Thursday 29 September 2016

Little elephants...

Good morning crafty peeps.

I thought I would share my little bag I made last week. I fell in love with the pattern when I saw it at the Bobbin Patch, and must say, I am really pleased how it has turned out.


You can see it has a little quilting on there, the most successful bit I've  done to date. Lol. There is also a little bit of applique on there.
Now, applique is something I learned to do when I was 10 and at junior school, where we were given a crafty project to plan and make. I did applique. Loved it and still do.

Here is the back of the bag. The  theme carries on with the little elephant being stitched on the back.


It was 'sew' cute and a joy to make. I hope you like it too. Xx

Stop focusing on the past.....

Good evening all.... 

After a couple of days of busy-ness, I thought I would sit for a while and share a little post that I found a while ago... don't ask me where, but I copied it and pasted it onto my laptop... and here it is. If anyone recognises it, can you please let me know so I can give credit to the original post?

I really love inspirational quotes. Ones that make you think. Sometimes we can get so wrapped up in the 'moment' that we forget to look at everything else. Focusing on the bad things, and never looking towards the good, the future or whatever it is that you are hoping for. 

I hope that this makes you think about not focusing on one thing, one experience, but looking past the things that hold you up in life and get you where you want to be. 

Enjoy!

Imagine walking through a lovely meadow. The sun shining. Looking up at a beautiful sky. Bright blue, lots of fluffy white clouds drifting by. Butterflies fluttering amongst the buttercups and daisies. Your fingers brushing the tips of the long grass as you walk.....and then suddenly, you stumble.

You manage to catch yourself after faltering for a bit. You dust yourself down, and keep on walking, admiring the beautiful surroundings. You stumble again, this time falling into a deep, unmarked pit. You keep falling and falling, grabbing out and flailing wildly to try and get a grip on something, anything. After what seems like forever, you stop your slide downwards and hit rock bottom. You are exhausted from your sudden and unexpected decent into darkness.

Before you know where you are, and what has happened, you are at the bottom of a deep hole with no idea how you got there or how to get out. You can see a chink of light in the top, but its quite far away, and you cant trust that the chink of light is the only way out, but you claw towards it anyway, even though you are exhausted and bruised and battered from your fall.

Its a lonely time in this hole. Only you and the darkness. You couldnt see anyone else even if they were there, because of the darkness and coldness of your environment. But once you realise where you are, you know you have to clamber out and,` if you are lucky, someone will pass by and offer a hand of help to pull you out.

Despite being exhausted, and bruised and battered, you clamber you way to the top, and you finally make your way out of the hole. Yet you are still shocked and stunned by what happened. How could you miss such a big hole in front of you? Why couldnt you see it coming? How come no-one before you has fallen into this hole (you think) and not thought to block it up? Many people before you has managed to walk through the meadow without falling into this pit, why couldnt you have seen it coming, or prevented it, or just had a better journey?

You are stood, standing in this beautiful meadow, but all you can think about is the dark hole that you have just fallen into and clambered out of, how sore and aching your body is, and how tired you are. The beauty around you means nothing for a while. But you are grateful to be out, and you realise you should appreciate the beautiful surroundings.

You keep walking, but you find yourself no longer admiring the sky, the clouds, the butterflies, the flowers. You are busy looking at your feet. Concentrating hard, because, you dont want to fall into another pit, and waylaid by your aching bones and tired body.

You lose sight of all the beautiful things around you because you are continuing your journey looking only down at the ground, on alert for danger. You dont appreciate the sky, the clouds, the flowers, the butterflies, because you are too scared of falling down another hole, you still have the bruises from the last fall.

You are terrified that, if you take your eyes off terra firma for a moment, you could slip down that hole again and you wont find your way out so easily this time.


It is a long, lonely journey, spent staring at the ground, before you trust your surroundings, and your instincts enough again to appreciate your journey, and realise its beauty. To wander through the meadow staring at the beautiful blue sky and fluffy white clouds.

Tuesday 27 September 2016

Dogs, dogs, dogs....

