Jewellery Box

Hi everybody,

 

Hope you all had a lovely weekend. The weather here in West Sussex, turned out to be better than we expected.

 

I had to go to The Craft Barn in Surrey this afternoon. I took my samples and had to get more supplies for my classes. The first one is now on Wednesday 6th August and my next one on 28th August. I have just got another sample to do.

 





This is a jewellery box I have made for an order. I bought the wooden trunk from The Craft Barn and painted it with the base colour of purple. I then did the crackle technique, using a cream colour for the top coat.

 

I used Martha Stewart Air Dry Clay to make the flowers and butterflies.

The roses I made just in the palm of my hand. For the daisies, I used a mould. Just for a change, they stayed as they came out of the mould. I do like playing with the moulded clay, changing it into a completely different flower!

 

 This is the side view of the trunk. I embossed card and glued it to the box.

 

I lined all the inside and the bottom with purple satin. and made some sections for rings.

I made the tray for earings, which can be lifted out, to put heavy items in the bottom.

 

 

 

I quite enjoyed making this. I love the colour of the satin. It makes it look less handmade.

 

I think I have caught up with most blogs I follow. I will check tomorrow, incase I have missed someone. If I have missed you, I do apologise and I am sure I will catch up this week. I need another holiday to get over this one!

 

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog. I love reading your lovely comments. They make my day. If you become a follower of my blog, I will return the compliment.

 

A special thanks to my new followers and I am honoured that you chose to join me.

 

 

Hugs,

 

Carol xx

 

 

Exciting News Times Two!!

Hi everyone,

 

Sorry, but get a cuppa, as this post does go on a bit!!

 

Sorry I haven't been visiting your blogs, but I have just returned from a holiday in The Lake District. The weather was very kind to us, by staying mainly dry. We just saw a drop of rain one day, when we were driving up into the mountains.

 

We stayed in a brilliant Guest House, The Ravensworth, in Windemere for a few days. I have put a photo and a link on my side bar. We had an amazing bed, in a beautiful big room and a very large ensuite. All spotless and even had slippers and dressing gowns. Nick and Cheryl, that own the house, were very kind. Nothing was too much trouble and the staff were very friendly too. The breakfasts were the best choice and quality we had ever had!

 

We mainly  had  our evening meals in The Lighthouse Restaurant, just a 5 minute walk from The Ravensworth. We were generally served by Monica, who was so genuinely lovely. Very friendly and she always found time for a chat and ready to recommend a meal too.

 

One morning, we were just going up to our room, when we spotted Monica in the kitchen. It turned out that both Monica and her husband, Sergio, lived and worked at The Ravensworth too!

 

I am not on commission, but feel that such nice people, that work very hard to look after their visitors, should get a recommendation!!

 

My first piece of news is......... I have been asked to join the DT Team, at Crafting For All  Seasons Challenge Blog! I feel very honoured and I have to thank my dearest friend Annie, for putting me forward to Carol, who runs the blog.

 

My second piece of very exciting news,.......... Sandy at The Craft Barn, has asked me to return as a Tutor, to run a club, for people that want to sell their craft items! My first class is on Thursday 28th August and already have 11 people booked on it. At the moment, I will just be doing one class a month and really looking forward to it. I always had great fun in my classes.

 

Well that's all my news!

 

This card I made before my hols and I just love this Lili of the Valley, Midsummers Night, Fairy stamp.

 

The base card I bought at Ally Pally, pointed out to me by Marianne Fisher. The two backing papers from my stash and dies used are from Go Create.

 

The flower is made from Martha Stewart Paper clay. My addiction of the moment!

 



 

 

I used my Distress Inks to paint her with. I stamped the moon twice and layered it over the main image. Added some Stickles wherever I fancied!!

 

Well hope your cuppa didn't get cold whilst reading my ramblings! Lol!

 

I will try to get to all of your blogs over the next couple of days, to see what beauties I have missed.

 

Have a wonderful weekend and thanks for stopping by and leaving your treasured comments.

 

Hugs,

 

Carol S.xx

Not So Sure!

Hi everyone,

 

Firstly, welcome to my new followers. Thank you for taking the time to join my blog.

 

Hope you have been enjoying this glorious weather we have had here in West Sussex, wherever you are.

 

Hand update! My hand has greatly improved now. Just one sore to touch spot. So don't keep touching it!!Lol! At least my body pain has gone now too. The trouble is, the older we get, the longer it takes to recover from these sort of things. Thank you, to all you lovely people for your lovely messages. You are all very kind and caring.

