Beaded star pendant

This is beaded using beading thread (about a metre). Now that I've made it I'm not sure what to hand it on! Quite fiddly but also quite rewarding!

A sewing machine

Should I buy one??? I thought they were very expensive but I've found one that I like under £100. Do I really need one?

Birdhouse in a Flowerpot - getting the hang of copics!!

After a bit of a shaky start with copic ciao and promarkers I'm finally pleased with the results. I copied the colours for this directly from the stamp - Whippersnapper. Now I just need to make a card!!

Fresh Water Pearl and Crystal Pendant

Hard to see the detail of this in the pic but there are freshwater pearls and Swarovski crystals (black and clear AB)

Irridescent Charm Braclet

The colours of the stones are blue/black/purple - this doesnt come over in the photo.

Baby Card

Made this one for a friend. Love this sizzix teddy!

Thank you!

Thank you! To my best friend Jackie for this nomination! I am so chuffed!

Oooohhhhh! guess what! I'm going to the Scottish Bead Fair with my best friend Jackie in March. I can't wait!

Sorry I've not been around much this week to post any new creations. I have made one card! a baby one, which I will post soon. Work has been mad but not about good things.. I hope things in our country turn around soon... everything crossed. And I know everyone might not agree with this but news that Shannon Matthews so called mum got 8 years restored some!! of my faith in our justice system!! So I end today on a wee bit of a positive note!

Penny Black Furry Love

I've not used this stamp in ages! This card is for a friend at work, for his wife's birthday. I hope it's suitable! He told me she was the centre of his world!

Pink Petticoat

Another card made from Pink Petticoat papers and images.

Tweet On You!

This is made from a digi download from Sweet Shoppe Designs.

A pressie for you

Another Forever Friends image coloured with ProMarkers and some Sakura glitter.

Basic Grey Ambrosia

I love the colours in this paper range - this is the first card I've made with them.

Forever Friends - Daisys for you

Coloured this Forever Friends image with Pro Markers - I'm really pleased how it turned out.

The papers are coredinations again, with DaisyDs and mulberry for the torn strips.

Angel Hearts

Another quick make using a PC Crafter image. The orange backing paper is coredinations - slightly distressed with an emery board and scissors.

Another valentine using Pink Petticoat papers and images.

Get Well Soon!

A quick make - image is from PC Crafter. Papers are Papermania and the ric rak is velvet.

Clowning Around again!

Another High Hopes stamp - this time coloured with Marvy's using a paintbrush. Some glossy accent highlights which weren't quite dry when I took the photo - so they still look a bit cloudy! Love the paper - it's from Papermania!

Messy Rabbits

These guys are from the Joanna Sheen range of Messy Rabbits. Cute! The papers on this are from one of the forever friends pads.

birthday fishes!

This was great fun to do - got out the H2Os which I haven't used for ages! The stamps are High Hopes and the papers are from the SEI Poppy paper pad.

Needle Felting - first attempt

How its done...

Starting with some felt shapes.
Using a really sharp felting needle to push the fibre through.

Adding some merino top wool.

It starts to take shape.

Using a stabbing movement to push the fibres through.

A wee picture. Need more practice I think!

Valentines - using up scraps

Made this one using the scraps from the first card - waste not!

First Valentine Card

Stripy Scarf

Wet Felted scarf - first attempt. I don't think I should have gone for stripes but apart from that this little scarf is so warm!

Felt Flower - end result!

Here it is! The end result of my felting the other night! Ok so the colours are a bit bright! I've made it into a brooch - Sarah can wear it on a scarf or something!

Wet Felting - Absolute Beginner!!

Been trying something different! Wet felting! At least it's a craft where you have to stand up! So, in 45 mins I transformed gorgeous bright Merino wool tops into scrunched dollops of rather oddly coloured felt! Don't I feel like I have achieved something!! ;-)

Seriously though, its really easy. Not that I'm saying my attempt is any good colour wise, it is technically felt - which is what I set out to do! They are drying on the radiator at the moment - when dry they will be magically transformed (by me!!) into a two layered flower with a beaded centre - to be used as a hair bobble! (and to think I could have spent 99p to buy one - it wouldn't be the same!!!)

The technique is good exercise too! and you get your hands cleaner than you could possibly imagine! You basically pull out the merino wool and place it down on a bamboo mat

- when you have your pattern you then cover with a net (like a net curtain made of nylon or the like) and you wet the wool. Then you rub soap in.. and keep rubbing until the wool mats together.

Then you rinse it out carefully and put it back in the bamboo which you then roll up tight and roll the whole thing back and forward.. in all directions, for what seems like an eternity! (10 mins!) Then you pour near boiling water over the felt, let it cool a wee bit then pour boiling water again. Then a wee bit of repeating the rolling and the boiling water and you are done! Very clean hands and two small pieces of felt! Voila!

It's nice to try something new! This time next week I will of course be an accomplished designer of felt items (hats, scarves, bags, purses.. etc!!) rattling them up in an evening and selling them in some designer craft store for £££s. You have to have a vision! ;-)

I'll post a pic of the finished hair clip when I've done it!

Chain necklace

Something different for me again! The crystals are AB finished and they change colour in the light.

Silver Wire Earrings

The wire is 20 gauge - bent using pliers. Dead simple.