Handsome Prince?

Our household has for some years been completely 'valentine free' - I always felt bad that dear husband arrived bearing flowers and gifts when it was HIS birthday! 
So we (or rather I) called a halt to all the 'sloppy stuff' - there was never any need as he is a romantic soul really and flowers have always been bought at various times without any special occasions to prompt the purchase!

So Valentines cards are not high on the agenda for me at all... but recently I have been 'guesting' for Beccy's Place (and for some reason the last scheduled post did not appear at all..god bless Mr Blogger) so this time I didn't take a chance scheduling it to publish 'on the day' and decided to just create a new post the day Beccy released her stamp............. Then I forgot!!!!!!!!!!!
(Blaming the brain cells again...........)

So an apology to Beccy and finally here is my card using this week's released image -

Very tongue in cheek isn't it? But he really IS a cute little green frog I think! (and you can get him here)
 I printed him out and layered him onto a downloaded background which was highlighted with promarkers.

I made him a rather grand gold embossed crown with some teeny red gems (cos after all no handsome prince would leave home without a gem encrusted head adornment!).
Matted onto a green frame then layered onto some papers from my stash.

The sentiment was PC generated, secured with a scrap of polka dot ribbon and finally I finished with a couple of pearls and a green pearl heart.

Lots of lovey dovey challenges about this week (unsurprisingly!)
Card Mania - Love
Craft Your Passion - My Valentine
OLLCB - Love Story
Lexi's - Valentines/Love
Creative creations - It must be Love
TPE - Love is in the Air
Gem of a Challenge - Hearts/Valentine 

Have a great week!

Those shabby flowers again.....

I have absolutely no idea where the last week has gone - I have been making stuff but as it's for a DT I can't post it! (Am trying to get as far ahead as is humanly possible so that I am not rushing about at the last minute - or even worse forgetting what I need to do altogether!)
I did make up a couple of quick cards for the stash box both using off cuts from one of my fave paper stacks - here's the first share -

a simple design (and one I have used before with Ella Rose papers) but think it is effective and of course quick - which is great if you want a birthday card in a hurry!!

3 different bits of paper from Tilda Flower Garden all stitched together.

The rose is once again made using nesties, sprinkled with water and scrunched up. This time though before securing all the layers together with a brad, I took a scrap of lace and made it into a circle, using it as the first 'petal layer'.

Once the brad was in place I put a large blob of Stickles in the centre to cover the top of the brad, then randomly dabbed the glitter onto the flower petals.
The leaves were cut from a punch and I simply stamped the sentiment onto another scrap and tucked it behind the flower.

Challenges -
Sparkles Forum - Die Cuts and flowers
Ruby's Rainbow - Roses
Craft Room Challenge - make your own Embellies
Cards by Lady Anne - Anything Goes

Am sorry the pic is a bit naff and it doesn't show the colour at all well - but the light here is truly truly bad - so you'll just have to believe me when I tell you it looks quite pretty 'in real life'!! x

Vintage Love

The challenge at Crafty Cardmakers is 'Vintage Love'. Kylie asked for 'any project which incorporates Vintage Love. It must be Vintage and show at least one object that reminds people of love. Perhaps a picnic basket, gold locket, love letter etc etc.' 

YAY!! I was in my absolute element with this one!  (Thanks Kylie!)

I love vintage and shabby chic so here is my card which I hope inspires you to join us in this challenge!

The sepia photograph is a vintage cabinet card. I think she is just lovely! I framed her with a cream pearlised frame cut with a nestie. 

The backing papers are from the 5th Avenue pad by Melissa Frances.

I added two different types of vintage lace across the centre and some cream seam binding.

The pearl and gold heart is a button and I stitched it onto the the centre of the shabby bow.

Added some pearl pins and some die cut flourishes and finished with a tag which was stamped onto a scrap of the same paper with two stamps from my stash. The tassel was an afterthought but I think it fits quite nicely!
Papers were carried through on the inside to give a full vintagey look!

Please pop over to CCM and see my teamies cards - and come and enter 'cos once again we have some fab sponsors - Di's Digi Downloads and Hobby Art!  

