ooooh.....i got a comment from......

elsie flannigan herself!! she likes that pink and orange necklace i made too!! ;0) see it here if you missed it.
thanks for dropping by elsie!

have you seen this...you will want to!!!

do you ever check out Elsie's blog *a beautiful mess*? she has some guest bloggers from time to time...and this week she has the fabulous Amy Cluck from *style crush* click the link for her super simple necklace tutorial...i immediately had to go and make one for myself {did it in front of the leaders' debate...highbrow crafting at *a good life* today!

anyho...i can't stop long...i want to go make 20 more!! lol go on...you know you want to! :0)

are your stamps speedy stamps?

remember my Valentine card for his nibs? i mentioned that i'd made the stamp myself...and i thought you might like to know how...


making stationary using hand carved stamps was one of Elsie's Style School projects and it used a product i've not come across before...soft pink rubber called *speedy stamp*...basically its just like lino cutting, but much easier as the rubbery stuff is soft...no need to suffer for this kind of cutting!

i didn't make stationary...but i easily could have...and i didn't make bows and diamonds...although they were really sweet...i made this one above...and some trees in frames!

the second tree fits into the frame...but by cutting it out i can use them either together...or separately...two for the price of one...and you must know how much i like a bargain! ;0)

here are a couple of tags i've made for scrapping using the two stamps...wadda ya think?

***hints***

1} i used my lino cutting tools as i like them better than the stamping ones as they have a hole in the handle to let the cuttings out...if you're going to buy some tools for this technique...i really recommend you look for this feature!

2} transferring your designs is so simple with this rubber...just draw your design on paper and lay face down over the rubber...then rub all over with your finger nail and it transfers by magic!

3} remember that your design will be reversed when you stamp it...so if you're using letters you have to reverse them to get them the right way round when you stamp them!!

hope you're having a good week...alix

a rather corny post...so what's new? ;0)

i've been playing at Style School over the weekend...and this latest project was a *quote pillow*...Elsie's were super sweet...but as usual...well this course is all about our own personal style, right?...i decided i had enough pillows for now {i know the hubby will not believe this either lol!} so i thought about what i did need...and turned mine into a corn bag...like a wheat bag...but with corn in!!
because the fabric is tie-dyed...by me...and the weather is grotty its tricky to show...so here are a couple of shots! basically i took a tie-dyed square and embroidered my quote *its sort of comforting...* in orange thread...i then added a starbust in purple thread, an orange fabric flower and sewed a scuffed up button in the middle...easy.

{the quote is winnie the pooh...he's talking about honey...but when i'm in pain...trust me...a heat bag is like manna from heaven for me!! }


the fabric i used on the reverse of the bag is from an old table runner that my MIL made when she was a little girl...i was never going to use it as it was...but now i will see it all the time ;0)

i've also shown a close up of my closing stitches...when i'm making something in this shabby chic style...i like to see that it is handmade so i don't attempt to hide my stitches...but for those of you who are perfectionists out there...elsie has a tip: just glue the opening with fabric glue!! *shhhh....i won't tell if you don't*


and while we're on the subject of corny things...i thought i'd show you this enormous bag that i made for my hubby a couple of christmases ago...

front:

back:

this one is truly enormous...he suffers from pain in his back and especially aroung his neck...the usual wheat bags weren't really cutting much mustard as they are not really long enough for neck pain...so i trimmed down a pair of cordroy trousers and made this one from one leg...it is huge...and you can wear it like a scarf...ideal if you do have a bad neck!

***hint***

if you're making a large bag like this one...don't fill it as full as you might a small square one...or it will be really heavy...and that is not *sort of comforting...*

if you've made any of these...i'd love a link to see them...

toodle~ooooooo!

where did you get out today?

apologies to all who have contact with me today...i seem to have gotten out of bed well and truly on the *wrong side* so i will keep this brief for fear of offending anyone!!

firstly, here is the cosmetic purse i've made in response to style school yesterday...Elsie's was a felt owl and mine is a fleece scallopy affair...but its super soft and most suitable for transporting things that could get scratched...like my sun~specs...or i may just use if for make~up...haven't decided yet...the red fleece is from an old top i used to wear...


and while i'm on the subject of little purses...i don't remember showing you this one...Rosie gave me the lime green pocket {possibly from a Scrapagogo kit?}...and some of the felt shapes for Christmas last year...well...i made it into a cute kiddie purse...by adding extra die cut felt shapes {i do love my big shot}...some buttons...the cord from a torn gift bag...and a little bit of stitched writing...all i need now is a little girl to love it!


ok...off to look for my better nature...hoping under the pillow or somewhere where i'll find it fairly soon...*grrrrrr's under her breath in a most unattractive way* ;0)

hope you're having a better day than me...and be back tomorrow all smiles, no doubt!

tooled up and ready for action!

well....here it is...the apron i started before Christmas as a gift to my sister...but then decided it just wasn't *her* has had a little makeover courtesy of Leigh~Ann's toolbelt apron project in Style School!

i had already made the basic apron with the pockets and the appliqued flowers...

but now i've added three bookrings suspended from ribbon loops attached with gromlets to hang tools like DSST and my rotary cutter...

