changed the colour to match my card.

This is a freebie digi image that I coloured in PSP and printed onto one of the papers.

Embossing at Dragonsdream TIO

2011-07-30T07:42:00.000+01:00

I have only recently started to do embossing but my confidence is growing so I thought I would have a go at this challenge. Resorted to peel-offs for the edges and the hands but they seem to work ok on this tag.

Thanks for the challenge and for the beautiful DT samples

Three in One Challenges

2011-07-29T07:26:00.000+01:00

Inspired again by Just for Fun who have a 'Fabric and Fibre' challenge this week but I also thought about what I could make for the Try It on Tuesday Challenge which is 'alter a present', then there was the Come and Get it challenge to 'make your own flowers'. Thinking cap on and I came up with this box to send to a friend for her birthday--with something inside of course.

I have had a very old Indian silk scarf for about 30 years and worn it a lot but now it is has holes in parts so I thought I could use that for the fabric, The box was one that had a jar of Olay Night Cream in it so I was all set.

I photographed the scarf and made a backing paper with the design. This is what covered the box then I made some flowers from some of the scarf. Lots left to make more flowers or maybe something else. I am pleased that I was brave enough to cut into it--amazing what thinking about a challenge can make you do lol