Other Challenges -
Make My Monday - Inspired by Jane Austen's 'Persuasion' - 
I took her longing for her previous love after 8 years absence - a vintage love
Fashionable Stamping - Show some Love
Great Impressions - Have a Heart
Joanna Sheen - 3 papers, 2 embellies, 1 image  
My Time to Craft - Love is in the Air 
Sugar Creek Hollow - Romantic Love
OLLCB - Love Story 
Incy Wincy - Love is in the Air

Wherever you are I hope you have a great day and thanks for stopping by my blog! x
 

Kraft and Cream

It's amazing how quick the time goes by - this week is the second birthday of Less Is More - doesn't seem 2 years that I have been trying to improve at making CAS and one layer cards! (Sometimes it feels like 10!!! LOL)
So Happy Birthday LIM!

This week's challenge is Kraft and Cream (and NOT one layer - wooo hoo!!LOL)

I took the opportunity to use up some pieces of kraft left over from Christmas which were in the 'odds and sods' pack.

Just cut them into four equal sized squares, stamped a variety of backgrounds in Versafine Sepia, distressed the edges a bit, inked them with Tea Dye DI and matted onto some small pieces of brown card.

The flower stem is a Memory Box die I cut out two, one in brown card and one in kraft. Used the brown one as the focal point and cut odd bits off the kraft one!

Two pearls glued into the flower centres. 

Wrapped a bit of string round the bottom square and put the flower stem through it.
Finished with a 'thanks' sentiment. 
For a change, I am reasonably happy with this one!

And - as it uses up my scraps am off to the playground to join in Pixie's Crafty Snippets this week again too!
Other Challenges -
Hotshot Crafts - Clean and Simple
Southern Girls - Get Krafty 
Creative Moments - Neutral colours

Dark and dismal day here - hope you have sunshine in your life wherever you are even if the skies are grey! x

Je T'aime

Was shocked to discover I hadn't posted anything since Monday! 
Have a card to share today which I suppose could be loosely interpreted as 'romantic' in view of the fact that Valentine's Day is not far away - here in our household the old love/romance thingy is not a priority as it is dear husband's birthday!!

I wish I could find out why Paris appears to be the centre of romance! It's always been portrayed as such - maybe the perfume? The French accent? The huge iron structure known as the Eiffel Tower? What is it about 'Paris in the Springtime' that makes everyone all lovey dovey and gooey????? Why doesn't Skegness have the same effect??????????? LOL I am not knocking Skegness - am sure it is a very nice place but it doesn't conjure up the same romantic notions as Paris does it? !!!(or maybe it does to you!)

So here is my romantic offering for this Valentine's month - papers are from Craftwork Cards and I've had them eons!
I lightly distressed the edges of all the papers and ran round them with Versamagic Sea Breeze.
After layering the Paris paper onto brown card, I popped on some cream cotton lace.
The Eiffel Tower (another I've had for ages) was stamped in grey Versafine onto cream card and then cut out.
I cut out two nestie labels and sponged the larger with the Sea Breeze colour and stamped a large flourish (which I think is part of an Elusive Images set) onto the smaller label with Versafine Sepia ink.
Tower and two labels were then layered onto each other.
I used another nestie (Moroccan?) to cut out the brown card and placed this behind the assembled labels.
Two cream die cut corners, a couple of die cut flourishes, one of my very fave 'scrunchy' flowers (made using scalloped nesties) and a couple of pearls to finish the front. Oh - and of course some 'stickles' for sparkle on the flower!
The Paris theme continues inside - and have left it without a sentiment as I can't decide what to put on it! Maybe Je T'aime? (Then a multi occasion card it could be?) 

Challenges -
MAWTT - Favourite Dies/Punches - (I don't have a fave - I love ALL my dies!)
Lady Annes Stamping Challenge - Anything Goes
Divas by Design - Blue/Brown/Cream
Die Cutting Divas - Anything Goes with a Die Cut
Top Tip Tuesday - Luscious Layers 
Crafts and Me - Favourite Embellishment - has to be the scrunchy flower  

Have a great day! x 

Shabby Frock!

