Window No. 2

Is me! I told you it would be. You can make these Lucky Pennies into Flowers or Stars.

I did originally intend to make a new one every Christmas for Benjamin but......... There is still time to catch up.

Its December!

Here is another quilted photo frame. This one is Sunflowers and Ladybirds. I have used the "Sun" with a big button to make the Sunflower and the "Pansy" leaves with added stalks to make the leaves. The stem is a crocheted cord that is used for Romanian Lace.

Christmas Frames

I have finished the Christmas Frames.

I have decorated the tree with ribbon, beads and bells so that it tinkles. This is the landscape version - done in gold trimmings. The Angel and the pressies are from my Christmas Earrings pattern. The mistletoe is something I designed just for these and will be adding to my site as a free pattern asap.

This is the portrait version, all decorated with silver trimmings. The star is from my Christmas Earrings pattern. However, you can use the free one on my site just as effectively.

Quilted Layouts

I have finished the two girl ones!

Well, almost. I wrapped these around an 8x8 pad of cardstock to display them as I don't yet have the proper frames. But I couldn't wait to share them! The other thing I need are some decent tags to tie on. These are for the babys details.

They are based on a scrapbooking style. I have used painted silk instead of patterned paper and (mostly) crocheted embellishments. They is finished off with some baby buttons and seed beads. They are 8 inches square and made to fit 5x3½ inch photos.

Now I have to get the frames to finish them properly and decided on a price to sell them at.

The Lady in the flower shop said to keep them under £20 which is why I have done them small. The thing is, how much under?

I have enjoyed making these. I just hope I enjoy making the others I have planned as much!

I think I am going to do the poppy ones next!

More ATCs

Have to say, I have been having a great time making these!

This is my latest lot of ATCs. And there are a whole load more in the process. Yes, they take a lot of work but I really like the original idea of them being miniatures of your art work. As my artwork is crochet and silk painting, that is what I do.

I could probably make 10 times as many if I did them with paper and glue - but that just isn't me. Anyway, as I was doing these I came up with another idea. What about bigger versions that I could maybe sell?

After thinking about this some more and then chatting to the lady in the flower shop who displays some of my work, I came up with this. It is 8x8 quilted scrapbooking layout and made to fit a 5x3½ photo. It isn't finished yet, I need some pink baby buttons and I haven't beaded it yet. Yes, its pink! Its very pink!!!!!!

But I didn't have any pale blue fabric to make a boy one and I had a whole pile of pink stuff made for the "Scrapping for Babies".

Besides, I am not planning on keeping it and there are plenty of baby girls around.

However, I am quite pleased with the result so far.

And I have another pile in all different colours to get done yet!

"Real" Scrapping!

I managed to get those photos sorted!

This is the layout for the Shooting Star, the first in the set of 3 along the Stars and Rainbows theme. Those handmade silk papers I bought are gorgeous! They are made from recycled garments so are perfect for the layouts.

I crocheted a shooting star to match the one in the silk painting and stitched the beads on to some handmade paper. This is the second one I did. When the lady picked up the first one she decided she wanted 3 different ones instead of 3 the same. This gave me a bit of a dilemma - but also a chance to experiment.

I had never tried crochet on any of my silks before but it worked really well. I re-created one of the stars for the layout. I also stitched some of the beads on to the paper again and used more of the silk papers. I wasn't so happy with the third silk - but she likes it.

I was trying to re-create the effect at the bottom of a waterfall in stars. I made loads of crocheted ones in rainbow colours for the silk, which I also used on the layout.

I stitched a rainbow on to the silk paper in the beads I used on the silk. The Snowdrops are still a W.I.P. I have made the embellishments but need to wait until I get some green handmade paper for them.

My CRB check for the new job STILL has not been received by the CRB and the cheque I wrote has STILL not cleared. I am beginning to think that somebody doesn't want me there!

I have been scrapping!

"Real" Scrapping as well!

Unfortunately, they are not quite finished so you are going to have to wait to see them!

But you can see the digi ones I was sorting out my photos to send off for printing for my A-Z album, when I decided to digi scrap A. Part of the reason is to use the digi versions to "plan" the real versions. And part of it is because I want a digi album to share as well. I can put it on to a cd or online and it will look so much nicer than photos of the real one.

I have also used the journalling blocks from this and added them to the photos to be printed so that I can use them in the real one. This is A for Abbey. There were loads of photos and info for it that I ended up with a double one. The "Real" scrapping is for my Silk Album. I was going to wait until I sent off the other photo to do it but changed my mind.

Sorting out the photos gave me the urge to scrap so I printed them off myself. Besides, I wanted some of them bigger than 6x4 so I couldn't use the free ones anyway.

I have crocheted the bits I need for the embellies and am in the process of making the beaded embellies. I decided to stitch them on to the paper, rather than making wired ones for the rainbows.

I think I will be making a wired Snowdrop one though.

If all goes to plan I will have the Rainbow ones finished very soon and get the photos taken.

Unfortunately, I couldn't do the Snowdrops as I don't have any green handmade paper.

Also, until I start this job, I don't have any money to get some.

They are going to have to wait!

Loads of Brads!

Look what I got in the post today! Loads of lovely Brads in exchange for some crocheted Ladybirds. Rebecca asked me if there was anything in particular I wanted, so I told her I always have to go and raid Lesleys brads. There are also some rather pretty beads. Also, I am in Scrapbook Inspirations this month!

Somebody entered a layout using my crocheted Rainbow. Unfortunately there is only my UKS user name and not my site addy, but at least I am in there!

Now to find a copy......

Stash!

I have been getting loads of lovely stash in the post.

No, I haven't been on a spending spree!

Would I?

This is from my crochet embellishment swap.

Mandi sure knows the way to my heart. Loads of lovely beads and buttons for me to play with. I am seriously tempted to take up this Fimo thing to make my own, they are so much more fun to crochet with than the stuff you can buy. I would also be able to make the holes a bit bigger to make them easier to crochet with.

And look at all this stash Tinkerbelle sent me. Far too much but I am not complaining. I love the hand made cards but I doubt very much that they will end up being used for cards as they are perfect for my Silk Album. I have another swap to get done and in the post for next week. I did tell her Monday but, of course, its a Bank Holiday so it will have to be Tuesday.

I have finished the lower case letters. And what is more, they are all added to mys site, including the doodling! The page still needs a bit more work as I need to add the numbers to it and the link for the free pattern. I also plan to convert this lot to digi and add the downloads to the page.

I redid the "Exhibition" for my Silk Album. I had to squash it in a bit because the new letters are bigger than the old ones. I am still pleased with it though.

And I need to add a "?" to this page so that I have all the punctuation on one page. Just like British Rail, I am getting there!

Dragonflies finished!

Well, almost. I still have to finish backing them which I will do today. Then, this evening I have to staple the backing on.

Then I need to scrap them to go in my album. I have some off cuts of silk from putting them on the frame and plenty of thread and beads to use on the page. I might even try to make a beaded dragonfly to show the beads I used. I suddenly realised this morning that I had not made the desktop calender for May. So, as I was editing the pics of the dragonflies anyway, I decided to use them.

They look really good on my desktop. If you fancy them on yours, just click on the pic on the left to download.

And I had some good news yesterday. I found out that one of my smaller lilies has sold! That means a total of two. I have (almost) finished the new winter. That just needs backing as well ready to staple tonight.

I have to go to the Angle Theatre in Wisbech and pick up the others tomorrow morning. The friend who was going to take me phoned me really upset yesterday. Her car got stolen so she can't. However, she has asked her hubby to take us all up and he has kindly agreed. I am even more pleased I decided to do this silk for her now, it will cheer her up!.

Make Your Own Designer Labels

My new iron on t-shirt transfers arrived this morning to I made more labels. I need some to do on the back of the new Winter and the Dragonflies.

I thought, that as I was doing them anyway, I might as well take some pics and post the instructions.

All you need to do this is some cotton tape which is readily available from most haberdasheries and some printable iron on t-shirt transfers.

First of all, buy your cotton tape so that you know what size to make your label.

Next, design your label. Keep it as simple and clear as possible. Remember it is going to be quite small so it need to be easily read. The height of it also needs to be just a little smaller than the cotton tape.

MOST IMPORTANT!!!!!! Remember to flip your label over before continuing.

Fit as many of them as you can on to an A4 sheet. The more you fit on, the cheaper it works out. Don’t forget to allow for printer margins. Alternatively, if you doing it in a photo program, fill the whole sheet then use the “fit to page” option.

Cut the labels into individual pieces.

Following the manufacturers instructions, iron on to the tape. Make sure you leave a gap between each label to be able to fold over the raw edges to sew on.

Remove the backing.

Cut into individual labels.

And I couldn't be so cruel as to make Mandi Jane wait any longer so......

Here are some pictures of what I did with some lovely hand made beads Mandi Jane sent me as a pressie. I used black crochet thread so that they will match the new t-shirt I am working on. The finished set..

Close up of the necklace.

Close up of the earring.

And me wearing them!

Things can only get better!

And they did!

I managed to sort out some of the web site mess, even if it did mean redoing half of the page. However, now that it is done, the book marks work on the scrolling banner and I am really pleased with it. I now have to sort out the other pages.

Then my friend asked me if I would like a trip out to Tesco. Not that exciting really, until you know she was planning the one that is only a short drive away from CTM! Well, of course, I said yes.

I didn't buy anything there but I did get a mag in Tesco.

I also started the Dragonflies so here is a sneaky peak! I decided on the brown thread with the bronze filament for the body and the light rainbow thread for the wings. I did start adding beads in on the wings but they didn't look right. I will finish quilting them then see where to add the beads.

And to nicely finish things off, my new magnetic catches arrived in the post this morning. Considering that I only paid for them Thursday evening, that was REALLY quick delivery!

This means that I have finished the choker and now need to do the earrings. I am sure Mandijane is waiting very impatiently to see what I have done with her beads.