Nan's Buttons!!

At the end of last week, I had a break from crafting and spent some time researching my family tree. I have been working on this for several years - working in fits and starts, and moving slowly back into my family's past. The lady in this photo is my Nan (my Mum's mum). I don't have many memories of her - and that makes me sad in that I was 9 when she died - not exactly very young. My eldest niece is now 10, and I know how close she is to my Mum. If (heaven forbid) anything were to happen to my Mum (or my Dad), I wonder just how much would she or her younger sister would remember. I know I spent lots of time with my Nan - every Saturday afternoon she would look after me, my sister and my two older cousins so my Mum and my Aunt could go shopping on their own without the kids(something they still do to this day). It's sad that I don't remember.

On Monday, I took my Mum to two local cemeterys to look for the graves of her grandparents - strange I know, but I'm finding gravestones a good source of information, and I didn't have accurate death dates for them!! Mum quite enjoyed herself, as did my two nieces. My sister was less impressed - she said that graveyards gave her the heebeejeebees!! 

So, what does all this have to do with buttons? Well, the lady in this photo is my other Nan - and of course this is her wedding photo with my Grandad. Now this Nan I knew very well - and she was the last of my grandparents to pass away - just one year after my Grandad. I inherited her button box - along with all her other sewing things which I still use for all my mending. But until this week, all the buttons had just been left unused. I had sorted them into colour groups ages ago - but hadn't really been inspired to use them for anything. Until now!!

I had been wanting to have another go at making some gift bags - and finally got round to it. The bags are made from pearlescent card which gives them a lovely sheen - and although at 14cm x 18.5cm x 7cm not overly large - I'm happy that they are a useful size.

I chose to delve into the buttons to decorate the bags. Now this might sound quite straightforward, but, as my friends know, I am an organised person, and generally like things neat and tidy. And that does tend to mean that, in my crafting, I like my colours and embellishments to match.

But when you have a totally random selection of buttons, that is not easy. I have to admit that I had a real crisis with these two blue bags. They were the second and third bags I decorated. My husband brought me up a cup of tea during this process to find me pushing buttons round and round on my craft mat, desperatly trying to find a configuration of the buttons that I was happy with. His helpful suggestion (which I didn't take) was to just throw the buttons up in the air and see where they landed! He very nearly had them thrown at him!!!

Eventually, I was able to find a layout I was happy with - and from then I found it easier to accept that the buttons didn't match, had never matched and were never going to match!! So it was a case of actually going for less symmetrical, and more eclectic mixes and layouts!!

I'm really happy with the results on all the bags. And I'm sure my Nan would be glad to see that I'm finally putting her buttons to good use.

The bags were finished with ribbon handles - they're reinforced with an extra piece of card hidden under the folded bag top, so should take a reasonable weight.The bottom is also reinforced with an extra piece of matching card. The card and paper mounts for the buttons were cut from various scraps using Spellbbinder dies on my trusty Cuttlebug. They are all embossed with dots, using the That Special Touch of Mica Masks - the larger mat was embossed with the middle size of the three dotty masks, and the smaller mat with smallest dots.

 I am now looking into making a bigger size of bag - but that's going to have to wait a while as I am away for a few days (going to watch cricket!), and then it's all systems go to get ready for Studland Country Fair on Saturday 27th August. Am nervous but still looking forward to it.

Am sure I will have to spend some time next week practising how I want to set my stall out!! And my Nan's Buttons will definately be making an front row appearance!

Cxxx

Take Note!!!

I thought things would slow down once I finished work. That I would have time to craft at my leisure, whilst ably tending the garden, making the house sparkle and gleam, baking gorgeous creations and cooking mouthwatering dinners for when my husband arrived home from a busy day at work!! Ha!!! The house is a mess, the garden is just about holding its own against the onslaught of weeds, and I nearly ruined his tastebuds with too much chilli in what was supposed to be a sophisticated seafood pasta!! Oh, and I didn't cook the apples quite enough, so the apple and blackberry crumble (yes I did go blackberry picking - and I made my own crumble mix!!!) was, shall we say, a little firm!!!

But I have been busy crafting away, so I suppose I can't have it all. I do have some urgent cards for family to create - they are all in various stages of preparation - but as ever, I have so many projects on the go, that I sometimes loose track.

