A 'Faith' brooch at The Craftypad

Hello. I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas. I'm still not here so if you are reading this...delayed posting works. I've made this brooch for the latest challenge over at the Craftypad. This week you have to add some bling to your creation.

A few years ago when I lived in Gibraltar I got into the awful habit of destroying my hubbies CD's to make jewellery...so when Tina sent me a link recently on this subject it gave me the perfect excuse to start destroying again.

Debbie has asked for a tutorial and I know there are tutorials out there showing how to make them but this is how I do it...

*Colour your image in using Distress inks and then put a very thin layer of crackle glaze over the top and allow to dry.

*Cut a CD (needs to be cut at a 45 degree angle or it snaps) into the shape you roughly need. Sand it on the shiny side. Paint a layer of Acrylic paint and once dry stamp all over with alcohol inks finishing with a touch of gold.

* Edge in Walnut brown Distress ink and then decide where to punch your holes. I used my Big bite for this. Then just thread lots of gold wire in and out and add beads.

* The crown was originally silver so I used espresso and gold alcohol inks to give it a distressed look. Then very carefully glue gems onto it and attach to your image with silicone glue. DO NOT attach to your brooch just yet.

* On the back of the brooch adhere twisted and beaded wire in a position you like. Once they are stuck in place and completely dry turn over and glue down your image. Once the whole brooch is dry attach strong card to the back and then used silicone glue to add a brooch attachment.

* Spray with varnish and allow to dry.

Voila one unique brooch!

A Christmas video from Elf land....

Put your sound on...press play...wait a few seconds...and let me and Belle entertain you!

Have a great Christmas everyone!

A time to share...

Hello. I just wanted to share some of the wonderful gifts and cards I have received from my crafty friends...

I've received this gorgeous card off my gorgeous friend Debbie as a thank you for a bracelet I sent her...her work is stunning and I am so honoured to be on her DT...thanks Debs...

This is a selection of the wonderful hand made Christmas cards I have received so far from my bloggy friends...they are all stunning and I love them! So many thanks to Chris in Gib, Debbie, Natalie, Christine, Cathy, Joana, Pauline, Ali, Nessy, Kath, Dawn, Lainy, Linda, Donna, Sammi, Chrissy, Cass...

Sammi also sent me my very own Princess Amber stamp...and its adorable...fab present from a fab friend....

And then the postie brought me a huge parcel from my SBS Secret Santa...and I was in heaven! (There should have been a big bar of Galaxy chocolate to show you as well wrapped in the star paper....now I wonder where that went! LOL!) So whoever you are...my lovely secret sister Santa...thank you....

But then I also received this oh so cute hand made phone charm from my pal Donna...its very me and goes perfect with the new pink phone that Santa got me as an early Christmas present...thanks Donna....

And then Chrissy sent me these!!! To say I was over the moon is an understatement as after my mammoth bracelet making session a few weeks ago my bead stash was wearing a bit thin....thanks hun...they are perfect....

My pal Tina decided this year not to make Christmas cards...but to make us individual calendars with personal photos on them...this photo is of my beautiful daughter Belle on her third birthday a few weeks ago...thanks Teen...it will be treasured...see you Christmas Eve!

And finally...well I couldn't leave this wee card out could I? Even after having a new born baby (and boy does he look like his mother!) my best mate Gill still managed to get hand made cards out to everyone...and its gorgeous...thank you babe.x

Considering I've only been blogging for less than a year I've been incredibly lucky to have made some wonderful friends...and I can't wait to craft along side you all for another year!

Thank you to everyone for all your support and love throughout the past year and I can't wait to see what 2009 brings us...

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas!

Boys will be boys...

Hello. Hope everyone's having a lovely peaceful weekend. The challenge this fortnight on Crafymuse is to create something for the boys.
Personally, as most of you know, I really struggle with 'male' cards so have made this pen holder for my young nephew as he is always hill walking with his Pa.
Sammi has created various male images for you to purchase as a download so check out Craftymuse and don't forget to take part in the challenge!


Ps...tomorrow I have got some really, really gorgeous 'things' to show you...heaven....mmmmmm!

No embellishments...OMG!!!!

After finishing my DT work last night (finally!) I was sat playing with my new Leanne Mills stamps (that I accidentally purchased yesterday in the house of Sugar Nellie whilst wondering around it!) when hubby poked his head round my craft room door....

and after shaking his head at the mess and chaos that I had caused he challenged me to make something with NO embellies....eek!

It's probably the hardest challenge I've ever been given! Anyway I used watered down Distress ink pads to colour it in...hand drew the scrolls as none of my stamped ones were suitable. I actually like the washed out colour of it and have fallen head over heels in love with these little stamps.

I'm going to enter this tag into two challenges....Arty Girlz where they want a small piece of art......and Tag you're it which is to make a tag in the Secret Santa style. So this card is for my beautiful friend Gill...who started me on my crafting journey...and has been with me all the way...and is as calm and serene as the 'wish' image....oh and she loves these stamps as well!

Well a whole post and not a mention of the 'C' word!

Fantastic new sketch blog......

My fabby team mate Becky has got together with Chrissie and Lisa to bring us a new sketch blog...Sketch and Stash....(love the name!) which will go live on Monday the 5th of January.

To celebrate they are offering a gorgeous 'Willow' with umbrella stamp from Whiff of Joy...so pop over to their blog...have a nose...and put your name down to take part in the draw!

And don't forget over on Craftymuse there are freebie Christmas downloads and a Christmas challenge where you could win a Muse stamp........

and over on The Crafty Pad you can meet 'Faith'....Debbie's latest gorgeous stamp and take part in the first challenge where you could win some gorgeous ribbons!

(Oh...and I'm not really here...meant to be doing DT work...failing miserably....to busy playing with Belles new toys....that I should be wrapping!

A very still Belle....LOL!

Look what Sammi did for Belles birthday! I was in shock when I received it as its so personal and was such a lovely thing to do for us.
Sammi has also named one of her male images 'Jake' and my boy is chuffed to bits!

She has also done two fab 'ELF' images....a boy and a girl...which you can download for FREE if you pop over to the Craftymuse blog...and I thought there was only room for one elf around here! LOL!
Don't forget to check out the latest challenge as well.

(Crikey I've just realised that I've had over 30,000 hits...better sort some candy out....lol!)

Very proud to announce.....

I really can't stop grinning! Not been around for a while as my Internet has been playing up and have so much to tell but would first of all like to apologise for not visiting you all for a while. Big thanks to Mrs T for being my secretary...she was terrible though! LOL!

Many thanks to everyone for the lovely Birthday wishes you sent Belle...she had a fantastic party but for some strange reason all the other mums went white when I dumped a load of finger paints in front of the kids and told them to get as messy as they liked...!

Anyway...some of you already know but I can now proudly announce that I am part of the Inspirational Team and I can't stop grinning! Having been featured on there twice it was a dream come true when Julie added me to her list and I feel very honoured especially when you see who else is on the team! I'm really looking forward to getting to know all the girls and to do even more blog hopping!

And.....the oh so talented Debbie has asked me to become one of her DT for her fantastic new challenge blog...The Crafty Pad...and as I love her images there was no way I was going to say no! Many thanks Debbie for asking me.

And finally...yes there's more...something I've made recently is going to be featured in an e-zine...but will reveal more when it happens!

So that's all for now. I'm going to be spending the next couple of days going round all the blogs and seeing what you've been up to. Out with the girls tomorrow night for our Christmas meal so may be slightly hungover on Sunday!

I really hope you are all well and many, many thanks for the beautiful Christmas cards that have been landing on my door mat.