 

My problem is, I am sure I can still do things and at the speed that I did them, when I was 35! That's the age I am mentally. It's the mirrors in my house, they keep showing me, some old bird that I don't know!! Has anyone else got one of these mirrors?

 

I got this Indigi Blu stamp set, free with a magazine. I liked this particular stamp, as you can just use her hair on its own, as a border. I do like stamps that you can use different parts, in different ways.

 

However, I was disappointed in the result of this stamping. It turned out very speckley, which looks very odd to me. I thought it was the ink I had used, which was Versafine Onyx Black but it wasn't. I have just received next months magazine and all the photos of cards, that readers had sent in, all have the same look.

 

Maybe its just me, but I would have preferred it to be smoother and solid colour. I was tempted to go over the image, using a Copics pen!

 

I just added a few gems to her hair to pick up the ribbon. The text I stamped with Versamark and embossed with black detail embossing powder.

 

Did a market yesterday. Much quieter than it usually is. There were a lot of other things going on in the village, as well as the football! I am doing a big one next Saturday and Sunday, at Coolings Garden Centre in Knockholt, Kent. It's quite a way from home but usually well attended. The restaurant there is well supported, so we get hundreds of people usually. Just hope the football doesn't get in the way!

 

Enjoy the rest of your weekend. Thank you for stopping by and your lovely comments, are always appreciated.

 

Hugs,

 

Carol S.xx

Time Flies!

Hi everyone,

 

Not a good day yesterday. It was the anniversary of losing my Dad, many years ago and also my sister, that passed away 3 years ago on the same date. I can't believe that it's 3 years. Time really does fly.

 

Thank you for all your lovely messages about my fall. My blogging buddies are so kind. I still have my wrist strapped in a support but at least the bruise is going a bit now. It's at the yellow and purple stage. Not the colours I would put together on a card! My body is also telling me that it has been bounced on bricks, as it aches all down my left side. Gosh I feel like a ninety year old!

 

I have a market to do on Saturday. Should be interesting!!

 

This card is using one of the latest fairies from Lili of the Valley, Time Flies. She is so pretty and lovely to colour. The sentiment stamp is also LOTV. It came free with a paper pad, with a magazine.

 

The background paper is from a 12" x 12" paper pad, from Forever Friends, that my lovely friend Sue bought me. There are some gorgeous papers in it and double sided too. The sort you stroke then close the pad!  

 

I used my usual Distress Inks to colour the image with. I also ran a DI pen around the die cut and then added some Stickles Star Dust on the edge. Stickles are also on her wings, Dandelion clock and clothes.

 

Kept this one simple but still find that hard to do. Sitting on your hands helps! A bit! I think!

 

 

Thank you for popping into my blog and your lovely comments. I will return the visit to your blog.

 

Challenges

 

Sister Act - Anything goes
Bizzy Becs - Anything goes

Hugs,

 

Carol S.xx

Purpleicious!!

Hi everyone,

 

This is going to be a very short post today. I was working in the garden on Saturday and tripped up and fell badly, onto my left arm. Hubby had to get me up, as my left hand was really hurting. I had landed on a paving slab and my hand hit the brick edging, around the flower bed.

 

After cleaning all my cuts, I noticed my wrist was swelling up and getting very black. Just to be sure it wasn't broken, my hubby took me to our local hospital, minor injuries dept. Anyway, they don't think it is broken, just badly bruised. So ice packs and elevation required. (& one handed typing)!!

 

This is the last Saturated Canary stamp I purchased, Roses are Red, Violets are Blue. She is so pretty and I loved her hair. She may be old but new to me.

 

Very briefly, coloured with DInks, a splatter of Frantage and edged with Stickles.

 

Papers, ribbon and flowers from stash.

 

Hope it is warm and sunny, as it is here, wherever you are.

 

Thanks for popping into my blog and for your lovely comments. Annie I will email you re: eBosser.

 

Hugs,

 

Carol S.xx

Splat!!!

What a week! And it's only half way through!

 

Friday evening, I broke a filling in a tooth. I was eating a quiche salad!!

 

Monday, the boiler decided not to work, so we only had cold water. Hubby had to get in the loft, to see if he could get it to work. After pressing a few buttons it worked. That was, until after he had his shower on Tuesday morning. No hot water again. So he had to get in loft again, so I could have a hot shower. Really couldn't face a cold one!:) So I phoned our plumber man and he was going to come in the afternoon.

