August Makes for BTC&G and a HINT...

This month at the By the Cute and Girly Challenge blog the theme, chosen by me, is "Animal Antics". Herbie is very put out because he does not feature in any of my offerings but that is life with a pouting pom! There are some great prizes on offer: Gift Certificates from Simon Says Stamp, Joanna Sheen, Bella Design Studio and Little Snippets (wonder who that is?) So please enter - you could also win a Guest Designer place for October!!!


Here are my animal inspired makes:

1. Very plain card suitable for men/boys using Dovecraft papers and stamp for Wild Rose Studios.
2. Card using Penny Black "Frolic" stamp. This is my favourite stamp-just can't resist a fat happy cat! I stamped the image on to calico cloth and hand embroidered the outlines with very simple embroidery stitches, then coloured it in with Copics. Added some lace and 2 of my Bobbly Crochet Flowers (coming soon to my Etsy shop in a variety of colours). Sentiment is a Tim Holtz stamp.

3. Pinky the Poodle: I have still not recovered from making/stuffing this creature. She looked beautiful in the pattern photo but the time/concentration/wadding that went into her could have been better used elsewwhere. If anyone still wants to crochet her the free pattern is available at http://www.redheart.com/

Now, just a Hint of Things to Come: I will be introducing Something New and some blog candy in my next post.....

Happy Crafting

Geraldine

Cards and ATC's

Havent blogged for 3 weeks now because I have been very busy making things: new items for my Etsy shop and decorated pins, my latest obsession... For the 1st time ever I made a Tilda card (had to ask Dianne to stamp the image for me, Thanks Dianne). The backing papers are Papermania Aqua, the lace has been in my stash for probably 20+ years and the butterfly and Bobble Crochet flowers are my own makes and will be for sale in my Etsy shop in the next day or two! I am entering this card in the following challenges:
Pocketfull of Posies - Peach & Aqua
http://http//pocketfullofposieschallenges.blogspot.com/2010/07/challenge-3-colour-combo.html
Just Magnolia - Vintage
Moving along with the Times - Pastel Vintage
Flutterbywednesday-Anything Goes

Simple card with Pins!

ATCs made for a swap on CardznScrapz: The theme is "Wings"

Another card with pins...

Last card with pins, made for a Challenge (it had to have flowers on it) on CardznScrapz.

I have been trying to use up my vast ribbon collection by using it to wrap frames and anything I can.

July Makes for BTC&G DT

This months theme at By the Cute and Girly is "Warm Summer Days" so I made up this Beach bag in the hopes of getting in a few trips to the sea. The yellow cotton fabric is years old but the applique flip-flops are brand new. I embroidered them specially for this bag to contrast with the yellow fabric. The bag is lined with some grey cotton and could hold up to 3 beach towels if they were rolled up carefully! My next make is a little (about A5 size) accordian album using one of the sponsors (Crafts 4 Eternity) digi images. The idea is to put all the summer recipes that I tear out of magazines into it some day...Each accordian section is made from an old brown envelope folded in two with the closed end cut off. The flaps are used to stick the sections together and the cover is a piece of cardboard scored to make a spine in the middle and decorated. The bees are machine embroidered.

Then I decorated it with summery papers and made little tabs for the various sections.

And finally, Ye olde bit of Crochet: A stole (or shawl), made in the Pineapple design. I have made this as a birthday pressie for a friend who is off to the Galway Gaeltacht shortly. Well, I suppose it will be culturally appropriate.... If anyone feels like trying this pattern it is in the May/June issue of Crochet Today. Happy hooking, folks.

If you look closely at the lower right hand side you can just make out Himself's spuds... he's very proud of these and looks forward to eating them.

Buttons and Brads

This week it dawned on me that I have a room full of stuff and its time to think of ways of using up stash. Starting with the button bank here is a little crocheted Tea Cosy covered with buttons. Yes, the other side is just as buttony!

Tea Cosy with slightly less buttons and a little button tassel at the side. I'm taking both these cosies as samples to my Crochet Tea Cosy Workshop this Saturday. No naked teapots this summer, please. Now for the brad mountain. I am taking part in an online handmade flower swap this month and in an effort to get away from a completely crocheted flower I made up these flowers from scraps of felt, net, small bits of crochet and used brads (all Papermania) for the centers.

More funky flowers. So that is this weeks destash attempt. I'm putting this post into Andrea's "Lush Friday" show and tell.

June makes

This month's theme on the By the Cute and Girly Challenge blog is "Old, new, borrowed and Blue" ie a Wedding or just your own interpretation of these four words. There are 4 great prizes: 3 gift vouchers and your choice of 4 digi images from Meljens Designs. So have a peep at http://bythecuteandgirly.blogspot.com/ and enter your creation(s) for a chance to win some great stamps and crafty stuff! My 1st make is a necklace made from blue agate stone chips and blue seed beads. If only I had the outfit (or the occasion) to complement it! The next idea is "borrowed" from the old idea of throwing rice at the bride and groom in pre-confetti days. I made up some little embroidered organza bags with "Wedding Day" and "Love" embroidered on them. They could also be used as favour bags for chocolates or sugar almonds but they were quite fiddly to make and I wouldnt fancy sewing up 100's of them!

Finally, a little birdhouse decorated with the challenge sponsor's - Meljens designs -digi image of 2 lovebirds. This was inspired by the wooden birdhouse on the cover of June "Crafts Beautiful" mag. I couldnt find a suitable template online so I sat down with pencil and card and made up my own. Its 7" high and 5" wide and I'm happy with the way it turned out. It will be going to a good crafts-loving home and I'll definitely be making some more as little pressies in the future....it could hold chocs or a small gift...

Washing up in style and two cards

This card probably has a bit too much lace going on! Anyway I have made it for the Diecutdreams "Lace it Up" Challenge, well thats my excuse!

A card made with one of my little embroidered geishas. This is for the Crafty Angels "ripping and tearing" Challenge.

Its very hard to get excited about washing up or washing up liquid but a bit of yarn and crochet can help.

challenge cards

I have become obsessed with bunting lately. Here is a card featuring bunting, a cupcake and a little bit of crochet (a very little bit!).

I am entering this card in the Crafty Angels - One for the Girls challenge and

Cupcake Crafts - "Buttons".

Allsorts - Birthday