It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas Crafts

 I've been busy making things for some Christmas Craft Fairs I've been standing.  These trees are made from the pages of an old copy of A Christmas Carol by Dickens and I used corks for the bases.

 These jotters are made out of junk envelopes with book print and buttons

A selection of Christmas tags with vintage images, lace and buttons and a smattering of glitter

These kilt pin brooches are lovely to make, involving me getting all my beads out (and I have way too many) and sorting out different colour combinations - a delightful job :-)

with little metal charms added.  These jingle really sweetly, when you move.

And last, but not least I've made some little books, actually using some of my scrapbook paper stash instead of just looking and admiring it!

That's the last craft fair stood today, now on to christmas present making, a crafters work is never done, lol

Little Quote to Ponder for Tuesday

Another ATC from the Inspiration Card Deck Swap - Happy Tuesday!

2012 Inspiration Card Deck Swap

 I thought you might like to see my stages for creating 52 cards for this fabulous swap

 

First I chose 3 soft pastel colours and painted the old set of playing cards with them, some all one colour, some a mix, depending what I had on my palette or brush.  I then gave them a second coat, still allowing part of the original playing card to show through, adding interest.

 

 I then adhered torn pieces of book paper to the cards and again, over painted it with the soft pastel acrylics, the words still visible through the paint.

 

I then took ripped up pieces of patterned paper napkins and pasted them over the top of the words and paint, sometimes covering the whole cards, sometimes only covering a section.  I then stamped images on to the cards, adding a further layer of interest.

 

 I then printed out the quotes on computer paper and cut and pasted them onto the cards, as they came out of the pack, no sorting out just working my way through  them.  I then highlighted around the quotes, roughly in soft pencil, to make them pop off the page.

I'll share some more quotes with you over the coming weeks :-)

Catching Up

I can't believe it's been so long since my last post and I can't stay long this time.  Just to say 'Hello' and I'm still here and I hope to get you all properly caught up with my makings and doings etc in the next couple of days but here's just a quick glimpse of some of the 52 cards I've made for the 2012 Inspirational Card Deck Swap.
Back soon!!

Fabric Musings and Chutney Making

It doesn't take much to make me happy.  I got this little lot of offcuts for the princely sum of £1.20 - what a bargain.  Most of them I thought would make great journal covers.  

 I then went out and bought some christmas themed fabric and it sits looking at me, waiting for my little grey cells to come up with some inspiration for this years decorations. 

 Whilst waiting for inspiration, and taking advantage of a marrow, residing, largely, in my fridge and I decided a wet, cold Sunday in September was the ideal time to start making chutney as future Christmas presents.  Here was the start of the Marrow and Red Tomato Chutney

 and this was the Ratatouille Chutney, which really looks most christmassy with the red tomatoes and the green of the courgettes.  I'd forgotten how long it takes to chop the vegetables and cook it so it's taken most of the day.  Only time now for a bit of internet surfing before everything stops for Downton!

A little craftiness for Me

I decided to make something for me for a change, well okay, it was actually a bit of avoidance because otherwise I would have to tackle the task of setting up an online shop on Etsy and just don't feel like climbing that technological mountain today.

So a kilt pin brooch it was!  A friend gave me the guardian angel charm from Lourdes recently and I immediately thought it would look good on one of these brooches.  The other beads came from another friend a while back in the form of broken jewellery and a crystal necklace, left to me by my grandma.  I can't wait to wear it! 

Mountain climbing another day, promise :)

Post Craft Fair High

 The craft fair on Saturday went very well.  I met a lot of lovely people, had some great feedback and sold a lot more than I'd thought.  So all in all, a very successful day after a lot of hard work.  I can't wait to do it again!

 Some of my journals remain unsold so I'm going to try to set up an internet shop sometime soon but in the meantime I'll sell direct from my Facebook page via Paypal.  (If you 'like' my page you'll get my facebook updates appearing on your home page).

 I had two great helpers on Saturday, friends who went above and beyond the call of duty so I decided to make them a couple of brooches to say thank you.

I discovered Bojangle Beads in Loughborough last week, a very friendly and totally inspiring bead shop that also do mail order.  One of my friends had asked me to make her a kilt pin brooch for Christmas, as she spotted on there, and well, I couldn't wait to make one! 

Craft Fair Here I Come

 Out of creative chaos has come forth....

 fabric hearts, made from old embroidered napkins and salvaged materials, together with a dash of vintage images, lace and buttons....

little fabric collages, mounted on recycled cards....

here they are before mounting, and

a stack of decorated fabric journals.

With many thanks to PG tips for the copious amounts of tea I've drunk, the support of my cats, friends and family who put up with my creative antics and for the Co-op for supplying that cheap, but ultimately, very drinkable, Soave at the end of an exhausting creative day.  I couldn't have done it without you!

Seriously though, whilst it has been long hours this week (I've taken the week off from my paid employment) I've really enjoyed it.  Nearly done, just got some business cards to make, paper bags to decorate, a lampshade to make (don't ask, just had another idea and think it might look good), get all packed up and might get to sit down at some point this evening.  Wish me luck!

Heavenly Gardens Journal Returns Home

 I joined an International Journal Round Robin back in June 2010 and my journal entitled Heavenly Gardens returned home a couple of days ago.  Here it was back then, and here it is now, all fat and overflowing with gorgeous artwork!  It really is amazing, a real treasure so I thought I'd share it with you here.

It's been around the world, to USA, Australia, the Netherlands and Ireland in it's travels.

 Here is the post where I shared my inspiration for this journal

 I created the little pocket at the front of the journal to hold paper seed markers which acted as the sign in sheet for the artists and they decorated them with a riot of fibres, threads, charms, beads, foliage and flowers.

 Gabby

 Lynda

 Clairester - page dedicated to her  Aunt Molly

 Vera

 Lizzie

 Milliande

 Milliande

 Antje

 Monika

 Monika

 Tike

 Toos

 Toos

 Toos

 

Louise

 Louise

 

 Helen

 Helen

The pages are all fabulous, each artist adding their own unique take on my theme.  The last entry smells divine, with a piece of lavender from her garden.  I could comment on each page but I think that the image speaks for itself - showing the wonderful creative and giving minds of the ladies who have and still are participating in this adventure, (I think my journal is the first to make it back home, some are still travelling and at least a couple I have yet to work in).

So a very big shout out to these talented ladies - Gabby, Lynda, Clairester - dedicated to her Aunt Molly, Vera, Lizzie, Milliande, Antje, Louise, Tike, Toos, Helen and last but not least the most dedicated organiser you could hope to work with, Monika.  It's been a pleasure ladies, I'm so happy to have 'met' you and I'm blown away by your creativity and generousity of time and energy.  If you are ever up for another Round Robin just let me know....

Journals and Collages

 I've been making fabric journals for my first craft fair in a couple of weeks and loving every minute of it.

 Lots of lovely lace, torn edges and tea dying :)

 Building up the layers of interest

 I had a quick wander around a local car boot at the weekend and came across these lovely aged books which will find their way into my art work at some point I'm sure.

Working on simple fabric collages to top lavender bags, think I have a vintage pets theme going on, lol.