Anniversary Card

Hello peeps, just a quick update for a card I made recently for a 25th Anniversary.

I used some silver skeleton leaves, die cut 25 from some holographic card and added some ink over the top of an embossed piece of card.

I then used a silver pain pen to add some detailing around the edges of the card.

Nice and simple but something you know you could not just pop to the shops and buy so hopefully the recipient loved it.

Happy crafting

kyla

WOYWW

On my desk this week is my almost finished 365 Journal page.

 I know I am ahead of time, go me!

It is laid out on my desk waiting for the glossy accents to dry before I think about adding some more images, embellishments of maybe some scribbles.

No "Man Bites Dog" cards this week as I forgot to get them out (I blame RA flares and brain fog-nothing to do with my age!!)

So, why not join us over at the lovely Julia's page (link over on the right) and show us your workdesk this Wednesday?

Happy crafting

kyla

Upcycled Cards

I am sure I am not the only one, but I like to upcycle Christmas cards and Calendars rather than just recycle them.  I find it is a great way to use up stash.

I particularly like these London ones, I have used some patterned tissue paper from the White Company (someone passed me their leftover paper) as backing on the first two cards and then used some images from last years calendar that I matt and layered.

I then decided to make an effort to use the large amount of Kraft card blanks I appear to have in my stash and created a series of cards from these too.

So there you have it, some cards ready for next year.  

If you spot a card you sent us then I hope you don't mind it being used rather than recycled.

This year my card sales went to a donation to St Mungoes homeless shelter who operate several centers in Bristol so seemed a fitting charity.

Happy crafting

kyla

Christmas present de stashing

Now this is a tale of learning from experience!

I decided this year to try and make a foldable shopping bag, one that had a way of folding and staying folded in my handbag.  I cobbled together a few different designs on Pinterest and thought I had it sorted.  A bag with a small pocket in the front (for lists etc) and a button and piece of elastic so I could roll it up and secure it........and herein lies the issue.

It didn't dawn on me that the elastic would need to be long enough to stretch all the way round the bag when rolled.....so it came up FAR too short and wouldn't do up! 

Back to the drawing board!!  This bag is used as one of the "chuck it in the boot of the car" bags I tend to keep in there rather than waste it.

So, then I tried again but this time I used my first bag rolled up as a template and measured some elastic (and added a bit for good luck)........

and this time it worked!  

I made a nice label and thought it would be a lovely present for Christmas so I made a couple more in different colours.  They take a while to make as sewing isn't natural to me and involved taking a couple days off work to do them, but I got there in the end!

Yes, I know it would be cheaper and easier to have bought bags-but I enjoy making them (though you wouldn't know it if you could hear the language that accidentally comes out across my sewing machine at times!!) and it forces me to take some time off work (which is never a bad thing).

If anyone has any ideas for good destashing ideas for fabric please let me know!  Last year I made the tissue holders from fellow WOYWW crafters Fiona and Jan's instructions (they were brilliant but I made so many everyone got one) and some notebook covers so I am looking for ideas ready for next Christmas!

Happy crafting

Kyla

Scrap card

Hello peeps, if you popped over to my desk on Wednesday you would have seen these cards in the making phase.

I managed to grab a few minutes the other evening to finish them, so I am pleased with that.

I quite like these cards as they are good for both men and women.

I remember going into an expensive boutique shop in London last year and actually found the company that makes the toiletries they use this tissue paper for.  

That is the great thing about supporting scrap stores, a lot of the paper products come from a vast array of companies making packaging products for companies all over the country.  

All I know is that their products were REALLY expensive (unlike the tissue paper which cost me pennies for about 50 sheets).

Happy crafting

Kyla

WOYWW

Happy hump day again where we bare our desks in all their glory.

This time I actually have crafting on my desk!  I know, I have made some time to put my needs first-long may that continue!

On my desk is some tissue paper I picked up at the local scrap store a while ago.  

It nice and thick which makes a good backing paper for cards, I just need to cut the matting for the sentiments and add them to the cards and hey presto-finished.

My "Man Bites Dog" cards this week are:

'Naked Judge Indicted Tycoon'-we can but pray, though why the judge needed to be naked who knows (haha).

So, what are you up to at the moment?  

If you are on the east coast of the States then I do hope you are staying warm (the TV footage of the weather over there has left us speechless).

Happy crafting

Kyla

Happiness Jar

So, a couple of years ago I made two promises to myself.  One was to do a daily walk, not to beat myself up if I didn't do one each day especially as with my RA sometimes I am in so much pain I am unable to get out of bed easily.  But most days I manage a walk, sometimes VERY short and slow (and with my sticks) other days a little longer.

The other promise was to do a jar of happiness.  Each day to write a short statement about something nice that happened, or made me laugh.  Again, not to beat myself up if I didn't do it every day, accepting somedays it is hard to find something positive.  BUT most days my husband and I managed to find something positive to note down in the jar.

We keep adding to it and at the end of the year/start of the new year we sit down and read through them all, reliving all the lovely, happy memories that happened during the year.

It costs me nothing (it is an old coffee tin and cut up scrap paper) yet really does lift the spirits and reminds you to think about small positives throughout the week, even if it is as simple as the sun on your face or a lovely hot bath.

I intend once again to carry on with both of these this year as I truly do believe they have helped both my mental and physical wellbeing.

Do you do any small acts regularly that help?  I would love to hear about them.

Happy crafting

kyla

WOYWW

Happy New Year everyone and the first WOYWW of 2018.

No desk from me as it is covered in left over scraps, cards and wrapping all ready for upcycling for some cards for next Christmas!  This year I forgot I made about 20 cards from upcycled cards so when I opened the box of Christmas decs and found them it was a lovely surprise and also a relief as it took some of the strain off me-so I thought I would do it again and plan on making another 20 during January.

So instead of showing my desk I thought I would show just a few of the lovely cards I got:

top left is from Lunch Lady Jan, a woodcut printed card by Allen William Seaby, I adore this image so it is going to be added to my craft room wall.  

Below that is the lovely die cut Merry Christmas card from Shaz Silverwolf, so detailed and I love the poinsettia.

At the bottom (blue) is from Kelly Henkins (WOYWW and I also received a 8th anniversary ATC earlier this year)

Top right is a stamped and hand coloured image from fellow crafting coven member Julie (I believe her talented daughter Cat coloured it).

Bottom right is a drawn design my brother's father-in-law (Alan) designed and had printed

This is my favourite though-from my 2 year old niece, Emily.  Her footprint as Rudolph!

Some lovely handmade/inspirational cards, a huge thanks for them

Kyla

Bristol Urban Sketchers

I am a bit tardy in blogging recently as my "pay the bills job" has once again been ruling my life, something I am hoping to redress in 2018 and get some more balance (especially since my Rheumatoid Arthritis flares are triggered by stress).

One way I find I can detach myself from the stresses of daily life is to urban sketch. These are a couple updates from the last two Bristol Urban Sketchers meetups.

This one was along the floating harbour in Bristol opposite The Thekla, a floating music venue and Bristol institution. 

The December up was in the John Wesley Chapel in the centre of town and their new cafe, a great meeting place, light, airy and some fabulous things to sketch-though I admit I found a comfy seat and sat and sketched right there!

At the end of the sketch we all meet up for drinks/food and share our work.

They are a great group and in the past couple of years I have been taking part I have learnt so much from them.

If you fancy Urban Sketching I thoroughly recommend joining your local group.

Happy crafting

kyla