Helping Hand

My sister in law is having a craft day to raise some money for a charity called Caring For Life, I made up some felt flower corsage kits to make your own, for her to sell. I thought they would make ideal stocking fillers, or Christmas presents.A friend of mine is organising a baby shower for her sister in law. I made this fimo cake topper for her so that she could have it as a keepsake. It was my first attempt at making something like this and was a bit time consuming, but very enjoyable. Don't look to closely or else you will see some faults! Very difficult not getting fingernail marks and scratches into the fimo (modelling clay) when it is soft!

I dont know if you have seen these before? It is called a nappy cake, made up of nappies, breast pads, scratch mits, socks, cotton buds and hidden inside is a music box, which the duck on the top sits on. We completed it with ribbon, and I added a few finishing touches to bring the colour together, some flowers and feathers!

Like Mother like Son?...

One morning we woke up to my son's attempt at cake making.... The results may look lovely, but this is a result of letting a 4 1/2 year old loose at candles and sprinkles, this is only part of the mess! The other cake attenpt that he tried was to try and make cake using dried milk powder and milk, with icing...!!!!

And these are some that I made....

Graduated Growth

My turn for the Salt Challenge this week. It came to me almost in a flash, whilst trying to think of a topic. I came up with the word 'Growth' I was thinking along the lines of seeds and how from a small seed comes a tree (been watching a bug's life!) but also about spiritual growth, and how it needs to be worked at. How we grow and learn through testing times. I loved the broadness of the subject, and am excited to see what the design team will achieve and interpret with it! Used a mixture of varieties of Tapestry stamps and similar ones, to create a graduated growth picture, with the verse 'But grow in grace of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory for ever and forever! Amen. 2 Peter 3:18. I offset the word 'growth' to create a shadow effect and 3d mounted the letters, added some prima flowers to complete.

Choccy Cakes!

These chocolate cakes were made under extreme circumstances- as the electricity went in the middle of cooking them! Argh! thankfully they managed to cook in the heat of the oven.

I recently bought some new sprinkles, and wanted to test out my new mini star cutter (another b'day pressie) and my fabby new piping bag! (again another pressie). By the time I put the butter icing on, it had gone a bit loose due to the butter softening so much, but everyone was kind and said they couldnt tell! But you know when things dont turn out just how you want them...

These little gems are made from beetroot! Yep beetroot and chocolate cake, they are very moist and yummy! My mum gave me the recipe, although it is meant for a big cake I thought I would try them out as cupcakes. They are a gorgeous rich maroon colour. I added the hearts for a touch of pazazz!

Beloved Bird

One of my sisters went to america, and rather than buying me a 'lousy t-shirt' brought back a Martha Stewart Dove punch that I had my eye on! I love it, it is such a great little creature to fill those gaps, and makes a change from using butterflies (my other trusty punch!). I created these 2 cards.
This first was for a friend, a card with a meaning, I used elements of the card to potray her life. The 3 buttons to the bottom right represent her children, the word joyful expressed her, the tag shape, because she used some tags at her party so we knew who's glass was who's. The 2 love birds was her and her husband, and the gingham ribbon to represent the school uniform that our children go to. The strap was from a broken watch that I found on the floor!

You now when time flies... and dates spring upon you! Well my inlaws had there wedding anniversary recently, so I knocked together this card using yes! My birdy punch, and some die cut shapes my sister in law gave me for my birthday, the memories label blended a bit better in colour in real life! I liked the simplicity of this card, and might well make soem more like it!

Alternative Alterations

I think when you make an alternative card, especially a baby card, it tends to stand out from the usual blues, pinks and yellows. I liked the idea of using notepaper, but never done it before, so this was the start of the inspiration to this card. I used some bright pink felt flowers and filled with buttons, added brownsand turqouise and it all came together in the end!

I was admiring a brooch on a ladies bag, when she went on to tell me it was made from a zip! It was so effective, and looked like it was colured stitching rather than part of a metal zip. Inspired I looked through the internet to see if I could find a pattern, but to no avail. Instead I found a few other designs. Combining the ideas, this was my first effort maknig a zip brooch, with locally charity shop sorced zips!

Home Improvements

Recently made this card inspired by the paper (by Papermania- me thinks?) which had this gorgeous chair design, and an idea form a craft magazine, but adapted it to suit. Ideal for a new home card, retirement or that sort of thing. I had fun making the details, like the picture frame and the lamp. The photo doesnt show up that some of the furniture is stuck on 3d to give it a better effect.

A sponge cake I made for my husband's Grandad who turned 85 recently. Just something simple...Note to self- invest in some brown food colouring! I had to use cocoa powder to achieve the colour for the bird.

End of an Era

My son finished at nursery last friday :( I made a window cling (nearly A4 size) for the nursery and made a frame each for the teachers. Seems strange to come to the end of an era only to start a new one at school! But thats life! Oh the joys of labelling everything....

SALT & Sugar!

This card I made for the SALT CHALLENGE, the general topic is on prayer, but please read the blurb on the site for more detail. I must admit I was stuck for inspiration until I noticed another person on the design team had used this verse, and I happened to have the same one in a clear sticker! I finally bought myself a pricking tool which I used for the faux stitching around the edge, and some new papers I picked up in a sale.
Some cupcakes I made recently for my son's nursery cake sale. My cards seem to be put on the shelf for the time being whilst I take up my new hobbie of cake decorating! Although I do come back to it now and again. Thanks to my sister Ruth, who gave me the tip on using paper punches on rice paper to make the butterflies! Forever in your debt! Thanks!

Frames for Friends

Here are some recent frames I did for commissions for some friends. I really enjoyed doing the black and white one, especially as it came out how I wanted! The idea behind it was old fashioned movies, hence the black and white feather and bling! The verse inside is Psalm 121, and was given to a young lady on the occasion of her baptism.This frame was for a couple's wedding anniversary, think it may have been 25 years- hence the touch of silver!

This frame was for twins, I wanted something that would be suitable for both the boy and girl without going down the blue and pink route.