You know... there's so much that I love about life, I can't begin to tell you.... but when it comes to my furry friends - or not so furry in the case of my goldfish!!! - then dogs and cats have to be up there with the best. Since we have been together, Mr P and I have never been without our furry friends. He had a cat called Lucy when I met him, and she had babies which gave us a large ginger and white tom, called Thomas. Yes, I know... very original

When we married we got our first doggie, a beautiful dobermann called Tasha. She was our baby, but unfortunately she died aged 6months old. A day permanently etched in our memory forever more. 

Since then, we have had a few woofers, a few more cats, as well you know if you are a regular reader of my blog, and we now have three spaniels, two cats and three fish. All very spoilt, but all very loved. 

So when my crafty friend Pamela showed me the Crazy Cats collection of stamps from Tim Holtz, I immediately fell in love and saw some quirky things that our cats did. Albeit, I never had chance to sit and stamp, then colour them in as I had too much 'other stuff' to do. Obviously that has changed in the past few weeks, and I am starting to enjoy my crafting again for me - finding things that I have scurried away for a rainy day.. 

Pamela also showed me her new collection of Crazy Dogs... of course, I had to have them and invested in the stamps and the matching dies for these. I got them from my lovely friend Donald who owns Craft World Scotland, and I must add what fantastic delivery he does too!!! Ordered one day, delivery the next. 

So... these dies were put to one side and last week I got them out and coloured them up. This is what I came out with. Very simple cards, but I hope you like them. 


I chose to use some lovely papers from the Santoro pack to have as my base on my card. The layers were cut on my Scan and Cut, which made it so simple to do whilst I got on with the important part of colouring my image! If you don't have the Scan and Cut, I can give you dimensions for the matting and layering, please leave me a comment to ask. 

The pens I used to colour this little fella are Promarkers and they are listed under Single Dog at the end of the post. I chose an olive green ribbon to go down the side of the card and the wording was also cut on the Scan and Cut. Just a simple 'Hello' as I don't often put sentiments on my cards. 


In the centre of the ribbon bow is a button that I got in a pack from Hobbycraft. I just snipped off the back loop from the button (not too close as you don't want the top bead popping out!) and used hot glue to fix it into place on the ribbon. I finished off the little guy with white gel pen and a fine line of blue highlight around to add some depth. I added some Nuvo drops to the corners as my little gems. 



This card is not as simple as the first one, as I had to do some masking off and stamping over with different stamps. If you haven't done this technique before, just ask, and I will try to do a little video tutorial for you. 

I used promarkers to colour the animals in - two from the dog set and a cat from the Crazy Cats. I am just in love with the characters of the animals - I can see elements of the stamps in my dogs and cats here - all crazy.. but cute!


The background was cut on the Scan and Cut again, using one of the Christmas corners from the USB. I cut it four times and joined them in the centres. Again, I used the machine to do the mats and layers and also the wording for the card. 


You can see where I have used the white gel pen on the images to add a few highlights. I also went around the outside of the inner frame with a red pen to doodle a little interior framework. This was because the doggy had a red collar on and I hadn't included any red anywhere in the card. This just sorta finishes it off. 

Well... that's it for now... I will be back to show you a few other things I've been upto... but for now, here's the shopping list for the things I used. Happy Crafting everyone!!!

SHOPPING LIST - SINGLE DOG

Momento Ink - Rich Cocoa Brown  (available from the Craft Barn)
Santoro Paper Pack - GOR 160109 (Available from Stuff for Crafts )
 Stampers Anonymous CMS5271 Tim Holtz  - Crazy Dogs (Available from Craft World)
Promarkers - (Available from Art of Craft)
Raw Sienna, Cocoa, Burnt Sienna, Marsh Green, 
Pear Green, Cool Grey 5, Baby Pink, Antique Pink 
White gel pen
Black card stock
White base card 8 x 8 inches
Offcut of green ribbon
One fancy button
Black Nuvo Drops or black pearl gems

