Happy New Year - 2011 round up

Well its the end of another year, it has been a pretty amazing one for me. As I look back I am pretty chuffed at the opportunities that have arisen which have enabled me to show off the craft that I love to do.

I began selling some of my makes both cards and sewn items, I took some of these goodies to a fab little shop called Tenderfoot and some of them sold! 

I became a paper craft tester for Paper Craft Inspirations magazine.

I set up a facebook page for all my crafty makes to show and sell.  I have received some lovely comments via there and have some amazing 'likers'

I was given the opportunity to work with some great people too, like: Little Musings, Duck Pond Crafts and the wonderful dt teams that I am part of Sparkles forum challenges and Craft your days Away.

I made my own tutorials and popped them up here on my blog, they were also featured on craft gossip which is brilliant!

I have met some wonderful people in blog land and on facebook who have been totally encouraging which  really has set me up for next year and all that it may bring.  I just want to say a massive thank you to everyone who has read my blog, posted messages or emailed me I appreciate everyone of you.

So with 2011 left behind and heading into 2012 

I wish you all a 

Happy New Year

Dazie

x

What we've been up to and advent goodies

So Christmas day is nearly upon us and we have been busy not just with preparations but with the charity we are part of Special Friends.  The charity is for disabled children and their families, we do lots of activities throughout out the year together and this is a little snippet of us out and about this Christmas.

Visiting Santa at Cattle country, the children had a train ride to the grotto where Santa was waiting with a gift for each child then a train ride back and a play in the soft play.

Then we had a trip to Clearwell Caves over in Wales, well worth a visit for Christmas if you can get there it was magical!  We followed the story of the Hungry Polar Bear through the Christmas lit caverns  on route we bumped into Santa again, we stopped at his toy store to choose a present.

 Here is part of the story we followed through the caverns, the hungry polar bear.

 Oh and in the middle of the caves there is a little underground market and snack bar for food and goodies, I picked up some lovely tree decorations and a spotty bowl which is now in my kitchen.

Then we went ice skating at the open air ice rink at the mall, it was a early morning skate we were there from 9am, it was lovely.  My 2 sons gave up after one lap of the ice rink, where as my daughter pictured here was hard to get off the ice she loved it and is a very determined little skater.

Today we went off to Avon Valley Farm Park for a play in the soft play and one last meet up with Santa before he is off to do the most important job of the year.  We have also had our big Christmas party which was lovely and we shall be off enjoying more days out after Christmas which the kids cant wait for.

Just a quick advent catch up as I may not get time again

Day 22

This gorgeous Broach which I love its in my favourite colour too!

And then 

day 23 

Some gorgeous ribbon and flower button

Cant wait for tomorrows and then the big one on the 25th Will pop pictures up as soon as I can.

But for now 

I would like to wish all of you a very 

Happy Christmas

Dazie

x

Catching up with Advent again

There isnt much creating going on here just lots of days out enjoying the festivites and getting ready for the big day this weekend.  So today I thought it was time I caught up with my gorgeous 

Advent goodies from Dawn

so here are some pictures I cant remember what order they came in but hopefully I have it nearly right.

Day 18

A gorgeous spotty pencil love it!

Day 19 

Some absolutely gorgeous ribbon and pins.

Day 20

A gorgeous bath bomb smelly which is good enough to eat, its lovely!

And today 

Day 21 

A gorgeous pin cushion with pins

I love this, I have been needing a bigger pin cushion as 

mine is so small I keep losing it, this will be perfect.

I am going to be soooo sad when this swap ends :(  I have enjoyed it so very much!

If you would like to see what I sent to Dawn my swap partner then head on over to her blog and check out her goodies.

Catch you all soon 

Dazie

x

Advent catch up

This week has been the busiest week so far but the kids have now finished school and the christmas fun can begin!  So I may actually get time to post a bit more on the lovely advent swap goodies I have been opening each day from the lovely Dawn.  

So here is a piccy of days 10-15 (minus stickers which were used instantly as they were fab!)

 A gorgeous decoration that sparkles too, as you can see its on my tree already :)

 Some scrumptious chocolate and a gorgeous mug mat in my favourite colour.

 Some lovely Chrismtas themed Fabric with lovely red ribbon

Day 16

A giant candy cane which I have had to fight to keep the kids away from!

