Seasons Greeting's

What a wonderful Christmas it has been this year, lots of visitors and presents, plus so far good health, apart from the odd slip up of over endulging in such rich and wonderful food...lol. My own fault really..but can you blame me after such a downer last year! Anyway feel alot better today. So a new year is almost upon us and we head into a new decade, lets hope it is better than the last one. Now I have completed my NVQ3 I can concentrate on new ideas and designs in my crafting, I cant wait to start...lol. So to begin with it has to be a special birthday card for my dear elderly neighbour who will be celebrating her 90th birthday on new years day. So think I better get off rabbiting from here and gather all my craft stuff and get creating..lol.

Happy New Year to you all and all the best for 2010

Holly

Christmas Gifts

Continuing my Homemade gifts for Christmas, here is a small selection of some domino keyrings I have been making. My favourites are the shoes and rose ones. These I stamped the image onto the domino once inked up and then embossed using the glitter gold embossing powder so they sparkle. These keyrings have been so popular when shown to my friends, I just cannot make enough! To add a special christmas touch to the wreath and Santa I found a tiny holly leaf gem stone and a tiny bell.

Hope you are all making homemade christmas gifts this year I found it to be more cost friendly and so personal to the individual it is made for. The programme on Channel 4 this week Kirstys Homemade Christmas was so inspiring and well worth watching, if you missed it you can go to channel4.com and see the episodes, 3 in all and well worth it. Although I felt it was a bit late in the year to make some of the ideas...lol!
Holly

Altered Photo Frame

I wanted to give something different this year as Christmas presents. I found some bare basic items from papermania. So I got down to altering this photo frame, I actually bought 2 frames so will add the second one to my flickr when completed. The frames come as bare brown, I began by painting the frame black using liquid gesso, this gives it a good base. I then covered the black in Anitas 3D embossing fluid. I then added a hint of gold by using a rub on. As you can see I did this around the oval and around the outter sides of the frame. I then found some silk flowers in my box of tricks and decided to paint them using metallic paint, thus giving them a nice gold look and a bit of a shine. I then added tiny diamonte gem stones. For the shapes I found these in the Range also from papermania, these I painted with the gold metallic paint and then used sparkles glitter glue to add some christmas effect. The skeleton leaves also had a hint of sparkle by using the glitter glue. I then completed by adding more diamonties to the oval area of the frame. Now all I need is a lovely photo to go inside. I enjoyed making this frame and it looks better in person than in the photograph.

Holly

Crafting like crazy

At last I have been able to get back into my crafting. Just in time for Christmas. As you can see I started with the traditional Christmas stockings..lol. These are made of felt and cut out shapes. I added some beads and sequins to finish. There are more in my flickr photostream.
Finally I have completed my NVQ3 now and just awaiting all my work to be verified and eventually will get my certificates. I am very pleased that I completed it on time, as when I was ill it was such a hard task to keep up with.
I bought some plain photoframes at the Range and decided I would alter these to make as Christmas presents, when they are completed I will add a picture here. It seems to have been so long since I last added to the blog, but at the time my camera seemed to have given up the ghost, but now I am able to use the bosses camera...lol!
Well thats about it for now hope all of my followers are keeping busy and I do visit your blogs often.
Happy Christmas crafting everyone!
Cheers
Holly

Altered Board Book

I have been working on a altered board book, that was given to me. This is only the second time I have worked on altered books so a bit rusty at the moment. The theme of the book was my favourite things and vintage is one of them. I have also made the book a 2 page spread so it matches. More photos of the book and some of the pages are on my flickr slideshow, you can view them all by clicking on the slideshow.

The other favourite theme of mine was the sea so I created 2 sea life pages, some of the pictures do not show all the colours as they should be but the there was too much light in my conservatory

today. My camera is not working at the moment good excuse to spend some more money on a new one ..lol!

But as usual the bills have to come first. I have

added one of the sea life pages here I really enjoyed

making this book its larger than most board books

it was originally a childrens book. I used white gesso to build a base then worked in metallic acrylic paints to add some colour, with the help of finger painting...lol...using inks. The silhouette for the mermaid was cut out from the Once upon a time scrapbook papers and altered to make her stand out. The stamped swirls are from the Personal Impression range.

