Follow Your Dreams

Hello to all my fellow crafters. It has been a while since I last posted anything. I have been away visiting my daughter in London. I've had a wonderful time and got the best Mothers Day Gift ever....I'm going to be a Granny!

After spending some time away from my craft room I was full of ideas and eager to get back to creating so I have quite a few projects to share with you over the next few days.

Today I am sharing a Shabby 'Scrappy' card. A card I have made by using up leftover scraps of paper, scraps of lace, fabric, Die cuts I haven't used yet, some hand made foamiran flowers and resin mouldings. So crafting on a budget for those of us that don't have such a large budget! lol  
  

I have used torn strips of paper scraps and lace to form the background and added a vintage style floral digital image to add another layer/dimension. I finished the card with various die cuts, muslin and a few resin birds & buttons.

I have also decorated the inside of the card keeping the design flat so that the card can be closed easily.

I am entering my card into the following Challenges:

Allsorts Challenge 515/516 - Blossoms, Butterflies, Bugs.

Di's Digi Challenge - Add or show Texture

Just Us Girls Trend Week #483 - Off the Edge

Simply Create Too #148 - Anything Goes

Patties Creations Design Challenge - Flowers

Jo's Scrap Shack #277 - Always Anything Goes

Polkadoodles Challenge Week 15- Anything Goes

Crafting with an Attitude Challenge #50 - Always Anything Goes

Thanks for visiting

Craft Room Clearout Result

Hi Ladies many apologies for not posting a winner yesterday as promised. My partner decided to change our internet provider and promised to install the new router in time for the draw but unfortunately he got called into work.... I woke him extra early this morning to install it and we are up and running now!

So here is the result of the draw.....drumroll....lol

Congratulations Sara please email me with your details: shabbysuzie@gmail.com

Thank you for taking part ladies and for your lovely comments they are much appreciated xx

Craft Room Clear Out Giveaway!

Hi crafters just a quick post to offer up some Extra's that I came across during my recent Craft Room clear out. Can you believe that I have doubled up on each of these items!

       A Sizzix Thinlits/Tim Holtz 21 Piece Die Set. My Favourite Die for making paper flowers.

        2 Silicone Moulds for making your own embellishments.         

If you would like to receive the Giveaway there are just a few steps to follow:

1. The Giveaway is only open to followers of my Blog.

2. Please Link the Giveaway on your own CRAFT Blog.

3. Leave your name and a Link to your blog in the comments box below

I will draw the winner on Sunday 24th March at 20.00 (BMT) using a random number generator.

Thanks for visiting and taking part xx

Shabby Easter Egg

Hello crafters I hope you have all had a great week! I have nearly finished the craft room blitz! I have a couple of items that I have doubled up on which I will give away on my blog next week....so stay tuned.

I am here today to share a decorated Easter Egg Ornament that I have made. For Christmas last year I made some giant decorated ornaments using Soccer Balls. After Christmas I got to thinking how and what could I use to achieve an egg shape. After some trawling on the Internet I found the perfect solution...A balloon!

I inflated a balloon and used torn up strips of wrapping tissue and watered down PVA glue to form a layer and left it to dry fully before applying another layer. This isn't a project to be rushed and I have been working on my eggs on and off for about 8 weeks. 

On this Egg I left an oval opening at the front for the Chick to hatch. I painted the inside of the Egg with Pale Pink acrylic paint.

After about 12/15 layers the egg shape becomes firm. I burst the balloon and cover the tissue with a layer of sparkly lace & voile which masks the unevenness of the surface.

Now for the fun part I hauled out all of my lace trims and began to decorate the outside of the Egg.

Side View

Back View

I finally added a cute fluffy chick to complete the project.

I have really enjoyed this project. I love making items to decorate the home no matter what the season. I have enjoyed revisiting my childhood and using the Papier Mache technique...I found it quite relaxing listening to music and getting all 'icky'. 

I am entering my project into the following Challenges:

Frilly And Funkie - Pass The Tissues Please

Watercooler Wednesday Challenge #212 - All about Occasions (Easter)

Challenge Up Your Life - Bye Bye Winter

2 Crafty Critter Crazies Challenge #24 - Anything Goes Including a Critter

Craft-Dee BowZ March Challenge- Anything Goes with a Handmade Bow

Creations In Pink Challenge #8 - Anything Goes in More Pink than any Other Colours

Creative Craft Cottage Challenge #116 - Spring Fever

Crafty Catz Challenge #453 - Anything Goes with optional twist Spring

Thank you for visiting have a great week! xx

Home Sweet Home

Hi to my blogging friends. I hope you have all had a good week and you are now enjoying a relaxing Sunday. 

