Halloween final part......

.....it's me LOL!!!!!!

I had seen a pumpkin outfit on Ebay but sometimes they look better than they are so decided to have a go at making one myself.

I looked around the charity shops and found an orange stretchy skirt with peplums on it (who would want one like that!) Well all I ended up with was the waistband and some of the peplum as the base to add the netting and satin, the zip and some for the sleeve bands.

I used brown packaging paper to draw and make a pattern for the skirt, just pinning to see how many panels I would need. 

I wanted it to keep it's shape and after searching the internet saw an idea of using thin plastic tubing which is softer than the hoops you can buy or make. I got it from B&Q and it worked fine and meant I could sit down.

 The top was a cheap T-shirt dress from Matalan and I added the sleeves again looking on the internet for an idea of how to make a sleeve and drawing my own pattern.

I ordered the wig to find it was no longer available and I was really disappointed as I liked the look of the texture not a shiny one. 

I just happened to go on Ebay a few days later and there was an exact same one being sold and the auction was due to end in 20 minutes. I ended up winning it and cheaper than what I would have paid for the other -it was meant to be mine!

Black & orange tights, face paint and a picture on Pinterest to copy finished the look - oh and one frame from a cheap pair of glasses with pipe cleaners for the necklace.

Now what can I do this year??????????

Halloween Part 2......

There's lots of ideas on Pinterest and I saw some where everyday containers had been painted with Acrylic paint which is what I did with two of these containers. 

James found the labels online and these were printed off and stuck on the bottles and jar.

Natalie made the tags using Tim Holtz halloween stencil and texture paste.

Add washi tape, spiders, skulls and spider web stuff that you pull and stretch and you have unique and cheap decorations. 

A large jar filled with plastic eyes that look so much better in water with a touch of red food colouring!

An old plastic lolly container with gravel in the bottom, moss, cheap plastic fingers and of course a few spiders.

I bought this bottle at a charity shop think it was £3 filled witht he spider web stuff not stretched and a label to fit the contents - so easy!

Empty wine bottles with a label found on the internet, printed and stuck on the bottle.

Cheap plastic spiders, skeletons, bats and spiders web added.

Glass vase and kilner jar I already had decorated again with spiders, skeleton, ribbon, washi tape & tags and my favourite spiders web stuff.

 I love it & if you have UV lights or bulbs it glows and looks even better.

Halloween - Part 1!!!!!!

Yes I know it's January but I thought I would share some of the things I made with the help of James & Natalie for our Halloween party.

A Halloween party is a great excuse to make stuff that you wouldn't get chance to do, for a reason anyway!

This is the 3rd chocolate house I have made - this one was just as enjoyable thinking of how to decorate and what sweets to use :)

I had some  sugar paste left from decorating the cakes for Stokesley Show so made the bats, ghosts, pumpkins and headstones with it. 

The sweets were a mix from £1 shop, M&S and sweets you can get anywhere.

I might try leaving the window aperture withput chocolate next time so a tealight would shine through - not sure if it will affect the strength of the walls though. Good thing is you can soon melt it and do it again!

Amazing birthday.......

......quickish birthday card - we all need these sometimes.

I am going to try and be more organised this year and make cards the month before they are needed. I will see how that goes!

I heat embossed the image on soft suede card to give a bit of a sheen as I thought it might be too dark. I stamped the image again on white card and cut out the Amazing word and stuck it on top to make the word the focus.

I used the star border punch along the bottom and used the punched out stars ont he crd too. A little bit of tine and tiny tags added a bit of interest.

Kinda Eclectic tag

I do like stamp sets with a variety of images. They are a great way of doing a collage design as in the 50th birthday card I shared on Monday. 

This design could easily be used on a card too - try choosing 3 colours. 

The colour coach from Stampin Up is a great guide for this and makes it easy especially if you need to make a quick card as I find sometimes choosing colours is the hardest thing!

Kinda Eclectic collection

A friend from work was celebrating her 50th birthday going on a cruise so i had to use the typeset DSP with the maps on it as wrapping paper, envelope and lining on the fry box

She really appreciated it all and took the box of truffles with her to have on her birthday!

Male birthday collection

I don't know about you but I mens cards always take me more time to design.

I do like using kraft card and I love this look mixed with grey, moustaches a sentiment and a couple of boxes with chocolates!

Baby goodies.

I have a few more things to share from the end of last year starting with some baby things for our great nephew Liam born in Tenerife at the end of August.

I made a blanket for him too once I found some material I liked! 

The card was made using Baby We've Grown set from Stampin Up and the banner punch .

I had to make a card for his Big Sister too!

We haven't met him yet but hope he's not too grown up by the time we do!

Stokelsy Show - some of my favourites

I love looking round all the tents at the show particulraly the handicrafts and childrens but also the produce, vegetable and flowers.

Here are some of my favourite things.

Loved this in the childrens tent - had to be different layers of coloured jelly - thought it was a clever idea.

Pom Pom sock hedgehog

Lots of lovely cushions

How cute is this jumper

Decorated chocolate cake

Gingerbread family

How big are these!!!!

I hope you have enjoyed the things from the show and maybe I will see you there this year - if not entering haying a day out!!!!

Stokesley Show - sewing entries

I wish I had more time to sew as I do enjoy it and I find it satisfying when you have a finished product.

I shared with you last year a sewing kit I made for my mam and wanted to do one for myself so the show spurred me on to do one!

I entered it into the categorey "any item over 30cm" and was chuffed to get 2nd place. 

But more importantIy I have something useful I can use and take with me so I have the things I need in one place.

I don't seem to have 1st place item but this was 2nd and I loved it - there was so much work in it and I would love to make one, maybe one day.

I also entered a baby tag blanket - I love this material.

I now have a gift just waiting for a baby!

I also entered the bookmark category using any medium - a hand sticthed felt one and a stamped one - the felt one getting 3rd place!

1st & 2nd entries in the bookmark section

More Stokesley Show entries.....

I decided to enter some decorated cakes this time and had fun making these.

You had to present 4 decorated cup cakes - not to be cut - 

so judged on appearance rather than taste.

There wasn't that many entries and I was shocked to get 1st & 2nd!!!!

As you can see only 8 entries - so come on all get entering this year!!!!

Wishing you a HAPPY NEW YEAR.......

...to you and your families I hope it's a happy & healthy one for you.

Where did the last 3 months go???? 
I seem to keep saying this and can't believe it was the end of September when I last posted on my blog...I must try to do better this year!

So think I will go back to September and Stokelsey show and show you the rest of the things I entered.

These have been 2 of my favourite stamp sets from Stampin Up's Autumn/Winter catalogue this year and I was pleased to get 2nd place with this card in the card class any media.

This was the card that got first prize

I also enterd a frame I made with the sets int the category "any item less than 30cm"

This turned out exactly how I had pictured in my head and love it - it has hung in my hall over the holidays and will come out every year from now.

It didn't matter that I didn't get a prize for it I have a piece of work to treasure.

A side view out of the frame so you can see the layers.

I was really chuffed for my Mam, and she was totally shocked that she got 3rd prize in the same category with this paper ornament

My three entries in this category - frame, book tree and snowflake wreath and Mam's 2 other entries JOY frame (upside down) and CHRISTMAS wall hanging.

These are the First & Second place entries. I would hate to be a judge in such an open category with lots of different crafts & techniques on display. I love to see them all.