It's a Creative World

Take Note!

So, whilst making the teacher gifts this year, I spent a little more time on Luke's Teacher - after all, she elected to have them for the second year in a row (crazy lady!) and got him through his SA-Ts with much better results than anticipated, plus 16 A's across his school report!

As you can see from the first picture, I made a co-ordinated set - card, envelope, keyring, picture-frame notice board and pen.  Feeling very pleased with my little self (and wishing I'd kept the noticeboard!) I decided that we could do with one at home, a tool to keep track of everything.

We already have a calendar, and special dates on a small board, and a shopping list on the fridge, and a running to do list around the house.  So I decided to try it with a multi-aperture frame, chopping the background paper to mix it up a bit...

No pretty bows and such yet, and still the cheapie multi-pack IKEA dry-wipe pens - I'm trying to get my husband to warm to the idea.  But once he's onboard this frame will be a permanent fixture and possibly a little prettier, with a calendar in one place.

Plus, another version will be coming in to house my lists of craftiness (you can see them at the moment in two of our quadrants) so I can seperate out swaps, my Stampin' Up! business, other crafty committments (like here at IACW!), and cards or gifts I need to make for upcoming occasions.

I think these have a multitude of uses, with small or large, desk or wall frames - Christmas countdowns or last-minute gifts , Birthday presents, Teacher gifts, something for new Students, Mother and Father's day desk presents, use a plethora of them for Easter hunt clues, Valentine's messages, Wedding presents (or a more unique guestbook, given a permanent marker and space for a photo of the happy couple), Seed markers in the garden (with more permanent markers), Halloween countdown or treat-pot messages

You can use pre-printed jotter paper, digi printouts or real jotters if you're feeling thrifty - oddments of stash, stamping and journalling cards... Why not try it with a mirror?

Ooh, just noticed I can knock another item off my list - this post!

A bientot - until next time -  Thank you for reading, Leanne x

www.beautifulimpressions.co.uk

www.craftaholicleanie.co.uk

Layout & Card.

Some of my friends know I'm not into 'Vintage' style paper crafts .... I love what others do but I personally miss using lots of colours. I can deal with Retro as this is quite the opposite :)

 I do however dabble in Vintage every now & then & today I'm showing you a card & Layout .  I drew the anchor on the layout and cut it out of patterned paper, The Hearts are punched & then inked using a stencil. The card was my Husbands Valentines card but it could be used for other occasions.

Hope you like x Jayne x

That loving feeling

With Valentines day just around the corner and the shops all adorned with all things pink, red and heart shaped, it is really hard to avoid the subject of love this week

 

I actually created this romantic card for my mum and dad's wedding anniversary last month, but it would make an equally apt valentines day card.

 

 

The heart stamp is a Stempelglede, and definitely my all-time favourite set of stamps. Born on Valentines Day myself I guess I am destined to be drawn to hearts in all their many forms. The sentiment is by Stampin' Up.

 

The papers are a mix, My Minds Eye and Bo Bunny, flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts and the delicate leaves are a Marianne die cut.

 

I have created the shabby edges to the paper layers using a Tim Holtz distress tool.

 

I have stickled a few of the details, including the flowers, which I brushed with a paintbrush dipped in stickles ( much easier than trying to do it with the nozzle.)

 

So....have you got that lovin' feelin' ?

 

Til next time

Much love 

Tracey xxx

COUNTRY HEART STRINGS

Hello, Eleanor here, and with a week till Valentine's Day, you've got time to make a special garland / tie for a gift / table decoration, or even an accessory for a winter bush ;).

I started with a moda jelly roll, a couple of years ago, and although it was depleted a little by various projects, such as notebook covers and bookmarks, there was still enough remaining over the weekend to make a pretty, romantic string of hearts.

I chose all the strips (precut 2.5 inches wide) which had some beige or red in, and cut a few 6 inch lengths of each. I folded each of these in half right sides OUT, making 2.5 by 3 inch rectangles, and pinned on a paper heart, from a template here. OK so I know hearts are easy to draw for yourself, but it's only kind to use ones others have prepared for you, don't you agree?

I cut out the hearts and replaced the pin in the 2 layers (still right sides OUT) to keep them together whilst I sewed them, with a simple country sort of running stitch. I then raided the button box for toning buttons, using them to join the hearts. After I had draped the garland on the bush outside:

I brought it in and tried it on an old cupboard:

But this is where I like it best:

I think I'll make a special meal for my boys next Monday evening, and dress the table with my heartstrings.

How will you show your love this Valentine's Day?

xxx

Valentine Cupcakes!

Hello, Joy here

I have had a bit of an adventure since last posting. It involved an ambulance and an operation! However I am pleased to report I am fine. My time off gave me time to play on the computer and produce a little printable for you.

 It is not many days until Valentine's Day.  I love to celebrate with lots of nice goodies for the whole family and of course for my lovely husband. This year I will be making Red Velvet Cupcakes and topping them with rosettes. I am sticking rosettes on everything at the moment.  They are quite easy to make and you can set up a bit of a production line.

