Last min christmas makes

Evening all 

11 more days till Christmas, I hope you all have got everything ready?

I have this week off from work so mission this week is get the last minute makes and purchase before its too late. 

tomorrow I will popping into the office as I have made them cookies and I know there will be a few off next week when I get back so I am more then happy to drop these off tomorrow. 

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Crispy Cinnamon Cookies

I have also made these cards for my friends I have not seen in ages, I forgot to add them in my last blog when I posted but I still wanted to show my Christmas card collection. 

So I got these card base from Do craft as a free gift. I was going to use them as gift tags and changed my mind. 

I started playing around with my die cut trying to find the right one that would fit with the base cards, The present die worked very well.

I embellished all the cards with gems. That's it folks for this year. My craft table is heading to the kitchen to make space for the Christmas tree. I hope you liked my creations this year I have much fun and joy making my cards and jewellery pieces. I hope next year I have many more ideas and creations to show you. 

Hope you all have a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. 

Love Mel xx

Last minute Christmas stuff.

Hi all

Hope you are all having a good week.

I have some last minute time off so I am using the time well and plan to get some Partner Christmas shopping. Also I did not make Mr Oliver's Card till now as he's out fishing all day today.

So I went onto "My Craft Studio" looked around my CD-Rom collection and went with an Art Deco theme.

I really liked the Christmas digi punch I found on the software, it added to the card I think.

Its been ages since I used the software, and looked at my CD's that I have spent all afternoon going through them and looking at all the designs.

Yes I have a lot of CD's right now, that I am considering getting a second draw to compensate. 🤣

I might need to schedule more crafting days and make more cards. Hope you all have a lovely evening and happy crafting.

another set of christmas cards.

Hello again

I just wanted to share another set of Christmas cards I made this morning. 

I did a reindeer one this time.

For the topper I used Black pigment ink, heat embossed the reindeer. and die cut the shape around it.

the background paper was free stash from magazines, I used some pattern blue card stock for the sentiment. 

Here is the final set the pattern paper stretched out to 4 cards but that ok. I think I made enough for this year. 

Hope you like them, Oh and have a lovely day. 
 

A very productive day

Hi all 

Hope you are all well. 

I have had a few days off this week so I thought I will have a play around and get my crafting juices flowing as Christmas is coming. 

I am very lazy when it comes to making family and friend Christmas cards that it gets rushed last minute.

well this year...  I have shocked myself as well as I have made 10 cards already and there is another 10 to go tomorrow. 

So what have I been doing today I hear you cry.... Well Today I tried something new. water colouring. I have been inspired by a craft called Tina Martin She is very good at watercolour and her art work so far keeps making me think I should give it a go. I know I am not great but glad I had a play. I thought I start with something small. 

 So I made 6 of these, 1 being my test see how it goes design, I hit a few blocks with blending and getting the paint not to run out. Which you can see above, however I did not gave up and the other 5 are a lot better. so I die cut a circle around it and toppers done. 

Here is the topper complete ready to stick on to the card 🙂

I did not want to have the whole thing done with water colouring so I done the leaves and berries with pro makers that way the focus can be on the robins. 

for the rest of the card I kept it simple. I embossed mirror card and cut to size and put my topper in the middle. So now it looks a like this....

and the set looks like this ....

That was the first 5. and todays final 5 are...

So this set took a bit longer but I think that's because of the work behind it. 😄

I found a fireplace embossing folder that I have not used in a while. This morning I thought I will bet my paints and rub on paints out and have a play around with different textures. Here is the outcome of my work. 

So for the fireplace I used rub on paints and then stamped the logs and fire in the centre using my Tim Holts Platform. (To be honest I would have not done this without it.)

I then cut around the edge of the fireplace and made the Christmas stockings and added foam pads to give the look they were hanging in front of the fireplace. 

For the backing paper I found this in my stash of magazines (Cardmaking and papercraft) trimmed it to fit an A6 card base. Matted and layered it all together, the final 5 for today looks a bit like this.

I hope you all enjoyed what I have done today.

Tomorrow I have plans to make a few more and I cant wait to share these ones to everyone when they are done.

Visit to York - Day 1

Hi everyone hope you are all ok?

I have not been crafting this week as I am in York for a Christmas break with my partner.

The weather has been ok. Not that I was expecting snow or anything but there has been floods.

 
 

 

 

I really do love York, I try to come here every year for the summer. This is the first time we have come during the winter period and I love this place even more.






Tomorrow me and Dave will be taking a walk around town and have a look at the Christmas market. My friends who live in Leeds agreed that it's the best thing to do when in York is the St. Nicolas Fayre.

 
I am very excited about going, I have no plans of what I will be getting no doubt I will spending lots of money.

Also I will try to get better pictures.

See you soon.

Mel

Nearly there

Hi All 

This week I have been on a happy high, because I have the week off with hubby Dave.  

Monday      We had a new fridge delivered. John Lewis came in took the old one and the packaging from our new fridge. 

Tuesday      Family Christmas cards Check. 

