sewing - hedgehugs

This cute little dude was sewn in just a couple of hours, and I for one think that he is adorable :)

Lawn Fawn Hedgehugs stamp set

sewing - dreaming of feathers

Going for a different look with essentially a pattern rather than an image, love how this Lawn Fawn Dream set works, a single tiny stamp set made such a cute lavender bag :)

sewing - just purrfect

Instead of appliqué this time I just used the outline of the Mama Elephant Purrfect Pair stamps

sewing - stuck on you

Back to sewing, I particularly enjoy it as it is something I can do on the bus on the way to and from work :)

Using Lawn Fawn Stuck on You stamps and dies, along with some wool felt scraps acquired on eBay :)

may 2015 craft haul - version 3.2

This is it, this is the last card made from the American Crafts Soho Garden patterned papers, I've made a couple the same using the very last scraps, and brought in a bit more of that copic gold card (RG24)

American Crafts Soho Garden patterned papers

Martha Steward butterfly punch

Mama Elephant Femme Frames

American Crafts Stitched rectangles

Spellbinders hello die

may 2015 craft haul - version 3.1

The gold trend continues, and I'm really getting down to the scraps of the papers, I've dug out the Martha Stewart butterfly punches, but another card that isn't quite right for me.

may 2015 craft haul - version 3.0

I thought this rosette looked so cute on this 'float my boat' lawn fawn card, I was pleased how well this busy red paper worked with this card, on another note, the vellum circle and boat were on my desk already.

Lawn Fawn 'float my boat' stamps and dies

Lawn Fawn stitched rectangles, hearts dies

Mama Elephant Femme Frames

American Crafts Soho Garden patterned papers

may 2015 craft haul - version 2.6

As I've been messing I've discovered this American Crafts paper pad goes really well with the 'gold trend'. Now I'm really really behind with this trend, I've never really been much of a gold person, but I'm trying new things, and I had some gold sequins so I thought why not go all out... I didn't have gold card stock in my (too many) supplies, so I took a YG24 comic to silver card stock (which I do have), and it came out as a really warm rich gold #winner.

 Since I liked it so much I went with more gold!!!

BTW did you spot I'm still using that novel, another winner!

may 2015 craft haul - version 2.5

I am proving myself to be quite bad using the very black based papers, another effort and another miss for me :(

may 2015 craft haul - version 2.4

Using the tiny scraps to make banners! and look I'm even using some of the 'official kit' twine!

may 2015 craft haul - version 2.3

I'm starting to feel the love a bit more with this kit... half a dozen or so cards in... I really quite liked how I'd arranged the flowers on the wreath and the quickutz scalloped circle die was still on my desk so I mixed the two and came up with this little number and I was really pleased... so pleased that I made another...

However, I'd run out of that cute word print paper, so I did the next best thing, that was use an actual page out of an actual book... (weird story, I ended up buying a book that had a binding error so page 326 was followed by pages 85-128!!!), still cute though.

may 2015 craft haul - version 2.2

I kept those Penelope's blossom stamps out on my desk and made this card, not long ago I bought a wreath die for my mum, and I was trying to emulate her cute easter card.

I'm starting to feel that the kit is working for me a bit better now, and I've discovered those weird vellum flowers can actually look quite good if you just bend each of the petals...

Just a scrap of patterned paper this time, but a few card scraps from the scrap box, and every little helps...

may 2015 craft haul - version 2.1

Whilst looking out those 'get well' dies I found some quickutz cookie cutter dies I'd forgotten about entirely, and that scalloped circle is one of them. Bringing in a new stamp set, to try to kick start something better I think this card is the best of the lot so far...

may 2015 craft haul - version 2.0

a new week so stepping up that numbering system :)

I'm still not happy with the background paper, but the rosettes will always look cute :)

The 4th card from the craft haul stash busting :)

may 2015 craft haul - version 1.2

My third card from the 'kit', I've tried to incorporate those Prima flowers...

I'm really not finding my groove at the moment, but I'm going to power on through, it's good for me to work with things that don't flow naturally, it challenges me and makes me analyse what I've made...

I've analysed, background too busy, back to the drawing board...

American Crafts Soho Garden patterned papers

Lawn Fawn Flirty Frames stamps and dies, stitched rectangles dies

Quickutz word dies

Mama Elephant Femme Frames

may 2015 craft haul - version 1.1

so my second card from my 'kit' uses quite a lot of patterned papers, and another of those recut yellow scallops, I'm quite pleased with how the sentiment worked on this one, its a mixture of a couple of lawn fawn stamp sets, anyway...

American Crafts Soho Garden patterned papers:

Lawn Fawn Winter Penguin, & Year One stamps, Flirty Frames stamps and dies and stitched scalloped boarders dies

Doodlebug ladybug sequins

Copics

The May 2015 craft haul!

may 2015 craft haul - version 1.0

I'm normally quite taciturn, so please forgive this expansive post.

