Calling all crafters!

I was sat looking through some of the things I've created over the years and remembering how I love to 'potch' with things when I discovered a small box with some of my favourite rubber stamps in that I'd kept back from the cull.  It got me to thinking, maybe its time to start something a bit fun for 2012, so, calling all crafters - would you like to be involved in a 2012 ATC swap?

For those of you not in the know, ATC's are Artists Trading Cards which are miniature works of art or stamping projects, collages, whatever you want them to be. There are only two rules, they must measure 2 ½” x 3 ½” and should not be sold, only exchanged for other cards.

Artists usually make a set of cards on a similar theme, they are called series. The artist records the name of the set on the back of each card, signs and dates it and allocates a number to show how many were made and what number each card is in the sequence, for example 1/6, 2/6 etc. Single unique cards are called originals and sets of identical cards are called editions.

ATC’s can be made from plain cardstock or by altering poker playing cards (standard playing cards are not the right size) or trading cards such as Pokemon, Yu Gi Oh etc. Any media can be used but they need to be sturdy enough to survive the mail and not too thick so that they can be stored easily.  You can see some lovely examples on the internet, unfortunately I was only able to find pictures of 1 I'd previously made (and we are going back years here!)

I am proposing a monthly swap with each month having a theme (maybe bi-monthly if we think that would be better?) so all the crafters involved and up with a lovely set of artwork for 2012 and something to get them creating!

So, what do you think? Interested in taking part? I'd love to hear from you!

Happy crafting!

xx

I made that!

So, as Royal Fail have still yet to deliver anything I've ordered in the last 5 days and I still need to make a craft 'to do' list I thought I'd have a look back over the last 12 months at what I'd actually made (and remembered to take pics of!) and see what I could recall :)

OK, starting when the snow was down a year ago and I was busy creating something fabulous for the derby wife to wear on Christmas day - we are both all about handmade and to make this even more bargainous the fabric for this was found in the remnants bin at the local fabric store!  We had so much fun making this, I'd made one of these previously totally out of gingham fabric (so retro eh!) and to be honest I'm probably going to make another, its one of my favourite styles!

From there I went on to discover macarons.  Tricky little buggers that they are, my first batch totally stuck to the paper and some turned out the size of the saucer!  However I am not one to easily be defeated and after another bash they turned out beautifully!  ok I make them in some really weird combos (thai curry anyone?) but they are really yummy!

After that, I'd re-ignited my love affair with baking and decided to attempt to get a new business off the ground.  Unfortunately it wasn't to be, however it did lead to some fab creations! 

Including a big 'birthday present' cake and Pirate and Princess cupcakes for Cardiff based roller derby team Tiger Bay Brawlers that went down a treat :)

To be fair, I didn't do much crafting over the summer months, I was a bit busy co-founding the Valleys Roller Dolls, however I did make these rather fabulous helmet panties (if anyone's interested I'll do a tutorial on them, just let me know!)

Now things have settled down a bit I've started again and, well, you've seen what most of I've been upto since!  Oh, I did try my hand at knitting again - I now have vowed to only knit with either chunky wool or that fab frilly stuff, I don't have the patience to do anything else! 

Just a last pic I wanted to share as it is so beautiful! I hadn't made a hair adornment in a while but when I do make them I like them to look classic!  And so I give you 'Margot'  

Well, I hope I've inspired you to go and create something, anything! Don't be afraid of making mistakes, half the fun is in the creative journey 

Happy Crafting! 

Out with the old...time to renew

Morning :D If you can't tell I'm trying to keep on top of this blog thing now lol!  I know, I know this should have been the promised tutorial post but that can wait til later today (maybe tomorrow? teehee!) 


So, I've got a few 'personal issues' to work through, not this side of the holidays though - its not the done thing really is it?  Instead I decided to sort myself out - I was getting up in the mornings and getting more fed up with what I was seeing, I needed to become more 'me'.  Recently this has involved ditching the crazy hair colours and the black hair and going back to a lovely red colour (it suits my skin tone more) and as of Monday this also  involved me going for the chop!  Now, this time last year I had shoulder-ish length hair, ideal for rocking the pin up styles I loved and throughout 2011 its gradually gotten shorter (complete with undercut either side back in January) and as much as I liked the idea and had been talked into growing it again by the other half - I couldn't cope with the messiness! Well, that and the fact that, at one point my other half told me I looked like Hayley from Corrie (did wonders for the self esteem I tell you!).  I know my style, and heck, I can still pull off pin up with short hair - so I went from short bob shape to messy crop! 

