Altered mini frame

This is a little memento of our holiday in Malta last August.

I found a lovely little keyring, and used a small wooden frame I was given.

Christmas tree decorations

I have always admired people who could knit. My mum and grandmother were amazing at knitting, they made the most beautiful shawls and baby cardigans, and seemed to whip them up in no time.

I lose patience with knitting and need something quick and easy to knit. Years ago I discovered Jean Greenhowe's knitting patterns. They are quick and easy to follow, you can get amazing results in very little time.

The Father Christmas, angel and snowman have been on my Christmas tree for 25 years now.

There is a free stocking knitting pattern on Jean Greenhowe's website here. Scroll down the page.

The book which features this pattern is now out of print but you may be able to get a second hand copy, these are the details,

Knitted Toys by Jean Greenhowe

Published by Hamlyn Publishing Ltd in 1986

ISBN Number 0-600-50286-4

I hope I have inspired you to knit something for your tree.

Debbie x

Its a Creative World, simple things project

This months word was inspiration, and this is the page I have created.

I wanted my page to be a collage of different techniques that I could use as a reminder.

I used acrylic gel medium to transfer a vintage photo onto a piece of canvas that had already been covered with a layer of gesso and stamped on. I covered the top with a layer of pva glue and the heat gun has given the wrinkled look!

I embossed a piece of clear laminate and then used black stazon to highlight the text. The butterflies were stamped with versamark onto black card and then I used perfect pearls so they would show up.

This part was created using alcohol inks on the reverse and then stamping with stazon on the front.

I used a dark piece of acetate (previously coloured using the floor polish/caught in crystal method) and stamped on it with white acrylic paint.

I used a stamp that I made of my Great Grandparents wedding and then distressed the top with green acrylic paint.

The final finishing touches were a couple of old stamps and bus tickets, and some utee embellishments I have made by making my own moulds.

Debbie x

Gingerbread things

When my friend went shopping for nursery items I just loved the gingerbread and bunting theme. I decided to try and make a tissue box cover and a fabric container to match some of the things she had already bought.

I decorated plain calico for the fabric container, it is much easier to decorate while flat and then sew to the base.

I finished all the edges with a light blue paint and then sprayed it with a craft spray to seal the watercolours and paint.

I really enjoyed making these and my friend was really pleased with them too.

Debbie x

Birthday card

My friends daughter recently celebrated her 5th birthday. As she wants to be a mermaid when she grows up, I decided to make her a mermaid card.

Art journal

I was inspired to use different techniques by Milliande's website, which I found with a simple google search. I love trying out new techniques so Lynne and I are making pages for each other using different techniques. We have decided to keep the pages small these are approx 4" by 6".

I started off by masking off squares on the paper, and then spread a couple of spots of Adirondack re-inker lettuce over the paper, using a baby wipe. I dabbed the excess randomly over the paper ( I hate to waste anything,) and then stamped a flourish with white acrylic paint.

I took the masking tape off and drew random squares with watercolours and pro-markers.

Next I drew some circles with a progresso graphite pencil and then coloured them using cobalt blue neo colour water soluble crayons, blended with a paintbrush.

The saying blue and green should never be seen was stamped and handwritten. Extra detail was added to the painted squares with a white sharpie pen.

New home card

My friend recently moved house so I made her a card, the move took quite a long time to go through so I can finally post her card online without spoiling the surprise.

I made the background using layered tissue paper in torn strips and the house and tree were cut using a sizzix die.