SHOPPING LIST FOR GROUP CARD

Momento Ink - Rich Cocoa Brown (as above)
Stampers Anonymous CMS 5271 Tim Holtz Crazy Dogs (as above)
Stampers Anonymous CMS 251 Tim Holtz  Crazy Cats (follow link as above)
Post it notes to use for masking of stamps
Promarkers (available from Art of Craft, as above)
Sandstone, Cinnamon, Henna, Cool Grey 1, Cool Grey 3, Cool Grey 5
Red Poppy, Leaf Green, Marsh Green, Denim Blue, Mustard, Gold
Raw Sienna, Baby Pink, Antique Pink
Black card 
White card blank 8 x 8 inches
Red fineliner pen
White gel pen

Monday 26 September 2016

A little bit of prettiness.

Hello again...

Crafting influx here we come!

As I said previously, having a little bit of spare time on my hands has meant that I've been able to look at all the stash I have in my room - clear a little bit out for charity, sort some out to sell, and regain a bit of space! - and get crafting doing things I've missed for a while.

I've had a new sewing machine sat in my room alongside the new overlocker that's never seen light of day since I bought it, and I decided to get it out. Do some sewing and get creative. I want to make a quilt. I tried - disaster. So. I decided to make a doll. On the second attempt (after the initial "I know what I'm doing, let's just get her cut out!") I read the instructions, followed them religiously and she turned out pretty well if I say so myself.


She was a kit from the Bobbin Patch, and was very easy to make (once you read the instructions. lol)
This dolly was called Totti, But I think I prefer to call her Dolly. She has a sweet little face with painted details, so is perfectly safe for kiddies too. I opted to use some acrylic paints that I picked up from the Works - just a cheap set - but you could use any acrylics you have at home.


I chose not to paint on her black shoes, as I like her stripy stockings just the way they are. She even has little bloomers on under her skirt - sweet or what?!

The dress is also very easy to make, and the pattern pieces and instructions are really easy to follow - but remember to read them and take note of the seam allowances. Some are included and some are not.

So, I will leave you with little dolly Totti, and get on with uploading another bit of crafty stuff that I have been making.

Until next time - Happy Crafting all!!!

Thursday 22 September 2016

It's been a while.... so let's get this started again....

Oh dear... my poor, neglected little bloglet.

I didn't realise it was quite so long since I had been on here to do anything at all with it! So, for those who are still hanging on in the vague hope that I may one day post something again - here you are! And THANK YOU for staying and being faithful to my blog (even if I do feel like I abandoned it!)

As it's been quite a while, I guess there's lots to tell you - DD graduating from uni to become a fantastic nurse (if I say so myself - and she moved to Manchester *sad mummy*), my other DD becoming a besotted mummy to our latest little Grandfurry, Charlie the pupster. A wonderful holiday to Somerset, lots of furry playtimes and snuggles, lots of crafting *ahem* and new windows!

See, the list is never ending now!!!

So. Where to begin.

Well, as you may have guessed, I left my job at Tonic at the beginning of the month, so time has been my own since then. It's taken a little bit of getting used to - watching tv, playing researching on my phone for a new hobby, and having lots of cuddles with baby Charlie the pup. Here he is, looking adorable.



 This was taken in his garden, at home where he lives with mummy and daddy Austin - Lannon. He's well at home, apart from the fact that Daddy Lannon plants nice flowers and shrubs and little C decides to pull and chew at them... bad puppy!


But who could resist that cute little sweetie smile?!


He often goes around to see his Uncle Leyton and Aunty Carly... and also sees his Aunty Carley here when she comes back from Manchester. But his all time favourite pastime is being good and acting really cute to get treats for his big cousins!


He is such a little cutie. And he loves his nanna and grandaddy lots. Even if it is just for the water bowl after a long walk, and a few treats along the way!

Well... I think that's enough waffling from me for now... I will share a few things that I've been making, and try to update my blog layout so things are a little easier to find from now on. 

I'm on a roll I tell thee.... I'm on a roll!!!
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