****hint****

if you decide to have a go at this...see how i've made the ribbon lengths different to allow tools to hang more comfortably?

on the other side i've added a lush velvet ribbon loop to stash my scissors...and just to finish it off i have embroidered my signature too...dotting the i with a cute flower shaped eyelet!

now...i must go and created something...i am ready for anything! lol

busy...busy...like a little buzzing bee!

ta daaaaa...I have completed Scrapdolly's second prompt of the year...this one was all about our *aims* for the coming year...i intend to spend this year focussing on and achieving some of my goals...and not letting the usual things limit me {wherever possible}...so here is what i've created:

i've used no pp's for this page...just lots of stamps and inks and mica powders...and pretty much every kind of embellishment i adore! in contrast to last weeks' subdued colours and content...this is a super bright, breezy and busy, busy page...i've used one of my wedding photos because that was a day when i didn't let anything hold me back...i certainly went for it that day!

these little gift boxes are my way of giving some of the enamel effect flowers to my loved ones as little presents...if i love you...one may well be coming your way soon!! ;0) i think they look super cute!

next we have another project from Style School...although again...its a bit tricky to recognise it as such...the original was a wire hanger wrapped in wool with polariods trimmed with ribbon clipped to bits of wool dangling and a pom pom...

mine is another of my wedding photos {seem to be feeling quite loved up atm!!} and two pics from the honeymoon...i've acutally been planning this in my head for some time...the hanger is a sumptuous gold silk covered one that came with my *wedding night nightie*... the ribbons are recycled from the table decorations at the reception and the lace is left over from the album i did of my sister & BIL's wedding...

this gold rose is one of the Tim Holtz style grungeboard roses that we made at Dyan's weekend in Harrogate...it was red and grey with doodling on it...but i painted it to make it match the colour scheme in our bedroom...

and these panels were my *genius moment* lol these fabric sections are the swatches for our new headboad...to which i've added a metal frame...some bling...i've sewn on a couple of mother of pearl type buttons from my box...and the little bows are the hanging ribbons from the nightie...the whole thing is then suspendedfrom a length of
yummy velvet ribbon.

i'm really pleased with this one :0) it soo reminds me of our special day...and in case you can't read it...the little tag a the top reads *remember this day always* in my handwriting...

hope you like these projects...i'd love to hear your opinions...and i hope to be back soon with more to share!

Style School!!

Hi everyone! Thanks for the lovely comments on my last post...you girlies really cheer me along from day to day, so thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with me :0)

now...i promised details of Elsie and Leigh-Ann's Style School class that i'm taking...but i've been hit hard by a monster migraine this week...so i'm a bit behind i'm afraid...but thankfully the classes are generally fairly cute but quick makes...so i will catch up!!

the first class was a wreath project, wrapped in wool and decorated with flowers made from a double layer of PP and acetate...to make them shiny like vintage broaches...here is my version:

i am a rubbish student it would seem...i didn't use a wreath...i didn't make the PP&acetate flowers...and i didn't wrap the whole thing in wool lol...so what did i do? well...i made my faux enamel flowers {as i love to do} by dipping PP flowers into UTEE using my melt-pot and layering up...adding a few buttons and bits of bling...i used simple photograph frames as the *wreath* part {these are to become a part of a wall display i'm already working on for my lounge} and i painted them with Distress Paint...one is wrapped in string and one has small sections of ribbon tied to it...then i adhered the flowers to the frames with silicone glue. Easy...and i must say...i love them...even hubby likes them and has already allowed them up on the wall!! ;0)

when i get the Melt Pot out i like to make lots of things while i'm about it...so i have plenty more of these sort of flowers to appear on a blog near you soon!

project number 2 is a wall art display hanger...and i hope to complete it today *wish me luck*

hope you enjoy seeing what i've done so far...and stay tuned...i will have lots more fun projects to share over the next 6 weeks!

toooo many classes all at once...

...i've gone a little bit challenge and class crazy again for the New Year...and i'm suffering a little bit from the stress and excitement of it...but once my head clears i'll be sharing all sorts of different things and this should be a really fun year for me...and for you if you'd like to hang around too!

this first LO is from a page map sketch Katy challenged us to use in our team...the original sketch can be seen here ...as usual it didn't end up looking much like the sketch...but i did use it as the starting point...and for a change...i'm really pleased with the end result! ;0)



this secone LO is only an 8x8...but has taken me more than a week to complete...mainly because i was a bit scared of doing the writing...scared of what might come tumbling out...but in the end i managed to keep it fairly upbeat and positive ...which is how i generally try to be! it is inspired by the first prompt in scrapdolly's 52 in 10 project...see all the details here

i'm also signed up to do Elsie's style school...but more of that tomorrow!!

oh and in case its passed you by...its still snowing out there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;0)

a little something to keep you busy over christmas..

...if you fancy a peek at the online class I just took with Elsie, and lots of inspiration...check out this link!!!

Happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year to everyone out there!

xxx

a little bit of elsie's cuteness...

Did i mention that i'm taking elsie's online class atm? well, her extreme level of cuteness appears to be rubbing off on me...and taking her teddy dolls as inspiration...i've made a cute bear and accessories!

Elsie's class is so much fun, with all sorts of random items and ideas all thrown in together in her usual kooky way! And these felt projects are so well timed for me, as I'm totally in love with felt and fabrics atm...especially the yummy soft leather that Rosie donated to me...if only there were enough hours in the day when I was awake enough to craft! ;)

check this out...

Have you seen this month's Craft Stamper magazine yet? There are quite a few of my designs in this month...and for those of you that liked them...there is an extra bonus project on the Craft Stamper Blog! http://craftstamper.blogspot.com/

What else is happening today? Well, its Elsie Flannigan's birthday today and she has some cool news on her blog...and I'm sitting back making a few cute things inspired by her online classes. My sister and I are also making Christmas decs, which is fun :)

the trouble with this time of year...

...is that most of the crafting is Christmas related...and not to be shared until the big day!! lol

I'm enjoying it tho...hope you are too!

Oooh yes...and I'm doing an online course with the wonderful Elsie Flannigan so I'm very excited about getting going with some of her kooky ideas!!