Clare's 17th birthday

I'm recovering from the dreaded norovirus and been off work all week as its taken the wind out of my sails.  For some healing therapy, I made this card for my partner's daughter whose birthday is today. 

Birthday gift bag

For a young lady's 10th birthday 😎

Kirsteen's pinny!

Kirsteen, my closest friend whom I've known for some years now, has her own business local to us.  She's a very crafty lady and incorporates some of her handcrafted works of art as part of her merchandise.  Kirsteen felt her cotton monogrammed pinnies were a magnet for some of the glues and glitters she uses and don't stand there's of time. Kirsteen asked if I could make her a pinny slightly larger than her cottons ones using the coated fabric which I agreed to do and here it is: 

Amelia

Congratulations to my colleague Blair White and his wife Denise on the arrival of their baby daughter Amelia 3 weeks ago.  The whole department did a collection and I was asked to create a nappy cake for the couple and there was money left over to buy them a £45 Mothercare gift card too!

Gift bag

The young man I support is due to finish school and he wanted to give something special to his classroom support lady whom has been supporting him ancestors primary 2.  We worked on an scrapbook album to give to her and we thoroughly enjoyed putting it together.  I said that I would do a nice gift bag for the album and came up with this - bag already pre-purchased a while ago but papers used are from Stampin Up. Paper medallion handcrafted by myself. 

Nappy cake - baby girl

I was asked to do this as a commission from a member of staff at my NHS place  of work.  Those who know me know I only charge the cost of the ingredients and materials used.  It's not a business this is a hobby I enjoy! 

A small version of nappy cakes I make - a small 2-tier with "ingredients" as follows: 

13 x nappies (4-9 kg/9-20 lbs)

2 x washcloths

2 x waterproof Velcro release bibs

2 pairs scratch mitts

1 x "I love mummy" tee shirt (3-6 months)

1 x popper vest (3-6 months)

1 x Johnson & Johnson Baby Bath

1 x Johnson & Johnson Baby Talc

1 x Johnson & Johnson Baby Shampoo

1 x Johnson & Johnson Baby Lotion

1 x Johnson & Johnson Barrier Cream

1 x Teething soother (store in fridge kind)

1 x pair of socks (cake topper)

1 x grooming set comprising: scissors, nail clippers and hair brush 

2 x muslin squares 

Ela's 3rd wedding Anniversary

My colleague Ela had mentioned it was her 3rd wedding anniversary on Tuesday. Ela is lovely to work with and in addition to working as an NHS bank staff member, she is also studying accountancy which I know takes up a lot of her spare time.  I thought I'd make her this card which didn't take me too long :-D. 

3D Butterfly Embellished Notelet

Again using up my scraps of DSP etc.  The DSP used here is from a now disbanded "TLC" [Top Line Creations] which used to be geared for quick/fast scrapbooking and timesaving supplies.  The basic cardstock I have used as well on many projects as I dislike wastage.  Stampin Up circle punches used here, Hobbycraft Butterfly punches used too as well as Sizzix embossing folder for top half of card.  Ribbon used is actually Stampin Up from previous years when I was a first time demo.  Diamonte embellishments most likely from Hobbycraft too. 

Happy Birthday - Card

Since taking up paper crafting again, I tend to feel that from time to time, it can sometimes take forever to create a final product - it worries me occasionally but then I know from reading on other crafty sites that I am not the only one who has discovered this which is reassuring to me.

What I have noticed is that I don't have a dedicated crafting workspace and even though the table has been set up in my living room [makes it look untidy to be honest], I feel it may simply be the case that I have may perhaps have way too much to choose from which clutters my mind and stops me from creating something lovely and enjoyable to make.

On the other hand, with the help from users which provide inspiration from Pinterest,  I managed to create the above card in around 50 minutes - which I was simply happy with to say the least!

Cardstock base - other supplier. Green background stamped paper - other supplier.  Stars cut using Sizzix die and Stampin Up DSP and Stampin Up x 2, Stampin Up sentiment also used [Stazon ink used]. Dovetailed die-cut paper from Stampin Up DSP and Sizzix thinlets [available only in SU catalogue].  Scallop circle cut using large punch from Hobbycraft.

Creative streak

I managed to get some crafting done on my week's annual leave from the NHS job last week and will schedule uploads over the next couple of days.

Stampin Up have in the current catalogue, the Sizzix thinlets die for cutting little gift bags similar to the one made above.  Being frugal as money is not endless, I didnt think I would use the other dies in the set for the paper bag dies and I also feel that the die for cutting the bag actually restricts you to one specific sized bag.  So, I set about with 12x12" cardstock, decided what sized I needed and using the SU scoring board tool, I scored at 2 vertical intervals so that the back would overlap once glued, turned the cardstock around and scored another line which would be the base of the bag.  I then trimmed the thin border either side of the main middle [which would be the main panel] leaving the main panel longer than normal.  I then took the corner rounder to both corners of the overlap piece.  Using my ATG glue gun, I glued a vertical strip on the 2 outer panels [which will be the rear of the gift bag] and overlapped then secured them.  Did the same action to the bottom overlap strip, placed then secured the overlapping strip to form the bottom of the gift bag.  Decorated as above.  Almost forgot to mention I used my old dressmaking pinking shears to create the zig zag top edge and corner rounders too for the bag opening.

The "Thanks So Much" card made as above using SU DSP and other embellishments.  The gift box I made using the We are Memory Keepers gift box punchboard [I purchased all my punch boards prior to becoming an SU Demo].

As a follow-on from my paper medallion post, the paper used was Stampin Up DSP from the Sale-A-Brations.  Basic white and coloured cardstock used here other suppliers.  Sentiment stamp from SU and Stazon inkpad.  Other supplier flower punch and pearl embellishments.  Label maker similar to Sizzix Top Note die is an X-cut layered set. 