Day 17

And today a gorgeous wooden spotty heart which is hanging here on my computer cupboard door 

Dawn I love each and everyone of them so far they are fab!

Catch you all soon

Dazie

x

Craft Your days Away - Snowmen

Its a christmasy theme over at craft your days away this fortnight the theme is Snow Men (or should that be people!)  so with this in mind and having my sewing stuff out as I have been making decorations for weeks I set to work on creating some snow men and women decorations.  Where did I get the idea? 

From this fabby little tute over on Tied With Ribbon

Simple to make and look very festive on any Christmas tree.

This fortnight we are sponsored by simon says stamp

So to be in with a chance of winning please get making and check out the Craft you days away blog for more details of how to enter.

I look forward to see your creations 

Dazie

x

Advent Swap update

The first post of  today from me.  I thought I had updated my blog with details of my gorgeous goodies from my Advent swap partner Dawn but seems I spent too much time looking for the chocolate that some one had hidden then ate it before I took a photo tut tut!  So here are my gorgeous goodies from days 1- 10 minus the said chocolate that is now in my tummy and scrumptious it was indeed! 

I havent had time to burn my advent candle just yet but will get around to that this weekend.  I ADORE the mug cosy and have been wanting one for ages will be taking that out with me on our family outings in the cold.

I promise to keep my advent swap more up to date now, the goodies are all under the tree waiting to be unwrapped, the kids get as excited as me each day wondering what will be in the little parcels 

Be back soon with a  Brand New Challenge with Craft Your Days Away challenges.

Dazie

x

Christmas Gift creations

Here are some of the other items I have been working on for gifts this christmas.

Pattern (c)JennyBHarris

Totally cute and smell gorgeous too as they have lavender in them!

And then this was a special order from one of my crafty friends

  A gorgeous Red and white themed bag with name on it for shoes.

Right off to Panto now with the kids!

Catch you all soon 

Dazie

x

 

Paper Craft inspirations magazine

Over this past year I have been a Paper Craft Tester for Paper Craft Inspirations magazine.  I havent really had time to share all my makes here on my blog with piccys of the mag articles so I thought I would pop some of the cards I have made for each issue in one post here.

Here  were the first lot of makes

And then the most recent lot of makes for christmas

Oops and I nearly forgot this one

It seems like I have been doing it for ages and I have really enjoyed trying out different techniques.  I Have finished my next piece for the next mag which will be out soon.

Thanks for looking 

Dazie

x

Advent 1st day of the swap

Its December yipeeee I have had my gorgeous parcel of goodies from my Advent swap partner

Dawn from Life on the East coast Blog 

I have been waiting to get started,

I think I have been more excited than the kids with the chocccy calenders.

here is a piccy of my parcel full of goodies all wrapped up

Soooo very tempting to unwrap them all!!!

 

Each item is beautifully wrapped in chrimbo themed paper gorgeous colour combo and instead fo a tag Dawn has used beads for the numbers, who good is that! 

I am collecting them as I go as I know they will come in useful.  

Today's gift to start me off was a lovely advent candle, I have never had one of these before so this will be a first it will be lit this evening.

Right off to carry on with christmasy things catch you all soon 

Dazie

x

Busy week ahead

Today I am off to the post office with some lovely gifts that people have ordered plus this special parcel that is off to my Advent swap partner Dawn

It took an age to wrap all the little gifts but looked so lovely in the box ready to send, I am hoping Dawn likes what I have wrapped for her.

I hope everyone has a fab week dont forget to check out my tutorials for candles and robbie the robin there is now a tutorial tab at the top of this page.

Dazie

x

Tutorial - Image on Candles

A lot of people ask me how I do my candles and last year a did a tutorial for a forum so this year I thought I would share it here with you so you can get a idea of how its done.  

There are however lots of tutes on Utube that may be of help.  Also practising first helps you find your way of doing it successfully. 

You will need

• Heat Gun
• Grease proof Paper
• Tissue Paper the same colour as your candle
• pro markers
• ink to stamp your image
• a stamp of your choice
• scissors

Stamp your image on to your tissue paper carefully and then colour with your pro markers very carefully 

Next cut around your image leaving a tiny edge around it.