We've got rain here now - all the snow has disappeared too. We managed the walk this morning without getting wet though - just as we walked back in through the gate it started to rain - so that was good timing!
In a complete contrast from the last couple of posts  I sat yesterday and fiddled about with the distressing tool and sewing machine.
The Fifth Avenue pad  paper pack has about a third left in it and in trying to keep my promise to myself to 'use up before you buy more' I decided to use a few more sheets and some of the odd half pieces which were too big to throw away.

The light here is seriously bad so the photo is not the best.

The dress form was slightly larger than the card so I chopped off the bottom,and simply positioned it a bit higher at the back and glued it!

I used Antique Linen on the shape then covered it with an off cut of the paper.

The lace skirt is a very old scrap from my stash but I thought it looked good with the circular shape. After glueing it I put some cream seam binding ribbon around the middle, tied it and stuck on a blingy pearl and crystal embellishment.

The flower was made using cut out nestie shapes, then sprayed with a little water scrunched up  and assembled together with a brad. I dusted a little bit of Diamond stickles over it for a wee bit of sparkle.

The 'Beautiful' was a free stamp from a crafting magazine.

The papers and the cotton scalloped edging stitched,and some leaves, a die cut corner and a flourish again cut from scraps added. 

Finished with a few pearls and decorated the inside with some more of the papers.

Challenges -
Sugar Creek Hollow - Lots of Layers
Inky Chicks - Bingo Board and I chose - Flowers, Lace and Pearls
Sweet Stamps - Pearls and Lace
Incy Wincy - Pearls and Lace
Cards Galore - Anything Goes
613 Avenue - Anything Goes

I'm off for a little walk through blogland - have a great day whatever you're doing. x   

CAS Sketch

It's week 104 at Less is More and this week were were given a CAS sketch to follow. I have never been very good at interpreting sketches but what could go wrong with this one?

Quite a bit if you're me!
  
The rules were -

we ask that the card stays in this orientation ie that the band remains in the horizontal plane, in the lower part of the card and that it takes up no more than 1/3rd of the height of the cardbase.

Simple eh??? Not for me it wasn't - I have absolutely no idea why I made such a mess of this - perhaps my mind wasn't quite on CAS today - I have two rather fussy and fancy things half finished on the desk and all kinds of  other 'bits' relating to my life in general whizzing round in my head - in truth, the finished article doesn't bear any resemblance to how I imagined it to be and to cap it all I then didn't make a good job of stamping the sentiment which looks a bit blurred despite me using Versafine ink!

One of the problems with LIM is when you look at all the 'wow' creations that people produce every week, yours look just naff!!!
But naff or not am sharing it anyway!! 

I used cream linen textured card and an embossing folder from the Oriental set I bought a long time ago for the main background. 
I also embossed a border die onto the same card. 
Crimped some maroon cardstock and put it behind the cream border die, added a bit of maroon ribbon to define the flourish and finished with a button from my stash.
Matted it all onto maroon cardstock.

The pic is not the best either - the light here hasn't been very good since we lost the sunshine at lunchtime - I may have another go at this week's challenge as I've just had another 'light bulb' moment!!

Bosom Buddies!

I have sat here for a couple of days trying to come up with something for this week's Less Is More challenge - which is 'Friends'.

I have quite a few stamps that would have fitted the theme but it was one of those - 'well they're OK but....' !!!
And I just wanted something that was a bit different - 
then I remembered these stamps - which were bought for 'Pink Day's' fundraising  - and this sentiment included the word 'friends' which scored another point!

Quick notelet card, basic layout with the stamp decoupaged and coloured with promarkers.

I added a tiny black pearl to the centre of the bra - and it's likely that I'll end up adding either a thin pink ribbon, or a pink line round the edge or more black pearls somewhere!

I made a few of these and think they would be good as little notelets so will make a small co -ordinated box and then pop them into the 'Pink stash'.

I've been a bit of a 'tidy or use it up' freak this week and haven't a lot of snippets to show for my projects - I roll from being uber uber tidy after finishing each thing to leaving piles of stuff laying about on the desk leaving me with the traditional 6" of space to work in and this week I had my 'tidy up' head on - so the little bits of card used for the notelets I hope will qualify me for my first entry to the Playground this week - have missed the snowball fights! LOL

If you've made anything from leftover scraps this week (card scraps that is not food scraps-!!) come across to Pixie's Crafty Workshop (the playground) - and bring your mittens!! LOL

 

Late!

A snowy and cold day here - perfect for crafting - (any excuse LOL) - I love looking out onto the white garden - the field opposite has a white blanket over it and the only downside is the odd car that has come up the lane and spoiled the roadway with tyre marks!
Although we've managed to get out every single day for a walk during the last week, this morning the heavy snow falling beat us and we didn't manage it - forecast is for it to stop later so it'll be off for the crunchy march as normal!

Onto the card for today -
this is my very first card for the Design Team over at Crafty Cardmakers - I was delighted to be asked to join them and what a nice lot they are!

The challenge this week is 'Belated Birthday' - and if you're anything like me you'll need a few of these in your stash for those 'forgetful' moments!

Mo Manning Digi (poor sad wabbit), coloured with promarkers, cut out with a nestie and layered onto another scalloped nestie frame.
The papers are from My Minds Eye, layered onto a burnt orangey cardstock.
'I'm Late' Sentiment is from TLC again cut out and layered onto a frame.
The bottom sentiment I printed out onto the pc and then glued it onto a fancy tag.
Finished off with a bit of orange ribbon and a clock from my stash - inside co-ordinated to match.
I deliberately kept the layout straightforward and didn't use a lot of embellishments as I wanted this to be a card I could use for a man if necessary!

Come and join us this week - we're sponsored by Milk Coffe Digital Stamps AND Sir Stampalot - how cool is that - two prizes?! 
We all need to have cards like this to hand -just read the challenge rules and follow the theme - simples!

Other Challenges -
Whoopsi Daisy - Use a Digi
Created With Love - Anything Goes

Thanks for paying me a visit today - stay warm!

Friends

Fab snow here today! Went for a walk this morning - crunched along the canal bank to the village - snowed all the way there and back - and it was just LOVELY!!

Share for today is a vintagey shabby contribution which actually didn't take long to make - 

Prima Botanicals papers stitched and layered.

Two lots of cream lace from my stash

A crochet 'doily' layered with some flower petals, a piece of seam binding ribbon and finished with a vintage style pearl button.

I tucked a vintage postcard behind the doily and a smaller one behind the flower - both were cut from the same paper pad

Tucked another small flower and two pearl pins behind.

The sentiment was stamped onto some cream card using Vintage Sepia Versafine and cut out with a fancy tag die.

Some more flowers and flourish die cuts alongside the sentiment and finished with a die cut corner.
The inside is decorated to match. 

Challenges -
Stampin Sensations - Friendship
4 Crafty Chicks - Pearls
Divas by Design - Girly
Nutcrafters - Flowers
Sparkles Forum - Die Cuts and Flowers
Winter Wonderland- Vintage
Stampin for the Weekend - Girlie
Pretty Little Ribbon - Flowers and Ribbon
Natalie and Amy - Favourite Things -Found it quite difficult to choose a particular favourite cos I LOVE all my stash - But I do like lace, die cuts and pearly pins!

We've had a little mishap here this morning - I am married to 'Inspector Gadget' - he loves techie things - and today he  has unfortunately broken the screen on his new phone - this is not quite a major disaster as his precious phone still works  but it is enough of an accident to make him seriously annoyed! (Not least because it's likely to cost about £100 to fix!)
 If you've got snow - stay warm and snuggly -  and thanks for visiting today!

Tale of the Tatty Doily....

So there I was looking in a box for something and saw this poor pathetic round scrap of paper, curled up and torn all tatty at one edge...

After extracting it (carefully) the sorry state revealed itself as a paper doily - was about to screw it up and throw it in the bin and then had one of those 'light bulb' moments...remembering something I saw on Pinterest.. (I confess to becoming a bit of a Pinterest addict - don't look at much except all things papercraft, mixed media, textile collages etc etc - in fact now I've discovered Facebook as well I don't know how I've got time for anything.............LOL)

So (Pin)knight in shining armour to the rescue of the poor crumpled doily, out with the guillotine and off with it's head.... well the tatty part of it anyway.

Some bits of brown and white cardstock, and some circular and scalloped nesties cut out for the centre, with some bits of die cuts (using a Memory Box  die) all stuck to the centre.

Finished with a bit of string (don't know why - it just looked like it should be stuck on here), a punched out butterfly (suitably blinged) and a sentiment stamped with Sepia Versafine.
Oh and found a bit of the cut off die lying forlornly on the desk so stuck it on the bottom corner!

I didn't get to join in the games at the Playground last week - this week I made it without having to send (another) note with a left handed signature on the bottom asking to be excused!

Couple of challenges -
Red Carpet Studio - Butterfly Effect
Brown Sugar - Butterflies
Make my Monday - Die Cuts and Punches
Hiding in my Craft Room - Scraps Saturday


It's a cold and bright day here - already been for my first walk this morning as I'm desperate to shed a few pounds (did I say FEW???) - another walk scheduled for after my calorie counted meal but a play in the craftie space in between!
Have a great day! x 

Exercise

The challenge this week over at Less is More is Sport or Exercise - quite apt really after Christmas Pud and choccie!

I found some time last night to make this card - I'd already made up my mind that I wanted to use this Mo Manning image because as with most of the things that come from the pencil's of Mo, they make you feel happy - (bit of a theme going on here - can you guess I've been feeling less than cheerful of late as all I seem to be doing is wanting to make 'happy' things?).

Enough ramblings - the 'one layer' theme although I've become a teeny bit more proficient at still makes me apprehensive but am happy to say I managed to position, print and colour without any mishaps!

I coloured Mummu with a mixture of promarkers and watercolour pastels.

The sentiment was originally from TLC and I really wanted to use it but had to change the fonts because the original didn't sit quite right. 

I finished it off with some polka dot green ribbon - I treated myself to lots of spotty and gingham ribbons before Christmas for Christmas cards etc - and this is the first one I used....now in January!!!

Other challenges -
Hotshot Craft - Clean and Simple
Card makin Mamas - Anything Goes
Card Crafters Circle - Summer
Glitter n Sparkle - Use a Digi

It's very cold and frosty here today - perfect excuse for not moving from the craftie space! Enjoy your day and thanks for coming to see me today! x

Happy Days

I am still chopping and changing between making cards and making (a lot) messy with inks and paints. Perhaps it's the time of year and I have post Christmas blues - or maybe because I have little bits of sad news from various people just recently, but whatever it is I can't seem to settle to do anything for any length of time.

I did though finally finish this -a 10" x 8" canvas.

I needed to do something to lighten my mood and thoughts of a warm summer day taking in the sounds of birdsong and just enjoying - well   life    really - to make you smile - and this is what I ended up with.

The canvas background was done using acrylic paints.

I used modelling paste for the 'clouds'. I painted a few stalks and pink frothy flower heads in the grass and then spent some considerable time tearing and sticking paper napkins for the flowers bottom left side and the two butterflies. 

The birds were stamped, cut out then 'mod podged' and the dragonfly is made from mountboard,coloured with Cosmic Shimmer and embossed. (He's quite iridescent 'in real life'!) Further up the left side I stamped with one of my favourite (and old!) blossom stamps, painted the flowers and added the stamped birdcage which has been covered with glossy accents and has a metal 'chain'.

The bare footed girl was done from a template - and the papers are by K and Co. The 'skirt' is individual panels and once all stuck together I put some lace underneath before assembling her, then I went round her outline with a black pen. 
(I am not proficient enough nor have enough confidence to draw a face (!!) but I don't think it detracts from the overall piece - at least I hope it doesn't.)

The 'Happy Days' words were stamped onto tissue paper. 

