My Mum's Craft Shop DT - A felt cushion

Hello Everyone! I am here to show you what I have been playing with this week from My Mum's Craft Shop! I have been playing with my felts and one of the new Sizzix dies which arrived last week.

I have used the Owl die which is very popular and has already sold out but there a loads of dies in this collection that would be suitable for this Project.

I started by cutting out a large scalloped circle to build the Owl design on after I had cut out all the pieces from different coloured felts. I managed to sew all the pieces together using my machine apart from the little feet which I had to sew by hand. I added a little heart cut from bias binding and then sewed the scalloped circle onto a felt square. I edged the cushion with bias binding before sewing it together. The little buttons for the eyes are from The Ribbon Girl. I hope you have a lovely Thursday!
Jane
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Sending Winter Wishes

You may remember a long time ago, I posted some tiny angels I made from beads. Well, not long after that I made boxes for them all to live in so I could give them to my Friends for Christmas. All the boxes have now been given out so I can finally share them with you!
I only have 2 left now which will go to members of my family. I made the boxes using a Sizzix Shaker box die and My Mind's Eye Christmas papers which are gorgeous with lots of sparkle on them.
I made a topper for each box with an Elzybells stamp which was coloured with Promarkers and I then added lots of glitter to the wings.
I stamped a little sentiment to the inside of the box which also came from Elzybells before the shop closed this year and I added a couple of gems to finish off. A length of ribbon tucked behind the topper closes the box.
This is my last post before Christmas and my last day at work for a few days too. I am looking forward to spending some time with my family and doing a bit of crafting! I would like to wish you all a fabulous Christmas and a Happy New Year and Thank you all for your support and lovely comments this year!
Have a wonderful day!
Jane
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Merry& Bright

I had a huge flash of crafty inspiration last night when I was blog hopping and just had to make a card as soon as I saw this wonderful Freebie digi stamp on the very talented Wendy Colledge's blog.

I made this card 1st. All cards were made using a Sizzix card die. I printed one of the images with the text and one without in the same size and cut out the image with the text using a Nestabilities die.


I printed the bulbs separately and coloured them in using some of my favourite colours then mounted them on to the background with foam pads and added glossy accents to each one and a gem to dot the 'i'.


Then, this morning I tried a pink variation. Not sure about this one. I used twine from The Ribbon Girl on all the cards.

I think this one might be my favourite. I used red card for the base card and greens and reds for the bulbs. When I visualised the cards, I had Kraft in mind as I thought it would work well against the bright white textured card but I do like the red.
Enjoy the rest of your Saturday!
Jane
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Happy Anniversary!

I love making shaped cards and the Sizzix scalloped card die I bought after Christmas has been one of my most valued tools for doing this. It is so quick to use and makes really cute little card blanks.

To make this little card, I cut a card blank with the die and then cut another shape from green card to cover the card front. I cut a label shape with a Nesties shape, wrapped it with green ribbon and layered this with my stamped and coloured image panel. The stamp is from Lili of the Valley and I bought it quite a while ago but I inked it up for the first time when I made this card. The image was coloured with Promarkers and I added glitter accents to the centre of the flower and a couple of little punched Martha Stewart butterflies.
The sentiment is from Elzybells and was cut out with a Spellbinders label.
As a finishing touch, I added a green bow topped with a matching button.
Have a great Wednesday!
Jane
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WOYWW and some teeny Willow Designs cards

I haven't done this for a while but here is what my desk looks like today! It's nice to be back! There are a couple of new things on my desk. A recycled spice rack holding buttons is one of my favourite additions and there is a patterned overpriced Craft bag which holds all my Promarkers. Very handy as it has a handle and is basically a basket so I can carry it downstairs to do my colouring in. There is a beautiful Get Well card on the button rack sent to me by Petra and a couple of finished Projects are dotted around the desk. I think you can enlarge the project if you want a closer look.

I had a play with one of my Sizzix XL dies today, the shaker box die is fab and I have made a couple of DT projects with it that I can't yet share but I put it to use today to make a box to house some teeny cards and envelopes. The cards measure 5.5cmx6cm and I made envelopes for them making a template from a Paperchase envelope.
I used a download from Willow designs to print on to card to make the box and used another to make toppers for the cards and the box.
I added ribbon to the box to keep it closed neatly. The mini cards fit inside the box perfectly.
I used different shaped Nesties to make toppers for the cards and then matted them on to squares of the patterned card.
I added Hero Arts paper flowers as a finishing touch with some gems for a bit of sparkle.
I hope you are having a good Wednesday. I wll be back tomorrow with some DT cards.
Jane

Owl be thinking of you!

