Carolyn's Crafty Blog

Happy New Year

2011-12-31T12:17:00.002Z

Happy New Year to one and all. My resolutions never seem to last long - perhaps this year's should be not to make any! But I really ought to keep a tidier craft room, and get rid of some of the stash that I am not likely to use, and keep a better record of my makes too....

Some ATcs

2011-02-06T17:31:00.003Z

Two ATCs I made this week for CB swaps - the first two are themed Spring - Yellow and Green for the February swap and the third is a butterfly for the winner of the January ATC draw.

Angel Fat Page

2011-02-06T17:17:00.002Z

A Fat Page created for the Crafts Beautiful February Fat Page swap. I was the host and chose the theme of Angels. I added flock to both angels' wings and decoupaged the first image for the fatter front of the page but left the reverse more flat, and just added some peel-off borders.

Something different!

2010-01-22T21:36:00.003Z

I made this wreath for the Spring Wishes Challenge on the Crafts Beautiful Forum. It didn't win but it brightens up the downstairs loo no end! It certainly makes me long for the day I see the first daffodils of the year - they will almost certainly be growing outside Biggleswade Sainsbury's, as for some reason they always seem to be out a good fortnight earlier than any others in the town. One of life's mysteries...

More Fat Pages

2010-01-22T21:22:00.003Z

November Fat Page Swap.

The theme was Christmas and I used some great Christmas tree light beads that were sent from Fire Mountain Gems as a free gift a long time ago. I wasn't sure what to do with them at the time but they were perfect for my Fat Page. I decorated the trees with little pompoms and the back of the page with stocking and present die-cuts from Crafts Beautiful. Most of the papers were RAKs too so it is full of the spirit of giving I suppose!

January 2010 Fat Page Swap.

The theme for this swap was Fun and Games so I used part of a mini pack of cards and some counters from a Christmas cracker, some spare draughts pieces and a reproduction of a backgammon board and made up some Scrabble tiles.

Fat Pages

2010-01-22T21:09:00.005Z

Hallowe'en Fat Page

I made this for the October Crafts Beautiful Fat page swap. The spider has bugle beaded legs and red googly eyes and is coated with black flock, she is sitting on a glitter glue web. The ghostie has matching eyes and pops out from behind a creepy door. This was great fun to plan and make. I was hosting the swap and made some creepy ATCs to send out with the swaps, together with pumpkin and eyeball choccies! Who says kids have all the fun at Hallowe'en!

Jewellery Update - some of my latest makes

2010-01-22T20:55:00.004Z

This is my entry for the Make Jewellery Issue 9 challenge on the Crafts Beautiful forum, its my interpretation of one of the designs in the magazine,made with Swarovski bicones and hearts in tanzanite, violet opal and amethyst ABX2, plus some fire polished round beads. It didn't win but was "mentioned in despatches" so I was very pleased with that. It was fun to make and will look pretty worn with a nice dress.

And this is what I made for the December Crafts Beautiful jewellery swap - it was mostly made with beads from Bead Aura in Neal's Yard, London, I must get some more of the crystal rounds as they have been very useful and I've used most of the string already. I'm glad to say that the recipient was very pleased with it! I wish I could find more of the chain too, must keep an eye out for some more at the next bead fair I attend...

Jewellery updates

2009-08-16T15:42:00.003+01:00

...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

2009-08-16T14:56:00.002+01:00

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

Catching up

2009-08-16T14:43:00.004+01:00

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

2009-04-14T16:55:00.004+01:00

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

2009-04-14T12:48:00.003+01:00

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

2009-04-14T12:32:00.004+01:00

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

2009-04-06T09:47:00.005+01:00

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

2009-04-01T11:17:00.002+01:00

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

2009-03-17T16:04:00.004Z

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!!

2009-03-17T12:52:00.004Z

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

2009-03-16T11:28:00.003Z

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

2009-03-15T11:16:00.003Z

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

2009-03-11T15:58:00.005Z

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

2009-03-05T12:13:00.007Z

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

2009-03-03T17:01:00.002Z

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

Blog candy

2009-02-25T21:00:00.001Z

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

2009-02-23T13:26:00.001Z

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

2009-02-18T15:47:00.003Z

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

2009-02-10T09:10:00.014Z

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

2009-02-08T14:29:00.006Z

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

2009-02-06T10:24:00.006Z

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

2009-01-28T14:33:00.009Z

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.

I got a hug!

2009-01-26T15:27:00.010Z

Thank you so much Margaret for this lovely hug! That was very sweet of you! And I will pass it on to 10 more super and inspiring bloggers: Amelia, Sarah, Natalie, Chris, Jane, Carolyn, Jacquie, Twiggy, Maritrez, Fi

2nd Jewellery Challenge

2009-01-26T14:29:00.002Z

This is my entry for the second jewellery challenge inspired by Aims' lovely jungly fabric. I bought the flowers and leaves from last year's Big Bead Show at Sandown Park; its about time I started using up some of my bead stash rather than adding to it! I got all my beads out the other evening and came up with all sorts of ideas for how to use them, and even found one or two things I had forgotten that I had had.

