Time for Summer.

I've been working on my entry for the CI Challenge for 3 days now (not all the time, of course...if only!). That is a long time for me, I usually start and finish my stamping projects within a day. I felt really inspired by this challenge and it was great to have the time to devote to it as I have a week off work.

The theme is Time for Summer, I chose to do a trio of blocks as I wanted it to be 3D and to be able to use a technique I learnt from Helen - fake washi tape.

The first block was Time for Summer in the Garden. I began by colouring a piece of card blue to make it look like the hazy blue skies of summer (I used the same technique for all three blocks). We eat outside as much as we can in the summer so I stamped a cakestand and teacup and used green crochet lace to give the idea of grass, then I stamped a

 butterfly from the CI 333 set as well as some flowers from the same set, I punched a mini doily and coloured it yellow to symbolise the sun and used a ribbon with strawberries on and a vintage button that has a clock face on. It's great to relax in the garden but you still have to clock watch to some extent as there are still things to be done, meals, collecting the children from school - such a bore!

Because I wasn't sure how I am going to display these blocks, I wanted the backs to be as decorative as the front. To achieve this I used paper from the CI book of backgrounds number 7, summer, I then stamped the title of the block using a vintage typewriter font stamp.

The next block is Time for Summer in the City. The clock charm is there because the people in their offices will more than likely be watching the clock wishing for the working day to end, and the flowers in a frame (CI 262) could be the only flowers they see throughout the working day!

(I always make up little stories for my pictures, I can't help it!)

Again, this was backed with a CI background paper and the text stamped by me.

The third block is Time for Summer in the Meadow.

I used crochet lace again and the butterflies from CI 333, the birds are from my all time favourite set, CI 329. I use this set a lot.

Can you see the clock in the meadow? The only clocks you will find there are the dandelion clocks, of course!

The back of the meadow block, CI backing paper and vintage font stamp again.

On the sides and top I used the fake washi tape method. I love this technique although it is very messy (or is that just me?!) So clever.

A couple of pictures of the blocks together.

The stamped images were coloured in with Derwent Coloursoft pencils on all three blocks.

I loved this theme and I'm off to enter my blocks into the CI Challenge now, and find somewhere to display them. Not easy!

This is also my week 14 project

Thanks for visiting.

xXx

Polymer Clay Workshop

Today I attended a Polymer Clay Workshop run for the British Polymer Clay Guild by Kay Vincent. I have seen the beautiful jewellery and other items Kay makes and was interested to find out how they were made. Kay gave us a great demonstration followed by us making a 'never fail flower' out of polymer clay.

I chose to make buttons but it really is such a versatile material. Suggestions from Kay include beads, brooches, tool handles (craft, not hammers etc.!), light pulls, coasters, the list is endless.

Polymer clay really is easy to work with and only needs approximately 10 mins in the oven to harden it.

Half way through the no fail flower.

Debbie's finished beads

ruby's beads

My buttons

(and week thirteen project - cheating, I know!)

Thanks for such a great morning kay, it flew by!

 I'll certainly have another go at making buttons. Hopefully they'll turn out a bit more delicate next time.

Thanks for visiting, would love to know what you've all been up to this weekend. Have you learn't anything new?

As always, thanks for visiting.

xXx

Week twelve project

This is finished and will be revealed later in the week!

Here is a pic of my craft cupboard mid project

Well, the cat was happy...

Jessica making the most of the space in the cupboard

A sneaky peak of the project

And... a nice tidy cupboard!

Thanks for visiting

xXx

Week ten project

A friend of mine has just left her family home of many years, where she brought up her children and lived with her husband before he passed away. She's moved closer to me and I'm really looking forward to seeing her more often (she's a VERY busy lady!)

I made her this card using a couple of Crafty Individuals stamps and a small set by Artemio, they're such great value and lovely stamps.

It was all going so well until this happened

The rubber had been attatched to the wood block upside down!

(This is a Cavallini set)

Not being able to face starting again I cheated by sticking a label over it

I may actually re do it as I have some new ideas and some new stamps.

I also started making her a gift

"Can you tell what it is yet?"

(said in a Rolf Harris voice!)

This may defeat me as I can't find anymore of the yellow fabric!

Week nine project (last week)

Week nine project was rather ambitious for a busy week.

 Here is how far I've got

hhmm, failed that one then!

(The fabrics are French General, lovely reds)
In answer to your question, Helen, one day it will be a patchwork throw for the sofa.

Finally, I found this on my camera taken by 'The Youngest', a photo of the dogs chilling out!

Bye for now

Week eight project(s)

Just a quick visit to show you the card I made for my husbands birthday (yesterday). It was finished a couple of minutes before he was due home from work on friday, luckily it was 'Fajita Friday' which means my youngest makes dinner (until the novelty wears off, that is).

I am resisting the urge to tell you what I don't like and would do differently!

I also made a case for him to put his watch in when not using it (at his request). I can't seem to find a picture of it. I made it using a moss green coloured linen and lined it with some fabric with a map design on and used a vintage button that I actually removed from its original card,something I find difficult to do, with a clock face design on.

All four (husband, 2 sons and me) of us had lunch out and went to see Woman in Black at the cinema. I also managed to fit in a visit to The Eternal Maker, conveniently situated next door to the cinema! Having two teenagers it's rare for all of us to go out together these days so it was a special day. The film was excellent, I love creepy books and films. Some of the scenes were filmed at The Bluebell Railway which is fairly local to us and one I've visited many times. I saw The Woman in Black as a play years ago but couldn't remember a lot of the story. Have you seen it? What did you think?