So, I  have been busy working away in preparation for the Craft Fair on 27th August - and here are my latest creations!! Notebooks!!!! I made some other designs for last Christmas, but have checked and realised I didn't blog about them.   

A5 - Pink & Gold - Butterflies

 I have made a variety of sizes - from 8"x8" down to 4"x4". All the covers are made from chipboard, painted with Eco Green Acrylic Paint. The final articles are sprayed with Crafters Companion Spray and Shine (although the 8"x8" are a bit glitzier with Iridescent Spray and Sparkle), and bound on my Zutter Bind It All, with Bind It All wires.

This A5 example is painted in Aged Gold, and the pink swirl backing card is from DCWV Luxury Cardstock Stack. The flower and butterfly motifs are from some packs I bought ages ago in a supermarket!!



8"x8" - Lilac & Lemon - Flowers & Butterflies

The 8"x8" is painted in Lilac. The backing card is a plain purple cardstock I had in my stash, along with a piece of lilac gingham card bought from my local market. The large scalloped circles are cut from DCWV Sweet Stack. And again, the butterflies and flowers are from that supermarket purchase.



A6 - Chocolate - Cupcake Tag



The A6 Chocolate notebook is painted in Mulch (love the name of that colour!!), with the chocolate brown backing card from WRMK White Out collection. The green is a scrap I think came from another DCWV card stack, and the yellow is from the Sweet stack

 

The tag is from DCWV Sweet chipboard elements, with scraps of ribbon from my stash!!





4"x4" - Chocolate Orange - Starfish

The little chocolate orange notebook is 4"x4", painted in Pumpkin!!  The chocolate backing card is from the Sweet stack with the orange from WRMK White Out collection. I have no idea where I got the starfish from - there were some shells too - they've been in my stash for so long, just waiting for a suitable project.

Finally, this blue notebook is A5 in size, and once again features the butterflies and flowers mentioned earlier. The patterned card is from Kanban, and the yellow card is a piece of Bazzil.

A5 - Blue & Yellow - Butterflies

 All the cards are filled with approximately 80 sheets of blank paper (80gsm). All of this is hand cut by me on my trusy guillotine.

There are several others along the same vein - butterflies and flowers, cupcakes, and the seaside, but once again, Blogger has a mind of its own and is turning the photos on their side again - so won't give you neck ache this time.

I am still toying with the idea of putting the notebooks on my website, but will have to have a serious think about postage costs. So watch this space....

I will sign off here - until the next time!!
Cxx

I'm officially excited!!!

Have been busy fusioning as ever - this time some wall hangings using Sheena's mountboard shapes. Sweet peas on the hearts, Wild Rose on the ovals, Berrries on the squares ad Poppies on the circles. Have begun work on daisy and pansy versions, so will post those soon.

All the backgrounds are crackle finishes - with Brushed Cordouroy Distress ink used to bring out the cracks. The edges and backs of the mountboard shapes were embossed with either gold or copper, and the hangings were joined with twine! Am pleased with the results.

BUT the real reason I'm excited is because Sheena is bringing out a new Christmas Paint Fusion range!!! I'm sure you have realised from previous posts, I am loving the whole Paint Fusion style - and am painting pretty much anything that moves. And now I am going to just have to find the money for this new set - plus DVD!!!

Sheena is on Create and Craft on Friday with the Pick of the Week - and is offering one lucky person the chance to win a great blog candy - the whole new set of Christmas Paint Fusions stamps with the new DVD!!! OMG - how wonderful that would be. So pop on over to her blog to be in with a chance to win!!

Good luck!!!

Cxx

Keeping myself occupied!!

Having finished work just over a week ago, I've been keeping myself (and my husband) busy with all sorts of jobs around the house. The extension has been painted (mostly by my husband), the patio has been pressure washed (completely by my husband), the veg patch has been rescued from disappearing under the weeds (that was totally by me), the front and back lawns have been mown (husband again), and the flower bed and pots have been weeded, tidied and rearranged (me again!!). Just the windows to be washed, and parts of the bathroom tiles to be re-grouted.

Today has been a day of rest. Although I did try out my new Zumba disc on the Wii (I use the term "new" very loosely as I've had it for months and it hadn't, until today, actually made it out of the box) - and he went for a 6 mile run!! But a friend visited in the afternoon, which called for tea and cakes (a selection of donuts, danish and buns), which rounded the day off brilliantly!!