I have not had much time for crafting this week because I decided to try and re-organise my craft room...honestly I wish I had never started! I keep telling myself it will  all be worth it in the end. It is so surprising just how much stuff I own but I can't bare to part with anything...I think the term is 'Hoarder'! ha ha

I have not quite finished but have managed to clear a small space to create a new project. I found this House shaped box and decided to create a Home Sweet Home project. It could be for someone who has just moved to a new home or just as a decorative item for the home.

I found this sweet image of a pair 'Black Warblers' not that I am hot on ornithology...it is noted at the base of the image lol. I just love the soft colouring and how the pair are looking at each other adoringly. 

I started the project by giving the frame a couple of coats of pale pink paint, followed by a thick coat of white chalk paint which I then sanded back here to give an aged look. Next I cut the image to size and fixed into the frame.

Next I used some White craft wire which I aged here and there with rust paste. I cut the wire to size and attached to the front of the frame using staples....I used an upholstery staple gun not a regular paper stapler. 

I then hid the wire edges and staples with ribbon & lace and decorated the back of the frame with a matching paper. I'm not sure what the customer will want to do with the frame, it is freestanding but if the customer wants it for a wall hanging then I can easily attach a hanging ring and gift label to the back.

 I finished the project off using more lace, leaf die cuts, handmade Foamiran flowers, feathers, a tiny birds nest and eggs and a raffia bow.

I am entering my project into the following Challenges:

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Create a Scene

Watercooler Wednesday Challenge #211 - Kath's Feminine 'Anything Goes'

Craft Rocket Challenges #57 - Flowers

Crafting With an Attitude #49 - Anything Goes

Southern Girls Challenge - Flora and Fauna with team Lou

Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge #420 - Anything Goes

Creative Fingers Challenge #159 - Anything Goes

Catch The Bug Challenge - Make a Scene!

Cute Card Thursday #572 - Anything Goes

Creative Friday #225 - Everything that Flies!

Thanks for visiting and your lovely comments xx

To My Lovely Mum

Hello to my fellow crafters.

I just wanted to start by saying thank you for your lovely comments they are much appreciated xx

It is now officially Spring!...although the weather here in the UK has done a complete 360...we are currently in the midst of storm Freya. A great excuse to spend the day in the Craft room, not that I need much of an excuse, my partner Stuart commented this morning on how high the Ironing pile is growing...I expect I'll get around to it when we run out of things to wear..ha ha.

It is now March already and here in the UK we celebrate Mothers Day at the end of the month. Sadly as I explained in an earlier post my Mum passed away in October last year. So I am making this card to sell in my Ebay store, as the sentiment is quite broad the card could also be used for a Mum's Birthday or just to say a very special Thank you to Mum.

I have never tried this Nude/Peach/Cream colour combination before but as always I always take my lead from the main image. I have used scraps of lace & fabric. The resin bird and scroll embellishments I made myself using silicone moulds.

I painted the chipboard sentiment to co-ordinate and made some paper flowers using matching papers. I finished the card with a few pearls and used glitter paint to add a little sparkle here & there.

I have also finished the inside of the card with co-ordinating papers and a blank area for the sender to add their message. 

I am entering my card into the following challenges:

International Art & Soul Challenge #53 - Sequins and/or Beads

Lil Patch of Crafty friends Challenge #101 - Always Anything Goes

Angies Digital Stamps Challenge #29 - Anything Goes/No twist

Dragonfly Dreams Challenge - For a Special Female

Dare 2B Artzy Challenge - Anything Goes

Jo's Scrap Shack Fun-Day Friday Challenge - Always Anything Goes

A Gem of a Challenge Wk 4 - Anything Goes

Crafty Friends Challenge - Gemstones/Pearls

Crafters Castle Challenge - Anything Goes/Use Glitter

Thank you for stopping by and your lovely comments xx

Celebrate This Day

Hello I'm back with a greetings card to share with you today. As I mentioned in my last post the weather here in the UK is glorious and spring has arrived early. While I was out walking the dogs today you cant help but notice all the Daffodils and some trees are in blossom too.

So I made a card to celebrate this day....it could be a Birthday card, Anniversary card, Retirement card...pretty much anything really, a good card to have as a standby.

I loved this sweet image of Bluebirds in a Blossom Tree so I based my colour scheme around this.