I love it! I can dress it up or I can go for my slouchy style - but more importantly I feel happier in myself as I don't have to faff!!  I'm even tempted to make myself a Christmas dress now :D

Yesterday bought some much needed fun and crafty shopping with my friend Ceri.  She is ever so slightly mental in a fabulous way and we had a scream!  We hit all the fabric shops on City Rd in Cardiff and I think I managed to buy something in each one of them! Ceri is also a veeeery bad influence and I ended up buying one fabric which cost me £25 for a metre! She was right, I would have kicked myself if I'd gone back for it next week and it had gone - and on the upside it is over 2 metres wide so I'll get a few projects out of that one!! Problem was, I'd already picked out 3 fabrics that were £10 - £14 a metre each - agh! I really should use my mountain first but hey ho! I WILL use these before the new year!  Ceri was also slightly shocked and delighted that I'd never visited Inkspot and couldn't wait to take me there - and *poof* there goes more monies! Although, in all fairness, it did remind me how much I love Tim Holtz stuff! After stopping for a much needed sammich (just one sammich!) which was both filling and gorgeous we ventured forth in the hail/rain/lightning/thunder headed for 'Big Knitters' - Ceri determined to fill at least her mums part of the shopping list.  Much ooohing and aaaahing over Llama wool and other softness occurred while I was busy raiding the ribbons (yup, more spending!) and a quick detour into Shaws for some circular knitting needles and we were done and homeward bound!  I do love meeting up with Ceri, our randomness works so well, even to the point of me having tea come out of my nose (don't ask!).  Wanna peek at my purchases?  Lol thought you might! Apparently some of my taste in fabric is a little 'Juicy Couture' but its all good to me!

25p a metre? rude not to!

so much fabric!

a bit 'Juicy'?

That's enough from me for now, I guess I better go and actually *make* something!  Might see you later, but for now - happy crafting! xx

Making Memories

Welcome back :) As it's only 4 weeks til Christmas I thought it appropriate to maybe do a Christmassy post, but I also wanted to do something on recycling.  
As some of you may know, I am a retired burlesque performer, as I still have some of my costume pieces I thought it may be nice to make something with one of my loved pieces to remind me of fond memories and bring a touch of glamour to Christmas.  And so, the feather wreath was born!  In its previous life it was used here and when I went to retrieve it from its bag it still smelled of the LUSH! glitter massage bar that I used to use which made me smile.
For the last couple of years I haven't been big on celebrating Christmas, complaining that its over commercialised and the pressure put on parents by advertisers to go into debt is mortifying but then I realised that I have skills! Christmas doesn't have to be about what you buy, its about creating memories!  To think, I used to do this before, when I used to spend hours sewing sequins on felt to create mini masterpieces (ok, in my eyes they are!) and so I am teaching my children that handmade = love 


And so, to the tutorial! For the feathery wreath you will need:

• 16" natural wreath (I got mine at Hobbycraft)
• 3 six foot feather boas in whatever colour you choose
• glass headed pins
• cling film
• ribbon
• battery powered LED lights

wrap your wreath in cling film (ok not a necessary step but I found it helped the pins to grip)

once wrapped, pin the end of your boa to the wreath and begin to wrap it around, pinning where necessary.  Continue to do this with all 3 boas.

Once all the boas are pinned in place, fluff up your feathers and make sure there are no gaps.

Tie the battery pack from your LED lights to the back of the wreath (I used blue ribbon so you can see it, you may want to use matching ribbon) then wind the lights around the wreath.  When you come to the end, tuck the wire under the boa to secure.  Fluff the feathers to conceal the wire.

Et voila! One light up feather wreath to add a touch of glamour to your decorations.  You can use contrasting ribbon to hang - once I have my trimmings up I will put a better picture up :)

Yes I realise the last picture isn't the best, so I promise when the wreath is 'en situ' I will take a fantabulous photo.  As always, if you're inspired to make something I'd love to see it or if you have a comment I'd love to hear it :)