I had lots of fun last night playing with some of my new stash! Jane sent me a template for her gorgeous little owl too so I thought he would be perfect to use with my new papers.
I bought quite a few Sizzix XL dies in the sale after Christmas, including this scalloped card blank. After working out the best way to cut it with my Cuttlebug, I set to work cutting 2 Kraft card blanks. I run them back through the 'bug' with some embossing folders. I love this effect on Kraft. I then inked the edges.

I printed the template for the owl on to 2 different backing papers from the new Docrafts goody bag. Docrafts have outdone themselves with this month's bag. I love all the contents and have used most of them for these cards. I inked the edges of the pieces before assembling them and added buttons from my stash and gems from the kit for eyes. I added a touch of glossy accents to the beak.

The sentiment is frim Hero arts and was stamped on to a Nesties label shape. I added brads or tiny buttons from the kit to either end and inked the edges before mounting with foam pads. The branch is a Sizzlits shape from a set.
I stapled ribbon from the kit to the tops of the cards and added a couple of flowers (also from the goody bag!).
I really like these cards, they are a bit different from my usual style but I will definitely using the template again. I think he is so cute, there seems to be no ends to Jane's talents and I am so grateful to her for sharing the template.
As these cards are made with mostly new stash which I had to open to make them, I am entering them into the new blog Challenge 'Raise the bar' as the 1st challenge launched yesterday and the theme is 'Debut day' where you have to to use something in your stash that hasn't been opened yet.
I am off to tidy up the mess I made last night as I crafted at the dinner table while watching 'The Reader' with my Hubby.
Before I go, Susie has asked me to remind you that there is still loads of time to take part in this month's Cook up a card Challenge, you can see more details here.
Have a lovely weekend!
Jane
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Easy Craft projects Challenge no2 DT Project

The second Easy Craft Projects Challenge was launched yesterday but I could not post about it as I was on my Christmas do. I had a lovely time thanks to great company, a few glasses of wine and food. The perfect way to celebrate Christmas with my work friends! I also came home to some more very exciting news but I can't tell you any more about that until the 24th so 'watch this space' as they say!

Now on with the second ECP challenge...


The theme this fortnight is to create something based on one of the following projects from ECP...


Christmas Bag - http://www.easycraftprojects.net/Projec ... as_bag.pdf
Stockings - http://www.easycraftprojects.net/Projec ... ocking.pdf
Calender - http://www.easycraftprojects.net/Projec ... lendar.pdf
Recycled Glass Jars - http://www.easycraftprojects.net/Projec ... ecycle.pdf
Picture Frame - http://www.easycraftprojects.net/Projec ... erfect.pdf

You can create anything you like - a card, scrapbook LO, altered projects, ATC...whatever. You can also interpret the projects to suit you.

This challenge is also being sponsored by The Cutting Cafe. Every entry will be put into the draw with those from challenge one to receive any three sets of your choice from The Cutting Cafe.

I chose to make a project inspired by the Christmas bag. I constructed a box from corrugated red card and a lid from patterned card then fixed a handle to the lid with some glue and my Crop-o-dile.


I inked the edges of the lid and then added patterned paper squares to the box base.
I added die cut snowflakes to decorate the box with gems added to the centres and glitter glue to make the snowflakes sparkle.
To finish the box off I added a tag made from the Cutting Cafe printables which I coloured red and decorated the stars with gems.
Make sure you check the ECP Challenge blog for the other stunning DT projects and make sure you take part to be in a chance of winning some free printables.
Have a lovely weekend!
Jane
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To a special Friend

I made this card yesterday using a photo which I 'altered' by adding a stamped image of a Christmas hat taken from a Daisy and Dandelion stamp.


I used papers from Lidl and some more Die cut snowflakes. I love these snowflakes with gems in the centre and lashings of glitter glue. The sentiment is made up with a variety of stamped words, stickers and die cuts.

Here is a close up of the little doggy in her Christmas hat. She looks so cute! Makes me want to buy one for my Charlie but it would just end up a chewed soggy mess!
Hope you are having a nice Sunday. We are off to the Vyne today to see the rooms decorated for Christmas and have lunch. I love the Vyne, what a treat it would be to wake up in a house like this on Christmas morning!
Have a lovely Sunday.
Jane
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An Elzybells dog box

I was very lucky last week to receive all the components to make this adorable little box from Paul who runs the ATC swappers ATC swap which I have been taking part in this year. The box was so lovely to put together. It is made from a Sizzix XL die and I really want one of my own now!


Paul had cut out all the pieces for me and stamped the image so all I had to do was colour it in and assemble it.


I used a K+Co flower ,which I had bought from Susie's fabulous online shop, as the inspiration for colouring in the cute dog image from Elzybells. I also added a bit of K+Co ribbon from my stash which coordinated perfectly with the theme.


I am so pleased with the end result. Thank you so much Paul and Thank you for all the stamped doggy images you sent me too it was so kind of you!

I hope you all had a good weekend.

