The Smallest Things - a belated Sunday Snippet

Morning Folks,

I intended posting this card yesterday, the day it was made, for Pixie's Snippets Playground - Week 108 but the day just ran away from me and it seemed it was time for bed all too soon!

This card was made from old stash ... yes, no new stash was harmed in the making of this card :)

To make the front, the patterned paper, Roses in Harmony, Hot of The Press - free with a Scrapbook Magazine some time ago, was cut to measure slightly smaller than the front of the Kraft card base to create a border. Then a die (a C-Art Us set) was used to cut the oval shape from the paper, after which the edges were inked with Rangers DI, Brushed Corduroy and then glued to the front of the card.

To make the topper, a scrap of smooth white card was stamped with Verve's Smallest Things stamp in VersaFine Vintage Sepia ink and this time cut with a smaller oval, A mat was created by tracing round the same smaller oval die from brown card. Foam pads were added to the back of the stamped topper and adhered to the brown mat, then glued to the oval on the front of the card.

To create the floral embellishments, a rummage in stash unearthed some old Prima flowers in appropriate shades. The tips were inked with Rangers DI Picked Raspberry, then they were layered and clipped together with glittery green brads (Docrafts) before arranging them around the topper. I used glue gel for this as it made it easier to arrange the rose buds, pink heather spray and cream stamens (most of these from The Works).


I used the oval that was cut from the patterned paper and a leftover strip cut in half to decorate the inside and back.

For those who know me it will come as no surprise to learn that this year my main crafting goal is to buy no new patterned paper and embellishments. I know, I say it every year! But all too often I succumb to temptation and add yet more gorgeous goodies to the mountain of stash.

This year, no more! I have a ton of gorgeous and oh so stroke-able paper, boxes of fabulous embellishments, enough embossing folders, dies, paints, inks, etc., etc., etc., to keep me crafting for several years, never mind 2014.

To be absolutely straight I should state now that I did have a wee spending spree just before Christmas ... well, The Boss did the spending as she treated me to some goodies that were on sale :) And I did receive a gift of a craft voucher from the EM too ... that was exchanged on Saturday just gone for a considered purchase of some die sets and a new corner punch - the one I have had since 1996 has finally given up and died on me - all intended to help me keep to my target of using only what I have already.

So watch this space! See if I can keep to my goal ... I promise to be totally honest and confess if ever I lapse. But I won't ... put simply, the craft budget is needed elsewhere. It's earmarked for our new garden. It's been sorely neglected over the last few years and I guess it is going to take a lot of time, effort and pocket money to whip it back into shape.

Before I go, I'd like to welcome my newest follower, Melody - nice to have you along and I hope you continue to visit whenever you can.

Happy Crafting everyone,

WOYWW 241

Greetings fellow WOYWWers, followers and everyone,

What would be more appropriate for today's offering isn't What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday but what's not for me today. It's more like What's On Your Coffee Table Wednesday.

Why? Because I've been driven out of my craftroom by the paint fumes exuding from the newly painted window frame. Not that I'm complaining, mind. It had to be done ready for the new window blind that is being fitted on Friday. Sometimes you have to make sacrifices for the greater good :)

So what you see is what I am crocheting at the moment. And it is all down to Lunch Lady Jan's post for Week 239 in which she mentioned a knitting/crocheting for charity post found at the UK Handknitting  Association. And I was particularly taken with the hexagons Jan was crocheting for this appeal:

Click on the image to be taken to the post where you can find full details of what is required.

Wanting to join in I've rummaged through my bags of yarn and searched through my crochet pattern books and settled down at the coffee table to make as many hexagons as I can while the paint is drying. My one remaining problem is ensuring that the hexagons are the required size ... for some reason I'm struggling but I will persevere :)

Oh, and an update on the curtain saga ... all have been altered and my job is done - yes!

Will be back soon as I can to leave as many comments as I can manage before the paint fumes get to me! Want to join in with WOYWW and reveal your desk this week then pop over to Julia's blog, the Stamping Ground, and leave a link ... don't be shy, we're a really friendly bunch of crafters and we don't bite :)

In the meantime, take care, keep warm and stay safe.

Happy crafting,

For the Birthday Boy

Hi Everyone

I hope you have all had a super Sunday. Now that we have our car back we've had a day of visiting family and finally delivering all the Christmas presents that we couldn't while we were without wheels. But, oh boy, it's cold outside! Hope you are warmer where you are.

Today I have a card for Pixies Snippets Playground - Week 107 which includes quite a few items made from snippets. After the one-layer card posted yesterday, Di commented that she hoped I wouldn't make too many of that style card because it doesn't help use up any snippets ... well, have no fear Di, that was just a brief departure from normal and I'm still on a mission to use up as many snippets as possible:)

Because I liked it so much this is another card based on the sketch for Jill's challenge on Docrafts ... you can see it on the Wise Owl card posted on Thursday. I had the Forever Friends bear already stamped up and partly coloured. So when planning this card it was easy to pick out colours from the papers for that huge gift box. I'd coloured the top of the box with a grey marker thinking it would look silvery ... it didn't! Crystal Stickles to the rescue - a coat of that and it looks so much better. Putting the finishing touches to the card it became obvious that the first pinwheel, made from a 2" square of paper, was a bit too large so I created another from a 1.5" square for the front. The larger one wasn't wasted ... it's on the back instead :)

Inside decorated with off-cuts and a stamped sentiment

Back decorated with the larger pinwheel

Materials used:

• base: 4.5" square white card base
• papers: blue patterned papers printed from the Docrafts Papermania Capsule Collection CD-ROM that came free with Simply Cards & Papercraft; snippets of leftover yellow polka dot paper Echo Park Dots & Stripes Lemon Drops Small Dots for the pinwheels and butterflies
• cardstock: snippets of smooth blue card for matting and smooth white card for stamping
• stamps: Docrafts Forever Friends Gift stamp; both greeting stamps from My Favourite Things Happiest Birthday Wishes; 
• pens: ProMarkers - the bear is coloured with Satin, Oatmeal, Sandstone; the gift box coloured with Powder Blue, Buttercup and Ice Grey 1
• dies: Docrafts X-Cut Nesting Dies, Circles and Butterflies
• ink: Memento Tuxedo Black ink pad;  
• glitter glues: Stickles yellow, crystal, and blue, maker unknown
• ribbon: yellow satin ribbon from stash

In preparation for the new roller blind being fitted five days from now, the EM is donning his painter overalls in order to paint the window frame and ledge in here. This means that my workdesk has to be moved out of the way so no papercrafting will be done. Instead, my plan is to work at my sewing table ... altering yet another pair of curtains ... sigh ... wouldn't it be lovely if windows came in only one size!!!

I hope you all have a merry Monday.

Take care, keep warm, stay safe and happy crafting,