I've been crafting my whole life, paper crafting for well over 13 years, and so I've collected a lot of stuff. At first I bought stuff if I saw it because it was difficult to get anything, then when internet shopping took off I got a little more discerning but stuff I liked was easier to get a hold of. Now apart from (Lawn Fawn) stamps and some dies I buy very little.

I have a room full of stuff I've bought over the years, a lot was on sale, 'a bargain' or was even from places that were closing down... and I have to say I'm overwhelmed.

On the other hand I'd hate to get rid of any of it, I gift to friends who are exploring the world of crafting, but to give expensive papers to a school or nursery just seems a waste. Instead as well as my scrapping and cards for me to send I make a lot of cards for a charity.

When I say a lot, I mean between 300 - 400 cards a year! They go to a hospice that means a lot to me and my family.

I try to give a variety of styles, of sentiments, and 'feel', which means I often craft with stuff I bought years ago which no longer feels me....

To that end I offer my take on a 'haul' video. I know shopping your stash has been around before, but I am going to give it a go for me.

And so here is (late) May's haul. The rules I'm going to play by are some patterned papers, a stamp set, a couple of dies, some twine or floss, ribbon, and a few embellishments. Some things are essentially brand new, others much (much) older.

I'm mixing in things I use all the time to try to keep my creativity flowing, I can add to it with whatever I like, but the plan is to use all of the papers by month end. Plain card should come from the scraps box.

This month's haul contains:

6 full sheets and assorted partial sheets of American Crafts Soho Garden 6x6 pad

a scrap of American Crafts Amy Tangerine Scrapbook paper

Lawn Fawn Flirty Frames stamps & dies

Spellbinders 'Thinking of You' die

Quickutz cookie cutters 'get' & 'well' dies

Red plastic vellum flowers

Prima 'Got Prints' flowers

Green narrow ribbon

Red American Crafts Glitter tape

Yellow embroidery floss

Doodlebug design sequins in ladybug and bumblebee

The first card... I added the Lawn Fawn stitched scalloped boarder and year three stamp set, after a long post, I'm back to my quite self :)

monkey see monkey make card

using up old scraps and stickers, WPlus9 sentiment, Lawn Fawn hearts die cuts

black and white kitty catty

More cards made from the scraps on my desk... Mama Elephant Purrfect Pair stamps and Lawn Fawn Stitched Rectangles and hearts dies...

fun fact those star sequins are in fact nail art bits I got from Poundland :) winner

the birthday shakes

On my desk I found a sheet of vellum sentiments from a DCWV birthday stack and I though (in my shaker mood) that it would make a cute shaker card.

Finished with American Crafts Amy Tangerine Sketchbook paper and star and heart die cuts from Lawn Fawn and lots of bright Doodlebug Sequins, I lovingly went through the Doodlebug sequins and only pulled out the mirrored ones, now that is dedication :)

see that narwal shake his thing

A quick shaker card using Lawn Fawn Puffy Stars die and a critter from Critters in the Arctic, I tried to give the narwal stippling on his back but my Copic colouring is still a bit rough and ready.

soho it's your birthday

The desk cleaning and tidy has pulled up all sorts of things I've half done, including this Doodlebug vellum scalloped square cut years ago when Nestabilities were all the rage, the card also uses American Crafts Soho Garden patterned paper and Lawn Fawn Flirty Frames, the sentiment is from Lawn Fawn Year One

that's scraptastic

I'm terrible for not throwing anything away stop this is a card made using the bar code strips from American Crafts Soho Gardens papers, mixed with a few sequins and a stamped frame it works ok.

shake that cute thing

I've spent a few days sorting and tidying my desk... my desk usually ends up covered in scraps of papers, half finished ideas and bits I've coloured in but not used.

Amongst them I found this complete journaling card stamped with Newton's Nook You're Tweet stamps and coloured back when I was still using Promarkers...

I worked it into a card using some American Crafts patterned papers and sequins from Doodlebug Design.

a study in pastels

A good friend of ours' little girl will soon be 1, and I have spent a few days trying to make the perfect birthday card for a one year old without it being cliche (as A puts it...)

Here is an attempt which was rejected...

Mostly scraps from my desk...

Patterned paper: American Crafts

Cardstock: American Crafts & Bazzill Bling

Dies: Lawn Fawn Stitched Journalling Card and Puffy Stars, Spellbinders Nestabilities Circle

Sequins & Twine: Doodlebug Designs

alma mater

I like to use every scrap of paper, to never waste a single bit, and so I used the side of the 6x6 sheet from the congrats grad card to rustle up another graduation card of a similar feeling.

I tried a slightly different way of colouring the hat, but don't think it worked... anyhue...

Lawn Fawn Home Sweet Home, Flirty Frames, Hats Off to You

Edited to add: this was featured on Fawny Flickr Friday