Fun with fabric!

So... as I mentioned a few posts back I took a trip to the local fabric store and had lots of fun picking out pretty things. The purpose of this was to get me using the mini sewing machine I got for Christmas from my god-mother.

Finally yesterday I got some time to get going and I created the following...


This one is based on a little leaflet I picked up in Hobbycraft. I'm not too keen on the white material behind the thick red ribbon, so I think I'm gonna use something else when I make another one... and I'm also going to try and make it a little less wonky! :-)



These two are for my little step-daughter Scarlett who is 8. She's in a bit of a rock chick phase, hence pink, black and skulls! They're a bit creased looking in the photos, because I finished them last night and she insisted on sleeping on them straight away!

Also, apologies for the rubbish photos. I had to take them on my phone because... gulp... my camera is broken! Sob! I'm a little distraught about this, especially since I've only had it just over a year. Hopefully it'll be fixed soon as possible... don't know how long I can go without my camera!!

Busy busy busy...

This week I've been working all week, and now it's the weekend I'm up in Scotland visiting lovely lovely friends... so apologies for the fact there's been no craftiness whatsoever! I have either Tues or Weds penciled in to get going on my latest planned project, using the lovely little sewing machine I got for Christmas. So there will be something to report by the middle of the week... I hope!

Shopping spree!

Well.... spree might be a little excessive. I've been shopping though! :-) The one truly guarunteed way to put a big huge smile on my face... let me loose in a craft shop!

There aren't many shops nearby to me so I tend to get most stuff I need ('cos I don't just want it... I really need it!) online. However I had some birthday money left over so headed to Hobbycraft. I bought this...

...isn't it lovely! I've been after a scalloped border punch for a while now as I love the effect, but every time I place an online order I get distracted by pretty patterned paper! And by filling my online basket with paper I hit my self imposed spending limit and don't order my scalloped border punch! But now I have one... and I love it!

I also bought these...

I wanted some greetings so I can have another go at card making. I haven't made cards for quite a while... I think about three Christmasses ago was my last attempt. However I've been inspired partly by my friend Helen, who makes fabulous cards, and partly by a blog I've been following... http://jennifermcguireink.com/.

So... I'm working on some cards, and also delving into the pile of stamps I have but very rarely use. I'll update soon on how this little venture goes!

I've also been today to the fabric shop to get some materials for another little project I want to try. I'm not usually one for textiles either, but I got a sewing machine for Christmas and I guess at the moment I must be in the mood to try new things! Again, I'll update soon on this!

The only problem now is finding time around work and the rest of my life to fit in some crafting! Oh what a dilema! :-) x

Filth, muck, embarassment and birthday creations...

Today I managed to get totally filthy, freeze my butt off, almost put my back out and get laughed at by big burly men all at the same time! Quite an achievement I think! :-)

I went to the tip to dispose of the bags of rubble, plasterboard pieces and all variety of other rubbish that has accumulated whilst renovating our house. (This renovation began when we bought the house in June '08 and there is no end date on the horizon. I'm talking years rather than weeks or months. It's a 'project'!)

I must have looked quite the sight, struggling to lift heavy bags high enough over the skip to tip the contents out, with mud all down the front of me, my knees being used to help out my arms that were woefully inadequate to lift the bags by themselves... I have no upper body strength. The group of men who work at the tip... big, macho, burly men... appeared to find me highly amusing! To give them their due they did come over and help once they'd had enough of a laugh. *Sigh*.

Anyway... I thought today I would put up a couple of layouts to share that I made on my birthday last week. I spent the day with my lovely friend Helen, who likes to make cards. We took over the dining room table, with Helen on one side churning out cards and me scrapping away on the other side. It was a lovely way to spend my day and I managed three layouts... the entry for the Sarah's Cards sketch challenge that I've posted, and these two;

This layout is about my friend Gwen, who is Welsh. I never get tired of hearing her speak in Welsh... it amuses me so much... speaking another language is waaaay beyond my capabilities! When she last visited she was on the phone to her mum, chatting away. Our other friend Katie and I decided to snap some photos of her, giggling away as we did so. Then we heard...

"welsh welsh welsh welsh LOSERS welsh welsh".

We almost fell off our chairs laughing. I guess we are kinda losers to be so easily amused!

This other layout is one I can't decide if I'm pleased with or not? Maybe it will grow on me....

Thanks for looking! x