I've started sewing together my throw, I do have a busy week but I'm hoping to get it finished within the week.

Thanks for visiting. X

Week seven project

Inspired by Jess's wonderful quilt top and some fridge magnets I bought at the quilt exhibition held at the V and A a couple of years ago, I decided to make a mini quilt top as my project for week seven.

 I recently bought a charm pack based on fabric of the 1930's, it has some lovely, bright patterns. I began by drawing round one of my magnets to get a template for the paper pieces and then cut 60 paper, and 60 slightly larger fabric hexagons. Then I sewed a piece of fabric around each paper hexagon, I think this method is called paper piecing. After that it was just (!) a case of sewing all the hexagons together. This took a lot longer than I anticipated and I went a day over with this project. I've only ever done machine patchwork before but have been intending to try this method for a while.

Here it is almost finished, I'm loving the summery colours!

I have decided to leave the edges unfinished in case I want to add to it in the future as I still have lots of the fabric left. I also have some other ideas that I may add in the future, I think it would look good with Home Sweet Home appliqued on it, or maybe some buttons or mini doilies. For now though I consider it finished.

Here is the completed project

I am surprised how much I enjoyed making this, I'm not one for hand sewing usually - too impatient, I think. This is something I'm sure I'll do again, it was very relaxing sitting listening to music whilst hand sewing. In fact I'm already dreaming of sitting in the garden in the summer surrounded by scented roses and with a jug of pimms on the garden table, hand sewing in the sunshine (now that really IS a dream!)

Do you prefer hand or machine sewing? I always thought it was machine sewing for me, but now I'm not so sure.

The reality!

Thanks, as always, for visiting.

Meet and Make - this (last) week and week six project

(Late again!)

We were lucky enough to have two sessions this week. About once a month we have an evening session. Unfortunately, my camera was playing up on both days so I've not got many photos.
Here are the few that I managed to get!

Kerry and our new member Alham and Alham's adorable son. He had great fun playing with the buttons just like I used to do at my Nan's when I was his age.

Trish and Ruby at the evening session

Trish is covering six  kitchen chair seats, here Ruby is helping her with one of them.

Linda is only able to come to the evening sessions. Here is her first patchwork piece,she's hand sewn it all and now has to quilt it and make it into a cushion.

Jess has finished her hand sewn patchwork quilt top. It has taken her seven years to get to this stage. I am full of admiration, I wouldn't have the patience myself!

Sadly, that is just about it apart from this one

Trish has finished copying her mother's needlebook. Her mother died in 1982 so the original certainly has some age to it. Trish stuck to the same colourway and says the hardest part was cutting the flowers. Don't you think she has made a lovely copy? I especially love the thimble bucket.

Thanks to all the Meet and Makers and welcome to our two new members, Alham and Liz (and of course Alham's son)

Week six project

The failed one

This was supposed to be my project for week six, the fabric was cut and the layout planned then I hurt my shoulder and am unable to use my sewing machine. It will be a new throw for the sofa eventually.

Home Sweet Home

Week four project
The proud of it one

Home Sweet Home is one of my favourite sentiments.
 I love being at home and when I go on holiday I can just about last 5 days before I'm itching to get back there. I love it when I first get back home and see the house afresh because of a few days away. I always fall in love with it again!

On Sunday I attended a class at the Craft Barn run by Helen Chilton, we made a terrace of houses using mount board, card, inks and a variety of rubber stamps. Because of my love of the home and birds (we used a lot of bird themed stamps) this project was perfect for me. Helen was very patient  as I'm a beginner at this craft, so much became clear to me and I learnt so many techniques. The day flew by, Helen and the other ladies on the course made it  really enjoyable . Today I finished my row of houses, I only had the sticking bit left to do, and here is the finished piece. I am really pleased with it, I may add a little colour with pencils just to add a contrast (it almost sounds like I know what I'm doing!) but I haven't decided yet.

I've booked for Helen's next class on the 11th March and I can't wait!

Now I'm off to have a play with the bits I bought during the break for lunch on Sunday. Lucky me.

All the best.

Hello, anyone there?!

I'm a little late. The idea was to start the blog at the beginning of the year, and record my goal of completing at least one project each week.

WEEK ONE PROJECT
The rushed one

Project one was rather rushed, I made a pillowcase. I like to read in bed and as we have a metal framed bed it's uncomfortable so an extra pillow is required for comfort! I used some yellow fabric from Kokka (I think) bought from my favourite fabric shop, the Eternal Maker in Chichester. I originally bought just half a metre but loved it so much I then bought another half metre. The red spotty fabric is a cotton lawn from a local fabric shop. I originally bought it as backing for a patchwork throw, but instead have used it for lots of different projects. I'll be lost when I've finished it. I have enough fabric cut ready to make another pillowcase - a project for another day, I'm not great at making things more than once!


WEEK TWO PROJECT
The unfinished one

This project was started in plenty of time but NOT finished! Inspired by the talented Helen Chilton of A splash of colour blog  I decided to be super-organised and make my husband a picture block using vintage paper and (rubber?) stamps for Valentine's day. I'm new to this craft and it's not quite finished because it just doesn't look right, I need advice and/or inspiration!

Project three is planned and will hopefully be completed by the end of Saturday.

Thanks for reading this,my very first, post! I'd love to share my crafting (and blogging) journey with you and I look forward to finding out what everyone else out there is creating.

See you soon.