Birthdays and bunnies

A sore throat got out of hand, and i was knocked off my feet, literally in the two falls i had. I'm on the mend but have a lowly bruise on my behind and an arm, but no serious damage. Whilst croaking i managed to make a card for my other half, to be posted urgently by someone who was able to get to the post office for me.

Now the theme had to be Movies/Hollywood.  His is very into the latest films, the old films, the tv shows that spin off from films and vice versa. He is to the large blockbusters, but can spot a turkey of film quickly. In his words, if the popcorns gone and he ready to sleep, he's outta there. Catwoman is a turkey he is ready to Frisbee out of a window, if ever i am daft enough to put it on when he visits. Yeah i know, but i like the film, sod the facts that there are mistakes galore and a story line that is erm, well not as the comics?

But i've gone off on a tangent. He likes films, so i had found some background printable off CraftsUPrint, and i had some blue holographic card i had found somewhere, the name escapes me right now. Anyhow, the two together shouts glitz and glamour, but now all i needed was the filmstrip. Saved by Hobbycraft! A clear stamp was just the right thing, and with each stamp being done, there was a change, just like a old filmstrip, it's edges not quite crisp, but there enough to give the right look. I took some of the pictures in the background and cut them carefully out. All were place on to the dry filmstrip and then mounted on some of the holographic card. Next was to add the greeting, purchased from Craft Creations, the glitter peel offs added the right amount of bling, that seems to be at every Oscar event. All in all a very Hollywood card.

And now to bunnies. I have fallen in love with this super cute idea from Craft Ideas Now my son has stones, lots of them. And if i can persuade him, i might just be able to decorate some with him. That is if i can find some super cute bunnies. I have a few, it's just are they in a box, or somewhere else. Now PVA glue i know we always have, what crafter doesn't, and rather than buy some special glue for decoupaging, i just used slightly watered down PVA. As it dries it hardens to a nice finish, and extra coats should help protect it. Make sure to do the layers after each has fully dried though... else your image will possibly move, tear or distort, or all three. Not the look we really want.

So i'm off hunting bunnies. Have a good day. Happy Crafting!

Ouches and dark days

Sorry it's been a while. Depression and fibro took their toll. The picture is the valentine card i did for my other half. It arrived safely via the royal mail and he was very happy. The design is from Craft Creations and scissors, patience and sticky fixers all went into making the card, and ribbon added the final extra. I had wanted to use heart ribbon, but it had gone walkabout. Oh well, spots worked just as well. Happily the bear is just right, he is so lovely to cuddle up too, and though sadly he couldn't be down, he was thought of often.

As of course was my dad, 14th Feb being the first anniversary of his death. It wasn't the easiest of days, but my son and i got through it, and spoke to him via the stars. We still miss him a great deal, and he is often in our thoughts, even after a year of being gone.

 The first card i've made for a while was a romantic/fairy scene. A swing with fairies playing near by. The design was off CraftsUPrint and the flowers were paper ones i'd brought on ebay. A few Candi centres and the effect is magical. This is one card i am keeping, i love it too much to part with it.
I guess sometimes we fall in love with our creations.

The scond card, pictured below, was for a friends husband. He love his F1 so this design was perfect, i hope!. The holographic card was brought in Home Bargains a little while a go, and the die cut car was purchased of ebay, in a bumper pack of transport.

The peel offs are from Craft Creations, and the final touch of Candis was the completed design. Sadly due to various problems, namely agrophobia and fibro it was posted late, for that i feel guilty and a little bit of a failure, but i hope the card made him smile.

In other crafting news, i have recently given up a box, which till a couple of days ago, held some of my papercraft bits. It now holds my son's crafting bits, for cardmaking. Yes, he has followed one of my hobbies and is turning into quite a little artist. It makes me proud when i see him thinking about what to create and who it is for. He certainly has a talent.

Time to sign off again, my son is wanting to look up Pokemon bits, something i don't mind, and of course i can use the time offline to stitch. I'm currently working on a small design by Donna Kooler.
Happy Crafting!

Love

Valentines. A time to show how much someone means to you, or a chance for shops to make money .
Either way everywhere there are hearts on sale, teddies in every corner and a blaze of offers and temptations to help you enjoy this day.

 I've bought 1 teddy, for my son, to cheer him up after being beaten up at school yesterday, but even i was tempted by the £20 bear, until i saw it's price! My son of course was so thrilled with his new soft cuddly bear, ( a reasonable £6 ), he certainly slept well, with no nightmares or needing extra reassurance he was safe. Maybe the high point of a bad day helping with that, and the fact both my ex and me spoke strong words to the school regarding the incident.

As for my other half, he's gotten a home made card making it's way to him, and of course a naughty question inside. But he will also know how much he is loved, not that he doesn't already. Sadly a valentine's apart but he has to do this NVQ course and look after his dad whose has a broken ankle right now. I know the card will make him smile, and i hope to his present he will be delighted with.

As for valentines, it will have another meaning this year, a painful memory, 1 year since my dad died. It is still so raw, still brings tears that he's gone and that day i will either keep too busy or just go with my feelings and mood. Only time can answer that one.

