Craft Bucket List & Handmade Monday

Welcome to my latest blog post. This post comes from Julie and her punch needle post last week. I also have a punch needle set that I bought back in the 90's and never used. Got me thinking that maybe I should have a craft Bucket List.

So Far:

1. Tambour embroidery, have the needles just need to have a go
2. Punch Needle as above
3. Lace making, again bought a kit years ago just sitting in the cupboard
4. Crochet, this is a wip as started then got distracted but must give it another go.

I am also guilty of buying fabric, papers etc for specific projects put them in a drawer or cupboard for safe keeping. Promptly forgotten only to be found when trying to find something else. I have enough stock that if I sorted everything would probably find duplications of certain items in fact have enough to open my own small craft shop.

This also brings me onto organising myself. Found some Artbin boxes ideal for cards, they call them satchels but nothing like a satchel I remember.

Also some 8 X 8 boxes from the US, not arrived yet but due the end of the month

Have done some makes this week, some more gift cards

Craft Fair makes

Some A7 notebooks, sold in packs of 2, with a tag and wrapped with twine. These will be sold for £1.00 per pack and use up all those bits of paper, we all hold onto. Every other page is a design and a plain side to write on.

Check out the other blogs at Sum of Their Stories

Until next week, happy creating!

In full Plume Gift Cards for every occasion £3.00

In full plume gift cards £3.00

A beautiful set of bird cards with decorated backgrounds, have been left blank for your own message.

Beautiful weather here in Hampshire and the Bank holiday is going well. Being tempted by the delicious aromas of barbecues from the neighbours.

A productive week, must be Spring!

Another week and almost spring, I think we must all be fed up with this every changing weather. Love it when the Spring bulbs start to appear in the beds.

Been busy this week, starting with Bespoke Cards. Been thinking of these for some time and finally found some wonderful print ideas. Can be tailored with your own wording and name both the inner message and the outside of the card:

The next offering Pixie Baskets. This one is filled with lavender goodies, 6 gift cards with envelopes, 6 matching lavender sachets, 6 lavender silk sprigs with ribbon bows and a handy purple retractable pen. More designs including empty baskets to be added over the next few weeks.

Another card selection

Now working on DH's Birthday card not sure how this will turn out, as long as it does not have decoupage on it he is happy.

Check out the other blogs at Sum of Their Stories

Have a good week x

Mothering Sunday or not?

Do you make for Mother's Day? (11th March this year in the UK). I always used to but looking back have never sold anything. Could be because most of my events I did had an older audience and like me no longer had their Mum's around. Or because the market like all 'Special Events' are saturated with products at low cost, hence prices I cannot and will not compete with. So decision time......

I have decided not to do 'Mother's Day' per se but produce a selection of gifts for women that can be given for any occasion. A gift collection that is for any special occasion, could be Mother of the Bride, Birthday etc. This opens up what I have made to not just one day but all year round.  Have included a quilt for 'Mother' but again all Mum's have Birthdays etc. Will show you what I have made in a few weeks time.

Now down to work actually done, had some lovely card toppers from Hunkydory.

La Boudoir

Stitch Delight

Floral Breeze

Have another couple of sets to use will post when done.

I wanted to make some cards that were simple and quick to do but pretty, reasonably prices and hope that someone buying a gift may add one or two to their basket.

Onto Pixie Gift Baskets now, little fabric baskets filled with delightful goodies, hope to show more next week. Just in the pattern drafting and ordering things I need stage this week.

Check out the other blogs at Sum of Their Stories

Ephermera

Ephermera: 

things that exist or are used or enjoyed for only a short time.

"there were papers, letters, old boxes—all sorts of ephemera"

I love this word and what it conjures up apart from 'a short time' as feel that the fripperies that I make can be kept as keepsakes for a long time. As you can gather been making more fripperies this week, firstly some rose gift tags:

Vintage image mounted onto kraft card, decorated with lace, chandelier and dress form die cuts, roses, butterflies and faux silk ribbon. A perfect thank you gift or thinking of you.

Had a card making session, not made some in a while to sell mainly for friends and family. Have been asked lately for some, thought about time made some for my stock.

As you can see not done much this past week, next week pretty much the same. Have workmen in doing the hall tongue and groove, changing the doors for oak ones etc. I will be in charge of the dog, now that is going to be fun.

Have a good week

Paris, Diamantes, Roses and Pink!!!

A productive week interspersed with some lovely long dog walks, when blue skies and dry although cold was the forecast. Not good on these dark, wet and dismal days. I do not like it very hot but love to see blue sky and the happy face of the sun. Energises me to do so much more. 

Lee even managed to do a high cut on the back lawn, which atm still resembles a meadow.

Tete A Tete, Crocus, Snowdrops are appearing along with 2 flowers on the Magnolia, the others have decided not to be so adventurous.

Makes this week. In a sort of clear up found 2 wood letter racks, not sure how long have had them but a fair few years and never done anything with them. Well this was the week, paint and Mod Podge to hand, foam brushes, Paris papers, roses and lace. Not forgetting the faux silk ribbon and Eiffel tower charm. Really happy with how they turned out.

Not wanting to waste any of the paper covered these new tobacco tins, again found in a box and think been around as long in my workroom as the letter racks. Adding pearls and diamantes. 

Now what to put in them as seems a waste of a pretty tin to leave empty? Tags off course a digital download again with pearls, roses and diamantes, finished off with the pink faux silk ribbon.

Also could not resist these Anna Griffin prints to cut out and make into cards (old stock again). Using kraft card blanks with matching envelops (love kraft card so vintage) stitched on some vintage style lace, another digital download. The birds and flowers took some cutting out detail but with my Pergamano scissors could not be better.

Joining in with handmade Monday over at Lucy Blossom Crafts this week, just click on the image below

That's all for this week folks, will be participating with Workbench Wednesday with the Professional Crafters Guild on Facebook this week, plus getting ready for the CraftFest event on the 26th.

Have a great week and stay warm and safe