That's right for the first time in a long while I have completed the important family Christmas cards and its November. I'm a very happy lady, All that they need is add an insert which I am working on now and then come December I can with confidence send them off to the right family members on time and not the day before we leave for there house for a change.

Salt & Good in Stevenage 

Wednesday Chill out 

Went to the cinema and watched Spectre and went out for dinner to a new street food restaurant. 

Movie was great.Not going to give too much away just in case. 

So dinner it was an all you can eat restaurant but they offered Mexican, Italian, Chinese, Indian, Thai, and American food. It was really nice indeed. 

New Bond film

Thursday     Birthday cards and anniversary card



I am on a roll as I have also completed 2 birthday cards and anniversary cards ready for the people in December. 

I have always found it hard to do these as Once I get to the end of November to think deign I am not inspired and then always disappointed that its Christmas related when I do get to make these cards. However I am getting the Autumn feeling instead but I think I managed to get over it. 














Friday          Nearly forgot to do this one. 

So Friday morning I wake up thinking that its, I am carded out now. Then as I was tidying up the living room it hit me. 

Baby card for my friend and his wife.using my new Crafter's Companion Create a card accordion die. This is what I made is the main template and added loads of girly embellishments. I was very happy with the result.

Also Dave bought a guitar and is planing to learn how to play. He now knows how to tune it and watching loads of videos on how to play. This afternoon he suggested we both learn how to play Aubrey by bread. He plays the guitar and me on the violin. I feel sorry for my neighbors, I have not played the violin in years and pretty sure I am very rusty. 

All that needs to be done is the Christmas presents. This year I am going to make my friends children bracelets and homemade sweets. not sure what sweets I will make it will either be marshmallows or chocolate fudge.

I do hope you enjoyed the cards I have made this week. 

Mel 

Autumn Half Term

Hi all hope you are all well?

It's the autumn half term. I am so excited. I have 2 weeks of quite time and 1 week to get everything back to scratch (no pressure) I walked through the college building and it was so quite with most tutors in training. 

So just to recap crafting wise. Last week I made a bracelet for wear it pink. It had such great reviews that I plan to make Christmas bracelets and working on the next week. I can't wait to show you all. 

I also wanted to share a birthday card I made last week but forgot to share on my blog. 

Fairy birthday card

Oh I nearly forgot...

During my week off next week I am planning to make my Christmas cards for the family. I am really excited about this as I have everything I need just need to cut stick and put together. Then a bonus came through my door. My monthly craft magazine arrived and part of my free gift.

a free gift from Cardmaking & Papercraft

A free Partridge in a pear tree die cutting stencil. I am buzzing with ideas my scrapbook of thoughts is filled with sketches.

Preparing for Christmas

Evening all

I know its been a while. (OK May 2015) since my last post. I have had a very disruptive summer. My die cutting machine broke and had to fixed it, trying to clear out my living room from wooden stamps. sorting out my craft space and clearing out my cupboard. (Horrid job absolutely horrid) Had to get rid of lots of papers, and kits I will never use to make space for new stuff coming in.

Now I am getting back to crafting and creating new ideas for my cards and Jewellery making. So I thought I share some projects I am planning to do over the net few months before Christmas. :-)

if you have been following my blog since the beginning you will be aware that my crafting space gets taken over by the Christmas tree during the Christmas period. Early this year we sold our dining room table and chairs to make space for our new 360 litre fish tank. It is stocked with tropical fish and they are enjoying there new home since March.



Family Fish tank: Yes there are 14 tropical fishes, but they love to hide when the camera comes out

But then in June me and Dave looked at our living room and then it dawned on us. How are we going to decorate the living room now that we have the tank? Where will I work once the tree comes in and we have no dining table for me to finish up with the cards?

Oh no...What will I do?

The solution is to start my cards in October. Have them all made for my family and friends and come December I can move the table out and tree comes in. Also I will not have access to the printer for one month in December, so really need to get started and have inserts printed soon. (Project 1)

This month I celebrated my 32nd Birthday and my family have spoilt me rotten with loads of crafting goodies. I have a new book on Kumihimo knotting and loads of cords and accessories. with the addition of other card stencils, (oh my its was 3 weeks ago I had so much I cant recall what I got. LOL)
        Back to new skills :-) I have been practicing the basic for a bit and its great fun especially now I can do this on the sofa and watching TV and get lost in to it. I cant wait to show you what I do in the next few weeks.

Once I have made a few I plan to make bracelets and give them away as gifts to friends for chrstinmas. (Project 2)

I have treated myself with a few CD roms from Crafters Companions and cant wait to have a play with them in the next few months and see what cards I come up with. From now till the end of the year I have 4 birthdays and 1 wedding anniversary cards to make but I know I will get them all do and done by November. (Project 3)

Over the summer these are the cards I have done but did not have time to share with you all. Hope you like them.

Roald Dahl

For fathers day this year I had a browse through my  CraftArtist 2 software and created this card for my dad.

Using the same programme I used a different designer and made this glittery anniversary card for my parents.

 

Quilling

I tried quilling over the summer. I tried the basic circles I think I did very well hope to do more shapes and get better. ooh I have an idea for a birthday card coming up.