Too Kind

Just using up some of my scraps of DSP paper [other supplier] and came up with this!  Using the Sizzix flower die and layered 2 pieces after scrolling the petals with thin stem from the SU piercing tool.  Sentiment stamp and ink from Stampin Up.  Button from other source but flowers and button adhered using dimensionals.  Ribbon recycled from a box of chocolates [also used on a previous project], SU spiral punch used too.  Floral DSP cut using the Sizzix thinlet die supplied only to Stampin Up.

Handcrafted Paper Medallion

I don't know about you but when you see embellishments on sale whether in a craft catalogue or in the crafting section of a all round store, do you ever think to yourself "I am sure I can make those myself"?  I know I did when I saw something similar to the above example.  I know SU have for sale in their 2014-2015 catalogue  a Sizzix die that creates an embellishment like the above for quite a handsome price!  

I also have seen many different pre-made embellishments similar to the above as part of a coordinating papercrafting line or theme.  Whenever I saw them a good while ago, I thought they were fabby but not sure if it was something I "really needed".  Yes, we have all considered this aspect whenever something new comes on the market for crafting.  How many of you can actually admit you did go out and buy something you "really needed and bought it" only to find you haven't actually put it to good use perhaps an embarrassingly 6 months to 1 year later?  I know I have!

I should return back to the origin of this post......

Any score board tool - I used my Stampin Up "Simply Scored" and scoring stylus, paper trimmer and coloured cardstock other supplier and patterned designer series from Stampin Up Sale-A-Bration supplement.  You can choose on the depths of the mountain/valley folds you want for a project.  The one pictured above was 12 inches long, 1 inch in depth and scored every quarter of an inch for each fold.  The larger one however, required 2 x 12 inch lengths of chosen cardstock/paper and scored sequentially to allow for deeper folds, the 2 pieces of 12 inch length cardstock were then glued together to make a strip slightly shorter than 24 inches in length.  Once the folds had been created with the simply scored tools and stylus, the strips need to be folded in concertina style and then start and end of the strips need to be glued securely together.  It is rather fiddly to do the next step but well worth it! Cut x 2 die-cut circles of your choice - 1 now needs to be glued and secured to the back of the rosette in the centre, one hand will need to keep the inner folds of the rosette meeting together to form the rosette.  Glue and adhere one of the die-cut circles to the underside of the rosette until firmly held together and leave to dry or place on a radiator until dry.  Repeat same for the circle which needs to be on the top of the rosette.  And your masterpiece should look something similar to one of these displayed below:

Difficult times

A little while ago I went through a pretty rough time at work [NHS job] and at the time it stole the wind from my sails and temporarily knocked my confidence.  I won't go into detail for obvious reasons but a particular colleague was very supportive and gave words of encouragement and thankfully broke my blinkered way of thinking [am I really any good at what I do? what did I do wrong?  what have I missed?].  Without their support, I don't think I would have recovered from the ordeal as quickly as I did.  With this in mind, I knew they love different kinds of kid's sweets [as well as the grown-up kind] and that's okay.  I knew I wanted to give my colleague a token of my appreciation and create a "thank you" card and this is what I came up with:

White, blue, black and terracotta cardstock from other suppliers.  Diamonte embellishments Hobbycraft.  Scalloped circle punch from Hobbycraft.  Butterfly diecut, other supplier.  Sizzix embossing folder.  "thank you" sentiment from Stampin Up Sale-A-Bration "Lotus Blossom" set.  Stazon black ink used.

Butterfly birthday card

I've managed to have a 'play' tonight :-D 

DSPs; birthday sentiment stamp SU Sale-A-Bration "Big Day"; Old Olive ink pad used all from Stampn Up. Doily from x-cut, butterflies and oval scallop punches from Hobbycraft. Embossing folder dots from Cuttlebug. SU dimensions for 3-D layers. Plain textured c/s of unknown origin (more like forgotten as I've had it so long!). 

Stamped card and matching lined envelope

A wee bit of crafting tonight using designer papers from other manufacturers, SU stamps from present and previous catalogues. Envelope punch board used to make envelope and loner for envelope. 

Diamontes used to enhance stamped flourish:

Lined envelope to co-ord with card:

Appreciation gifts for my team of secretaries

Bags prepped for 4 of the ladies: 

Slight variation of contents: 

For the past year I've been delegating workload to other med secretaries around the other NHS Lothian sites for the clinics and theatres undertaken by an external provider NHS Lothian employed to reduce waiting lists etc.  Sometimes the workload was such that it was expedited in time for any planned theatre.   Anyways there are around 10 ladies whom picked up the work up until Christmas time. They were received gratefully.  Some really liked how I presented the candles/chocolate treats - nothing done fancy unfortunately for the little bottles of wine though! 

Ferrero Rochet chocs placed and wrapped in a hand crafted box:

Little bath fizzers individually wrapped 

(Snowflake punch from Creative Memories which are sadly no longer around):

Candles in box base:

Candles boxed - handcrafted by myself:

Embellished and personalised bag and gift tag for another 2 ladies - the remaining ladies had received same hence no point in duplicating photos:

Some chocolate mints packaged in handcrafted pillow box - SU stamp and scalloped punch used:

These were another way of packaging chocolate treats for 3 ladies:

Ela is a bank staff member to assist with some admin work. Ela is Polish and lovely to work with - a quick learner and always very helpful too. As a token of my appreciation, this is what I put together:

Serif font for Sizzix; label from X-cut, silver embellishments from Dovecraft; hessian ribbon from The Range: 

A box I made for colleague at work: