Jewellery updates

...and I've done a bit on the jewellery front too, although I'd like to concentrate a bit more in this field and get my online shops on MISI and Folksy up and running soon.

Recent ATCs

Here are some of the ATCs I've made over the past few months....

Catching up

I've been very remiss in posting my makes recently as I have been busy with my new job, but I've not been idle on the crafting front either.  Here are a few of my fat pages from the past few months' Crafts Beautiful forum swaps...

More ATCs

I made these ATCs this afternoon to send to those ladies who took part in the Crafts Beautiful Cross Stitch ATC swap this month. They are a bit of an eclectic mixture of styles and themes, but then that's me!!

Latest Makes

I've been whipping up quite a few makes for the Crafts Beautiful swaps and there have been a few birthdays this month too.  I was particularly pleased with the ice cream sundae, which is for the daughter of a friend and is the first time I've used acetate in a card too.  The cross stitch ATCs and the Easter themed ATCs are for this month's Crafts Beautiful swaps.

Jewellery Challenge - Easter Bonus

This is my entry to the Jewellery Challenge Easter Bonus challenge part 2, a corsage I made from beads and ribbons from the swaps that are doing the rounds on the Crafts Beautiful forum at the moment. Its amazing how inspiration strikes so quickly when you tip out a bag of goodies onto the work table, maybe I should work that way more often!

I have been dying to have a go with the DMC Desire wire for ages so I bought a reel but didn't really know what I was going to use it for, then it all came together and I used it for the stamens of the flower.

Uber Amazing Award

Thank you so much Susan for giving me a blog award. I am really thrilled that you enjoy my ramblings, I never really thought that anyone would be interested!

"This award is given to blogs which:- inspire you- make you smile and laugh- or maybe give amazing information- a great read~ have an amazing design- and any other reasons you can think of that makes them uber amazing! The rules of this award are: Put the logo on your blog sidebar or post. Nominate at least 5 blogs (can be more) that for you are Uber Amazing and let them know. Share the love and link to this this post and to the person you received your award from!"

In turn I nominate the following blogs for the award:

Flippinpest
Rachel
Liz
Susie
Carolyn (another one!)

Blog Award

Thank you Susan for this lovely award; it really made my day. Please pop over and visit her lovely blog.

Here are the Rules:
1. The winner may put the logo on their blog.
2. Put a link to the person who sent you the award.
3. Nominate 10 blogs.
4. Put links to their blogs.

5. Leave a message for your nominees.

I would like to pass this award onto:

Rleen, Debbie, Chick84, Aims, Scattie, Sue, Maggie,, Jacquie, Jewellery Challenge, DivineChoice

Thank you all for your inspirational blogs xx

More CB swaps - jewellery and fat page

I have just finished my green and gold bracelet for the Crafts Beautiful March jewellery swap and the first of (I hope) a new swap, fat pages.  I made the bracelet with some of the beads I won in Artyme's seed beed challenge a few weeks ago (the green ones) and memory wire.

I really enjoyed making my first ever fat page; the theme was flowers and I wanted a vintage rose effect.  Some of the lace and ribbons came from the embellishment swap a few weeks ago and I had this project in mind at the time.  I had my fingers crossed that flowers would win the poll!  I love it when a plan comes together!

Yippee!!

I won!!  I  won the 5th jewellery challenge (see below) with my Swarovski crystal set in lilacs and silver.  The competition was stiff with lots of beautiful entries and I am just thrilled to bits. 

Some swap makes

My makes for two of March's Crafts Beautiful Forum swaps.

The theme for the bookmark is bright spring colours, so I chose a paper I was given in a RAK as a starting point, the cut some letters on my Craft Robo in Jokerman font and added some diecut tulips I have had for ages and some gems.

The theme for this month's ATC swap is Animals.  I made some fluffy flocked sheep (and clouds to match - the sheep are on a cream base and the clouds are white) and a cute Highland cow from some rugwool I have had for mumblety-mumble years wrapped round some card.

Two swaps down then, I still need to do the jewellery swap, also I need to think about the cross stitch ATC swap for next month and a fat page for another new swap.  I've never made fat pages before, they are 4"x4" and heavily embellished (hence fat!) so I think I'll have to have a practice go first.  The theme is Flowers and I have got a couple of ideas floating round my head already.

Entry for Jewellery Challenge # 5

This is my entry for the Jewellery Challenge Blogspot's 5th challenge 

They are made from silver tubes and Swarovski bicone and top-drilled bicones in Tanzanite, Violet and Violet Opal.  The ear wires have tiny Tanzanite crystals inset into them too.  I made the set to go with my purple velvet party dress, and they really do catch the light when I wear them.

A lucky few days

I have been incredibly lucky in the last few days - I was given a prize by Maroulita for entering her "What's Cooking Challenge!, I was one of the winners in Artyme's Seed Bead Challenge and then to cap it all won a prize in the Cupcake Challenge (all on the Crafts Beautiful Forum), which included some super Stampin' Up stamp sets and ink pads, papers, card blanks and a Cosmic Shimmer spray set.  And I have been given so many wonderfuk RAKs by the lovely ladies who took part in the February card swap too.  I didn't think I'd need to purchase any crafty supplies for months but couldn't resist an eyelet setting tool when I popped into Penco in Hitchin this morning for a piece of felt and the Docrafts mag.

Oh yes, and I also got a refund of the upgrade fee I was forced to pay when I stayed in a hotel in London last month!  I was a bit early for check-in so was sent away for a couple of hours, but when I came back all the non-smoking rooms had gone so I had to go for an upgrade.  But now I've got my money refunded - so it pays to complain!  And I get a free upgrade next time I stay there too.  Let's hope the fire alarm does not go off at 6 o'clock in the morning next time - one drawback to being on the 7th floor was having to go down and then all the way back up all those flights of stairs with my coat over my nightie while still half asleep.

I also bought this month's Sew Hip magazine after Sarah sent me a skirt pattern from a previous issue.  I want to get back into dressmaking and sewing again.  There's a gorgeous long corduroy jacket in there that I fancy having a go at but I think I'd better go gently with my rusty dressmaking skills at first!

Mega ATC session

I've been making loads of ATCs this week as I am hosting the Crafts Beautiful bookmark swap and I have had such a lovely lot of RAKs that I wanted to send something out with each of the bookmarks.  I made 5 sets of 6 in various spring related themes: Purple Spring Bunnies, Retro Blooms, Spring Blossoms, Spring Owls and Spring Collage.  It certainly was good practice for me!

Some more blog candy

Copse has achieved a marvellous 1000 hits on her blog - well done Karen!

Blog candy

Jude has some fabulous blog candy on offer on her blog:

http://crafts-international.blogspot.com/2009/02/spring-blogg-candy.html

February bookmark swap

This is my make for the February Crafts Beautiful Forum bookmark swap.  The theme is "bunnies" .  It is my turn to host the swap this month and I was delighted when the vote went in favour of bunnies so I can use some of the cute stamps I have acquired over the years.  I also used some of my new Whispers pens, and a metal carrot button that I have had for ages and never got round to using.  I also punched out a bunny shape at the bottom and backed it with some flocked plastic from the lining of a set of jams and biscuits I got for Christmas - so far I've reused the basket, ribbon and now the lining and I haven't even touched the biscuits yet!  It has been great to see the other bookmarks arriving.  There are some lovely interpretations of the theme.  I think I will take a photo of them all before I swap them round and send them all out again.  I still have about 10 more to come yet, hope they arrive soon!

Crafts Beautiful Robot Challenge

I made this little fellow for the robot challenge on the Crafts Beautiful forum.  He's made of embossing foil over card, joined with jump rings, and with bead arms and legs.  Just a bit of fun!

3rd Jewellery Challenge

This is my entry for the third jewellery challenge The theme is "Hearts or Red" and I have combined the two in this netted seed bead necklace. It sorely tried my patience when I was making it but I am pleased with it now I have finished. It is a pattern from my jewellery class from a couple of years ago, by Gillian Ashwell. I will be wearing it on Valentine's Day!  It's also entered in the seed bead challenge on the Crafts Beautiful forum.

February ATC swap

These ATCs are for the February swap in the Crafts Beautiful forum, the theme is fairly obviously Valentine's Day! The hearts are stitched onto the backing paper in a variety of red seed beads. I tried bugles for one but that didn't work so well as the curves were not very smooth.

This larkpur ATC was created as a thank you for the host of the swap, in 3D decoupage, flat backed crystals and glitter glue. Off to get them in the post now...

February Jewellery Swap

I made this bag charm for the February swap on the Crafts Beautiful forum. The theme was red - I went all out for a Valentine's Day theme with a beautiful big red glass heart from Jules Gems (now sadly no longer with us - I really do miss that website!) and some orphan red beads and silver charms from Firemountain Gems. I hope the recipient likes it and I can't wait till I see what I receive myself. I do love the swaps, they are great fun. I am now making a couple of ATCs for another swap, again with a Valentine motif. Its about time I got round to making a card then!

Now I can post a picture of the 40th birthday card I made for Janice the other week, now she has (hopefully) received it as it was her birthday yesterday. Happy birthday Janice!

Its snowing again! I thought we'd got away with it this time as the promised overnight snow didn't come, but about 7.30am it started and is still coming down thick and fast! I don't think the main road was gritted last night either so I'm gald I'm not going anywhere today. Our trip up to St Annes at the weekend has had to be postponed in case we get stuck up there and there is nobody to feed the cats.

Today's makes

I have been trying to sort out my craft room so when I found some tins in the cupboard while looking for jars for my marmalade I decided to cover them in pretty paper and recycle them as storage pots.  Well I suppose every little helps!

 And I also made a toilet roll holder for the bathroom, making a pattern from one I bought in Rhodes that is in the downstairs loo.  The fabric was left over from a duvet cover I made when I started university so that must be 30 years ago!  See, everything comes in useful eventually!

I made this for my Father-in-Law's birthday next week. He is a tram fanatic and lives near Blackpool so I found a photo of a Blackpool tram, printed it several times and decoupaged it. 

And this is a card I made last week, for a friend but couldn't post it until he had opened it! He likes music, books and wine and I managed to find some images that combined them all.