I added some ribbon and lace to form a pretty background before I fixed the image in place. I then used some die cut twigs & branches. I also die cut & coloured the flowers from Foamiran and arranged them around the image.

I also added a little birds nest made from Sisal & Dried Roots. I made the eggs from air dry clay....I tend to make these all year round and store them in a jar...they are a great way to use up the little scraps at the end of a project. I also added a bird made from air dried clay and a few lace & metal embellishments, I especially love the pretty Bee charm...I saw a few of those buzzing around today.

As always I have decorated the inside of the card to co-ordinate using some scrap papers.

I am entering my card into the following Challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

The Three Muses Challenge - Blue & White

Watercooler Wednesday Challenge - All about Occasions

Crafty Creations Challenge #385 - Anything Goes

Crafty Sentiments Designs Challenge - Anything Goes

Digi Choosday Craft Challenge - Anything Goes

Papercraft Challenges #31 - All the Critters

Ike'sworld Challenges #117 - B for Blue/Anything Goes

Thank you for visiting and your lovely comments xx

For a Special Aunt...

Hello to my fellow crafters. I hope you have all enjoyed a fabulous day. The weather here in the UK is wonderful at the moment and it feels like spring has come early this year, daffodils are already in full bloom.

I have another project to share with you today....not another 'Valentines' project you'll be pleased to hear!

Today is my Aunties birthday and she is the grand old age of 89! My Aunt is very special to me and my family she is my Mums only living sibling. As a child I lived very close to my Aunt and I was always around at her house playing with my cousins or vice versa. Sadly my Aunt was widowed at a young age and as my Mum was a divorcee they became very close and did everything together. They managed to get themselves into mischief and always had hilarious tales to tell me. As I got older, moved away and got married my Aunt was always with me & my family for special occasions and outings. My aunt now suffers from dementia but is always chatty and cheerful.

My Aunts favourite colour is Blue and her favourite flowers are forget-me-nots.

I love to make gifts or cards that what I call 'Keepsakes'. I have a few original Victorian Glass domes around my home that I use for displaying various seasonal arrangements for Christmas, Easter etc. So when I saw these Perspex mini domes at my local craft store for under £5 I thought they would be ideal as gifts. 

To make the scene I started by painting the base green, adding oasis foam and covering with dried moss. I built up the scene with bleached twigs and dried Gypsophilia. I then added various embellishments...die cut Butterflies & foliage, a resin Bird and various floral picks.

I also added some tiny birds eggs nestled in the moss. To decorate the Perspex dome I firstly fussy cut a contrasting border from some paper and stuck it to the inner base of the dome. I then stuck the dome over the base and hid the join with some ruffled ribbon and a pearly leaf trim.

For the top of the dome I added some striped ribbon, die cut Ivy and stuck it all into place with a resin rose.

I have just returned from spending the day with my Aunt and she was very pleased with her gift.

I am entering my project into the following Challenges:

As You Like it Challenge - Favourite Birthday or Christmas (& Why)  

I love any excuse for crafting but I prefer to make Birthday Cards or gifts the most as they are more personalised and it is so nice to show love & best wishes to someone on their special day. 

Moving Along with the Times Challenge - A Little Bit Shabby Chic

Seize the Birthday Challenge #159 - Anything Goes 

Crafting With an Attitude #48 - Always Anything Goes

The Happy Craft Challenge - February Craft Challenge Always Anything Goes

The Paper Shelter Challenge - Things That Fly

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - No Stamps Allowed

Crafty Creations Challenges #384 - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday # 374 - #375 - Anything Goes

Thankyou for visiting and for your lovely comments xx

I Love You Because...

Helloo fellow crafters, I'm back today to share another of my Valentines projects. 

I made this project for my partner and myself, it is an 'I Love You Because' box. I suppose like most couples nowadays we both live very fast paced lives and we both perhaps take for granted the 'Little Things' we do for each other nor do we share with each other the qualities that we love about each other. So I have created a little box where we can leave loving, caring & supportive notes for each other...very soppy I know but I openly admit to being a complete romantic!

The base of the project is a heart shaped Papier Mache box

 After I had chosen the Papers I wanted to use... on this occasion some gorgeous foiled paper from the 'Midnight Garden' collection from Prima Marketing...I then gave the box a couple of coats of contrasting acrylic paint. 

I padded the inside of the box using some leftover upholstery wadding and a remnant of a deep red crushed velvet 

 Then to the fun part....I decorated the lid of the box with Flowers, Resin Cherubs, Tulle, Lace, Die cut Leaves, Scrolls & Butterflies and finally a scattering of sequins, pearls and gems.