For the Vintage page I used Alcohol ink for the background and swirled it around with a paint brush had to be fast with this as it dries so fast! I then cut out some lace so that it was more effective and decorated, I then covered the page with Anita's 3D embossing varnish and placed the lace into it so it then changed colour to look older. For the photo frame I used a piece of card that was embossed using the Cuttlebug folder and then inked the embossing with Cranberry alcohol ink to brink out the embossing more, then went over it gently with Impression stamping ink fawn colour. I then covered with the varnish and added a little sparkle that you cannot really see in the photo onto the raised embossing using Sparkles glitter glue bronze colour. Phew think thats about it! Its been ages since I have created something so arty never thought I would be able to get my imagination back but it seems making all those cards...lol...has worked...the cards also did well out of the 70 I made while recovering I sold 33 to one lady and another 8 to others...so a big thankyou to all who bought them from me.

Holly

Altered Beer Mat

Thought I would have ago at altering a beermat, Pattie had given me ages ago, so trying to catch up with things. I am looking forward to my week off next week so I can venture more on all arty stuff.

No need to explain how I made this mat as I am sure most of you have made one at some point. But just incase here goes. Covered the beer mat in white gesso and thin glue to give it a base, pva glue is what I used. Then when dry added some alcohol inks and blended them all in. Then added some stamping in stazone black. The little pictue I found in one of my scrapbook books and inked that too then used gesso to lighten it up a bit. It's all glossed over to try and give the effect of glass.

Phew! Then I ventures onto more and made a front and back of a board book. Pictures to follow when it's put together so watch this space!....LOL!

Holly

Altered Bird House

Well finally at last I have stopped making cards..Phew! I bought some plain wooden bird houses way back and found them in my craft room so thought its about time I got down to altering them. I found some cute pictures of birds and thought they would match perfectly. I painted the house in acrylic white as a base then used antique gold metallic arylic paint for the roof and the base. I gave the roof a look of moss effect by using some green ink which took forever to dry even tried the heat gun ...lol. Anyway I added some lace to the roof and then added some green gem stones. On the sides I added some pretty heart shapes and painted and inked them you can see from the side view picture. The size is about 4 to 5 inch tall and about 3 to 4 inch wide. In the middle I added some brown leaves I am not sure what to put inside may add a nice heart shape or if i can add a couple of eggs, for this I could get some sugared almonds and decorate. The house is standing on a stamp to get the best view for the pictures...lol. Its given me a boost making this house I have another on the go now. I may do this on as a wedding theme or new home theme.

Well thats about it... hope you find this as interesting as

I have making it.

This picture is of the side view I found some tiny wooden garden pots and painted it antique gold then in my box of tricks I came across some imitation Ivy and fixed that into the pot. Gives it a more homely feel...lol.

Holly

Making Cards

I seem to have this awful bug on making cards...lol since I have been on steroids. At least its been keeping me busy as well as in between flying around with the hoover, getting all the washing done and getting myself into a routine. It has also helped to take my mind off of loosing Jack too.

This card I really enjoyed making its decoupage style from a picture I found off one of those cd's with all the papers and pictures. I just made it up a little bit better. Not much else happening just yet, still trying to get back into arty farty stuff guess it will come back to me soon. But I have suprised myself by making alot of cards. I think I am up to 70 cards now since I came out of hospital...lol.

Well thats if for now I have added a few more to my flickr account you can get to that by clicking on the album below.

Cheers

Holly

A Sad Day

Just thought I would update you all regarding my rescued sparrow called Jack. Today for some unknown reason he died. He was doing really well the past week learning to fly more and would come to you, fly around you and even follow you walking on the floor. He was quite a character too would always make us laugh by running off with tissues and all sorts. I am glad I tried with Jack rather than just leave him hoping his parents found him. Jack also gave me hope when the past weeks have been so hard due to my illness, when recovering Jack became a therapy he would make me laugh and often would get me moving by nipping at my ankles when walking behind me. Many a time I would say 'god Jack watch out I almost never see you there'. Then he would give a loud chirp. He now has a special place in the garden and although we were trying to get him back into the wild, I felt he was becoming too tame, at least now his spirit is free and at peace. God bless you Jack!