Challenges -
Take a Word - Art and what it means (and it means Happy Days to me spent making a mess!!!)
Ruby's Rainbow - Smile (and warm summer days do that to me)
Inky Chicks - Anything Goes
Crafters Cafe - Anything Goes
Lexi's - Anything Goes
Creative Creations - Anything Goes

Thanks for looking and if you've left me a comment, I really appreciate it and hope that my little canvas has you thinking of lazy summer days. x

Quick post

The rain has finally stopped and the sun is shining so am off to take advantage of the dry weather - quick post for this week's Less Is More challenge which is Black,White and a touch of another colour.

I may have overdone the 'other colour' so will no doubt have to sit on the naughty step but the card didn't look right without something to define the two colour areas and highlight the flower - the pink seemed to make the flower stand out more.

So grossgrain ribbon it was -  added to black cardstock clear embossed with a paisley pattern, the flower is from Personal Impressions and I used Spun Sugar DI.

Popped a pearl in the middle - wanted a black one really but couldn't find one big enough in the stash and didn't have time to colour this one.. may remove it later and put some liquid pearls in the centre instead?

Hope you too are all looking out onto blue skies and will catch up with you all later. x

Fabric Collage on Canvas

I have felt completely 'carded out' since just before Christmas hence the 'altered bottle' and once that was finished I began to think about other things to do. 

I have saved some other different shaped bottles to play with, I have a fabric book which has been half finished for almost a year - (2013 resolution - FINISH IT!!! LOL), but I didn't feel like completing something half started and whilst having a rummage through my stash, found this scrummy vintage image -
which cried out to be adorned with lace and shabby fabric!

I stared with the image as the focal point, stitched it onto some fabric then edged it with some vintage cotton lace before stitching it onto a piece of frayed hessian type stuff which probably was given to me at some time by Maureen when she was trying to get me to sew.....!
The canvas is quite large - (12" x 10")  and after covering it completely with some cream cotton fabric and lace edging the top and two sides , I found a large broad piece of cotton which sat nicely on the bottom, then embellished this with more lace and some ric rac braid.
The crochet doily measures almost 3" across and seemed to just 'fit' as the backing for the layered fabric 'flower' and after putting a bit more lace on the piece I finished it with a vintage button,some fabric flowers died with Distress Inks and a gold and pearl tiny heart. 
Finally I stamped onto a scrap of muslin and stuck it onto the right hand side. -the words are a collage of 'Somewhere in Time, Mystery, Wonder, Serenity' and the like...

I am really pleased with how this tuned out and am already part way through another smaller similar project - (it saves me tidying the bits of lace and stuff away!)

Challenges -
City Crafter - Vintage Girl
Stamptacular Sunday - Doilies Galore 
Fashionable Stamping - Anything Goes
IDIC - Use a Doily
2 Sisters - Anything But a Card
Ladybug Crafts - Anything But a Card
Live and Love Crafts - Something Old (most of my lace and the doily)
Sparkles Monthly - Anything Goes

Thanks to everyone who visited me in 2012 and I hope you will stay with me through 2013. Have a great day whatever you're doing. x  

Favourite Five

2012 is almost over and I hope 2013 brings you all a happy and healthy year!

Funny old day for me - but Debby once again has come to my rescue on what is always a difficult day  as today would have been Mum's birthday....   

so I am here in the craft space fiddling about with a project and then I remembered Debby's Annual Favourite Five Fest !!

So here's mine from 2012- (and OK I know there's more than 5 but I couldn't decide....LOL)

First one is my shabby Paris themed card - complete with shrink plastic Eiffel Tower - chosen because I managed to finally get the hang of the sewing machine!

 Next  up - a commissioned Easel card - and one of my fave LOTV stamps 'cos I love the way the baby is holding the comfort blanket....

 Couldn't not include one made with the Graphic 45 Curtain Call papers -  made a set of these 'cos I love the drama of them

another from LOTV - check out that stitching!!! LOL  Am now wearing out the sewing machine!

