Dance exam

We supported our friend at their dance exam.  I made a box card to celebrate their achievement.

Dies used: Sizzix thinlits plus, Card, Diorama Gatefold #660845;  the dancers are from the Xcut Build a Scene Ballroom #XCU503125 and a star punch.

New Grandparents

Dear friends of ours became grandparents for the first time.  Such moments in life need celebrating, so I decided to make two rocking chairs for the new grandparents.

My apologies in advance as this is a long post, with lots of photos.

The die used:  Sizzix ScoreBoards XL Die - Chair, 3-D #658985

All the pieces cut, ready for assembly

The seat piece, with double sided tape

Folded along the score lines

The seat ready to be glued to the chair back

I made a book and some glasses for grandad’s chair and some knitting for grandma’s.

All done!!  Ready to be given in their handmade acetate boxes.

NB:  Opa = Grandad  Oma= Grandma/Nan

50

Earlier this year I turned 50.  I had a fantastic birthday and my amazing DH  organised a party for me.  I say he organised a party for me, he got so far in the planning, decided he needed my help, so I really should say WE organised a party!
I had a great time planning and making, as I am sure you can imagine.

Here are a few photo's to give you an idea of the fun that I had . . . .

The theme was black, gold and bright pink

 Cupcake wrappers - Sizzix thinlits die #660893

Table decorations - black plastic wine glasses, filled with gold deco stones . . .

 . . . .  gold angel hair

 

 

I bought the heart shaped led light kits but added the 50 in black, white and pink crystals

 

My party invitation 

A Christmas birthday

A dear friend of ours celebrates his birthday on Christmas day.  I always aim to make him an unusual card, just so that it stands out from the Christmas cards.

 

The front of the card blank was shaped to form the top of the piano.  The keys were cut from white and black card and added to the card blank.  The roses are hand made, fiddly to do but oh-so worth it.

Tea time

Last summer, I hosted a high tea for our dance friends – to celebrate our friendship and also the fact that we were now in the top class.  I had been looking for an excuse to use my cupcake wrapper die – Sizzix thinlits cupcake wrappers # 660893.  As you can see, I made them in different colours and I was really pleased with the result.

Another shawl

I crocheted a similar shawl for a friend’s 60th this summer.  I enjoyed making it so much that I decided to make another for my cousin’s 60th – different wool + a different edging = another unique gift

Baby shawl

There is nothing nicer than picking up my knitting to create something special to welcome a new little one to the world.  I have knitted this shawl a few times but by magic it always ends up as a unique piece.

Project Hat

I am the sort of person that doesn’t suit a hat.  Simply put, if forced to wear a hat, I look like one of the donkeys on the beach (lol).

I needed a hat for the black & white ball and dreaded the thought of having buy & wear something unsuitable.  So I decided to make one.

I decided to base my hat on a record (and a hairband)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I added white & black gems to define the edge of the record.

White tulle

black & white tulle

I didn’t have any white tulle, so I coloured 3 pieces black with Promarkers.  I threaded craft wire around the edges (so that I could shape it) and covered the wire with ribbon.

I poked the tulle layers through the centre of the record and secured it all with hot glue.

Flowers ready to be added

Ribbon, coated in Mod Podge (so it would hold it’s shape) then stapled.

nearly done

My finished hat!!

It managed to stay on my head for the entire night and guess what?  I only won a prize for the best hat!

60 years young

A friend of ours has just turned 60!  She is a lovely lady and we have been friends for a long time.  I wanted to make a special card and gift to celebrate the occasion. 

The flowers are made using a Sizzix sizzlits die, flower, bloom with leaves (#658501),the basket was a Sizzix Bigz die, egg & wire basket (#658960)  and the tag from the Sizzix sizzlits tag set small, crescent tag (#654487).  The number was a silver peel-off.

I decided to make our friend a wrap, similar to one that I had made for myself last year  (which was much admired by my friend).  I changed the pattern around a bit and made the edging different, so that it was completely unique.

A card for a knitter

A dear friend of mine recently celebrated her birthday.  As she is a dab hand with a crochet hook, can knit and sew,  so I wanted to make her a card involving yarn.

The stamp is by Marianne Design (Snoesjes HM9449), the embossing folder is by Craft Unlimited (hearts 4954012) and the dies used were the largest two from the Sizzix Framelits circles, Scallop (#657552).    The image and background were coloured with Promarkers.  The balls of yarn were made from embroidery thread and the knitting was originally done using stitch keepers (see below).  I transferred the knitting onto two hair pins (the sort used to keep rollers in place!)

  The knitting was difficult to do as it was so tiny and the springs from the stitch keepers kept getting in the way.  Again, I used embroidery thread to do the knitting.

Thankfully, my friend loved her card.  :-)

A big, big project

As my regular readers know, I am quite new to crochet.  A dear friend of mine has been very encouraging, and as often as we can manage,we have an afternoon of knitting and crochet.  For my birthday earlier this year my friend and her husband bought me lots of crochet goodies including a wonderful book – 100 granny squares.  I couldn’t wait to start with the book and this is the result.

It was an enjoyable project but it was a mammoth task to sew in all the ends!!

New Baby

 

The crib was cut using the Sizzix scoreboards XL cradle die (#658986).  I crocheted a blanket & pillow and added the name in letter beads.  I then had a go at making an acetate box, something I have only just started to make.  The new parents were thrilled with my creation  (that was a relief!).

Thank you time again – part 2

    
I made 2 of these dancing shoes.  The shoe was a Christmas decoration but it is sparkly enough to be a dancing shoe.  The flowers are made from vellum using the following Sizzix Thinlits:  Fuchsia (#658858), Rose & Rose Bud (#658411).
The lion was made from a kit, the mug & hat were shop bought.  The letters on the lion’s paws were cut from felt using a Joy Crafts die – alphabet & numbers (#6002/0139)

A new skill

My late Mum was a fantastic knitter and crocheter.  Years ago she managed to teach me to knit but never managed to teach me to crochet, the fault being mine, as the instructions were about as understandable as a foreign language.

In 2014, I decided to teach myself to crochet and had varying degrees of success.  I managed to crochet a few silver roses for our 25th anniversary, a shawl (that I am not ashamed to wear) and some granny squares.

I decided I wanted to crochet a snowflake table runner for our Christmas table.  After a few false starts, some patience, I finally managed to complete my aim and I am proud to say, it looked good on the dinner table.