 Just a shot to show the lace edging around the lid.

  Finally I fixed some heart shape 'Post It' notes inside the lid along with a pen inside the box.

Had so much fun creating this project. I enjoyed playing around with foiling the leaves and scrolls. My partner loved it and I have already received a few 'Love Notes'. I wonder how many notes I would have received had I made a 'You Annoy Me Because' box...ha ha....sooo many more I think!

I am entering this project into the following Challenges:

Dare2bartzy February Challenge - Love

Dragonfly Dreams Challenges - Include a Heart

Brown Sugar Challenge February - Love and/or St. Valentine Day

Crafters Castle February Challenge #14 - Anything Goes with option of Valentines Day.

Studio 75 Challenge #1/2019 - Box Filled with Love

Moo Mania & More - Love is in the Air

Thanks for stopping by have a good week! xx

Love & Lace

Hello fellow crafters, I hope you are all enjoying a romantic Valentines day. I have a few Valentines projects to share with you over the course of this week. I haven't been able to share them until today as I didn't want the recipients to see them in advance.

The first project is a card made for my BIL to give to his wife.

I have made the card by layering strips of lace to form a background.

The sweet cherub image has a chipboard frame which I have painted white

I have also added other embellishments including some paper doileys, flowers, a chipboard flourish, string, ribbon, pearls, gems and a gorgeous pink pearl & diamante brooch.

I have decorated the inside of the card using some pretty pink lace effect papers and created a decorative blank oval framed space for a personal romantic message to be placed.

I am entering my card into the following challenges:

Crafteezzee February Challenge - Lace

Crafting By Designs Challenge - Love

Frilly and Funkie Challenge - Let Me Count The Ways. (I have used 3 types of lace...well maybe more than 3 if i'm being honest!)

Moo Mania - Love is in the Air

The Paper Funday Challenges - Love With A Twist. Use the colors Red, Pink or White.

Thankyou for dropping by I look forward to visiting you to see your romantic creations. Have a Wonderful Valentines Day

Happy New Year

...Well it really is beyond the point of wishing you all a Happy New Year. I had hoped to be posting a little earlier but a lot of things have cropped up!

So have any of you made any resolutions? I have made a few...after my Mum passing last year I have decided to just Enjoy life, Enjoy my Family & Friends and work towards becoming healthier as my health hasn't been so good of late. I am also going to try and share at least 1 project a week on my blog this year.

So as it is a brand New Year I usually hit the shops to purchase a new Diary but trying to be thifty I invested in an A5 folder and had fun turning it into a Shabby Filofax.

I have really enjoyed creating this project....as it is for myself I could be as over the top as I want to be...and I was! haha

I have kept the reverse of the project plain or it wouldn't lie flat

I have also kept the interior to a minimum so that it closes properly so I  just made a pocket for appointment cards

The project isn't quite finished as I have to decorate 8 dividers which I hope to complete over the next year and I will share with you when I have completed them. I will treasure my Diary and hopefully it will last me for many years.

It Didn't Stop There!

After completing my 2019 Diary project I got to looking at my rather sorry iPad cover and got to work on that too!

Another fun project again with a heavily decorated front but keeping the interior quite plain with just a flap pocket & lace so as not to scratch my Ipad screen.

Happy New Year Baby!

I have just one final project to share with you which was made for good friends New Year Baby her first grandchild Joshua. Instead of making a card I have made a keepsake shadow box.

I picked up the frame quite cheaply... painted & stamped the frame and added various papers, embellishments and a few Foamiran flowers.

On the reverse of the Frame I have made a pocket to contain a birth record card for the proud parents to complete and a couple of blank tags for the senders messages.

I am entering my projects into the following Challenges:

Crafteezee January Challenge - Shabby Chic

More Mixed Media Challenge - Anything goes + Optional Blues

Southern Girls Challenge - Anything Goes

Crafting From The Heart Challenge 235 - Anything Goes

Avenue 613 Challenge - Anything Goes + Optional Watercolouring

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Alcohol, Drinks or Inks

Everybody Art Challenge 439 - Anything Goes

As You Like It Challenge - Favourite Pearls or Buttons.. My favourite is pearls I have always loved them since I received my first string of pearls on my 18th birthday...but my grandmother always told me that Pearls stood for tears....obviously not true as I have not had to shed too many over the years.

Thanks for visiting....please leave a message so that I can come and visit you too!

Sending Love & Hugs

xx