Now as for crafting, currently still working on my other half's present, which of course i can't show due to the surprise, but as soon as it's been delivered safely then i'll show you. It's a labour of love, for sure, but also planning his card, with the help of CraftsUPrint, some sticky tape and a few Candi's here and there.

Sorry no photos to share, but maybe tomorrow kiddo and me will create some beautiful bits. He's off school tomorrow due to staff training and then it's half term. Happy crafting!

Reading and rest

Kitsch charms. I love them. I have so many colours and designs and still see more that i adore. And of course want.

But i'm being good. I'm using the ones i have, and enjoying the chance to make something beautiful and hopefully fun. Each charm has it's own place on a bracelet, and though right now my hands aren't up to the task, i can still enjoy the beauty that these charms possess.

As you may have guessed from lack of posts, i'm off my game. One ambulance crew after i blacked out, started a time of recovery, and i admit crafting isn't top of my time right now, reading and rest is. Oh and painkillers for the baseball bat fairy visits three times a day at the mo.

But i am reading crafting stuff. The first is crafts-beautiful-magazine . Full of good ideas and articles to get the juices going. This months had a wonderful freebie of some papercrafting tools, something i am sure will be put to good use in future. I have to say i enjoyed the papercraft earring idea and have a feeling it's something i may try in the near future, after all i do enjoy putting earrings on cards sometimes, and something that combines both crafts will be very interesting to do. Maybe a chance to use those small scraps of paper you can't bear to part with, but have no idea quite, what to use them for. There is also an air clay project which will be a good idea for the half term break that is next week. Air clay is a great thing to have when the kids are off school, and the fact no baking is involved makes all the more appealing. And after 4-5 days drying time the paint springs into action. Don't be tempted to try and dry the clay quicker though, it'll warp and crack, undoing all the hard (ish) work that you have lovingly put into your art.

My next magazine is of course cross stitch related, crossstitcher . I am in love with the cover project. A design of butterflies, worked on both fabric and paper to give a stunning effect. I may just have to have a go in the summer months, or sooner if i can finish the present that i'm currently working on. There is also a new idea for card making, a keepsake for any new baby that comes into the world. Certainly a treasure any new parent would be delighted to receive. As for the cockatiel, well i may just have to do him too, he'll go with my other parrot cross stitch, (and my other parrots in various forms..) Seeing as i can't have the real thing, collecting parrots is the next best thing.

And my final magazine is again cross stitch. The-world-of-cross-stitching .Cute mice, stunning tulip feilds and bunting are some of the projects, but also a free floral sachet kit. Just the right colours for my bedroom and with added lavender it will be perfect for the wardrobe, or one of my undies drawers. There are shoes to stitch, and cats too, oh and a modern design of flowers that look peacock inspired! I admit there is too many cross stitch ideas i really want to get my teeth into, but i must wait.

Time to get the kettle on again and do the washing up, now that my son has gone to school.
Happy crafting!

Sorting out blues

I ordered one of these ~ Really-useful-drawer-unit-11-x-7-litre . It's bright, cheerful and OMG! i've fitted so much in to it. A draw for peels offs, a drawer for clear stamps, a drawer for rubber stamps, you get the idea.
Now i know i shall need another, yes i do have that much crafting stuff, and here's where i have hit a brick wall. Until i can afford to get another i'll have to wait but i also need to get a bookcase, and also move both of the bedrooms round to sort out the remaining boxes from our move last year, but to clear the space for the storage,  the boxes need to be out of the way. Now as you can guess with this bitter weather, the fibro isn't being friendly, which of course isn't helping the mental health side of things. And i admit today i'm shattered before i even start with the tackling of a box or two.

So the plan for today, take it slow, put on some favourite movie, maybe Pacific Rim and do what i can.  And when i'm needing a break i can admire the robots and Idris Elba . Not that i like this movie or anything, but i get serious goose bumps every time i watch it.

But hey, what about crafting.. this is a crafting blog after all. Well last night i was working on cards again, small punched out flowers and swirls of paper. Trying out ideas as they formed in my head.

Each one worked out well i thought, and i'm happy how cheerful each one turned out. It was so cold yesterday evening that the thought of spring flowers, those first rays of sunshine opening each little flower bud, greeting the start of a new season.

 This one i tried to use up some punched out circles. Small enough to fit on the washi tape and they worked well i thought. The circles behind i cut in two and layered to match with the middle picture.

Bright pink with aqua blue always works well together and i'm sure someone will smile when they see this card.

 I've had the swirls for a long time, nearly 2 years, and i never knew quite what to do with them. Last night, inspiration came to me.

They add a certain elegance i think and the added flowers bring the card together.

I did another similar one, this time adding a punched butterfly on a small display of punched leaves and a flower. Either for easter, a birthday or just because this card will work well. The bright yellow with the gentle green, a perfect mix.

So now i must start the sorting out, and see if i can remove a box, or two before my son comes home, and then settle down to spending some crafting time whilst his buddy comes over for a couple hours.

Happy crafting!