 Next place your image onto the candle in the specific place that you want it, usually if you gently rub over it the image will stay in place by itself.

next place the grease proof paper over the top place your fingers on the image to keep it in place as you are wrapping the grease proof paper around.  you will need  a large piece of grease proof paper so that you can grab it on the other side and hold. tight.

 I slide my fingers down both sides making sure that the image is nice and flat and in the right place then grab the grease proof paper on the other side

See how the image is flat agains the candle and how I am holding the paper tight.

 Now using you heat gun start heating the image through the paper, do not stay in the same spot I work in small circular movements from one side to the other making sure I get all the image do not go too close to the candle as the heat will intensify.

You will see a change happening under the paper as the wax melts keep moving dont stay in the same spot, its almost like little droplets of water coming through the paper.  The whole process is no longer than a minute depending on the size of candle you are using.

Once I am sure my image is in place I always roll it on the table so that it evens it all out.

Then I gently peel away the grease proof paper 

There will be little bits of melted wax on the candle but these can either be smoothed out by using your finger or gently brushed off.

And here is the end result once you have made your finishing touches 

You can also use rub ons to decorate candles or decorated vellum but obviouslly with vellum it must be removed before burning and you MUST put a warning on candles about how to use them safely.  You can also use gems to decorate and ribbon to pretty it up a bit.

I hope this tutorial is of use to some of you that have always wanted to have ago

Dazie

x

CYDA Challenge - Button Or Bow

Its a new challenge over at craft your days away and this fortnight the theme was chosen by me. 

The theme I have chosen is BUTTONS OR BOW or both if you like as long as it has either on then you will be included in the draw for a fabby prize from 

Emmas Crafty Store.

So for this challenge I knew I had to add a button or a bow but I have been wanting to have ago at heat embossing for ages and I bought a gorgeous stamp the other day and thought it would be good to have ago with it.  I used gold embossing powder and my heat gun.  I stamped the image onto some velum some thing  I haven't done before I love the way it looks I am totally impressed with heat embossing and think I will be doing it alot from now on!

 Right Off to carry on with other things that need doing, I am sure you are all busy with Christmas preparations!

Thanks for popping by 

Dazie

x

Robbie the Robin christmas decoration tutorial

I thought I would share a really easy Christmas decoration with you that you can make either on your own or with your children.  It takes about 20 minutes and really is a simple make.

Here is Robbie

Click on the template then right click and save to your computer then resize to your preferred size robin and print off.

You will need :

•  The template or make one of your own.
•  Brown Felt or colour of your choice depending on what you would like your robbin to look like
•  Fabric for his tummy I have chosen red polka dot you could also use red felt
•  Thread in the colours you would like I have used brown for around the outer edge and white for securing his tummy and for the white dot in his eye.
• Ribbon 
• Stuffing you dont need anything fancy even scraps of felt or fabric will do the job nicely.
• Sewing kit, scissors, needles, pins etc

 How to make:

 1. Using the template cut out all the pieces you will need it should look like thi, you do not have to use fabric as your tummy piece another piece of felt or fabric will work just as well.

2. First of all you will need to sew all the bits and bobs on to one side of the large circles. 

So to start off  you will need to sew his tummy on, I  pinned my tummy to the circle and stitched across the the top securing the tummy in place. 

 Stich across the top so it looks like this 

3. Then sew all the other bits and bobs on here is a piccy of all the bits you need to sew on before you stich your button onto the wing. I used white to stitch the eye in place creating a cute little eye you could use a small button.

Once you have stiched all of your bits and bobs on sew the Button on to the wing, you do not have to do this if you prefer to leave it off.

4.   Now take the back piece and starting from just above the eye blanket stitch or running stictch if its easier around the the circle shape of his body remembering to stop once inch from where you started. 

5. Then sew in your ribbon 

6. next you need to stuff your robbin, you can use stuffing or felt remnants or fabric material anything that will make him a bit puffy.

7.  Continue to sew to close the whole and finish off.

8. You should now have some thing that resmbles a little robin to hang on your tree.

  The brilliant thing about robbie is you can use different materials or different colour felt to create the same little bird the options are open, you could also make a little garland of robbies :)

I hope you find this tutorial useful if you do decide to use my template or make one of these robins then please send me the link as I would love to see and also mention my blog as the place you got the template from.

Thank you

Dazie

x