 This next one was chosen because I finally managed to follow something that was published in a magazine and used a mask to cut out the papers... and used a bit of my fave bling.. and made some of my fave paper roses....LOL

The wonderful Fifth Avenue papers were finally cut into for this card... and I made a grungy flower!

 .... a commissioned wedding card inspired by Pinterest  - I loved making this and the recipients happily loved it too!

I have included this one as 2012 was a year when I mastered my fear of 'one layer' and CAS cards

This one makes me think of warm sunny days.. (which have been in short supply here in 2012!)

and my final one - so we can pedal into 2013 leaving all the bad things behind..

I hope you've enjoyed my little review of  some of my 2012 makes.

Debby is offering candy for one lucky person taking part  in her fave fest so share your makes over on her blog on the link at the top of this post to be in with a chance!

x

No green bottles on the wall....

How many got perfume for Christmas? Use it up and save the bottle...

How many drank alcohol at Christmas - go rescue your bottles from the recycling bag.... 

I have been DESPERATE to have a go at altering a bottle! And as Christmas is the time for wishes to come true (well it is if you're 6 years old isn't it - cos Santa never lets you down....) I decided to make one of my own wishes come true and here is the finished article.... 

Looking at other examples of altered bottles, they all seem to be marked as 'vintage' and range from old green cough mixture bottles to any other type of old glass. 

When I bought this house the outdoor space was a field (I kid you not!) - and systematically it was cleared and turned into a garden - at the time I dug out lots of old bottles - and threw them all away! Grrrrr!!! 

So my first attempt was governed by what bottles I could lay my hands on at the present time and I decided against trying to do something with a small perfume bottle in case I made a mess of it but this is recycling at it's best - cos I used a small salad dressing bottle to experiment with...

I stuck with the vintage theme and the bottle has been covered in all lace, ribbon and trimmings from my stash box and a key and heart charm added. I also used thinned down acrylic paint to randomly give the bottom lace layer a pale pink wash.  

The lovely decoration here on the right was a present from Cindy to either 'hang on the tree or use in your art' and I thought it just looked as if it belonged on here - so please click on it for a better look and thank you Cindy.

No cork top or fancy stopper in salad dressing bottles is there so after layering with all the lace and trims I finished the top with a large pearl and crystal button from Imagine.

I can honestly say I really enjoyed making this and have saved up my 2 - (yes only TWO) -  individual little wine bottles that I had on Christmas Day to alter. 

Am submitting my little bottle into the following challenges -
C.R.A.F.T - Not a Card
Craft Your Passion - Alter It
Divas by Design - Anything Goes
Fab n Funky - Ribbon/Lace
Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes
It's all about the Vintage - Lace Dream
Craft My Life - All Crafts Challenge
and this is my second entry into Crafty Cardmakers - inspired by the song -Time In A Bottle' 

I hope you all had a lovely Festive time over the holidays whether you celebrated Christmas or not - and I hope you like my share for today! Thanks for visiting. x

Favourites?

Christmas Eve is here and if you're like me you'll all be wondering now where the last year has gone...... is it only when you're getting old(er) that time seems to go fast? LOL

Debby is hosting her annual 'Favourite Five Christmas Cards of the Year' so I am playing along again (have shoved the small pile of ironing into a basket in the pantry and shut the door....it will still be there on 1st January so I am not worrying about it now!)
Here are my favourites - some you may have seen before, some I didn't get round to posting -

First up is a vintage themed card with the central image printed onto fabric- picked because it contained all the things I like to use - embossing folders, dies, crystals! And of course the sentiment is so true.

 

Next is a variation on a bright pink card I shared - done this time in an Aqua colour - chosen because I enjoyed the change of stamping in a different colour

Third on my list is gold glittered leaping reindeer-you can't have too much bling at Christmas!

  My next choice is a commissioned card made for a Baby's First Christmas picked because I had fun making it

 and finally -

well- you didn't think I would leave off one of my current favourite stamp companies did you?! 

I found it really hard to only pick five... and I hope you like my choices!

