My new stash!

Hello

Hope everyone is well!! It’s FRIDAY my favourite day of the week!

I don’t have anything to show you that I’ve made today its more what I’m going to make.

In my post yesterday I expressed my love for shopping so I thought id share with you some of my recent purchases and internet finds.

I do like spending my spare time looking for inspiration, trawling websites and stumbling across weird and wonderful supplies.

I’m a complete sucker for paper.  I have so many piles of 12x12 paper sheets its silly but I can’t help buying more. I normally get most of my stash from one of my favourite crafting websites The Glitter Pot.  They seem to have everything you could ever want and there delivery time is very often next day which is perfect for those last minute orders. I don’t really have any plans for these as yet but I just couldn’t resist all the bright colours!!

As well as paper I seem to have an obsession with ribbon! I like to use it wherever possible; it can make any dull card look a million times better! I recently made an order with The Ribbon Girl- they are always getting new supplies to tempt me with.  Here are just a couple of pictures of some new ribbons I’ve recently bought- you can never have too many colours!!! When I started making cards I did wonder how I would store my ribbons- I would get fed up with sitting there for hours un tangling miles of the stuff.  In the end I have found that old fashioned dolly pegs and sewing pins to keep everything in place. It works wonders!

Now I know it is only July- nearly August but I already have my Christmas brain whirring away!  I have made a pact with myself this year that I am going hand make a lot of the presents I normally buy! Not just because I’m hoping to save some money but I always think that a handmade gift is that much more personal. So in the upcoming months I will be experimenting and showing you the results. Good or bad!

One of the ideas I’ve had is sweetie jars! Versatile and something a lot of people would love!  I was mooching around John Lewis on a recent lunch our and came across these.  The brain cogs went into over load with endless possibilities! Filling them with lots of yummy sweeties and decorating them with a handmade tag and ribbon! And with them being so cheap (£2.00 for the smaller one and £3.50 for the larger) I can see myself purchasing more of these to use for storage!

And last but no means least- look what I found!! During one of my afternoon browsing sessions of Folksy I came across a shop called Kitties Closet. WOW! I felt like a kid in a toy shop!! I couldn’t resist making an order!

After 6 months of making at least 10 new home cards- I thought id have a play around with this! I thought I would paint it and attach ribbon and give it a bit of Flutterby love and hopefully create the perfect new home gift! As soon as I have done this I will post you a picture.

I also found these-which I can’t wait to have a play with! A felt flower with a button will surely brighten up these ordinary hair clips! I’m sure I can find some one to give these too!

Just about to place an order with Paper and String so I will share when it arrives!

Well that’s it for today!

I can’t wait to go home and start making something with all these lovely goodies!

Check back tomorrow for something handmade!

Have a good day!

Kate xx

My Number 1 fan

Good Morning Everyone!

Its day three and I have to admit I’m rather enjoying this blog malarkey! The post I was planning to write for today is going to have to wait until tomorrow- I didn’t actually get round to taking pictures last night- sorry, but do check back because its exciting – well I think it is anyway!!

So after not having any photos for today, I was trying to rack my brain on what I could do. After turning to my best friend for help she suggested I blogged about a card I made her recently.

We have the kind of relationship can only be described as close.  I met her just over 2 years ago when she started working with me.  We didn’t hit it off straight away- in fact I don’t think I spoke to her for the first couple of months.  It was over a girly lunch that we got talking and automatically clicked and we’ve inseparable ever since.  We both love shopping and would spend pretty much every lunch our mooching round the shops and more often than not purchasing something.  About a year ago she moved away with her boyfriend to Sunderland and I don’t get to see her much but we email or text everyday.  We still shop at lunch time but separately- we are very good at spotting things the other would like and I’m always sending and receiving parcels containing the line “I saw this and thought of you!”

She knows how much I love crafting and being creative.  She is the one that praises everything I make, but will tell me honestly if something is no good.   It was after I got overly excited about buying a sewing machine I received a parcel.  She had been mooching about and found a Cath Kidston sewing book and had thought of me! I was over the moon! So of course I sat down and made her a card!!

Pink Petticoat had just released this image and thought it was perfect, and the sentiment was very fitting!!

So I stitched around the edge of the kraft card (I have an obsession with kraft card) to attach it and did some crazy stitching on the image just to experiment, shaded in the flowers with some promarkers and used a button and big gem to finish it off! A simple but fitting card.

She loved it. I wonder sometimes if she sends me things just so I send her a Thank you card!!

Anyway that’s all today- not a very craft related post, but I wanted to mention my number 1 fan!!

Hope you all have a lovely day!

Check back tomorrow for something exciting!!

Kate xx

A big THANK YOU!

Morning!

I would firstly like to say I am overwhelmed by the amount of views I received yesterday! And I had my first comment.  THANK YOU SO MUCH! I hope this is the start of many more views and comments!!

Ok so… Today I would like to share with you a couple of things to show you more what I am about.  As well as paper crafts I love making jewellery. I’m a bit like a magpie- I spot anything shiny from a mile off- typical girl hey!? I absolutely adore Swarovski Crystals (i get mine from jilly beads), not only because they come in so many different shapes colours but because they are so versatile.  I recently made this necklace.

My inspiration was looking out into my garden on a sunny Sunday morning and seeing all the freshly potted plants and hanging baskets in full bloom. All the rich clashing colours made me want to get creative- so I sat at the dining room table (which I am slowly taking over which boxes among boxes of buttons, paper and ribbon) and made this.  What do you think? It’s my jewellery description of Summer!

And last  but not least (yes I know two crafts in one day!) I wanted to just quickly share with you this card I recently made for a friends birthday- sorry about the photo, the light was not being my friend! I have started a craze of sewing on my cards- I sort of seeing it as a staple for all my designs- its just a great way of attaching papers and embellishments to the card base.

The image used in this card is one from the fabulous Pink Petticoat- my favourite website for digital downloads.  Liz’s designs are all so clean and simple but can be turned into the most beautiful cards.  If you haven’t already you should really check out her website. 

I coloured the image in using promarkers and finished off with a few sparkly gems from Wild Orchid Crafts and voila!

That’s it for today.  Another quick thank you for reading! I hope to be back soon with more of my creations!

Have a great day!

Kate

xx

My First Post

Hello Blogland!

So this is my first post. I’m a bit new to all of this! I have been following blogs of some of my favourite inspiration for some time now, but I have just decided to take the plunge myself.  After taking a break from the jewellery side of things for about a year, I was asked to make some wedding jewellery for my friends’ special day earlier this month. I sat down and my usual spot and was worried that the creative juices wouldn’t come to me… but they did! I was flooded with ideas and new projects that I want to try. 

My boyfriend has often said that I wouldn’t have much to say on a blog, or that no one would be interested but I am determined to prove him wrong.

I don’t just make jewellery. I love playing with paper and stamps. You will often find me under a mountain of ribbon and buttons at the weekend. I am not completely happy unless I have some sort of craft to play with or ideas swilling around in my head.

So seeing as this is my first post I thought I better have something to show everyone.

I asked to make two new baby cards recently for my best friend. One for a girl and one for a boy! I had recently placed a massive order from Papertrey Ink so jumped at the chance of using some of them.

She had given me a picture to use on the baby girls card, I did find it hard to concentrate, especially with such a cute little face staring back at me.

Anyways theses were the end results.

and...

What do you think?

I’ll be back tomorrow to share some more designs with you. Until then, thank you for reading.

Kate xx