Holly

Its been so long

Well its been along time since I came on the pc at 2am just could not sleep..lol...I have been ill for so long over 7 months. After what seemed hundreds of blood tests later and a test not in the best of places they finally gave me an answer...I have IBD also known as Inflamatory Bowel Disease with the condition called Colitis.
Not nice to have really and can be serious, but could have been alot worse it could have been cancer dread the thought. So now I am on treatment of 8 steroids a day and 8 other pills of which i cannot remember the name, at least the steroids are reducing so each week you cut down one until you get to 1 a week then stop.
In all I lost 5 stone in weight and think I am still loosing, but the treatment I am now on should halt this for some time, then it will be finding the right food that I can and cant eat.I will be so glad to get my strength back and lead a normal life again, I dont know how I managed to get to work some days it was becoming harder each day and even harder to get out of bed in the end. Time came when enough was enough and I ended up in hospital for 3 and a half days .So to all my old buddies I am half the person I used to be...lol...I've been to hell and back over the past 7 months but I really hope to get back on track and start to craft again, I know I have said that in the past but really hope to this time. I just want my life back again.
cheers
Holly

New Links

I found some new links that may be of use to some of you, they are listed under the Inspirational Blogs. One being Gossamer Creations this lady also has a link in flickr and creates some beautiful work. Check her out. The second is the Graphic Fairy this site offers lots of free graphics for your art work, she has added some backgrounds too for your blog, well worth checking out.
Well thats about it as you can tell I have been surfing more than creating...lol...but have managed to try and do a few altered cd's will add them here when completed. Think I totally wrecked my hammer and punches trying to make a few holes...lol..so now I have been given the man size hammer to use...lol....I must admit the one I had was rather feeble.
Well happy crafting all

Holly

Altered book

As I said in my last post I was given 2 little hard board books to alter, so here I have added a couple of pages for you to see, there is more on my flickr pages. You can get to this by clicking on the slideshow on this blog.
The pages were altered by using inks on this page I added some skeleton leaves then inked over and finally covered in 3D embossing varnish it gives a better finish. I have been given another board book to alter larger this time so cant wait to get to work on it. As I have said I am at present time on study for a year so that has to come first, yesterday I completed 27 questions so I can now have time to do some craft work. It may seem simple just 27 questions but when they are on anatomy and physiology not so simple..lol. Also I cant just write one easy answer I have to totally explain myself so they know I understand. Still I hope to get the course done asap. Now I am off to work creating altered CD's today see what they think about doing these..lol.
Cheers

Holly

Crafting again!

Well its been along time getting there but think I have finally got back into crafting again. Still dont feel like I want to use my craft room just yet but have set up a place in my little living room..lol. Thanks to Pattie for keeping on at me and to Debs for giving me a little barbie book to alter, of which has got me off the ground so to speak. I will add some pictures of the book once completely finished to my Flickr pages.
I have never known an illness to knock me off my feet so much and make me go off of certain foods, also to stop me from crafting even though I am deep in study with another course. It must be the babychams...lol...yep got a craving for these now, shame I cannot find a way to alter the bottles...lol. I know they are cheep and not everyones taste but enough for me at the moment.
I have missed so much since January so got alot to catch up on including everyones flickr accounts, so think this is enough for now, so watch out all I am back...lol

Cheers! Holly

Christmas Blown out!

Well I cant say much about Christmas 2008 apart from I did get some nice presents. New years eve was not much of a party in our house this year either. I have been suffering from this awful stomach bug thats been going round, well so the doctor says, I can honestly say I have never felt so ill, now its like learning to walk again Im so weak. I feel sure I have lost around 2 stone in weight, as all I could do was live on water, with the odd soft sweet to stop my mouth from drying up totally. The last day I had a meal was Christmas day since then its been water and the odd cuppa soup, that seemed to make it worse so declined on those in the end. It was quite strange really cause after some time you get to not miss food. Although, you don't realise how weak you are getting, I could not believe how much energy it took getting from my bed to the bathroom! By the time I got back I just fell onto the bed.This week has been much the same, but have managed to try some creamed rice, I was suprised how it settled my stomach, I could only manage 3 spoons of it! I have noticed you have to eat what you really want to eat otherwise you will be back in the bathroom and in need of a sick bowl. I still feel really weak, its such an effort to get up and down the stairs, my poor dog thinks I am on my last legs and cant understand why I am not eating. I have managed more creamed rice, with the added bonus of a piece of fish at tea time. Just trying to eat to get my strength back now. I am still getting some pain but trying to cope with that, its the times when you feel at death's door are most worrying. Guess that will pass eventually fingers crossed. So I hope to be back into my crafting when my body allows, at present time I have no ideas on crafts and feel unable to cope with making a card or such. So until the big light bulb appears in my head I am going to rest up and get myself well again. So keep well everyone!
Holly