 

At 7.45 that morning, I had a text from my son, telling me that their baby, (1st one), had arrived at 03.30 that morning! Callum, who weighed in at 8lb1oz. Mum, Dad and baby all fine.

 

I phoned the dentist and he is on holiday. Fortunately they fitted me in with another one, at 2.30pm, that afternoon. My granddaughter came at 08.30 that day too, as half term. Had to drop her off at her Nannie's at 2pm, as my daughter didn't finish work until 2.30.

 

Oh!! Nearly forgot! Another baby arrived at 11.30, my eBosser machine!! Only ordered it on Friday morning!

 

Granddaughter had brought her homework for us to do! They are studying Egypt at school and we had to make some jars that went in the tombs. So I spent the morning making a paper mache pot. Yuk!

 

After the boiler repair man had gone at 5.30pm, I was absolutely knackered!!

 

I made this card last week for stock. In fact I had such fun making it, I made 3, using different cars. I hate to think how old this stamp is. Don't even know where I got it. It is a clear stamp.

 

 

For the background, I used Distress Stains I bought at Ally Pally. It was great fun, just thumping them down on the card to get the 'splat' effect.

 

I stamped the big LOTV sentiment, using black Versafine ink. I then threw on some Ivory Frantage on for a bit of texture. The 'wishes' stamp again is an old one.



 

I coloured the car using Copics for a change.

Just for a change, I am not off to bed, as it's only 6.30pm! Husband should be home shortly, so have to think about cooking dinner.

 

Thanks for taking time out of your day to visit my blog. I love getting comments, as they encourage me to keep it going.

 

Hugs,

 

Carol S.xx

LOTV New Fairies Galore!!

Hi all,

 

Hope you are all enjoying the same hot weather, we are having in the south of England. I spent all day Sunday in the garden, putting plants in big pots and hanging baskets. My right arm is still aching!

 

I did a Craft Fair on Saturday and it wasn't very well attended. I think it was because of the lovely weather and also the Football Cup Final was on. I really feel for the organisers, as they feel responsible and of course they are not. They did all the advertising they could possibly do.  As stallholders, we know how much work goes into putting a craft fair together and you just never know if people will support it. As long as I take my stall money and a bit over towards materials, I am happy.

 

Any way moving on! I apologise for so many piccies and I suggest you have a glass of something in your hand. This is obviously another fairy clock but using 6 of the 8, (I bought 8 not 7!) Lili of the Valley new fairy stamps, released just over a week ago. I just love them all!

 

The Background was created with papers from my stash. I used an assortment of masks, with Paper Artsy Grunge Paste, to add a bit of texture. Some of which, I added colour using my Copics pens. The little bird and his birdhouse are a Marianne Die set. All of which I bought at The Craft Barn in South Nutfield.

 

All of the fairies have been coloured with Distress Inks.

 

 



This first fairy is called 'Hugs'. She is so cute and I love the mouse she is hugging. I have added Stickles Star Dust to her wings, flowers and skirt.



 

The next fairy is 'Catkins'. She comes laying on the branch, which I extended, using a Marianne Die.

This is one of my faves, 'Cobweb'. She is sooo cute and I love the cobweb. I cut away the line from the stamped image and replaced the 'tightrope, with black cotton. I forgot to get the spider in the photo that is hanging from the web. You can see it, on the complete photo of the clock.

 

Now this little one, 'Midsummer's Night', is my favourite in this collection. She is so adorable and cute. Her face is so very beautiful. Her little bunny, is a laser cut shape from Artcuts. You must check out their web shop. Rebecca, I used to work with her at The Craft Barn, and her husband are making these shapes and loads of other amazing ones and selling them at great prices. They are also doing some of the big Craft Fairs. So make sure you look out for them.

 

The fence is a Marianne Die. The butterflies are the 'waste' from the centre die from Spellbinders.

This fairy, 'Water Lily' never fails to make me smile. I just love her sunglasses. I put Glossy Accents on the lenses and Stickles on the frames. I cut an oval from Mirror Board, to form her pond.

 

And finally, this is 'Petal'. Another gorgeous fairy on her beautiful flower. They are all absolutely stunning stamps and I still have two that I haven't even coloured yet. They are Flower Dance and Time Flies.

 

Still awake?!! Stop yawning!

 

Well I hope you like my new version of my fairy clock. It was made over 3 days, so not a quick make!

 

I am going to enter it in the following challenges:

 

Crafty Little Fairies - In The Garden.