A not very quick "quickie"

2009-01-20T15:53:00.004Z

I thought I would whip up a quick pair of earrings, using black diagonally pierced frames and lilac foiled beads. Quick, ha! I wanted some black seed beads to fill in between the frames and the lilac beads, so I got my seed bead box out and all the black ones I had were too small and pulled through the holes in the frame (as did the headpins), so out came a box of mixed black and metallic grey beads in a variety of sizes and finishes. Which I opened upside down and spilled all over the table (and floor). Twenty minutes later I had picked up most of them, only to find that the small beads were too big to fit. Eventually, after realising the head pins were too short and having to find some longer ones, I put a small bead on the bottom, then enough bugle beads to balance the lilac bead centrally, and a facetted bead on top. Something that should have taken 5 minutes to assemble took about an hour, and I still have to pick the rest of the wretched beads up and sort them out into their compartments again. Aargh! Still I am pleased with the end result at least.

A Whale of a Time

2009-01-19T15:34:00.003Z

I made this today for my friend Trevor's birthday. I adapted the idea from a design by Katy Godbeer in the latest issue of Docrafts Creativity magazine. As soon as I saw it I thought of Trevor, and it was great fun to do too. I made another couple of cards today but the recipients might spot them, so I won't post pictures of them until after the event, so to speak! Don't want to spoil the surprise!

Becky very kindly sent me some envelopes for the Marie Curie Create a Card for Cancer Care campaign, after I mentioned that I couldn't get hold of them in Woking last weekend (and our local Craft Central in Shepreth where I usually get them has now closed down). So I shall be busy making cards for the charity for the next few weeks.

January Jewellery swap

2009-01-15T09:26:00.004Z

The theme for this month's jewellery swap on the Crafts Beautiful Forum is purple - either earrings or a hairslide. I have used purple seed beads, light amethyst matte Swarovski crystals and some glass hearts, on tigertail. Must get them in the post today as they are due by the 17th!

Sarah's Jewellery Challenge No. 1

2009-01-14T13:53:00.004Z

This is my entry for Sarah's first jewellery challenge. I had a hard job thinking what was my favourite colour until I opened my wardrobe and realised I had more turquoise than anything else!

The stripy focal bead was made by Sharon Reynolds. Some of the others are Mike Tillerman's. They are knotted onto silk thread with silver spacers.

Today's makes

2009-01-14T12:35:00.005Z

I have been catching up with this month's swaps on the Crafts Beautiful forum.

These are the first ATCs I have made. The theme was "Fantasy" and I wanted to do fantasy horses. I couldn't find a Pegasus or Unicorn anywhere in the shops so I ended up searching for clipart instead. I printed them off and painted them with shimmering mica paint in cream for the bodies and purple shimmer for their manes and wings. Their hooves and the unicorn's horn are highlighted with silver gel pen. The background for the Pegasus is mulberry paper in pale blue and white, with crystal glitter glue on the clouds, whereas the Unicorn is mounted on ironed Angel fibre in a sea green colour, decorated with punched paper flowers.

The theme for January's bookmark swap is "Monochrome" so I have used papers from the "A Hint of Pink" stack from Dovecraft and highlighted them with crystal glitter glue and black glitter. It's my turn to host the bookmark swap for February so I have started the poll today. The choice is between Bunnies, Transport, Sweets and Birds. Guess which is my favoured theme!

I now need to get on with the jewellery swap - either earrings or a hair slide in purple...

Reasons for being a card maker

2009-01-09T13:50:00.004Z

Reasons for being a card maker

1) It helps keep the economy going. It is one's duty to support cardcraft manufacturers, timber/paper mills, craft shops and internet sites.

2) It is less expensive and more fun than psychiatric care.

3) It's participation in a contest- The one who dies with the most unused peel offs, toppers etc, wins.

4) Craft bits keep without refrigeration, you don't have to cook them to enjoy them, you never have to feed them, change them, wipe their noses or walk them.

5) It's not immoral, illegal, or fattening. It calms the nerves, gratifies the soul, and makes one feel good.

6) It makes good use of your imag-e-nation

(Found on www.verses4cards.co.uk)

New Year, New Blog

2009-01-08T21:29:00.003Z

As part of my New Year's Resolution to be more organised I have decided to set myself up a blog so I can keep a better record of my makes. I then promptly made and gave away two cards without thinking to take a photo of them. Ho hum, must try harder! My next makes will be for Crafts Beautiful forum swaps: a monochrome bookmark, two fantasy themed ATCs and purple earrings or hair slide. I also have Sarah's jewellery challenge to do when I can make my mind up what is my favourite colour. Purple? Turquoise? Green? Decisions, decisions!