Jane
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Sorry you're leaving us!

One of my very Good Friends who is also a bit of a Craft addict and works in the same team as me left to go and study at Reading University as a mature Student at the end of last week. We went out for lunch to say Goodbye yesterday and I made her this card for us to sign.

Helene is going to study Meteorology so I wanted to make a Weather themed card for her.
I decided on a Rainbow and clouds and tried to find suitable embellishments, I couldn't so I decided to make one with my Nestabilities and Cuttlebug. I cut three concentric circles in red yello and green card and stuck them together. I then cut a round frame from blue card by using 2 Nesties one inside each other.
I stuck that on the other 3 and cut the whole thing in half through the diameter of the circle and then trimmed out the arch with some small scissors.
I cut 2 clouds from felt with oval scallop nesties and then mounted them with foam pads under the rainbow to make the topper.
A bit of bling, some Sizzix letters and a stamped Elzybells greeting complete the card.
It actually turned out better than I'd imagined and I have another ready made rainbow to use for another project!
Hope you are having a good day and are keeping out of the rain. It is rather grim here!
Jane
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Big card.....big headache!

I made a card this evening to give to do the rounds to be signed at work for someone who is leaving. The logo on the card is for the European Weather centre where I work. The person who is leaving loves running and used to organise the Work Fun Runs twice a year.

I had a plan for the card but it has taken ages to put together. The sewing kept going wrong, my daylight bulb in my desk lamp has blown so working with the colours was difficult and the photos I have taken do not look very good.

I am worried the card is a bit plain but I am completely stuck as to what else I can add to the card as it is a card for a man! No flowers or bling allowed, buttons don't look right...
I am going to put it away now and tidy up as I have turned all my Craft stash upside down looking for something to add to the card and am giving up now.
I hate it when a crafting session ends like this :-( I had a really good day though as I won the Elzybells blog Challenge with my little Halloween box! I won a voucher and spent it within 20 minutes! I can't resist the Elzybells new releases!
Friday tomorrow, my boy is coming home!!!
Jane
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Spooky ATCS.....

I didn't have much spare time for Crafting yesterday so I thought I would put together my ATCs for Paul's ATC swappers October swap. The theme this month is 'Spooky' so I took the opportunity to dig out my Elzybells Halloween stamps again.

I stamped the trio and coloured in the little Mummy and then cut him out. I mounted him on to a background cut from Nesties. The paper is Daisy and Dandelion from the Halloween stack. I love the Daisy and Dandelion paper stacks, they are really versatile even though they are themed. I cut little tags from a Sizzix shape, inked the edges, stamped an Elzybells sentiment and tied with a ribbon.

Here are all the 4 ATCs together. I just need to get them in the post now and hope they don't get lost in the strikes!
Jane
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Moving along with the times sketch Challenge

I really enjoy taking part in the Moving Along with the times Challenges and this time there was an extra Challenge element that was too tempting to resist: no stamping!!! I don't make many cards without stamps so I thought I would have a go.

There was a great sketch to follow by Clare C, I love the squares and thought I would use some of my Labels Nestabilities for them. The brown card is Kraft card that was a birthday present from Petra, the backing paper is Crate paper which I bought from Ally Pally, the button was from a pack at Quixotic Paperie and the letter stickers are Making memories.
I really enjoyed this Challenge, the no stamping rule made me 'think outside the box' and was a perfect excuse to use up some of my Sizzix shapes, I have loads precut and they are always abandoned in favour of my stamps!
Hope you are having a good week so far...
Jane
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Elzybells Birthday Blog Challenge

I made this paper flower wreath for the Elzybells birthday blog challenge running this week. The challenge is to make 'Anything but a card' with a Birthday theme using any Elzybells stamps. I decided to make a Birthday flower wreath made from Hello Kitty Sizzix die cut paper flowers and hang my Cutie Patootie stamp in the centre.

I paper pieced the bear with flowery paper to make her a cute dress and coloured her in with Letraset promarkers and Sakura pens.

The papers I used are K+Co and I love the mix of colours, the green pink and blue look so cheerful and Summery!

Jane
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New ATCs for June swaps

I made these a few days ago for June ATC swaps but I thought I would post them on here as they were put in the post today by my lovely hubby.

The first ones are for the Summer time theme on Becky's Monthly ATC swap. I used Imaginesce Snag em stamps and some free papers from Crafts Beautiful. I coloured the stamps with Promarkers and used Glossy accents on the sauce.

The next lot are for Paul's ATC Swappers June swap. The theme is Call of the Wild so I used a baby Lion Sizzix shape, layered up with white, black and Animal print paper.

I am thinking of starting to host my own swap if I can get enough people to take part.

Let me know if you are interested or if you know someone who might be, please point them in the direction of the Addicted to ATCs blog I have set up.

Jane
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