Ideas to Inspire - Fairies

 

Thank you for your precious time visiting my blog and your luffly comments that make me feel all warm!

 

Big hugs,

 

Carol S.xx

Gorgeous Ava!

Hi everyone,

 

What a horrible, cold, wet and windy weekend, we have just had in West Sussex. A couple of weeks ago we were in T-shirts, now the heating is back on, as well as the jumpers.

 

Never mind, a good excuse to spend the whole weekend crafting. I have another craft fair to do in Crowborough on Saturday. So I am busy making stock.

 

Before I got stuck into making boxes etc. I had to make my Saturated Canary images into cards. This gorgeous digi is Ava, she is so cute. I coloured her with DI markers.

 

The background papers are from a Marja Vintage Summer Basics pad. It was very painful removing the pages from the pad and even more painful, putting them in my trimmer and cutting into them!!:-(

 

She is so lovely, I felt she should have my best papers!

 

These SC images are so lovely to colour and love the highlights in their eyes. I used a white Sakura pen to enhance them.

I added some Stickles to her bow and her lace edging on her dress. The swirly die cut, was a free die with Papercraft Essentials magazine.

 

 

I have one more SC to post and will hopefully do that in a few days.

 

I ordered 7 of the new Lili of the Valley fairy stamps on Saturday and they have a 20% discount on all orders over £10. It ends tomorrow. I can't wait to get my hands on them. Hopefully, they will arrive in time, for me to be able to make a clock with them, before the weekend fair. No pressure!

 

Gosh I'm posting early tonight, it's just turning midnight. Got another hour to create something more!

 

Thank you for stopping by and I love reading your comments.

 

Hugs,

 

Carol S.xx

 

Saturated Canary, At Last

Hi everyone,

 

Very cool, very wet and windy, here in West Sussex today. More to come tomorrow and over the weekend. Mmm, could be a crafty weekend!

 

I have drooled over Saturated Canary stamps for ever. I just thought they were rather expensive for just one stamp, that you couldn't use any other way. Then I read Pop's tutorial, on how she gets Digis onto watercolour paper. Voila!! It works! I have done this before, when I wanted to print text on a particular area of patterned paper. I had not thought of doing it with thick card, that your printer doesn't like.

 

So a big thank you to Pops!

 

I went straight to SC shop and bought 3 images. This is 'Pint Sized Love'. She looks so like my Granddaughter. She has a cat, so I had to colour it grey, like her Barney. 

 

I took this card with me to a coffee morning yesterday, where I had a stall. It was the first item I sold!

 

I coloured her with Distress Inks, with a touch of Stickles on her bow and the ribbon in her hair.

I added Glossy Accents to her eyes, glasses and the cats eyes and nose. I used Spellbinders Radiant Rectangles to cut the detail around the image. The backing paper is from my Tim Holtz Distress

Idea-ology paper pad.

 

The sentiment is free, from Netty's Cards, where you can download loads of Annette's sentiments. Great fun blog to read too! 

 

 

I have coloured the other 2 images and will get them made up over the next couple of days.

 

Thanks for taking time out of your day, to visit my blog and leaving me such amazing messages. I love to read them all.

 

Hugs,

 

Carol S.xx

 

 

Purple Butterfly.

Hi everyone,

 

It is 12.55am and time I was in bed but I thought I really must just do a very quick post.

 

I hope you are all having a lovely weekend, 3 days here in the UK. I did manage an hour working in the garden this morning. No longer, as I have another sale to do on Wednesday. Still trying to make cards and stock.

 

This was a butterfly I decorated and sold it straight away at a market 2 weeks ago! I have just prepped another, slightly larger than this one.



 

Paper clay butterflies and a small daisy. A sentiment from Kay Carley. The leaves are using a mask and Paper Artsy Grunge Paste.

The flowers are again Martha Stewart Paper Clay.

This is a close up picture of the roses, as I made them, using the palm of my hand, to create each petal. I then wrapped each petal around each other and shaped the rose. After leaving them over night to dry, I used some Treasure Brass Wax on the edge of each petal. I bought the wax from The Craft Barn in Surrey.

 

After I took these pictures I tied some ribbon onto the wire, which hung down slightly.

 

Sorry it is such a quick post but I am really tired tonight.

 

Have a lovely Monday. Supposed to be very warm here in the South!

 

Thanks for visiting and leaving me your lovley messages. I promise I will try to post again a bit quicker. I have a few cards to post.

 

Hugs,

Carol S.xx