Am currently playing about making lots of mess with a couple of projects designed to keep me busy over our Christmas in between the eating (!) and it's a change from making cards - I am so lucky to be able to make as much mess as I like out here and not have to bother about it upsetting my (unusually) tidy house!

To everyone who visits me I wish you all a wonderful Christmas, thank you for taking the time to comment on my creations and thank you for the inspiration I get from your fabby makes!

I hope Santa brings you everything you wish for and no doubt I will not be far from blogland over the next few days - in the meantime here's a card for you all (and for Di's Crafty Snippets!) x

A Krafty Christmas

I love Wet Wet Wet - the band that is not the weather and I hope you've all done your shopping - cos if it's as bad where you are as it is here you'll all be like drowned rats by now!
I (she says smugly) have no shopping left to do - got most of the food (which in OH's eyes is the MOST important thing about Christmas- LOL) and all that's left is a few fresh bits which can be bought in the village, a quick run round with the hoover which I will be leaving till tomorrow..... and a few bits of ironing ... which I will be leaving till tomorrow.... !!

 I have had this Papermania paper and stamp for ages and each time I have gone to use it, the mojo has gone walkabout. Having invested in the Kraft card stock this year I was happy to note that the paper actually looked OK next to it! So made a few of these to send - they are relatively CAS and were quite quick to do.

I used Stazon Forest Green on the stamp and it's actually a really good colour match to the paper!
Couple of die cuts in green card to back the main stamp and the greeting and organza ribbon from my stash. 
Finished it all off with a few red pearls - well it IS Christmas after all!

Challenges -

Stampin' for the weekend - Anything Goes
Card Crafters Circle - It's Christmas
2 Sisters - Krafty Christmas
Pretty Little Ribbon - It's Christmas
Visible Image - Christmas
 
 I hope you're all not completely 'Christmassed' out - just think - this time next week it will all be over!!!!!!!(And you'll be looking forward to 2013!) x

Tag

I don't normally make many tags for presents - mainly because we don't buy or exchange a lot of presents at Christmas! So apart from a few close friends and each other there's not a lot of call for tags (or wrapping paper!) LOL
Over the last couple of years OH and I have not exchanged presents either but this year we thought we would just buy each other one little token - OH already knows what he's getting 'cos he sent me the link to order it!!! (Otherwise I'd have definitley bought the wrong thing!) - And he says he still wants it wrapped up so he can open it on Christmas Day.. so I had to buy a whole roll of wrapping paper for this present that measures about 10" by 8"!!!!
In honour of the wrapping paper (which is Kraft based) I made this tag to go on it.

Kraft tag stamped with a music script then gold embossed round the edge. It was a bit daft stamping the entire tag then covering it but I wasn't thinking at the time......doh!

Script paper distressed, embossed and layered on top.

Gold spiders webby stuff ripped and stuck on right hand side and a metal poinsettia corner attached.

The vellum greeting is from a Papermania set I bought last Christmas (and never used - no change there then) and I glued on a couple of snowflake buttons.

Stamped the Father Christmas image onto Kraft paper then cut it out. I painted it using Distress Inks and used a white gel pen dotted onto the beard and hair then rubbed it in with my finger before it dried.  

I punched a hole in the top of the tag and threaded through some ribbon and attached this beautiful vintage cotton crochet 'star' with a Christmas brad.
The fabric metallic reindeer is from my stash and I finished the tag with some vintage cotton lace along the bottom edge.

Challenges -
Crafters Cafe- Tags
Crafty Creations - Seasonal Tags
Frilly & Funkie - Make a Tag
Little Red Wagon - Christmas Tag
The Pink Elephant no 179 - Holiday Tags
Sentimental Sundays - Christmas Tags
Craft Room - Make a Tag
Holly Jolly - Vintage Christmas

Hope you're all not getting too stressed out about Christmas - as we don't have to worry about anyone else but the two of us our Christmas is traditionally quiet  - 
but we did put up some lights outside yesterday and have put a tree on the landing in front of the window so it can be seen from the lane! 

Oh and please say hello to my little friend who stands 3" tall and changes colour when my PC is switched on....