So, in amongst all of that, I have been looking into filling my time with other things. Firstly, I have applied for a stall at Studland Country Fair on Saturday 27th August - will post more details when I get confirmation. I am also looking into getting a stall at Highcliffe Castle for their Christmas Craft Fair on December 3rd, and hopefully I'll be at Putlake Adventure Farm again this year. I am continuting my search for suitable places to sell my stuff - and to hopefully promote the website - so will update you with my progress.

In addition, I have been asked to do a card making demo for a Ladies' Night in September. I am awaiting the details, but am quite excited about it.

With all these things in the pipeline, I have started work on new notebooks, with other things planned, including some new gift bags!!

And I've decided to go a bit more up-market with my "point-of-sale packaging"!! Ooooh errrr missus!! Basically, I have bought some bog standard takeaway-style white paper bags with handles, and some of the small paper bags like you used to get in the greengrocers!! I have customised them with my logo, printed onto labels and stuck onto the bags. Not quite your Harrods standard - but a step up from handing out supermarket carrier bags!!! Oh, and you will be able to use them as "shopping baskets" at the next card party - yes I did listen!!!

So, as I get the new items completed, I will post more info. And I'll keep you up to date with where I will be and when.

Speak soon.

Cxxx

A different persepective!!!

Don't you just love technology. However I try, I cannot get these photos to load the right way round!! I give up - you'll just have to turn your head to the right to look at the rose the correct way up!! It'll give you a different perpsective on my work!!!

This is one of the four coasters I made for a friend to give to her Mum. Straightforward, you may think - particularly after the amount of flower painting I have been blogging about recently. However, I had yet to attempt roses - so this is a bit of freestyling!! I used a photo of a rose and a piece of acetate, and played around with the order of the brushstrokes until it started looking the way I wanted it to.

I'm quite pleased with the way it turned out. I'm in the process of making an art journal (I think that's what you call it) with all my notes, scraps, photos and practice pieces from all the work I've done recently, for future reference. So hopefully I'll be able to recreate this.

For the sweet pea, you need to turn your head to the left!! This one was fine - as I've done sweet peas before. The colours I have used for all the flowers are Pebeo Garnet Red and Eco Green White - they mix well to make that gorgeous pink colour. All the foliage, was Pebeo Antique Green, with Eco Green New Grass or Lime. I inked round the edges with Tim Holtz Distress Inks - Victorian Velvet and Bundled Sage (my current favourite colour).

The pansy is a new flower, but with this being one of Sheena's flowers, I was able to do this one without too much trouble. Again, you will need to turn your head to the left to get the right angle. The centres of the pansies were completed with Pebeo Violet and Eco Green Sunflower.

All the finished paintings were sprayed with Crafters Companion Spray and Sparkle in Iridescent.

The final of the four was the hardest, as the other flower requested was a Jersey Lily. This was another one that I was totally unfamiliar with painting. I tried the same method as for the rose, by placing a piece of acetate over a photo, but this one proved much more frustrating. I couldn't find a way of doing this with the one stroke style, so had to opt in the end for painting it in a more conventional style. This has meant that, for me, it doesn't fit so well with the other three. But both my friend and her Mum seemed pleased.

When I was asked to do this, I was in two minds as to whether to accept the commision, as the rose and the lily were so out of my comfort zone. But I'm glad I did, as sometimes you have to step out there in order to progress. And it may not work out exactly how you want it - but the learning involved is going to move you forward. Goodness - how profound!!

Now, if I could just work out why the photos aren't the right way round, I will have made even more progress.
Having finally finished the "day job", and being temporarily job-less, I should now have time for much more crafting. I have so much in the pipeline with a view to Christmas Craft fairs, that I am sure I will not be bored!!

So - until the next time.

Cxxx

And now for something different!!

My recent blogs have all focused quite heavily on Paint Fusion, so I am pleased to let you know I have been doing the occasional other thing - including a new technique for me!!

So here it is ....

This is a commissioned 8" square boxed card, the base of which is made from Centura Pearl Snow White Card.

I was asked to make something elegant, with the main image being hearts. And the colour was (hopefully obviously) red!!