 
Cut a strip of patterned paper 1.5" x 12"

 
Score at 1/4" spaces. Use a scoreboard if you have one. Cut the last 1/4" off and concertina.

 

Stick ends together.

 
Squish flat by pressing down quite firmly.

 

Stick to a circle of card to hold it firm. I use a ring of glue dots as they are strong.

 

Printout the PDF - see below to download.

 
Using a 2" scallop circle punch, punch out the toppers.

 
Stick toppers to rosettes. Put on cocktail stick.

 

Add to cupcake. Enjoy!

 PDF Download Cake toppers2

Until next time. Bye xxx

 

 

 

 

 

Shaker Card

In my previous post I used salt to create a different effect on a sprayed background.   The salt absorbed some of the colour from the sprays and looked really pretty.  I wanted to use it, so decided to make a shaker card.

 

 

It's a Valentines card but in a different colourway.  (Because of the colour of the salt)

I used a Fiskars Everywhere punch, it takes a little bit of practice to get the apertures lined up.

Line the back of the apertures with acetate

 
For the middle section I stamped an image on some sprayed cardstock

 
Build up around the other two apertures with 3D foam

 

(Excuse the reflection from the acetate)

Add the salt or glitter, sequins etc. and put some backing paper or another layer of acetate on top to hold everything in place.  (I prefered to use some more sprayed paper.)

 

If you're not using a tri-fold card you need to cover the whole back with another piece of card or patterned paper.

I shall be giving this to someone special on Valentines day.

Lynne x

 

JAMMY HEARTS

Hello, Eleanor here with a sweet jammy treat to make with the children for Valentine's Day tea,

or to wrap and give to one you love.

 

I used a simple plain biscuit recipe,

225g plain flour, 150g butter, pinch salt, 100g sifted icing sugar, 1 beaten egg.

Mix in processor, form into ball and chill for half an hour.

Roll out, and cut into circles. Cut a heart out of half of them, and bake at 180C for 20 mins

or until fim and light golden brown.

Sprinkle the cut biscuits with icing sugar:

Dollop the plain biscuits with jam:

Place the cut biscuits onto the plain ones, and serve:

with love

xx

Button Love

Hi everyone, Joy here, still nursing my ribs but out and about.  Many pairs of wrist warmers knitted and even more requested.  I keep meaning to take pictures of the different colours I have done but they are out the door quicker than I can get my camera out!

As I told you last time, I have started the big scraproom organisation.  In the various sortings I discovered rather a lot of buttons. Actually I will be honest, I think I host the European Button Mountain in my house.

I decided that I really needed to start using them instead of looking at the pretty colour and shapes.  So with Valentine's day quickly approaching I got busy.

You will need; 

• a selection of coloured buttons (I used 25)
• 30cm of 1.50mm wire
• 100cm of 0.5mm wire
• pair of pliers

How to make the heart;

Bend the thicker wire in half, pinch with pliers.  Fold round the wires to make a heart shaped frame and twist at the bottom.

Lay your buttons out to decide on a good order of size and colour combinations.

Carefully attach the thinner length of wire to the bottom of your heart frame. Twist it to make it secure.

Thread the thin wire through the back of your first button or layer of buttons. Pull tight against the wire frame, hold in place and go back down through the other hole.  Come back up through the first hole, making sure the thin wire traps the button against the frame. Then back down through the second.

Continue to add buttons in the same way. Make sure the buttons are tight up against each other.

Continue until the frame is full. Twist the remaining wire around the bottom of the frame.

Loop a piece of ribbon around the button in the dip of the heart and you are ready to hang your heart. Make a few of different sizes and give them to your sweethearts or hang them around your house. 

Have fun making your colourful Valentines.   xoxox

Simple Valentines Card

Hi Debbie here, trying to get organised and make a simple valentines card that can be adapted to suit many occasions.

I covered a blank white card with patterned paper and cut a circle using a fiskars shape cutter. I then cut a circle in contrasting paper the same size as the aperture in the middle 2 "and slightly larger on the outside 2.5"

I then cut two identical hearts in pearlescent card and cut through the middle to the centre, one cut from the top and one from the bottom.

Then I cut a tiny strip of acetate to hang the heart from the card, and attached it to one of the hearts, (I have taken a photo with pale blue paper to show you where to attach it)

 

I added pink stickles around the edge of each heart and slotted them together when they were dry.

I attached the acetate to the top of the circle and then used the circle in contrasting paper to hide it. I stuck the frame on using 3D foam dots.

I like the 3D look of this card, it would work with many shapes and it does fold flat to go in an envelope. 

This is a simple Christmas card I made using the same method.

Thanks for looking,

Debbie x

haPPy valeNTines dAy!!

Today we are sharing the love!

Have a LOVEly day!

Katie X

Happy Valentine's day everyone!

Hope your day is full of love, sweet moments, and unexpected kisses!

Just a few of my fave soppy LO's to share - hope you like 'em and find a lil love inspiration here :-)

Hugs from Jakey xx

 

haPPy valeNTines!!

Caz

xx

A couple from Cath

Here are a couple of my lovely hubby Dave.

Have a fabulous Day xxxxx

Thanks for stopping by xxxx