I felt this called for something quite different to anything I had done before, so decided it was time to try out something that I had been wanting to try for a while. Stencilling is quite an "old" tecnhnique, but incredibly effective. For this card, I have used the Heart Bouquet and Congratulations Dreamweaver stencils, and Glossy Red Dreamweaver embossing paste.

The paste was applied through the stencil onto Centura Pearl Snow White card, using a spatula, which gives a wonderful raised effect. The main image was then cut out using a scalloped circle die. I highlighted the red by using a plain circle cut from Bazzil Basics Dotted Swiss cardstock in Phoenix, then another scalloped circle cut from Papermania Special Vellum - Glitter Embossed Dots. The greeting was mounted in a similar way, using simple rectangles.

The larger two circles were cut from Centura Pearl Snow White card using the Craft Robo - it doesn't quite cut right through, but the back layer of the card peels away so you can still get the shape out. The larger scalloped circle was cut in the same way from Crafters Companion printable vellum, and the smaller from the Papermania Glittered Dots vellum.

To add a different texture the smaller of these Centura Pearl circles was run through the Cuttlebug with the Small Polka Dots mask from the "That Special Touch" range. (I've recently purchased a selection of these masks, so have some more new things to play with when I get a minute!!)

A few small round and heart shaped pearls that were rattling around the bottom of my gem box were attached with Glossy Accents, along with the beautiful pearl strands bought from my local craft shop (sorry don't know the make or name of them as I've had them a while and threw the packaging away!!). Finally, a card like this is not complete without ribbon - white organza from Celebrations, with a smaller width tied around the large bow.

I was pleased with the final effect. And am thinking I might get some more stencils on a Christmas theme!!! I know it seems early - but crafting for Christmas starts now!!! Otherwise it never gets done!!!

'til next time.

Cxxxxx

So much to make......

Hello All!!
Have just had a couple of days off from work. Supposed to recharge the batteries I suppose, but I find it difficult to sit and do nothing. Especially when I have so much craft stuff sitting there waiting to be made.

Being such a freak about organisation, I got it into my head that I needed to do a full inventory of all the things I currently have in my stash just waiting to be made.

It was quite scary really - boxes, candles, mirror frames, coasters, bookmarks, notepads, wall hangings, fridge magnets, keyrings - a total of over 200 items!!! I have a problem just buying a couple of anything. If I see it and I think it can be turned into something good, I generally buy a minimum of 6 - depending on the price of course!!! On top of that there's also over 200 cards ready and waiting to be made up!! And that doesn't even go near all the card, paper, paint, glitter, ink, gilding flakes...... etc etc that I have lying around!!

Not content with all of that, I have also decided to make up some samples. With my comissioned cards, I have decided to add a couple more options into the mix. I have always just offered an envelope or a decorated, two piece box. I am now intending to have two options in between. Both are "enveloboxes" (made with the Crafter's Companion Envelobox Board). Enveloboxes are basically 3D envelopes. I intend to have a plain option or a decorated option. It won't be as highly decorated as a two piece box, so will be cheaper. So I have started making up some samples of cards, enveloboxes, and boxes for all the sizes of cards I do for commissions - just a little job then!!! As if I don't have enough else to be getting on with.

I have a commission I am working on at the moment - and am experimenting with something new for me - embossing paste!! Watch this space and I'll let you know how I get on.

The picture at the top is of a Sheena Douglass inspired Paint Fusion set I made for my best friend. All the items were crackled using Wilkinson tester pot "Leaves in Fall", PVA glue, and Wilkinson tester pot "Magnolia". The butterflies were stamped using the exclusive stamp set, and painted using Eco Green Paints - Bronze and Raspberry. The flowers are from the Berries stamp set painted in Eco Green White and Tomato, with Sunflower and Mulch for the centres. And the foliage is also from the Berries set, painted in Pebeo Forest Green and Antique Green. The distressed look was achieved using Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Brushed Corduroy, and the edges of the canvas, mountboard and bookmark were embossed with Copper embossing powder.

The Friendship stamp was from Sheena's set, and the name was stamped using individual alphabet stamps - both embossed in Copper.

The mountboard with the name on, was put onto a card - I just forgot to take a photo of it after I'd made it!!!

Well, am going to sign off here. Have more Paint Fusion items to share - but won't bore you all in one go!!!

Cxxxx